Xen Tan Dark Lotion Weekly Self Tan

I have now been using Xen Tan's Deep Bronze Luxe and Xen Tan Moroccan Tan for around two years and haven't looked back. Xen Tan's product range is just superb, the products don't come with that usual biscuit-y smell, they are free from parabens and all have their own unique benefits.

Recently I purchased the Xen Tan Dark Lotion to add to my collection and I have put together a review for you here:

Xen Tan Dark Lotion - Weekly Self Tan

Left - before application. Right - immediately after application.

Unlike the other products the Xen Tan Dark Lotion comes in a drip-free pump action bottle which immediately won me over. This puts an end to fiddly caps and squeezy tubes leaving marks on furniture and spilling onto surfaces. A couple of pumps onto my mitt and I was ready to go.

The guide colour is immediately fairly dark and I panicked that I would need to blend quickly to avoid darker patches from the guide colour. However when I rubbed it in it actually faded back to a more subtle bronzed look with no patchiness or streaking. In fact I would be happy to venture out and about in the summer with this guide colour on as it is more of a 'glow' than a heavy duty dark colour. You can see how subtle and natural the guide colour looks immediately after application in the picture on the right - above.

The product smells delicious (as usual) no biscuity fake tan smell. When applying with the mitt the product spread and blended beautifully, the consistency is smooth and silky and goes on effortlessly.

The colour developed quickly and evenly, giving a gorgeous olive tone to my skin. It looks very natural and sunkissed.

This product retails at £24.45 from Feel Unique.

Four hours after application.

                              

OOTN - My Saturday night outfit featuring Topshop, Zara, Marc Jacobs and ASOS

It's Tuesday and I still feel as though I'm recovering from Saturday night's shenanigans! My feet ached from dancing, my cheeks from laughing and my head from a few bubbles ;)

It was the 30th birthday of a dear friend of mine and we celebrated in a newly opened venue in the city. We had a fabulous night and I'm going to do a quick run down of my outfit as I forgot to take any photos whatsoever!! 

The dress that I wore was an asymmetric drape dress from Topshop which I actually found on Pinterest and fell in love with but couldn't get hold of in white for months! Finally it came into stock online so I purchased straight away for this evening out! 

RRP £46 - link to buy from Topshop here. 

I accessorised with a pair of combination Zara sandals in nude and coral with a beautifully delicate thin gold stiletto heel which have been sat in my wardrobe since last summer waiting to come out and play. 

Shoes from Zara's S/S '13 collection, no longer available.

To tie in the coral I used Rimmel's Coral Romance (review here) on my nails.

Rimmel Salon Pro RRP £4.49 - link to buy from Boots here.

I took along my white envelope clutch with gold accents from ASOS.com.

Clutch from Asos' A/W '13 collection, no longer available. 

Finally to compliment the gold accents of the heels and clutch I wore my Marc Jacobs Henry watch. I don't tend to wear that much jewellery but I adore the masculinity of this statement watch and think it sets off the structured look.

RRP £259 - link to buy from Selfridges here.

I hope that everyone also had a fab weekend! x

Revlon Photoready Skinlights highlighters

As I'm not a huge fan of heavy foundation or a very 'made up' look I prefer to have a more natural finish when it comes to my makeup. To compliment my tinted moisturiser I've tried various types of highlighters - mainly powder based - but find that they can sit heavily on the skin and give an unnatural look.

Recently I started using Revlon Photoready Skinlights and I have fallen in love!! The product comes in 4 shades to suit all different skintones and are designed to be used as a base for your makeup to illuminate and even out your skintone. However I also frequently use mine as a very simple and subtle liquid contouring product.

Revlon Photoready Skinlights

I own two shades - 'pink light' the lightest available and 'bronze light' the darkest available. Using the lighter shade I dab this onto cheekbones, down the centre of my nose, between my brows, along the arch of my lower brows and onto my chin. I dab the darker shade along my temples, below my hairline and beneath my cheekbones. I then gently buff it until it is blended for a natural glow. 

Contoured for a heavier evening look using Revlon Photoready Skinlights  'pink light' and  'bronze light' beneath Revlon Photoready foundation.

For daytimes I use a little 'pink light' mixed with a my moisturiser to add a dewy glow to my skin when I feel a little dull. This also works well as a primer before applying your foundation over the top for a dewy but full-coverage look.

Daytime dewy look  
Revlon Photoready Skinlights in 'pink light' mixed with Boots No7 tinted moisturiser.
 (Isabella wears a mixture of weetabix and orange juice!)

I'm completely sold with these products, the finish lasts all day and the product lasts for an absolute age as you really don't need to use very much at all.

I think they're a really fab alternative to powder highlighters :)

RRP £11.99 for 30ml from Boots.com

Christmas Eve hair - feat the Enrapture Encode Totem Styler

So today is Christmas Eve and we have a whole lot of family and friends to visit, bearing gifts! Yippee!!

As I'm short on time this morning I needed to get ready quickly, but wanted a semi-glam hair look so I've styled my hair using my Enrapture Encode Totem Styler, using code 2-2-2 for loose, romantic curls. I just wanted to share the results with you, as this hair look only took me around 15 minutes to create but is really effective. (Let's see if it manages to survive this wonderful weather!)

