New Year post!

Hi everyone!

Happy New year! I hope you all had an amazing Christmas and got lots of nice gifts! I had a pretty good Christmas, even with the standard annual chest infection. My right lung collapsed in a car crash 4 years ago, and ever since then I've been susceptible to nasty chest infections. However I still went home to the Midlands & spent time with my family. A particular highlight on Christmas day was seeing my 4 year old niece Ruby riding her first bike!
I have made some new years resolutions which I'm focusing hard on right now. They are all pretty realistic aims and objectives and I'm finding it a healthy move for my mind.

Anyway, Instead of doing a December favourites, I've decided to do a 'What I got for Christmas/with my Christmas money' post.

Nars Virtual domination cheek palette £45

Clockwise from left: Miss Liberty Highlighter, Deep Throat, Laguna Bronzer, Final Cut and Sex Fantasy

I saw this palette whilst browsing in Space NK and fell in love! Nars consistently excel in their festive palettes and this edition was no exception. Containing most of my favourite products, I just had to get it. I'm so pleased I did as apparently they were limited edition. The palettes contents are: 'Deep Throat', 'Sex Fantasy' and 'Final Cut' blush, 'Miss Liberty' highlighting powder and the legendary 'Laguna' Bronzer. Individually costing £22.50 per blusher and £27 for the Bronzer and only slighter less than full size, at just £45 it was a real bargain. Its such a handy thing to have so many amazing products in one convenient place!

Jose Eber 32mm Curling Iron £93.99

Ive been looking for a good sized wand for a few months, as my usual Babybliss wand just wasn't cutting the mustard curl wise. I mean its still good and ill always use it, however this new wand is easier/quicker to use, creates a bigger (more blow-dried look) curl and although is a little pricey, does come with a lifetime guarantee and is kinder on the locks. Its quicker as you only need to hold the wand for around 3-6 seconds, depending on how much hair you pick up per section. It also came with a free glove and comb. I picked mine up from Selfridges for £110, so do shop around!

Whistles Daisy foil skirt £35

Ive had my eye on this skirt since my birthday back in May! I had 'ummed and ahhed' over buying it, as I think originally it was £125 and I simply couldn't justify that amount on a skirt I may only wear a couple of times. However I found a size 4 one in the sale for £35 and couldn't resist. Its such a pretty metallic silver colour and the materiel is beautiful and silky. It will look lovely with a black top and a little pair of heels. I just need an occasion to wear it now!

Thomas Sabo

This bracelet was one of many many presents from my beautiful friend Gemma, I was very spoilt! This is a stunning pearl bead charm bracelet which adds a hint of glamour to an outfit.
I already have a black TS bracelet, so I'm really pleased to have the pearl now to join it. Gemma had chosen the skull to come with it, and I got myself the sunglasses charm (£25.99 reduced to £12.98) in the sale. The TS necklace I also had already and I spotted this fiddle pendant in the sale too (£179 reduced to £89.50), which I bought for personal sentimental reasons. Love!

Hunter boot socks £19

This was a stocking filler from my mummy! I was with her when she bought this & I chose the neon pink colour. My Hunter wellies are green, so hopefully they shall look pretty cool together. They are currently in the sale for £15!

I hope you enjoyed reading this blog post, and that your year has begun positively! What were your favourite gifts/sale finds?!


xox

November favourites

Mac Studio Fix Fluid £21.50

Loving this foundation at the moment and using it everyday! It is medium coverage, however it's buildable to a beautiful matte full coverage, and 2 layers produces full for me. It covers the majority of my blemishes and I find it generally lasts on my face as long as I need it to. A lot of people say that this is too cakey for them, but using a little amount, the right brush (I use a Mac duo fibre brush) and blending it in well, I don't find its cakey at all (as I do find with Studio Sculpt). This foundation doesn't come complete with a pump, so I would advise buying one, which you can for £4. At least then you can control the amount of product you use & can re-use the pump on the next bottle.
I think that this is quite similar to Nars Sheer Glow Foundation. I use the shade NC15. I'll definitely be repurchasing.

By Terry Baume de Rose Lip Balm £38.00

Admittedly, as lip balms go this is pretty pricey & not something I would generally splash out on (with the exception of the Creme De La Mer one- delish). But whilst browsing in Space NK, it did take my eye. Maybe because of the beautiful frosted glass packaging. Maybe because I adore anything rose scented. It really does feel luxurious & 'melts' beautifully on the lips, and both the product and the scent linger for quite some time.
I use this during the day, but at night I still use my Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream. I've been using EA for around 10 years and it will always be my staple night-time lip balm. But this By Terry is up there with my favourites.

Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Hair Mist £34

I got this as a gift from my mum and I adore it. It gives a crisp, delicate fragrance which holds in the hair for quite some time. I also like the classic elegant bottle. I'm so glad they do this in Coco Mademoiselle as I'm not so keen on No 5.
A must-have for fellow hair-flickers out there!

Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré Moisturiser £20

I bought this on recommendation from the ladies in my local Space NK. Having incredibly sensitive skin, Ive been looking for a daytime moisturiser which is gentle and which doesn't contain any nasty ingredients. Its creamy and light in its consistency and provides a great base for foundation. It absorbs nicely leaving a silky finish and sits well on the skin. Not only does it act as a moisturiser, but it doubles up as a primer and triples up as a cleanser too. I haven't tried it as a cleanser, and I use creme de La Mer as an evening moisturiser at night, so will just keep this as a day cream/primer.
Overall, this is a pleasant cream and very reasonably priced and *touches wood* my skin hasn't felt irritated by it.
Apparently this product is very popular amongst makeup artists and models, due to its versatility and the fact that all skin types get on well with it.

All Saints Hawks Leather Biker Jacket £348

Finally, my favourite purchase of the month, is my new leather jacket. I knew that Bentalls (in Kingston, London) was having a 20% off Christmas event, so I thought I would go along with the intention of treating myself to something & this jacket caught my eye. It really is beautiful. Especially the fit and the softness of the leather, which is 100% lambs leather. I also like the attention to detail of the pattern on the shoulders, and the zips and buckles. This one is a bit more 'biker' than my others.
Dressed up or dressed down, a leather jacket adds instant and effortless coolness to any outfit. I purchased the size 4, as leather does tend to give a bit and I wanted this jacket to be fitted on me. All Saints are well known for their good quality jackets and this is my 3rd purchase from them.
I am super pleased- with the discount it took it down to £278.40! It really is worth keeping an eye out for local events/sales or signing up to receive email updates, as you can save yourself such a lot of money. And everyone loves a bit of discount and a bargain!
The next leather jacket I'm on the hunt for is an over sized vintage one. If anyone has any recommendations for where I might pick one up from, please let me know!

                                                          xox

Two Little Gems Homemade Arts and Crafts

My sister has been making bespoke crafts for the last year or so & has started advertising over the last few months. She frequents local craft fairs & she really enjoys making things. If you're looking for something handmade and personalised, please check out her Facebook page Two Little Gems (the name representing her name Gemma and her two 'little gem' daughters- clever huh!?). Whether it be a new baby, new home, birthday, wedding or any event, she can make to order any name and any colour theme. From wooden letters, cute wooden houses or sparkling Christmas puds, all can be personalised.
She has always been creative & arty, unlike me who can't draw or paint to save her life! I hope that one day this hobby of hers will eventually become her full time vocation, as this is clearly her niche!

Here are a few pics of her beautiful designs. For further info, please click the link above. She has PayPal and although UK based, can ship internationally too.

xox

October favourites

Get buzzing Banana Energy Bar £1.99

Ill give any energy or cereal bar a go, particularly if they have been created by fitness/nutritional professionals. Its generally 50/50 as to whether ill like them. I bought these as they were on introductory offer in Waitrose (usual price £2.49). I'm super impressed with them. They taste great and don't contain like 80% raisins. Instead they have raw cane sugar, apricots, honey & golden syrup. All natural energy boosters. They are a bit of an all-rounder being suitable for diabetics, vegetarians and anyone on a 'Low GI' or 'Wheat Free' diet.
I prefer to eat mine around an hour before I work out, to give it a chance to get me buzzing! Or they can be enjoyed as a post work out snack, to re-energise you.
Id love to try more flavours in this range.

Hourglass Arch brow sculpting pencil £26.00

Ive been itching to try Hourglass products for a while now. Ive heard particularly good things about the eyebrow pencil so thought id try it out. I really like it. The colour is a perfect match (I bought the shade 'blonde'), the packaging is lovely (I like the product/brush combo) and I think, given the length of the pencil, will last a while. The formulation is quite 'waxy', therefore there is no need to go over with a gel or wax, saving time. The product glides on smoothly and the pencil is angled, making it easier to create the arch shape. In my opinion, its worth the money.
My mother is on the hunt for a good eyebrow pencil, so I may treat her to this for Christmas. She is under strict instructions not to over-pluck her eyebrows between now & then!

