Black Friday Haul

I love shopping around for bargains & rarely buy things online without a discount code. Even though we don't celebrate Thanksgiving I'm glad that us Brits have fully embraced the tradition of Black Friday. It's the best time to get all your Christmas shopping done & as you're saving a bit of money you can afford to treat yourself at the same time! There were a few items that I needed to repurchase & some things that I've had my eye on for ages. First I got a new bottle of the L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil & Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray. I ordered them from FeelUnique as they had a 20% discount code. The shower oil is my favourite thing to shave with & the extra moisture is much needed at this time of year. I tend to flit between using the Urban Decay & NYX setting sprays as they both work exactly the same. I just went for the Urban Decay one this time as you get a bigger bottle & I enjoy it's unique scent so it's a good one to buy when you can find a discount code.

These days most of my skincare comes from The Ordinary but I still love Bravura London products. They had a whopping 25% discount for Black Friday so it was the perfect time to stock up. I got a new bottle of their First Cleanse Oil which is what I always use to remove my makeup. I absolutely love the Azulene Moisturiser! I use it twice a day as it works really well with the rest of my skincare routine. It's a light moisturiser packed with calming botanical ingredients that help to soothe & heal the skin. It's brilliant for those with oily, combination or acne-prone skin types as it hydrates the skin without clogging pores. I also decided to pick up the Collagen Moisturising Cream. I normally stick with the Azulene Moisturiser but this one is better for dry skin so it helps my skin to cope with the cold weather.



Bumble & Bumble's Hairdresser's Invisible Oil is one of my favourite hair products of all time. I'm always amazed by how much softer & shinier it makes my hair. It can be a real struggle to make damaged, bleached hair look healthy but this stuff works miracles. I rarely have to repurchase it because a bottle lasts such a long time & I'm sure glad it does because it costs £35! I spotted this Bumble & Bumble Sp(oil)ed Silly Gift Set on FeelUnique for £38 which means that for a mere £3 more you get a sample of the Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Primer (which is also incredible!) & a rose gold Tangle Teezer thrown in. With FeelUnique's 20% discount I got it for just £30. What a bloody bargain!



The Stila Eye For Elegance Liquid Eyeshadow Set was at the very top of my Black Friday wishlist. I'm utterly obsessed with the Magnificent Metals Glitter & Glow Liquid Eyeshadows. They make using glitter so much easier & completely mess-free. I currently own four of them but they are pretty expensive so even at full price this set is fantastic value. I knew I could get it cheaper on Black Friday though & Stila had 20% off on their website bringing it down to £36. In this set you get three Glitter & Glow eyeshadows and three Shimmer & Glow eyeshadows. Unfortunately I already own Smoldering Satin but at least I can use the one in the set as a stocking filler for someone else. I'm so excited about this gift set, all the colours look beautiful & I cannot wait to try out the new shades!





Beauty Bay had up to 30% off everything on their website so I ordered a few items that I've been wanting for a long time. I already own 25 Jeffree Star Liquid Lipsticks so I decided that I wouldn't order any more colours. I've wanted to try his Velour Lip Scrubs for ages as the flavours sound amazing but I didn't want to pay £12 for a single scrub. I ordered Strawberry Gum & Root Beer in the sale. I mainly got the strawberry one for Chloe as both of us get dry lips at this time of year. Root Beer is just for me though! It's one of my favourite ever drinks & a small part of me died inside when McDonald's took it off their menu back in the 90s. The scrub tastes just like the drink & has the added bonus of being edible. It does a great job of removing dead skin cells, leaving my lips feeling super soft & smooth.



I've tried loads of different beauty sponges but in my opinion nothing comes close to the original Beautyblender. My one was getting a bit tatty looking so I needed to buy a new one. I went for the Beautyblender Swirl as it has a pretty pink & white marble design. It works exactly the same as the pink Beautyblender but just looks a bit cooler.



Jouer Cosmetics have been all over YouTube this year & I love the look of their lip products. I have so many matte liquid lipsticks so I wanted something a bit different & decided to go for their Long-Wear Lip Topper in Skinny Dip. Lip Topper is just a glorified name for a lip gloss but I do really like this product. Skinny Dip is a metallic golden nude gloss with flecks of gold & pink shimmer. It looks gorgeous whether worn alone or on top of a liquid lipstick. The luminous finish makes my lips look fuller & plumper whilst adding a hint of golden iridescence. The consistency is kinda thick for a gloss but it isn't sticky at all. It feels more like a lip balm as it's quite nourishing on the lips due to the inclusion of jojoba seed oil & coconut oil. This Lip Topper looks truly stunning & the sweet, cakey scent is divine!



