And Then There Were Two...

I said in one of my previous posts (you can read it here) that things tend to happen in threes, well that statement has certainly come back to haunt me. After a broken phone, and a broken tooth I asked the questions what else could go wrong so early in the year, well how about you throw a broken heart into the mix as well.

Jake, my chubby, stripy, spotty, soft, and lovable tabby - if you followed me on Twitter for a while, then you'll know that for the last few years my beautiful boy has had a few health problems which every now and then need a little bit of surgical intervention. If you're a pet owner then you'll know that, it can be pretty stressful when your fluff ball is unwell but with this one he always seemed to come out the other side as right as rain and clamouring for cuddles and food, so when he had to go to the vets yesterday for the usual procedure we weren't any more worried then normal. We left him at the surgery and we were told to ring up after 4 if we hadn't heard anything, as I say we weren't too worried so we just got on with our day, I did some editing and early in the afternoon, Mummy Lou went to the hairdressers, she'd barely been back in the house 5 minutes and the phone rang..

To put it bluntly when they'd sedated him for his surgery Jake's breathing hadn't been right, so they examined him and then gave him a scan and found that his lungs were full of fluid, and there was a large tumour in his chest. We then had to make the hardest decision that a pet owner has to make, but in the end there wasn't really a choice, draining his lungs would have given him a week at most, and ultimately he may have ended up being in pain, so we made the decision to let him slip away peacefully and without pain.

To say our hearts are broken is an understatement, and at the moment the 11 and a half years that we spent with him seems nowhere near long enough, he was a beautiful boy to look at his marking were symmetrical, and perfect, and his personality was damn near perfect too, he was a touch stubborn, be he loved strokes, snuggles, and snuffles but his real love wasn't us it was food, from luncheon meat, to sausages to chicken you name it and he would eat it, and he would steal it (that's why we have child locks on our fridge!)

The last few years with him were hard at times (and dare I say it a bit smelly) and I can't say I didn't always fear the worst every time he went to the vets but the fact that the tumour wasn't in any way related to the health problems that he'd been having, makes it a little bit more unexpected. but at the same time just as painful.

Animals are perceptive beings - from the minute the phone rang it was almost as if these two knew that something was wrong, in a strange way I think they realised that he'd gone but they're still wandering around the house looking lost, almost as if they're looking for him. I'm sure they will both be a great comfort to both each other though, and us in the weeks and months ahead.

So many people say that they're just animals but they're not- they really do become part of the family and yesterday I lost a little part of mine and a little bit of my heart too - Rest in peace Jake xxx

An Announcement On My You Tube Future, And An Unboxing Video

Next month my blog celebrates it's 12th birthday - sometimes it's hard to believe that I've been blogging for so long, I've seen some many amazing bloggers come and go in that time, but some how I've managed to keep at it and stick it out.

It hasn't always been an easy ride, in the last few years especially I've found it hard to stay motivated, and sometimes I've started to wonder if it's all worth while. Life and my health really have started to get in the way at times, and my blog has definitely suffered, posting has been sporadic at best and as a result, my blog hasn't grown in quite the way that I wanted it to. It's a vicious circle I guess, you don't post, you don't get views, you miss out on opportunities and you feel as though you've let people down, and as result you wonder if it's all worthwhile, and if it's worth ploughing energy that you don't really have into something that's on a downhill slide, so you don't post, and the circle continues.

The easiest option would be to give it up, but I don't want to do that, I've worked too damn hard to get as far as I have, and unlike a lot of people who've say they've fallen out of love with writing, I haven't, I still enjoy writing, using my brain a bit, and the whole blogging process, I want to keep going and despite the likelihood that life is still going to get in the way, in 2019 I want to be a better blogger and I want to push my blog on, like I know that I can. In order to do that though, I'm going to have to make some sacrifices, and unfortunately one of them is going to be my You Tube channel.

For 9 years now, I've regularly posted videos to my You Tube channel, I've posted everything from cat videos, to holiday snapshots, to unboxing's and hauls, and it's something that I've really enjoyed doing. Despite the odd nasty comment, I've really found that it's boosted my confidence, and it's given me another way to express myself. For whatever reason though my channel never really hit the heights that I wanted it too, and I found it incredibly difficult to grow any sort of following on You Tube, despite my own perceived failings in that sense though, I achieved enough views to earn a little bit of money from my videos, which was an added incentive to keep at it. Alas like so many small You Tubers policy changes meant that I lost the ability to monetise my videos, I wasn't earning a lot by any means but it as I say it gave me a reason to continue; Around the same time coincidental or not my views dropped like a stone and any form of interaction pretty much dried up.

I've gave it the benefit of the doubt for quite a few months now and I've kept at it, but given the time and the energy (that I don't really have) that it takes me to film, edit and upload even a short video, I've came to the conclusion that I could put both my time and my energy to better use. So after 9 years, I've decided at least in the short term to call it quits on You Tube. I've given it my best shot but at the end of the day I think the odds were always against me. I won't be deleting my You Tube channel so by all means stay subscribed and watch a few of my videos if you haven't already but for the foreseeable future I won't be posting any new videos.

