Project Perfect

Hello girls!

On Tuesday night I was one of many who tuned into Channel 4 to watch Gok Wan help three teenagers become confident and learn to love their own bodies. This hit me hard as I admit to being one of those girls who browses thinspiration blogs, looking enviously at all those tanned, slim, tall girls. It does make me want to have bodies like theirs however it doesn't drive me to hatred of my own body or watch my calorie count luckily. I really feel passionate about these blogs being banned because no-one should ever have to be made to feel the way many people do about themselves. The lovely Amy from Flaws and All has come up with an ingenious idea called 'Project Perfect', which aims to help boost the moral of girls and boys all over the blogesphere. 

1. Post a photo that you like of yourself and say in a couple of sentences why you like it.

2. State some things that you DON'T like yourself but say why others may love to be like that.

3. State 3 things that you DO like about yourself.

Reason why I like this photo:

• I really like this photo - it's casual and I was really happy because I just had my make-up done!

Three things I don't like about myself, but turned into positives:

• I have quite a large dimple in my chin but people say it gives my face a lovely shape and is a strong, defined feature of my face. 
• One of my teeth is set higher than the rest giving me an unusual smile yet I always get compliments saying that it's unique and adds to the charm of my personality. 
• My skin is extremely pale, even Casper the ghost is jealous of my skin colour. However I know that some people prefer the natural, pale skin some even see it as a classy vintage look. 

Three things I like about myself:

• Over the past two years I've gained weight but it's made me learn to love my curves and embrace them; even my sister wants my "ghetto booty".
• My chubby cheeks fill my little face out and give me the cute "chipmunk" look as my friends call it.
• I really like my piercing blue eyes because they look all sparkly and bright. 

If you would like to participate in this project then please carry on this post, tell friends, encourage others and then link back to the Project Perfect page and let Amy know so she can publish your post for all to see and appreciate. 

Lots of love to you all!

Em xxxx

Love is in the air....

Hello ladies!

It's that time of the year again where all the shops get drunk on Love and smother the high-street shoppers with soppy cards, cuddly toys and cheesy gifts. Valentines Day is where all couples declare their love for each other and singletons snuggle up on a couch with a few rom-coms, a packet of Kleenex and a large box of choccys.

But it's 2012, technology is at it's best so why not use it to our advantage?! Grab yourself or a loved one a bargain by shopping online for your presents this year, saving you the stress and gaining you valuable pampering/lazy time!

An amazing website to help you this Valentines is Prezzybox, whom offer a wide and varied range of gifts for all of your nearest and dearest. The simple step by step process, starting by clicking onto the 'Valentine's Day Gifts' leads you through 'Gifts for Her', 'Gifts for Him' and even a 'Valentines Guide' - perfect for last minute ideas.

Here is the 'Happy Hand Care Kit' retailing at the small price of £8.95.

This present is ideal for a loving hand massages or a quick pick me up if feeling blue. It soothes, moisturizes and relieves all the tension. With long lasting smells and softness this Hand Care Kit is an essential for everyday life. The simple yet effective packaging makes is easy to transport around in your bag and ensures that the customer understands how the products work yet doesn't overload with information.
My suggestion, for the couples is a chilled glass of bubbly, scented candles and a night of relaxation - for the singles, a large mug of hot chocolate, tub of ice-cream and a nice hot water bottle. So spread the word, soft and silky hands for all at a low price!
The kit contains:

• Aromatherapy Hand & Nail Cream 100ml - wonderful, light, fluffy hand cream, which is easily absorbed without greasiness and is packed with top quality essential oils. It includes Geranium to soothe the skin and give a fantastic fragrance and evening primrose to condition and restore moisture. 
• Moisturising Gloves - pure cotton & Lycra gloves help the skin absorb rich hand cream. Slip them on after applying the aromatherapy hand & nail cream, for extra deep moisturizing. Warming the hands encourages the rich emollients and aromatic essential oils to penetrate the lower layers of thirsty skin. 
• Rubber hand massager - helping stimulate blood circulation and release toxins throughout the body. Teamed with the handy-reference reflexology guide to show and explain to you the parts of your palms which link to your body and mind. 

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Stay tuned over the next couple of days for another Top Review on a very special Valentines gift.

If you would like anymore information about Prezzybox or what else they have to offer please see my other post or head on over to check the website out. 