I've been wanting to buy the RCMA No-Colour Powder for so long but it's always out of stock! Beauty Bay managed to get plenty in for their sale so I finally got my hands on this highly coveted setting powder. I use loose powders to bake my concealer but I've noticed that they can sometimes alter the colour, making my base products look slightly weird. This powder has no pigment in it so even though it looks white it won't change the colour of your foundation or concealer & it is suitable for all skin colours. It gives my base a matte flawless finish that lasts all day & it never looks dry or powdery on the skin. Unlike some powders it doesn't cause flashback so you don't have to worry about getting your photo taken. The packaging is a bit rubbish but otherwise this is an excellent setting powder.



The last item I got was the Benton Snail Bee High Content Mask Pack. I mainly bought this to get free next day delivery but I love sheet masks & Benton are one of the few popular Korean beauty brands that I haven't purchased anything from before. The Snail Bee range is very well loved on /r/AsianBeauty so I knew it would be worth trying out. I haven't used the mask yet but if I like it I'm sure you'll hear all about it!





Accessorize had 30% off their Angels kids range so I got Chloe some cute new things. She needed some new Winter accessories & what could be more fitting than their Chloe Cat collection?! I bought her the Chloe Cat chullo hat, Chloe Cat scarf & Chloe Cat capped mittens. They're all so cute & keep her really warm. Her new school has a tuck shop during morning break & when I've given her money to get a snack she always loses it! She loves being able to get a hot chocolate & croissant in the morning so I bought her the Becci Bunny round cross body bag & the Pretty Kitty cat purse to keep her money in. I also spotted this lovely Crown Chakra bracelet in store & decided to treat myself. I have one of the Daisy London chakra bracelets but it was so expensive & this one was only a tenner!




I have become an avid enamel pin collector this year & I'm always on the lookout for cute new pins to buy. Etsy is my favourite place to look for new designs & it was on there that I came across Hand Over Your Fairy Cakes. I didn't manage to get one of her limited Black Friday discount codes but I decided to go ahead & buy a few pins anyway as I fell in love with these designs quite a while ago. I adore the pastel colourwheel, strawberry pocky & CMYK pins but my absolute favourite is the one that says 'I Got Dressed Today'. Sometimes that can be a bit of a struggle for me when I'm feeling down & it's nice to be positive about those small achievements.

What bargains did you pick up on Black Friday?

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Beloved Brands: Bumble & Bumble

I'm pretty big on brand loyalty. There are certain brands that I consistently buy products from, wholeheartedly love & recommend to all of my friends. Today I'm starting up a new feature to highlight my favourite products from these brands & maybe give a few hints as to what to avoid as well. First up we have Bumble & Bumble. Their products tend to come with a hefty price tag but they're one of the few hair care brands that I'm willing to save up for. My introduction to Bumble & Bumble came when I first had my hair bleached blonde at Taylor Taylor in London. Prep & Thickening Hairspray were always spritzed into my hair before blowdrying. I repurchased both of those products for years as they worked wonders on my hair. Prep was especially effective at making my hair grow faster. When I had my hair cut into an asymmetric crop a combo of Defrizz & Styling Wax was my go to for smoothing & shaping my short locks. I honestly feel like their shampoos & conditioners are ridiculously overpriced for what they are though. Unless I'm getting some huge salon size bottles I'm simply not prepared to drop 30 quid on a hair washing duo. However their styling products are simply to die for & can make such a difference to the appearance of your hair. I wouldn't have spent so much money on them if I thought otherwise! Here are my top picks from their collection:

My favourite hair product of all time has to be Brilliantine. This stuff is absolutely amazing & I can't wash my hair without running some of this through it afterwards. It takes away any fluffiness & frizz, smoothing everything down without making it look greasy or flat. It adds just the right amount of hold & definition whilst giving your hair a beautiful shine. My hair feels lovely & soft when I use it too. You only need a tiny amount of it & you can use it on wet or dry hair. I normally just put it on my dry hair but if you apply some before blowdrying the glossy sheen it gives to your locks is unbelievable. It makes your hair look super healthy even if it's as damaged as mine. If you buy one product from Bumble & Bumble make sure it's Brilliantine.

