iWhite Teeth Whitening Kit Review

AVAILABLE FROM AMAZON HERE*

I've been thinking about getting my teeth professionally whitened for a while but something always seems to come up (like holidays, pugs, hair extensions...you know, all the essentials) and I never quite get round to making the appointment at the dentist.

When I was sent the iWhite Teeth Whitening Kit it was perfect timing as I had the chance to try it out before I went away on holiday. Teeth and tan = winning combination.  You wear the disposable trays for 20 minutes a day for a maximum of 5 days.  There are 10 trays in each kit, you can white for 5 consecutive days and can whiten your top and bottom teeth at the same time (which is what I did, I always think it looks strange when people whiten or veneer one row of teeth only).  They also whiten the back and front of your teeth as stains on the back can show through to the front too.

 

iWhite promises instant results and is peroxide free, using calcium based technology to strengthen teeth rather than peroxide which can be damaging.    It also came with a handy colour chart - I'd say at present I'm a Chelsea Pearl.  Essex White would be the ultimate aim for me as I love ridiculously white teeth!

iWhite is really straightforward, convenient and mess free.  Using them is really easy, you just pop each tray out of its individual packaging, pop it over your teeth and there you go.  It isn't uncomfortable to wear but I did feel a bit er..dribbly and it's kind of hard to talk while the trays are in your mouth.  The stuff doesn't really have a taste but it is kind of unpleasant if you accidentally swallow any (they recommend that you don't lie down using these and I know why!)

So did I see instant whitening results?  Um, not really.  I used these for 5 consecutive days, as instructed and I don't think I really saw a difference in my teeth, least of all the "up to 8 shades whiter" that I've seen quoted.  My teeth didn't have much staining or anything in the first place though, what I want to do is change the natural colour of my teeth to a TOWIE-white so maybe I'm expecting too much.  I've seen loads of fantastic reviews of this iWhite kit so I think if your teeth are stained or discoloured then you might well see results with this.

Here's a before and after of my teeth (argh, a close up of my teeth always reminds me why I'm highly jealous of one of my friends who has veneers!):

It's my duty...

Not sure if I've mentioned this(!) but I'm going on holiday in 2 weeks, woo hoo! I've been avoiding repurchasing a few beauty bits and bobs because I can probably pick them up a bit cheaper at Manchester airport. I actually love flying, the only downside is all the hanging around so what better way to kill some time than in duty free?!

Here's what I'm hoping to pick up:

 

Estee Lauder Doublewear

MAC Chatterbox

YSL Manifesto

YSL Rouge Volupte

Origins Vitazing

NARS Blush

 

 

I haven't tried the Nars Blush before and though I've sniffed the YSL Manifesto I've never actually owned it but I really love the smell of it.  The other stuff I've had many times in the past and absolutely love them all. All of this is quite expensive though so I need to save money on them where I can!

Have you got any airport favourites or recommendations?  Are you going away this year?

What should I do for my birthday?

Photo from CMNY Cakes

Okay, my birthday isn't until September but I'm going away this month and I have my friends/family from home plus my friends/family in Manchester and my lovely boyfriend to fit into the proceedings somewhere.  As everyone works various shifts or takes holidays in September I tend to plan ahead so that people can book time off and things can be set in motion.

I can't decide whether to just get everyone to mine and have some sort of get together or to travel somewhere else.  The most annoying part is that I'll be 27 this birthday, 30 is looming nearer and nearer!  What I do quite fancy is going away for a city break somewhere, I love spending time sightseeing, going to shows and out for meals and things.

A few years ago my boyfriend surprised me and took me to London for a long weekend, we stayed in a lovely hotel, went to see a show (Jersey Boys - amazing!) and did some touristy things like the Londom Eye etc. I'd quite like to do something like that again, maybe get some Jesus Christ superstar tickets or something? In the last few years I've seen Wicked, Legally Blonde, Jersey Boys, the Lion King and Chicago - and I don't really consider myself to be someone who goes to shows!

So, what should I do for my birthday, should I persuade my boyfriend to take me away again? Do you have any show recommendations in London or Manchester?

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#MicraAttitude Competition closes on 22nd July - don't miss out on your chance to win £200 worth of prizes on Pinterest!

A couple of weeks ago I posted about a fab competition being run by Nissan UK to win £200 worth of beauty and tech goodies including Beats Sol HD Headphones, Cowshed Gorgeous Cow Duo Set, Nails Inc Beauty Club Collection and a £15 iTunes voucher.

If you use Pinterest and haven't already entered, well why not?!  It's really easy to get your entry in, all you need to do is head on over to Pinterest and create your own #MicraAttitude board which captures the Micra Attitude of Style, Intelligence and Confidence. You must use two images from the Nissan Pinterest board which can be found here. Make sure you tag all of your images with #MicraAttitude and #UK in the description!

Once you've created your boards you just need to leave a comment here (the Nissan UK Pinterest board) with a link to your board and the #MicraAttitude #UK tags. The three boards that most capture the themes of Style, Intelligence and Confidence will win the fabulous prizes on offer.  The closing date is 22nd July 2013 so get pinning! Terms and conditions can be found here or on my #MicraAttitude Pinterest board. 

If you're looking for some Pinspiration, check out my #MicraAttitude board here.  And if you don't already use Pinterest, well now's a good time to start, you can register at www.pinterest.com (I'm addicted).  Happy pinning and good luck!

