Tuesday 31 January 2017

8 top tips for looking after your skin

8 top tips for looking after your skin

Did you know your skin is the biggest organ in your whole body? Your skin is the first things people see and it's important to take care of it. Every season brings its obstacles - the summer can leave it burnt whilst winter can leave it dry and lacking moisture. I always use these useful tips to keep my skin  healthy.

Cater to your skin type 
No one skin type is the same and each type needs different products to keep it healthy. If you have oily skin aim to buy products that will help to reduce oil and visa versa. There are so many products on the market now catered to each skin type so you won't find yourself searching for long.

cleansing is important for taking care of your skin

Cleansing
Whatever your skin type it will benefit from regular cleansing. Cleansing helps wash away any excess makeup, dirt and impurities on the surface. Try and aim for a cleanser that is gentle on the face and isn't drying.
I like Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel facial cleanser (£26 at Net-a-Porter)

Take care of your eyes
The skin around your eyes is very sensitive and I wouldn't recommend using products you use on your face on that area. Aim for something that is designed specifically for the eye area as the formula is often a lot more gentle.
I like Ren Keep Young and Beautiful Firm and Lift eye cream (£28 at Net-a-Porter)

Always exfoliate
Exfoliation is perfect for ridding your skin of dead skin cells that can clog your skin up and cause spots. Try to exfoliate once or twice a week and use a product that is gentle on the skin.
Why not try No7 Total Renewal Micro-Dermabrasion facial exfoliator (£11 at Boots)

wear sunscreen to protect your skin

Protect your skin from the sun
Whilst you may think it's unlikely in sub zero temperatures with grey cloudy skies, the sun can still damage your skin. Whether it's winter or summer you should still use skin products that have sun protection in them. Try to get a product that has protection against both UVA and UVB rays as they can both be very damaging.
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Moisturiser SPF 30 has protection from both UVA and UVA rays (£24.50 at House of Fraser)

Day to day life can harm your skin
As sad as it sounds, simply living your life can have an adverse effect on your skin.  Pollution, smoke, stress, all these can affect your skin in a negative way. More products these days have ingredients in them that can help protect your skin from pollution and other stresses.

wear lip balm to protect your lips

Your lips need love too
The skin on your lips is very thin and fragile and is easily damaged by the cold and stress. Always keep your lips well moisturised, whether it's with a soothing lip balm or moisturising lipstick.
Healthy Glow lip balm by 3Lab gives lips a splash of colour while caring for them with Jojoba, Vitamin C, Beeswax, Vitamin E and Peptides to fight free radicals. (£44 at Net-a-Porter)

Always moisturise
For your skin to look good it needs to be moisturised on a regular basis. Well all know how awful makeup looks on top of dry skin!
Try Bobbi Brown Extra Illuminating Moisture Balm (£42 at Net-a-Porter)

If you can- opt for hypoallergenic makeup
You may be lucky enough not to have any allergies but it's best not to risk any flaring up. Hypoallergenic makeup is designed to suit all skin types, and can even be used around the eyes without upsetting sensitive skin.
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Monday 30 January 2017

L'Oreal False Lash Superstar X Fiber mascara review

l'oreal false lash superstar x fiber mascara review

In 2015 L'Oreal brought out False Lash Superstar, a double ended mascara designed to give a super false lash effect.

2017 brang L'Oreal's new incarnation of the 2015 launch, False Lash Superstar X Fiber. It was very similar to the original, bar the packaging, name and the primer being a different colour (black rather then white).

As you know I do love checking out L'Oreal's mascaras and was initially pretty impressed. Find out what it looked like as I try the mascara for the first time.

  

I have to say I am now a little bored with it, and having to use two parts to get the look every morning can be a bit of a chore.

Have you tried the new mascara?

