Marks And Spencer - The Ultimate Beauty Advent Calendar - Days 1-12

For me it wouldn't be Christmas without an advent calendar. I don't think it matters how old you are, opening those little doors and counting down the days to the 25th December never loses it magic. I always remember having an advent calendar when I was a child, there was no chocolate or treats behind each door, just a little festive picture, with a sprinkling of glitter if you were lucky, that made you even more excited for the big day.

Although you can still get plain paper and card advent calendars, nowadays we're more accustomed to finding a little piece of chocolate or a sweetie behind each door. I can't remember when the chocolate advent calendar trend started but I know I never needed an excuse to eat chocolate before breakfast!

I suppose it was a natural progression to start putting other things behind the doors and this year alone I've seen advent calendars filled with LEGO, candles, treats for your pets and of course beauty products. I've had a few beauty calendars over the years and as a total beauty junkie I love the excitement of finding and trying new products. As a household we have four advent calendars this year, a chocolate filled one each for me and Mummy Lou, a one filled with cat treats for my furry friends and I was also lucky enough to get my hands on The Ultimate Beauty Advent Calendar from Marks And Spencer.

Value wise this one was probably one of the best when it came to beauty calendars. With a contents value of around £200, this calendar was just £25, when you spent £25 on beauty at M&S. Marks and Spencer have really upped their beauty game lately selling brands such as L'Occitane, Pixi,and Leighton Denny so believe me it wasn't hard to spend £25.

When you think about advent calendars you normally think of trying to pry open that perforated door to see what's inside, this one is a bit different though; Instead of opening doors, you get a beautiful clear topped cardboard box which contains 24 mini numbered boxes. Although opening doors is more traditional I love this idea and if your really sneaky, you could potentially use it again next year and fill the boxes yourself.

The calendar contains a variety of both full size and sample size beauty treats from both Marks And Spencer's own label brands, and some of the brands that they now stock in their new look beauty departments.

I'm a couple of days late with this one but I thought you might like to see the goodies that I've found in my calendar so far,,

Days 1 - 3

  Day 1 - Philip Kingsley Elasticizer - Geranium & Neroli - 40ml

     Day 2 - Burts Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream - 15g - Full Size

Day 3 - Cowshed Grumpy Cow Uplifting Body Lotion - 100ml

Days 4 - 6

Day 4 - Pur Volume Vixen 4 In 1 Mascara - 4.8ml

Day 5 - Leighton Denny Renovate Nail Repair Cream - 10ml - Full Size

Day 6 - Rosie For Autograph Nuit Parfum EDP - 15ml

Days 7 - 9

Day 7 - Rituals Zensation Organic Rice Milk And Cherry Blossom Foaming Gel Sensation - 50ml

Day 8 - Pure Super Grape Day Cream - 30ml

Day 9 - Laboratoires Filorga Time Filler Absolute Wrinkle Correction Cream - 15ml

Days 10 - 12

Day 10 - Neals Yard Remedies Frankincense Nourishing Cream - 25g

Day 11 - Josh Wood Colour Full Bodied Shampoo - 50ml

Day 12 - Diego Dalla Palma Il RossettoThe Lipstick No.46 - 4.7g - Full Size

I'm really pleased with the contents so far, there are a couple of things that I might not use but they can easily be passed on, or gifted. My highlights of the first 12 days are definitely the Diego Dalla Palma Lipstick which is a beauitful pink / mauve shade, and the Philip Kingsley Elasticizer which smells amazing, but I'm looking forward to trying some new things and revisiting a couple of things that I've used in the past. I'm definitely going to be reviewing the lipstick and the Elasticizer but if you would like to see  reviews of anything else please let me know. I will be posting Days 13 -24 on Christmas Eve but if you want to know what goodies were behind the doors before then, then make sure your following me on Instagram x If you have any questions please leave me a comment and I'll see you soon xx

Charlotte Tilbury Mini Lipstick Charms - An Ideal Gift

In my opinion Charlotte Tilbury has probably been the high end make up brand of 2015. Launched in 2014, world famous make up artist Charlotte Tilbury's line has already achieved iconic status. Her range just screams quality and class from every pore. Packaged in deep burgundy, gold and rose gold toned packaging, this beautiful range is majorly lust worthy.