Topshop Highlighter in Crescent Moon Review

Lately I've been lusting over highlighters, I've really fallen in love with the fresh dewy look of highlighted cheeks for summer. Usually I use a Smashbox loose highlighter but it's pretty gold toned/slightly glittery and because it's loose it's easy to go OTT on application. I wanted more of a pink highlighter (thinking along the lines of Benefit Moonbeam) as I'm not tanned at all so gold highlighter feels a bit blingy for in the day.  I've added various Nars blushers that have a highlighter already in them to my want list, though I haven't actually swatched them in person though so I haven't purchased any (yet).

I was browsing in Topshop when the highlighters caught my eye, I've seen good reviews of them before so I had a little swatch session and came away with Crescent Moon, a pale powder with metallic pink overtones. It's definitely on the shimmery side rather than sparkle which keeps it a bit more appropriate for the day - the fact it's a compact rather than loose makes it a bit less messy to use and less easy to be heavy handed with. I love the packaging too though it would be better with a mirror in the compact but maybe I'm being a bit greedy for a tenner!

Overall this is a lovely highlighter that gives a subtle colour which would flatter the majority of skintones, especially the paler end of the scale. Topshop also do this in Sunbeam too which is more of a gold colour that would look amazing on tanned skin.  It's buildable and you can either keep it really subtle or layer it for a more noticeable look.  You can even use it on your body too.  Yet another Topshop Make-Up item that's thoroughly impressed me!

Topshop Make-Up is available here - Crescent Moon isn't currently in stock on the site, I picked mine up in store.

Steal her style: AJ Odudu

I haven't watched Big Brother really this year but last week I caught a bit of Big Brother's Bit On The Side and the new presenters outfit really caught my eye!  I've seen her on BB before but I didn't know her name so I looked her up...she's called AJ Odudu.  After a bit of Twitter stalking (sorry AJ) I noticed she'd helpfully tweeted a pic of the exact outfit I was admiring along with a list of where everything was from.  Result!

This is the outfit:

I love the colour pop of the top and while I'm nowhere near as gorgeous as AJ, I prefer to get my legs out and keep my top half covered so this is great for me.  The bright shirt and the blingy necklace stop it from being boring too. Plus I hate my feet so having more of a closed in sandal is better for me.

 

Longsleeve Silk Pleat Shirt, Topshop, £48

White Mini Skort - Zara, £29.99

White Zip Front Cut Out Stiletto Sandals - River Island, £70

 

So there you have it, a full new outfit for less than £150!  I actually think each of these items could be worn with other things really easily too.  The skort and sandals are perfect for holiday and the shirt is something I could wear for work, through the day and even for something smart/casual like going out for a meal.

 

I already have a big crystal necklace from Primark that I bought ages ago for something like a fiver and I think this holographic bag I have from New Look would go well.  I love the fact that the bottom half is a skort rather than a skirt as I can pretend I'm trendy and not have to worry about covering my modesty (if it was a skirt, it would be pretty short).  I think I last work a skort type thing in the 90's for school!

 

Emma Willis used to present the BB Bit On The Side programme and I absolutely love her style, looks like I'm carrying on in the same fashion.  Will be keeping my eye on you AJ Odudu!

NEW ITEMS ADDED TO BLOG SALE

I've updated my blog sale tab to include some new items.  Newly added are:

• Illamasqua Hydra Veil
• Smashbox Cream Eyeliner Pallette
• Bare Minerals Blush
• MAC Impassioned Lipstick
• Paul & Joe Blush
• Various items of costume jewellery

To check out the items I currently have for sale, find my blog sale here.  First come, first served!

Follow the Reader - how to follow Beauty and the Blogger now that Google Reader is going!

 

So, I'm sure you've heard by now that Google Reader is sadly biting the dust on 1st July and there are murmurs that Google Friend Connect will follow suit shortly.  I'm personally a little bit sad about this, I've always used Google Reader and Google Friend Connect as both a blogger and a reader - I find them so straightforward to use and really user friendly.  I can't really get my head around Google+ just yet but maybe I just need to give it a bit more attention!

But nevertheless, things change - especially on the internet - and times move in so I won't dwell on it too much.  Instead I'll let you know about some other ways that you can follow Beauty and the Blogger.  You can follow at www.beautyandtheblogger.co.uk, Bloglovin', Twitter and Pinterest.  Obviously the last two aren't following my blog but I'll post links to my blog posts there so you can catch up with those too.

Hope to see you there!  How are you feeling about Google Reader going?  As a side note I've just found out Hello Cotton (the English one) is going/gone too.  Sad times!

Illamasqua Hydra Veil Review

I've recently rediscovered Estee Lauder Double Wear which I love for its high coverage and long lasting finish.  Unfortunately I find that as my skin tends to be on the dry side, it can start to look a bit patchy as the day goes on.  Separately I'd also heard people raving about Illamasqua Hydra Veil, a rehydrating gel make up base, kind of like a cross between a moisturiser and a primer.  I tend to only use primer if I'm going on a night out or if I want a bit of extra something. 

I'd had my eye on it for a while but it was out of stock in a few places plus I wanted to try it at a counter before I bought it.  I'd planned to head to one of the Illamasqua Beauty School Drop In events but didn't manage to make it.  A real shame as they did sessions on smoky eyes and creating the perfect base - two areas I want to get better at!  Nevertheless, it finally came back into stock and I had a 20% off code for Illamasqua so I just went for it.  Their delivery is always really quick (ordered on 11th and it came on 13th) and free in the UK!

The packaging is typically Illasmasqua and is functional as well as sleek looking.  It also comes with it's own little spoon (and holder) so you're not dipping your brush or finger in it and contaminating the product.  It's a clear gel gel consistency.