So now that my You Tube channel is officially on hold, hopefully now I can give my blog all the love, time, attention and energy that it deserves. A lot of the content that I produced for my You Tube channel such as favourites videos, and unboxings will translate pretty well into blog posts, so you can look forward to lots of new posts and different types of content, including some unboxing posts, the first of which should be live next week x In the meantime though don't forget to watch my You Tube back catalogue, and please have a little watch of my last video where I'm unboxing the December 2018 edition of Pink Parcel x You can watch below or via this link x



Thank you as per usual for watching, reading and for all your support x

Trimming My Stash - December 2018 Edition - Empties, Mini Reviews, A 2018 Round Up And A Life Update

Since this is my first post of 2019, I'd like to start it off by wishing you all a very Happy New Year x I had originally intended to keep on posting right through the Christmas and New Year holiday, but I changed my plans slightly and decided to take a bit of extra time out, for me and mine, and do you know what? I'm glad I did! Coping with chronic illness at the best of times is a struggle, but at Christmas time, that struggle seems to be amped right up, and even though I didn't do a lot of extra work or socialising by some peoples standards, by Boxing Day all I wanted was my bed, so I took a few unplanned days off to recharge my batteries enough to enjoy a bit of extra rest and a bit of extra family time.

I'm not a fan of going out on New Years Eve, it's hard when you can't drink much, and you don't have the energy to stand or dance all night, so I saw 2019 in, in front of the TV, in my PJ's with Mummy Lou, some fizz and some nibbles - simple pleasures! Despite the usual optimism at midnight, 2019 hasn't actually started off that well if I'm being honest - case in point, 2 days into the new year, and thanks to a jar of marmalade I managed to shatter my iPhone screen in several dozen pieces! My poor phone didn't look pretty at all and within a couple of seconds it became pretty much useless. The obvious option was to get it fixed but after being blessed with some Christmas money, and being able to upgrade my mobile phone contract, I took the plunge and got myself a shiny new iPhone X. It has a few quirks that I'm not quite used to yet but I'm getting there and I'm slowly falling in love with an inanimate object! Is that wrong? LOL probably but the battery lasts longer, everything seems quicker, and the camera is well on point, oh and I even managed to sell on my poor little 6S, so bar my bank balance being a little depleted, and a couple of stressful moments, I dealt with it and moved on.

I wish I could say the same thing about my poor little tooth though - For a change I had a really productive day on Friday I took some photos, did some editing, and sorted out the music on my new phone, by the time it got to 4pm though I was a bit tired so in true spoonie style I went for a quick Nana nap, or should that be a spoonie siesta? You know the story though my hours rest turned into a six and a half hour, full on sleep, I woke up about quarter to 12 at night, and I was hungry. I'd missed dinner, no problem though, we have still have plenty of food leftover from the holidays so I made myself a cheese sandwich and had a few posh crisps on the side. All good, good sandwich, good crisps, but then suddenly it all went wrong! I put a couple of crisps in my mouth and crunch I bit down on something hard, it felt like cat litter, it gets everywhere, but how did it get in my crisps? - I'll spare you the graphic details but it wasn't actually cat litter it was much worse than that, I'd taken a chunk out of one of my bottom teeth - sob - I care for my teeth, I do everything I'm supposed to, and then this happens - one of the perils of taking medication that leaves your eyes and mouth as dry as the Sahara Desert, can be dental problems - woohoo! Thankfully at the moment it doesn't really hurt bar a bit of irritation where the jagged edge is scraping my cheek and tongue, but obviously I'm going to have to be really careful about what I eat until I can see my dentist on Wednesday, so no nuts or toffees for me, and lots of gentle brushing, water flossing, and antibacterial mouthwash - oh the joys! -

So there we go, two things that have gone wrong already in 2019; They say that things come in 3's so can the third thing, if and when it comes, be equally minor and relatively easy to deal with, and then please can the year get better from then? I certainly hope so! 2018 wasn't the best of years for me for a lot of reasons but I came out of it a stronger, and hopefully a better person, and hopefully that will put me in good stead for whatever 2019 has to offer. I'm not big on resolutions, maybe because I'm not big on failing, but probably more so, I don't always feel that you should change who you are. Like my new diary suggest I don't really want to change the essence of who I am because the date on a calendar changes, I just want to be the best person that I can and do things for me and not for anyone else. What does that mean? well it basically means that you aren't going to get any life changing or world changing new years resolutions from me in 2019, I'm just going to try and make a few small changes to make my life easier, and hopefully even better. I am going to talk about a few changes that I'm going to make that may impact the blog in my next post, but other than that it's just the usual aims, and goals - to try and concentrate on the important things and the important people, try to save a bit of money and think about what I buy a bit more, and of course to try and be a bit more organised.

