Cherry Pie - UK Fashion, Beauty & Lifestyle blog

A foody week in photos

2012-02-12T09:00:00.001Z

What a week it has been. Actually it's been quite the two weeks, which is why I didn't get a chance to make this post last week, so I'm kind of combining two weeks worth of photos into one! Last weekend was just manic at work so when I got home I just didn't feel like coming online and writing.

On Tuesday I had a 2nd Interview at a PR company close by. I think it went OK but I won't hear about it until later in the week. If I don't get it then it's back to the job hunt, bad times!

This weekend has been rather quieter. Yesterday I was literally about to leave for work when I got a txt message saying I wasn't needed. There was an upside as it meant I got to have the day off and got plenty of blogging done, but it also meant I lost a days pay!

So, a funny old two weeks, as I mentioned, but I've definitely been cheering myself up with way too much food, as you'll see from the pics! Vince and I seem to have so many takeaway dinners, we really need to stop! We can't help it, it just tastes so good!

January Glossybox / Chinese Takeaway / Indian Takeaway / Interview Outfit / New ELLE magazine / Smashbox Girls On Film Collection / Parcels! / Benefit Hello Flawless / Filipino Food!

So as you can see, it was really takeaway galore this week! I started the week with a Chinese for dinner, leftover Chinese for lunch and then Indian for dinner! I know I'm such a pig!

As I said before, on Tuesday I had my interview and I wore one of my favourite tops. I'm meaning to post an outfit photo but I just can't find a decent place to take shots!

I also got quite a few deliveries including the Benefit 'Hello Flawless' powder, some new flatforms and some new products from the Smashbox 'Girs on Film' collection, of which a review will be coming shortly!

Much needed Subway / New Shoes / More new shoes! / No7 Skincare / Pizza Hut / New Company mag / Vince cooking Curry / Bane of my life Temple Run / Love Hearts package!

I cheered myself up and congratulated myself on Tuesday with a nice Subway after my interview! Also picked up a missed delivery which was some lovely shoes from Daisy Street, which are beautiful! I also spent way too much money in Boots on the new No7 Skincare range which is working out quite well so far! I'll be sure to post a review soon!

My lovely new ASOS flatforms! They were a let down at first as they keep slipping off when I walk but I managed to buy some heel liners which stopped that. They still do it every now and then but I think that might be able to be fixed with thicker liners!

Vince and I took a trip to Pizza Hut as we wanted to get our prize envelope opened, only to find that we won some free Garlic bread...oh well!

On Friday night Vince cooked us all a lovely Curry for dinner, I wish I could cook like him, it was delicious! And lastly, yesterday I received a lovely package from MUA Cosmetics including some bits from the new Love Hearts collaboration, lots of sweets and a few more bits too which I will be reviewing soon!

I'm off to work today, let's hope things go smoothly this time. Unfortunately I'm on the late shift tonight until 1am as it's a special Rock n Roll event so wish me luck!

Here's to a more interesting, less foody week!

Trends I'm currently loving: Flatforms

2012-02-11T09:00:00.001Z

Office: 'Moustache' Patent Flatforms - £65, 'Weave Me Up' Red Suede Wedge - £55
ASOS: 'Vera' Pointed Flatforms - £40, 'Dino' Velvet Flatform Trainers - £25, 'Verity' Mary Jane Flatforms - £30
Topshop: Kook Contrast EVA Sole Shoes - £60

Had I known that flatforms were going to be such a trend, I would have got on board with them much earlier! When I first saw them I thought they looked weird, a bit of a cross between a wedge and a platform, but now that I own a pair, I'm in love!!

Flatforms are definitely a shoe that you need to try before criticising. I recently ordered the ASOS Vera Pointed Flatforms after being unable to get my hands on the ever so popular OFFICE Willow Paige Flatforms.

I'm definitely not a person for wearing heels everyday, or on any day to be honest, so flatforms are a great alternative! I'll admit that the ASOS Flatforms did slip off when I walked but once I added a special heel liner for grip, they were perfect and really easy to walk in. They're a bit strange at first as they add height without putting your foot at an awkward angle but it's just like walking in flats!

Have you got a pair of flatforms yet? What do you think of them?

Benefit POREfessionally Pretty

2012-02-10T12:01:00.000Z

Benefit POREfessionally Pretty - £23.50

When my mum came home one day with a £5 Benefit voucher for me, I thought that £5 off Benefit wouldn't really make much of a difference and anything on the site would still be too expensive for me.

I did have a look though and came across the POREfessional, which I've seen reviewed and raved about on a number of blogs. I was so close to buying it when I saw the POREfessionally Pretty set, which includes the Erase Paste and Girl Meets Pearl products, for exactly the same price! Anyway, I went through with my purchase and I'm so glad I did! I've found a new love for Benefit!

The POREfessional is a full size 22.0ml and it puzzled me at first. Is it a tinted moisturiser? Is it a concealer? I'm not really sure, but I'm told it's simply a translucent pore coverage, and as it really works, I'm not complaining!

I have quite visible pores on my nose and chin and using just a little bit of the POREfessional, saw them quickly minimize from view! They're not completely gone, but I'm happy with the results and my skin looks lovely after application. I ended up using it all over my face, under my normal make-up. I love the oil-free texture and it's so smooth and silky, my skin feels super soft.

The Girl Meets Pearl is extremely dewy and pearl like. It reminds me of the Benetint, but taken up a level. It leaves a lovely sparkle on the skin, but I think it's a bit too much for day to day wear personally. Although I only received the 75ml version, a little really does go a long way so it will last for ages!

As for the Erase Paste, I'm not quite sure the 'Medium' shade is for me. I think 'Fair' would have suited me much more, but because it was in a set I couldn't chose what I received. It's a shame but I could perhaps get away with using the tiniest of amounts if I needed to. Like their Eye cream, the pot is going to be quite hard to get into once the product gets used up, one of my pet peeves!

Overall I'm glad I purchased this actually and it also came with two free samples of 'Stay Don't Stray Primer' and Hello Flawless SPF15 Powder. So far I've tried the cover up powder, only to find that it's amazing.

I've ordered my mum to bring me another £5 off voucher so I can purchase it!

Celeb Style Steal #14

2012-02-09T09:00:00.004Z

Victoria Beckham is someone who always looks amazing, no matter where she is or where she's going. I spotted this image of her looking rather more casual than usual in a plaid skirt and knitted short sleeve jumper! Of course, the jumper she's wearing is Miu Miu and her heels are Louboutin, but hopefully I've found a way that we can all get her style for much less.

I love just how casual this outfit is. It could be worn with a simple pair of flats for those of us (me) who are scared of heels!

Topshop: Peep Toe Shoe Boots - £70, Black Opaque Tights - £6,
Wide Geo Suedette Belt - £20, Triple Wrap Belt - £25
Miss Selfridge - Knitted Open Stitch Tee - £35
F+F At Tesco - Limited Edition Check Skirt - £12

I think I'd definitely wear this outfit, or at least something similar, with possibly a pair of shorts instead of the skirt! I love the short sleeve knitted jumper, perfect for Spring evenings and of course, my favourite trend ever, the Peter Pan collar!

The Topshop Peep Toe Shoe Boots are pretty mega and I'd probably replace them with flats, as I mentioned, but the outfit would also look great with a pair of flatforms as well! The possibilities are endless! I never would have thought I'd be trying to emulate Victoria Beckham's style!

Wednesday Wishlist #19

2012-02-08T09:00:00.001Z

A teeny tiny break from blogging seems to have occured over the past few days. Thank goodness for scheduled posts, but unfortunately I missed this weeks Celeb Style Steal and Week In Photos posts, but they'll hopefully be back this week!

My weekend was actually pretty ridiculous to be honest. I was set to work a busy special event and not enough staff were rota'd in so it was a busy, busy, busy weekend, when it really shouldn't have been!

Yesterday I had a second interview at a PR company, which I think went well. I'm trying not to get my hopes up though as they have a lot of other applicants to see, fingers crossed though!

Even after spending so much money on stuff that I don't even need recently, there is still enough products/items to feature on a post every single week!

ASOS: River Island Peter Pan Collar Top - £12
River Island: Blue Aztec Print Stripe Tote - £25, Black Skull Bead Bracelet - £3
Topshop: Bleach Denim Leggings - £22, Fluro Skull Crop Top - £18, Stripe Tee - £18

Just a few Topshop pieces caught my eye this week, all from the Petite range, which I always forget about! I'm getting sick of black skinnies so I thought the Topshop Bleach Leggings might be a nice change for Spring time!