Unfortunately such beauty doesn't come cheap, and for me it's a brand that's something to aim towards, rather than something that I would buy everyday. Christmas is a time to treat yourself though, and this year I decided to treat myself to a little something from the Charlotte Tilbury stable.

Source

I'm not a fan of using stock images but thanks to awful lighting and a beautiful product that just needs to be shown, in this case I'll make an exception. The Charlotte Tibury KISSING Fallen From The Lipstick Mini Lipstick Charms Set is a limited edition kit that's specially designed for the festive season, and for me it was a perfect way to lose my Charlotte Tilbury virginity.

Source

Slide open this beautiful, metallic, burgundy box, with rose gold embossed text and stars and you're greeted with three beautifully packaged teeny, tiny lipsticks.

These lipsticks may be tiny, but no expense has been spared. Each 1g lipstick is packaged in a stunning rose gold tone bullet, which is embossed with the Charlotte Tilbuy CT logo, and lots of tiny little stars. This kit contains lipstick charms so each of the lipsticks also features a satin ribbon on the lid which means that you can tie them to your Christmas tree branches or you could even attach them to your keyring.

This kit includes 3 of Charlotte Tilbury's most popular lipsticks from the KISSING range - Penelope Pink, So Marilyn and Bitch Perfect. All of the lipsticks in the KISSING range contains a secret ingredient - the Lipstick Tree, which is an antioxidant that protects the lips from UV damage and external pollution. They also contain a variety of waxes and light diffusing properties.

All of these lipsticks feel super smooth and creamy on the lips. They have a slight vanilla taste, and scent and the colour just seems to glide on and perfect even the driest of lips. The wear time wasn't amazing but I have no problem reapplying such a lovely lipstick with such a glossy finish, and such a nourishing and moisturising feel.

Penelope Pink

All of these lipsticks are beautiful in their own way but Penelope Pink has to be my favourite. On hearing the name I thought that this would be a very Lady Penelope from Thunderbirds pink  - oh Parker indeed, but in fact it's a beautiful  peachy pink / nude.

It's creamy, pigmented and it's absolutely perfect for everyday wear. That said this lipstick could easily take you from day to night - simply wear it with a neutral eye during the day, and vamp it up with a smokey eye at night.

So Marilyn

I'm going to be honest and say that red lipsticks terrify me, and this one was no exception, but sometimes you need to be brave and this is the perfect season to experiment with a red lip.

So Marilyn is your typical, vampy, Hollywood starlet, berry red. It's smooth and super creamy, so I'm not sure how well it will fare under the mistletoe, but it apply it careful maybe with a lip brush and you have the perfect shade to wear with your party frock. I've only tried this out so far but I think I might be brave and team it with my Christmas day all black outfit.

Bitch Perfect

This was one of the first Charlotte Tilbury lipsticks that I added to my wishlist and I'm really pleased to finally have it in my possession. Bitch Perfect is one of those brown toned nudes, with just a hint of peach and warmth that you need in your collection.

I already have about a zillion in my stash but this one is a welcome addition. It looks quite similar to Penelope Pink in the tube but as you can see here, it darker, warmer, and much more of a solid colour. Again it very wearable and very moisturising.

Admittedly these lipsticks are tiny at only 1g each, but they are a great way of trying the Charlotte Tilbury KISSING range. If the full sizes are anywhere near as good as these minis then the KISSING lipsticks really are a must have. They are smooth, creamy, pigmented and beautifully moisturising - wear time maybe isn't the best but these lipsticks are a real joy to use, and the packaging is amazing. The Charlotte Tibury KISSING Fallen From The Lipstick Mini Lipstick Charms Set retails at £29 from both John Lewis and Charlotte Tilbury online and from Charlotte Tilbury counters and the stand alone store. They are still pricey for the size but I think that this kit would make a fabulous gift for any make up addict so to celebrate the festive season I've picked up an extra set to give away to one of my lucky readers.