On application this feels cooling and hydrating, it's also absorbed into the skin really quickly too (or is that just my dry skin?) - I think this would feel gorgeous on the skin on a really hot day. It's really easy to apply and definitely adds some extra moisture into your skin. You also don't need to use a lot each time so though it's expensive it does work out as good value.   The amount on my hand pictured above is way too much.

However, for me personally I didn't really feel like it added anything to my skin that I wouldn't get from foundation alone.  I think I prefer more of a silicone feeling primer, whether that's better for my skin is another story, with a bit of a glow in it.  It is a lovely, luxurious product and I think if you're really into make up and trying new looks then this will work for you.  I think it must be me as I've yet to read a negative review of this product.

I don't think I'd repurchase this and to be honest I probably will blog sale this some time soon!  I still love Illamasqua as a brand, and I want to try their Skin Base foundation still, but I just don't think this is a product for me.You can find Hydra Veil on the Illamasqua website for £27 for 30ml.

Win £200 of beauty goodies and gifts with #MicraAttitude on Pinterest!

You might have seen me tweeting about #MicraAttitude earlier in the week (follow me on Twitter @LucyBATB), a fantastic competition being run by Nissan UK where you can win a Micra Attitude Gift Box containing:

• Beats Sol HD Headphones
• Cowshed Gorgeous Cow Duo Set
• Nails Inc Beauty Club Collection
• £15 iTunes voucher

In order to win, all you need to do head over to Pinterest and create your own #MicraAttitude board which captures the Micra Attitude of Style, Intelligence and Confidence. You must use two images from the Nissan Pinterest board which can be found here. Make sure you tag all of your images with #MicraAttitude and #UK in the description!

Here's my #MicraAttitude board to get you started and give you some ideas:

Once you've created your boards you just need to leave a comment here (the Nissan UK Pinterest board) with a link to your board and the #MicraAttitude #UK tags. The three boards that most capture the themes of Style, Intelligence and Confidence will win the fabulous prizes on offer.

The closing date is 22nd July 2013 so get pinning! Terms and conditions can be found here or on my #MicraAttitude Pinterest board.

Melvita Brightening Exfoliation Mask and UV Shield Suncreen SPF 15

 

Ok, I'm going to start by saying that the packaging on these don't do these products justice at all!  I think it looks a bit naff and cheap, which they're definitely not - these wouldn't jump out at me if I was trying to choose a new product in a shop.  But stick with me, it gets much better once they're open, honest. 

I absolutely love the Brightening Exfoliation mask.  It's really creamy and you apply a fairly thick layer to your skin then leave it for 5-10 minutes, after which time you rub it in so the exfolating particles get to work and slough off any dry or dead skin then rinse with warm water.  It isn't too rough or scrubby at all and feels really nourishing.  Because it's a cream and an exfoliator my skin doesn't feel dry or tight after using it, it feels really clean and fresh too.  I would 100% recommend giving this a go, it's a really lovely product that I think would work well for any skin type but is probably more aimed at dryer skins, I think that dry skin would benefit from this the most.  My only moan is that it smells slightly floral, which again I'm not mad on, but it isn't too overpowering.

I finally got to use the sunscreen last weekend as the weather was actually nice, woo-hoo!  It's pretty nice and I didn't get burned so it did the trick.  I tend not to use sunscreen every day as my moisturiser and foundation both contain SPF, but I'll definitely be taking this on holiday to use in July.

I reviewed Melvita's gradual tanner recently too and that impressed me, I'm definitely going to explore the range a bit further as so far everything I've used has been great.  It's so weird to stumble across a brand that I've vaguely heard of before but never tried that turns out to be great.  These products were sent to me to review but I would definitely buy them in future, probably most likely the tanner and the mask.
 

Melvita is available from feelunique.com, the mask is £27 and the sunscreen starts at £19 - would definitely suggest giving the brand a go.

Make a fabulous cake with MakeBake.co.uk

I don't bake as often as I would like to at all, it's just a combination of having very little spare time, having to plan ahead to get all the ingredients (I always forget something) and there only being two of us plus pug at home to eat a whole tray of cakes but I say that like it's a bad thing!

I love baking though, and what I lack in skill I make up for in enthusiasm.  A girl at work regularly bakes amazing stuff and is really into her gadgets, perfecting her mixes and trying new things...I want to be more like her!  I've recently found some really cute cake decorating supplies from makebake at www.makebake.co.uk - there's literally everything on here to do with cakes on there from mixers and edible printers(!) to things like sprinkles and ribbons.

They also do some pretty sweet (see what I did there?) cupcake decorations on there too, these are my favourites - some are really quirky and kitsch but they're all absolutely amazing:

I think the lips, tiara and the gold butterfly are my favourites since the diamante ones aren't actually edible.  Um, now I just have to make my cakes look as good as these accessories, they always taste good but they never look quite as perfect as I'd like.  Maybe I'll just point the girl at work who's good at baking to the site and ask her to bake me some cakes.

To find these and thousands of other amazing baking goodies, visit www.makebake.co.uk

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Discount ASOS Haul

Before I buy something, especially online, I usually check if there's a discount code, Ebay sale or cashback link I can use instead of paying full price. I'm sure if I was American and more spare time I'd end up being one of those extreme couponer people!

My ASOS basket has been piling up as I've been waiting for a decent discount to hit which it finally did last week in the form of a 20% NUS discount (probably going to cry when I can't have a student card anymore) so with a combination of this, 3% Quidco cashback*, my £80 voucher that I won on Messy Carla's blog and a cashback credit card I've saved over £200 on my order. I'm justifying by spend my telling myself that two of the most expensive items I bought were effectively free!

