Jewellery And H&M Heart Blusher Giveaway Winner Revealed

Hi Guys x Huge thanks to everyone that entered my latest giveaway x I really appreciate all your entries and I've really enjoyed reading all your comments and I'll definitely take some of your suggestions on board x

I received over 500 entries but there can only be one winner and that winner chosen randomly through Rafflecopter is..... drumroll.....

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Natalie Crossan 

Congratulations Natalie x I will be contacting you later tonight for your postal details x  

If you weren't lucky enough to win this time don't worry I may be launching another giveaway later tonight ;) Thanks for reading and thanks for following x 

Reflections and Positivity

Well I can safely say it's been an awful week on the little planet we call the earth, so many lives, all lost needlessly, in Norway, China and of course in Camden. All lives are precious no matter who, or how someone has lived their life, everybody is someones son or daughter, brother, sister or friend, and I don't think we should forget that x
Anyways looking forward with love and positivity, things are looking brighter in LouLouLand, I've had a bad few weeks if I'm honest, feel less than motivated, irritable and sometimes as if I'm wasting my time even bothering to blog. I don't know what triggered it but I've fell a little out of love with social media, and I've started to feel some of the pressures and irritations that it brings. So again, and yes I sound like a broken record I am going to focus on the positives, you may notice a slightly reduced twitter presence but I need to distance myself from some of the negative stuff that keeps occurring, when your not in a good place you need to keep yourself as happy as possible, so that's what I'm going to do x
Thankfully I'm feeling more positive about my blog now already I may not have as many followers as some people but the ones I have are super loyal and I really appreciate everyone of you x This week on LouLouLand you can expect to see quite a few posts including this months My Pure reviews, a NOTD, and hopefully the next installment in my Budget Beauty Series - I know I promised this one last week but I didn't anticipate the sheer amount of pictures that I had, lol I will probably end up splitting the post into two, I am nothing if not through lol
Anyways I am sorry if this post feels like a bit of a vest but sometimes you just need to let it out x Thanks for reading and above all thanks for following xx

Blog Sale Update and Giveaway Reminder

Hi Guys

Just to let you know that my latest blog sale update is now live :) Included in this listing are a few MAC products including some new items, some ELF, Eyeko, NYX and more - click here to check it out. I know there are a few issues with commenting on blogger at the moment so only if you can't manage to leave a comment and your interested in buying something send me an email to pootle28@hotmail.com with Blog Sale in the title saying which items you would like, the country your in and your paypal email address

Just a quick reminder too that you just have till 6pm tonight UK time to enter my Sigma giveaway - click here to enter - again only if you can't manage to comment send me an email to pootle28@hotmail.com with the words Sigma Giveaway in the title, make sure you include the answer to the question, the name you follow me with, and an email address. I will enter your names to the list in the order I received the mails when I draw the winner.

Hope your all OK with this any questions drop me an email or contact me on twitter xx

It Only Took 32 Years....

