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Friday, November 28, 2014

& Other Stories


It was probably for my own good that I didn't discover the & Other Stories store in Paris until a few weeks before I left. The toiletries are insanely good and they had some really gorgeous handbags that it took all my willpower to resist. I limited myself to just two purchases because I knew i'd be able to buy loads online if I wanted to. I went for the Couture Carnival Hand Soap and the Shinjuku Bloom Body Scrub. I love sweet scents and these definitely fit into that category but the scents are a little more complex and grown up.


The packaging is beautiful and I really can't fault the products. 


I'm dying to try more soon, if you want to try anything you can find the range here. They also do very reasonably priced mini sizes for some products if you want to explore them before the taking the plunge with the full sized beauties. 
xo 
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Wednesday, November 26, 2014

300 Follower French Giveaway: Phyto, Caudalie & Cattier


Hi Girlies! We've reached 300 followers on Bloglovin (Ooh la la) and to celebrate we are giving away some French beauty goodies that Kirsty brought back from Paris before she left for good. 
1. Phyto -  Phyto is a botanical based range of products and the dry hair range is fantastic. Kirsty has already repurchased most of these in the full size. This set includes: Phytojoba intense hydration brilliance shampoo for dry hair, the phytojoba shine mask for dry hair and there's also a lightweight hydrating oil spray. 

2. Cattier - Masque Argile - Pink Clay Mask with Aloe Vera -  This is Kirsty's top skincare pick of 2014, its great for blackhead/sebaceous filaments and is even suitable for very sensitive skin. It's a beauty regime MUST HAVE!

3. Caudalíe - A skincare brand originating in Bordeaux, Caudalie use vine extracts to create their range of products. Caudalie is raved about in the beauty blogger community. Most people are familiar only with their beauty elixir, but we wanted to give our followers a chance to try some of the lesser-known products. The set contains their micellar water, moisturising sorbet, divine oil and shower gel.

This giveaway is international, please use the rafflecopter widget below to enter. Don't forget to tweet daily for extra points! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
The giveaway will run for one month, so we hope the prize will be with the winner by Christmas. 

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MAC So Chaud


I've gone through a real phase of of buying bright lipsticks over the last year, and this stunning shade was one of my impulse purchases before I left Paris. There isn't really much of a price difference at all so there would have been no benefit to waiting until I'd moved back.

MAC's So Chaud is the perfect burned orange-red.

I used to be so scared of bold lip colours but I seem to have gotten over that finally, it's a great late summer shade but looks just as striking in winter with sleek hair and a big black wooly scarf.

Do you wear a bold lip?
xo
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Friday, November 21, 2014

Jasmine's 21st Birthday: Delayed Post


I've just found this in my drafts!!!! My birthday was back in April but here's what I got up to on my 21st.. Didn't go out.. just had a nice weekend of dinner, family and friends :) 
(following was written back in April)
That time has finally come for me to join the adult world.. I know.. scary right! I vowed I would pass my driving test before I turned 21, and luckily I have, so there's one triumph there...
Having your birthday over the Easter weekend has its good and bad sides.. good, because it guarantees people will be off work and that I get easter eggs as well... the downside.. everything is closed and people already have plans :(
A couple days before my birthday I bought myself a little present.. was it a bag? was it some shoes? NOPE it was a hamster! I named him Winston and he's soo cute!!


Nevertheless I still had a great weekend. Starting off on Thursday. I organised a meal at TGI Fridays with my friends as I knew they'd be too busy on the weekend to go clubbing. I had quite a few cocktails and a whopping great meal.  The embarrassment started when the TGIF staff brought over a cake and make the whole restaurant sing me Happy Birthday. And of course, I stood there looking like a lemon, celebrating my 21st in a TGI's... Was a lovely meal though and was great to see my friends.
Saturday was spent lounging around, relaxing after a stressful day at work on Good Friday. Then that afternoon my boyfriend's family took us out for a lovely meal at a gourmet pub a few miles away. I think I've gained about a stone this past few days! SO MUCH FOOD! I had a shoulder of lamb which fell off the bone. So so tender. 
I then went to my parent's house as my Grandparents had driven down from Swindon to celebrate with me. I spent the evening  going through old family photos with them . 
Once I got back to my house, I found that my boyfriend had decorated the bedroom with 21st Birthday banners, balloons and ceiling hangings. So cute!