The Enrapture Encode styler creates a whole range of looks at the click of a button and is available from Boots, Debenhams and Argos. It retails at £59.99 but if you're quick you can get it from Boots for just £39.98 here: http://m.boots.com/mt/www.boots.com/en/Enrapture-ERIR1000UK-Encode-Totem-Styler-Hair-Tong_1230530/

Have a fabulous Christmas Eve everybody!!

*Naked Fake it - Gotta Glow Giftset

As you probably saw in my recent Christmas Wishlist post this little beauty is firmly 'up there' on my 6 most-wanted items in my stocking this year. And, actually, I have to confess that I managed to get my mitts on this gorgeous gift set a little early courtesy of Naked Bodycare (thanks guys!!).

So, like a naughty child, I've opened my pressie early and am thrilled with the results!!

Naked Bodycare: Fake It - Gotta Glow giftset - RRP £14.00

The set contains Naked's 'Fake It - Glow It up' self tan lotion, in a fab 150ml size, teamed with Naked's 'Fake It - Dust Me' mineral shimmer powder.

First of all, it's important to note that both products are totally free from any horrid chemical products like parabens/SLES/SLS and are also fragrance free. This is great for those with sensitive skin, or those like me who choose not to use products which contain these sneaky nasties.
The tanning agent used in the lotion is 100% natural, so totally safe to use and the lotion is also enriched with shea butter and cocoa butter for a gorgeous tan with gorgeous skin!

I found the colour to be very natural and it developed into a wonderful golden tone. It's not overly dark, so suitable for everyday wear in the colder months, and also very nourishing which, again, is great for the dry winter days. It is naturally fragranced with pink grapefruit blends and vanilla extracts so smells really REALLY scrummy and not of that usual 'biscuit' waft!!

The shimmer powder is fabulous! This is now a firm favourite of mine whenever I am invited out for a glass of mulled wine and need to bare a little skin. It looks great on arms, legs, décolletage or anywhere else you may care to brush it! It has a gorgeous bronze undertone and gives skin a flawless, healthy appearance. 

A perfect stocking filler for any female friends, family or colleagues (fab Secret Santa option too!!) this little set retails at £14.00 from Naked Bodycare.

(It's also worth checking out their other gift sets for those who don't use self-tan all too often as they have some incredible alternatives for your mum, auntie or even grandma - think Coco de Mer bath products or Marshmallow shampoo collections...yum!!)


*This product was sent to me for review by Naked Bodycare.

Dear Father Christmas...

This year I have been exceptionally good, so here is my Christmas wishlist for you and Rudolf!!  ;)

Boots - New Look - £27.99
These boots are an A/W staple, perfect with jeans, leggings or tights and a dress. At £27.99 they're an absolute bargain.
Combined Lace dress - Zara - £45.99
This classic piece is the perfect LBD. Fab for any season and will carry you through Christmas party after Christmas party.
iPad case - Ted Baker - £79.00
I'm cheating a little here, as I already own this! It has been on my wishlist for so long and my fabulous best friend bought it for me for my birthday a few weeks back. However, I wanted to share it with you as it's such an amazing little case which doubles as a patent clutch bag! Perfect!
Naked Fake It gift set - £14.00
A gorgeous gift set for anyone looking for a stunning self tanning product which is natural and eco-friendly. Naked Bodycare are THE people to go to for affordavle, safe body products and this beautiful gift set is no exception. Also makes a fantastic stocking filler for your sister, best friend, mum, daughter, auntie etc etc!! Full product review coming soon...
Marc by Marc Jacobs Henry watch - £259
Well, I don't think I need to say anything here. Just look at it, exquisite!
How To Marry a Millionaire lingerie set - Gilda & Pearl - £109
British made, luxurious lingerie, made from the finest fabrics and to the highest standard. Gilda and Pearl pieces are just pure indulgence. If you're going to own one 'fancy' set of lingerie, make it this!

Kate Moss for Rimmel - 107 wine matte lipstick

For the past few weeks I've been looking for the perfect deep bloodred lip colour to match with my autumn wardrobe. I'm loving the deep red matte lip look but wanted something relatively cheap and cheerful as it's not something I'm planning on wearing all that often, so doubt I'll see the bottom of the tube!

Rimmel's matte lip colour in '107 wine' from their Kate Moss collection ticks all of the boxes. It has incredible staying power and gives a really vampy, striking look. It costs just £5.49 from Boots and I paired it with the Rimmel 1000 kisses lip liner in '063 Black Tulip' which matched perfectly and costs just £2.99 - also from Boots.

This gave the colour a sharp outline and increased the staying power again. I wore this to watch the fireworks on Guy Fawkes night and didn't have to reapply once in 3 hours.

I love the overall look of this lipcolour and think it's the perfect shade for the season. Plus it's a bargain, and us girls love a bargain!

(PS Boots have 3 for 2 across their makeup, hair and beauty in store at the moment so buy the lippy and liner and get a third item for free! Told you we love a bargain!)

x

Halloween makeup - feeling feline!

Hello lovely readers,

Just popping up a quick post on my halloween makeup for this year. I was lucky enough to go down to the Masked Ball at the Lizard with my hubby last weekend - which was utterly amazing!! (See the video footage here: http://m.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DgJBCKBppMBw&h=KAQHWWhuu&s=1 courtesy of Twisted Vision.)

I wanted to share this look as I managed to create it mainly using the make-up I already own with the need for facepaint etc so it's a pretty straightforward look to create if you're invited to a party at the last-minute.

First off I moisturised my face using my Green People day solution moisturiser and then prepped my face using Revlon Photoready Perfecting Primer.