All you need to do is fill in the Rafflecopter form below and you're in the hat. Please make sure that fulfil all the conditions and follow in all the ways that you say because I will be checking. This giveaway is open worldwide and ends on the 3rd January 2016 so you've got plenty of time to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you have any questions, or if you want to share the Charlotte Tilbury love please leave me a comment, and good luck x 

Nails Inc - Tate Giveaway Winners Announced

Hi Guys x I hope you've all had a good week so far x I've been a busy bee this week hanging curtains, taking photographs and finishing my Christmas shopping. I'm currently attempting to put together an artificial Christmas tree - frustrating as hell and I need a break so I thought I'd take a couple of minutes out to pick the winners of my recent Nails Inc giveaway. I have two bottles to giveaway so using Rafflecopter I picked two winners who are....

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sarah Louise

And 

Melissa Lee

Congratulations ladies x I've sent you both an email so please send me your details asap and I'll get your prizes sent out to you before Christmas x 

If you couldn't enter this time round or you weren't lucky enough to win this tie round don't worry x My big Christmas giveaway launches this Saturday and although it's just the one prize believe me this is something that you will want to win x So make sure your following all of my social media channels for more chances to win x I've been a bit quiet on the blog this week but I've uploaded two videos to my You Tube channel and a couple of pictures to Instagram, so you'll always find me somewhere on the interweb x Thanks for reading and of course for following xx 

Another Small Primark Haul - Clothes, Jewellery And More

Although we all seem to be shopping for other people at the moment, it's important to treat yourself every now and then. I wouldn't go as far as to see I believe in the one for you, one for me philosophy but at this time of year we need to show ourselves a little bit of love. I don't need an excuse to go shopping but I've been in Primark quite a few times lately picking up the odd pressie and it goes without saying that I picked up a few things for myself.

These carnival style LED lights have been one of the big home trend of 2015, and it's a trend that I've loved. I never managed to get my hands on the Primark star but after a lot of searching I managed to get my hands on this Love sign.

This was just £12 and I think it's well worth the money. It's made of an off white coated metal, and it goes perfectly with the white star that I got  a little from 24Studio (you can see a picture of it here). I'm not quite sure where I'm going to put it yet but the fact that it's battery operated gives me a few different options.

Primark has some gorgeous clothes in at the moment, and I'm currently lusting after their long line knitted waist coats, and their sparkly party wear, but sometimes you just need to say NO and show a little bit of restraint. Despite wanting to buy half the store when it came to clothing I only bought two jumpers.

Okay I didn't really need another Christmas jumper but look Gingerbread people, how could I resist, especially when it was reduced from to just £7.90. It's got a nice thickness to it and I love the applique button eyes and the pom poms on the hat.

From a happy Christmas jumper to something plain, and a bit uninteresting in comparison.

I'm going to be honest with I picked this up and put it down twice, before taking the risk and leaving it on the rail. The trouble was I couldn't stop thinking about it so next time I went to Primark I headed straight for it and luckily they had one left in my size.

This is a very lightweight, soft, oversized black jumper that's longer at the back than it is at the front. Initially it looks quite boring at first glance but look at it more closely and you all sorts of different design details. It actually has a ruched crossover detail at the front. It looks nothing on the hanger but it's one of those tops that just looks right. It is quite sheer so you need to wear something underneath it but it looks great as a layering piece over leggings or skinny jeans. It was tagged at £9 but when I got to the till it was just £8 - a complete bargain for something I know I will get a lot of wear out of.

Black is such a practical colour when it comes to clothing and accessories, it with absolutely everything, and it's a real wardrobe essential. I already have black gloves, scarves, and hats but I didn't have a black snood, in fact I didn't even own a snood. They are so practical though you can use them as a scarf, and you can pull them up and use them over your head. This one is just in a plain black, soft touch knit and it was just £2.

That was it for clothing, home wear and accessories, but I did buy a few jewellery pieces, including this necklace.

You can't see this piece too well unfortunately, but this necklace is from the newish Opia Rose range. Rose gold is so popular at the moment and if you can't afford the real thing this line gives you the look without the price tag. It's a lovely copper tone and this plaque necklace was just £2.

I love both delicate necklaces and chunky pieces, but at the moment I'm in a delicate, layering piece phase. This thin gold, tone chain features a small gold tone disc, which is embossed with a small gold heart. It was reduced to just 50p.

Something that I love but that I don't wear often enough is rings. During my university years I was one of those girls that wore a ring on every finger but these days rings are for high days and holidays. That needs to change though and in 2016 one of my aims is to wear a lot more of my jewellery and to work my way through my extensive ring collection. So starting as I mean to go on, I couldn't resist adding a few pieces.

