Monday 28 April 2014

Poundland Beauty: Derma V10 Light Tinted Eye Roll On - Review

Hello everyone! I hope you are all well. Today I am continuing on with my Poundland Beauty blog post series! For those of you that have missed my previous Poundland blog posts I will leave the links at the bottom of this post! Today I will be taking a look at the Derma V10 range; specifically their light tinted eye roll on. If you are interested in this you can head over to the Derma V10 website here

Derma V10 light Tinted Eye Roll On

I picked up their eye roll on in light however from their website I can also tell they have a medium shade available. From what I can tell the light was in abundance and there was a whole shelf dedicated to just the light shade! Anyway I picked this up as a cheaper alternative as I have had my eye on the Garnier alternative for some time now - however I always like to see if I can find a cheaper alternative! One day nipping in to Poundland I saw this and thought I had to pick it up! 


The packaging is pretty basic - a simple black text on white plastic which for a pound you can't really complain! It is sturdy and gets the job done. Personally I think it would look sleeker with white text on a black background however that is just me being picky! The roller ball itself is covered with a screw on plastic tab which I like as because it is so near my eye, I can easily clean the lid with some boiling water occasionally to sterilize it. 


The roller ball itself is a cool metal ball which works fantastically. It really works to cool down the eye! If like me you work on top of early mornings and late nights then this will be a god send for you in the mornings! It really does wake up the eyes! The light shade it disperses as you can tell from the lid is the typical standard light shade. However the concealer that comes out is pretty liquid which helps as it doesn't sink in to those fine lines. Personally I find that the caffeine and roller ball are enough to wake up my under eye area! Overall a £1 for something that actually works to reduce under eye circles is amazing!

Have you tried anything from the Derma V10 range? Would you recommend any eye roll on products? Let me know in the comments!


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For those of you that have missed my previous Poundland Beauty posts feel free to check them out here!




Friday 25 April 2014

Fashion & Lifestyle: Engagement Party, OOTN and Nails!

Hello everyone! I hope you are all doing well! Today I thought I would do a quick outfit of the night (OOTN) post and nail art post! These photos are actually from my engagement party last weekend so you will have to forgive me for the delay as I have been back in work this week and I like to stick to my usual Monday and Friday posting schedule!

OOTN

I thought I would take my OOTN shot from the photos we took on the night (ah the infamous bathroom shot) as to be honest these were the best and taken with a better camera than my Iphone that's for sure! For mine and Gareth's engagement party we decided to go out to our local Wetherspoons with around about 15 of our close friends. We wanted something quick, simple and affordable for everyone which I think we accomplished. It was also really nice seeing all my close friends and being able to catch up with the 1:1!

So lets get on to my actual outfit! My cardigan is one I wear all the time for work, nights out and days out its a great cardigan to throw over any outfit and to be honest I need to pick up a new one! I picked it up from New Look around a year ago. My dress is from Primark and I got it last year. It is one of those dresses that is pretty but unusual. It is a very light blue and is made from all over stretchy material. The flower design on the dress is actually raised from the rest of the dress and is embossed in other areas - very unusual and different! Well done Primark! The dress is pretty much body con which is why I don't often wear it! I don't have the confidence to wear it often! My belt is from ASOS a few years ago! My leggings are from Peacock and my combat high heeled boots are from New Look. I absolutely love the boots! New look have them in a range of styles and if my bank balance would allow it I would buy all the styles! They're the only heeled shoe I can walk in!

Barry M - Prickly Pear, Yellow Topaz and MUA Top Coat

My nails were kind of a last minute decision to do! I had some free time so I thought I would pamper myself! I chose to use Barry M and painted them using their gelly polish in Prickly Pear topped with Yellow Topaz gold glitter polish also from Barry M. I then used MUA's top clear coat to top them all off!

Engagement Party

We had a fantastic night and I am so happy that we managed to see a lot of our friends on our engagement night! I would like to thank everyone that came out that night and I would also like to thank all of you that have commented on my announcement post and tweeted me with your congratulations and well wishes. Considering I don't do too many lifestyle posts I was shocked by how well it was received! 

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Monday 21 April 2014

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water - Review

Hello everyone! I hope you are all doing well. Today I am back to reviewing a skincare product for you all and a relatively new one at that; the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water. 