Here's what I bought:

(Above, L-R) ASOS Mini Vest Bodycon Dress, Ted Baker Under the Sea Print Cover Up, Playful Promises Black Aztec Geometric Longline Bikini, ASOS Vest with Drape Armhole, ASOS Longline V Neck Cami

(Above, L-R) Coast Saskia Jersey Dress, ASOS Textured Blazer Coat, ASOS Peg Trousers in Grey Marl, ASOS Pencil Dress with Wrap Front

 (Above, L-R) Adidas Hoodie with Mesh Inserts, Carmex Moisture Plus SPF15 Hydrating Lip Balm, River Island Leather Look Jacket with Fringing, Cambridge Satchel Company 11" Lilac Leather Satchel

My favourite items are the lilac satchel, the Playful Promises bikini and the wrap dress.  I'm not 100% sure about the leather look jacket yet (I feel a bit like a line dancer in it but I do like the way it looks) and the red blazer is definitely going back as it's massive and the fabric is seriously weird. I adore my Cambridge Satchel but I've been treating it like a Very Precious Thing (which it is!) for fear of ruining it...it's currently on the back of my door being protected by dressing gowns:

TJ Hughes - what's in my basket?

I'm no stranger to popping into T J Hughes to buy fragrance and beauty bits and pieces for less but I didn't realise they had a website that you can buy from too. This is such a good idea as often stock varies from store to store so it's an easier way to pick up some bargains.  I'm actually a bit of a boy when it comes to shopping, I prefer to have a plan of what I'm getting, get it and get out so I would rather shop online where I can.  I tend to find shopping online leads to more bargains too!

I started browsing the TJ Hughes site and where else would I start but the beauty section?  I merrily added perfume, nail products and styling tools to my basket, all of which were much cheaper than the RRP price.  Then I wandered over to homewares and added some cushions before somehow ending up in menswear and adding some trainers for my boyfriend's birthday (shhh, don't tell him!).

Here's what I've got in my T J Hughes basket before I hit the Chekout button (free standard delivery on my order too!):

As you can see, my basket came to £172.93 (ahem) but I've worked out that I've "saved" about £145 from the RRP price which is excellent news!  My biggest/favourite bargain was the Sally Hansen Nail Glam Party Pack (though I think the trainers are a ridiculously good price) which I think will make an amazing gift...but I might keep it for myself to be honest

To pick up some beauty steals and to see how much you can save in your basket, shop at T J Hughes online at www.tjhughes.co.uk

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Deep Heat Muscle Rescue Bath Soak and Neck and Shoulder Cream

Well, we've been a bit in the wars in my house of late. Running is taking it's toll on my knees and my boyfriend has had a bit of a sore neck - plus Pearl has had an operation . Luckily, for the humans in our household anyway, I'd just been sent some of the new Deep Heat to try out so the timing couldn't be better, if there is ever such a thing as a good time to be injured!

If you're not familiar with Deep Heat, it's a cream that you rub on any areas where you have muscle pain or soreness and it warms up, similar to how a warming face mask works...you know, kind of like having a hot water bottle on your skin but without the hot water bottle.  It does have a pretty distinctive, strong smell which isn't especially girly at all which is why they've brought out this Rosemary and Vanilla fragranced version.

The neck and shoulder cream really works, it warms up really quickly and when I say it warms up, it isn't like a tingle...it feels like wherever you've applied it is out in the sun.  It's really soothing and certainly eases any aches.  Wash your hands after applying this though as you don't want to get it in your eyes or anything!   As for the smell, to be totally honest it still smells like Deep Heat to me and I'm struggling to get any rosemary or vanilla notes from this but I don't actually mind the smell so I'm happy to keep using this and it's done the trick on our aches and pains.  If you do sports or get a bit achey from sitting at your desk I'd really recommend having a bottle of this handy.

The bath soak foams really well, it's bright orange but it doesn't colour the water or anything, and surprisingly this doesn't have that tell-tale Deep Heat smell, it actually smells really fresh rather than medicinal.  It contains essential oils of rosemary and orange and electrolyte minerals magnesium, potassium, sodium and calcium help to prevent cramp.  I'm not convinced this did anything for me that a normal hot bath wouldn't have done on it's own with any bubble bath but it was still pleasant to use and in conjunction with the cream it sorted our aches and pains out.

Deep Heat Muscle Rescue is available from Boots.com*, on offer starting at £4.01 at the time of writing.

How to dye your own eyebrows

Since I've had my hair darker, I've been filling in my brows using my HD Brow Palette. I've always liked the look of filled in, groomed brows but because my hair has been so light previously having really dark brows just didn't look right. I was bored on the Sunday before Bank Holiday so - as you do - I decided to tint my brows! My eyebrows are dark brown anyway so it isn't like I'm going from having nothing to having dark brows.

I like to look groomed but I'm lazy, I want low maintenance.  That's why I like lash extensions and gel nail polish (and why I still want to try Vita Liberata Phenomenal tan) as you can just hop out of bed and they look good.  I remembered that at college we learned how to tint brows and lashes (yep, I'm a qualified brow tinter) so thought I'd give it a go.  Brow tinting is really easy to do as long as you follow a few rules.

I used Eylure Dylash Eyelash and brow dye kit in black (available from Boots.com*) which comes with dye, activator, brush, little under eye pads for if you're tinting your lashes and a little plastic dip in the packaging to mix it with. It's so easy to use on brows - I don't tint my lashes as I get extensions on and my own are dark anyway, lash tinting is a bit more fiddly especially to do yourself - you just mix the tint to the right consistency (after doing a patch test and reading the instructions carefully) and apply to your brow hair.  You then wipe it off with wet cotton pads after 1-2 minutes and voila, darker brows. 