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Love and hugs to you all,
Em xxx


*This product was sent to me to review, I am very grateful, however it does not affect my opinion on the product, I am 100% honest in what I write.

If I was a rich girl...

Michael Kors Watch| Topshop Vectra Studded Slippers| American Apparel Disco Pants| 

Superdry Vintage Hoody| Jeffrey Campbell Lita| Alexander McQueen Skull Clutch

Here are the deluxe items yearning to be purchased and worshiped, but I don't think my weekend job will stretch as far as I need it to for all these beauties, shame. My Ebay wishlist is expanding by the day too, I think I may be slightly addicted. I'm thinking of starting a 'whats my week been like' post, filled with pics of things throughout the week? Also ordered some China Glaze varnish for just over £5 from Ebay, thanks to the lovely Amy!

Love you lots,
Em xxx

P.S. it's snowing in Cumbria today, eek, I really hope it lays!

Hello, February

Can you believe it's February already? 

This year is moving fast already and I want to achieve so much. 

I'm torn between Uni and travelling the US and getting work experience.

Zante in August is going to be amazing with my girls. 

4th Anniversary with Dom. 

Passing my driving test. 

Enjoying life.

X

Garnier B.B Miracle Skin Perfector

Afternoon girls,
A few months ago I received a sample of the Garner B.B cream which I had wanted to try for a while due to all the hype in the East over it.

What is B.B?
Blemish Balms are hybrid products which combine the benefits of make-up and skincare in one. Initially developed in the 1950's by a German dermatologist to soothe skin and provide coverage. B.B creams became famous thanks to a South Korean actress known for her perfect, beautiful skin. Since then they became a must have throughout Asia and eventually the world because of their flawless finish and 'all-in-one' qualities.

What is Miracle Skin Perfector? 
It can be used as a primer, a touch-up or a simple base with a hint of colour. Feel the sensation of the light texture that instantly melts into your skin. The formula with mineral pigments gives an instantly 'perfect' skin. Sheer coverage, imperfections look blurred and lines softened. Your skin looks luminous, smoother and more even.  24hr hydration. Skin feels more supple, smoother and softer. SPF 15 U.V protection.

PRODUCT:
Garnier B.B Miracle Skin Perfector 

STATEMENT:

"It unifies, illuminates, hydrates and helps protect skin with SPF 15."

PRICE: 

£7.49/50ml

REVIEW: 

Due to it being a sample packet and containing a generous amount I squeezed the product into a small pot in order for it to last longer and to also show the true shade and texture of the cream. I was sent the lightest shade available but to my surprise this seems very dark for such pale skin. I initially tested the cream on my hand, where it did spread well and gave a good cover however, I didn't see any improvements on my scars nor did it blend in with my skin tone. Shamefully I am the female version of Casper although I do expect foundations and creams to cater for all, especially if they show a sticker with the colour which they claim to be 'light'. The texture is very clay like and thick, making me apprehensive as I didn't want to use too much in case of coming away with a 'cakey' look. After applying it to my skin with my usual MAC foundation brush in a stippling manner it did give out a dewy, radiant and even slightly tanned look...I was impressed but not over-whelmed as it had not given me flawless coverage or blurred my imperfections. Attempting to apply foundation on top was a no-go as it didn't sit properly on top of the cream, resulting in a patchy and very orange-toned appearance. What annoyed myself even more was the adverts for this Garnier cream; testing it on high-street girls who already have smooth, beautiful skin is insulting as it doesn't show the true potential at all. I think it is safe to say I shall not be using this cream anytime soon with my translucent skin and instead will give it another go once the sun is here and I have a bit more of a tan. 

Hope you all enjoyed this review, 

Em xxxx

,

Deborah Lippmann - Razzle Dazzle

Hello beautiful ladies!

Apologies for my lack of posts, January is hectic for me right now, with all the deadlines, uni applications and family things going on, its been a total whirlwind!

So rewinding back to the December GlossyBox, where we all received a gorgeous burgundy nail varnish, from Deborah Lippmann called Razzle Dazzle. The colour is perfect for the A/W months, as it adds that bit of festive cheer to your outfit and brightens up any dull day! The formula wasn't completely opaque however it did take at least 2 coats to achieve a 'full on' covered look. Along with the lavender scented nail varnish remover mitt, it came off like a dream and unlike many nail varnishes, it didn't leave a nasty stain on my nails. I truly love this varnish and after using this beauty I definitely want more of them...valentines day...cough cough Dominic.