Dry sprays are still all the rage & one of my favourites is the Thickening Dryspun Finish. This is like a step up from a dry shampoo as it doesn't make your hair feel matted & gross afterwards. It gives your hair an instant shot of volume & plenty of texture. Whenever I want really full & bouncy hair I always spray some of this through my top layers. A quick ruffle with your fingers is then all you need to give your hair some oomph. It works perfectly if you're doing a voluminous updo like a beehive too. Another product that I always find myself reaching for is the Thickening Creme Contour. I mainly just use this on the front layers of my hair to give them a bit more hold & make sure they stay flicked outwards. It adds loads of volume & definition. I have quite fine hair & this stuff definitely plumps it up & makes it look thicker. Use these two products together for some seriously big hair!

Bumble & Bumble do some fantastic creme products all with completely different results. The two I reach for most often are the Hair(Un)Dressing Creme & Grooming Creme. I normally go for the former if I want a messy look & the latter if I want a sleeker look. The Hair(Un)Dressing Creme adds the perfect amount of volume & texture to your hair without overloading it or making it look greasy again. It's great if you hate how your hair looks on the day you wash it. The product is a thick, flexible hold styling creme for lived-in, messy hairstyles complete with a matte finish. A tiny blob of this stuff ran through your roots before blow drying will give your hair some grit & lift so it's a good alternative to backcombing. The Grooming Creme is better if you want your hair to look smooth & polished. It gives my hair separation & hold so it stays looking exactly how I want it. I always blow dry my hair & if I use this beforehand I find that my hair stays straighter for longer. It also works really well on curly hair. If you run some through before leaving it to air dry, this creme helps to reduce frizz & define curls. The soft satin finish adds some elegance to your hairstyle.

One of the latest additions to the Bumble & Bumble range are their Hairdresser's Invisible Oil products. I really love the original Hairdresser's Invisible Oil. This is the best hair oil I've ever tried, nothing will make your hair feel as soft as this does. When I first tried this I couldn't stop stroking my hair, the transformation was incredible. I apply four pumps through my hair before blowdrying. It's hard to believe how much shinier & softer it will make your hair feel, it is a true miracle worker. This is probably the most expensive B&B product but it is worth every single penny. They recently added a shampoo, conditioner & primer to the lineup. You already know my feelings about their hair washing products but the Heat/UV Protective Primer is phenomenal. As well as protecting against heat & UV damage it helps to detangle, soften, defrizz & tame flyaways. It makes my hair so much more manageable & easy to style. I've had less breakage since I started using this too. If you have fine hair you'll probably get on better with the primer but both are well worth trying out.

Although I've dismissed their daily shampoos & conditioners they do make some lovely hair masks. Deeep is an incredibly nourishing protein mask that would be perfect for anyone with chemically treated, sun damaged or very dry hair. It repairs the hair from within by increasing elasticity whilst adding immense softness. It has a very thick texture so you don't need to use that much product to get results otherwise it can weigh down the hair. This mask is best applied to damp hair for 20 minutes once a week. Pop on a shower cap or a warm towel to intensify it's hair revitalising properties. Plus the scent is utterly gorgeous & it lingers on your hair for ages. Quenching Complex is also a brilliant quick fix for dry hair. This is a light leave-in cream that I like to apply to the ends of my hair before bed. It smooths the hair cuticle, sealing in moisture & protecting the hair. It's just a nice hydrating booster before I wash my hair in the morning. You can also use it before blowdrying as a leave-in conditioner if you prefer.

Now this isn't entirely my pick as I would never use the stuff but my boyfriend loves the Bb. Gel. I actually bought him this as a present and he declared it to be the best hair gel that he'd ever used. I'm sure many of you know how hard it is to get boys excited about beauty products so this was a small victory for me. It gives the hair a strong but flexible hold & doesn't turn into flaky white bits like many gels do. This is a much more modern formula & doesn't look too wet or too dry on the hair. If you want to buy the man in your life a nice hair treat, get him this.

What are your favourite Bumble & Bumble products?