Here's my darker brow - sorry for their unkempt state, you're meant to tint before hair removal so I've done mine with the intention of getting them threaded later on in the week.  Apparently I have long eyebrows according to my threader, not long as in hair length but long across my face...she did say it was a good thing though.

Here's some more handy hints for tinting your brows too:

• Patch test at least 24 hours before tinting - especially if you're using a brand you haven't used before, this is your first time or you have sensitive/reactive skin.
• Don't use this on recently waxed or tweezed skin, check your product instructions for more information
• Read the instructions for the brand you've bought before you use them
• Apply the tint lightly to the hairs only, not the skin.  Don't be really heavy handed and paint it everywhere - you're dying your brows here, not your skin.
• Remember you can add, but you can't take away! Only leave the tint on for a short time before wiping off, you can always add more tint if you want to make them darker. If you leave it on for ages and it goes really dark...well, you're stuck with that I'm afraid.

Cargo Cosmetics comes to the UK, available from Debenhams!

I've heard of Cargo before, usually from overseas bloggers or in US haul lists, so I was really interested when I heard that the brand is now available in the UK.  I was sent some products to review, as someone who doesn't wear masses of different looks, the items I was sent were really wearable and would suit anyone.  The items I was sent to review were:

• Water Resistant Bronzer
• Eye Shadow in Windsor (pale, neutral) and Flint (smoky grey)
• Reverse Lip Liner

The Water Resistant Bronzer is quite pigmented (so be careful to avoid looking stripy) but as it's so soft and finely milled it's easy to blend in for a more natural look.  I've finally got into watching YouTube hair and beauty videos (I know, right, where have I been?!) and contouring is something that I'm trying to learn how to do properly and this has been great to do that with.  One it's blended in it really does give a glowing, bronzed look as it has a tiny bit of shimmer - not sparkle - to it.  I think once I have a bit more of a tan (real or fake) then this will become a make up bag staple.

The eyeshadows are also really soft and although they're not as pigmented straight away, you can very easily build them up for a darker colour.  Windsor is a really neutral colour, I thought it would be quite white on the skin but it isn't, it's more of a highlighted skin colour so it's perfect for using as a base colour up to your browbone without looking drag queen-y.  I've been watching smokey eye videos as well!  Windsor is a smokey grey that leans towards a sort of Russian Blue type colour, perfect for evening eye make up, and I found it really made my eye colour pop without looking too dark or too OTT.  Although they're both soft, there isn't masses of fall out when you use them either which I prefer - sometimes loose pigment gets ridiculously messy!

The concept of a reverse lip liner isn't something I've come across before but the idea is that you line outside your lips to contour, highlight and keep your lip colour/gloss in place.  This is a great idea for gloss where you want a wash of colour and shine without any harsh lip lines.  I've added a little set of instructions below from Cargo's website: 

My lips are quite big so I don't really need to enhance their appearance to look fuller but as a result if I wear a strong colour, such as a red, I definitely need a lip liner to stop my colour feathering or ending up outside of my lipline.  So, here it is in action - my lips are lined with the Reverse Lip Liner and then I'm wearing Topshop Brighton Rock lipstick:

I think it works really well as a highlighter around the lips, especially in the cupid's bow.  This would be such a great product if you were going for a really dewy look or if you have smaller lips that you're trying to make more of.  I also think it would work well if you were going for a nude lip look as a normal lip liner.

Cargo Cosmetics are available from Debenhams, prices start at £7.50.  I've got my eye on the ColourStick and the TexasLiner now!

Paul's Hair World - a one stop destination for hair in Manchester (don't worry they deliver too!)

I've been visiting Paul's Hair World ever since I moved to Manchester. It's a shop that's absolutely full of everything to do with haircare, hair extensions and accessories (and more) - coming from a fairly small city up north where we hardly even had hairdressers that did weaves it was a real find for me!

I've enjoyed having my hair darker and ombre but I'm ready to go back to being light blonde again soon I think, I've got a hair appointment booked for just before I go on holiday in July to get my full head of highlights in and I've been toying about getting some extensions put in when I get back/for my birthday and I'm thinking proper long, thick mermaid locks - although my hair's quite long and naturally thick it's kind of damaged, especially at the ends so I just think extensions would give it a real bit of oomph! 

I've been browsing Paul's Hair World's website for some inspiration and I think I've seen some wefts that I might actually get put in but I'm going to wait to see how the colour turns out first. Some of their main offerings are hair extensions, hair pieces and wigs - I've picked out a few of my favourites below (the wave clip ins at the bottom are absolutely gorgeous!):

(L-R) Side Sweep Clip in Fringe, Beauty Works Braid Style Bun Hair Piece, Micro Loop Hair Extensions

(L-R) New Wave Clip Ins 100% Human Hair, Beauty Works Ombre Dip Dye Clip In, Sleek Ez Ponytail Long

They also sell loads of other beauty related items such as GHD's, curlers, hair products, perfume, fake tan and false lashes so it's well worth a look (especially if you're as beauty obsessed as I am!) to see what you can pick up and the staff are really friendly, helpful and knowledgeable.   When you deal with hair and beauty all day you get to know a thing or two!

If you're not based in Manchester, don't worry they have stores in Liverpool and Glasgow as well as their website http://www.pauls-hair-world.co.uk/ free UK delivery on orders over £100! You can also follow on Twitter and Facebook.