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

Firstly as a make-up remover this product is amazing. It really does remove all your make-up - from lipstick to mascara it does the job! I don't know about anyone else but when I reach the end of a long day I just want one product that I can use that easily removes very bit of make-up. The product claims to 'remove make-up' whilst it 'cleanses and soothes'. I definitely find that not only does this product do an amazing job at removing stubborn make-up it also cleanses and soothes the skin especially if you wear make-up for long hours during the day.

If you have ever used the Loreal Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution which I reviewed here this product has been labelled as a better value dupe. So if you are after a cheaper alternative with more product for less money then I suggest you pick this up! At £4.99 for 400ml it really is good value for money. The bottle also claims that it will last you for 200 uses - although I can't vouch for that claim just yet I can say I have used this everyday for a few weeks and I've barely hit the neck of the bottle!

Another upside to this cleansing water against its Loreal counterpart is that it is a lot more sensitive on the eyes. Myself and a lot of other reviewers seem to have noticed that over time the Loreal Micellar solution can be a bit irritating and drying on the eyes however I haven't had this problem at all with the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water!

Personally I think if you enjoy the whole Micellar solution/water products that brands are currently releasing then this is definitely worth a try. However if you have found you don't like them or that they don't work for you I would give it a miss.

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Friday 18 April 2014

Book Review: The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

Today marks the day I will be writing up my first book review! I did used to have a blog account when I was much younger where I reviewed books... however that has long since been deleted! I wanted to begin doing book reviews for 2014 and I wanted to make sure my first review was of a book I loved. Today I will be sharing my thoughts on The Fault In Our Stars by John Green.

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

I'm all for reviewing books without giving the plot away so don't worry I won't be letting slip any spoilers! The overall premise of this book is that there are two young loves; Hazel and Augustus (which can I just say annoyed me at first because I kept visualising Augustus Gloop initially...) who both suffer from cancer.  Hazel falls in love with Augustus who she met through her support group. Hazel is 17 and suffers from terminal cancer - she is the main character of the book. The story focuses on their journeys alongside their friend Isaac. 

As someone who has had a family and extended family that have been affected by cancer this book really touched me. The narrative is through Hazel; she is a very strong character who makes a point of not looking for sympathy and remaining strong. Hazel's narrative is humorous in parts with her 'glass half empty' cynicism with life. Her bluntness when discussing certain topics is funny in parts and lifts the mood of the book in appropriate areas. 

I did cry after reading this book I will say that. Some of you may be able to predict the ending (I must admit I predicted it however not in the exact way I thought it would end!) however even though I had prepared myself I still found myself with a tissue after closing the book.  It was emotive for me. The book is an emotional roller-coaster of getting to know the characters and going through the twists and turns that they go through.

The only negative I have which I know both myself and a few of my friends spotted was the articulation of the young characters. They were all so incredibly well spoken and educated; particularly delving into literature and philosophy. Literature was fine, that is believable as I myself at that age found myself being very well read however the philosophy was a bit heavy at points. Sometimes the over characterisation of just how well spoken and educated these young adults were slowed down the pace and ease of the reading. Although this happens very few and far between and is something that should put you off of giving this book a try!

Overall however I found the writing style to be enjoyable and very well paced. I easily flew through each chapter and couldn't put the book down - I was hooked!

I don't want to give too much of the story away which is why I just gave you an overall synopsis and my overall opinion. This is a book I think everyone should read. I have recommended this book to so many people. I myself read it in two days! Have you read The Fault In Our Stars? What were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments! (Try to avoid spoilers!!) 

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Monday 14 April 2014

Poundland Beauty: Possibility Shower Gel, Shampoo and Bubble Bath

Hello everyone! Today I am reviewing a product that looks very similar to the Philosophy shower gel but at a fraction of the price! This shower gel is called Possibility and I picked it up in the scent Strawberry Souffle. This is another Poundland beauty buy so you can pick it up for just £1! Amazing value for money; especially when the Philosophy shower gels come in at around about £14/15. The Possibility shower Gel also reminds me of the Treacle Moon shower gels which are only themselves around £3/4.