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August Favourites

Bourjois Instant Dry Nail Drops
The last time I went to the hairdressers I discovered that they had set up a DIY nail bar so that you could spruce up your nails whilst waiting for your colour to develop. It's such a genius idea & I had a lot of fun playing with all the products. I'd never tried nail drying drops before but one use was enough to convert me. At the salon I used the Essie Quick-E Fast Drying Drops but when I went to Boots afterwards I spotted this Bourjois version which was a bit cheaper. This product is basically a clear liquid that you drip onto your nail beds with the pipette to dry them off in a matter of seconds. I never have time to sit around waiting for my nails to dry properly so products like this are essential to me. I use a couple of drops per nail to make sure that everything has been covered & my polish dries off super fast. The oily texture also nourishes your nails & cuticles so it's a brilliant way to finish off your manicure.

Bumble & Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Primer
I absolutely adore Bumble & Bumble's Hairdressing Invisible Oil. It makes such a difference to my damaged hair. That magical blend of coconut, sweet almond, grapeseed, safflower seed, macadamia nut & argan oils literally works miracles. Bumble & Bumble recently expanded this line by bringing out three new products. I think that their shampoos & conditioners are way too expensive but their styling products are little bit more affordable. I recently got the new Invisible Oil Primer for my birthday and I was instantly wowed by how much softer, shinier & generally more amazing it made my hair. This product has such a huge list of benefits, it basically does it all! It's main use is to offer protection against heat & UV damage, thus reducing breakage. A few spritzes of this lovely light mist all over my hair helps to detangle, soften, defrizz & tame flyaways. My hair is so much more manageable & easy to style. It totally transforms dry & dull hair and I don't think I could give up using this product anytime soon. I'm not sure whether I prefer this or the original oil but you'll probably get on better with the primer if you have very fine or greasy hair.

Lush African Paradise Body Conditioner
There's nothing better than a trip to Lush when you're in need of some quick pampering. One of my favourite treats are their body conditioners. I can hardly ever be bothered to moisturise my body when I get out of the shower so I prefer to rehydrate my skin when I'm still in the bathroom. After washing your body you simply massage this creamy concoction all over & then rinse it off. This conditioner is made from an indulgent blend of shea butter and cocoa butter along with almond oil, moringa oil & marula oil to deeply moisturise the skin. It feels so wonderfully hydrating without leaving any greasy residue. Lush have also included mango juice to brighten the skin and aloe vera to cool & soothe. It makes my skin feel softer than ever before & imparts a beautiful sheen that makes my limbs look nicely toned. Best of all this stuff smells absolutely incredible & the tropical scent stays on your skin all day long. African Paradise is probably one of Lush's most expensive products but by golly it's good!

Mavala Double-Lash
I'm forever trying out new lash growth products as I feel like my eyelashes aren't quite as long & lustrous as they once were. My mascara picking habit certainly doesn't help things as I often get unsightly gaps along my lashline. Some of the ingredients found in these kind of products can be quite scary & expensive to boot. I prefer to use things with natural active ingredients like Talika Lipocils & Indeed Labs Peptalash. I've always heard amazing things about this Mavala offering & it soon managed to find it's way into my shopping basket. I've been using this every morning before mascara & every night before bed for the past month. As a result my lashes are looking much fuller & thicker. They seem a bit stronger now too as I haven't had as many come out when picking off mascara. I wouldn't say they look much longer but I feel like their overall condition has definitely improved. The mascara wand style applicator is much better than those thin eyeliner brush style ones. It thoroughly coats each lash & can be used on eyebrows too.

Skinbreeze Blemish Fix*
I love dual-purpose products and that's why I can't get enough of this Blemish Fix serum from Skinbreeze. The combination of hyaluronic acid with salicylic acid is a dream come true for acne sufferers. This light watery serum will help to rehydrate your skin & fight blemishes at the same time. Salicylic acid exfoliates inside your pores, unclogging them to reveal clearer skin. It also has anti-inflammatory & mild antibacterial benefits. Regular use of a BHA product can reduce oil production but one downside is that it can also dry out the skin. That's why this serum is so lovely to use as the hyaluronic acid stops your skin from getting dry. Blemish Fix also contains seaweed extract to help soothe the skin. It's a very gentle yet incredibly effective way of clearing up blemishes. I normally use this serum in the morning before my moisturiser as I use an AHA in the evening. I like that I can use this under my makeup as way of fighting spots throughout the day. It's the kind of thing that would make a wonderful addition to any skincare routine.