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Melvita Prosun Gradual Self-Tanning Moisturizing Gel-Cream Review

I wanted to look a bit more tanned but not OTT as I had a fairly low key event to attend last Friday and I didn't want to look ridiculous. Plus I had a bit of a manic week so I was struggling to set aside time to go through the rigmarole of tanning "properly".

 

At times like this I turn to a gradual tanner for a more natural glow with less of a fuss and a faff, usually I use L'Oreal Sublime Bronze Gradual Tan 24 Hour Moisturising Lotion Medium Skin* (formerly Nutrisummer) but since I'd just been sent this Melvita tan to test I thought I'd try that. I've heard of Melvita products before but have never tried anything from the brand before.

I like the packaging, it's bright and fun and the squeezy bottle is practical. This is vanilla and coconut scented...in all honesty it smells quite sweet and vanilla-y, kind of like vanilla custard or creme brulee (it's a good thing honestly!) and as it's yellow it kind of looks like that too. Ridiculously easy to apply, you just rub it in like body lotion. It feels moisturising too! I always wash the palms of my hands after using too as tanned palms are a fakery giveaway.

I applied this over 2 days, when it develops there's the vaguest fake tan whiff but it isn't noticeable and I've used this in the morning before work without washing it off and it was fine.  It doesn't contain DHA so that probably explains that.  It doesn't have a guide colour to it, it's just white like a moisturiser, which I don't mind in a gradual tanner as it's less likely to go massively wrong like with a normal tanner (where I do prefer a guide colour) and it dries quickly though still leaves your skin feeling smooth and hydrated.  I'm not sure where the "gel" in the name of the product comes from but never mind.
 

After application and development his gave a really nice, natural colour. It's not so subtle that you can't see a difference and gives a lovely glow that isn't in your face or orange. One point is that it clung to my extremely dry elbows a bit so if yours are a bit dry you might want to slap a bit of normal mousturiser on there before you start.  There was no streaking or funny patchy business going on either.  I prefer the colour and the lack of streaks to the L'Oreal one I usually use, though the L'Oreal one is quite a bit cheaper.
 

In terms of moisturising it also did a great job of that too with a couple of people commenting how soft my skin is. I'm notoriously bad at regularly moisturising my bod so I'd definitely attribute this to the gradual tanner (or as my boyfriend calls it "slow release tan" ha!)

I would 100% buy this in future and I'll definitely be restocking once this runs out.  It isn't cheap at £22 for 150ml, especially when it's a product you need to use a few times a week but I do think it's worth it - a total confidence boost in a bottle with minimal effort. Available from feelunique.com*.

My nails are ready for summer (even if the weather isn't!) - Models Own Ice Neon Pink in Bubblegum and Barry M Gelly in Satsuma

Remember the vaguely sunny bank holiday we had a few weeks ago? Sort of?  Well it totally got me in the mood for some bright polishes, I just need a proper tan tan now! I popped in to Boots and bought Bubblegum from the Models Own Ice Neon Collection and Barry M Gelly Nail Paint in Satsuma to satisfy my cravings.

Bubblegum is a bright pink polish that I personally think leans a little towards coral. It's easy to apply, has a good consistency, dries quickly and lasts well on the nail.  It dries slightly leaning towards a matte/satin finish so I usually add a coat of Seche Vite over the top to gloss it up. I've been keeping this in the fridge, which sounds weird but apparently it keeps the neon looking bright for longer so I'm blindly following this advice.

I've had loads of compliments on this colour and I just keep repainting them with this. I love it, it really has become my colour of choice at the moment! It's bright but not too in your face or like you coloured your nails in with a highlighter (did anyone else do this at school too?). I think it will look amazing on toes with a tan too.

I've seen a lot of hype about the Barry M Gelly polishes so I went for Satsuma, a medium orange with a high shine. Kind of wish I'd got the lighter orange though. Again, this applies well but dries with a high gloss finish on its own.  I do like this polish and it's bright, juicy finish but I don't feel like it's hugely unique.  Again I think it will look ace on fingers and toes with a tan.

Both of these polishes are available from from Boots.com*.  What are your favourite summer polishes, are there any other colours I need to keep my nails summer ready?

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Review of Graze lightbox - healthy snacks delivered to your door!

Another healthy food post? Ooh I've changed!

I've been meaning to order a Graze box for ages but I never got round to it.  I finally bit the bullet when I realised that I could get a free box and £1.50 cashback through Quidco*and that since I'm trying to get/stay healthy it also seemed like good timing.  A Graze box is basically a box of various little nibbles - all different kinds - that gets delivered to your door.  You can choose the frequency of your deliveries and choose what you get in a box.

I went for the lightbox which contains all of their lowest calorie snacks, everything's between 50 and 150 calories and it skips nuts, seeds, flapjacks and dark chocolate.  I have to admit that there are some things that aren't included in the lightbox that look really nice so maybe as a treat if I were to order again I'd get a different kind of box to get some of the not-so-healthy stuff.  I get mine delivered to work for convenience too, so I'm not chasing the postman around!

So, what did I think? I actually thought it was was really yummy and very convenient! In my lightbox I got tomato dipinetti, summer pudding, Eleanor's apple crumble and summer berry compote, they were all really nice but I wasn't massively keen on the dried apple in Eleanor's apple crumble. That was the only thing I wasn't keen on...I wolfed everything else down! This is really good for me in terms of snacking as I love food and sometimes struggle with portion control (ahem) but this way the amount I can have is there waiting for me. I think I'm going to order these on an ad hoc basis as a little treat every now and again rather than keep a subscription going regularly - I'm trying to save for my holiday wardrobe!

