PTD - Challenge 34

Challenge 34 at Pear Tree Designs is to create a card using flowers! And here is mine:

You have until 4pm on Sunday to submit your entry and you could win 5 digi images or 4 digi images and 1 paper pack of your choice from Robyn Fetish Designs.

GOOD LUCK!

The week that was...

Oh dear this week has been a disappointment regarding exercise. I've done sod all! This isn't due to laziness (well maybe a little) but because I've been busy all week.

I had 1 reply to my job applications, a rejection but onwards and upwards!

The BF has been away this week on a course as a part of his master technicians training and he passed this part! Soooo proud!

I still haven't got round to sorting out my BB. Or query my customs charge on my Everyday Minerals order. I will do these tomorrow.

And I hit the pan on my Benefit Sugarbomb powder. It was a sad sad day :-(

I've also updated the design of my blog with some pages up there ^ including one with my handmade cards on for sale and one with my blog sale on. These will be up there permanently so please take a look!

I also received a blog award from Steph at Random Rambles so I will be passing this on in due course and thank you Steph!

And to end, some cute photos from weheartit as a photoless post is a boring post!.....

Nivea - Pure & Natural

Nivea are launching a new skincare line called Pure & Natural where up to 95% of the ingredients are from natural origins including organically certified aloe vera, shea butter, chamomile, argan oil and burdock fruit. The products are also free from parabens, silicones, colourants and mineral oils.

Products

 (Images from Boots)

Day cream for normal to combination skin - £5.10

Day cream for dry to sensitive skin - £5.10

Anti wrinkle day cream - £8.49

Anti wrinkle night cream - £8.49

Cleansing lotion - £3.36

Cleansing toner - £3.36

Milk and honey lip balm - £1.99

Also available:

Hand cream - £3.05

Body lotion for normal to dry skin - £3.57

Body lotion for very dry skin - £3.57

I'm not a fan of Nivea products, they never appeal to me, but I'm certainly interested in trying these especially the cleanser and toner and they are a really affordable price.

These are currently only available at Boots.

Hero product - Batiste dry shampoo

This is the first of a new set of posts about classic health and beauty products which I believe to be hero products. First up is Batiste dry shampoo.

Image from: Batiste

I first got introduced to Batiste when I went to uni 5 years ago and picked up a can in Superdrug for those days when I didn't have time to wash my hair before lectures. Then I believe there was only original and tropical scents. I got the tropical one and haven't looked back since.

Since then the range has expanded hugely. There are 8 different scents (original, tropical, blush, fresh, boho, diva & brit), 2 for dark hair, 1 for blonde hair, 2 with shimmer particles, 1 nude unfragranced non-aerosol bottle and 5 mini travel sized cans.

I use dry shampoo about every other day inbetween washes just to refresh my hair. As I have dark brown hair and Batiste is white I spray on before I go to bed  and then when I wake in the morning any oil has already been absorbed and any excess has been disappeared during the night. This eliminates the nasty white/grey root situation.

I don't think I could live without this as it's become a staple product in my beauty regime. Do you love Batiste just as much as me? Which is your favourite scent? Mine has to be tropical!

Haul - Lily Lolo, Everyday Minerals, Next & Boots

This post was originally scheduled for just after christmas but my Everyday Minerals order took almost a month to get here so I've merged 2 posts together.

Lily Lolo

I sent for some samples from Lily Lolo a few months ago as they're really affordable and they're really handy as a try before you buy because there's nothing worse than buying the full sized product only to find the colour match is horrendous. They're also good for trying different shades of bronzers and blushers which you're not quite sure about.

For christmas my boyfriend gave me £50 to go with my present so I thought I'd buy some things of my product wishlist.

I had previously bought a sample of Barely Buff foundation (£12.49) and Nude concealer (£7.29) and was impressed with the colours so bought the full sized products. I also got 2 samples, 1 darker concealer, Caramel, for summer and 1 blusher in Cherry Blossom. These are 79p each.

