Treat Yourself Or Someone Else - Too Faced Best Year Ever 2018 Make Up Set*

I know it doesn't always look like based on the amount of hauls that I post but in 2017 I really tried to cut down my spending, and in particular I've tried to cut down the amount of money that I spend on make up. Even with regularly trimming my stash, and passing on products to friends and family, my make up stash is starting to become a little bit unmanageable, I'm starting to forget what I have, and I'm eventually coming to the rather obvious conclusion that I have way too much make up for just one face.

Sometimes though you see something and as shallow as it sounds you can't imagine your life without it! Get a grip Louise I hear you cry, and yes you're probably right there are much more important things in life than make up, sometimes though you have to indulge in that whim, throw sense out of the window and buy something that you know will make you happy even if it's just for a few moments in time.

I know a lot of bloggers feel the need to justify what they buy, and most of the time I'm not one of them, but this is one of those purchases that I guess I had to justify to myself. The reason why I took the plunge and bought this item was quite a simple one, well as well as looking gorgeous that it, I just don't own a lot of Too Faced make up, and I really don't know why. Like Benefit and Urban Decay it appeals to my quirky side but for too long it gone largely unowned and unloved in LouLouLand. Don't get me wrong I regularly lust after their Chocolate Bar palettes and their cheek colours, and I've received the odd thing in beauty boxes and as gifts but I've never been tempted enough to make a purchase, however a few weeks ago all of that changed.

I must admit that it was love at first sight when I saw their 2017 Holiday releases, I loved everything but I was ultimately torn between two sets, the Pretty Little Planner Make Up Gift Set which was slightly cheaper at £34 and the set that I eventually went for The Best Year Ever 2018 Make Up Set which was slightly more expensive at £46.

Before I talk about the kit itself though lets talk about the box, okay if you haven't done your Christmas shopping yet I either think you're very strange, or incredibly brave, I am not a last minute shopper but if you are this would make a lovely gift, the outer box is gorgeous and very festive. In a gorgeous metallic gold it features stamps or maybe advent calendar doors all with cute little festive cartoon images on them, including puppies in antlers! If you think the box is cute though then wait till you see what is inside!

Open up the box and you're greeted by a beautiful metallic gold make up bag, which fastens with a gold tasselled zip. Printed on the front of the bag which is rather ironic, given the first paragraph of this post, are the words "I have way more makeup at home"and the Too Faced heart logo. The reverse of the bag is in a pink and gold diagonal design, and the diagonal design is also carried through to the bag lining which is in a black and white fabric. This bag certainly isn't an after thought, it's good quality it's a good size, and it would make a nice gift in it's own right.

As beautiful, useful and giftable as the bag is though,  it is really about what's inside and there is lot to look at.

The first thing thing that you can see in the picture is a little piece of paper, The Too Faced Best Year Ever How To Glamour Guide, which shows you 4 festive looks that you can create from the products within the kit and it also gives you a little bit of information about the product that you can see below

This kit contains a deluxe, 4.8g size of the famous Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara. Despite already having a mini waterproof version in my unused mascara stash, I haven't actually tried this yet, but it's definitely something that I'll be talking about on the the blog in the new year. I've heard some good things about this mascara and I'm really looking forward to trying it.

The Best Year Ever is described as a make up set and that's exactly what it is. Inside the bag you get three magnetic fastening, sturdy cardboard make up palettes, each one contains a 1 x 5.39g face colour, and a combination of 6 metallic, shimmery or matte eye shadows, each weighing in at 1.14g. All of the shades in all of the palettes work together so if you wanted to treat yourself or give away the whole set to one person then they will have a lot of make up to play with, with a mascara, 18 eye shadows and 3 cheek colours,  however if you're counting the pennies you could very easily give each of the palettes away separately without even wrapping them up as each one features a To and From section printed on the back

All of the palettes are themed, and to the best of my knowledge all of the shades inside are limited editions as they all have holiday, Christmas, party and winter themed names.

The first palette is the pink palette which is covered in hearts, is unsurprisingly named "I Believe In Pink" and contains 6 neutral toned eye shadows and one blusher.