I love all of the tops I've chosen above, and the Peter Pan collar makes an appearance yet again! I still can't get enough of them, the River Island Peter Pan Collar Top is perfect for smart and casual wear, I can picture myself wearing it under my black blazer/jacket!

While browsing the River Island website I came across the Blue Aztec Print Stripe Tote, which I fell in love with instantly! So lovely, but a bit pricey too!

This will definitely not be good for my bank balance!

Collection 2000 Metallic Cream Eyeshadow

2012-02-07T09:00:00.002Z

Collection 2000 Metallic Cream Eyeshadow - £2.99
Also available: Gold Rush, Emerald City, Copper Pot, Rockpool & Rock n Rose

Every time I pop into Boots or Superdrug, I tend to have a nosey around the various make-up counters/stalls, seeing if there's anything new and interesting that I could possibly pick up and review on the blog! I do of course make sure it's something I'm going to use as well!

On my last Boots trip I picked up Collection 2000's Metallic Cream Eyeshadow in Platinum!

Now, when picking up this product I thought it was a Copper shade and went ahead and brought it without actually checking the name of the shade, which is a pretty stupid thing to do, seeing as when I got it home it was a very bold Silver shade, however, I kind of like it!

I love that the eyeshadow is super creamy and shimmering. It's so easy to apply with the application wand which is similar to a lipgloss wand. I originally put it on without a primer underneath and it didn't stay very long, but with a primer underneath it lasted all day and didn't lose it's bold colour.

It's a cute size and a very reasonable price. I'm loving Collection 2000 at the moment and am always checking out their counters! I'd certainly recommend this eyeshadow and I might even purchase a few of the other shades in the range!

TULA S/S 2012

2012-02-06T09:00:00.001Z

I was recently contacted about TULA's Spring/Summer 2012 collection and although it's a brand I've never heard of before, their Lookbook really caught my attention!

Usually when I write about Lookbooks, they feature clothing, but this one is handbags galore! I firmly believe that you can never have too many bags, I certainly have a lot, and I was really impressed by the products from TULA.

I'm loving all of the bright, bold colours and my favourite bags feature in the last two images above. They're of a great size and I love the colouring!

The S/S 2012 Lookbook aims to celebrate British craftsmanship and quality. Their new Duffle bag range is absolutely lovely, although a tad pricey for the average person. Duffle and Bucket Bags were seen in the Fendi and Philip Lim S/S catwalk shows, so TULA have taken them as inspiration and come up with a small collection.

Absolutely love all of these. The duffle bag is perfect for everyday use, but if it's too big for you personally then it can perhaps be used as a little overnight/weekend bag.

All of the bags are made with lovely fabrics, super soft leather trim and intricate detailing! I'd certainly love to add one to my own handbag collection!

What do you think of this collection?

Glossybox January 2012

2012-02-05T09:00:00.001Z

I'm almost a week late on the old Glossybox post aren't I? I know everyone's probably sick of reading them, but I love writing them, I love receiving the boxes and they're always really popular posts so ner :P

Glossybox - January 2012 - £10 plus £2.95 postage.

This is Glossybox's second limited edition box and I think I actually prefer this hot pink colour to the normal pale pink boxes! I was really excited to get this month's box but had to wait a little longer than usual as it was sent out a week late.

I completely understand why Glossybox have sent the Valentines box now, but I wouldn't have minded actually receiving it in February, whether it was after Feb 14th or not as it would have actually felt more like a Valentines box to me. That's pretty much the only little niggle I had with the box this month, I actually love the contents of it and I'm so pleased that I scored the box with the Clarins products in it!

Contents:
EYEKO Skinny Eyeliner - £9.50
Clarins Extra Firming Night Cream - Full Size £48
Clarins Extra Firming Day Cream - Full Size - £46
FAB Gentle Body Wash - £10
Murad Hybrids Skin Perfecting Primer Dewy Finish - Full Size £29

I'm really impressed with the contents of this months box. I've been so keen to try the new rebranded EYEKO products, but thought they were a tad too expensive, so haven't purchased any.

The handle of the eyeliner is a little weird, and I think in most cases, probably isn't needed? I'm sure I can apply eyeliner without a huge handle on the pencil, it's probably going to be more of a hindrance rather than a help. I received a lovely Plum shade and I'm so glad I got a dark shade as I wouldn't have been happy with anything else!

As I mentioned above, I'm really happy with the Clarins products and they're a brand I've wanted to try for a long time. I can't wait to start using them and I really hope they work for me and my nuisance skin!

I had no idea that the FAB brand was sold in Boots! I can't wait to try out the body wash and see if it's claims of being 'gentle' really are true. I find a lot of body wash's are too harsh and leave my skin irritated, so this will be a real test!

I have swatched the MURAD Primer but it looks a little dark for my skin. That could be the lighting in my bedroom, so I need to try it out in some good lighting before really deciding. It's a nice little product, and a good size too.

Overall, this months Glossybox is a definite hit! I can see myself using all of the products (MURAD Primer permitting) and I have yet another box to use as storage! Hooray!

What do you think of the Glossybox?

Trends I'm currently loving: Pastels

2012-02-03T09:00:00.000Z

Topshop: Tonal Fleck Tee - £15
ASOS: Pastel Bunting Necklace - £10, American Apparel Pastel Nail Lacquer in L'espirit - £7
Missguided: Marka Padlock Front Bag - £26.99
New Look: Slip on Suedette Loafer - £15.99
Miss Selfridge: Peach Textured Rib Mini - £22

Lovely, lovely, lovely is what I have to say about Spring 2012's latest trend. Although it's not exactly 'new' and pastels get reworked every year, they still always come back better than before.

I am loving the Pastels vs Neon battle that's going on at the moment, but I definitely know which one I prefer. I've not exactly got on board with the whole pastel trend in the past but seeing pastel jeans, shoes and even leggings has already got me planning my Spring wardrobe additions. I think small hints of pastel are definitely the best way to go, perhaps in a nail polish or subtle accessories. I'd have to be having a brave day to wear some all out pastel jeans, but we'll see!

I am loving the loafers and the different casual tops that are available at the moment. I still have a £25 New Look giftcard left from Christmas so this could possibly go towards the shoes!

I'm also considering a pastel coloured skirt like the one pictured above! These could be great with a light t-shirt, not too over the top and very 'me'.

What do you think of the Pastel trend?

Elemis Pro-radiance Hand & Nail Cream

2012-02-02T09:00:00.001Z

Elemis Pro-Radiance Hand and Nail Cream 100ml - RRP £22*

I was very kindly sent this amazing new Elemis product, that's not yet available in stores. I was expecting to receive a small sample type packet but I received a full size 100ml product and I absolutely love it!

I've been looking for a good hand cream for a while now. I get very dry skin/Psoriasis on my hands and every cream I've tried has irritated them. They're also very sensitive to hot/cold temperatures and I sometimes feel them swelling if I go from being outside, to somewhere inside that's particularly warm, such as a shop.

I've used lots of medicated creams and special Psoriasis creams and moisturisers which have helped for a limited time and I do go back to using them when it gets particularly bad, but I wanted something that I could use every day/pop in my handbag and carry around with me. Although it's a bit large for my handbag, I've been using the new Elemis Pro-radiance Hand & Nail Cream for a little why and am finding that my hands feel lovely and soft and there's no itching, which is great.

The dry skin on my palms is gone and my usually sore/flaky cuticles look lovely and healthy. I think I've finally found a winning hand cream!

The hand cream is part of the new Elemis Spa@Home range and is also filed in their anti-ageing category. The cream includes Omega 7, Avellana seed oil, Macademia seed oil, Virgin plum oil and last but not least, Camellia seed oil! It's also formulated to be silicon free and is designed to stay on the skins surface and not leave a tacky/sticky feeling after application, which I absolutely hate!

Almost instantly after application, I can go about my business as usual instead of having to sit and wait five minutes for it to 'sink in'. It not only smells lovely, but I think it's also priced pretty reasonable for an Elemis product!

Will you be trying it out when it's this month? I'd certainly recommend it!

Wednesday Wishlist #18

2012-02-01T13:39:00.000Z

Last week's Wednesday Wishlist featured a River Island Zebra Print T-shirt which looked lovely online. I ordered a size 10, thinking it would be quite tight, only to receive it and for it to be way too big and loose, and also really long?

I absolutely hate when that happens. The image online makes it look like a normal length t-shirt. Anyway, I've returned it now and asked for an exchange, but I'm not sure it works like that. I might have to have a refund and then re-buy, though I'm not sure I want to now? Such a shame!