To view more of Deborah's collection then head on over to her site, where there are so many different varnishes - one for every outfit!

(please excuse my horrid nails)

Much love to all!

Em xxx

WOW, 100!

100 followers, a massive milestone for me. Thank you to each and everyone of you who takes their time out to read my blog, I love you all to pieces!

Big sloppy kisses,
Em
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Topshop Chelsea Boots

Good evening bloggers!

For Christmas Santa gave me a beautiful pair of Topshop Chelsea boots to my complete amazement. I absolutely adore them but there is one slight dilemma - what to wear with them? Now normally I would treat them as any other form of boot and wear leggings and whatever took my fancy but with these I feel my legs can tend to look a bit stumpy and so I pose to you all the question.
Here is a list of clothing Santa brought me for my birthday & Christmas, please help me create a combination as what to wear with the lovely boots. Any suggestions at all are welcomed!

(all clothing is from Topshop)

PLEASE HELP ME !!

Love to you all,

Em xx

What to expect in 2012

Hello ladies!
It's the last day of the holidays for me, booo, and I'm sitting here doing all my coursework, why on earth do I leave it until last minute every year?! Please please please tell me that there are others that do this out there?? Also there's lots of hype around the new smartphone app KiK, so if you have it add me: Ems.xo

here is a cute pic of my dog & kitten, best mates!

Anyhow, I thought I would share with you all what to expect of me in 2012; by this I mean post wise.

- PrezzyBox Valentines special
- Vichy Dermablend Foundation
- MUA Felt Liner
- Glossybox product reviews
- Collection 2000 Extreme Lashes mascara
- Garnier B.B Cream Foundation
- BeautyUK Baked Blusher
- Vie at home Nail Varnishes
- Ted Baker Bath Set

So there you have it, a few bits and bobs to look forward to as well the odd personal post and cheeky haul in between. I aim to accumulate a few Topshop Make-up items this year and maybe a Benefit product too but we shall see how funding goes this year!

Hoping you are all well and ready to recommence work....
Em xx

Seventh Heaven - Review

Bonjour ladies!
I recently received a sample of the Seventh Heaven Enriched Moisturizing Facebase (I did not get this in my GlossyBox). MeMeMe Cosmetics are a relatively new brand within the cosmetic and blogging world and so I was delighted when I was kindly posted a sample to test and review for you all. 

MeMeMe is a brand whose inspiration began with the ancient Greeks, with their enormous influence on civilisation, art and architecture echoes through the modern world; The Renaissance was also a key point for the brand as it was a period in history where women were adored and the cherub established herself as the iconic embodiment of love. Lastly, the bohemian spirit brought MeMeMe Cosmetics together with their embodiment of our unique style, adventure and free minded people.

"We pride ourselves on offering affordable luxury within an eclectic range of handbag essentials, on trend editions, classic lines and gift collections as individual and versatile as our customers and genuinely believe in going that extra mile in everything we do."

PRODUCT:
MeMeMe Seventh Heaven Facebase

STATEMENT:

"Moisturising facebase enriched with Shea Butter, Vitamin A and Beta-Carotene prep & prime the skin."

PRICE: 

£15.00/30ml

REVIEW: 

The sample pot contains 10ml - a very generous size for a freebie which reinforces their quote of "going that extra mile". The packaging feels deluxe and expensive with the sleek frosted glass container and lavish font. With info placed on the back of the packaging and a £5 off voucher for the purchase of Seventh Heaven it truly does feel like they have gone all out to please. The facebase is scented with a zest of lemon, orange, lime and mandarin making your face smell better than ever before. It is pleasant and long lasting smell which some people may find over-powering and sickly but personally I like it. The consistency is creamy and light and goes a long way in order to achieve full coverage; however I do find that once you have started smoothing it over your skin you need to work fast as it can get a sticky feel to it. Results are immediate and instantly start to eradicate any strong facial lines, scars and pores. After waiting for 3-5 mins, I then apply my make-up as usual and set with a translucent powder. I naturally have an oily complexion and do need to top-up my powder if not wearing a primer/facebase, but Seventh Heaven doesn't work so well and unfortunately leaves my face feeling extremely oily than usual. I have found that putting powder on after the appliance and before make-up helps a great deal. The price for me seems quite steep however if it works for you better than any other primers then it can be seen as reasonable and is a small price to pay for a little piece of heaven that you can treat your face to every day.