Sunday came and I woke up at 7am, not on purpose.. I just woke up. Wished I could have had a lie in, but oh well. Rolling over, I caught my boyfriends eye and he leapt out of bed to retrieve my presents from where he hid them, he was like an excited little child at christmas!
He bought me a Thomas Sabo bracelet a couple years ago and has been adding to it ever since. I also LOVE  Pugs and have socks, jumpers, bed sheets.. the lot.. so this Thomas Sabo Pug charm was a very welcome sight! ! IT IS ADORABLE!!!!

The other presents from him were a Chocolate Making workshop in London, (which I still haven't attended yet!),  a bunch of tulips and a cute I Love You mug, which I use at work.





After getting ready and opening my presents from his family;  Hugo Boss Orange Perfume from his Aunt and Uncle, a Topshop Voucher from his sister and some Lush Massage Bars and a Kurt Geiger Voucher from his parents, (all amazing presents, I'm such a lucky girl!) we headed over to my family's house for a cooked breakfast.

From my parent's I got, an iPad mini Retina 32GB, my brother bought me a Brownie Maker and my grandparents gave me some money, which I put towards a flat!

We then headed over to Paradise Wildlife Park - in the rain... but I love Zoos, so this was a perfect day out. We even got to watch the White Tiger being fed and I got to touch some Meerkats!


It was such a lovely day, despite the rain, we headed over to a local gourmet pub and all had a roast. Literally SO MUCH FOOD!

With my KG voucher, I ordered the most beautt shoes ever! 


I haven't worn them that many times, mainly because they're so high and I don't want to ruin them!

They're in their box still, although I have worn them a few times! 

After the meal, I went back to my boyfriend's house and was greeted with a thick, rich, gooey, flakey chocolate cake. I only managed one slice. The cake lasted a week, however I couldn't manage more than my first slice.. and i LOVE chocolate.  I was quite shocked by myself that I didn't have more! but I literally couldn't manage it! It was far too rich and sickly for my liking. But was so grateful for the thought that went into it! He's such a babe!!

What's on your birthday list? I'm so stuck for ideas for Xmas, let alone birthday!!


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Thursday, November 20, 2014

COLLECTION: Little Mix All About the Eyes Palette


I'm not a usual wearer of eyeshadow.. mainly because I have NO CLUE how to apply it and blend it properly.. I end up looking like a clown. But I absolutely love this palette. Its cheap, its got neutral shades and it's shimmery. Perfect for a night out; which is the only occasion I would attempt to wear any!

This brown, bronze, neutral palette is perfect this autumn winter!
I received this in my goodie bag after attending the PegasusLIVE event in London back in July. After chatting to the two lovely girls from Collection, I learnt a lot about the product and couldn't wait to get home to delve through my goodie bag to find it and try it out!
I really want to learn how to apply shadow properly, so may need to go and take a masterclass at MAC or somewhere (another christmas gift hint here Kirsty..)
The four girls of girl band Little Mix have a small selection of inspired products within Collection's range, including lip balm and this palette.
As in love with this palette as they are, this is literally one of the only eyeshadow palettes I use.
So let's take a closer look at the shades. 
Left to Right we have Feather, Sunkissed, Golden Sand, Dazzling Brown, Cocoa Dream and Blackbird.
Below are swatches, they can be built up to be more opaque.

I did do my best however to try and showcase the palette so don't laugh if it actually looks god awful!

On my inner eye lid I used Golden Sand, attempted to graduate into Dazzling Brown and ended with Cocoa Brown in the outer corner, and blending (or attempting to) Blackbird into the outermost corner. Finally finishing with a dab of Feather in my inner corner.
Someone please show me how to apply it properly!!!
In terms of staying power, as long as you have a good base such as Stay Don't Stray from Benefit and a good setting product such as MAC Fix +, it'll last all day.
You can pick up yours here for just £3.19!!
Do you have this palette? What is your favourite shade?
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Wednesday, November 19, 2014

UK Launch: JorgObé Peel Off Mask*


JorgObé created their fantastic range, full of natural ingredients and nourishing natural minerals back in 2010 in Copenhagen. They created the range as they were “driven by [their] curiosity and [have] a strong passion for creating effective skin care products for men and women striving for cleaner and more beautiful skin”

The Black Peel Off Mask was their first product, originally sold in 10ml sachets and marketed exclusively to private consumers via Trendsales.dk. However after a few months, they realised just how special their product really was, as their first 10,000 units had sold out completely. Curiosity took over, and suddenly everyone wanted to get their hands on this striking jet black face mask.