I seem to say the same thing pretty much every year but I'm hoping that 2019 will be the year that I wear more, and use more, and buy less. I'm already planning a huge clothing and accessory purge, and I am of course going to keep on tackling a significantly reduced beauty mountain. I didn't make a what I got for Christmas video this year but I was really blessed and received some lovely things (check out my Instagram if you want to see some of the things that I got x). Compared to previous years though I didn't get that many beauty products, I got quite a few nail polishes, and a few make up kits, but I didn't get a lot of skin care or body care bits, and since I've avoided the sales, I haven't added to my stash too much over the festive period, and since I'm only going to try and buy what I need in 2019, I don't intend to add too much more to it over the next 12 months or so. It therefore goes without saying that Trimming My Stash will be an ongoing thing in 2019, but before we get started and focus on the here and now, lets take a little look back and see what I managed to finish in December 2018..

Lush Snow Fairy Body Conditioner - 100g
Skin Republic X Olivia Buckland Prep + Glow Face Mask Sheet - 25ml - 1 x Sheet Mask
Superdrug Nourishing Nail Polish Remover - 250ml
The Body Shop Merry Cranberry Bath & Shower Gel - 250ml
NIVEA Caring Shower Gel Love Sunshine - 250ml
Primark PS Cuticle Oil
Primark PS... Micellar Facial Cleansing Wipes x 25 Wipes

Total - 7 Items 

Well I ended the year by finishing a pretty solid 7 items, which seems to be a little bit better than my average monthly performance. I finished a nice assortment of items including lots of body care, products and a few skincare items, a couple of new things, and a couple of old favourites. In fact the only thing that would have made it better would have been to finish a make up item or two - pretty much the story of my year - I've managed to finish loads of everything else but hardly any make up, so that's definitely an area I need to focus on in 2019.

1. Lush Snow Fairy Body Conditioner - 100g

Ah Snow Fairy, would Christmas really be Christmas without that sweet bubblegum, candy floss like scent - I don't think so. Now you're probably familiar with the original Snow Fairy shower cream but have you tried this? Originally released in 2016, Snow Fairy Body Conditioner almost resembles pink blancmange, it's has a creamy buttery texture, and it contains organic cocoa, mango and avocado butters, and almond and jojoba oils as well as a smattering of iridescent shimmer.

Now despite the suggestion that this is a body moisturiser, Lush actually promote this as a shower product and they advise that you smooth a layer of the cream all over your body before rinsing it off in the bath or shower. As well as cleansing the skin it gives it a much bigger moisture boost than just using a conventional shower product, and because it's so creamy it's also brilliant to shave with. It is a really indulgent shower product but it does seem a bit of a waste to just wash it off, so what I and a lot of other Lushies tend to do it to use a small amount either as a body moisturiser, or to add a bit of shimmer to the skin. It takes a little while to absorb but it leaves the skin feel really smooth and deliciously scented.

I think that this is a lovely product but I think you have a tendency to overuse it so it doesn't seem to last that long. That said if you love Snow Fairy and you want a really indulgent and pampering product, and you want to fully immerse yourself in that sugary sweet scent then this is the product for you. Alas I did manage to get any more of this, this Christmas but I do have a large bottle of Snow Fairy to indulge all of my pick 'n' mix and candy floss fantasies in 2019 without all of the calories and the sugar.

2. Skin Republic X Olivia Buckland Prep + Glow Face Mask Sheet - 25ml - 1 x Sheet Mask

Now when I received this in November's Pink Parcel I openly admitted that I had no idea who Olivia Buckland is - what can I say I'm not a fan of Love Island or reality TV in general, and whilst I still don't know much about her what I can say is that this is without a doubt one of the nicest sheet masks that I've ever used!



High praise from moi! but just why did I like this so much well, for a start it did exactly what it promised - it promised me bright, hydrated and flawless skin and that's exactly what I got! This spun lace / paper feel mask contains plumping collagen, pomegranate extract and hydrating hyaluronic acid.

The first thing I noticed when I took the mask out of the packet was just how wet it was, it wasn't watery wet though, it felt thicker then that and almost slightly gel like. After doing my best Phantom Of The Opera impression for around 15 minute I removed the mask to find a layer of almost serum like liquid on my face. It was pretty easy to massage into the skin though and it didn't take too long to absorb. In fact there was so much extra liquid left over both on the mask itself and in the packet that I massaged the excess over my neck, decolletage, and even on my hands. Once it had absorbed my skin looked brighter, and felt smoother, plumper, and crammed full of moisture without feeling oily. I've tried quite a few sheet masks now and this is before the best I've tried in terms of feel and in terms of noticeable results. It may be a coincidence but in the days after I'd used it a few people commented on just how clear my skin looked, and how well rested I looked, despite the fact that I certainly didn't feel it! It's not the cheapest mask at £5.49 for one application but I was so pleased with the results that I'm definitely considering buying this one again, if you fancy giving it ago yourself, you can get it in Superdrug.