Right now all orders are available to free delivery!

All my love, 

Em xxx

Secret Santa .... Revealed!

Hola beauties!

With it being my first year Blogging I decided I wanted to get involved with the Secret Santa being run by Rani over at Cupcake Couture and so I sent off my little package for someone and someone out there sent off theirs for me....
I bought for Charlotte  and Maxine bought for me. If you would like to see what presents Charlotte received from 'Santa' then click here.
This is what I received from the lovely Maxine...

Also included within the package was a sweet note revealing who was my Secret Santa and a few bits of info. Maxine is now a fellow blogger friend for life!
These pieces are fab and will definitely be put to good use - I even have the beige knitted wrap on my head right now - sooo snuggly!


Lots of hugs,
Em xxxx

Hello 2012 don't you look nice!

Out with the old - in with the new...welcome to the new year 2012!!

source

2011 witnessed plenty of memorable moments:
→ The Royal Wedding
→Killing of Osama Bin Laden
→9/11 remembrance 10 years
→London riots
→Japan tsunami
→News of the World exposed phone hacking & closed down
→Death of Amy Winehouse
→Oslo shootings
→Killing of Gaddafi
→Death of Kim Jong-Il
→Dr Conrad Murray found guilty of manslaughter

In 2011 I said goodbye to loved ones, shared amazing moments with friends and family, befriended great people and became a stronger person. 

I don't like to have NY resolutions as for me they are pointless - I don't stick to them. I have one single aim and goal in life, and that is to live life to the fullest.

Let's see what 2012 will bring and embrace everything that happens.

I hope you have a great start to the year and wish you every ounce of happiness!

Em xxx

OPI Virgin

Hey nail polish junkies!!

Today I bring to you my first ever post about OPI Nail Polish. Until recently I have lusted and envied over the gorgeous names and colours they offer. When reading Amy's post back at the beginning of December, telling us all how TK Maxx were selling three full sized bottles (usually £10.50 each) for a measly £12.99, which means a whopping saving of £18.51 - BARGAIN or what?!?!?!

So you all guessed it....I was down there in a jiffy. The bottles weren't in a brand packaging which made me think that perhaps the store workers had packaged them themselves and so I cheekily seized this opportunity to switch one bottle around. The formula of each nail varnish is fluid and consistent and only takes one or two coats to achieve a fully covered look. Lasting time is truly astonishing and remains intact (despite working two days) for a full 4/5 days without a top coat- impressive! 

Get yourselves down there now girls and get hunting!!

Bling Dynasty | Grape...Set...Match | Rumples Wiggin' 

All my love, 

Em xxxx

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight!

Hello ladies!

Now I must say it has been a while and this post is a bit late so I do apologize. I have seen quite a few posts about what people received for Christmas and it always really interests me! And so I thought I would do my own post for you all; however in no way shape or form am I boasting about what Santa brought me for Christmas, I am merely showing you all how blessed I was. This post is very picture heavy and so I hope it doesn't bore you too much!

What did Santa bring you all?

Were you spoilt rotten ?

Christmas Tag

Good evening beauties!

Unfortunately my laptop has stopped working and completely erased everything off the hard-drive: work, photos, videos...gone forever - gutted doesn't come close!
I am using Dom's laptop to write this now whilst he's out hehe and so I thought to cheer myself up I would get involved with the Christmas tag that seems to floating around a few blogs recently.

taken near my house last year

Whats Your Favorite Holiday Movie? 

For me it's deffinately Home Alone. Since I was a little un' I would watch this religiously each year with my mum&dad in front of the fire and laugh until I felt like bursting. 

Whats Your Favorite Christmas Color? 

A deep burgundy colour is perfect to me for this festive season. It reminds me of mulled wine, spices and cranberry jelly 

Do You Like To Stay in Your PJs Or Dress Up For Christmas?

Each year I stay in m PJ's, mess around with the presents I have received then get dressed in a casual outfit but this year I have opted for the 'all out' look and pruchased a dress and gorgeous burgundy wedges!