For me, it’s their simplistic, yet striking packaging that sets off my curiosity. Black and white is so understated, but so eye catching at the same time. I really wanted to know what the hype was all about! Little did I know, JorgObé were keen to break into the UK skin care market, and I really think this product is going to go down tremendously!


It now sits prominently on my bathroom shelf, ready for use every time my skin needs a deep clean.

Let’s learn more....
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Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Russell & Bromley KATIE Shopper DUPE


 I came across this BEAUTY of a bag recently and almost cried when I saw the price.. £195 at Russell & Bromley. The soft luxurious black leather unstructured shopper has double top handles and a simple strap across the top adding to the simple design. 


With a floral inner lining and zip close centre, its big enough for all your handbag essentials. 34cm wide, 27cm tall and a handle drop of 20cm, it can fit perfectly over your shoulder or in the crook of your arm (where most of my handbags sit).

It comes in a range of colours too; Black, Tan, Navy, Cream and Burgundy.


Obviously, being leather, justifies the price. But if you're on a tight budget but still want to have this beaut hanging off your arm, I've found the answer!



Whilst looking for items to add to the Christmas Gift Guide for Sisters, I found a Dupe! I couldn't be happier! And what's more.. the Dupe is actually BETTER and more versatile and obviously.. a LOT cheaper! This Reversible Contrast Shopper from Zara for £29.99.

With a similar shape and fastening detail, this bag is a mere fraction of the price, but there's a feature that makes it better than the R&B one (well I think anyway)... as the name suggests; its reversible! You can turn them inside out if you fancy change or want to add a colour pop to your outfit!

Made of Polyurethane, it's not as good quality material as leather, but from my experience with Zara bags, they're still very long lasting so long as you treat them with care. 


This bag comes in a range of colours also.

Navy Blue / Mustard Yellow, Black / Burgundy and Taupe / Orange.


Definitely adding to my Christmas this year! (Although I would still LOVE the R&B one!)
Have you got this bag? What are your thoughts on Zara's bag durability?
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Monday, November 17, 2014

Christmas Gift Guide : Sisters

I can't believe christmas is coming around so fast!
I've seen lots of people doing these types of blog posts, and so I thought I'd do one (mainly to give Kirsty some tips on what to get me)
Everything on this post, I want myself. Obviously, as a blogger, many of these items, a normal female probably would find some of these a bit too blogger specific, but I've tried to make it as generic to non-bloggers and bloggers alike!
So here we go:
Depending on your budget, there are various things you can get your sister. 
Around £50

If you're budget is quite large, you can't go wrong with a Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 Instant Camera . They're super cute and a great present for anyone who loves taking pictures! The mini polaroid camera has a 60mm focus and LED exposure indicator, gives you instant card sized polaroids instantly! It comes in a range of pastel colours; blue, pink, white, yellow and black.
You can find it in Urban Outfitters for £90, or alternatively, for as little as £53 on Amazon (link above)
If your budget is a little smaller, I recommend these cute little gifts:
Around £40
My favourite scent at the moment has to be the Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium. 
My taste in perfumes changes quite a bit. I've had several different ones over the years, including:
 Diesel Loverdose Eau de Toilette, which has top notes of mandarin and star anise, base notes of amber and vanilla and sambac jasmine, liquorice and gardenia at the heart.
 Vera Wang Princess Night Eau de Toilette, which has notes of wild berries, watermelon, raspberry, jasmine petals, orange blossom, passion rose, crushed sugar, must and vanilla.
Calvin Klein CK In 2 U Eau de Toilette, with top notes of pink grapefruit and bergamot, undertones of amber, red cedar and vanilla and orchid and white cactus at the heart (this one is only £24.99 for 150ml!).
Hugo Boss Orange Eau de Toilette which has top notes of bergamot, white peach and crispy apple, undertones of creamy vanilla, olivewood and sandalwood and orange flowers, plum and cinnamon stick at the heart.
And finally Calvin Klein Euphoria Eau de Parfum which is a more floral and fruity scent with notes of rose, apple, green leaves, lotus, black orchid, black violet and amber.
Black Opium is in the Orange/ Princess Night range in terms of strongness of scent as it's quite rich. It's got top notes of black coffee, undertones of vanilla and a floral scent at the heart. It's certainly a perfume for evenings out. I'd usually choose a softer scent for the day time.
At £39.60 for 30ml, it's a good choice for a sister, however if she's got a particular taste, all of the above perfumes are also under £40 :)
Around £30