Got2b Rise n Shine Whipped Mousse £3.00

I hadn't used mouse since the 90's when I used to overload the product into my hair, blow dry my hair upside down & scrunch the hell out of it using the diffuser! Nowadays, I prefer to use the babybliss wand to create my curls and thought I would give this brand a go, especially as it was on offer. I used quite a lot of this on my first use & felt sure that I had overdone it & that my hair would end up 'crunchy'. But my hair was still nice & soft.
With the exception of the heat protection spray, I haven't used anything else in this range, but I will be looking to try them. I am pretty impressed. It definitely helped maintain my curls and the smell is nice too. Love the packaging as well. Can't go wrong with pink!

Lush Hot Toddy Shower Gel £3.95 +

Lush have gone & bloody done it again & made an ah-may-zing shower gel, which simply looks and smells of Christmas. With hints of ginger, cinnamon leaf and clove leaf, and a shimmering red colour, this is the perfect wintery product to get you in the mood for the forthcoming festive season.
I get really excited every year when the Christmas range comes out and I'm super pleased to see past favourites again, such as the snowman bath-melt and Rose Jam shower gel. I would love it if Rose Jam became an all-year-round permanent addition. Next on my list to try is the So White shower gel. Maybe mix it up with a little Hot Toddy!

Maybelline Eraser Eye Concealer £7.99

As far as budget concealers go, I'm really enjoying this product right now. I like the packaging. Its simple, fits easily into my makeup bag and is easy to hold whilst applying. I find that a little goes a long way & on first use made the mistake of applying waaaay too much which gave a cakey and creased finished. However on my second use I applied much less and felt it gave enough coverage without looking over concealed! I find that this also works very well on the face for highlighting.

The packaging can get a little messy around the lid, but I just wipe it clear with a wetwipe and tissue.

Oliver Bonus Fedora Belted Hat £26

I absolutely adore Oliver Bonus and shop there far too much! Recent purchases include a bracelet, a cheeseboard (complete with knife & gimmick mouse!), lots of candles and this lovely fedora hat. I wear hats almost daily and could have bought all of the hats they currently have. The only criticism I have is that they only offer 'one size', which lets face it, never 'fits all'! Heads aren't all the same shape & size, so I get rather annoyed by this. It does fit, just if I had the choice I would have got one smaller. But hey ho, its beautiful!

90's The Collection Tesco.com £4

I bloody love anything 90's. Fashion, movies and especially the music. I am currently in talks with my friend Gemma about going on a 90's weekend to Butlins! There's also a radio station in the Midlands where I'm from, which just plays 90's music. Amazing. This CD is on repeat in my car right now. With the likes of Shakespeare's Sister, En Vogue, All Saints and Armand Van Helden, you can't go wrong!

And finally, its fair to say that October has not been a good month for me at all. I devastatingly lost someone incredibly close and dear to me. He was one of my biggest supporters of my blog & always encouraged me to post. He was positive, charismatic, talented and had a deep understanding for suffering and pain. He was gentle, funny and had a presence which was felt and welcomed by anyone he met. It is this beautiful presence that will continue. I am proud, honoured and privileged to have met such a unique, sensitive and wonderful soul. He fought his demons hard, but they cruelly dimmed his illuminous light. This is a reminder, to pick up the phone and check on someone when you think to. Let them know you're there with compassion, patience, support and light. Be kind, always. And take good care of yourselves.

xox

September favourites

Well, check me out being all organised with my monthly faves and before the month is up too *pats self on back* I'm away for the next few days so thought I'd post early! Here are my September highlights.......

Nars Laguna Bronzer £27

Ive used this for a few years now, but after discovering Charlotte Tilbury 'Filmstar Bronze & Glow' earlier this year, I've neglected it. I found it at the bottom of my makeup bag after a recent throw-out sesh and started using it again. It really is so deserving of the hype and when applied correctly/using the right brush, gives the perfect even warm glow. Even better when teamed with a highlighter such as MAC 'Soft & Gentle'. Its so versatile, it pretty much suits all skin tones and excels in its longevity. Ill always re-purchase this. Its looking like I'm going to have to soon. Isn't it heart-breaking when you get near the bottom!?

Clarins True Radiance Foundation £27

As you may have read from a previous post of mine, I like Clarins. In my world, they are kinda a big deal. I was in Boots the other day and like a moth to a flame I was drawn to the counter & got chatting to the lady. I explained how much I love the skin illusion foundation and she introduced to me the new True Radiance. This is very similar to the Skin Illusion, but it produces a more fuller coverage. Perfect for the fast approaching autumn/winter seasons. Tested it, loved it, bought it. Predictably when I applied it properly, it didn't disappoint. It looks great when applied with my stippling brush, for that full flawless look. Its super long lasting too. Ive worn it when working out & it hasn't melted off my face. I don't find that I need too much of it either. I believe they are the same shades as Skin Illusion. I use '103 Ivory'.
 If you're on the hunt for a new foundation, I highly recommend this one.