Well where do I start ? You may have noticed I've been AWOL, I'm sorry but I do have a good excuse honest which I'm sure you'll agree if you follow me on Facebook or Twitter ;) x Last Monday the heating engineers were coming to install our new heating system, the house was freezing so I decided to decamp to my Godparents for the day. All was going well a nice chat, warm cuppas then I decided to pop to the library -hmm bad move, last Monday we had more snow, and lots of ice, So I guess you can bet what happened.. I fell down and my leg bent underneath me with a sharp cracking noise. Eek I managed to crawl the short distance to my Godparents house where by this time I was feeling very faint and shaky, they managed to get me comfortable and my mum managed to collect me and bring me home - I could still move everything on my foot so after taking a few painkillers I tried to get some sleep. By the Tuesday morning though my foot didn't resemble a foot anymore swollen and every colour under the sun. So we headed off to the nearest hospital where after a bit of prodding it was revealed after 32 years I had my first ever broken bones :( I had spiral fractures to my right foot and ankle, and not only that but I would probably need surgery to realign it and put it all back together - I have to say at this point I nearly fainted again :( I was then transferred to the main hospital in my areas orthopedics department and after about 6 hours I was eventually found a bed. After a few days of I have to say vile food, attempted joint manipulation, and various periods of being nil by mouth I eventually had my operation on Friday, I have to say it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be bar the anesthetic which made me a bit sick. On Monday afternoon they let me go home with some walking frames, so you can now refer to me a hopalong ;) I can't put any weight on my foot for about 8 weeks :(. All that coupled with my ME means I'm feeling pretty crappy - my legs, back and arms ache and my nails, skin and hair are a disgrace - how the heck do you wash your face when you can't stand up without grabbing hold of something hmm I guess I'm going to have to learn a lot in the next month or so. So I'm back not quite with it but I'm here - I am going to start trying to get a few posts up over the next day or so but please be patient - I have hospital again next week to remove my clips and put on a full cast but otherwise I will be around I can't bend down or reach anything but I'll be here. Thanks for all the sweet messages I really appreciated it especially when I was stuck in a hospital bed - I dread to think what my phone bill is going to be - oh and thanks to my new followers too I logged on today expecting to have lost a few but there are actually more of you lovely peeps thank you so much xxx

A Thank You and A Mini ELF Haul

Afternoon my loves - I'd like to start off by thanking everyone for the lovely messages and kind words I received yesterday both on Facebook and on Twitter. In case you aren't aware yesterday was the 8th Anniversary of my Dad's death - For some reason it was much harder than in a few previous years at various points yesterday I was in a bit of a mess, my head full of regrets and what if's, stupid I know but I was pretty down, never the less some quality time with my mum and my fur babies, your lovely messages and a lovely Thinking Of You card from my bestie really lifted my spirits - Thank You xx

Anways my mountains of online Christmas pressie parcels are starting to come through - shopping online really is a god send for me - I usually only manage a handful of proper Christmas shops so being able to buy things online is a huge help. I ordered a few goodies from ELF for various friends and rellies and I bought a couple of things for me

First up one of the shimmer eyeliner pencils in Twinkle Teal  - a gorgeous teal/green colour - I love this shade and have quite a few pencils in theis shade but this one irl has more green leanings


It seems really soft too, here is a little swatch x

I also ordered one of the new Christmas nail polishes in Glitter Glam

a super silver glitter, it needs quite a few coats to achieve solid glitter but it is pretty

3 coats swatched on white paper

Two little treats for me equalling only £3 :)
Any questions please ask xx

MAC Moon River Swatches

I was talking to the lovely Amanda from Make Up Addict on twitter about MAC's Moon River Mineralize Blusher. Originally from the Grand Duos collection this is one of my favourite ever blushers - a perfect blend of peachy pink with lots of shimmer and an amazing name that almost makes me feel like singing a la Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffanys

The swatch on the left is the highlight side with the veining in pink and lilac, and the swatch on the right is the solid pink/peach colour

This swatch is of both sides swirled together

This is a really pretty blush and is one of the few things I have ever purchased a back up of - the shimmer may not be for everyone but I love it. Any questions please ask x

Blog Sale and Fellow Blogger Haulage and Tan Accelerator Thoughts

I got a few things this week that I bought from my fellow bloggers - you ladies and gents too are my biggest weakness. Always wanting to help a fellow blogger out a bought a few bits from the lovely Computergirl

A brand new MAC eyeshadow in Plum Dressing, some lovely jade stone earrings from Dorothy Perkins, and some cute star studs from George, she was also kind enough to throw in a free apple chapstick :) - thank you xxx