If You Could Only Buy One Person a Present This Year Who Would It Be? 

Probably my mum. Since starting to work I have been able to treat her to lovely gifts for her birthday etc and it's so heart-warming seeing her face light up and feels really nice to give something back for once.

Do You Open Your Present Christmas Eve Or Christmas Morning?

When I was younger I was allowed to open one or two small presents from my stocking or a small normal present however as I've grown older I open my Christmas Eve Pj's (anyone else get them??) and a Terry's chocolate orange. Yum yum!

Have You Ever Built a Ginger Bread House?

No I haven't, but it's something I look forward to doing one year.

What Do You Like To Do On Your Christmas Break?

Spend time with my family, boyfriend and friends as well as relaxing and more often than not - stressing about presents! I sometimes work and earn a few extra pennies for New Year.

Any Christmas Wishes?

For it to snow and be a merry Christmas for all, where-ever you are!

Favorite Christmas Smell?

The roast dinner cooking most definitely! Also the smell of the cold outside and the large spicy candles we have placed around the living room.

Favorite Christmas Meal Or Treat?

Mum's home-made roast chestnut stuffing is so so good! Baileys mint chocolate on ice cream as a cheeky treat with a few Snowball drinks are the best on Christmas day.

I hope you all have a merry, festive Christmas and New Year!

Love you all!

Em xx

PrezzyBox Goodies

Hello ladies!

Last week I was in contact with Sam from PrezzyBox whom kindly sent me a few items to try and review. I hadn't heard of PrezzyBox before now and was completely intrigued as to what extent they go to in order to cater for everybody.

In case you aren't familiar with PrezzyBox here is some information as to what they do and offer.
"We offer 1000's of Unusual Gift Ideas and Birthday Gifts for all the family. We pride ourselves on having the perfect Gift for any occasion including the very popular Electronic Cigarettes to our Personalised Me to You Christmas Book, with Fast UK Delivery for those last minute presents. With Christmas only round the corner, take a look at our amazing Christmas Gifts. Finding the ideal Christmas present can be stressful so we thought we'd make it easier for you to find the perfect christmas gift. We have plenty of great Stocking Filler gift ideas as well as Secret Santa Gifts for under £5! Whatever you are looking for, you are sure to find something within our online catalogue."

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Sam asked me what items took my fancy and so I headed on over to the website for a good nose. I wondered whether they had anything for a beauty junkie like myself and I was pleasantly surprised. The cute packaging and blurbs of these owls and whoopie pies completely enchanted me. The nail wraps are something I have not yet tried and envied when friends have showed me theirs. And so with these 3 items in mind I emailed Sam to let him know, only expecting to receive one and he amazingly sent them all out for me, what a babe!

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Nail Wraps by Rebel Nails: £7.95

Black & White Zebra Print / Mirror Silver / Mirror Gold / Modern Paisley / Cheetah / Purple Flip / Gold White Swim

"Look fabulous in an instant with these amazing nail wraps! With no mess or fuss and no need for nail varnish these are perfect for the girl on the go! You can have beautifully patterned nails straightaway and we bet everyone will be asking where you got your nails done! Nail wraps are the new big thing to hit the catwalks and with so many cool designs it is easy to see why. The amazing thing about them is that you can have really detailed designs on your nails without having to be an expert in nail art or paying lots of money to go to a salon. Plus unlike acrylic or gel nails these nail wraps don't damage your natural nail."

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Owl Lip Balm: £5.95
Strawberry & Chocolate Orange / Vanilla & Mint
"Owls don’t get chapped lips (is it possible to have a chapped beak? No, we’re not sure either) but if they did, you could guarantee that they’d love the Strawberry & Choccy Orange. Secured in two Owl shaped pots, the luscious Strawberry & Choccy Orange flavour lip glosses will make even the most weather-beaten lips instantly smoochable. We can’t guarantee that you will actually be smooched instantly though. Sorry." 