Boozy Hand Cream £3.55

I recently went to the Olympia beauty exhibition in Kensington Olympia, London. It was my first time going & pretty gosh-darn exciting! There was sooooo many stalls there & everything from fake tan to lash extensions, tarot reading to micro-peels, hair extensions to health pills.....the list goes on! We come across this stall and both my friend Gemma and I were super impressed. This range is new, fun, unique and affordable, appealing to a variety of ages. The concept is based on cocktails. So all the products are named after & smell of a cocktail. My favourite is French Martini. The range includes body wash, body lotion, hand cream, hand wash, bath foam and lipbalm. I really like the packaging and the scent of the hand cream lingers for such a long time. Its also very hydrating. Any of these products would make awesome gifts.
I got chatting to the lady behind this cool idea, who explained that the company is so new that she is still physically involved in the production. I really wish her all the best with her fabulous venture and think there is a lot of potential to expand fast.

Babybliss Curling Wand £24.99

Ive recently completed a few courses, one of which was in Bridal hair. I learnt how to do a few hair-up styles, which included curling. Ever since I have curled my own hair regularly. Although I've finally mastered curling hair using ghds, my preference is using this. Now on myself, I prefer my hair to be a bit messy and using this creates that look nicely. That, and doing very little to it when I get out of bed! It heats up in seconds and I just feel a bit more free using this as opposed to curling tongs. It doesn't give a perfect curl. And I'm all about the imperfect vibe. Instead it creates a more random, loose curl, I love my hair when these curls 'drop', leaving me with a beach-like relaxed look. If you were wanting to achieve a tighter, more uniformed curl it would just mean getting the right amount of hair & using the same section of the wand each time. But when it comes to my own hair, I have neither the discipline nor desire! You can adjust the temperature depending on what heat setting you want it on, I just go big on the highest setting, 200. I use mousse and hairspray to help hold the curls better. I also always use a glove. Unfortunately there is no protection for your ears! :(
It takes around 30 minutes to do my hair, and that's with taking several breaks to give my arm a rest. I broke my left elbow a couple of years ago & it doesn't bend or straighten properly now, making it a mission to fuss my hair for a lengthy period of time. But still, 30 minutes is nothing really. The wand is easy, quick and casual and that's what I find attractive about it.

Metcalfe's skinny corncakes £1.49

This has been an almost daily addition in my life for a while now. With the word 'skinny' on the front, how can this not be attractive?! They are essentially rice cakes. Only bite-sized and tastier. An amazing guilt-free snack, I enjoy them as a post work-out treat. Beware though if you calorie count, its says "118 calories per serving" in small print on the front, there's actually 2 servings in there, although it doesn't seem like it.
Metcalfes have really branched out over the last year or so and these are now available in places such as supermarkets, Boots, Superdrug, Primark and Topshop. On offer quite a lot too. Lush.

Water

My name's Lucie and I'm addicted to lucozade. Anyone who knows me won't be suprised by this admission. I realise what I'm about to say sounds ridiculous, but its true. Its been hard graft resisting its charms in the shops & Ive had the worst time cutting it out. I'm talking shakes and an irrational/irritable mood. My relationship with it began around 3 years ago. I got food poisoning and literally couldn't stomach anything for 2 days. A friend brought a 4 pack round to me the next day and to my relief I could keep it down, it boosted my energy and nursed me back to life. Ever since I've been hooked. I have, and could live off this stuff alone. Its my kryptonite. I guess I associate it with feeling better and, well, I just bloody love the taste. But since I've gone on a health quest, my personal trainer pointed it out to me its no good, just full of useless sugar & far too many calories. So I've switched to sugar-free monster energy and water. Lots and lots of water. I'm re-educating my mind into preferring it to lucozade. And just for today, it seems to be working.

Tanglewood Guitar

Meet my new baby. Ive completely fallen in love and I'm pretty sure this time its going to last! Ive proper thrown myself into learning guitar. Ive tried on and off for around 12 years & given up, but this time I'm 100% committed. I've just learnt the song 'For what its worth' by Buffalo Springfield. So I've nailed the A and E major chords. I just cant ever envisage the day when I can look up from the strings. Ill be forever singing to my guitar!
As I'm on a musical mission, I popped into a shop on Denmark Street in London to have a quick look at the flutes. I played flute for years throughout school (yep, heard all the jokes & no I haven't!) and got to a very credible grade. Ive always been super nervous to try it again at the risk of being massively disappointed about how crap I am now. But the guy in there insisted I had a go and to my absolute shock/delight, I remembered loads!