Anyway, onto this week's wishlist!

New Look: Slip On Suedette Loafer - £15.99
Missguided: Veronica Contrast Outline Blouse - £26.99
Topshop: Tonal Fleck Tee - £15, Metallic Pleat Skirt - £28
ASOS: Vera Pointed Flatform Shoes - £40

Originally I wanted the Topshop Tonal Tee but can't justify spending £30 on a t-shirt, so the Tonal Fleck Tee is my next choice at half the price! Lovely and simple and great with a pair of skinnys and the New Look Slip On Loafers!

The Missguided Veronica Contrast Outline Blouse is so lovely. I love the contrasting black/pink on the white and it's a nice change from normal blouses.

The Topshop Metallic Skirt is really cute, and similar to a casual H&M one I already have, with the exception of the metallic finish!

And last but not least, the ASOS Vera Pointed Flatform Shoes. What a nightmare I've had trying to order these! People on Twitter were giving me the code TREND20 to use at the checkout to get 20% off, but the code wouldn't work for me. I contacted the ASOS Here To Help people on Facebook and they told me that the Code doesn't work with my account and there's nothing they can do about it. Absolutely ridiculous and unfair if you ask me. Luckily, the lovely lovely Charli offered to order them for me, using the code, and have them delivered to me. This is one of the reasons why I absolutely love blogging and bloggers, because they go out of their way to help eachother, which is great! I can't wait for them to arrive! Thanks so much Charli!

January Favourites

2012-01-31T09:00:00.002Z

January seems like the longest month ever for some reason. Lucky I don't get paid monthly! It's also probably the most boring month ever as everyone is on a come down from Christmas and New Year, it's freezing cold (and snowing!) and there's not much to look forward to...

Luckily, January has been a good month for beauty products and I've put together a little collection of my favourites!

OPI Rainbow Connection / Nicki Minaj OPI Minis / MUA 3 in 1 eXtreme Contour Pens / No7 Midnight Enchantment Eyeshadow Stick

MUA Professional Eye Primer / Korres Lip Butter in Guava / Barry M Croc Effects Polish

MUA and OPI definitely dominate the favourites pile this month, thanks to the release of the Muppets and Nicki Minaj collections which both have some amazing shades within them.

OPI Rainbow Connection has got to be one of my new favourite polishes, it's just amazing and the colours are lovely. It looks great over any polish as well as looking great on it's own!

The Nicki Minaj for OPI collection is also lovely and I particularly love 'Metallic 4 Life'. The mini collection has certainly been doing the blog rounds recently, just proving it's popularity. I can't wait to see what OPI come up with next!

I picked up the MUA Professional Eye Primer and 3 in 1 eXtreme Contour Pens this month and absolutely love them. The eye primer instantly lifts any shade of eyeshadow, making it brighter and more intense. It's a definite hit as I even got a compliment on my eyeshadow on the very day I used it! As I have mentioned before, MUA are going from strength to strength so I'm also excited to see what happens for them this year and what great products they're going to come up with!

What have been your favourite products this month?

Republic S/S 2012

2012-01-30T09:00:00.001Z

I was recently contacted by the lovely people at Republic and shown some images from their new Spring/Summer 2012 Lookbook and I was really impressed by the vivid colours, so much so that I wanted to dedicate a blog post to it!

I'm loving the prints and patterns on jeans, dresses and tops as well as the clashing of neon colours. This Spring everyone is either going neon or pastel and personally I would only get away with wearing pastel shades, but that doesn't mean I can't still look at neons and love them!

I like the inclusion of denim shorts, jackets and tie-tops in different shades of denim as well as the casual take on shoes, such as converse style high tops. Overall I really love all of the looks in the new collection, I love the girly/feminine edge and how it's toughened up with faded denim and cut offs.

What do you think of the new collection?

A spending week in photos

2012-01-29T09:00:00.001Z

For someone who barely has any hours at work and barely gets paid over £100 a week, I do seem t buy a lot of stuff I don't really need! There seems to have been quite a lot of new products this week, including nail polishes, beauty products and even a new top! Oops!

Fox tail rings / OPI Rainbow Connection / Books galore! / 'Blog of the Day' on Hellocotton / More new purchases / Nicki Minaj for OPI Minis / Benefit £5 off voucher / Benefit goodies / Goodies from John Frieda / Vince creating music / New River Island Zebra print top! /

I originally brought the Fox Tail rings from eBay to go into my Blog Shop, but unfortunately they didn't arrive before I shut the shop. I decided to keep one for myself and I'm not quite sure what to do with the rest, maybe a giveaway?

My new favourite OPI Rainbow Connection polish! Absolutely love this so I'm so glad I got a full size, my post on it also made it as into the 'Blogs of the day' section of HelloCotton, which I was so pleased about! You can follow me and my little blog on HelloCotton now!

Some more products I purchased this week were Collection 2000's new metallic eyeshadow cream, which will be reviewed very soon and the Red glittery Barry M polish that I've wanted for ages! My Nicki Minaj OPI polishes arrived as well and they're so lovely! You can see my thoughts on them here!

My mum brought home one of the £5 off vouchers that you can get with Diet Coke, which of course meant I instantly brought something that I didn't really need. I was originally just going to order the full size Porefessional, for £23.50, but then found the Porefessionally Pretty set, for the same price, that also includes a small Erase Paste and a Girl Meets Pearl. Also got two samples free which I can't wait to try out!

Received some lovely goodies from John Frieda, which has got to be one of my new favourite hair brands! I've got some product reviews for them coming up soon! A quick pic of Vince creating a new song on his Keytar, I swear he is the best musician I've ever met!

And last but not least, I ordered the River Island Zebra Print tee which you might have seen on my Wednesday Wishlist post! It was only £12 and I never usually buy from River Island so I was really surprised to find something so nice! Still need to try it on yet though!

This week I started out with barely any hours at work, only for them to shoot up due to staff illness etc, thankfully I've got a day off tomorrow which will allow me to catch up on blogging etc..Vince is in London until tomorrow afternoon(ish) so I'll probably spend the evening with him, maybe stuff ourselves with food? ~~Probably!~~ Definitely!

Celeb Style Steal #13

2012-01-28T09:00:00.000Z

Almost forgot to do this weeks Celeb Style Steal! Luckily, I found this image of Kirsten Dunst relatively quickly and it really impressed me!

I love the simplicity of Kirsten's outfit. She always dresses great. She wore this Roland Mouret S/S 12 Dress underneath the absolutely lovely Derek Lam Pre-Fall 2012 jacket with fur detailing! I'm not sure if it's real or faux fur? I'm hoping faux!

My recreation of her outfit definitely features faux fur! It was really easy to copy and it's a great smart/casual outfit. I love the cute lace up ankle boots and the clutch bag but unfortunately we don't all have the money to afford Chloé, so we'll have to settle on something a bit cheaper!

Topshop: Crop Back Jacket - £65, Faux Fur Stole - £16
Oasis: Faux Leather Lexi Dress - £60
ASOS: Ariba Lace Up Ankle Boots - £32
New Look: Colour Block Envelope Clutch - £15.99

I know it's all black but sometimes black just looks so much better and more sophisticated than other gaudy colours. There is a little colour injection with the envelope clutch, which New Look are great for!

Skater dresses can be worn with anything really, this entire outfit would be great for every day wear, smarter more formal wear and probably even for interviews as well!

What do you think? Will you be recreating Kirsten's style?

*Image courtesy of FashionPatrol

Nicki Minaj for OPI

2012-01-27T09:00:00.002Z

Nicki Minaj OPI Minis - eBay - £12.95.
(L:R - Did It On 'Em, Fly, Pink Friday, Metallic 4 Life)

After falling in love with the OPI Rainbow Connection polish, I was keen to check out some more of OPI's collaborations, so I opted for the new(ish) Nicki Minaj collection. I originally ordered a full size version of the 'Fly' shade, but then saw the mini collection floating around and desperately needed to try 'Metallic 4 Life'.

The mini collection contains the shades; Did It On 'Em, Fly, Pink Friday & Metallic 4 Life and they're all rather lovely. 'Did It On 'Em' is probably my least favourite as it's a yellow/green snotty kind of colour but the others are gorgeous. I think Metallic 4 Life and Pink Friday will work brilliantly together!

They're quite thin polishes that need a couple of coats but they dry relatively quickly and leave a lovely finish. 'Fly' is particularly striking. They're all fun colours and I guess they represent Nicki Minaj pretty well. There's also a shatter polish (Super Bass Shatter) available in the collection, as well as a holographic glitter polish (Save Me).