I also noticed a tweet from the lovely Kelly aka Happy 1234 saying that she was selling her new Maui Babe tan accelerator of course I jumped at her offer as I've heard lots about this one.
I love Steve Whatley's Zhuzh and the Elemis one but this sounded like something a bit new - you use the Elemis one for two weeks before you go away as a body lotion, and you use the Zhuzh wipes in a morning and the Zhuzh spray to top up when your actually in the sun. I think I am going to use my Zhuzh wipes in the morning as before and top up with the spray through the day but when I am going to the beach or by the pool I am going to put on a layer of Maui Babe and then top up with Zhuzh spray every time I reapply my SPF. The Zhuzh one is just a pleasant, fresh smelling milky liquid where as the Maui Babe is a brown toned lotion which smells of coffee - that's why I am going to just use it when I am wearing my cossie - I will of course let you know what I think when I come back - huge thanks to Kelly too x

Thank You Lydia

I received a little parcel on Saturday - I love parcels :) I recently mentioned on twitter that I was starting to get a dip in my MAC Mineralize Blush Duo in Moon River. The lovely Lydia said she had seen one in her nearest CCO and offered to pick one up for me - of course I said yes, Moon River is so pretty a lovely peach / pink shade and a lilac veined highlight colour. It came on Saturday and I am thrilled to have another one it's really wearable on my skin tone :)


I heard somebody say that it is pretty similar to the Mineralize Blush Duo from In The Groove - Hang Loose - does anyone have both to compare - I'd love to know - thanks in advance and a huge, huge thank you to Lydia xxx

No17 Prize Goodies

Boots No17 recently launched on both Facebook and twitter and I was lucky enough to be their 100th fan on Facebook so they very kindly sent me a goodie bag containing some of their lovely new nail polish colours

From left to right - High Gloss Nail Polishes in Miami and Sphinx, and Lasting Fix Nail Polishes in Mint Choc Chip and Tropical Island

Huge thank you to everyone at No17 - these are some gorgeous colours for summer and I can't wait to have a play xx You can expect to see these in nail of the day soon :) Any questions please ask xx

my boohoo shopping experience :) and a rant

Here's something new for you a rare fashion focused post.I recently had a chat with one of my lovely followers on twitter and facebook, the lovely Layna aka Glam Gemini - me and Layna go way back lol and the other day we had a chat about boohoo fashion and whether I'd ever bought anything from them. To be honest I've bought bits and pieces over the years but I've always found the quality a bit hitty missy but after receiving yet another email from them I decided to have another look and I'm glad that I did. The site is now much easier to search and much quicker to load than it used to be - in the past it was one of the worst designed sites I've ever used it was difficult to navigate and sooo slow to load - thankfully that's all changed. It loads much quicker and it easier to navigate - it's all split into sections including new beauty items and quirky things :) I decided to order a few bits mainly a couple of t-shirts

love the puff shoulders on this one

a gorgeous vest I believe the print design is called Amber and it comes in a few other items including a dress, and a long sleeved top -its gorgeous and so now

I also ordered a bandeau summer dress in gorgeous coral and purple / blue ombre design- it's a little shorter than I would have liked (that's the one I meant Layna ;)) but it will be a great for holidays or on the beach

So that was my little lot - I have to say I was super impressed with the quality this time - it had certainly improved compared to some of my previous orders with them, and I was also pleased to see that some items are available in a size 16. I did find that delivery took a little longer this time about 5 days but I took their UK Saver Delivery Option which was £3.99 you can also get next day delivery for £4.99 :) It's also good to see that they now deliver to Ireland and the majority of Europe now too and they now offer free returns - all in all I was pretty happy with my experience - check them out at boohoo
I wasn't paid or compensated by boohoo for this post and I paid for all my bits myself I just thought I'd let you know about my experience since it was a company that has often been mentioned.