Possibility Shower Gel

One thing I love about this shower gel is rather than having a little message on the bottle it actually has the recipe to make a strawberry souffle! How cute! You have to love the attention to detail! Then on the back you have the usual directionss for the product. You get 500ml of product which for £1 is a steal. This product can be used as a shower gel, shampoo and bubble bath. I use this as a shower gel and for a bubble bath. I did try this as a shampoo however for me I already have a shampoo that works well so I don't really want to change that! I always feel that shower gels as shampoo don't always work best for the condition for your hair.

I took a miniature shower gel with me when I went away recently, on the trip where I actually got engaged which you can check out here, however when we were picking up snacks to take back to the hotel from Poundland (how glamorous!) I went and picked this up. I used this throughout out weekend away and I also used it when I returned back because I became obsessed with the scent! As did my boyf  fiancé. The scent is identical to strawberry souffle and the texture of the shower gel is so thick and luxurious which is surprising for a product that is only £1! The lather is also fantastic - it lathers up so easily and quickly! As a bubble bath it is also amazing; producing just as many bubbles in the bath as when lathered. 

If like me you are obsessed with shower gels and have too many dotted around that you use I totally suggest you nip in to Poundland not only to try this shower gel but also a few branded shower gels they have on sale for much cheaper!

Have you tried this Possibility Poundland shower gel? Have you found any recent Poundland beauty steals? Let me know in the comments!

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Friday 11 April 2014

Maybelline Super Stay: Better Skin - Review

Hello everyone! I hope you are all doing well! Today I am going to take a look at a foundation that I have been testing out for a while now - the Maybelline Super Stay: Better Skin foundation. This foundation holds bold claims of giving you better looking skin in 3 weeks - so lets take a look and see if it lives up to this claim!

Maybelline Super Stay: Better Skin

The packaging is really bold. I have read some mixed reviews on the packaging and personally I don't really mind it - after all it spends most of the time in my make-up bag or in my vanity! A positive is that you can definitely spot it in shops!

The selection of colours are okay. It wasn't the best I have seen and because it was relativity new when I picked it up a lot of the colours had already gone. I picked it up in the colour 005 Light Beige which I believe is the lightest colour. From looking online there doesn't seem to be a wider range of colours for those with darker skin tones.

Maybelline Super Stay - Better Skin in 005 Light Beige 

First off I love that this foundation has an SPF of 20. The SPF in this foundation came at a good time for my skin as the Spring sun was beginning to appear as I walked to and from work. The colour match for this foundation is perfect for me. I would even compare it to MAC NC15. The wear time for this foundation is a bit hit and miss and to be honest it is what really lets this foundation down for me. If you're like me and your day involves a lot of walking and you;re pretty active/on your feet all day then this make-up won't last you through a long day. It will last around 4/5 hours and will begin to become shiny and budge. However if you wear it during a more relaxed day it last for around 6-8 hours which is pretty standard for a drug-store foundation. 

So does it make your skin 'better'? Well no it doesn't. To be honest it really is a bold claim for any foundation to make I wore this foundation for over 4 weeks straight everyday and I think the only thing that helped my skin was the SPF. My skin looked a but less red and irritated in the areas that usually catch the sun so I assume that wearing an SPF in my foundation everyday for a month helped my skin not get irritated from the sun. So don't have any mega hopes for clearer skin - this foundation won't give you glowing skin after 3 weeks!


I managed to pick this foundation up for around £5 as a lot of places had this on a special introductory price when it first came out. However now the price is around £8.99 which you can check out here. I think this is an okay foundation but I also think there are plenty of other drugstore foundations for a similar price that have stronger staying power. Really - it is one of those foundations each person needs to try with their own skin type and lifestyle to see if it works for them.

Have you tried the Maybelline Super Stay Better Skin foundation? What are your thoughts? What is your favourite foundation with an SPF? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

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Monday 7 April 2014

Lifestyle - I'm Engaged! My engagement story - Colwyn Bay, Conwy Castle and Llandudno

Hello everyone! I hope you are all well! I mostly post reviews here on my blog however I have been known to post the occasional lifestyle blog post! Today is a blog post that I couldn't really not write. I not only wanted to make note of a special day I also thought it would be fantastic for me to one day look back and reflect on this day!


Eternity Ring and Engagement Ring

So if you haven't worked it out from the title so far I'm engaged! It is still sinking in for me and since Gaz proposed on a weekend away it has been so lovely to come back to so many congratulations from everyone. I suppose I should start from the beginning of our weekend away on the 4th when he proposed!