As I said, the colours are lovely! They're really easy to remove as well, and don't stain the nails, which is great. Metallic 4 Life is a little harder to remove because it's a glitter polish, you might need to scrub the nail a bit with a cotton bud and remover or use the old foil trick to remove!

What do you think of Nicki Minaj's OPI collection?

John Frieda Style On Demand

2012-01-26T09:00:00.008Z

I was recently contacted by the lovely people at John Frieda and was asked if I'd be interested in working with them. Well, how could I say no really? I recently received some products from their new 'Full Repair Range' which is not due out until March, and I was so impressed that they're now my daily hair products and I'll be reviewing them on the blog very soon!

In the mean time, I wanted to point you in the direction of John Frieda's brand new 'Style on Demand' series of Hair Tutorials! The brand have recently launched a new Youtube channel which features videos of John Frieda stylists Jake Davies and Giles Robinson creating great looks and styles that can easily be recreated by the viewers!

I was particularly interested in the 'Body Blow Dry' tutorial which helps to create volume and boost in your hair! I'm definitely going to be trying it out!

Their 'French Pleat' tutorial is another of my faves but I think I'd need a lot of help to recreate it!

I'd definitely recommend checking out some of the videos and recreating some of the styles. I think it's about time I reignited my 'Hair Experiment' blog series don't you think?!

Wednesday Wishlist #17

2012-01-25T14:51:00.000Z

I'm currently enjoying a few days off work. Yesterday I had an interview at a Advertising/Marketing company which was quite possibly the worst interview I've ever had. I'm not quite sure it was advertised properly as I was expecting that it would be sourcing clients/writing/admin but when I got there it was pretty much a quickfire maths test and I just crumbled. The job description said basic arithmetic...which is fine but what I was tested on I wouldn't exactly call basic. Anyone that knows me will know I'm bad with numbers and not good at working things out on the spot. I basically felt I was in my Maths GCSE again and as they were waiting for me to answer the questions I was just getting more and more frustrated and teary and it just put me off for the rest of the interview. Anyway, I'm not holding out any hope of getting it so I'll put it down to experience and keep searching!

I haven't really got up to much today yet. I've just come back from a 'work meeting' which I was expecting to just turn into an argument. Luckily it didn't and we all got our views heard. My hours will be going up again when the place goes back to half board and I'll be grateful when they do!

So, now I'm home again I can finally get on with today's post. I usually schedule my posts to publish at 9am so this one is a bit late today!

Topshop: MOTO Rose Supersoft Skinny Jeans -£38, Perforated Cross Body Bag - £25
Miss Selfridge : Charcoal Colourblock Legging - £20
River Island: Cream Zebra Print T-Shirt - £12
Ever Ours: Triple Triangle Ring - £5
Matalan - Stripe Canvas Satchel - £8

Having just added the Topshop Rose Skinny Jeans to my wishlist, I've found out that the colour in real life is pretty much nothing like the colour on the website, which is such a shame! In real life I think they're more of a Barbie Pink colour which is just not for me. I could be wrong though, I think I need to see them with my own eyes!

I've been toying with the idea of the Miss Selfridge Leggings as I think they make a nice, subtle change from plain black ones. I wasn't 100% sure that they'd look nice in real life though, but I spotted a girl in Bristol yesterday wearing a pair and they're really quite nice, so these have gone straight to the top of my list!

I can never have too many bags. I picked one up in Primark yesterday and got into a tiff with Vince because I already have so many and don't need any more! You can never have too many bags to be honest. I did end up putting the Primark one back because I decided that it looked a bit cheap and tacky, but the ones featuring above are lovely!!

I found the triple Triangle ring after searching Ever Ours, which Michelle featured on her blog recently. They have some really lovely stuff and this ring quickly caught my eye, only £5 too!

Last but not least, a rare River Island find. Such cute zebra print that I couldn't resist not ordering it, so it will hopefully soon be on it's way to me! Oops!

Sarenza Ambassador

2012-01-24T09:00:00.002Z

Sarenza: Vivienne Westwood Anglomania Et Melissa Lady Dragon Vii Sp Ad - £143.70

Becoming a Sarenza Ambassador would be a total treat for my feet!

After spending so long infront of the mirror and throwing all manner of clothes around the room in the midsts of getting ready, my footwear is often a very last minute thought. Usually I throw on whatevers nearest or whatever will survive the weather. So, it's about time I thought long and hard about my choice of footwear on a daily basis and becoming a Sarenza Ambassador will give me a great reason to dress my small size 4s in some fabulous looks, for they do deserve it, having kept my upright for 23 years!

I know that every fashion lover and her mother would probably choose Vivienne Westwood Melissa's if they could, but I firmly believe that you should stick with what you know, and I know for a fact that these shoes are gorgeous, practical and fashionable! To have that little slice of Westwood on my shoe rack would be an honour!

Becoming a Sarenza Ambassador would get me out of my footwear comfort zone and quite frankly, Christmas would come every single month with the £150 voucher. I'm not sure that I can dream of anything better?

OPI Rainbow Connection

2012-01-23T09:00:00.001Z

OPI Rainbow Connection - $8.44

OPI Rainbow Connection & No7 Betty Blue Eyes

This is one of the blogging community's latest trends. It seems that every blogger has got her hand's on the OPI Rainbow Connection, which is part of the OPI Muppets Collection, and every blogger seems to love it!

I actually brought this on eBay from an individual seller. They're actually selling the entire collection aswell so definitely make sure you have a look!

The polish has very quickly become a new favourite. It's absolutely beautiful and looks amazing! I love the tiny coloured specks as well as the larger bits. It looks amazing on top of any polish and it also looks really pretty on it's own in lots of layers!

The polish is great for rainbow tips or accent nails but I just love having it on every nail as it sparkles and twinkles in the light!

A two weeks in photos...

2012-01-22T09:00:00.001Z

I didn't get round to posting this last week as I was ill and in bed the whole day, so I thought I'd post two weeks worth of photos today instead. Aren't you lucky?!

Beauty box full of Blogsale items / MUA Eye Primer & Barry M Croc Effects / Packaging up Blogsale items / Pub Quiz! / Stuffing ourselves / Getting into Freelancing / Photographing products / Spending endless hours in the office staring at my CD collection / New Company mag / Korres Lip Butter!

So, before I got ill I pretty much had the entire week off and spent it not doing particularly much. Managed to get my blogsale up and lots of items sent, but now interest has dropped and it's all gone a bit quiet! There's still a lot left so if you fancy it, have a peek!

Did the local Pub Quiz again which was ridiculously packed. We had to carry our own table and chairs down the stairs just so we had somewhere to sit. We did do better than last time but still didn't win! We did manage to get one question hugely and embarrasingly wrong!

Spent the week also looking into going freelance 'properly'. Not really sure where to start to be honest. I'm kind of doing it already with bits here and there, but would quite like my own little business. More of that to come!

On Saturday the dreaded vomiting bug struck so spent the rest of the weekend in bed. I was well enough to open a little ASOS package that arrived though, containing my Korres lip butter! Lovely!

Few minutes peace / MUA 3 in 1 Contour Pens / McDonald's lunch with Dad / Elemis Hand & Nail Cream / Cleanser / OPI Rainbow Connection! / Celebrating being able to eat again / Waiting for job interview

This week has been the week of writing blog posts and other bits and pieces. Received a few bits in the post for review purposes and finally my OPI Rainbow Connection arrived! 'Tis beautiful!

Vince and I celebrated being able to eat normal food again this week. Dad took me to McDonald's randomly for lunch and Vince and I ordered a chinese last night! We usually always order the same things so we tried something a bit different this time and it was yummy!

Yesterday I went to my Nan & Grandads in the morning and spent the rest of the day being a bum. Today I'm back at work until 4 and then again 9 til 11. Normal 'week in photos' will resume next week!

MUA 3 in 1 eXtreme Contour Pens

2012-01-21T09:00:00.001Z

MUA 3 in 1 eXtreme Contour Pens - £1.50

Black, Smoked Plum, Sage, Brown

I hope MUA don't mind me saying that these are some strange looking products! However, I understand the strange shape of the pens as it's all about using the different angles and points of the nib to create precision.

The widest part of the nib can be used to apply an all over colour to the lid while the edges and points of the nib can be used to really get into the creases and create great sweeping designs. I've been trying to follow the MUA blog and have been trying out their different looks, but it's taking a lot of practice.