The eyeshadow shades from left to right are Snowgirl, Mink Pink, Pink Rink, Pink Christmas, Spoiled Rotten and Wish For It.

The blusher Pink Poinsettia looks like quite a bright pink in the palette, and whilst it's bright it's still very wearable and it blends down nicely and gives you that perfect I've been out in the fresh air colour.

The next palette "Natural Beauty" is pale blue in colour and features a cute cloud, rainbow and unicorn design.

Like the previous palette the shadows are in mainly neutral tones, with a couple of metallics and shimmers thrown in for good measure. Instead of the blusher though in the palette you get a bronzing powder.

The shadows from left to right are Angelic, 5 Golden Rings, Oh, Deer! Pretty Pecan, Sleigh My Name, and BAETHOVEN.

This palette comes with a bronzer, and it's nice one, it's called Warm My Heart and it's a slightly shimmery, copper toned, bronze.

The final palette is black and features a metallic champagne bottle, champagne glass and bubbles design.

Although this palette is definitely geared towards a more party look, it still contains a similar combination of neutral toned matte, metallic, and shimmery shadows, and the cheek colour in this case is a highlighter shade.

The eyeshadow shades from left to right are Lucky Star, Cozy Cashmere, Tipsy, Oh What Fun, Sleighhh Girl and No Peeking.

The highlighter in this palette Dashing Through The Glow, is a gorgeous pale golden, champagne colour, with lots of shimmer, and sheen.

I'm not going to lie I haven't managed to use all of the products on my face yet but I have to say I have been pretty impressed by the ones that I have used. All of the shadows are soft, and have an almost creamy feel, and as you see from the pictures the pigmentation is superb. Some of the matte shades, especially the paler ones are a little chalky, but they feel velvety soft and the pigmentation is still decent. My favourites shades so far are Tipsy, Sleighhh Girl, and  Sleigh My Name - I love a bit of shimmer! and I'm also loving wearing the two cheek shades, Pink Poinsettia and Dashing Through The Glow together, you get a bit of in idea of what they look like in the picture below and I'm also loving using Dashing Through The Glow as under brow highlight.

Christmas gift sets from make up brands are nothing new but they can vary dramatically in quality. On a lot of occasions even the highest and most prestige brands can release Christmas gifts and sets that don't live up to their usual high standards but congratulations Too Faced this one is a winner! There is not a single duff item in the set, the make up bag is perfect, the mascara is one of their best sellers, and the neutral, and super wearable shadows are smooth, pigmented and blendable, you honestly couldn't ask for anything else from a make up gift set, except for maybe a lippy, a mirror and a brush but that would just be greedy, this isn't the cheapest of kits but in my opinion it's worth it either as a Merry Christmas to yourself or as a super last minute gift or 5. The Too Faced Best Year Ever Make Up Set retails at £46 from selected Debenhams stores and if you can wait till after Christmas it's still available online, and who knows it might even be reduced in a day or so x The set has definitely ignited a bit of a Too Faced love in so if you have any Too Faced recommendations other than the KVD x Too Faced Better Together Cheek And Lip Set, which I already have then I'd love to hear them.

*Paid For In Part By An Intu Gift Card 

Festive Foodie Friday - Chocolate Bark

Okay, I'm going to apologise for actually calling this recipe, I'm not giving you quantities, a precise method or even the exact ingredients, this "recipe" can be tailored to suit anybody, any occasion and to be honest whatever you have in the cupboard.

If your house is anything like mine at the moment, then it's probably full to bursting point with two things, cheese and chocolate! I guess you could add cheese to this but that would probably be slightly weird! This is a great way of taking a bit of that excess chocolate and transforming into something just that little bit different

Chocolate bark or chocolate slabs as they're often known are everywhere at the moment but they can be quite expensive, which is strange considering how easy they are to make. All you need is some chocolate and some toppings of your choice. Here's how I made mine...

First up line a shallow tin or oven tray with some greaseproof paper or parchment.

Then melt your chocolate, you can use what ever kind of chocolate that you like, I'm using milk chocolate with just a touch of white swirled into it. Always be careful not to overheat your chocolate, and just a tip if your melting white chocolate, add just a touch of coconut oil which seems to stop it going lumpy.