Conwy Castle

We recently decided to make Colwyn Bay a yearly trip. It was our first trip as a couple and Colwyn Bay and Wales hold special memories for us. Last year we were only able to travel down on the Friday evening and had to leave Sunday afternoon however this year we were able to stay from Friday morning all the way up to Sunday afternoon. We travelled down to Colwyn Bay on Friday and checked in. For a while Gaz had been saying on Friday it would be a good idea if we went to Conwy Castle so we decided to go there after checking in!

The bus journey wasn't too bad; though I must admit I am the person in our relationship who freaks out about getting lost so I did panic as we kind of took the bus we thought was the right one and hoped for the best! Luckily Gaz has a great sense of direction so he was able to work out where we were going!


As you can tell from the few photos we both snapped on our phones the castle is beautiful. We both hold memories of this castle but this is the first time I have come as an adult so it was lovely to take it all in!


One thing you should know about me - I am scared of heights and the idea of climbing up crumbling castle stair cases scares me so much! However Gaz is the type that loves to explore and venture in to every nook and cranny. So for him I manned up and began the climb throughout the castle!


I kept asking Gaz 'I hope you're proud of me!'. Eventually he used this comment to propose to me! He said he was proud of me, that he always would be proud of me and whilst I was overlooking the view of the castle and the sea he gave me a hug from behind, told me how much he loved me and then he got down on one knee. I was in total shock. I asked him if he was really asking and he laughed and said yes. Of course I said yes back! Then I was shaking even more coming down the dodgy stairs of the castle! The ring he proposed to me with was in the style of an eternity ring and the ring I have below it is my nan's engagement ring that she gave to me when I was younger.


Gaz rang my parents to tell them I said yes and I was recovering from tears! We sat down for a few butties and snacks shortly after. Gaz took this opportunity to attract an army of seagulls which I did not find amusing! We then carried on looking through the castle for a little while longer.


Afterwards we had a look through the gift shops. I used to love rummaging through gift shops after castle trips when I was younger. My mum loves visiting castles so I have a lot of memories attached to them!


After rummaging through some gift shops we found this lovely little shop that sold gifts on one side and on the other had a lovely tea room with cakes. They also sold ice cream! Gaz got me a tub of mint choc chip (my favourite) with vanilla, chocolate sauce and a flake! He knows me so well!



We had a walk along the castle walls and a little bit through the local town before catching a bus back to our hotel. We spent the night watching Coronation Street which I am obsessed with, getting a KFC (how romantic but we were starving!) and celebrating. It was a lovely day and I couldn't have asked for a better engagement!

On the Saturday we let extended family and friends know and then we headed off to Llandudno where we walked along the peer and enjoyed time walking along the seaside and through the different shops. Last year we travelled up The Great Orme so it was nice to spend a bit more time soaking up the peer and relaxing. 

I hope you guys enjoyed my little post as I sure did enjoy writing it! Are any of you engaged? How did he pop the question? I would love to know!

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Friday 4 April 2014

Soap & Glory - Girligo Spray on Body Moisturising Mist - Review

After reviewing Soap & Glory Mist You Madly I really wanted to try the other body sprays that they had to offer. Today I thought I would take a look at their Girligo body moisturising spray. Not only is this a body spray it also is designed to moisturise the skin! 

Soap & Glory - Girligo Spray on Body Moisturising Mist

Firstly I'll talk about the scent. The scent smells very similar to the clean on me/ righteous butter that Soap & Glory has to offer. I must admit I'm not the biggest fan of Clean on Me as it is a tad to strong for a shower product for me; however for a scent it is lovely. The scent lasts 3-4 hours which is good for a body spray! In my opinion these body sprays work so much better and last a tad longer if you spray them on after the shower so if you're struggling with the scent lasting give that tip a go!

Now on to the moisturising element of this product - does this product actually moisturise the skin? The answer is yes! This body spray is a bit more weighty so when you spray it you have to rub the spray in a little to go over all of your skin. Okay this won't be replacing your usual moisturiser but it is a nice added purpose to the product! The product is available for £6.50 at boots here.

Have you tried Soap & Glory Girligo or any of their other body sprays? What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments! 

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