Id love to start a grunge/rock band in the New year. I'd love to form something influenced by the likes of Skunk Anansie, Alanis Morisette and Joan Jett. Watch this space!

Depop App

I'm loving this App right now and spend far too much time on it. Its kinda similar to eBay, although way more straightforward/better in my opinion. You can sell, buy and swap clothes, makeup, accessories, jewellery, footwear, headwear, costumes, pretty much anything! There's all kinds of wacky, vintage and unique bits on there! And the girls are super lovely too, its a really nice community. Its just so ideal. I'm very guilty of buying an outfit, wearing it once or twice & getting bored of it fast. It makes sense to sell or swap.
Here are a few things that I've bought recently. Mostly £10 and under (bar the Fearne Cotton dress which was brand new (£49) and I got it for £15!! All items were in immaculate condition, smelt good & were quickly posted/delivered.
I don't see any issue with buying second hand clothes. Once they've had a good wash, who would ever know?!


                                                     Urban outfitters top £8

                                                       Topshop dress £10

Bobbi Brown book £8

90's choker £3

Fearne Cotton dress £15

I do hope you enjoyed my favourites. Ill leave you on this note.....

xox

My favourite mascaras

Hola amigos! Before I get stuck into my post, I just wanted to say hi to my 4 new Bloglovin followers.....im delighted! Thank you for the interest ladies & welcome :)

I used my MAC mascara today which I haven't used in a while so thought I would do my top 3 favourite mascaras. Now mascara isnt something I use everyday, maybe once or twice a week, depending on what im doing. Reason being, which ive mentioned in a previous post, is that around 10 years ago my lashes fell out due to poor diet and stress. It took quite a while for them to grow back and sadly they never grew as full as they once were. But now im just grateful to have what I do have back and I try to leave them alone as much as possible. When I do wear mascara though it really does make a significant difference as once they are curled & ive applied the mascara, they look so voluptuous. Im lucky that they are naturally very long. My sister is the same, she has amazing long lashes.
When trying new mascaras I generally opt for ones that promise to lengthen and volumise. Here are my personal top 3......

1. Charlotte Tilbury Full Fat Lashes Glossy Black £22
I dont think you can go far wrong with Charlotte Tilbury *anything*, but I really do love this mascara. It doesnt clump, it separates my lashes beautifully, lengthens well & produces a nice soft 'happy-medium' look on my eyes. I dont feel over or under done! The packaging is classy & the thick brush is super easy to work with. Although it is buildable, I find 1 coat is enough for me, but if im going on a night out I will add another layer. The desription on the website explains that the 5 stars stand to curl, separate, volumise, lengthen & dramatise the lashes. That says it all....job lot! It really is impressive and definitely worth the money.

If this was ever discontinued, I would do a big fat cry about it.
I think ill do a post soon on all of my CT products, as I do have a lot!

2. MAC False Lashes Extreme Black £19
This has been amoungst my favourites for years, I absolutely adore it. It does what it says on the tin & literally gives the false lash effect. Its never clumpy, it lengthens, glides on nice and is long lasting. I love the cute design of it too. The formulation is more 'dry' than 'wet' if that makes sense. So I find it easier to work with. The *only* bit I struggle with is that even though the brush is nice & skim, I still find it doesn't separate my lashes that easily, like I do have to work at that quite a bit. But overall the pros far outweigh that 1 con!

This is fab if you are going for the dramatic look, and teamed with false lashes & eyeliner, gives the perfect party finish.

Here's a pic of me wearing just one coat of it.

3. Maybelline The Colossal Smokey Eyes £7.19
This mascara is renown for its layering skills. The most ive applied is 2 coats and it didn't clump or go flaky. I do find that I need to re-apply towards the end of the day, but that's to be expected. The packaging is pretty cool, nice and bright. I used this brand a lot when I was in my teens and had just started wearing make-up, so it would probably be an ideal one to try if you're just starting out. That way if you dont get on with it, it hasn't cost as much as the higher end brands.

This is the perfect budget mascara- great for everyday use & its always on some sort of offer somewhere.

What are your favourite mascaras and why? If anyone has any recommendations, especially ones tailored towards sensitive eyes/lashes please let me know!

xox