The bulk of my slab is going to be made with milk chocolate, so pour your melted chocolate onto the greaseproof, and spread it evenly with a spatula or a palette knife. You needn't be too precarious about the shape, but try not to make it too thin.

I then swirled my white chocolate through the bark, covering it up slightly to create layers when it breaks.

Then go mad and sprinkle your bark with whatever you fancy here I'm using chopped up pieces of vanilla fudge, pecan nuts, toffee popcorn, white chocolate chips, mini vegetarian friendly marshmallows, popping candy and edible glitter!! Press your toppings down gently into the melted chocolate. When you've pimped your chocolate leave it in a cold place for a few to set (sorry for the lighting change but by the time mine had set it was dark!!)

Once it's set break it up into shards, and then you can either serve it and eat it straight away or you can keep it in an airtight tin, in a cool places for a few days depending on your toppings.

You really can make your bark your own, you could keep it healthy and use dark chocolate, dried fruit, nuts and seeds, or you can make it more adult or dinner party friendly, with a mixture of dark and milk chocolate, with dark chocolate coffee beans, or broken up after dinner mints. It goes with out saying that you could make it completely child friendly and cover it with chocolate beans, chocolate buttons, or jellies, or you could even add broken up biscuits and cookies, and it goes without saying that make a festive bark, and use an orange flavoured chocolate or cover a milk or plain chocolate bark in broken up candy canes, or gingerbread biscuit crumbs, or even pretzel sticks or salted peanuts!

Whatever ingredients that you use though, this is a super quick and easy sweet treat, to make as a treat for the family, as an emergency Christmas gift or as an alternative to the mince pies for Santa x
Don't forget to have a look under the recipes tab just under my blog header to see plenty more festive food ideas and sweet treats x

Get Your Sparkle On With The Nails Inc Sparkle Like A Unicorn Beauty Gift Set

So time is running out before the big day, and I don't know about you but I'm feeling a bit stressed, the shopping is done, and most of the presents are wrapped but the house still needs a deep clean and I'm still waiting for a few presents to arrive. It's a super stressful time but sometimes you just need to take a step back and take a few moments out for yourself, which is exactly what I did this morning, I popped a sheet mask on and lay on the bed for a few minutes and forgot the world for a while,  well after I'd taken a selfie though, obviously!

The mask that I put on comes in a kit that would make a great last minute gift for the beauty junkie in your life or even as a sparkly, mystical new year, treat for yourself.

Over the last 12 months or so, no brand has embraced the unicorn trend more than British brand Nails Inc, with the introduction of their Dirty Unicorns polish collection, some of their QVC UK exclusive colours that I've already mentioned, and their fabulous Sparkle Like A Unicorn Nail Polish Duo (review coming soon!), but the kit I'm going to share with you today, offers you a few things from Nails Inc that you might not have seen before. The Nails Inc Sparkle Like A Unicorn Beauty Gift Set not only gives you the chance to try two new and exclusive mini unicorn inspired nail colours but it also gives you the opportunity to try out a couple of new products from their ever expanding beauty line.

Now we all know that Nails Inc are famous for their nail polishes, their speedy manicure and anything and everything to do with the hands, feet and nails but did you know that they've now branched out into both skincare and make up? Well they have, and given the brands heritage and it's background it probably isn't that much of a surprise, at the moment it just seems to be face masks and lip things but who knows what else is to come.

This kit gives you the opportunity to try one of the face masks from their Face Inc line, and in keeping with that whole unicorn vibe the kit contains the Sparkle Like A Unicorn Illuminating Sheet Mask

I do love a sheet mask and this one is ideal for stressed and tired winter skin. Designed to revive tired and dull skin and improve the appearance of fine lines and pores, this sheet mask contains vitamins B3, B6, and Mulberry, Lemon and Green Tea extracts.

In theory a mask printed with a unicorn design should be super cute, but I still think they make you look like a horror film extra! All you do is remove the mask from the packaging, press it on to the skin, and then relax for 15 minutes to let the ingredients do their thing, then you just take it off and rub the excess liquid in the skin, and then go about your day feeling revived and refreshed.