I applied Estee Lauder double wear liquid foundation using a stippling brush to my entire face and then using a foundation brush I heavily contoured the hollows my cheeks, my temples and the top of my forehead using Revlon Photoready Skinlights in 'bronze'. I then highlighted my cheekbones, nose and chin again using Revlon Photoready Skinlights but this time in 'pink'.

I used my new Sleek eyebrow palette in 'light' to shape and then fill the main body of my eyebrow, and then to drag out the tails to above my natural brow line. You can see in the first picture that my natural brow sits just below the brow end that I have drawn on. This gives the eye area a much larger appearance.
I then shaded the sides of my nose using a shadow brush with a flat brown eyeshadow and connected this shading right up to the inner brow area. I applied a small coat of white facepaint to my upper lip, the bridge of my nose and my lower forehead at this point, just to make these areas stand out a little more, but if you don't have this to hand then don't worry, the look will work without it.

I used a kohl eyeliner pencil and my Eco Tools smudge brush to fill my upper lid with black, setting this with a flat black eye shadow. I created a heart shaped 'nose' on the tip of nose using my kohl eyeliner and set this with black eyeshadow, connecting down to a small line to my cupid's bow which I created using my NARS Eyeliner Stylo. I fixed everything with a dusting of Diorskin Forever pressed powder.

This is the look at this stage:

To finish the look off, I added some whisker points on my upper lip and lined my upper lash line using my NARS eyeliner again. I brought this topliner down the inner corners of my eyes toward the bridge of my nose to elongate the eye and then highlighted the entire eye area - above and below - using my Bourjois Little Round Pot eyeshadow in '01 - light'. I lined my inner upper and lower waterlines with Sleek ink pot in 'dominatrix' and popped on some false eyelashes giving my upper and lower lashes a quick coat of Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme mascara in extreme black.

And voila! Here is the finished look whilst we had stopped for a cheeky Maccy's on the way!!
(My ear headband is from Accessorize).

I hope you enjoy this basic and easy to create look, and that you all have a spook-tacular halloween!! x

NOTD feat Essie 'Don't Sweater It'

Just a quick post to share today's nail colour with you!

I'm currently wearing Essie's Don't Sweater It and love the deep, autumnal colour as a luxe alternative to my usual auburn/maroon for the season.

Don't Sweater It is a rich, chocolatey mauve-brown with purple undertones which give it further depth. It's a glossy, solid colour which looks fab with a chunky sweater and jeans for the autumn. 

Essie nail polishes are three-free and are available from Selfridges.com for £10.95 per bottle.

Moroccanoil - my hair saviour - review

So back in August 2012 I reviewed my gorgeous, new Moroccanoil Barrel brush. I mentioned back then that Moroccanoil is my hands-down hair wonder product and a few people asked if I could write a review...

Well, for those lucky people, just 13 months later here it is!! Yes, prompt, I know!


For those who haven't tried / heard of Moroccanoil it came onto the UK market a few years ago and was hailed a hair super hero! And for good reason.  This beautiful hair oil not only protects your hair, but it also replenishes and repairs the hair, leaving it supple, shiny and super soft.

I have always used the original formula, despite a new 'light' version for fine and light-coloured hair being released. Though I have both fine and light-coloured hair, I find that the original formula suits my hair perfectly with the small amount that I use.

Moroccanoil original hair treatment - 100ml - £31.85

I simply wash my hair as usual and roughly towel dry until damp. I then dispense a small amount (roughly the size of a 20p piece) using the pump nozzle provided and work this through from around mid length to the ends of my hair. It smells utterly delicious, and is absorbed super quickly. Surprisingly it doesn't weigh hair down, nor does it make it feel greasy and I find it also helps my hair to dry a lot faster as it separates and nourishes it - always a bonus when your normal hair drying time is around half an hour, hello dead arm! Once blow dried I style as usual and voila! Perfectly nourished, healthy-looking hair, which also smells divine!!
The Moroccanoil also helps to protect the hair from heat, so blow drying and styling is less damaging, with hair looking soft and full bodied once styled.

I have also found that my hair suffers a lot less from frizz and flyaways in humid and damp weather when using the Moroccanoil. If my hair is especially dry - for example if I am on holiday somewhere hot - I will also use a small amount on the ends once styled just for that additional moisture and shine.

Moroccanoil is available from good hairdressers - such as the fabulous Afina in Truro - and also from feelunique.com. It retails at around £31.00 for the original, full 100ml size bottle which comes with the pump dispenser.

If you're concerned about Autumn being one long bad hair day, I'd seriously recommend that you give this product a go! x

Naked Bodycare - nudey goodness! ♥

As you are probably now aware from my previous blog posts and general moans about nasty, naughty ingredients in skincare and cosmetic products, I try to ensure that I use products which are organic-based and give good results, naturally.

A few months back whilst undergoing my usual gargantuan weekly nappy run in my local Boots store I went to peruse the baby skincare shelf, just to see whether they had any new offerings for me. I am an avid label-checker, especially when it comes to skincare products for my children. I always, ALWAYS avoid using products with dangerous preservatives and foaming agents (parabens, SLS etc) which generally means that I struggle to buy anything off the shelf in my local drugstore or supermarket since most of the 'bigger' brands seem all too happy to sell bottles of pesticides and harsh detergents for our children's bath routines....nicely bottled in pretty packaging with 'caring' logos, of course ;)
This all changed, however, when I noticed a new line of children's skincare products perched happily on the shelf: mini Naked from Naked Bodycare.