Everyday Minerals

This is my first order from Everyday Minerals, which is an American company, but I last year I won a competition where I won a full sized blusher and this is what got me interested in mineral make up. 

When I looked on their website they had an offer on where you got 25% off when you bought 3 full sized products so with the remainder of my money from the BF I bought some goodies.

Top: Mate Base in light medium and Sunlight colour corrector

Middle: Dark brown brow colour

Bottom: Like Lady Bird Lake Blusher, Nick Nack blucher and multi tasking intensive base

Clockwise from top: Matte Base, Sunlight and brow colour 

Clockwise from top: Multi tasking intensive base, Like Lady Bird Lake and Nick Nack blushers

I chose these products as I had never found an SLS and paraben free matte base so jumped at the chance to try this. It also comes in lots of different colours apposed to the usual white so it gives a lovely natural finish whether using alone or under foundation. 

I started using Benefit's Lemonaid colour correcting primer (for my dark under eye circles) a few years ago but when I use mineral or powder products over the top I find it becomes a little cakey so I discovered Lily Lolo's Peepo colour corrector but then I saw Sunlight on the Everyday Mineral's website and thought I'd give it ago. It is less yellow than the other 2 products but I think it covers better. 

The brow colour I had never seen in a mineral form so that was reason enough to buy it. And this pot should last me forever as I only use a teeny tiny amount.

And finally I chose the 2 mini samples just because I liked the colours of the blushers and Nick Nack is very similar to Dandelion by Benefit which I want but can't afford and the multi tasking base can be used as an eyelid primer before eyeshadow so this could be an alternative to Benefit's Stay Don't Stray but I haven't used this yet.

Next

My grandma gave me £40 as a part of my christmas present as I said that I wanted some new cutlery. I had seen some in Next but no one else liked them and they were £30 but then I saw these spotty ones for £12 and thought they'd do the job just as well and if they broke or got lost it wouldn't be such a loss and duplicate sets wouldn't cost an arm and a leg. As I had £28 left over I saw this cute bulldog doorstop which I thought was sooo cute so I bought him too for £16.

I have 3 other doggy doorstops which live on my stair so he's joined the family but he still has no name. My Westie one is called Wesley so if anyone can help?!

Boots

I had a couple of No7 vouchers and I used one of them on this limited edition lipstick from their spring collection. This is 'Grace' and it's more pinky than I would normally choose but it looks very girly and also the packaging is so funky! This is £10 or £5 with your voucher!

Have you bought any nice goodies lately? Or have you bought any products the same as mine?

Paul's Boutique handbag dupes

I received my new Next Directory catalogue a few weeks ago as whilst browsing through the handbag section I came across 3 bags which were dead ringers for some by Paul's Boutique, but at a cheaper price. I've found the closest colours and patterns as I could to show you the comparison.

 Bag one.

Next - Zebra Flap Over Bag - £40

PB - Penelope bag - £55

Bag two.

Next - Black Patent Workwear Bag - £20

PB - Maisy Large - £61

Bag three.

Next - Camel Quilt Holdall Bag - £38

PB - Amy Bag - £50

So after looking at these would you still shell out for a Paul's Boutique bag when you can get a dupe at Next?

New cosmetic launches

Just a quick post to show what new cosmetic products have been released this month by cosmetic companies.

17

Photo Flawless mascara - £5.99
Photo Flawless eye pencil - £3.99
Photo Flawless face primer - £4.99
Photo Flawless foundation - £6.29 (no photo)

(Images borrowed from Boots)

Maybelline

Superstay 24 hour Dual Ended lipgloss - £3.99
The Eraser foundation - £9.99
One by One Volume Express mascara - £8.49

The Smoother skin primer - £9.99

(Images borrowed from Boots)

Revlon

Photo Ready powder - £12.99

(Images borrowed from Google Images)

 Bourjois

Limited Edition Little Round Pot blusher - £7.49

Bourjois have also re-launched their 3D lipglosses. I believe these are £6.99 (no photo)

(Images borrowed from Boots)

No 7

 Limited Edition eye palette - £12.50

Limited Edition gel eyeliner (3 shades) - £10.00

Limited Edition lipstick(2 shades) - £10.00

Exquisite Curl mascara - £13.00 (currently on offer at £10.00)

Limited Edition nail polish ( 2 shades) - £ 7.00 

 (Images borrowed from Boots)

 

17 and No7 products available exclusively from Boots, Maybelline, Bourjois and Revlon available from Superdrug and Boots.