Currently £7.99 at Boots
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Friday 27 January 2017

Bomb Cosmetics Massive Haul

the bomb cosmetics haul

With my latest Bomb cosmetics haul I have enough bath bombs to fill my bath for over 2 weeks straight. They had a really good sale on which I simply couldn't resist and it resulted in me spending over £50 *shock* *horror*. Granted the majority are Christmas related but who's to notice once it's fizzed away!

          

I hope you enjoyed my haul, the sale is over now but there's lot of new stuff in stock!
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Thursday 26 January 2017

How to boost your career in 30 minutes

how to boost your career in 30 minutes

A new year brings 365 days of new prospects and opportunities, and what better time is there to reevaluate your career.

Start the day with success
You always feel better knowing that you've achieved something. Why not start the day off doing something you know you're good at as that feel good feeling will last all day.

how to boost your career - keep calm

Get into the calm zone
Whilst the morning commute may have you feeling far from calm, try and allocate a bit of time before work to reach that calm-zen feeling. You could read a book that calms you or even practice zen techniques like breathing deeply whilst counting to ten. Alternatively if you have the room why not try yoga or pilates.

Don't hide behind email
The best way to converse with your team is face to face. Why not arrange a morning huddle every day to catch up on tasks, allocate out everyones work and break down any issues that may have arisen.

Broaden your horizons
Your mind can easily wander if you let it. To broaden your horizons and learn things you probably wouldn't otherwise why not listen to books about positive thinking or how to increase your confidence. This will help you in the workplace and give you the confidence to tackle new things.

how to boost your career to do list

Tick of that to-do list
Nothing is more satisfying than ticking off tasks on your to-do list. Why not download an app that will list all of your tasks, it will show you what's planned for the day and prepare you to take on the challenges ahead. It will also give you a friendly reminder before the task comes up. Why not try Todoist which you can use across your phone, tablet and laptop.
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Wednesday 25 January 2017

28 top ways to save money

how to save money

January is the worst month for those trying to save. Christmas leaves a massive dent in a lot of our pockets and paying off credit card bills , loans and other costs can leave your bank account looking a little bare. Whatever you earn, it is possible to save money for your future. Whether you want to save for a holiday abroad or simply some new clothes I'll give you some pointers in how you can get the ball rolling.

Cash surveys
You may think they're a scam but I can assure you from personal experience they're 100% genuine. Survey companies like Ipsos and Toluna are more then happy to pay you in exchange for your opinion as the research is valuable in developing new products. You can get paid in either PayPal or vouchers depending on the site.
Check out my article on the top paying survey sites

how to save money cash surveys

Get paid to use your phone
Yes you heard me right - you can be paid simply by using the apps on your phone. Like surveys there are apps  that pay you for your opinion. Apps like OnePoll have really short simple surveys with around 5 questions that pay from 15p.
Check out my article on the top paying apps

Cut your credit card bills
If you don't regularly pay off your credit card in bill the card issuer will be applying a hefty amount of interest on top of your balance. Over time this starts to mount up, and you can get into the tricky circle of paying off just the interest rather than the balance. To avoid this open a balance transfer credit card which will allow you to transfer your balance over to a new provider and be interest free for up to 21 months. This will help you to pay off the balance you have accrued.

Get rewarded with cashback
You can cashback rewards for everything from renewing your insurance to shopping in New Look. Whilst the reward amount varies, if you regularly use cashback providers your balance will soon mount up. What's better than getting rewarded for doing something you'd do anyway?!
Try Topcashback to get started.

Save money with vouchers
Voucher hunting is a hobby worth pursuing, and sites like Moneysavingexpert and Vouchercodes make it a lot easier. They often have weekly or monthly newsletters full of the latest vouchers where you can save money on restaurants, shops and leisure activities. You'll also find great offers on chain restaurants by signing up to newsletters for chains like Bella Italia, Gourmet Burger Kitchen and Pizza Express.