First off I noticed the 97% natural claim on the front of the packaging, then upon studying the ingredients list on the back of I discovered that they were free of all the nasties I banish from my bathroom cabinets. Excited at the prospect of being able to buy natural and 'safe' products from my local Boots store I popped a bottle of go ga-ga gentle bodywash into my basket and heaved it along with my ridiculous tower of nappies to the till (via the women's skincare aisle where I also nabbed a bottle of Ooh La La Naked - Coco de Mer body wash. Well you have to try the adult range too, right?!).

mini Naked go ga-ga bodywash - £2.99

Naked Ooh La La Coco de Mer body wash - £3.99

Unfortunately, one of my scrummy twin daughters, Sophia, suffers with dry skin and eczema - triggered by heat and dry, cold weather. I have to be so careful with any skincare products that I use on her and am always hesitant to change once I have found a product that works. However, I hesitantly gave the go ga-ga a trial run and happily found that she had absolutely no reaction to the Naked bodycare wash. It was gentle and lightly scented, with enough foam to satisfy you that they are getting the day's pasta, snot and mud off, but without stripping their delicate skin. Winner! I now use this on all three of my children, with no complaints from any of them.
I have also been fortunate enough to receive a bottle of the Bananas and Custard 2-in-1 shampoo from the lovely people at Naked to try during our oh-so-fun bathtimes! This is DELICIOUS! It leaves their hair tangle free (not an easy task with the twins, who always resemble a pair of swamp monsters by lunch time, intent on removing any hair ties/clips and smearing most things into their own/each other's hair on a daily basis) and smelling delicious. Again, this product contains no nasties, it is tear-free and suitable for vegetarians and vegans too!

Naked Bananas and Custard kids 2 in 1 shampoo - £2.99

On to mummy's products! I absolutely adore the scent of the Naked Coco de Mer bodywash, again it's gentle so doesn't irritate in any way, and leaves you feeling squeaky clean with a hint of yummy frangrance. It smells and feels like a luxury product, containing coconut derivatives and passion flower extract  (yum!) but without a hefty price tag. My new favourite shower product!

Naked also were kind enough to send me a bottle of their Detox 2 in 1 shampoo. I have very fine blonde hair, which takes a lot of maintenance to keep it thick but without lots of sitting product. I find that my hair does suffer from build up fairly easily and this product has been a life saver! I've been using this product on it's own once a week to gently bring my hair back to it's 'naked' condition. It really makes a huge and very noticeable difference, with my hair instantly feeling lighter, squeaky clean and softer. The 'clean' feeling also stays until the next day too, so no need for dry shampoos etc to maintain that freshness. It acts as a shampoo and conditioner, so you don't need any secondary products.
Because my hair is so fine and flyaway I do suffer from static and so will add a heat protection conditioning spray before drying if I blow dry my hair after use. However, when left to dry naturally this isn't necessary.

Naked Detox 2 in 1 shampoo and conditioner - £3.99

I can't wait to try more from the Naked range, the heat protection spray and body building hair mousse are next on my 'to buy' list along with the 24 hour Naked Coco de Mer body butter. Yum!

Naked heat protection spray - £4.99

So all in all a big thumbs up from mummy and children, and also daddy too - who appreciates the banana and custard scented children!

Thankyou, Naked Bodycare, for finally bringing natural, safe children's products to our highstreet shelves! x

Benefit Pin Up Lashes

I'm not normally one for fake lashes. Since spending hours in my earlier years trying to fix them equally across my lash lines without looking half-cut before I've even left the house, to ripping them off complete with half my natural lashes still affixed at the end of the night, it's safe to say I'm not the biggest lash fan.
I have dabbled with the Eyelures, the Girls Alouds (we've all bought the Cheryls right?!) and the Laurens Ways all with varying levels of success. I've tried all styles, from wispies to glamourous, to double-layered-drag-appearance. You see all too often the girls who think 'bigger is better' and for some, yes perhaps, for others...not so much :/
It's a minefield of fiddly applicators, ridiculously finicky glass bottles of glue, cutting to size, dropping them down the back of the dresser, trying to figure out how to make them stay on the inner corners (dammit, why don't they stick?!?), just ridiculous.

However...

I think I may have stumbled across the holy grail of false lashes. For those, like me, who fear individual semi permanents leaving lasting damage and stick to the occasional special occasion strip lash, I may well have the answer to end your Saturday night lash-dramas!

Let me introduce you to Benefit's Pin Up lashes.

Benefit Pin Up Lashes. £11.50

These. Are. Incredible!

Benefit do a whole range of lashes, but for me these are the best. They are dark brown, rather than black, so give all the drama of long, fluttery lashes without the drag-queen effect. They are double layered, for a wispy but full appearance, and they really open up your eyes. They are more curved than most other brands so sit more naturally along your lash line. The plastic strip is thinner and more flexible than others so is easier to manipulate into the curve of your eye and stick into those tricky inner corners!!

Below are two pictures, the first of my evening make-up before applying the lashes and the second after I have added the lashes.


Neutral smoky make-up before adding Benefit Pin Up lashes.

Neutral smoky make-up with Benefit Pin Up lashes.

 

In each picture, the smaller top right photo shows just how much difference these lashes make to your eyes, they really widen them and compliment that smoky evening look.