This one is just a chunky gold tone, geometric band which is set with a large grey, marble effect acrylic stone. This one was just £1.50.

The other ring that I got was a little bit more expensive at £2.50 but you are getting real semi precious stones. I'm a huge sucker for Tigers Eye, and this gold tone, double band effect ring, contains both a round Tigers Eye stone and an almost Planet Earth like, cloudy blue stone with could be Sodalite. They also do a matching necklace and some matching earrings, which I may have bought Mummy Lou for Christmas :)

The final thing that I got in Primark was something else that would be great for gifting -  Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Lip Balm

These individual twist up balms are just £1.50 but they also have a couple of gift sets in store. I'm not 100% sure about how good this will be for the lips, but it such a sweet taste, it could definitely help with those chocolate and sweet cravings.

So that was my latest little Primark haul, as I say they have a lot of good stuff in at the moment, including lots of gifting options and of course lots of things to treat yourself with. I've made a little video to accompany this haul so don't forget to take a peek and subscribe to my channel x



Thanks for reading and hopefully watching and I'll see you soon with more posts and more videos x

Hello Kitty Stationery Set Winner Revealed

Hi Guys x Apologies for the slight delay but it's now time to announce the winner of my Hello Kitty Elvis Stationery Set giveaway x

There are obviously a lot of Hello Kitty and Elvis Presley fans out there because I had nearly 600 entries but unfortunately there can only be one winner and that winner which was picked randomly by Rafflecopter is....

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Jess Woods 

Congratulations Jess x I've sent you an email so if you can get back to me asap I'd be really grateful. If you weren't lucky enough to win this time don't worry - my Nails Inc giveaway is still live, and I may have a little festive giveaway launching next week - I'm not telling you what you can win yet but I'll give you a clue - initials CT ;) Keep following, follow if you aren't already and I'll see you on Monday with a haul post xx 

Sukin Cleansing Hand Wash - A Review For My Pure*

Yesterday I washed my hands 16 times - is that normal? I'm not sure what the average is - I guess it depends of your circumstances and your lifestyle but it's something that we all do numerous times a day without even thinking about it. I don't need to tell you how important it is to wash you hands, but in this post maybe I'm going to make you think about what you use to do it.

What do you normally use to wash your hands when your at home? Please, please don't tell me that you still use a bar of soap - I don't know what it is but bars of soap at a communal sink makes me feel slightly sick! Thankfully the majority of people now seem to be embracing a more hygienic solution and are using either a liquid soap or a specialised hand wash.

As much as I love some of the fruity, and novelty fragranced  hand washes, they aren't always that good for the skin. They can contain a lot of harsh foaming agents, and whilst they leave your hands feeling clean, they can often leave them feeling dry, tight and a sore, which is a big no no especially at this time of year. Although the worst of the weather is still to come, my hands are already showing signs of winter dryness, so as well as layering on the cuticle oil, and the hand cream, I decided to switch up my hand washes and try something new from My Pure.

One of the best things about My Pure is that the site stocks so many unusual and niche, natural brands that are hard to find elsewhere, I've been introduced to so many brands via the site and this month I'm trying a product from another new one, Sukin.

Founded in Melbourne, Australia in 2007, Sukin is a family business that produces a wide range of affordable, effective and high quality natural skin, body and hair care, products using only the finest quality botanical extracts and essential oils.

The product that I tried was the Sukin Cleansing Hand Wash. which is designed for all skin types but specifically for hard working hands that are prone to dryness. It is sulphate, mineral oil and paraben free, and it's suitable for vegans. It contains a huge array of natural extracts, and ingredients and natural foaming agents. It also contains moisturising oils of jojoba and avocado, soothing aloe vera extract and hydrating rosehip. It also contains a variety of different citrus oils, and lavender for its anti-bacterial properties.

Packaged in a dark plastic pump action bottle, the hand wash is clear in colour (the product contains no artificial colourings), and has a thin, gel like texture. Simply add a little bit to some warm water and you get a gentle lather, that feels creamy on the skin and rinses away with out any dryness, leaving the skin clean and silky soft. This wash has a gentle scent, with subtle lavender, citrus, and herbal hints and it leaves the hands smelling clean and fresh.