Loyalty cards
Lots of shops these days have loyalty cards that will reward you for shopping. The terms of each card varies based on the shop but saving up your points will allow you to get free goods.
Check out my article on the best loyalty cards

Take a bank bribe
Banks really want your custom and they'll pay you to get it. Switching rewards can be quite large and well worth it with offers like Halifax's £100, and The Co-Op's £200 switch reward. There are often terms and conditions that need to be fulfilled to get the reward but these are often as simple as having two direct debits set up.

Do compare
Staying loyal to your insurance company is a massive no-no as they really don't value your loyalty. Often they will send you a renewal quote that is several hundred pounds more than the cost you took your original plan out at. One example of this is a insurance company I was with in the past sent a renewal quote that was £200 more than it was the previous year. I did a comparison search and guess what the same company was showing as the cheapest with a quote £200 lower than what I had been sent in the post!

Cancel unnecessary direct debits
You may have set up a Direct Debit a number of years ago for that magazine you loved. You might have lost interest but the Direct Debit is still set up pocketing you money you can't afford to lose. Make sure you regularly review your Direct Debits so you don't lose money on stuff you don't use anymore.

Get a better mobile phone deal
If you're using more than your allowance or even less then what you're paying for, it may be worth looking for a better deal. Alternatively it's worth considering sim only deals, they're a lot cheaper then you would pay if you were getting the phone and the sim and you can still get large allowances on data, texts and calls.

Plan your expenses in advance
Paying things like insurance monthly is a lot more expensive then if you were to pay it annually. The reason being that insurance companies put on a premium for the luxury of you paying it monthly. To avoid this put  money aside for large purchases so you can pay it off in full.  You'll save money and you won't have to worry about finding enough to pay it each month.
how to save money work out your outgoings

Work out your outgoings
There are a number of free apps available that will help you work out what you spend your money on each month in comparison to what you earn. It will help you work out what you're wasting money on, where you can cut back and what's essential.

Don't dismiss own brand foods
Often you'll find that own brand products are made in the same factory as more premium products. Now I wouldn't say every cheap product is better than the pricier version but it's worth trying them out to see how they fare.

Find out which shop your basket will be cheapest at
Mysupermarket.co.uk is great for comparing the cost of a basket of food amongst the big four supermarkets - Ocado, Sainsbury's, Asda and Tesco. It will let you know what you'll save by shopping around.

Make your own
Whether it's a smoothie or a sandwich you will undoubtedly save money by making it yourself rather then buying it in the shop. Experiment with fruit, vegetables and meat to find food and drink combinations you'll enjoy.

Price match promises help you save
Big retailers like Tesco and Asda always offer the price match promise. If your shop was cheaper elsewhere they will often refund you the difference or offer you points to make up for it. Don't forget your loyalty cards!

Buy in bulk
If you can try and buy in bulk. Buying more items at once will help you save money. Make sure you only do this for items with a long shelf life, or ones that can be frozen.

Don't be drawn in by discounts
Discounts are fantastic and can offer great value - but only if you intend to use the item. If you're getting a buy one get one free on soup you'll never eat it's a waste of money. Items like toothpaste and toilet rolls are however a great way to use discounts like this.

Book your meal out online
By booking your meal out on sites like Lastminute, Toptable and 5pm you can take advantage of discounts like 2-for-1 meals and 50% off. You simply book online then let the server know so you can take advantage of the offer.

Join a dining club
Loyalty schemes like Taste Card and Gourmet Society can offer you large discounts at participating restaurants. Tastecard costs £39.99 a year and is accepted at 6,700 restaurants whilst The Gourmet Society is £69.95 and can be used at more than 6,500 restaurants.

Avoid buying bottled water
If a restaurant serves alcohol they have to by law offer free tap water. This will save you loads in the long run on buying expensive bottled water.