 

Benefit Pin Up lashes are available from Boots, Debenhams and Benefit direct. I normally get mine online from Debenhams as they have free delivery for beauty card holders and frequently run promos (there is 10% off at the minute!!). They cost £11.50 full price, which a little more pricey than other strip lashes, but I have used mine over and over again and they just keep going!
It's worth mentioning that these don't come with glue, but most of us have a vial or two knocking around. I did buy the Benefit Lash Glue (£7.50) with the lashes too and have to say it's worth investing in. You get lots for your money, it comes in a squeezy, resealable tube rather than a ridiculous small glass bottle (with a lid which never comes off easily!) and again there is currently 10% off this little beauty at the moment at Debenhams too!
So there you have it, Saturday night lash dramas are a thing of the past!

xxx

Beautifully bronzed - Xen Tan Moroccantan

As all of my friends will tell you, I am a total tan addict! If there is a tanning product out there, chances are there is a half-used bottle sat in my bathroom cabinet!
I am a huge Xen Tan fan, their products smell delicious - like chocolate rather than fake tan - they are paraben free (very important) and the colour lasts for daaaaays!!! I've been using their Deep Bronze Luxe once a week self tan for months now and I absolutely adore it!

Xen Tan Deep Bronze Luxe

 

As a devoted fan, I recently noticed that Xen Tan were running a Twitter competition recently where you could win a bottle of their fab new Moroccantan, containing Moroccan Oil. I had wanted to try this for the longest time so I entered and was thrilled when I won!!

Xen Tan Morrocantan

The Moroccantan is a fair bit darker than the deep bronze luxe, with a noticeably darker guide colour. It smells delicious, like coconut, so instantly triggers memories of sunkissed skin and sun lotion!

When applying my normal Deep Bronze Luxe I find it is fine to apply using my bare hands and wash them afterwards (with whitening toothpaste for my nails of course!) whereas the deep guide colour of the Moroccantan means that a mitt is a must!
On the morning after application, the depth of the guide colour can look a little scary! But once you shower it off, it leaves you with a gorgeous, smooth, deep brown tan. It's a really natural looking colour, but quite dark, so I'd recommend it for girls who prefer a deeper colour, for summer months or pre-holiday bronzing.

Prices are very reasonable, I normally buy my Xen Tan through feel unique who have speedy delivery and also regularly run promotional money-off offers.

Xen Tan Deep Bronze Luxe weekly tan sells for £21.50 with free delivery.
Xen Tan Moroccantan sells for £19.99 with free delivery.

Follow Xen Tan on Twitter here!

I hope you love them as much as I do! xx



Day after using Xen Tan Deep Luxe.
(Apologies for the odd shot in the Eden Project loos, I forgot to take a pic before taking the kiddies out for the day!!)



Xen Tan Moroccan Tan after application - tan line to show the contrast.

Flip flops and friendship bracelets

Yippee, it's finally here!! Summer has arrived, and with it comes the pretty pedicured toes and floaty, sleeveless outfits.

I've been trying to find the perfect shade of nail varnish to grace my tootsies now that the flip flops are firmly back on my feet for the sunny weather. At the moment, coral is one of my absolute favourite shades. It compliments virtually every skin tone, looks gorgeous against a tan and can be used as a bright colour pop against a neutral or black outfit in equal measure.

I recently bought Rimmel's 60 second nail polish in shade 415 'Instyle Coral'. It's a gorgeous, lacquer-esque polish with a professional finish, plus it's 3-free so all good for everyday wear. This looks fab for summer, it makes your toes look so tasty!

To match the coral nails I also bought Boots number 17 Supreme Shine lipstick in 'Hot Flash'. It's a beautiful pinky-coral colour which flatters a tanned complexion, also perfect for summer!




Lips - Boots '17'  Supreme Shine lipstick in 'Hot Flash'
Nails - Rimmel 60 Second nail polish in '415 Instyle Coral'

Last week I was also lucky enough to win a Twitter competition run by Little Birdie London, a company I came across when I saw a post by fellow southern-girl blogger Liza Prideaux of GlamBeautys.

I won this gorgeous green friendship bracelet, which looks so understated and pretty. As they sell for only £6 each I think I am going to have to buy some more candy colours to stack for the summer, I just love it! At first I thought it was a material bracelet, but it is actually made of metal (alloy) and painted this gorgeous colour. It's fab!

Little Birdie London green friendship bracelet

Check out Little Bird London here and follow them on Twitter here.

They sell some beautiful pieces, favourites of mine being their two skull skinny cuff and their candy bunting necklace...

I hope that you enjoyed your sunny bank holiday Monday! xx

Winter wonders - skincare for the colder months

As the weather gets colder and conditions more harsh, I find that my beauty routine seems to focus more on skincare products than makeup.
In these deepest, darkest wintry days of the year it can be difficult to find a product which strikes that fine balance, both protecting and enhancing your complexion.

Go for a cream which is too rich and it can over-compensate, resulting in oily and breakout-prone skin.
But, in contrast, anything too lightweight will be instantly absorbed and won't offer any protection at all, leaving you with dull looking, dry skin.

I've compiled a list of the best skincare products I've found to date, which I feel really do work and are worth investing in.

Lush Cosmetics Oatifix Fresh Face Mask

This delicious, vanilla-smelling face mask nourishes and hydrates skin, using fresh and natural ingredients. Perfect for slathering on in the evening with a glass of wine for that essential winter skin boost.