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Twenty Six

Last Saturday I turned the grand old age of twenty six. It's quite weird entering the latter half of your twenties. Now I'm only four years away from turning 30! It doesn't mean I'm any closer to growing up though. I awoke to a room filled with balloons and a Disney Princess cake for breakfast. Chloe picked it all out herself haha. For my birthday celebrations Andy took me & Chloe on a day trip to Blackpool. Obviously as I hail from Kent there's many places up north that I still haven't explored yet - Blackpool being one of them so off we went. It was probably the worst day to go as it was so incredibly windy & I decided to wear one of the shortest thinnest dresses I own. I'm pretty sure I flashed everyone around me until I could get to H&M for some emergency leggings!

Despite the awful weather I had still had an amazing time. We walked all the way up the promenade & took part in all the usual seaside tourist attractions. I really wanted to go up the tower but it was closed due to the wind so we went on the big ferris wheel instead. When we had finally worn ourselves out we went for a delicious meal at Mandarin which is apparently the 3rd best Chinese restaurant in the UK. We had chicken satay & crispy chilli beef with egg fried rice. It was so good, best meal I've had in ages! We used to go out for dim sum all the time when I lived at home but we only have crappy takeaways round where I live now so it was really nice to get some proper Chinese food for once. I wish we could've stayed longer in Blackpool as Chloe really wanted to go to Nickelodeon Land so hopefully we'll go back sometime soon. Then on Monday my family came up to Manchester for a day out with us. We had lunch at I Am Pho and then went shopping & I got lots of treats! Before it was time for them to go back to London we went to Home Sweet Home for some cake. I ordered a Dead Elvis milkshake but what I didn't realise is that it comes with a whole doughnut on top! So I gobbled up a huge peanut butter milkshake, a doughnut & a slice of one of their crazy cakes. It wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't followed it up with a deep fried mac 'n' cheese burger when I went out with my friends the next day... Oh well if you can't pig out on your birthday, when can you?!








I got some truly lovely presents this year & I'm so grateful for everything I received! I've had my eye on the Roses de Chloe perfume for ages. The original Chloe is my signature scent but I fancied something a little softer & this was perfect. I didn't get along with the GlamGlow Youthmud mask but the Supermud is right up my street. I tried a little sample sachet & my skin has been craving it ever since. It's a clay mask that basically contains all the acids and is absolutely amazing for blemished skin. It came with a cute GlamGlow brush to apply it with too. I also got a fresh tube of HealGel Eye and the new Bumble & Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Primer. The original Hairdresser's Oil is one of the best hair products ever so this new addition to the line looked rather exciting. My favourite present has to be this gorgeous Whistles Rivington chain croc clutch bag that Andy got for me. I've wanted a Whistles clutch for so long! They're such a chic & luxurious addition to any outfit. It took me forever to decide which colour I wanted but the black crocodile one won out in the end. I'm totally in love with it! I can feel a clutch bag addiction coming on...

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March Favourites

Caudalie Vinoperfect Enzymatic Peel Mask*
If you struggle with dull skin or post-blemish scarring then this mask could solve all your problems. It's a thick & creamy hydrating mask that promises radiant skin in just 10 minutes. This mask works as a skin peel so it will speed up the skin renewal process for healthier & brighter looking skin. It uses papaya enzyme & glycolic acid to dissolve dead skin cells, refine pores & resurface the skin. Caudalie's patented Viniferine has an exceptional effect on radiance & scarring. It feels so comforting on the skin and the subtle fragrance of galbanum essence, caraway & spearmint is very refreshing. Using this mask a couple of times a week will soon sort out your skin & get it back to looking it's best. Full review here.

HealGel Intensive*
HealGel is one of my favourite skincare brands & this original Intensive version is such a brilliant product. It's an all rounder really as you can use it for a multitude of skin ailments. This aqueous gel can be used to treat acne, eczema, burns, bruises & sunburn. It's basically a little miracle worker for skin problems. It really helps to speed up the recovery time of scarring. HealGel Intensive is best used on specific areas. For example I use it on my face if a nasty blemish has left a scar. It works well as a follow up to the Caudalie mask to make my skin look as clear as possible. I've also successfully healed up a burn mark on my hand using it. Chloe's been a bit accident prone lately and she ended up with some grazes on her face when she fell over outside. I applied HealGel Intensive to these twice a day and the marks cleared up in no time. It feels really soothing too so it's suitable for all the family. This is a must-have product for all households as it can be used on everything! Full review here.