This was a really decent quality mask some I've tried rip before you even get them out of the packet but although the paper / fabric felt soft to the touch this one was quite substantial. The mask was also absolutely soaked in liquid, it felt nice and wet and it felt really cooling on the skin and my skin definitely felt simultaneously both revived and refreshed after I'd removed it. This mask is available separately and retails at £5.

As well as their new Face Inc skincare line, the team behind Nails Inc have also introduced a new range of lip products, now the label on the product in my kit says Lips Inc, but I've also seen the line referred to as Inc.redible, but whatever the name of it this kit contains a full 5.3g size of their fabulous Lip Trippin Iridescent Strobe Lipsticks.

To say this is stunning is an understatement, all of the lipsticks in the Lip Tripping range have that oh so trendy, duo chrome or colour flip, almost 3D appearance.

The shade you get in this kit is _Unicorn Tribe, now I can't find this specific colour separately but the shade Friyay Feeling looks very similar. Although it looks more like a dark metallic, iridescent purple in the tube, when it's swatch and when it's on the lips, it's a very blue based, pink, lilac shade shot through with an almost blue, purple iridescence.

It looks pretty out there but it's still pretty wearable. Despite the fact that it's full of coconut oil, it's not the creamiest lipstick that I've ever worn but it wears well and it's a really unique and unusual colour. As I say I can't find this exact shade name but these lipsticks usually retail at around £8

Finally this kit contains the thing that Nails Inc is most famous for, it's nail polish of course, and the colours in this kit tone in perfectly with the lipsticks and the whole sparkle like a unicorn vibe

Not the most flattering picture but on the left you have Unicorn Vibes, a clear polish that is full of  silver, rainbow and holographic glitter and on the right you have Unicorn Dot Com, a pink, purple foil. You can wear both on these colours individually and you can also use Unicorn Vibe over the top of this colour, or on top of any other colours that you have. My own nails are shocking at the moment so I've bought the plastic ones out so you can see how pretty these polishes are. As per usual I've used two coats of polish and no top coat, and for the last swatch I've used one coat of Unicorn Vibes over two coats of Unicorn Dot Com.

The pictures above were taken without a flash but I also took some with the flash, slightly out of focus so you can see the sparkle x

These polishes are only 5ml each compared to Nails Inc's normal 14ml but they are still a good size and they do appear to be exclusive to this kit.

This set would make a lovely but at the same time it's a lovely one that you could treat yourself too if you've still got a few parties to go and you feel as though you need to get your sparkle back! As well containing some really pretty nail polishes this kit also gives you a chance to try some of Nails Incs newest introductions and based on this set, I can't wait to see what they have to offer in 2018. The Nails Inc London Sparkle Like A Unicorn Beauty Set retails at £19 and is available from the Nails Inc website, and from Nails Inc stockists including Debenhams, and John Lewis.

Climbing Out Of My Fragrance Comfort Zone With Mont Blanc Lady Emblem Elxir*

Every person has their quirks, something that they always do or say, my mum can't live without lipstick and applies it on average once an hour, and I can't live without my perfume! Even if I'm not leaving the house and I'm having a truly lazy day, I always apply a squirt or two of fragrance to my pulse points to lift my spirits, and although it sounds a touch weird, to make myself feel complete.

I've loved perfume for as long as I can remember and some of my longest standing childhood memories are of the musky type fragrances that my grandma used to wear, and of my mam kissing goodnight and leaving the room in a haze of YSL Rive Gauche, or Mystere by Rochas. Fragrance in my young eyes made a woman more glamorous and special, and although I now inwardly cringe at even thinking that, as soon as I was old enough I wanted to be part of that.

My first experiments with perfume were interesting to say the least, I didn't seem to understand the concept of the less is more philosophy, so I can imagine a few people secretly held their noses when I walked into the room! Over the years thankfully my tastes and my application technique have become, lets say a little bit more refined. I still have way too many bottles of perfume, but I'm probably a bit more choosy about what I buy than I used to be.

Although I have a few different types of scents in my collection, the majority of perfumes that I buy tend to fall into the floral and powdery description, sometimes with a tiny bit of fruit thrown in. I know a lot of women now love heady, heavy and more masculine fragrances, and even out and out foodie scents but I'm not one of them, if it's soft, floral, pretty and powdery though then it's probably got my name on it!