(You will note that none of the Lush Cosmetics moisturisers are included on this list. This is because Lush Moisturisers contain two types of paraben preservative, a known carcinogenic, which really shocked me! I'm hoping that they can find a less harmful alternative in future since their entire brand is built on 'natural' and 'healthy' products. Their fresh face masks, however, do not contain any harmful ingredients are really are wonderful.)

RRP £5.95 from Lush Cosmetics.

Green People hydrating firming serum

I can't stress just how important it is that you try this product!! Completely natural, certified organic and cruelty free, this amazing toning serum soaks into the skin almost instantly and provides day-long moisture. It has proven anti-ageing qualities, contains exciting ingredients like seaweed and marshmallow and makes an amazing make-up base. This toner has wonderful moisturising qualities, so if you have phases where your skin becomes more oily, this is great as it hydrates without the stickiness or greasy appearance that creams can sometimes cause with oily skin. Fabulous for all skin types, GREAT for sensitive skin or those who have skin complaints and it's organic.

RRP £11.95 for 50ml from Green People. Trial size of 10ml also available for £3.60 here.

Clinique Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector

Great things really do come in small packages! This eye cream works wonders for those in need of a little under eye pick-me-up. The metal tip instantly soothes and tautens the sensitive under eye skin, whilst the slightly tinted balm gives translucent coverage. This product is great for disguising the delicate under-eye area during the months that we can't get away with slathering on as much fake tan!!

RRP £28 for 10ml from Debenhams

Green People anti-ageing facial oil

I briefly mentioned this little wonder-product back in my review of the Green People Oy! Organic Shampoo and Shower Gel and promised my review. Well, I can't do anything but plead that you try this product!! Facial oils are creeping onto the market more and more now, with people realising that with the right oils you can moisturise without encouraging grease and breakouts. This anti-ageing, organic oil smells absolutely divine and leaves your skin feeling softer, more supple and moisturised. This nifty little product is also available in a trial size, so if you don't want to rely on my word alone, you can pick up a little 10ml vial for a fraction of the cost to try before you buy. But you will most definitely buy!!

RRP £16.95 for 30ml from Green People. Trial size of 5ml also available for £3.60 here.

Good Things Face the Day moisturiser

Good Things is another fab little 'friendly products' brand which I've stumbled across. They use gorgeous, natural ingredients like blackberry and pomegranate, so their products are really good for your skin and they smell delicious!! A firm fave of mine is the Face the Day moisturiser. Retailing at less than £10 it's a fab little disposable product for everyday use. Containing goji berry and papaya, the moisturiser balances your complexion and soothes your skin. Perfect for dry or outbreak-prone skintypes.

RRP £7.99 for 100ml from Boots.


I really hope that you find something on this post which you like. Getting your skincare products right will help to balance your complexion, meaning that makeup will sit far better, enhancing your natural skintone.

If you think there should be any other 'natural' skincare products here which I've missed then let me know!!

Check your ingredients: Part 1 - Parabens.

With a wealth of beauty counters, product ranges, miracle fixes, and new releases any girl looking to keep up with the latest beauty regimes and must-have products is easily overwhelmed by the sheer amount of choice and jargon when looking to purchase beauty products.
These days it's difficult to open the page of a magazine or turn on the television without having drug brands trying to convince you that their new anti-fatigue, light reflecting, pore minimising, anti-ageing, illuminating, super-product will instantly rejuvenate your face and release your inner, air-brushed supermodel.
And we all believe it and off we march down to the high street, armed with our advantage card, without so much as a disgusted glance over our shoulder at last month's miracle product, sat half-used on our dresser.

On top of these wondrous claims and promises, we are also faced with the new brands of 'affordable' make-up coming onto the high street, aimed at those of us who realise and admit to having a teeny bit of a self-control problem when it comes to cosmetic buying and so therefore need to reign in our spending. How perfect, then, when along comes a brand who can offer items at £1 a piece?! It seems too good to be true!! And the truth is, that well, it is.

Because, you see, a lot of us aren't quite au-fait with the hydro-exyl-ethyl-methylene type ingredients lists on the back of these little pots, tubes and jars. We don't actually know what these scientific names really MEAN and instead just 'trust' these brands not to put us in any danger. We don't think too much about putting these products onto our skin day in, day out, nor that these ingredients are being absorbed into our bloodstream. Our bank balance rejoices at the minimal prices and so we are pleased with our purchases and think no more about it.

And it gets even sneakier! There are companies out there who have cottoned onto the more cautious buyer, who have built their branding on 'pure' or 'natural' images, to have us believe that we are making careful choices when in fact they are as 'pure' or 'natural' as the next chemical-loaded product. This sneaky trickery has been labelled 'green washing' and is a clever marketing ploy used by big companies to lead consumers to believe that they are buying 'eco/natural/green/organically-derived' products when in fact that are just as 'green' or 'eco' as the bottle of bleaching agents next to it.

There are a wealth of damaging, dangerous and totally nasty ingredients used by companies these days, but I am going to focus on a few of the biggies over the course of my next few blog posts.


My number one ingredient that I would urge all consumers to avoid are parabens. Parabens are synthetic preservatives used in cosmetics, skin care products, baby products, deodorants, toothpaste and a whole manner of other products (also including foods). Basically, if you are buying a product which is going to come into contact with your skin, check the ingredients lists for these little nasties.

