Sunday 29 April 2012

My Current Wish List

Hi Ladies,

I love reading what is on your current Wish List's. You're ALL enablers!! I take no responsibility what so ever for making you lust after the below!

By Terry Baume De Rose:
Aromatherapy Associates Relax Deep:


Scott Barnes Body Bling:


Laura Mercier Lush Necterine Blusher:


Have you tried any of the above? What is on your Wish List?

Thank you for reading.

Love,
Amy
xxx

Caudalie Beauty Elixir

Hi Ladies,

I hope that you're all well.

The weather is so miserable here today so I thought that it was a good opportunity to let you know about a new product that I've been using for the last few weeks, Caudalie Beauty Elixir.

Now I know this is a dramatic statement to make but I will NEVER again be without this.

I can't even explain what it is that makes me love it so much. I bought the 30ml bottle from Feel Unique to try. From reading other reviews online, the best way to use the Elixir is to spray a few sprays on to your hands (after cleansing your face, morning or before bed or throughout the day to refresh your make up), take a few deep breaths of the fragrance in (such a calming a soothing fragrance) then pat the product in to the skin.

Depending on your skin type, some of the reviews mentioned that spraying the Elixir directly on to the face caused their skin to be irritated and dry. I'd recommend the above method or application as I've tried both ways and feel that the later method doesn't give you the benefit of the fragrance.

At the moment, I am using this after cleansing and before moisturiser morning and night. I'm addicted to the smell to so have used in the middle of the day to perk me up and refresh my make up.

Has anyone tried any other products from the Caudalie brand? What else would you recommend? Caudalie is a big hit for me so far.

I'll definitely be purchasing the 100ml sized bottle to leave at home and will leave the 30ml in my bag.

In case you aren't aware, this is the packaging:


Thank you for reading.

Lots of love,
Amy

xxx

Thursday 26 April 2012

I'm In Love.....

Hi Ladies,

I hope that you're all well.

I'm so sorry for my lack of posts recently. I've been so busy with work that I literally haven't had a spare five minutes!

I have posts planned and I'm hoping to post over the next few days. First up, a post/review about a product that I have LITERALLY fallen in love with. This little beauty!!


Lots of love,
Amy
xxx

Wednesday 11 April 2012

Revlon Lip Butter - Cotton Candy

Hi Ladies,

I'm a bit late on the bandwagon, I know. I was completely sucked in by the hype but decided I just wasn't going to buy any of the Revlon Lip Butters until I had used up at least ten balms/lipsticks/glosses.

To be honest, I don't need this and I wasn't going to bother until the lovely Sinead over at Dainty Dollymix decided to sell one of hers.


I love the packaging, the colour is pretty, sheer but still quite pigmented (my shade is Cotton Candy.) The formula is quite moisturising and does last on the lips.

Do I like it? Yes.

Do you need it? No, not if you have other balms/butters to use up.

Is it a must have? No.

What do you think to the Lip Butters? Have you bought in to all the hype?

Thank you for reading.

Love,
Amy xxx

Monday 9 April 2012

Clean & Lean

Hi Ladies,

I hope that you're all well and that you're enjoying the last day of our long weekend. The rest of my day consists of blogging, catching up on blogs, dragging myself to the gym followed by watching the soaps and Made In Chelsea! A very lazy one for me.

Anyway, I'm disgusted with the amount of rubbish I have been eating recently. Far too much junk, tea with sugar, cakes and chocolate. I haven't been to the gym for a month and need to get myself back on track so last week after ordering James Duigan's Clean & Lean book, I decided I may as well start today.


Basically the concept is to cut out all of the C.R.A.P (caffeine, refined sugar, alcohol and process food) in your diet for a period of two weeks initially and focus on meals that are protein, vegetable and salad rich.

As I wasn't that prepared this morning, I haven't had breakfast but for dinner I prepared a grilled chicken salad (rocket, peppers, tomatoes and olives.)