Don't forget your left overs
If you don't mind eating leftovers, why not take home any food you couldn't eat. This way you'll get the true value of your meal and a free lunch the next day.

how to save money don't pay through the nose for fuel
           
Don't pay through the nose for fuel
Petrol prices seem to get more expensive ever year, but you will find it's available a lot cheaper at some retailers. Supermarket chains like Morrisons often have the cheapest petrol, whilst Shell, often found near motorways are a lot pricier. Check around to make sure you're getting the best deal.

Avoid expensive sat navs
If you can avoid paying a lot for your sat nav. Often you can use apps like Google Maps on your phone and use that as a Sat nav. Alternatively there are a lot of good value apps available that will help you get from A-B.

Buy your car insurance online
Buying your car cover online is actually a lot cheaper then buying over the phone. Make sure you take advantage of that online quote the next time you're renewing.

Join a car sharing scheme
Car sharing not only saves you money on fuel but it's also kinder to the environment too. By sharing a car you can save more than £1000 a year.

Go green
Did you know your car tax varies based on how green your car is. If your car is a pollution offender, and if your engine is large you can expect to pay up to £505. Get a car with low CO2 emissions and you can be exempt from car tax charges or even pay as low as £20 a year (That's what I pay with a Peugeot 208).

Rent out your parking space
If you're lucky enough to have a parking space you don't use much then why not rent it out? There are many websites that will allow you to do this - and often the only cost is the registration fee. Locations like London and residences near concert arenas are the perfect place for renting out your space.

I’m taking part in the Money Making Madness Linky hosted by Charlotte Burns from Lotty Earns, Emma Bradley from Mum’s Savvy Savings, Emma Drew from EmmaDrew.Info and Lynn from Mrs Mummy Penny

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Tuesday 24 January 2017

Valentines Day Gift Guide For Her 2017

valentines day gift guide 2017

Roses are red, violets are blue, what will your beau get from you?

Valentines day can be tricky, especially if the lady in your life has more makeup, perfume, jewellery and clothes then you can shake a stick at. Before you even think the petrol shop flowers sound like a good idea have a look at my Valentines Day 2017 gift guide and you'll soon have some  love inspiration.

valentines day gift guide for her part 1


1. Engraved couples birthstone necklace in silver
What could be more unique and special to the pair of you then a necklace that has both your names and your birthstones.
Available for £54.90 

2. FujiFilm Instax Mini 90 instant camera
Go vintage with this polaroid inspired camera. Perfect for taking memorable shots on the beach, at parties and lots more. The camera comes with a handstrap, 10 shots of film and a flash.
Available from £119.00 

3. Charbonnel et Walker Pink Marc De Champagne Truffles 
This heart shaped box of treats will make her love you even more. The pink truffles have a yummy milk chocolate and Marc de champagne centre.
Available for £30.00 

4. Valentines Day What I Love About You book
Show how much you love her with a blank canvas to write down everything that attracted you to her in the first place. With 112 blank pages your loved one will feel very special indeed.
Available for £7.95 

5. Valentines Day I Love You sweets
Perfect for those wiht a sweet tooth, this selection of sweets comes in lettered boxes spelling 'I Love You'.
Available for £23.00 

valentines day gift guide for her part 2

6. Urban Decay Naked 3 eyeshadow palette
Urban Decay have some of the prettiest eyeshadow palettes. With a mixture of shimmer and matte shades there's so much choice for so many different looks, perfect for both day and night.
Available for £38.50 

7. Babyliss 2440BDU Diamond Heated Smoothing and Straightening brush
Give her the gift of glossy hair with the straightening brush from Babyliss. With the use of the brush it can eliminate the need for separate heating appliances.
Available for £79.95

8. Red Letter Day Charming Escape with dinner for 2
Treat her to a luxury night away at a charming urban hotel, rural inn or B&B across the UK. Spend some quality time together somewhere new whilst enjoying a yummy dinner.
Available for £149.00 