3. Superdrug Nourishing Nail Polish Remover - 250ml

Now nail polish remover isn't the most exciting of beauty products, but if you love your nail polish as much as I do it's an essential x It's acetone free, it's not drying on the nails, it doesn't smell horrible, it's cheap and it works, in fact I love it so much that I actually class it as one of my holy grail products - you can find out exactly why I love it so much in this post from 2011! The product is still exactly the same and it's still just £1.39 for 250ml - what is not to love?
4. The Body Shop Merry Cranberry Bath & Shower Gel - 250ml

Right I have no idea how old this product is but I'm sad to have finished - Every year I look forward to the Christmas collections from The Body Shop, and every year I pray that there will be something apple scented and something cranberry scented - in 2018 none of the scents made an appearance so for the first time in many, many years I didn't buy anything festive from The Body Shop. To be fair I didn't need anything but still it was a slightly strange feeling. Merry Cranberry was one of my favourite festive scents in recent (or maybe not so recent) years, the sweet, tart fruity scent was a delight to the senses and this was a shower gel that I really enjoyed using - Something makes me thing I have a few more cranberry inspired bottles tucked away so I'm going to dig those out and enjoy using them, and again I live in hope that 2019 will see the return of some of my favourite festive scents from The Body Shop 

5. NIVEA Caring Shower Gel Love Sunshine - 250ml*

From something old to something a lot more recent, and this summer scented shower gel from NIVEA. I was sent this product last summer to try and it really was summer in a bottle x You can read my full review here x 

6. Primark PS Cuticle Oil - 10ml

Yawn, you're probably sick of hearing about this stuff - I seem to have talked about in pretty much every other Trimming My Stash post in 2017 and 2018. Briefly it's cheap, and it works wonders, for just £1 a bottle it's a skin and nail saviour at this time of year buy it you will not be disappointed!!

7. Primark PS... Micellar Facial Cleansing Wipes x 25 Wipes

Since I bought these Primark's face wipe range has been completely overhauled and repackaged so I honestly don't know if these wipes are still in existence. I think I picked these up once when I couldn't get the tea tree ones, and I have to say they weren't half bad - Yes I know cleansing wipes aren't good for you but in an emergency, be that a real one or laziness these were decent, they weren't quite wet enough for me but they removed make up, and grime without leaving the skin red or dry or irritated - you can't ask for anymore than that.
So all in all, not too bad an end to 2018, but how did I do over the course of the whole year? and just how many beauty products did I manage to finish? Well let's see...

January - 4 Items
February - 6 Items
March - 6 Items
April - 5 Items
May - 11 Items
June - 4 Items
July - 3 Items
August - 6 Items
September - 7 Items
October - 10 Items
November - 3 Items
December - 7 Items
Total - 72 Items 

Over the course of 2018, I managed to finish 72 beauty products, which isn't too bad. Although I'm a long way off matching 2016's total of 91, I managed to finish 2 items more than I did in 2017, so any improvement has to be seen as a win. I'm not resting on my laurels though, this is an ongoing thing, and like everything else I'm learning a few lessons on the way. The first one of course being, why on earth did I buy so much stuff in the first place!!! Whether I was trying to keeping up with Jones's or other bloggers, or I thought that I was getting a bargain, or was it because I needed a little treat to cheer myself up? Who knows? It's taken a while but I've definitely realised that I either need to be a little bit more selective in my shopping, or I need to cut down on the shopping thing altogether - hmmm a tough one that but as needs and bathroom cupboards must I guess - so for 2019 my mantra is buy less, and wear and use more x Again I'll be documenting all my trimming my stash ups and downs for you right here on my blog and if you're doing something similar I'd love to hear why, what your motivations are ? and any hints, tips or suggestions that you have for making 2019 the best year yet. I'd also love to hear from you if you're are doing Project 10 Pan this year, I've been debating for quite some time over whether or not to do it again, and I'm starting to think that this that it may be time x Let me know your thoughts, and I will see you soon with a video and a little announcement,  and a very late post sharing days 13 - 25 of the Glossybox All I Want Advent Calendar x 

*Press Sample

Merry Christmas And Remember You Are Not Alone x

So as per usual this year, things haven't gone quite to plan today so instead of the summary of days 13 - 24 of the Glossybox All I Want Advent Calendar that I promised you, I thought I'd just write a super quick post to wish you all of you that are celebrating tomorrow a very Merry Christmas, I hope you have a good one and that Santa is good to you !

Christmas can be a stressful time though, emotions can come to a head, and of course everyday problems don't go away just because it's Christmas Day so please remember that you are not alone, and there is always someone there to listen x Here is a list of UK telephone numbers and websites if you need some help or just someone to talk to xx

I have a few more bits to do including watching The Muppets Christmas Carol and then I'm going to head to bed, and be nice and warm and cosy under my festive bedding, once I've removed the mountain of cushions that is! So I hope you all have a lovely day tomorrow whether you're celebrating or not, and I will probably see you  later in the week with an advent calendar update, and don't forget to follow me on my other social media channels especially Instagram for some pictures of my day xxx

Get Your Glow On INC.redible You Glow Girl Cosmic Blur Gift Set

Well there are last minute Christmas gift ideas, and there are last minute Christmas gift ideas - Can you believe that there is just one shopping day to go before the big day? I'm still in denial if I'm being honest, it's ages away and you feel as though you have all the time in the world to get things done, then wham it's nearly here and your to do list is still way longer than you would have liked - argh!