I think cutting out sugar will be the most difficult part for me as I drink a lot of tea (also not allowed) with sugar at work. Looks like I'll be sticking to water, fruit and flavoured teas for now.

The book is really well written though and reading what certain foods actually does to your body makes you want to eat better and take care of yourself.

I ordered my book from here.

Have any of you tried this?

Here is some healthy eating inspiration!



Oh and this:


Thank you for reading.

Lots of love,
Amy

xxx

Sunday 8 April 2012

Current Favourites

Hi Ladies,

I love reading Current Favourite posts and as I haven't done one in a while, I thought it was time.


The rundown:

  • The Newlyweds Boxset - I just love anything like this. Jessica was sooo pretty back then
  • Chanel Horizon Blush - I grab this every day that I can be bothered with blusher - so pretty when all of the colours are blended together
  • Drake Take Care Album - Super talented. I just love him
  • Mac Mineralize Skin Finish In Soft & Gentle - Gives you the most gorgeous glow when applied on the top of the cheekbones
  • Dior Lipstick Incognito - A gorgeous pinky nude. Gives such a glossy finish that there is no need for a gloss
  • Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream - I'm boring, I know. You all know the drill with this one!
  • Illamasqua Lipgloss In Divine - The prettiest hot pink! Looks sheer on the lips and lasts such a long time
  • Clarins Face Oil - This little beauty is great for when skin feels dry or in need of a lift. I'll definitely be purchasing the full size bottle
  • Dazzing Eye Drops - I couldn't live without! Makes dryness and soreness disappear instantly
  • Dior Diorshow Maximizer Lash Plumping Serum - LOVE this! Really makes a difference when used under mascara and nourishes lashes for days when eye make up is a no no
  • Mac Lustre Drops In Pink Rebel - Shopping the stash! I had forgotten how good this product is. Lovely to highlight or mixed with tinted moisturiser
  • Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve - A treat before bed - smells amazing too
  • The Body Shop Honey Bronze Gel - You only need a tiny amount and it completely brightens up your face and makes you look healthier in seconds
  • Burts Bees Leg & Foot Cream - Soooo cooling and refreshing on sore/tired legs and feet!


Thank you for reading!

Love, Amy
xxx

Count Your Blessings

Hi Ladies,

Recently the gorgeous and lovely Tali over at The Gloss Goss wrote a post called Gratefulness and it really got me thinking. Basically, she decided to write about things in her life that she is grateful for and encouraged her readers to do the same.  It was such a lovely post and beautifully written. See it here.

I think, as humans, we tend to make big dramas of the things that are not so great in our lives and forget about all of the things that we are generously blessed with. All of our energy is drained from worrying about certain situations, what is going wrong, that we never take the time to step back and appreciate the positives.

From today, I want to try to remind myself of my blessings and let go of the things that worry me and make me unhappy. It's not an easy thing to do but I think that we should all make a conscious effort to try.


I want to write about three things that I'm blessed with and I'd love it if you could do the same in the comments box below.

1) I have a handful of friends that I can call in the middle of the night and I know that they will be there for me no matter what. They are patient with me, sometimes having the same conversation a million times over, they know when to be harsh with me and when to be kind and they offer the best advice in the world. They only want the best for me and support me through everything.

2) I'm fortunate enough to have a career that means if I'm disciplined with myself, I can save enough money to do the things that I want to (buy a house, go on holiday.) It's hard word but I accept the fact that I'm fortunate enough to be comfortable and enjoy what I'm doing on a day to day basis too.

3) Family

Thank you for reading, as always.

I look forward to hearing your blessings.

Lots of love,
Amy

xxx

Easter Ins & Outs

Hi Ladies,

Happy Easter to those of you that celebrate it! I'm loving the four day weekend!


As I haven't done an Ins & Outs post in a while, I felt the urge to do one. Hopefully there will be more 'Ins' than 'Outs'.