9. Fitbit Alta Wireless Activity and Sleep Tracking smartwatch
Is your  loved one chosen to get fitter as a resolution this year? One good thing about Valentines day coming so early in the year is that the Fitbit will make the perfect gift. The pink Fitbit will allow her to track all her steps and calories burned whilst motivating her to move more with reminders available.
Available for £129.95 

10. Valentines Day Heart shaped personalised cushion
Add a little touch of you to your bedroom or living room with a personalised photo cushion. The ultimate custom gift.
Available for £14.99 

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Monday 23 January 2017

Weekly round up of beauty freebies

weekly round up of beauty freebies

January is such a long month and it seems like months since I was paid. Payday seems so far away and beauty treats seem out of the question. Or are they? This week I've found you some fabulous beauty treats you'll get at a steal.

Free Lancome beauty samples
At your nearest Lancome counter you can ask for a free 5ml sample of Advanced Genifique serum or 5ml moisturiser (five available). You don't require a voucher to get your free sample which is worth from £4-10. The samples will be available at the 685 counters until all 2 million are gone.

Save 75p on Neutrogena Norwegian Formula
You can grab this great discount by registering at Caring Everyday. The coupon is accepted at most supermarkets and chain pharmacies.
Available until 31st January 2017

Save £1.50 on Olay Total Effects
Supersavvyme have a fantastic offer where you can save £1.50 on Total Effects by registering to the site. The coupon is valid for 30 days after printing and is accepted at most supermarkets.

Get Clarin samples worth over £25.00
Simply spend £60.00 on Clarins and you'll get free samples worth £25.00. The samples you'll receive include:

  • Gentle Foaming cleanser 30ml
  • Toning Lotion with Camomile 50ml
  • Hydraquench Cream 15ml
  • BB Skin Detox Fluid SPF 25 O2 8ml
Available until 27th January 2017

Get a free Urban Decay foundation
Yes you heard me right! Urban Decay are offering everyone a two week sample of All Nighter liquid foundation. Simply save this photo to your email and show it  at your nearest Urban Decay counter.
Available until 31st January 2017


Origins free samples
Simply visit Origins counter to get a custom skin pamper session and three free samples of your choice.
Available until further notice

Free L'occitane samples
All you need to do is buy any Loccitane sample and you will get 2 free samples of their best selling and new products to try.
Only available online 

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Friday 20 January 2017

The 2 minute face challenge


2 minute face

On a typical day I can probably complete my get ready routine in half hour - so the thought of getting ready in 2 minutes was quite a challenge. Obviously with only 2 minutes I don't have time to use my normal products so I have to take a different approach - the fresh faced look.

The fresh faced look is perfect for those lazy days when you can barely drag a brush through your hair or when a box set sounds much more exciting then going out.

So using only three products I put the challenge to the test.

2 minute face challenge concealer vital

Concealer
With my dark circles, concealer is vital, especially in lieu of foundation. It helps to brighten my face and give me a bright eyed look.

2 minute face challenge multi purpose tint

Multi-purpose tint
A dual blusher and lip tint are perfect for adding a bit of colour to cheeks and lips at the same time. By using the same shade you'll look casually pulled together with a really natural look.

2 minute face challenge mascara

Mascara
I could never  leave the house without wearing mascara! Mascara is amazing for opening up your eyes and making you look more awake.

2 minute face challenge results

My completed look is very natural and quite simple. While I don't look as made up as normal I certainly don't look like I've just dragged myself out of bed either. Do you think you could get ready in 2 minutes?
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Thursday 19 January 2017

Win a massive beauty bundle

win massive beauty bundle

January can be cold, dark and pretty miserable. I want to make it better, and what could be better than lots of beauty products to try out and pamper yourself with?!

I have a massive beauty bundle to give away with contents worth over £100.