At least though I don't have to brave the shops tomorrow, my shopping is done and it's all wrapped and ready, if though you are looking for a gift for the beauty lover or party animal in your life then this kit from Nails Inc is a great last minute option. Not only that but if you're heading to any late Christmas or New Year parties, and you want a bit of sparkle to go with your outfit, then this could be a perfect pressie for yourself.

Now Nails Inc are obviously famous for their nail polishes, nail treatments, and their nail bars but did you know that they've now branched out into skin care and make up, with a range of face masks and cosmetic products. I actually reviewed one of their Christmas gift sets last year which contained both a face mask, and a lipstick (read it here), and I have to say I was pretty impressed with the lipstick, but somehow I never really got round to trying anything else from their INC.redible range, but what do you know? beauty products are like buses, you don't try something and then somehow you end up trying two things in pretty quick succession. I going to talk a little bit more about another INC.redible products in tomorrows post but first I'm going to talk about a kit that contains everything that you need to get your glow on!

Packaged in an amazing silver, holographic cardboard pouch the Nails Inc / INC.redible You Glow Girl Cosmic Blur Gift Set, contains two fabulous coordinating products, a full size Nails Inc nail polish, and a mini INC.redible Jelly Highlighter.

I've been a fan of Nails Inc nail polishes for the longest time, the quality is excellent but probably the main reason why I love them is that they are so innovative, as well as coming up with some really unusual colours, and scientific formulations, they also regularly bring out new polish textures and finishes. I'm a huge fan of their glitters, and iridescent polishes and of course their holographic shades, and the minute I saw this shade, I knew that I had to give it a go.

Nails Inc Nail Polish in Cosmic Blur, is probably one of the most fabulous shades that I've ever seen. At first glance in the bottle it just looks like a sort or pearlised white, but move the bottle around in your hands, or give your hands a little bit of a wiggle and it turns into an iridescent, multi coloured shimmer and sparkle fest.

Equipped with the familiar Nails Inc easy to grip cap, and their fabulous slightly curved wide brush it is a dream to apply even on my little stubby nails, it dries quickly, feels smooth and it looks super glossy. I'm not doing this colour justice on my little stubs, but here are two coats onto just base coated nails.

With Flash

Natural Light 

Now if you ignore the state of the nails themselves and focus purely on the amazingness of the colour I'm sure that you'll agree that it is super pretty. Depending on the lighting and movement it can change from an almost invisible nude to an explosion of multicoloured flashes. As I say this is just two coats on top of a base coat, and it looks fine as it is and to be honest since I want something super simple, this might be my Christmas Day manicure, because it's quite sheer though Cosmic Blur makes an amazing top coat, instantly transforming any colour in an instant x I thought I'd try it out on two shades at the opposite end of the colour spectrum, completely different shades, a dark and a light, but still classic and wearable shades, the classic dark berry red of Nails Inc Victoria and, the perfect French nude of Nails Inc Elizabeth Street.

Nails Inc - Victoria

With Flash

Natural Light

Nails Inc - Elizabeth Street 

With Flash

Natural Light 

Again, ignore the nails and cuticles and focus on the pretties x Both of these nails colours look fab in their own right, and I'll be showcasing both of them in their own individual blog posts in the new year, but add a couple of coats of Cosmic Blur and you've gone from chic and classy, to blingy and, well cosmic in minutes ! I've applied two coats here for a full on look, but you can be a bit subtle and apply one coat for a little less sparkle.

Cosmic Blur is definitely one of those polishes that you can experiment with, you apply it over different shades, try a bit of nail art, and stare it in different lights to absorb it's real beauty. My pictures haven't done it justice at all, it's a gorgeous shade, and perfect from transforming your nails from desk to dance floor in a matter of minutes. I've searched the internet high and low and the only place that I can find this shade is in this kit. Nails Inc polishes normally retail between £11 and £15 and since the kit is only £15 it's already a bargain even without the other item.

I remember in my teenage years and in my early twenties (and maybe even later than that ) playing with glitter gels; They are perfect for the party season but they aren't for everyone, they can be a bit out there, so if you fancy a bit of shimmer rather than full glitter though then then INC'redible You Glow Girl Iridescent Jelly in _Cosmic Blur is perfect!

The little pot really does contain a bit of magic, open it open and you're greeted with a slightly unassuming looking, white jelly like substance. 

As with it's name sake nail polish though, wiggle the pot or spread a small amount on your skin and oomph! ultra violet, colour flipping shimmer and sparkle!!

The jelly itself feels smooth to the touch and definitely isn't glittery or scratchy, this is iridescent shimmer not glitter. I haven't had a chance to try this properly yet but you can use it just about anywhere, from your eyes, to your cheeks, lips and even on your shoulders.  It adds a gorgeous, iridescent glow, without any chunky glitter or fallout.