Ins:

  • Jodie being back from Dubai for the weekend
  • Four day weekend
  • This wonderful Macbook that I love so much
  • The friends that have practically been my in house councillors recently (Christina, Steph and Nicola!)
  • Palmers Protein Pack
  • Rediscovering old music that I had forgotten about
  • Saving
  • Letting go
  • Chocolate Australian Crunch
  • Milly's gorgeous puppies
  • Car insurance that is paid off for the year
  • Soap & Glory EVERYTHING
  • Putting myself first for once
  • Comments on my blog!
  • Shellac
  • Planning a break to Center Parks with Nicola
  • Newlyweds Boxset
  • Lee Stafford Blow Dry Hair Faster Spray
  • Barn conversions
  • Fresh flowers
  • HD eyebrows
  • Sleep
  • Dogeared
  • Zen Tan

Outs:

  • Having a brain that remembers

That is all! If you decide to do an Ins & Outs post, please link in the comments box below as I'd love to read!

Have a lovely day, whatever you decide to do. I'll write again soon.

Lots of love,
Amy

xxxx



Friday 6 April 2012

New Shellac!

Hi Ladies,

I know, I'm becoming a little obsessed! One of my very best friends, Nicola, has started doing Shellac.

As you know, I've been having my Shellac done at a local salon and, to date, have tried the colours 'Hollywood' and 'Masquerade'. This is 'Purple Purple'.

This shade shows different colours on different lights. Sometimes it's blue, sometimes purple. It's different and I love it. My toes match but I won't put you through pictures of my feet!



My friend, Jodie, lives in Dubai but is back home for the weekend so I'm off to see her tonight.

When back home, I'm slathering myself in glorious Zen-Tan and hope that when I wake up, I don't still look the shade of a moomin!

What is your favourite shade of Shellac?

Thank you for reading.

Lots of love,
Amy

Xxx

House Love!

Hi Ladies,

I hope that you're all well and that you're looking forward to a four day break.

I don't know if you're the same, but I absolutely love looking at how other people design and decorate their homes. I'm currently in the process in saving for a deposit for my own home, so I've saved some of the pictures that I lust over to push me when I feel like splurging on a new bag or shoes.

There are my favourites, I thought you might like to take a look:


All of these pictures were taken from various Tumblrs.

Where do you get inspiration for your house from?

Thank you for reading.

Love,
Amy
xxx

Wednesday 4 April 2012

Inspirational Ladies

Hi Ladies,

I hope that you're all having a good day.

I thought I'd write a quick post to talk about my favourite Bloggers/YouTubers and why they inspire me so much.

Firstly I'll talk about Dulce Candy:


I love reading Dulce's daily blogs/watching her YouTube videos. It's so nice to see how she has grown and become so successful over the last year or so.

She seems genuinely lovely and seems to have her life so 'together'. Her positivity really rubs off on you when watching her videos and makes you want to be better at everything.

She is a busy working Mum and Wife and seems to balance everything so perfectly.

The above picture was taken from her blog here. You can also watch her videos here.

Next, I'll speak about the gorgeous YouTuber, TessChristine123:


I always watch Tess's videos when I can't be bothered to get ready. She has the most adorable personality and regularly posts videos on her YouTube channel.

She uploads a variety of different videos from hauls to hair and make up tutorials.

Tess recently spent time studying in England and mixes her hauls and tutorials with a great balance of drug store and high end products.

Tess doesn't have a blog that I know of but her YouTube can be found here.

I've spoken about her before, but can't forget Huda Beauty:


This lady is SOLEY responsible for my recent purchases, including the Chanel Horizon Blusher and Illamasqua Divine lipgloss!

Her product reviews are very informative and very honest. I especially love her Monthly Favourites!

Her blog can be found here and her YouTube Channel here.

Who inspires you and why?

Thank you for reading.

Love,
Amy

xxx

The Products That Have Saved My Hair...

Hi Ladies,

To cut a long story short, when I was 15, I became very friendly with Sun In. For those of you who don't know what Sun In is, it's practically bleach in a bottle that you spray on your hair to lighten it. This resulted in my hair being weak, brittle and a pretty awful colour.