The pens are great for blending and I found that the plum/sage/brown is a great combination, made more daring with a hint of the black. Originally the only shade available was black, but now there are a total of seven different shades including the 4 I've picked up, as well as Auburn, Gunmetal, Mint and Sea Blue.

I think these are really worth the money. They're lovely and soft to apply and easy to blend. With a little practice I'll be creating great eye make-up designs in no time! (Fingers crossed!)

Mulberry S/S12

2012-01-20T09:00:00.001Z

As if I didn't want a Mulberry bag enough, this advertising campaign has just made the need even stronger!

This has got to be one of the most exciting, colourful and fun campaigns I've seen from a brand in a long time and with Mulberry being a British institution, it was only right for it to be shot on none other than Brighton beach!

The campaign images are like traditional British postcards featuring the famous pier, sticks of rock, candy stripes and ice-cream! Oh, and the new handbag collection of course! And as if the bags weren't enough, the outfits consisting of cute ankle socks, wedges and an overall kitsch theme are adorable!

What do you think of the campaign?

*Images courtesy of FashionGoneRogue.com

Korres Lip Butter in Guava

2012-01-19T09:00:00.002Z

Korres Lip Butter in Guava - £6

I finally have it! And by 'it', I mean Korres Lip Butter in Guava. I've seen this lip butter all over the blogging community and have wanted it for absolutely ages, but because I'm always so difficult, I only wanted the Guava shade which was continually out of stock.

I'm not sure how popular/good Korres is as a brand but personally I think £6 is a little steep, which is why I waited until I could get it on ASOS with free delivery. I got totally swept up with this product as I saw it on loads of blogs, which instantly made me want it, making me pay the £6 for such a small product!

However, it feels like a lovely, higher-end product and the smell is delicious, which kind of makes up for the price tag! I was put off by the red/pink shades because there is a slight tint to the butters and I never wear any colour on my lips. I much prefer non coloured balms and butters, so Guava is perfect with only a little sheen/shimmer. Luckily for me, it's not the type of lip balm that you constantly lick off all day long and it contains Shea Butter and Rice Wax, which really hydrates cracked lips like mine!

I'm definitely hoping to try out some more Korres products and I've heard they're sold at Waitrose as well, so I need to have a little browse.

Have you tried the Korres Lip Butters before?

Wednesday Wishlist #16

2012-01-18T13:48:00.000Z

Hi everyone! It's my favourite time of the week, Wednesday Wishlist time! A bit delayed today as I've got the day off work so had a nice lie-in and a McDonald's lunch with Dad! Yum! My hours at worked are still really low as we're still full board until March! I can't believe it, need some money now!

Have had a bit of a nightmare with Topshop jeans recently! I brought a size 10 pair in store the other week and found them a bit too loose, but they didn't have an 8 in stock so I ordered online and took the 10's back. Turns out the size 8 I ordered were in some weird black coated material that certainly wasn't denim, so back they went as well and now I've finally opened a normal, size 8 pair of skinnys and found they're a bit too tight! So annoying, usually Topshop jeans are the best ones for me and now I've gone and split BBQ sauce on the new ones as well I can't really return them!

Anyway, enough about my jeans fiasco!

Topshop: Foil Boxy Tee - £30
ASOS: Cat Print Across Body Bag - £18, TIGI Bed Head Mega Whip - £12.50
OFFICE: Willow paige black lt/kid sd - £28
Miss Selfridge: Grey Canvas Cat Bag - £8

Anyone else been completely taken by the Topshop 'Foil Boxy Tee's' that look absolutely beautiful online, but I'm yet to see one in real life! I'm guessing it's one of those tops that I'll absolutely love but once I try it on it will look awful! I think it's a tad expensive at £30 as well.

Two cute cat themed bags this week for some reason. They both jumped out at me but I'm sure I don't need any more bags. I always find that canvas shopper bags get really dirty quickly, but look how cool!!

Really want to try the TIGI Bed Head Mega Whip as I've already tried some products from the new Candy Fixations range and found them absolutely brilliant! Although labelled as a whip I'm assuming it's very similar to a mousse? If anyone's tried it I'd love to know what you thought!

Lastly, why am I always too late for shoes like this? Sold out already and I've only just cottoned on to the trend! As a person that always wears flats and doesn't like heels, these would be perfect, but they're only available in an ugly Khaki green colour! Bad times!

Anyway, I better get on with some more blog posts and content for Styleclone.com. Just before I go, yesterday's Celeb Style Steal post didn't appear in the dashboard for some reason so if you wan't to check it out, please do so here!

Celeb Style Steal #12

2012-01-17T09:00:00.002Z

Michelle Trachtenberg at the Art Of Elysium Heaven Gala

I know that the Golden Globes took place very recently, but I thought that would be too obvious a choice for the Celeb Style Steal feature. Instead, I found this great image of Michelle Trachtenberg at the Art Of Elysium Heaven Gala, which took place a couple of days before the Golden Globes.

As soon as I spotted it, I absolutely loved her dress, which is a lovely ruffled Marchesa number. It's a total LBD, with an added interest in the ruffled neckline that's not too over the top at all!

I don't think I've noticed Michelle Trachtenberg's wardrobe before, but after this I'll definitely be paying more attention to her because she looks great. I love the clutch bag and the blue stone jewellery, that is hugely popular amongst bloggers.

ASOS: River Island Bodycon Ruffle One Shoulder Dress - £25, Blue Stone Earrings - £8
New Look: Prince Check Envelope Clutch - £5, Black Studded Court Shoes - £29.99
Temporary-Secretary: Izel Navajo Aztec Ring (Blue) - £12

So, what do we think? ASOS have a lot of great LBD's in stock at the moment and they're all pretty reasonably priced. I think the ruffle details are so pretty and the little pops of blue colour is great!

Although we can't see Michelle's shoes in the image, I picked out some Studded Court Shoes to harden up the look a little bit! I think they work perfectly!

Would you copy Michelle's style?

*Image courtesy of HolyMoly.com

- P.S, All prices in the Cherry Pie Shop have been slashed!

MUA Professional Eye Primer

2012-01-16T09:00:00.019Z

My daily blogging ended yesterday unfortunately. On Saturday I took Vince to A&E as he was suffering all night long from vomiting, chest pains and an insane pulse of 130. We spent most of Saturday at the hospital and while I was seeing the doctor myself, I started throwing up aswell. Apparently I have a vomiting bug. I'm starting to feel a bit better but then I get feelings of sickness just wash over me and I feel awful again. I'm hoping it eases off by Tuesday as I have to go to work, I already called in sick for Sunday night as I work with food and didnt think anyone would appreciate me spreading my germs.

Vince has an infection/something similar to the bug I have but it was obviously made a lot worse as he had a high pulse and chest pains aswell :( I'm sure we will both be fine soon and back to eating everything in sight. I can't believe I've only eaten a slice of toast all weekend. Anyway, just wanted to explain my absence from blogging, but thank goodness for scheduled posting. My week in photos should be back next week!

Today I want to tell you all about my new favourite product!

MUA (Make Up Academy) Eye Primer - £2.50

MUA are going from strength to strength and are slowly gaining huge popularity in the beauty industry. They're one of my favourite brands, so when I spotted their new Eye Primer in store for just £2.50, I thought I'd give it a try.

The closest I've got to trying a primer in the past is using Vaseline underneath Barry M's Dazzle Dust, haha! I thought primers were just a waste of time but at £2.50, it was worth trying it out.

I love the application tip as it's much like a lipgloss, which makes it easy to apply. On my first try with the primer I applied it underneath Chanel's Illusion D'Ombre in #86 Ébloui and went on with my everyday business. I just happened to be getting my eyebrows waxed that day and the beautician commented on how sparkly and bright my eyeshadow was! Now I know the Chanel eyeshadow is already really lovely but the Primer just made it dazzle which I love!

It's a great little product and it's proved it's worth to me already so I'll be using it on a daily basis!

Will you be trying the MUA Primer?

No7 Midnight Enchantment Eyeshadow Stick

2012-01-14T09:00:00.001Z

No7 Midnight Enchantment Eyeshadow Stick in Metallic Purple - £5.25

When I finally got paid on Friday, I thought I'd take a little trip to Boots to see if I could pick up any goodies! I didn't have a very successful trip to be honest as I only came away with one thing, but looking back on it, I found a really great new eye product!