This isn't a full sized pot but it's a good size and it would definitely last you the party season and maybe even beyond that depending on how generous you were with your application. The full 9.35g retails at around £10.

This sparkly set retails at £15 which as I say is excellent when you consider the usual price for a full size Nails Inc polish. This kit is available from most Nails Inc concessions and retailers including the Nails Inc website, and John Lewis, and I think it would make a lovely treat either for yourself or for someone else x Are you a shimmer fan? or do you like out and out glitter? or even both? Let me know in the comments x 

Laura Geller Dripping In Gold Illuminator Palette Holiday 2018

Now, are you one of those super organised people who has every single present bought and wrapped by the first week in December? or are you a bit like me and are you a little bit stressed out at the moment? Bar one present that doesn't seem as though it's going to arrive in time, my gift shopping is done, but I still have a mountain of presents to wrap and a kazillion other things to do. I'm consoling myself in the knowledge though that at least I'm not one of those people that does their Christmas gift shopping on Christmas Eve!

If you're a person that does that I am in awe, I can deal with a little bit of disorganisation and panic but I think that, that would be a step too far. If you are still looking for that odd little thing though for either the beauty lover in your life, or to treat yourself for being so organised, then in the next two posts I'm going to be sharing a couple of last minute beauty gift ideas with you x

Now up until a few years ago, Laura Geller was a pretty difficult brand to get your hands on it the UK, QVC UK had sold it for quite a number of years now, but it was impossible to get on the high street. Thankfully the brand is now a little bit easier to get your hands on, a few online stores stock it, and you can now buy this fabulous artistry brand in Debenhams.

Laura Geller is a fabulous American make up artist, who learnt her trade in the US film studio system, working on the likes of Audrey Hepburn, and Ginger Rogers. I'm a huge, huge fan of her range, and although I've mentioned lots of her products in empties posts and in videos, I haven't actually reviewed anything bar a lip palette before, well today I'm going to remedy that and talk about a range of products from her, that I'd wanted to try for a long, long time, Gelato Swirls.

Now if you know anything about Laura Geller, then you'll know that her products are made using innovative techniques and to the highest standards. She's famous for her baked mineral based products that are infused with skin care and good for you ingredients. She was one of the pioneers of the baked formulation, that so many make up brands now have in their inventories, her products really are something special.

You should know by know that  I love a highlighter, I've bought a new one this week (I really needed that.... not!), and today I've actually found a highlighting palette that I've completely forget about - I have a problem! The highlighters, and illuminators that I already own are all pretty similar if I'm being honest. They're either powders, liquids, creams or in sticks, I love them all but very rarely do they offer anything that is truly different, a product from Laura Geller though, does offer something just that little bit more unique.

Her Gelato Swirl Illuminator range is probably unlike pretty much any other highlighter or illuminator that you've every tried, and I don't mean that just because they look almost too pretty to use. First of all we'll get the boring but essential bit out of the way, Laura Geller's Gelato Swirls are cruelty free and do not contain fragrance, nanos, gluten, parabens, minerals oil, soy, sulphates, Phthlates, or alcohol, and they are suitable for all skin types, so if you have allergies or sensitive skin then this range could be something to try. Now onto the interesting bit, just why are Laura Geller Gelato Swirls so special? Well it's all down to the texture, they are actually a baked gel, they have an amazing texture, and they apply like a fine, sheer powder, but touch them and almost feel like a velvety cream.

There are lots of different shades to chose from including beautifully shimmery pinks, almost icy whites, and of course champagnes, golds and coppers, and you can even get a few more blush type shades. My problem was always which shade to go far, not an easy decision when they all look so beautiful, and the shades are all so wearable. I had no clue, but as soon as the Christmas gift sets started to appear in store I found the perfect way to not only try this long lusted after formulation, but also to try a few colours at once.

Released especially for Holiday 2018, the Laura Geller Dripping In Gold Illuminator Palette, is a perfect example of something that I mentioned in one of my previous posts, gifts as decorations. This beautiful palette comes packaged in an unusual triangle shaped box adorned with product pictures, snowflakes and gold detailing, it also comes with attached hanging loop so you can hang it on your Christmas tree or use it as a table gift.

Open the box and you greeted with a bright metallic gold, triangle shaped cardboard palette. which has a magnetic fastening, open that and you're dazzled by not only a fabulous triangular mirror, but also by three fabulously festive, or even looking ahead, summery highlighting shades, carefully protected by a plastic, domed insert.

The palette contains 3 x 2g Gelato Swirl Illuminators, in the shades Molten Copper, Gilded Honey and French Fizz. Molten Copper is as the name would suggest is a gorgeous, metallic golden copper, Gilded Honey, is one of Laura Geller's best selling shades and is a gorgeous warm, champagne, caramel shade and although it looks almost white in the palette French Fizz is a sparkling soft gold.

The shades swatched from left to right are Molten Copper, French Fizz and Gilded Honey.