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Whoopie Pie Lip Balm: £5.95
Honeydew Melon & Strawberry Cream
"Love cupcakes? Then you won't be able to resist Whoopie pies, these cute little desserts are the next generation in cupcakes. Ok, so these scrummy looking Whoopie Pie Lip Glosses look good enough to eat, although we wouldn't advise it. But what we would advise is giving your lips some TLC with the yummy flavoured lip gloss contained inside. The Whoopie Pie Lip Gloss come in pairs in a gift box. Each gift box contains 1 green iced, butterfly topped whoopie pie with honeydew melon fragranced lip gloss and 1 pink iced, heart topped whoopie pie with strawberry cream lip gloss. The Whoopie Pie Lip Gloss make fun gifts for any girl and fab stocking fillers."

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Trying not to love both of these adorable pairs is hard and trying not to love the lipbalm inside each of them is even harder! With their pastel, pearlescent colours and gorgeous smells it makes it near impossible to resist lathering it over your lips. They moisturise your lips fully and look amazing either worn naturally or teamed with a lippy as glossy finish. The sizing is great meaning they are super easy to keep in your hand bag for on the go and once fully used up they can they can give your shelves a bit of quirkiness as well as secretly store trinkets or notes away from preying eyes! Nearing Christmas these little beauties would make a perfect stocking filler for any beauty lover in your life. 

I deffinately recommend you all have a browse through their multitude of items they have to offer - I have even already directed a few friends to head on over to PrezzyBox and snap some savvy presents up for their loved ones this Christmas. Order by December 21st for Christmas Delivery!!!

Love you all,

Em xxx

Blog Award - The Versatile Blogger

Hello Ladies,

After only blogging for a few months now I have been kindly nominated for a blog award, my first ever!, by the lovely FrancesCassandra, so head on over and check her blog out!

http://francescassandra.blogspot.com/

The Rules for this award are very straight forward and simple. All you need to do is:

1. Thank the person who nominated you and give them a shout out on your blog with a link to their blog

2. Share 7 random facts about yourself (as random as you like)

3. Send on the award to 15 other bloggers whose blogs that you appreciate and then let them know that they have won the award.

Here are my 7 Facts:

1. I lived in France for 4 years

2. I want to travel the world but leaving everyone behind scares me to death

3. I'm a sucker for any over-sized, comfy clothing

4. I have to say 'bless me' for each time I sneeze

5. I wear contact lenses

6. Harry Potter is my favourite thing ever

7. I get panic attacks when I stay in the bath for too long

And here are my nominations (in no particular order) :)

1. ZoZeZe

2. Be Broke, Be Stylish, Be Slightly Boho

3. Babyface  

4. ChelseyxLou

6. Rising Sun

7. EmmaMayLouise

8. RaikuBeauty

9. Eeevc

10.  Simply Yours

Like FrancesCassandra I haven't nominated 15 people because quiet a few of the bloggers I follow already have this award and I'm not even sure that the people I have nominated haven't been nominated before. I selected the 10 blogs I check out each time I log on. And so I hope these bloggers pass this on, get others involved, noticed and loved!

Love you all,

Em xxx

MUA Heaven & Earth Palette - Review

Morning bloggers!

I mentioned a haul ages ago which included the MUA Heaven & Earth Palette - well here it is for all to see!

PRODUCT:
MUA Heaven & Earth Palette

STATEMENT:

"A palette of 12 beautiful earth tone shades that blend effortlessly to give a soft shimmery finish. Create a natural effect using the individual shades, or mix colours together to intensify your look."

PRICE: 

£4

REVIEW: 

The beautiful, shimmering colours attract any girls eyes and along with the small price tag, it makes it a perfect treat for any beauty junkie. Having been claimed to be the dupe for the Urban Decay NAKED palette it has been selling like hotcakes as all make-up obsessed girls are dying to swatch, wear and love the MUA palette. Suitable to wear as an everday look or vamp it up for a night out, MUA have hit the head right on the nail with this golden nugget. Not being an eye-shadow type of person I wasn't totally intrigued, but the reviews and claims won me over and I hopped onto the Superdrug website and picked myself up one in no time. Placing an order, collecting the beauty points was effortless, it was the waiting for it to arrive which was the extremely exciting part. The packaging was broken upon arrival in the jiffy bag (as seen in photo's) however I happily got along with it as I was keen to use the palette for a family outing; and it now holds a proud place on my dresser. The brush is cheap and so I use one from Superdrug and I suggest you invest in a decent one too before attempting the smokey eye look with the flimsy brush provided. The colours themselves are beautiful and are pigmented enough to be worn alone in a natural way or built up together for a dramatic statement. I have used the palette with and without primer and I can say that it does last, although not for long, approx 1/2hours at max. I really do love this palette and although it may be cheaper and just as good compared to the Urban Decay NAKED palette, it doesn't hold the 'deluxe' feel the Urban Decay one provides with the velvet exterior, brush and eye-primer.