I came across No7's new Midnight Enchantment range, and the eyeshadow sticks really stood out to me! I love the sparkles and the deep purple and metallic grey theme that the range has going on, plus the packaging is extra pretty. The stick was priced at £5.25, but the lady at the till said it was on offer, so I'm really not sure what it's full price is! There wasn't actually a price tag on it when I picked it up so I was expecting it to be around the £7/£8 mark.

There are quite a few products in the new range, including nail polishes, an eyeshadow quad, lipsticks and blusher quads. I decided on the Metallic Purple Eyeshadow Sticks as I thought I'd try something different to my normal grey/brown eyeshadow combo.

I'm so glad I picked up this certain shade because it's a sparkly, deep purple shade that can be blended as well as worn alone. I love eyeshadow sticks that you can twist as you only really need a little bit, meaning it will last so much longer! It's really soft and velvety to apply and lasts hours. It can be used as a full on block eyeshadow colour or can even be applied as a subtle eyeliner.

A new year means it's time to try new things and I think this sparkly purple shade is the perfect place to start and I'm going to make sure it makes it's way into my daily make-up routine!

Have you tried anything from the Midnight Enchantment range?

Barry M Croc Nail Effects Polish

2012-01-13T09:00:00.007Z

Barry M Croc Effects Polish - £3.99

I'll admit I'm fed up with crackle nail polishes now and I know it's all about magnetized polishes at the moment, but I wanted to try out and review the new(ish) Barry M Croc Effects. You might have seen a pic of my nails on Instagram a couple of days ago (cherryp13) but I had so many posts already lined up that I had to wait a few days before posting about them!

I basically picked this up because the effect looks much better than 'crackles'. My crackle polishes always split into huge chunks and don't look like they're supposed to, but this effect actually looks like some sort of croc skin.

It's a little bit different to the crackle polishes in it's application as it states you must apply it on 'touch dry' polish only. Not completely dry polish. They say that for a reason as I tried both methods and applying it to 'touch dry' polish brings out a much better finished effect.

It also takes 3 minutes for the effect to appear, unlike the crackle polishes which pretty much started working before your very eyes. It is worth the wait though.

I'm sure it's going to come out in many more colours, I hope something different from blue, white and pink though...It does say that you need a thin coat of polish but I don't really think this matters as I used quite a thick layer and still got a good effect!

The only downsides to this polish is the smell. Weirdly, it has a very strong scent which I don't think I've noticed in any other Barry M polishes before. It is also quite difficult to remove, I found that it goes quite stringy, which is weird!

I'd definitely recommend it though because the average non beauty clued-up person is probably still harping on about crackle polishes, so you'll be one step ahead!

First Look: Topshop S/S 2012

2012-01-12T09:00:00.003Z

I've decided to put together a little montage of pieces from Topshop's new Spring/Summer 2012 collections.

There are some really lovely pieces within the collections and my favourite looks have got to be from the 'Faded Neon' collection, which is full of lovely pastel colours, loose fits and pretty casual items. My absolute favourite piece is the Knitted Wetlook Stitch Jumper which is perfect for throwing over a little tee on those not so warm days. I also love the casual tee pictured above. A lot of other S/S collections have featured quite bright/neon pieces but I love Topshop's slight twist on the trend! Genius!

I'm also a huge fan of their 'Sheer' collection which is a continuation of the trend into S/S. We're all still loving sheer shirts and strong collars, but these also come in a variety of pastel colours as well as the bolder blacks and reds. The plastic accessories are pretty interesting, though I'm not sure it will really catch on.

The 'Prints' and 'Jungle Fever' are probably my least favourite collections. I'm really not a fan of animal print and I'm bored to death of florals, but I do like the fact that Aztec print is still going and the Aztec Dip Hem Skirt is actually really pretty!

I'm also really excited to see some new Make-Up collections filtering into the store and the 'Sunbeam' Highlighter gives us a great idea of what we can expect!

So, what do you think of the new collections coming through? I'm definitely going to be wearing the faded neons and sheer looks and hopefully you'll see them feature in future posts!

What do you think of the new collections?

Wednesday Wishlist #15

2012-01-11T09:00:00.001Z

Hooray! Wednesday Wishlist is back! After a brief break over Christmas, there's now loads of things that I want, so I've been adding them to my wishlist bookmarks like crazy! A lot of the stuff is in the current Sales so if I want to buy then I need to be super quick! A few of the other bits are new Spring/Summer pieces already available!

ASOS: River Island Chain Loafers - £15, Korres Lip Butter - £6
Topshop: Stripe Roll Back Tee - £18, Knitted Wet Look Stitch Jumper - £36
New Look: Metallic Chain Moccasin - £7
eBay - Mulberry Oversized Taylor Bag Lookalike - £27

Such lovely stuff on the wishlist this week! I saw the ASOS River Island Loafers on Instagram recently as well as on a few other blogs and immediately loved them! I've got some Primark loafers that are a navy colour but they're quite old and tatty now. I'm not sure why I haven't ordered these yet to be honest, as they still have my size! I found the Metallic Chain Moccasin alternatives in New Look but they're now out of stock!

The Topshop pieces are from the new S/S Lookbook and I love, love, love them! The colours are so pretty so I definitely need to get my hands on these for the Spring time.

As for the Korres lip butter, well, I'm getting really annoyed with it to be honest. All of the flavours are available except the Guava one! I've searched everywhere for it but still can't find one that doesn't come with a ridiculous delivery price!

Last but not least, the Mulberry Oversized Taylor Bag Lookalike is so so pretty! I'd just prefer it to be all black, then it would look even more like the original surely?! I think it's time I got a new bag as I'm getting annoyed with my current one, so I'm now officially on the hunt!

Celeb Style Steal #11

2012-01-10T09:00:00.004Z

Sunday Style Steal has had a little image change for 2012! As I've started my 'week in photos' type posts, I've decided that the Style Steal posts won't only be posted on Sundays, but on any day of the week, therefore leading to it's name change of 'Celeb Style Steal'. Exciting eh?!

Anyway, I spotted an image of Eva Herzigova recently in an outfit that reminded me instantly of something I saw on Love Fashion. The actress was spotted wearing a wrap-over jersey dress from Lanvin in a lovely deep red colour.

The outfit caught my eye because it's just so simple! I think anyone can pull of this style of dress, I even remember having a black version that was a 'go to' item of mine.

I love the subtle patterned tights she's wearing as well as the strappy heels and clutch bag and the plunging neckline means you can add a great statement necklace! It's pretty easy to copy actually so here we go...

Love Fashion: Aubergine Long Sleeve Wrap - £32
Topshop: Lace Rose Tights - £5, Suede Strappy Platforms - £62
New Look: Patent Envelope Clutch - £12.99

Will you be copying Eva's look?

2True Cosmetics Nail Polish

2012-01-09T09:00:00.002Z

I've heard of 2True Cosmetics before but have never tried them out, until now!

When I attended the Xmas Blogger Meet, I received a 2True Nail Polish in the goody bag and I've been waiting to test it out for ages. There was a whole load of different colours (believe me, I packed all of the goody bags with them!) so I had no idea which one I would get, but I ended up with the imaginatively named 'Shade #11'.

Thankfully I managed to pick up a really cute shade, kind of a shimmering lavender colour. It's a little thin but two coats sorted that out and it dries quite quickly too! It's a really subtle shade, the type I put on and spend ages looking at when I'm typing.

It's lovely to apply and would look great with a darker purple accent nail! I'd definitely recommend this brand and it's definitely one I'm going to check out again! I'm pretty sure you can get 2True at Superdrug stores!

- Don't forget to check out the CherryPie Shop before you go!

A quiet week in photos...

2012-01-08T09:00:00.007Z

View from Cafe at work / Eating the last of the Xmas food / Launching new Shop / Easy Listening / Rediscovering Bejewelled Blitz / 4 bags full of more bags / Cleaning out my Wardrobe

I'm off work until the 13th so am officially bored at home. Although I do have blogging and other writing work to keep me occupied, once that's all done it's pretty much the same old every day.

I have of course used some of my time of to see Vince and went for a lovely roast dinner at his the other night, delicious! I've also used the time to set up a little blog shop, selling a few bits and bobs, including advertising, at reasonable prices!

I've slowly munched my way through the rest of the Christmas food, had a huge clear out of my bedroom and wardrobe while listening to a few CDs and rediscovered my love of Bejewelled Blitz with the iPhone and iPad apps and now I'm officially addicted!

I'm hoping that next week might be a bit more exciting. I'm hoping to get my eyebrows waxed at some point and have a look around the town, hopefully spend my giftcard and get a few more goodies! So at least you've got something 'exciting' to read about next week...haha!