Bumble & Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil
I'm a big fan of Bumble & Bumble products. The only bad thing about them is that they're pretty pricey. This hair oil has been on my wishlist since forever because I felt bad about spending £30 on such a small bottle. I kinda wish I'd gone for it sooner though because it is worth every single penny. I personally like to use it on wet hair. Running a couple of pumps through my hair before blowdrying is all I need for super soft & shiny locks. It's hard to describe quite how soft this makes your hair. It's almost too soft if you know what I mean so I always pair it with a volumising spray to stop my hair from looking flat. It adds a beautiful shine, completely transforming my damaged bleached hair into healthy natural looking blonde lengths. Moroccanoil has got nothing on this. Best hair oil ever!

Revlon ColorBurst Lacquer Balm in Demure
I love the formula of these Revlon lip balms. The combination of shea, mango & coconut butter makes my lips feel perfectly hydrated. The minty fragrance smells delish & lightly freshens up your lips. The Lacquer Balms have a glossy finish & small glittery particles to help plump up the appearance of your pout. I've been wearing the shade Demure non-stop as it's such a lovely peachy pink lip colour that's perfect for any Spring makeup look. You can see how it looks on my lips here.

Peptalash
I got this ages ago as a freebie in Boots when I bought a tube of Hydraluron. I tried it once & then it pretty much got tossed to the side. Picking off my mascara is a terrible habit of mine & it does impact upon the appearance of my lashes. A noticeable gap appeared along my bottom lashes so I decided to give this product a proper go. I've tried several eyelash growth treatments & I tend to prefer ones that use a mascara wand style applicator. Peptalash has a small eyeliner style brush so you can run it along your eyelids. This method of application is a little annoying but it doesn't change the effectiveness of this product. After just a couple of weeks of using it I saw a change in my lashes. They became longer, thicker & the little gaps had begun to fill in again. Peptalash is surprisingly good & fairly cheap compared to products like RapidLash.

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February Favourites

Illamasqua Hydra Veil
My current primer of choice is Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer & normally that is the perfect primer for me. My skincare routine normally ensures that I have no weird dry or flaky patches on my face but sometimes it can be unavoidable. I recently had a bad cold and that always results in bad skin for me. My nose gets really dry, red & sore when I'm poorly so I needed something extra to calm that down. Illamasqua Hydra Veil is a temporary quick fix for any dry or dehydrated areas. This clear gel will instantly cool & soothe your skin leaving it feeling plump & incredibly hydrated. You only need a tiny bit to sort out your entire face. After applying it you'll be able to get a completely smooth & flawless base whatever the condition of your skin. No dry flaky patches in sight!

Bumble & Bumble Thickening Creme Contour
I got my hair did a few weeks ago & I decided to go for a centre parting again. I had my hairdresser cut in some long fringey bits so I could flick them out to the sides. I wasn't too sure what kind of product to use to keep them in place. I'm generally not a fan of crispy hairspray & didn't want anything that would dry hard like a gel. Instead I've been using this Bumble & Bumble Thickening Creme Contour. This styling cream adds shape, texture & definition to my hair without weighing it down. It's lightweight yet offers a good enough hold to keep my style in place. It also makes my hair feel thicker & more voluminous. If you like really biiiig hair, combine it with their Dryspun Finish spray. You'll get some full, volumised locks with plenty of style.

Barry M Lip Gloss in Toffee
I always think of Barry M as a nail polish brand but there are a few gems to be found in the rest of their product range. I'm especially fond of their lip glosses. Toffee (#2) is my favourite shade. It adds a beautiful nude sheen to your lips when used alone & looks lovely on top of any pink lipstick. It smells delicious too! These glosses don't last too long on the lips but they feel really comfortable to wear without any horrible stickiness. It's a must-have for fuss-free nude lips.

Anastasia Brow Wiz in Medium Ash
I absolutely love Anastasia products. If you need a new eyebrow product then Anastasia should be your first port of call. This pencil is really great because it provides the convenience of pencil application with the natural finish of a powder. The nib is retractable & very fine so you can actually draw on individual hairs with it. It's just makes it so easy to get the exact brow shape you want without looking harsh at all. It even has a spoolie on the other end to groom your brow hairs & blend the product. The colour range is one of the best I've come across. I highly recommend buying this product!