As you can see the pigmentation, and colour pay off is superb. Depending on how you use them, what type of brush, pressure, amount and so on though, you can create either a full on metallic look or just a gently wash of colour and sparkle. Obviously you can use these anywhere on the face or body, that you would normrally use a highlighter, be it on your cheekbones, shoulders, your cupids bow or your brow bone, but you can also use them as solid eye colours and even lip colours.

Now given the horrendous lighting at the moment I haven't had a lot of chance to play with these yet but even this early on it's love. They feel so beautiful, they colour pay off is excellent, and they blend like a dream and feel almost weightless on the skin. I managed to do a really quick eye look using Molten Copper, and a bit of French Fizz as a highlight, and believe it or not I actually applied these and blended them out using my fingers. They feel creamy to the touch and they blend seamlessly into each other and the the skin, even without using any professional tools, The finish is silky and almost powder like. I did get a little bit of fallout but not as much as you would get with a comparable out and out powder product. I have quite oily eye lids, and given the smooth and buttery texture I wasn't expecting this look to last very long but it did, which really surprised me!

At this time of year, we all need a little bit of a glow and a bit of radiance and that is exactly what Gilded Honey give you , I actually used a brush in this case and used it as a conventional cheek highlighter, I was wearing a bit of face powder which can sometimes causs a few issues with some creamier textures, but because this is actually a powder it blended easily in the rest of my make up and again, wore really well x

These shades in my opinion will work on any skin tone, and they are perfect shades not only for the party season, but can you imagine some of these colours with a tan in the summer, or even if you're lucky enough to be escaping for a bit of winter sun!. As I said before Gilded Honey is one of Laura Geller's most popular shades of Gelato Swirl Illuminator and as a result you can buy it on its own in a larger 4g size for around £21, the other two shades though, Molten Copper and French Fizz appear to be exclusive to this set and a few similar palettes in the Laura Geller collection, in the UK at least x This palette really was almost too pretty to use but I'm glad I did, not only can I see myself using it throughout 2019 but it's also introduced me to the Gelato Swirl formulation and I may have already added another colour, which I'll hopefully share with you in early 2019 into to my make up collection.

I think that this palette would make an ideal gift for any make up lover. no matter what their skin type or skin colour, if they like shimmer and sparkle then I'm sure that this would be a very well received present, and I think that it would be a great introduction not only to a gorgeous formulation but also to a quality, and very moreish make up brand. The Laura Geller Dripping In Gold Illuminator Palette for Holiday 2018, retails at around £25 from a variety of retailers including Debenhams, Escentual, FEELUNIQUE, Pretty Little Things, Simply Be and of course directly from Laura Geller x If you have any questions please leave me a comment x Thanks for reading and happy last minute shopping x

AD - Last Minutes Christmas Gift Ideas From Old English Co.*

In case you haven't already guessed, life this year has been a bit yacky for me, lots of things have gone wrong in my personal life and as a result my blog hasn't received the love and attention that it's deserved. It's frustrating enough when you can't post about things you've bought yourself but believe me it's even worse when you feel as though you've let a brand or a company down, because you've had to put their posts on the back burner, so as this year comes to a close I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all of the PR's. brands and companies that I've dealt with over the last 12 months, for their support, understanding and patience. Life gets in the way though, and sometimes as hard as it can be to admit, other things really are more important.

It's funny how things turn out, and although this post is up way, way later than what I originally intended, it fits in perfectly with some of the last minute Christmas gift ideas posts that I'm going to be sharing with you this week.

Around the time that my mum was taken into hospital I was given the opportunity to chose some products from an online retailer Old English Co. I am as bad as any other blogger when it comes to shopping from multi national companies, but I do try to shop locally when I can, and I love the whole idea of supporting smaller British based companies in what is currently a difficult retail climate.

Originally founded in London, and now based in Stamford, Old English Co, are a stationery and giftware brand, producing beautiful and individual hand lettered and designed products. With their simple yet stylish lettering designs at it's heart, the company sells a wide variety of items that are perfect to treat yourself, or for gifts.

You can find everything on their site from greetings cards, to prints, to mugs, enamel pins, stationery, aprons and much, much more. With such a wide variety of unusual products, you should be able to find a gift for even the most difficult to buy person on your list. Whatever the person, whatever the occasion from new babies, to housewarming gifts, and of course Christmas presents you are bound to find something that both you, and they will love.

I honestly had such a hard time picking out some items to try, I pretty much wanted everything in their inventory, but in the end I tried to choose items that not only I loved but items that I felt showcased both exactly what Old English Co are all about, and to show off the wide variety of the products that they sell.

Do an online search or have a look on Instagram for Old English Co. and I guarantee that one of the first things that you'll see will be one of their prints. This is really what they are famous for, so it made sense to see for myself, just exactly why they are are so popular on social media.