If your sister's a messy person like I am, and want to give them a helpful, yet subtle hint to clear up their stuff, I would recommend the acrylic 5 drawer organiser from Muji. It's big enough for brushes, mascaras, anything really! You can even get drawer inserts for jewellery etc. At £24.95 and £2.95 for shipping, it's the perfect gift!
Around £20
I love Urban Outfitters, they have such cool stuff. But I spotted this cute make up bag the other day and think it would be a great gift! 
This Mi-Pac Ostrich Make up bag is small and conveniently can store all your make up essentials to travel with you wherever you go. It's super cute and on-trend!
At £18 it's a bargain!



Around £15
Mac lipstick is a must have. The Please Me shade is beaut and perfect for christmas! Their standard lipsticks add shimmer, texture and colour to your lips. 
Please Me is a semi-neautral shade with a rusty pick tone which would suit any light to medium skin tone. For darker skin, I would recommend Pander Me, it has more of a reddish tone which would complement the skin tone perfectly. 
This lipstick is only £15.50.

Around £10
If your sister is a lover of make up then this would be perfect! Having bought this myself, I cannot recommend it enough (keep an eye out for the review) 
With a contouring powder, highlighter and blush, it's everything you need to a fab Kim K look!
It comes in Fair, Light, Medium and Dark. 
At only £9.99 from Sleek, it's a beauty must have!


Under £5

I love nail varnish and cool little sets such as this. Perfect for christmas, this Nail Rock Red Glitter Manicure is perfect this winter season!
With a pot of glitter and red nail varnish, this is bound to sit prominently amongst the other nail varnishes she may have. 
Brought down to £4.99 in Misguided's sale, it's a steal!
Whatever your budget this Christmas, your sister will love one or a combination of these gifts! I know I would! 
If you're a blogger, why not check out this year's International Blogger Secret Santa and get involved! We've got some great bloggers involved so far, from the UK and overseas, and would love to involve a lot more, so definitely check it out :)
Do you have any of these products and recommend them? Would you like any of these this Christmas?
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Sunday, November 16, 2014

Seventeen Stay Pout Lipstick: Infared


Never before has my lipstick lasted so long that I've woken up the next day with stained lips. 

For a cheap drug store brand, I was very surprised to see how good the lipstick actually was. I don't really wear lipstick that often, despite my large collection. I only really wear it on nights out or for special occasions as the main shades I have are very bright and striking; reds, hot pinks etc, but I really want to start wearing them more often. It makes me feel more grown up!


So often, Boots has a 3 for 2 offer on make up, and lipsticks are the first product I go to, as you never know what hidden gem you might find.. This Seventeen lipstick is a prime example.


Seventeen Stay Pout Infared Lip Colour is one of those rare finds that restores my faith in high street make up brands. When it says stay pout (stay put) they really mean it. I wore this colour last weekend on a night out.. That for me, is the ultimate test - various drinks, trips to the toilet mirror, drink again, and then chips on the way home, if it's still perfect when you get home again. It's a winner. I've given up on many a lip colour for this reason. They just didn't last that long!


This lipstick however, despite wiping as much off as I could when I got home that night, my lips were still very red. If you've ever slept in make up before, you'd know how you wake up with it either smeared everywhere or its all over your pillow instead of your face.


In the morning, I woke up, my pillow was still white and when I looked in the mirror, the lipstick was still stained on my lips and JUST on my lips, not smeared up my cheek or over my chin like it normally would. 


 These photos obviously show the lipstick as different shades, however they were taken with different light sources. The bottom one may be a little more accurate.

I'm definitely going to buy more in this range now I know what their staying power is really like!

Have you tried this range of lipsticks? Do you know of any others that last that long?

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