Real Techniques Silicone Liner Brush
This brush is nothing new because Japonesque have made a silicone liner brush for quite some time. Real Techniques win though because theirs is cheaper, more readily available & works in exactly the same way. The easy to clean silicone tip allows me to get the perfect cat flick every time. It doesn't drag along the eyelid like some brushes or liquid liners can do. You can get such a smooth line with it & it's so easy to vary the shape of your flick or thickness of line. Obviously as it's not an actual brush, the tip won't hold much product. You do have to keep dipping it into your gel liner pot but I don't think that affects the application process at all. It's much more hygienic than a brush & should last for years to come.

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Christmas Presents

Polar FT4 Watch
2014 is gonna be the year that I get properly fit. I know I say that every year but I actually have time to go to the gym now that Chloe's at preschool. I'll be able to do the 30 Day Shred without having a toddler trying to sit on me or pick up my hand weights! I was using my Fitbit to track my calorie burn but it broke a few months ago. So for my main present this year I asked for a Polar watch. They're a lot more accurate because they measure your heart rate. I know a lot of people rave about these so I figured it'd be a good piece of fitness equipment to get. Can't wait to get back to doing regular exercise & lose all those pesky Christmas pounds.



Smythson Places To Remember Notebook
My mum also bought me this Smythson notebook for writing down places to visit. It'll be good to take on holiday to note down all the shops & restaurants I want to go to. I remember making a mega list when we went to New York. If only we could go back again!



Nail Art Bits & Shimmer Sprays
My sister bought me some sparkly Maybelline nail polishes & Barry M nail art pens. I'm excited to try out the nail polish corrector pen because I always mess up my nails. I really like these shimmer powder sprays she got me from The Body Shop too. They puff out a fine pink glitter that you can use on your face, hair & body and have a slightly sweet scent.



Boux Avenue Lingerie
I literally always ask my boyfriend for lingerie and Boux Avenue's stuff is just the best. Everything in there is so comfortable & flattering. He got me this gorgeous hot pink underwear set & I really love what he chose. I'm still tempted to raid their sale though!



Flamingo Candles
I'm obsessed with their Cheesecake Crunch candle so I made sure I popped a few more onto my Christmas list. I got Toasted Almonds & Plum Crumble, Tropical Coconut Milk & Honey and Pink Lemonade. They all smell insanely good and they're made from soy wax so you get a nice clean burn with these.



The Legend Of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
My pink 3DS XL is probably the best thing I've bought this year. I play on it constantly! The Legend Of Zelda series is one of my favourites so I really wanted A Link Between Worlds. It's a sequel to A Link To The Past on the SNES and it's such a good game. Link gets turned into a painting so you gain the ability to move flat along walls. It definitely makes the game mechanics more interesting & I've really enjoyed playing it so far.



Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette & MAC Goodies
I got money & gift vouchers from most of my relatives so with those I simply had to buy myself the Naked 3 Palette. I love pink eyeshadows so I thought this was a great set to buy. Plus I needed to complete my Naked Palette family of course ;) I also made a cheeky MAC order where I got Groundwork Paint Pot and a 214 brush. The shape of the 214 is really cool & perfect for smudging colour under your lashline. I got a sample tube of Strobe Cream with my order which is another product I love.







Epic Space.NK Haul
All of this was a Christmas gift to myself. Sometimes you just gotta treat yo'self! I wouldn't have spent so much but Space.NK had an amazing offer last month where if you spent £150 you got a goodie bag with loads of stuff in it including a Diptyque candle & a £50 gift voucher. Way too good to pass up, right? I decided to buy a fullsize bottle of the Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer, their Arch Eyebrow Pencil and another one of the Ambient Lighting Powders in Diffused Light. I also got the Diptyque Mimosa room spray because it smells incredible. With the £50 voucher in the goodie bag I bought the By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra Powder, Oribe Maximista Thickening Spray and some of the Bumble & Bumble Thickening products. Everything else here was in the goodie bag. The only thing I let myself play with before Christmas was the Hourglass Arch Eyebrow Pencil which took a lot of willpower. I love it all though, I'm in beauty product heaven right now. I've had to ban myself from Space.NK because this was really really naughty!

I'm so grateful for everything I received this year. I got some really lovely bits & bobs. It's more important to give than receive when you're a parent though. It was far more satisfying watching Chloe open all her new toys & seeing the joy on her face. Kids really make Christmas special again. I hope you all had a brilliant Christmas & got some nice presents too. Feel free to link me to your posts because I love seeing what other people got for Christmas!