Parabens can mimic oestrogen which can cause female cancers. In a recent study of breast cancer tumours, scientists discovered parabens in 99% of tumour samples (see article here:   http://www.nhs.uk/news/2012/01January/Pages/parabens-in-breast-cancer-tissue-studied.aspx ). Separate research into the exposure of newborn male mammals to butylparaben showed that it “adversely affects the secretion of testosterone and the function of the male reproductive system.”. They are bad, bad, bad for you.

I have looked at the ingredients lists on some day-to-day products and compiled a small (and rather surprising in some instances) list below of the products which I found to contain parabens, which most people use/consume without even thinking that they may be harmful.
Also note that a lot of these products are labelled in such a way that you would believe them to be a conscientious choice...

Huggies *PURE* baby wet wipes - contain Methylparaben

The Body Shop cocoa butter - contains both Methylparaben and Propylparaben

Johnson & Johnson baby nappy cream - contains Methylparaben and Propylparaben

Simple *kind to skin* soothing facial toner - contains Methylparaben

Aussie 3 minute miracle - contains Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Ethylparaben, Butylparaben (How many!!!!)

Garnier *Skin Naturals* Simply Essentials soothing cleansing lotion - contains Methylparaben

As for cosmetics, these can be a lot more difficult to investigate as most do not display a list of ingredients on the bottles / tubes / pots. Purely as an example, here is a link to the MUA Cosmetic line's own ingredients list, available freely on their website: http://www.muastore.co.uk/ingredients
See how many parabens you can spot?! Although, I will give them their due for publishing this as many cosmetics companies do not openly publicise their ingredients lists. Very naughty.

It is important to realise that spreading product after product across your skin day after day will undoubtedly transfer the ingredients into your body. If these ingredients are harmful, this is a very bad thing!!! Many women wear cosmetics for up to 14 - 16 hours a day, every day, therefore it is important that a) you know what you are putting onto your skin and b) whether it is good for you or not!

I would recommend looking at sites such as cutECOsmetics , Naturismo , GreenPeople and LoveLula if you are interested in buying truly 'green' and cruelty free cosmetics or skincare products.

I really hope that you found this post informative and would love to hear what your thoughts are on organic/eco-friendly beauty and skincare products.

xxx

Green People Oy! Organic Shampoo & Shower gel / Oy! Organic Cleanse & Moisturise cream

I was recently lucky enough to be contacted again by Green People to trial some of their Oy! range, which is a delicious collection of products specifically designed with young skin in mind, particularly teens and twenty-somethings who may still be battling with those oily t-zones and breakouts.

I was sent the Green People Oy! Shampoo and Shower and the Green People Oy! Cleanse and Moisturise.

Oy! Shampoo and Shower from GreenPeople.co.uk

RRP £10.20

The Oy! Shampoo and Shower is just delicious. It has a zesty, fruity smell to it and it lathers beautifully. Due to containing chamomile, marshmallow (yummy!) and aloe vera this would be perfect for anyone who suffers with skin complaints such as eczema or psoriasis, or breakouts on their shoulders/back which I know can be especially common in teenage boys. I am fortunate enough not to suffer from skin conditions but I do find that I can suffer from razor burn after shaving my legs in the shower, something which 'chemical' shower washes can aggravate. This product not only fails to aggravate my skin after shaving, but it goes one step further and soothes and actively nourishes any razor burn or tender areas! Yay for no more post-shave red legs!!

Oy! Cleanse and Moisturise from GreenPeople.co.uk
RRP £9.95

On to the Oy! Cleanse and Moisturise. I've been using the Green People Anti-ageing Facial Oil for some time now (utterly amazing - review coming soon!!) so already swear by the Green People Facial Range.
The rosehip scent in this product just reminds me of having a professional facial, whilst the green tea and mandarin really refresh and waken the skin.
As a make-up remover, this works very well. I find that most make-up removers can really irritate my senstivie eye area, which seems ridiculous since this is where the majority of my make-up is! Since this product contains no alcohol or artificial fragrances, and is a 100% certified product with 90% certified ingredients (all available on the product page on their website) this product is perfect for using on delicate skin and doesn't cause inflammation or redness.
As a moisturiser, the silky texture and refreshing scent makes my skin feel beautifully hydrated. A little does seem to go a long way, so this product would seem to be very good value for money. The product makes a good base for make-up (which may seem funny, considering it is also used as a make-up remover!) and doesn't clog pores. It has an active anti-acne formula, which is a great reason to wear all day beneath your make-up if you're prone to break outs.

I love Green People products, and these two are no exception. I'd recommend them to anyone looking for a refreshing range of eco-friendly products which don't break the bank.

As an additional bonus, these products are currently on promotion at GreenPeople.co.uk so don't miss out!

* For a limited time the Oy! Shampoo and Shower is on Buy One Get One Free Promotion*

*For a limited time buy an Oy! Cleanse and Moisturise and receive a Green People 'Hit The Spot' FREE*

Jump for Josie - charity skydive

For those of you who have taken a look around my blog you will have noticed that I am avidly trying to raise money for Cornwall Hospice Care - a charity who provide two hospices which care for terminally ill patients.

This is a cause very close to my heart and I would like to share my story in the hope that it just might inspire you to donate a small sum of money toward this fantastic cause.