One of Mummy Lou's biggest bug bears is hand washes that have too strong a scent. Anything goes in the bathroom, but in the kitchen you want something that will cleanse the hands and remove food odours without overpowering or tainting food. If you're the same, this is the hand wash for you, it cleanses the skin, and leaves it feeling soft, and subtly scented.

Yes you could probably pick up a hand wash for less than a pound but what your getting here is an excellent quality product, from a cruelty free and ethical company, that does what it promises. Sukin Cleansing Hand Wash retails at £8.12 for a 250ml bottle from My Pure. If you have any questions please let me know x Thanks for reading x

*Sample

Trimming My Stash - November 2015 Edition - Empties And Mini Reviews

I'm a few days late with this one but never the less welcome to December. Despite it's often rubbish weather, its stresses and its strains, December is probably my favourite month of the year - I love Christmas and I love spending time with my family so it really is the perfect month for me especially when I'm feeling a bit mehh and need something to look forwards to.

November was a pretty sucky month in a lot of ways so I had a lot of showers and created as many pampering opportunities for myself  as I could and that's something that's definitely reflected in my November empties.

AVON Senses Wonderland Warm And Welcoming Shower Gel - 250ml

Decelor Creme Exfoliante Exfoliating Body Care - 50ml

Beauticology Sweet Gingerbread Body Wash - 50ml

The Body Shop Vanilla Spice Shower Gel - 250ml

Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Wash - 500ml

Aldi Lacura Balancing Day Cream For Oily And Combination Skin - 50ml

St Tropez Tan Optimiser Body Polish - 120ml

MAC Prep + Prime Transparent Finishing Powder - 9g

Total - 8 Items

November was pretty much all about body care, and if this empties list is to be believed I must have the cleanest and smoothest skin on planet earth! It wasn't all about scrubs and body washes though, I did manage to finish a skincare product and a make up item so despite being down on last months total I'm still pretty pleased.

1. AVON Senses Wonderland Warm And Welcoming Shower Gel - 250ml

Towards the end of the month I switched my shower products up a bit and I started introducing some of my festive scents. There were a few half finishing products left over from last year and this shower gel from AVON was one of them. This had a lovely fruity, spicy fragrance, that just screamed Christmas, it was full of citrus and apple scents coupled together with nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon. Alas AVON haven't made this product, this time round but I would definitely recommend their Snowman shaped bath soaks if you get the chance to give them a go.

2. Decelor Creme Exfoliante Exfoliating Body Care - 50ml

Even though I'm not exactly flashing my limbs around at the moment, I'm an avid body scrub user all year round. I found this during the bathroom renovation and I have to say I really enjoyed using it. This product is perfect for this time of year, it has a soft and creamy, subtle, almost shea butter scent and it feels fabulous on the skin. It's quite abrasive but the grains as suspended in a lovely, rich and creamy base, that seems to nourish the skin while you scrub. This scrub isn't cheap but it's something I wouldn't hesitate to repurchase and from someone who normally prefers oily, salt scrubs that's high praise indeed.

3. Beauticology Sweet Gingerbread Body Wash - 50ml

Another mini and another festive fragrance - this little body wash  is from Baylis & Harding's diffusion line Beauticology. This thick sparkly gel foams easily, and produces a lovely foam and a lovely subtle, and spicy, foodie gingerbread scent. I actually have another one of these to use up but if you're looking for a quirky, yet affordable beauty gift this Christmas, then I would definitely check out this product and the whole Beauticology line which is available from various retailers including Debenhams, Boots, and independent chemists.

4.The Body Shop Vanilla Spice Shower Gel - 250ml

Ahhh one of my favourite ever festive fragrances from The Body Shop - Vanilla Spice has a warm vanilla scent which is peppered with nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon, to give it that irresistible, Christmas baking type aroma. They aren't doing this fragrance and any of it's other reincarnations this year though, so I'll just have to stock up on the years fruit based offerings - I already love the apple, and cranberry scents and I can't wait to have a sniff of the new Frosted Plum fragrance. The Body Shop always do Christmas so well and I'm sure this year will be no exception.

5. Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Wash - 500ml

This body wash or rather the Sugar Crush fragrance in general has achieve an almost cult following over the years and it's not hard to see why. This super creamy body wash has the fabulous Sugar Crush fragrance - this fruity lime and citrus blend isn't as bright or as zingy as you think and to me it almost has a vanilla like warmth. I love it and I will continue to buy it and I'm hoping that I might find a bottle under my Christmas tree in 22 days time ;)

6. Aldi Lacura Balancing Day Cream For Oily And Combination Skin - 50ml

My favourite moisturiser is Elemis Pro Collagen Marine Cream - there is not a thing that I don't like about it bar maybe the price tag. It's something that I always ask for, for birthdays and for Christmas because quite simply I can't always justify buying it myself. QVC deals help but sometimes a budget option is the only way and this one in my opinion is one of the best. It's cheap, it smells nice, it has a light texture and it absorbs quickly. I really do like but unfortunately it doesn't seem to be a regular stock item so I always stock up when I see it. Alas this was my last bottle, I do have one of the very, similar shimmery versions in my stash but I'm hoping upon hope that it makes a comeback.

7. St Tropez Tan Optimiser Body Polish - 120ml

This scrub was something that I picked up in Poundland of all places. I think it's discontinued now which probably explains it but I have to be honest and say even at a pound I wasn't overly impressed with it. It wasn't gritty enough, it took a bit of rinsing and I didn't like the smell. It was worth trying but that was about it 

8. MAC Prep + Prime Transparent Finishing Powder - 9g

A little while ago now, face powders that were white in appearance but had a translucent finish were the way to set your make up. When they first came out they were only available in high end lines but thankfully now they're available at all different price points. This one from MAC was one of the first ones that I ever saw. A little goes a long way and despite the fact that it can look a little floury at first, it blends nicely and leaves a nice matte finish. I do like this but at £20.50 I can't justify a repurchase at the moment, so over the next few months or so I'm going to be trying out a more budget, friendly alternative, but in the meantime I have another Back To MAC product so it's free lipstick time :)

As you can see it was a pretty shower product heavy month but it's always nice to finish things that have been hanging around for a while, even if you can't replace them. December is always a busy month but I'm hoping that I can finish the year with a bang, I'm already nearly out of a nail polish remover and a foundation so fingers crossed I can finish a nice mix of products. I hope you found this post useful, let me know if you have any questions and have a fab December x 

Festive Nails From FNUG - A Review For My Pure*

I so, so nearly called this post frustration from FNUG but I didn't think that it was altogether fair. I've become a bit of a fan of this Danish nail brand over the last 12 months or so, so for one of November's My Pure reviews I thought that I'd review one of their more festive, appropriate polishes

Chictopia Nail Polish by FNUG is one of the most beautiful colours that I've seen in a long time, but it's also one of the most frustrating polishes that I've ever used.

I have no issue with the formulation but arghhhhh when it comes to photographing it this colour has nearly driven me up the wall. It's beyond beautiful, it a gorgeous metallic, shimmery, pink, red which is shot through with loads and loads of ultra fine, glittery gold sparkle. 

Try as I might though I just can't do this justice, you can see the pink and red tones in these pictures but the gold glitter that gives it an almost bronzed, glitter look in certain lights can barely be seen :(

Thankfully though the formulation was first class. This 3 free polish, which is crammed full of vitamins and caviar extract was a little bit thick but it applied smoothly and dried quickly. With careful application you could probably get away with one coat but this as per usual is two. Unlike a lot of glitters this one has a smooth glossy finish and it's pretty easy to remove. 

My pictures really are a bit of a fail so I've recorded a tiny bit of footage so you can see the colour change and hopefully you can see a bit more of the gold sparkle effect.

It's so annoying when things look better in real life but if you really want to see how gorgeous this colour is, then all I can suggest is that you buy it and try it for yourself ;) It's a lovely colour for the festive and party season, It's a little  bit different from the classic red and the gold sparkle just takes it to another level. This shade also looks amazing with rose gold so if your a fan of this on trend metal then either pick up a bottle for yourself and leave a little note for Santa and you never know x FNUG Nail Polish in Chictopia retails at £12 for an 8.5ml bottle from My Pure x  Thanks for reading and if you have any comments please let me know xx

*Sample