In the bundle you'll find:
  • L'Oreal Paris Color Riche La Palette in Nude
  • Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof eyeliner in black/amethyst
  • Fresh Sugar Berry lip treatment
  • Makeup Revolution Blush Palette melts
  • Essential Care lipliner in Rose
  • ELF Shimmer lipgloss in Believe
  • Makeup Gallery Bronze Shimmer in Shimmer Light
  • Makeup Gallery Pump Up The Volume mascara
  • Rimmel Natural Bronzer in Sun Bronze
  • Makeup Revolution nude lipstick
  • Dainty Doll lipstick in Stripped
  • Makeup Revolution orange lipstick
  • Too Faced Bulletproof Shadow Liner in Silver Lining
  • Rimmel Scandaleyes Reloaded mascara in Extreme Black
  • MUA Brow Define in Fair
  • Makeup Revolution light orange lipstick
  • Makeup Revolution hot pink Intense lipgloss
  • Lord & Berry lipstick crayon in Diva
  • Stila lipstick in Avery
  • Nails Inc Nail Jewelry in Sapphire
  • Bella Pierre Discotheque eyeshadow
  • Makeup Revolution purple lipstick
  • MUA On the Go Lip Duo
  • Cupcake handwarmers
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms and Conditions 
All you need to do to win is follow the Rafflecopter instructions. The competition will run from 19th January 2017 to 19th February 2017 and will start and finish at 12am. If I do not hear from the winner after 28 days I have the right to draw a new winner. Good luck

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Wednesday 18 January 2017

Max Factor Masterpiece eyeshadow palette Rose Nudes review


What the brand says
Max Factor's Masterpiece eyeshadow palettes are available in 3 versatile colour combinations. Each palette has eight perfectly paired shades to create a gorgeous glamorous eye look.

The palettes have been designed to give multi-dimensional texture with a mixture of both  matte, shimmer and sparkly shades.

Cappuccino Nudes has been designed for warm skin tones, Rose Nudes for cool skin tones and Golden Nudes for darker skintones.

The Lowdown
I love how pretty this palette is and some of the lighter shade are simply gorgeous. The palette has a combination of 3 matte and 4 shimmery shades.

With a mixture of 4 light and 4 dark shades you can go for a light day look or a more gothic evening look. The white (1) and light pink matte shades (3) are very hard to see and quite faint, whilst the light gold (2) and bronze (4) have a lovely shimmer. The darker shades pack a fair amount of pigment but they are very stark against the skin. The palette crumbles really easily and I did get a fair amount of fall out when I was applying it.

The look I chose was different to my normal shades and I opted for a darker smokey look. Here's how I created the look:
1. First I swept the light purple along the inner corner of my eye.
2. I added a bit of contrast to the look with the darker purple which I applied to the outer third of my eye.


Whilst the lighter purple was fine to work with I did find the darker purple was a little more tricky leaving bare patches on my lid which wasn't at all attractive. It took a fair amount of perseverance to get my lid fully covered with the darker shade. On the plus side the shades were fairly blendable.

I do like some of the lighter shimmery shades but I'm not so keen on the darker colours. The light matte shades were very hard to see whilst the darker shades had a fair amount of pigment.

I give it 2/5

Advantages

  • A mixture of matte and shimmery shades in light and darker colours for different looks
  • Blends easily

Disadvantages

  • The shades crumble really easily
  • A fair amount of fall out when applying.


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Tuesday 17 January 2017

4 ways to keep your wardrobe looking fabulous

4 ways to keep your wardrobe looking fabulous

We all have that perfect dress or top that we love so much we want to preserve it forever and ever. As careful as we try often life can get in the way of pristine clothing in the form of a red wine stain or even biro. So is there anything you can do to stop life destroying your wardrobe? Here's 4 simple tips will help your wardrobe look fabulous until your next shopping splurge.

Restore patent leather
Have you got horrible scuff marks on your favourite shoes? Grab a cotton bud and non-acetone nail varnish remover and gently buff the scuff out. You can even user window cleaner to add a bit of shine.