If you'd like to try a free Graze box, just click the banner below* - you'll need your card details as if you're signing up for a subscription service but if you're just in it for the freebies you can always set it up to come fortnightly and then cancel after your first box (delete your card details too just to be on the safe side too).  Who knows though, you might love it and want to carry on!

*referral link btw

bliv by cellnique - off with those heads blackhead treatment, refresh me and fine line stoppage sheer off crease anti ageing mask

I was sent these to review from cellnique.  It isn't a brand I've heard of before but I was really interested in the blackhead treatment and the Japanese style silk mask as I haven't tried them before and I keep seeing them reviewed!

off with those heads

You apply to the area with blackheads/whiteheads. It really really smells like cough medicine which is a little unnerving but I carried on anyway, it's a bit tingly and fresh feeling like when you get menthol on your skin too so I'm guessing that's one of the key Iingredients. It dries a little sticky so it's another one to use when you're not going somewhere.  It doesn't say how often to use this or how long to leave it on.

This is the product I was most excited to try as I do have a bit of a problem with blackheads on my nose (sorry tmi) coupled with dry skin so something to just apply to the area would be ideal for me.  Unfortunately this didn't work for me which was a bit disappointing. I persevered but didn't really see any results.

refresh me
I found this quite harsh on my skin and to be honest I probably didn't test it as extensively as the other two, my skin can be quite reactive at times though. I don't usually use toner and this hasn't convinced me to.

fine line stoppage sheer off crease
I expected to not really like this - I really wanted to try this but normally I prefer clay type masks that you can get into every nook and cranny of your face. We all look different right? Anyway, I actually quite liked this. You peel it from its backing and put it on your face, patting it down. This is ridiculously creepy looking once on. It feels very cool and refreshing on your skin albeit a little slimy. It doesn't really smell of anything either.  Despite the creepiness, my skin felt really hydrated and fresh after using this and I actually look forward to using them. I can't agree that it stops fine lines or anything like that but my skin looks plumped up. I'd definitely buy these again in future.

Overall I thought this brand was ok but I don't think I'd rush to try out other things from them.

Ov

Shaping up for summer with apps and Warburtons Escapes (a healthier alternative to crisps!)

It's that time of year again when you can finally emerge, butterfly-like, from your winter clothes and slip on something a bit more summery.  Er, until you realise that you need to tone up, shave your legs and get a bit of fake tan on before you can legitimately start dressing for summer.

I'm going on holiday in July and I want to look a bit better in my bikini than I do at the moment so I'm following WeightWatchers ProPoints (which works for me) but rather than use their app and pay monthly for the privilege I use one called Ultimate Value Diary Plus which allows you to track points, track weightloss, search for ProPoints values of foods and calculate any that aren't listed.  It's a real motivator and always available as it's rare I go anywhere without my phone.  It's comprehensive too so it does everything I need it to.

I've also been using the Zombies 5k app to get into running, it's basically a Couch to 5k app for people who don't do any running to get them up to being able to run 5k in 8 weeks, but with a twist.  It builds in a storyline about a zombie invasion, so you're training as a runner to help with missions in a zombie apocalypse.  It sounds a bit weird, and it probably is, but it's really helping me to stay interested in running whilst being appropriate for my shocking levels of fitness - the only exercise I get is walking Pearl and walking to/from work.

It gives clear instructions to build up your fitness and syncs in to your playlists so that in the periods where you're running around it plays your music while telling you what to do.  It also tracks progress too.  I have to admit I get a bit freaked out when it makes out a zombie is chasing you and you have the croaky moan of a zombie coming through your headphones...I run a little bit faster when that happens though...

Another thing I've been trying to keep me on track are Warburtons Escapes - a baked pitta bread snack with 45% less fat than a packet of crisps.

They come in a variety of flavours:

• Sea Salt and Cracked Black Pepper
• Sour Cream and Chive
• Spicy Chilli Jack with a Hint of Cheese
• Sea Salt and Malt Vinegar
• Fiery Madras
• Chicken Tikka

My favourites were the Sour Cream and Chive but the Sea Salt and Cracked Black Pepper are yummy too.  Overall I liked all the ones I tried - salt and vinegar were probably my least favourite - and I found they had plenty of flavour, a lot of crunch and were pretty satisfying. They look kind of like Doritos but thankfully taste nothing like them (hate Doritos). Unfortunately my boyfriend also likes these too - normally saying something is healthy is akin to telling him it's got arsenic in it - so I've hidden what's left! He just thought they were baked crisps rather than pitta which I think is a good thing.

And here's the nutritional information from the Salt and Black Pepper flavour to give you an idea of how the might measure up next to your favourite crisps:

One thing I will say is that in terms of WeightWatchers points, these are 5 ProPoints per bag which is actually higher than a bag of Walkers but you do get 40g of snacks rather than 28-32.5g (which is what a normal bag of crisps usually is) so I personally feel like you get more for your points, and they seem more filling.

I was sent these for review but I'd definitely buy them in future for a healthier snack.  They've just launched in the shops now so keep an eye out for them - their website will be launching too at www.warburtonsescapes.co.uk or you can follow on Twitter @warbsescapes

Tell me something Pinteresting....

I was always one of those kids/teenagers who ripped things out of magazines when I found them interesting and kept them in a box.  The problems with this are storage, organisation, how often you look at it and how often your impressive hoard is admired by other people - you collected all this stuff for a reason and no-one ever sees it?!