Fragrance is a really personal thing and members of the same family can have rapidly differing tastes in scent. More often than not though you like what you like and you're generally not willing to step outside that comfort zone and try something new. In the run up to the big 4-0 though I'm trying to be braver in all areas of my life and take a few risks, and not just step, but jump headlong out of my comfort zone, so over the last few months I've trying out a fragrance that's quite different from what I would normally wear.

If you're into your fashion and style than you will no doubt have heard of luxury goods brand Mont Blanc. Founded in Germany in 1906, and named after the famous mountain in the Swiss Alps, Mont Blanc were initially famous for producing high quality fountain pens, and writing implements before branching into the wider luxury goods markets and introducing a range of high end leather goods, and watches. all of which incorporate their sophisticated star logo.

Whilst I'd heard of the brand and their very high end watches I didn't actually know that they also produce a select range of both men's and women's fragrances, the newest of which is Mont Blanc Lady Emblem Elixir.

Right, where do I start? well I'm going to start with the factors that draw us into a fragrance in the first place, it can be an advertising campaign or it can simply be the look of the box, and the bottle itself.

The first indication that this really is a luxurious product comes from the box itself, which is respondent in a beautiful metallic rose gold, beautiful, but only a taster of what is to come.

Open the box and you're greeted by a small piece of glass sculpture. The weighty glass bottle is designed to replicate the 43 faceted cut Mont Blanc diamond. The bottom half of the bottle carries the rose, pink gold tone of the box through with an almost mirrored metallic finish. where as the top half of the bottle is clear and the amber liquid shines through for within.

The lid itself is clear and resembles a cross between a flower with multiple petals and the Mont Blanc star logo, with the Mont Blanc logos also embossed in the rose gold tone spray atomiser

This bottle just screams class and sophistication, the on trend rose gold finish, and the chunky, heavy weight sculptural quality means that this is a bottle that you would be proud to display on your dressing table even when it's empty! (don't keep your fragrances in direct sunlight though).

So the box is beautiful, and the bottle is exquisite but what about the fragrance inside, well it's clear that Mont Blanc haven't just used the bottle as a distraction, the perfume inside is rich and decadent.

Described as a floral, Lady Emblem Elixir is a complex and heady woody, floral containing amongst other things damask rose, iris, and orange blossom, with hints of black pepper, sandalwood, lychee and patchouli.

I'm rubbish at describing scent but I definitely initially get some fruity and floral notes, with then dry down to something a little bit headier, and warmer, which lasts well on the skin. It's a lot deeper and heavier than a lot of the fragrances I wear but it's really grown on me. This sounds a pretty strange way of describing it but the best way I can describe it to someone who obviously can't smell it for themselves is to imagine all the scents mingling as you walk through a beauty haul or a duty free shop, and whilst it would be nowhere near as strong or as heavy as that, hopefully that will give you some idea of the complexity and all of the different notes and layers within this scent.

I think this fragrance would actually appeal to lot of people, I like it and my mum who prefers a heavier scent can also appreciate it's beauty and individuality.

Fragrance makes an amazing present for any occasion and whilst it is always tempting and probably the safest option to buy something you know that your recipient will love, don't be frightened to try something new especially if you know the person really well, and the scents that they like and dislike. I've received a few "surprise perfumes" over the years and whilst I haven't got on with them all I have discovered one or two that have became staples in my own fragrance wardrobe. Buying something new is obviously a risk but if your recipient loves it then you will be the best boyfriend, friend or auntie that there is, and if they like florals with a twist then maybe Mont Blanc Lady Emblem Elixir could be something worth trying.

Mont Black Lady Emblem Elixir has a recommended retail price of £54 for a 50ml Eau De Parfum but if you like the sound of this fragrance then take my advice and shop around, look hard enough aka at sites like Fragrance Direct and allbeauty, then you might find this fragrance for a lot, lot less ;) Are you hoping that Santa pops a new perfume in your stocking this year? Let me know what you're hoping for or what fragrance you're planning on buying yourself in the January sales ? I'm always looking for new fragrance recommendations and I can't wait to hear your favourites :)

*Press Sample