OK sorry to alter the happy theme of my post but it's all connected so time for a little rant. I'm finding I'm having to do more of these lately I really don't know what's wrong with people. I've recently had a blog comment about my hauling (which I chose not to publish for their sake as well as my own) that upset me quite a bit, as many of you on twitter and facebook know, so I thought I'd better clarify a few points - first of all what I buy and specifically how I pay for it has nothing to do with anybody else and I don't have to justify or explain anything to anybody on here -You as my readers don't know about my financial or personal situation and I don't know about yours and that's the way it should be - I am doing nothing illegal or immoral by shopping despite what some people think - my blog is a happy place where I can try to forget some of the stresses of my everyday life and I want to keep it that way - if you leave a comment that offends me or upsets me then don't expect to have it published or to receive a personal reponse and if you don't want to read about my hauls or gifts I suggest you unfollow - my life, my blog, my rules
There are some lovely people out there in the blogging world and I am not going to let a few people ruin it - love you all xx

My ELF Studio Prize

I have to admit I am feeling absolutely dreadful today, and for once I don't think its anything to do with my ME. It feels like I have given in to some evil bug - yuck. Anyways as I told you yesterday I won a prize from the new ELF studio line on twitter, well it came this morning and I've managed to drag myself out of bed to give it a try - well you would wouldn't you ;)

The product I asked for was the Contouring Blush and Bronzing Powder :)which according to many is a dupe for NARS Orgasm and Laguna Duo.

Packaging first it came boxed


and it first glance the packaging and layout does seem very NARS esq the only difference is the NARS packaging is rubbery where is the ELF is more plastic


The product itself looks exactly like the NARS duo in its layout and the compact contains a large mirror which I love

Swatches - the bronzer especially looks quite scary here and quite pigmented but it seems to blend down quite well with a nice smooth texture

I can't compare it to Laguna so I'll leave that to someone who does have both colours but I do have Orgasm
Left - Orgasm - Right -ELF in both pics


They aren't the same but there is no doubt they are similar. the ELF product seems a tiny bit less glittery, and much more pink in tone, where as the Orgasm is more peachy and golden. I personally found the ELF product easier to swatch, it seems a bit more pigmented, and a lot smoother in texture than Orgasm which some people find a bit gritty. All in all they are a bit different but if you like the idea of Orgasm but find it a bit too sparkly, try this for £3.50 you really can't go wrong. I am certainly a happy Lou Lou. You can buy this from
I believe from the 27th of July.

Mini Spree

I managed to go for a little look out today so I decided to play hunt the St Moriz fake tan. This fake tan is gaining a cult status and has featured on numerous blogs and you tube videos. At only £2.99 for a 200ml bottle this product is not only a bargain but it is supposedly as good as, if not better than the St Tropez mousse - my HG fake tan! First of all I tried Home Bargains but all there was, was a huge space where it should have been:( I then remembered I had read somewhere that Boyes stores also stocked it - I wasn't disappointed they had a shelf full of it - so I nabbed 4 bottles - it may sound a bit excessive but if its as good as everyone says I'll want more ;)I'll let you know what I think either way

I also went to Superdrug and bought myself a few bits

Max Factor False Lash Waterproof Mascara - I have wanted to try this for ages and I need a waterproof mascara

Max Factor Colour Perfection Eyeshadow Duo- 455 Sparkling Sirus - a gorgeous dark blue and a silvery grey



and because I had spend more than £12 on Max Factor I got a free Max Factor Golden Summer Palette - this super cute palette with a mirror and a 2 in 1 applicator, includes 2 creamy blushes (which can be used on the lips) in Soft Murano, and Soft Copper, and 4 mini eyeshadows in Burnt Bark, Inca Bronze, Pale Pebble and Dawning Gold - what I love about all these items is that they all have there own little lids and can be removed from the palette for real portability - I love a good freebie :)

I also got Barry M lip paint in 101 Marshmellow

Some more nail polish remover pads and some moisturising gloves

and some super cute butterfly earrings


Oh and more good new I also won an ELF studio product via Twitter i can't wait for it to come :)

Look What I've Got

I received a lovely parcel of goodies this morning courtesy of handbag.com and twitter. All throughout May they ran a competition for people to give them their summer beauty tips - they picked one of my tips and I won a goodie bag :)
My parcel contained
A Full Size Elemis Tri Enzyme Resurfacing Gel Max (RRP £45!!!)
A Full Size John Frieda Frizz-Ease Heat Defeat Protective Styling Spray
A Full Size Charles Worthington Dream Hair Blissful Treat Intensive Conditioner
A 50ml Tub of Nivea Creme
A 30ml Bottle of Biotherm Biosource Clarifying Cleansing Milk
A Cute Little Clear Bag With Glitter Bits Floating Around In It Containing 50ml Wella System Professional Repair Cream Conditioner, 50ml Wella System Professional Repair Shampoo,50ml Wella System Professional Ultimation Hairspray