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Current Haircare Routine

When it comes to haircare my main concern is trying to stop my hair from looking dry and straw like. I've been bleaching my hair this colour since 2006 with a one year break in 2009 so I've tried a fair few treatments in my time. I've noticed the last few times I've washed & styled my hair its been looking better & healthier than ever, even more so than when I sported my natural hair colour. I think I've finally got my haircare routine locked down to these few products so this might be helpful to anyone with dry or damaged hair.

L'Oréal Professionnel Serie Expert Silver Shampoo / Tigi Bed Head Urban Antidotes Resurrection Shampoo & Conditioner / Neal & Wolf Harmony Intensive Care Treatment*

I've used an absolute ton of different purple shampoos but the L'Oreal silver shampoo is the best one if you just want to eliminate all signs of brassyness. I found that many others would leave my hair tinted rather than just white blonde. Clairol Shimmer Lights often left my hair with blue tones & Lee Stafford's offering made my hair really pinky. Purple shampoos are normally quite drying too but the L'Oreal one keeps my hair feeling soft. I picked up the Tigi Urban Antidotes duo in TK Maxx but you can find them just as cheaply online. I really like all the Tigi duos because the bottles are so big they last for months. I used to use the Dumb Blonde ones but switched to Urban Antidotes as these are specialised towards extremely damaged hair. Over time this duo has definitely helped to strengthen my hair and reduce breakage. They also have the most amazing bubblegum scent. A product I recently introduced into my haircare routine is the Neal & Wolf Harmony Intensive Care Treatment. I received this at a blogger meetup and when I tried it I couldn't believe the difference it made! It has worked so much better than every other conditioning treatment I've tried including those expensive Kerastase ones. This is a must buy product if you have dry or damaged hair. It just makes my hair look so healthy & glossy. Neal & Wolf are a brand I definitely need to investigate more because if the rest of their products are as good as this I am converted!

Philip Kingsley Elasticizer

I am rather lazy when it comes to my hair so I don't use this product very often but when I do, the difference is just incredible. Elasticizer is a pre-shampoo treatment so it is a bit of a faff to use. You have to wet your hair, apply it, put on a shower cap and then leave it in for ages before shampooing it off. You can leave it in for just 20 minutes or overnight if you prefer. I like to apply it to the ends of my hair and leave it overnight before washing it out in the morning. It restores your hair to almost virgin condition making it feel silky & sleek. This product can also help with hair growth if you use it often enough as one of the main ingredients is castor oil. It is very expensive for a hair treatment but worth every penny.

Kérastase Ciment Thermique / Moroccanoil / Bumble & Bumble Brilliantine / Alterna Caviar Rapid Repair Spray

I'm still using my Ciment Thermique & Moroccanoil combo as my blow dry base products. Together they give me the perfect amount of heat protection & moisture. A couple of months ago I added Bumble & Bumble Brilliantine to the mix and this stuff is basically a good hair day in a tube. You can use it on wet or dry hair to add definition and lots of shine. I've started to use this through the lengths and ends of my hair before blow drying and it just completely renews my hair. It makes my ends look super healthy, like I've just had a trim even though my last hair appointment was a few months ago. So much love for this product! After I've finished drying my hair I like to use a bit of the Alterna Caviar Rapid Repair Spray to add even more shine & get rid of any fluffyness. I've never come across a finishing spray as lovely as this one & it smells divine to boot!

Babyliss Pro Speed 2100W Hair Dryer / Babyliss Big Hair Rotating Styler

I always have to blow dry my hair as I cannot stand having wet hair. Air drying would just make my hair stringy and lifeless anyway. I don't really like to use a curler or straightener so blow drying allows me to get the shape I desire. I know its not the best thing to do to your hair but I only wash my hair once a week and use heat protection products every time so I guess its not too bad. First of all I blast my hair with my hair dryer and run through it with my fingers. I use a Babyliss Pro Speed hair dryer which is really brilliant. I'm pretty loyal to Babyliss when it comes to hair dryers, they always last me years. Theres a newer model of this now but this one is still going strong. When my hair is almost dry but still a bit damp I switch over to my Babyliss Big Hair styler to add volume and shape. I couldn't live without this styler. It just gives you a perfect blow dry without all the effort of sectioning your hair and drying it against a round bristle brush which can be quite tricky to do by yourself. I never used to be able to do it as well as my hairdresser but Big Hair really does help to give you that professional blow dry at home look.

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