Yesterday I put up a little Blogsale so please check it out!!

Blogsale

2012-01-07T17:57:00.006Z

Having a bit of a make-up clear out and thought I'd give bloggers a chance to get their hands on it before I try eBay.

UK Only.
1.50 Postage plus 50p per additional item.
Paypal only.
Please comment saying what product/s you want and you're email address so I can send invoice.

No7 Nail & Cuticle Care - Never used - £4

~~Benefit Posie Tint - Used once or twice - £2~~
~~Benefit Benetint - Used a few times (apparent in image) - £2~~
~~Benefit High Beam - Used once or twice - £2~~
All mini 0.4ml versions!!

~~Collection 2000 Cream Puff in Powder Puff - Never used - £3~~
~~Collection 2000 Cream Puff in Angel Delight - Never used - £3~~

On hold

OPI Gold Shatter (from Dec Joliebox) - Never used - £6

Dermalogica 15ml Multivitamin thermafoliant - Never used - £4

Dermalogica 15ml Multivitamin power recovery masque - Never used - £4

(Both from past Glossybox)

~~MeMeMe Cosmetics Seventh Heaven Facebase (from past Glossy/Joliebox) - Never used - £3.50 - 10ml~~

Stila liquid eyeliner - Never used - £3.50

LP Skin Therapy Lip Rescue Gel (from past Glossybox) - Never used - £3

Cargo Lip Gloss (from past Glossybox) - Never used - £3

Topshop Eyeshadow Duo in Thunder - Never used - £4

~~Mitchell & Peach Shower Wash (from Dec Joliebox) - Never used - £2 each~~

~~All For Eve Red Lipstick (from past Glossybox) - Never been used, damaged but usable - £3~~

Topshop Cheek Duo in Desert Sun - Never used - £7

Topshop Powder Foundation in Nude - Never used - £7

~~MAC Eyeshadow in Motorhead - (labelled as sample but purchased from magazine beauty sale) - Never used - £5~~

~~MAC Eyeshadow in Glamora Castle - (brought from other blogsale, swatched a few times) - £5~~

Jane Iredale 24 Karat Gold Dust Shimmer Powder (from Dec Joliebox) - Never used - £4

Benefit IT stick - Used once - £3

Witch Antiblemish liquid concealer #01 light - Swatched once - £3

~~No7 Calm Skin Redness Relief Balm - Used a few times - £3~~

No7 Hot Cloth Cleanser - Used once - £5

Barry M Lilac Glitter Eye Crayon - Needs sharpening - £2

Barry M Eye Crayon No4 - Used once or twice - £2

Barry M Duo Kohl Pencil - Never used - £2

17 Cosmetics Pen Liner - Never used - £3

Matalan S/S 2012

2012-01-07T09:00:00.001Z

I'm well aware that it's still very early on in the year but there is already Spring collections filtering into stores. I don't really go all out with Spring/Summer clothing, instead I choose to just take bits and pieces and work them into the wardrobe I already have.

I'm really loving the accessories in the Matalan S/S 2012 Lookbook, in particular, the scarves, headbands and jewellery pictured above. I'm also liking the inclusion of denim again, especially in shirt/jacket form as I really liked it a few years ago as well and still have a few bits hanging about in my wardrobe.

Of course, florals and lace look set to make a reappearance, as it does every year, but it never gets old. As with a lot of other Lookbooks, there are a lot of bright colours which I'm not to sure about, but maybe it's time to take a risk with a bit of colour?

Below, I've chosen a few individual items that I'm hoping to get my hands on!

So what do you think of the Lookbook?! Definitely going to have to get myself to a Matalan store pronto!

- P.S, Don't forget about the new blog shop!

GOSH Nail Glitters

2012-01-06T09:00:00.003Z

When I was on work experience in December, I would look around the shops on my lunch break and would often pop into Superdrug and Boots to have a look at the make-up and nail polishes. One day, whilst browsing the GOSH counter, which I never normally do, I spotted their new nail glitters.

Instantly they reminded me of Barry M's Dazzle Dust, however, these were for your nails and not your eyes. Though, I wonder what would happen if you used the Dazzle Dust on nails?! I'm sure it would create the same effect!

There are 10 glitters in the collection, but unfortunately only 4 were available in the store I was looking in. I picked up Amethyst Purple, Gold, Ruby Red, and Jade Green for £3.99 each.

GOSH Nail Glitter in Amethyst Purple and Ruby Red - £3.99

GOSH Nail Glitters in Gold and Jade Green - £3.99

They're really easy to use, just paint your nails with whatever colour you like, wait for it to dry and then add a clear polish. While the clear polish is wet, dip your finger nail into the glitter making sure it's all covered.

You can clean up the edges with a cotton bud dipped in some nail polish remover and voila! The glitters are so vibrant and bright which I love! I wore the pink glitter to the Xmas Blogger Party and couldn't stop looking at my nails! It takes quite a lot of glitter to do a full nail and they're extremely messy so watch out.

There are a few downsides to the glitters though. I found that because the containers have high ridges, it's hard to get your nails into the pot without having to shake the glitter out a little bit. The glitter also catches on everything, I tried putting tights on while I had the glitter on which was a mistake. I tried a clear layer over the top but it simply sunk into the glitter, and made it easier to peel.

I think these glitters are better for nail tips and accent nails and you can even blend the different glitters together!

You can see that I wasn't lying when I said they were messy. They take quite a bit of patience to master but I love the finished look. I don't think I'll be purchasing the full 10 shades as that would be a bit much but these are great for special occasions. What do you think?

What's in my shopping bags?

2012-01-05T09:00:00.003Z

So, I've had one browse of the January sales so far and I was so disappointed in most of the shops. I have a £20 giftcard for New Look, yet there was absolutely nothing I wanted in my local store. I think I'm going to save it for the future, as I always find that if I'm looking specifically for something to spend my giftcard on then I never find it, so I'll try and forget about it and hopefully something will catch my eye one day!

I did however, venture into Internacionale and had a good rifle through the sale racks. I managed to find three little gems, two of which I've included here! (One was a simple black skirt that I've already worn and creased up!)

I really wish Internacionale would launch an online shopping section of their website so I could link you to these great pieces. If I remember correctly, I'm sure each item was just £5 each in the bargain and I absolutely loved the colours of them both!

Internacionale was a great find for me in 2011 and now it's one of my favourite High Street shops. I never would have believed it would be, as I used to walk straight past it, thinking it was tacky! Oh how wrong I was!

Hopefully these two tops will feature in some future Outfit posts! Keep your eyes peeled!

- Before I go, I just want to let you know about a little blog venture I've just started up. I've just launched a brand new Shop selling accessories and advertising! At the moment there is limited stock as I'm just starting out, but I'm hoping to add more in the future!

MUA Imacculate Palette

2012-01-03T14:24:00.002Z

24 Shade Immaculate Collection Palette - £8

I've been meaning to review this palette for absolutely ages! 2011 was a brilliant year for MUA as they became firm favourites amongst the blogging community and we all went wild for their Heaven & Earth Palette, so when I saw their new 24 shade Immaculate Palette, it just had to be mine.

I'd say the palette is a good mixture of their best shades, in matte and shimmer finishes and for just £8, it's an absolute bargain!

Although I tend to play it safe with brown and black eyeshadows or liners, this palette has a lot of lovely colours that I've been trying out. I particularly like the shimmering shadows in copper and midnight blue as they give you a bit of sparkle. Some of the colours are rather bright, such as purples and bright blues but they don't feel too daring and can always be blended with the other shades. The possibilities are endless really...after buying this palette, you won't need to buy eyeshadow again. It's a shame that the shades don't have names though, I think MUA could really have some fun if they named each individual shade and it makes them much more interesting than just being 'shade 1' and 'shade 2', etc.

Overall it's a brilliant investment in eyeshadow and will last forever! I'd highly recommend it!

Goals for 2012

2012-01-02T15:31:00.001Z

Can you believe it? 2012...it doesn't sound right does it? We only have until December 21st to make the most of the year before the world supposedly ends, so let's enjoy it! Haha! As of right now, I have absolutely nothing planned for 2012. Vince and I will celebrate 4 years together, he will turn 25, and me, 24, while my niece Daisy will turn the grand old age of 1! What else is to come is a mystery, but hopefully all good!

I just wanted to get a quick post up today about resolutions and goals for 2012 as I've been enjoying reading everybody elses! I have already made a few new year's resolutions and written them down for future reference...so I wanted to share them with you and hopefully refer back to this post at the end of the year to see if I kept/met any of them!