Josie - before she fell ill

My younger sister, Josie, developed leukaemia - a blood cancer - at the age of just 18. She was initally rushed to King's College, London where she had to be put onto life support for a number of weeks with a 5% survival rate as her internal organs closed down. It was here she was diagnosed with leukaemia, and miraculously pulled through to come off of life support, only to have to face 2 and a half years of gruelling chemotherapy treatment, prejudice and ignorance from the public and her peers. She tried to live her young life as normally as possible, continuing to go to nightclubs with her friends and insisting on shopping for cute new outfits whenever she managed to muster the energy. These outings would take 4 or 5 days in bed to recover from, but it was her way of refusing to give up, to stick two fingers up at the illness and be as 'normal' as possible. When she lost her hair, she refused to wear a wig, instead donning punk boots and painting her nails red in defiance. When she lost her lashes, she would put on the biggest, most outrageous false pair she could find. She never was a shrinking violet.


Throughout her battle she remained courageous and dignified, never complaining or self pitying. She survived long enough to see my twin daughters come into the world, and was a fantastic, loving auntie. My son doted on her, and my daughters always smiled when she cuddled them from her hospital bed. I feel so grateful for these memories.

Josie with her nephew and nieces - Christmas 2011

Josie's final few months were spent at St Julia's Hospice in Hayle. She was provided with her own room, round the clock care and a team of nurses and doctors with whom she formed firm, trusting relationships. The staff would trick or treat her room at Halloween and came carolling at Christmas. She was made to feel as comfortable as possible, for the hospice to be as homely as it could be, and she knew that she was surrounded by people who cared deeply for her.

Josie passed away on 28th December 2011 aged just 21.


In her final few hours, as my family and I sat with her while she slowly passed away, we were all treated with the utmost dignity and privacy. We were given time to say goodbye without unneccesary interruptions, space to grieve and support when we needed it. For this I will be eternally grateful.



The work that Cornwall Hospice Care do is second to none. They touch the hearts of those suffering with horrific, destructive illnesses and those who they matter to the most.

Unfortunately, like so many amazing services, Cornwall Hospice Care do not receive funding. Instead, they must raise over £6.75 million per year in order to continue to care for those who need it most.

Me - jumping from a plane 10,000ft over the Cornish coast

On Saturday 8th September I jumped 10,000 feet from an aeroplane over Perranporth in Cornwall to try to raise money for CHC. Those who know me will testify that this probably wasn't the most amazing prospect to me, as I hate heights, I have a fear of flying and I had nightmares in the weeks leading up to this!! But I did it, and I hated every second, but to date I have raised just over £1,600!!



I am going to continue to raise money for Cornwall Hospice Care with a variety of findraising ventures over the coming months and years. I will be publicising these on my blog and also via my Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/In-Memory-of-Josie-Brooks-fundraising-for-Cornwall-Hospice-Care/291389120933189?ref=tn_tnmn

If you can show your support by making a small donation toward this most worthy cause then you will be making a difference to so many people.

To donate simply visit: http://www.justgiving.com/jumpforjosie2 and give whatever you can spare.

Thank you xxx



Josie and I - October 2008 xxx

Monochrome mod meets countryside chic...

As much as I hate to admit it, summer is slowly drawing to a close.

With 'next season' emails creeping into my inbox and stores beginning to sneak the odd couple of rails' worth of browns, greys and ochres into the corners, everything is hinting toward the shift to A/W trends.
So reluctantly I have begun my wardrobe wishlist for the transition into autumn/winter.


Two of my favourite trends this A/W are mod and heritage. I absolutely love them both, especially the monochrome mod pieces and the luscious tweed and quilted detailing on the items in the heritage collections.

Below, I have put together a selection of items which I would love to add to my wardrobe as autumn draws in.







I love the tweed jacket shown here in the centre, which is from missguided.co.uk and sells for £34.99. It is a really versatile piece and could easily be worn causally or formally. The tweed hints toward the heritage trend without having to go down the check pattern and corduroy-elbow-patch route.


The white peplum top is from glamorousuk.com and retails at £22.99. I paired this with a skinny black waist belt from Warehouse for £12.00 and black jodphur style skinny trousers from River Island for £38.00 and then finished the look with a cute pair of leather gloves from boohoo.com which sell for £22.00.

The combination of the tweed jacket, jodphur trousers and leather gloves gives a real British countryside edge to an otherwise slick monochrome look, which in turn is a very 'mod' influence.

Finally, I added a simple quilted bag and shoe boots, all with gold accents to pick up on the buttons of the coat and buckle of the belt, to keep the look clean and structured.

I chose two options for the shoe/bag combo, a more expensive option and a cheaper high-street option. I think that if you choose a timeless look with shoes and bags then investing a little more expense can be worthwhile, however if money is tight then you can get the same overall result but at a fraction of the price! So here are my two options:



Option 1 - high street:





 

ASOS quilted chain strap bag - £20.00






ASOS gold heel shoe boot - £35.00








Option 2 - designer:






Marc Jacobs 'The Single' quilted chain strap bag - £440.00










Giuseppe Zanotti peep toe shoe boot - £494.00



I absolutely love the gold piping detail on these Zanotti shoe boots, and would love to add them to my shoe collection. Equally I think the flash of gold heel on the ASOS shoe boots would work just as well to tie in the gold accent details throughout the outfit.

The overall look would work equally as well with a sheer chiffon blouse and pair of flat, patent riding boots for the day time - again as a nod toward the heritage trend.

I hope that you like to combination of the two key trends in one, and hopefully think it works!

I'd love to hear which trends will be influencing your wardrobe this A/W.

xxx