I am really pleased with my goodies and can't wait to play with my bits especially the Elemis mask

7 Days of Happiness? Hmmm

Apologies that I am so late with this, this week, but I haven't been feeling too good. Caring for my mum, and catering for my birthday party has certainly taken its toll on my ME ridden carcass. I managed to miss the match on Saturday and to be honest I just about survived these past few days - ME related pains have riddled my arms, shoulders and back leaving me relying far too much on Mr Painkiller :( Added to that the recurrence of my earache and a trip to the doctors tomorrow - this week and being 31 in general hasn't started too well. Still lots of things last week made me happy and I need to keep up my happy thoughts



1)My Birthday -OK being a year older isn't a lot to be cheerful about normally, but I got some lovely pressies most of which you have already seen, and I got some lovely wishes from people on chat forums, facebook and so on their are some nice people out there :)Pictured here is one of my pressies from my bestie -OK maybe not the most obvious pressie for a 31 year old but I love my bright, shiny balloon - reverting back to childhood is good :)

2)My Birthday Carrot Cake - Since my mum is still a bit incapacitated it was left to me to make my birthday cake - I used her gluten free carrot cake recipe with cream cheese frosting and I have to say it was a total success and tres yummy! The pic really doesn't do it justice


3) Minstrels - yummy, yummy, yummy haven't had these for ages but I have just rediscovered them - Oh wow chocolate heaven - why haven't I shown these more love!

4)My Smashbox Stuff - Loving those nude lip liners especially - great colours and a good texture

5) Once again you - thanks again to you for following me on here and on twitter - it's very much appreciated and a big hello to my new followers x

7 Days - Relief, Baking and More

Its been an odd 7 days for lots of reasons but we are back to normal - well there or therabouts but in the last 7 days lots of things have still made me happy

1)My mum getting out of hospital - much of my up and down week was due to my mum being in hospital - her operation was a success but she had a bit of inflamation so they ended up keeping her in for an extra few days - but shes back now at home recuperating. Me and my mum are really, ridicuously close - probably something to do with me being an only child and I have to say I really missed her - On my bad ME days she really is my rock and I am so pleased shes back I really rely on her so much at times and probably take her for granted but I can't imagine life without her

2)Chocolate Caramel Nuggets - I have seen this recipe posted on a few foodie blogs namely Penelope's Pantry and originally Cherrapeno All I can say is thank you ladies! I mangaged to adapt the recipe pretty well with gluten free flour, and a touch of Xanthan gum, although I did find I needed some more liquid. Apologies that there are no pictures but there isn't any left but don't worry I will definitely be making these again :)

3) ELF Moisture Care Lip Colour - Baby Lips <3 - My first ELF purchase and its love with this item. I am loving the colour and the finish and the fact it doesn't leave my lips dry - a winner!


4) I've made loads of nice purchases this week but one had really stood out - OPI -Done Out In Deco Nail Polish - Apologies I can't get a good picture but there are plenty out there I've borrowed this one from ASOS- it is in fact a gorgeous creamy lilac - a perfect match for my new Mary Quant Eyeshadow

5) I made quite a juvenile purchase this week a copy of Hello Kitty magazine / comic - Ok its probably for 8 year olds but it came with a fabulous free gift a Hello Kitty mobile / iPod sock. How could something this cute by tacky :)


6) The final thing that has made my super happy is you - my blog readers thank you so much for everybody that has started to follow me both here and on twitter and for all the nice comments regarding my blog. I really, really appreciate it I never thought for one minute anybody would be interested in my ramblings - a huge, huge thank you and big love to you all x

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