As an adult, it started with nails (as it so often does with me), since I started blogging - maybe even before - I've been hoarding pictures of nail art and designs that I've liked or been impressed by.  These just took up a lot of space on my hard drive and I didn't really look at them that often, which was a real shame.  I also wasn't that great at backing up my images and also sometimes I'd spot a design on my phone then I'd have to do some sort of convoluted screenshot/email type of deal which got annoying.

When I heard about Pinterest, a website where you can collect and share pictures from any website/device, I knew this would be the perfect solution to my problems - I can upload/link images from any device, it's all backed up, other people can see them and I can collect them in once place.  For me, out of all of the recent social media sites that have sprung up, Pinterest is by far my favourite. The other good thing about it is if you're browsing and see something pinned that you like/want to buy, then the pin links back to the source so you can see where the image first came from.

As a blogger, it's also a really great tool to publicise your blog, if you do fantastic nail designs or amazing eye make up then you can easily add your images on to Pinterest so that people can find them and get back to your blog to find out how to do it.

Here's a snippet of my nails board below (there are some of my own designs in there too, I don't dabble in nail art half as much as I used to), if you like it you can follow it here:

So, if you haven't already joined Pinterest, why not sign up here and start pinning?

Paperself Under the Sea lashes from TK Maxx

I fell in love with Paperself lashes a long time ago but resisted buying any because they're expensive, probably really fragile (and I'm really clumsy) and they're not something I could really see myself ever wearing.  They're so pretty though and the designs are ridiculously intricate.

I love the beauty, food, accessories and home sections in TK Maxx - I can't really cope with the clothes section, it's too jumble-saley and there's too much disappointment there for me when you spot something you love but can't find it in your size - but I need to be in the right mood and have enough time to have a proper root around.  I was passing through on my lunch break and spotted Paperself lashes in the beauty section for £7.99 - still not cheap but about £4 cheaper than their retail price.  They had a good variety of designs too but I exercised some self restraint and only bought this Under the Sea design.

The box was a little bit beaten up, but that didn't matter to me.  Something worth keeping in mind is that these don't come with glue so if you don't have any, you need to get some if you want to use these.  I used my trusty new find - Revlon Precision Lash Adhesive

If you can't find these in your local TK Maxx or you want a cheaper option, Stargazer are doing some paper lace lashes which are pretty similar.  I haven't tried these but you can see a review here.  Some of the designs are gorgeous and they're priced at a more purse-friendly £6 each.  Or if you've fallen in love with Paperself and want to try them out for yourself/see more designs, they're available from Beauty Bay*.

Also, I seem to have gone into eyelash overdrive since I got my lash extensions off - every other post is something to do with them at the minute!

Primark Letter Earrings Set - 3 pairs for £1.50

I first spotted these on Laurenella's blog - as an "L" name too these really appealed to my earring fetish plus at £1.50 for 3 pairs of earrings, all of which I liked, how could I say no!

My local Primark is a smaller one, there's a massive one in Manchester if I can be bothered to travel (usually no), so it can be a bit hit and miss.  It took two lunch break visits, a lot of rooting around and some help from a sales assistant but I eventually found the earrings and popped them in my basket.  There's a swirly gold pair, a diamante silve pair and chunky gold pair in the set.

I also popped another £40's worth of stuff into my basket - yes, £40 in Primark!  I bought work shoes, tights, knickers, some holiday clothes and some summer shoes for my boyfriend so I didn't feel like I'd been too ridiculous.  Still, I only went in for some earrings!

Available from Primark, £1.50 for set of 3 - there are plenty of other letter options if you don't have an L name too!

Revlon Precision Lash Adhesive

On a night out a little while ago, my friends were all raving about Revlon Precision Lash Adhesive.  To quote: "It goes on like an eyeliner so it isn't messy like a tube of glue and you won't even need to take it out with you as it keeps your lashes on all night...get the white one, not the black one, that one's rubbish."  As a loyal Duo devotee, this lash adhesive had totally passed me by.  I do like Duo, it lasts for ages but let's be honest, it stinks to high heaven and applying it from a big tube can get a bit messy at times.  It's still a good glue though.

So, in the interests of being an eyelash obsessive I ignored all advice and bought both the black and white glues to try out.  My friends were right about the black glue - it's a good idea in principle as it looks like eyeliner on so in theory you can skip the step of doing your eyeliner.  In reality, not so much, I found it got quite messy when you're repositioning the lashes to the right place on your eyes.  I did find a sneaky use for the black glue when I had my lash extensions on though, if I was getting to a point where there were a couple loose and my appointment wasn't until the following week, I'd "line" my top lashes with this to stick them in place and make it look like I had eyeliner on.  It was good as a temporary fix but it did make my next lash appointment a big of a nightmare as there was glue everywhere.

The white glue however, was amazing.  I used this in my recent Lovers of Lashes review and I have to say it was great, it was ridiculously easy to apply (as my friends said "like an eyeliner" with a little brush on the end of the stick that you just put on in a straight line), dried quickly and was invisible once it was on.  It kept my lashes on for well over 12 hours with no top ups and would probably have lasted even longer.  It doesn't have any sort of scent really either so it might actually be good for more sensitive eyes.  One thing I would say is that it kind of stays feeling a little bit tacky even when dry (the black one does the same), but whether that's to do with the make up I had on with it I don't know.

I found removing all traces of the glue needed a little bit of scrubbing but I think that's the case with most lash glues really.  They stick, it's what they do.

My friends were right and this will actually be my go-to false lash glue in future...I might actually give up my Duo as this glue smells better and applies more easily with no fuss.  High five Revlon, I never thought I'd change from using Duo with my lashes!  Revlon Precision Lash Adhesive is available from Superdrug* from £5.10.