My friend, Steph, has the most amazing natural hair that you could imagine (dark brown and down to her hip bone.) She recommended a number of products that have helped her to grow her hair over the years and keep it in such good condition.

I think hair is such a personal thing, for some girls it can pretty much make or break how they feel about themselves on nights out.

Years of abusing my hair with GLUE in extentions (I know, I know and I cringe at the thought now), rubbish quality brushes that break the hair and too much heat, I have finally got my hair in to what most people would call 'good condition'. My friend, Christina, commented at the weekend looked in really good condition "especially as your blonde"!

So here are the products that have helped me along the way:

Palmers Coconut Oil Formula Shampoo:
Super rich, smells gorgeous, cleans the hair really well, retails cheaply and the bottle lasts such a long time.

Palmers Coconut Oil Formula Conditioner:


Feels really luxurious on the hair, more like a treatment, retails cheaply, lasts a long time. I sometimes use this as a mask too.

Palmers Coconut Protein Pack:
I pretty much credit this single product with saving my hair. I ususally use a whole pack and leave it overnight. This has improved the condition of my hair dramatically.

Moroccan Oil:
You've seen the reviews, I won't bore you with the details. Just know that I couldn't not have this.

Moroccan Oil Hydrating Mask:


Pricey but absolutely worth it. Smells gorgeous and makes a massive difference to hair after using it.

Tangle Teezer:
Not to sound dramatic, but I couldn't brush my hair with anything else. My hair is very thick and naturally curly and this is honestly the only brush that can actually get through my hair. I even take it to my hairdressers to help her out when I go!

What products have helped your hair grow? What can't you go without?

Thank you for reading.

Lots of love,
Amy
xxxx

Monday 2 April 2012

How To Treasure Yourself

Hi Ladies,

I'm sorry for being away for so long. The truth is I've had a hard time in my personal life and to be completely honest, I haven't felt like writing. About anything. I feel a little better now so to motivate myself (and all of you) to find who YOU are and treasure yourself, I have put together an inspiring list of things that I'm going to do over the next few weeks.



  • Tidy, clean and reorganise/redecorate your own personal space
  • Bake cupcakes
  • Burn candles (I'm loving Yankee Candles at the moment)
  • Give yourself a manicure
  • Buy fresh flowers for yourself
  • Exfoliate your whole body (I recommend Breakfast Scrub by Soap & Glory) followed by your favourite body moisturiser and moisturise everywhere, even between your toes!
  • Deep condition your hair while you sleep
  • Take an exercise class that you've been putting off
  • Let go of the past
  • Turn off your phone
  • Watch your favourite film in bed
  • Read 'Eat Pray Love'
  • Make plans
  • Take a chance on something that you normally wouldn't 
  • Buy yourself a piece of Dogeared jewellery (I love my 'Karma' necklace)
  • Sort out your finances / savings
  • Apologise
  • Buy yourself a pretty dress - dress up!
  • Wear natural false eyelashes, just because
  • Plan a break
  • Apply a face mask
  • Count your blessings instead of the negative things that have happened to you
  • Put YOU first
  • Try a new make up look
  • Challenge yourself - push yourself
  • Don't look back
  • Look at interior design blogs
  • Set goals for yourself
  • Be good to your body
  • Invest in alone time
  • Go to sleep early
  • Drink tea with biscuits and chocolate
  • Pair red lips and nails with a plain white tee
  • Save for a rainy day (or buy something that would make you happy)
What would you add to the list?

In other news, I've recently tried HD Eyebrows for the first time and I'm in love! In just one appointment, my eyebrows have completely changed for the better. If you haven't tried HD Eyebrows before, I highly recommend. 

Made In Chelsea is back on tonight at 9:00pm, I can't wait to see how Millie is wearing her make up!

I'll write again soon.

THANK YOU for reading. 

Lots of love,
Amy
xxx