Fasten bracelets with ease
Nothing frustrates me more than a bracelet that slips off every time you try to do it up. Simply use a paper clip shaped into a S to slip into the eye of the fastener which will help to steady it. You'll then be able to fasten it using your other hand.

Avoid getting a electric shock from static
Those little static jolts can sure make me jump. To avoid it run a wire coat hanger over your clothing before you get dressed. This will pick up the spare electrons which causes the static.

Remove biro marks from your clothing
Where the washing machine fails your hairspray will prevail. Biro ink may not be water soluble but it is alcohol soluble so your hairspray will remove the mark in no time. Once the mark has gone chuck it in the wash and it'll be as good as new.
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Monday 16 January 2017

Pawsome Purrfect box review

pawsome box review

You've probably all heard of beauty boxes- but what about treat boxes for your pet?

Pawsome offers boxes for both cats and dogs which have a variety of food, treats and toys  to surprise your little furball. The total value of the box normally exceeds £40.00.

I teamed up with Pawsome to try the December Purrfect box for my cat Tara. Tara is a 6 month old maine-coon/ragdoll kitten. She is very inquisitive, playful and loves her treats.

The box is of course very Christmas themed, and I am a little late in uploading this but you'll still get the gist of what's in the boxes. You might even see Tara in action ;)

         

So what do you think of the Pawsome boxes? I think they offer a great mix of products for your cat. Sometimes it can be hard to find toys that are different to the standard fare so it's good that it all comes straight to your door.

The kitten box starts from £19.90 and you can sign up here
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Friday 13 January 2017

Sleek Diamonds In The Rough eyeshadow palette review

sleek diamonds in the rough the rockstar collection eyeshadow palette review

What the brand says
Make your eyes shine like a diamond with Sleek's new collection of diamond inspired hues. Perfect to add a bit of glamour to your look the palette contains 6 shades to make your eyes look brighter including rose gold, iridescent pink and champagne beige.

The Lowdown
I've seen this palette advertised for quite a few weeks now but every time I try to buy it it's been sold out. The palette has 6 different variations of my favourite eyeshadow colour gold, in both powder and cream formulas.

sleek diamonds in the rough the rockstar collection eyeshadow palette review

In the swatch the cream shade Solitaire and Radiant are pretty light in comparison to the powder shades. The powder shades have a lot of pigment and I'm loving Princess and Asscher.

sleek diamonds in the rough the rockstar collection eyeshadow palette swatch

For the look I went for I used Asscher,  Trillion and Marquise. Here's how to recreate my look:

1. First I blended Asscher onto the inner corner of my eye.
2. Asscher was followed by Trillion on the outer 3/4 of my eyelid and blended together
3. Finally I blended Marquise onto the outer third of my eyelid to give the look more depth.

I did think Asscher and Trillion are very similar despite Asscher looking darker in the palette. Each shade has quite a lot of pigment and blends beautifully. There was no fall out and they last all day without fading. I love how bright my eyes look after applying the eyeshadow. For even more intensity Sleek recommend you apply the cream eyeshadow over the top of the powder. I  haven't tried out the cream eyeshadows yet but I do think they will make a good highlighter. It also comes with a really handy mirror and double ended brush with both a sponge and brush applicator.

A lovely little palette full of my favourite shades with colours that look fabulous on. I give it 4/5

Get it for £7.99 at Boots

sleek diamonds in the rough the rockstar collection eyeshadow palette look

Advantages

  • Six different shades of gold so you can choose what you like the most
  • Cream eyeshadows can be used separately as a highlighter even on the cheeks or under the brows
  • Blends beautifully
  • Strong pigmentation 
  • No fall out
  • Lasts all day
  • Comes with a double ended brush that has the choice of either a sponge or brush applicator.
  • Handy mirror for application on the go

Disadvantages
  • None that I can see
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Thursday 12 January 2017

Roundup of popular posts from 2016

roundup of popular beauty and lifestyle posts from 2016

We're a couple of weeks into 2017 and it's time to reflect on what blog posts were loved by you all. In 2016 I focused a lot on blog improvement which you all loved in addition to lots of useful money making tips which you found really helpful. Here's a round up of the top posts you were loving last year (and a introduction if you're new to my blog).