Review - Soap & Glory Sit Tight

I’m currently going through an anti cellulite lotions and potions stage so when Soap and Glory brought out their Sit Tight cream last year I bought it straight away. It is a little pricier than what I would normal pay as it’s £14.99 but I was drawn in by the shiny silver tube and funky packaging.

Sit Tight is formulated specially for the lower body,hence he word ‘sit’. It works by the user sitting and it contains a special PRESSOCAPSULAR FIRM-SYSTEM which contains 27-33% caffeine which is know to firm and drain excess fluid.  This is aided by heat created by the user sitting (hence it's name) which will help to eliminate cellulite on the legs, thighs and bums!

It does say to use this every morning but I mainly used it at night before going to bed. It’s quite a thick consistency but it sinks into the skin quickly and doesn’t feel sticky after. It did warm up quite abit which feels strange at first but then you don’t really notice it.

I’ve used the whole tube of this and in the end I did notice abit of a difference on my thighs, they seemed smoother but I didn’t really see a reduction in cellulite. After previously using Slim Wear, also by Soap and Glory, I prefer that (review here).


I wouldn’t buy Sit Tight again but I would suggest it for other people to try, maybe when it’s on offer!

Oh and it's available from Boots!

PTD - Challenge 33

This weeks challenge at Pear Tree Designs is to add the colour blue to your card and I created this:

Materials used:

• White card
• Papers & sentiment from Pink Petticoat Vintage Rose collection
• Decoupage topper (can't remember the name/make of it)
• Flower gems (from stash)
• Blue metallic marker pen (Papermania)

This challenge is being sponsored by Cardmadfairy's Card Creations and you can win 3 digital images of you choice. You have until sunday 30th January to submit your entry.

Good Luck!

The week that was....

Jobs applied for: 10
Km cycled: 25 or 15 miles

Wowza! Another week gone, January really is flying by!

On Monday I woke to find I had 100 followers on my blog so thank you to everyone who is following me! Currently this is at 106! A celebratory blog giveaway will be posted very soon!

Also when I woke on Monday I discovered my internet router had broke. I'd had problems with it for a while so my internet provider sent me a new one ages ago but my old one started working again so they said not to bother with the new one. Luckily I'd kept it so I plugged it in and thankfully it worked! But I had problems connecting my laptop to it and my Blackberry which was a NIGHTMARE! I managed to get it working but now my BB isn't connecting to my WIFI and connecting to mobile internet either doesn't happen or its so slow. A trip to the Orange shop will be happening on Monday.

I also found some more jobs to apply for, 10 in total, so fingers crossed! Surely the laws of physics mean I must get at least 1 interview...?!?!?

And I finally got round to telling the BF about possibly going back to uni and I had an incling that it wouldn't go down too well and I can announce that it went down like a lead balloon. And it didn't get better when I said that I would probably have to give up work. I love having a BF who is just so supportive.

I also finally got round to transferring my BF's iTunes off the laptop onto the main computer and decided to sort through mine and create a workout playlist for my cycling. I do put my bike in front of the TV but even that is boring so thought having some dance music on whilst watching the TV would help and surprisingly it really does. I was even feeling adventurous and did 10k! Or 6 miles if like me you're old school! So this week iI've done 25k (15 miles) which I feel quite proud of and I'll do my hardest to keep it up!

Hope you all had a good week! And a little word of encouragement.....

(Images borrowed from wehearit)