Glossybox #1

Hello girls,

So sorry for the lack of posting, life is hectic right now with it being end of term and Christmas, you all know the deal!
As of yet I was a Glossybox virgin and after seeing several posts about their boxes I decided that I wanted some of the action too. With it being near Christmas I knew that Glossybox must have something up their sleeve and so without hesitating I signed up for the December box.
Unfortunately I was given the November box and then later charged for the December box which surprised me as I had only wanted the December box, however I had liked the look of November boxes other's had received and so I welcomed it with open arms.

Arbonne - Ultra hydrating hand crème - Full size £19.00
"Soothing creme moisturises hands, leaving a healthy appearance and skin feeling smooth and refreshed."

I haven't used this as of yet as I don't really get dry hands however my mum does and this seems the perfect product for her stocking this Christmas. Unfortunately the packaging as broken when it arrived - tut tut Glossybox!

Illamasqua - Freak eau de parfum - Full size £59.00
"Celebrate the night with Freak, the dangerously exotic first fragrance from cult British beauty brand llamasqua."

It smells divine and I look forward to using this for my work night out, although after seeing that Glossybox have used perfume samples a few times now annoys me & the fact I could easily obtain the product by asking for one over the counter means that I haven't actually paid for it at all.

Nail Rock - Designer nail wraps - Full size £6.65
"The new NAIL ROCK designer nail wrap range is designed to last up to 7 days on nails and 8 weeks on the toes. They won't chip or stain the nail, require no drying time and deliver on trend style in just 15 minutes."

I've longed for these beauties for ages after seeing a couple of friends sporting the 'minx' look and so having the leopard print ones really made me happy. I shall do a NOTD and review on them once used.

Philip Kingsley - Elasticizer - Full size £25.50
"Intensive, super-moisturising pre-shampoo treatment for all hair types. Adds elasticity, manageability, bounce and shine"

I was thrilled to receive this product as my hair is looking so dull and boring right now it really needs a good treating. My hair is naturally wavy and knotty which can make it an absolute ordeal to tame on a morning after washing, however after using this product it made it tangle free AND done what it said on the tube = happy Emma.

Silderm - Body oil - Full size £34.95
"Originally developed to prevent stretch marks in pregnancy. This clinically proven oil has now secured a cult following through it's power to create soft and supple skin."

When I opened up my Glossybox to see this staring back at me I was intrigued as I hadn't seen anyone else receive this, then it dawned on me what it was for. Well fortunately I have been blessed with stretch-mark free skin and I don't plan on having a child anytime soon. The smell is lovely and I hope this will make a lovely body oil for the odd patches of cellulite I have but I am dubious.

All of the products contained a film of thick dust on them which made me wonder whether Glossybox actually look at my 'Beauty Profile' or if the boxes are already made up waiting to be sent out to customers. 

Overall I am pleased with November's box, but I am looking forward to the December one!

Much love,
Em xxx

Fairisle mad

Up north has witnessed the first Winter snowflakes and so it has got me a festive & cosy mood. Winter is my favourite time of year; with dark nights, cold air, log fires, snuggly clothes and lots of eating who can resist loving Christmas?! Apart from Scrooge, obvs.

This season has seen a massive rise in Fairisle items, ranging from leggings to gloves and many more items. It's cute, it's festive, it's warm and fashionable - it's perfect for this time of the year. 

Fairisle isn't for everyone and the constant worry is what to wear it with in order to take the look from a 'knitted granny present' to 'season must have'. I thought I would show you all a few pieces I have been lusting after and what I would pair them with. 

poncho: ebay

leggings: matalan

shoes: newlook

skirt: ebay

top: asos

shoes: topshop

leggings: ebay

top: topshop

shoes: h&m

For those who prefer a more subtle Fairisle item then these pieces are made just for you, and all at reasonable prices of course!

hat: ebay

snood: ebay

slippers: ebay

gloves: ebay

So there you have it, my take on Fairisle this Winter season. Let me know what you think girls!

Love you all, 

Em xx