14 ways to make money using your smartphone

how to increase blog traffic

no7 airbrush away primer

40 money saving beauty tips

i love makeup blushing hearts blusher

vichy dermablend 3d correction foundation

what is non-touring


next make me beautiful eyeshadow palette

budgeting tips for beauty addicts

colgate max white toothbrush whitening pen review

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Wednesday 11 January 2017

4 technology hacks you won't want to miss

4 technology hacks you won't want to miss

In a world where a low battery will give you palpitations and Netflix is king technology has really taken over our lives. So what happens when something goes wrong? You can either go into meltdown or follow these super easy to follow technology hacks.

Netflix stuttering? worry no more
There's nothing more frustrating when you're watching a good TV program or film is when the connection starts to stutter. Solve it by hitting ctrl-alt-shift and s to change the buffering speed. When the option appears select the highest number and click apply.

Never lose your work again
We've all had a time when we've written half a essay and boom your document crashes. Whilst Word does have a auto save function built in this normally only runs every ten minutes, so everything you've written in between will be gone. To fix this on Windows go to file- options - save. On a mac go to word - preferences - save. Change the autosave interval to every one minute.

Charge your smartphone quickly
If you need your phone charged like now then switch it to airplane mode before plugging it into charge. Switching to airplane mode will switch off the wireless radios inside so it will charge faster.

Make your own wireless speaker
Do you want your tunes to be amplified but find there's no speakers nearby? A empty cup or mug is perfect for amplifying sounds, simply place your phone inside and get dancing.    
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Tuesday 10 January 2017

Forget kale, here's 5 superfoods you're probably already eating

5 superfoods you're probably already eating

Everyday it seems like there's a new superfood that you need to enrich your diet with. Whether it's kale, chia seeds or bee pollen the new superfoods are as diverse as they come. Whilst health companies and food gurus will always be coming out with new food fads, it's worth considering the true nutritional value before you splash your cash. A study found out of the 47 foods with the highest nutrients, the most powerful were fruit and vegetables that we're already eating. Here's 5 superfoods that are probably already in your diet, and they don't cost a weeks wages to stock up on either.

red pepper superfood

Red peppers
Red peppers are high in Vitamin C and just one serving will triple what you need daily.  Vitamin C is vital for healthy skin.
Cost: 70p for one loose pepper

tomatoe superfood

Tomatoes
Tomatoes are one of my favourite fruits, they taste amazing and they're full of the antioxidant lycopene that is known for fighting cancer. Who wouldn't want these over chia seeds?!
Cost: 15p for one loose tomato

beetroot superfood

Raw beetroot
Beetroots are great as they're packed full of nutrients, the beet is rich in beta-carotene whilst the leaves are full of Vitamin K. Beetroots help to build your immunity and iron levels whilst the leaves can help in healing wounds and lowering high blood pressure. It's best eaten fresh with roots in  a salad or juiced.
Cost: £1.65 for 100g

pumpkin superfood

Pumpkin
They're not just for Halloween you know, pumpkins are amazing for providing you with your daily fibre intake. Each serving has almost 3g of fibre which is more then you can get in a cup of kale. You'll also find it will double the Vitamin A you need on a daily basis. Don't like it raw? Why not roast it and serve with a little bit of olive oil and salt and pepper.
Cost: £1 for 1kg pumpkin

broccoli superfood

Broccoli
These little tree shaped wonders are perfect if you're planning on starting a family. A cooked cup of broccoli contains almost half the folate you need to protect your fertility, in addition to this it has 4g of protein. Make sure you steam it as boiling can lose vital nutrients.
Cost: 65p for one head
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