The choice is huge and every changing, and every print that they sell is both designed and printed in house, so you won't find these particular prints anywhere else. They sell everything from initials, and fun sayings, to maps, and inspirational quotes. There is something for everyone from an initial print for a new baby's nursery, to a map of London, for someone moving to a new home or a new city. There are several different sizes to choose from in each print ranging from 5 x 7 to A3 so you can tailor your print not only to it's new owner but also to it's new surroundings. All of their prints are printed here in the UK using high quality inks on 230gsm archival matte paper for a crisp, long lasting print.

As I say the range is constantly changing and the Coco Chanel quote that I chose now seems to have been discontinued but there are plenty other quotes available for the beauty or fashion lover in your life or even someone who needs that reminder every day of how special they are. I went for the A4 size and I was really impressed with both the quality and the thickness of the print, this wasn't a flimsy piece of paper it was almost like thin card. I've seen a lot of different ways of displaying prints like this including sticking them up as they are, or using printed washi tape but I'm a bit of a traditionalist so I love a frame so I've just put mine in a plain, cheap, silver tone frame from Amazon. The A4 size is perfect for standing on a table or a desk, but I've ended up hanging mine on my bedroom wall x These prints are a great and affordable way of brightening up any space from a bedroom, to an office or even in the kitchen. Depending on the print and size prices range from around £7.

Now who doesn't need a mug, well probably me I do have a bit of a thing for mugs, like I have a thing for pretty much everything else, but I do love a nice mug, and a really enjoy a cuppa when I'm setting at my desk working, or even a cup of coffee, when the words aren't coming. Mugs are an easy gift to give, and Old English Co have lots of different ones to choose from including ones specifically for Mum and Dad, and some with quotes, and funny but not crude sayings on them. Made from high quality ceramic, they are all designed and printed in the UK, and they are both microwave and dishwasher safe. 

I nearly went for this design in a print, but I thought it would be better in a mug, self belief is something that I lack, so with every sip I'm reminded that I can do it and to keep at it. Mugs like this one from Old English Co. have a recommended retail price of around £9.95.

Now I may have mentioned it once or twice before but I'm a bit obsessed with stationery, I love it and I can never resist a new notebook, and thankfully as a blogger I do use them quite a lot for notes and planning so I can usually justify buying them, well some of the time anyway.

There and notebooks though and there are notebooks, and this one is excellent on all fronts. In the useful and substantial A5 size, it's spiral bound and features a hard back and front, with the words "There Is Beauty In Simplicity" in Old English Co's distinctive script on the front. It contains a 140 lined, 100gsm white pages, with perforations in the margin, and it also features an elastic strap.

I've bought cheaper notebooks but very rarely have they been of this quality, it feels nice and sturdy, and I've used the pages with roller ball pens with no transfer, or smudging. I also love the perforations in the margin which makes it easier to neatly tear out the pages for lists, notes, or even letters. The elastic strap is also an excellent addition that you just don't see on lower quality items, you can either use it to keep your place or to hold extra piece of paper or notes safely inside your note book. Throw in the lovely pattern detail on the inside covers, and you can really tell that Old English Co. have thought about every detail and really have gone the extra mile in every item that they produce. Again notebooks make excellent gifts, and they're a gift that will always get used by someone. Old English Co. have a huge variety of notebooks, notepads, and planners for sale, and notebooks like this one have a retail price of around £9.95.

Since I predominantly blog about beauty most posts have a beauty twist and the final item carries on that trend, it's a make up bag. I have so many make up bags, I've bought them, received them from brands and press events and I've been gifted them, but like notebooks I still keep buying them, I love changing them around, and switching things up and like all of Old English Co's other designs I love the simplicity of this one.

In 100% white cotton, the hand lettered and designed print is in a deep charcoal grey and is printed on both sides of the bag. It is lined in a contrasting charcoal grey water repellent lining, and it has a zip fastening. This make up pouch is machine washable and you can iron it on the reverse side of the print.

The quality of this pouch is excellent from the fabric to the zip, it has a lovely nice canvas feel, I love the fact that's it's washable, essential when you are as messy as me, and I also love the charcoal lining that tones in perfectly with the lettering. The size is quite deceptive, so you can get a lot of make up in it, if you aren't as into make up as I am though, then this would also make a perfect edition to your handbag, to keep your headphones, cables and chargers safe. Old English Co. currently have 5 make up pouches in their inventory including this one and they have a recommended retail price of £12.95, a great gift for either a make up lover or someone who just needs to organise their handbag!

I was so so impressed with the quality of everything that I received, from the products themselves, to the box and how my parcel was packaged, it was blatantly obvious just how much thought has gone into both the brand itself and their range of products. The fact that everything is printed and designed right here in the UK is also a huge plus point. If you or someone you know are into quotes and lettering, and individual and unique products that you won't see everywhere on the high street then Old English offer something just that little bit different when you're buying either treats for yourself or gifts for family and friends. Better still order before the 20th December and you'll still get your items delivered to you in the UK before Christmas, and even better, better still, a few of the item that I've mentioned are actually on sale at the moment so you've got no excuse not to treat yourself or someone you love this Christmas. To browse their full range of products and to grab your goodies in time for Santa x you can check out the Old English Co. website here x

*Press Samples / AD