Quite a boring resolution I know but this year I am desperate to move out of home and into a place with Vince! This means saving and working as many hours as possible...leading to my next 'goal'.

The way to get money is of course to work. One of my main resolutions this year is to get a new job whether it is Journalism related or not. I need full time hours in order to get somewhere to live and continue to live in it and I'm just not getting enough hours where I'm at now. Ideally I'd love a writing/Journalism related job and I'll continue to hunt for one but until then, I need something to keep me going!

I'm also going to keep up my paid writing work for Styleclone.com and Guide2WestonSuperMare.com and hopefully up the amount I'm doing. I also want to try and get more paid writing work if I can, though I haven't given this a lot of thought quite yet.

My blog has grown so much since it first started and 2011 really saw my followers and visitors grow, which is great! My blogging resolutions this year are to reach the big 1000 followers, do more outfit photos, continue to blog regularly as well as keep up with weekly posts and hopefully include some new ones! I'd also love to meet lots more bloggers! After the Xmas blogger meet, I can't wait to meet more likeminded people!

Fingers crossed I'll be able to keep to these resolutions. I've tried to make them as simple and reachable as possible. What are your resolutions for the new year?

As you can see, I'm off to my friends house tonight instead of the Staff party at work. I'm now off work until the 13th so am going to have lots of time to blog! Just quickly before I go, I want to congratulate Marta over at Glitter Detector for winning my Christmas MUA giveaway! Hooray!

A celebratory week in photos...

2012-01-01T16:08:00.001Z

Well, first of all, Happy New Year! I hope you all had a great time celebrating last night! Now that I have my snazzy new iPhone I've been able to snap loads of pictures out and about, so thought it was time I started another regular feature on the blog, 'a week in photos...'

I'm still hoping to continue with my Sunday Style Steal and Wednesday Wishlist posts and they'll be back in force now that all the Christmas hoo-haa has died down a little. I think from now on the week in photos posts will probably be put up on a Saturday, depending how many I snap!

Shopping on Friday afternoon / Pizza Hut Dinner! / My workplace on NYE / Genius at work / Fireworks on NYE

Nothing really interesting happened until at least Friday if I'm honest. There's always a really quiet few days after Christmas where no one really does anything except eat leftover turkey...we had it in a soup for two days and a pie, but finally it's all gone!

On Friday my sister and I went shopping in town and I managed to pick up a few bargains in the Sale! I also went to town in the afternoon with Vince in order to get myself a phone cover. We also made good use of the Pizza Hut giftcard we received for Christmas from my Nan and Grandad, best present idea ever! We devoured a Meat Feast and a BBQ Americano and also had room for unlimited salad, potato wedges and even their infamous Cookie Dough dessert, YUM!

I worked over the weekend but luckily was finished by 5pm on NYE, meaning I got to go to Vince's for our annual NYE feast and fireworks! Vince showed me one of the new tracks he's working on which as always, is amazing. Vince's mum cooks awesome food and I completely stuffed myself as usual. We watched the Fireworks on the TV (very impressive) as well as watching them outside!

Unfortunately I had work at 9:30am this morning so I'm pretty knackered. I finished at 12:45 but am back in at 9pm, so I best be off!

Happy New Year everyone, don't forget to enter my MUA Palette Giveaway which ends tomorrow!!

December Favourites

2011-12-31T09:00:00.002Z

So, with only a matter of hours until the end of December, it was time to pull out the old 'monthly favourites' post. I think December has been a great month for products, what with the best Glossybox of the year and the release of Topshop's Nail Art pens!

I'm spending New Year's Eve at work during the day, but at Vince's for the evening. It's kind of become a tradition now for me to go to Vince's and his mum always does a great buffet! Unfortunately I start work at 9am on Sunday so it won't be too much of a late night and probably no drinking, but as long as there's food, I'm not really fussed!

Anyway, on to the faves!

December Jolie Box: OPI Gold Shatter
December Glossybox: Deborah Lippman Razzle Dazzle, Rituals Foaming Shower Gel
Topshop: Nail Art Pen, Velvet Leggings
Desire Clothing: Chunky Knit Cardigan
MUA: Immaculate Palette

Thought I'd do something a bit different this month and put all the images together in one graphic. I'm annoying myself by always posting image after image, this way it's a bit more interesting and I even decided to add some of my favourite clothing items from December as well!

This months beauty boxes were great for nail polishes and the Deborah Lippman and OPI Gold Shatter are new favourites! The OPI shatter was probably the best product in the Joliebox actually!

I haven't reviewed my Immaculate palette yet, but I promise I'm getting round to it! As for the Nail Art pens from Topshop, I think you can tell by now that I'm a huge fan!

What have your favourite products been this month? I wonder what January will bring? I'm sure I'll pick up a few new bits and pieces in the sales!

Have a great New Year everyone!

Joliebox December 2011

2011-12-29T09:00:00.001Z

I've been waiting quite a while to get this post up. I decided to order the first Joliebox so I could compare it to the popular Glossybox.

My box was despatched on December 14th but I didn't receive it when everybody else was. After a few days I contacted the company on their Facebook page, as you do, and got blunt, sarcastic and rude replies. For some reason Joliebox/Boudoir Prive don't realise that Facebook is the first port of call for unhappy and even happy customers, even with a customer support email, but to express their unhappiness with people writing on their wall about their boxes is just rude in my opinion.

It took a good few days for me to receive a reply from the customer support email and they kindly sent out another box for me, but by that time it was too late as I'd already unsubscribed.

I decided to still go ahead and review the products as they were very generous with a staggering 7 items, but I still have mixed feelings about some of them.

What was in the box?

OPI Gold Shatter Nail Lacquer
Apply over any dry nail lacquer to create a stunning 'shattered' effect.

Mitchell and Peach Shower Wash
An invigorating shower wash containing natural English honey, Vitamin E and wheat proteins.

New CID Cosmetics i-gloss
Light up lip gloss with mirror for a non-sticky, long-lasting and high glam shine.

Jane Iredale 24 Karat Gold Dust
A multi-use shimmer powder in shade Rose Gold to apply to cheeks, eyes, lips, body and even hair.

Yon-Ka Vital Defense
Anti-ageing prevention, antioxidant and anti-pollution cream to help the skin to preserve its youthfulness.

Kusmi Detox Tea
A delicious blend of Matè, chinese Green Tea and lemon grass full flavoured with lemon.

Joliebox Concealer Brush
Designed for blending concealer, the pointed tip provides precision for small imperfections whilst the flat side smooths coverage across larger areas such as under the eye.

I love the full size OPI Gold Shatter and the Jane Iredale 24 Karat Gold Dust is really pretty and could add a nice bit of sparkle to eyeshadow, but as for the rest of the products, I'm not too keen.

The light-up lipgloss is a great, well known brand but the light on it is pretty blinding and I'm not a fan of lipgloss at all and The Yon-Ka Vital Defense is a nice little product that I'll probably give to someone else. As for the shower wash, I think it will end up in the bathroom cabinet collecting dust. It reminds me a bit of the shower gels you steal from hotel rooms and the scent isn't very nice.

I don't like the idea of putting a detox tea in a beauty box and I know that Boudoir Prive have done that before. Again, this will probably just sit in the cupboard. The concealer brush is another nice product that I might pass on to my sister!

Overall, I'm a bit disappointed in the box. I understand that the delivery was held up by Christmas, but I think if it was shipped on the 14th, it should have reached me in time. I much prefer the Glossybox, I guess because the Boudoir Prive/Joliebox is a bit more upmarket and that's just not me. Sorry. I've unsubscribed from the box now but it was nice to compare the two.

What did everyone else think of their boxes?

Christmas in a nutshell

2011-12-28T15:21:00.000Z

So, it's all over until next year. I'm not sure what people think about 'look at my Christmas presents' type posts, but I wanted to write a little bit about what I got and how the day went!

The day didn't get off to the best start as I had to work in the morning. Then the kitchens at work lost their Gas supply and I was told I had to stay past 1pm...I wasn't asked, I was told, which meant I wasn't a happy bunny. Anyway I didn't stay and finally got home for the afternoon!

This Christmas was my niece, Daisy's first ever, so it was pretty special! My Nan and Grandad visited in the morning and then we watched Daisy opening her many many presents! It took quite a while and she was more interested in the paper and she won't remember any of it but it was nice to watch. I got her some little books, a bath book, a Crawling toy and a Minnie Mouse toy which she liked. My mum and dad went a bit mad and she had more presents than everyone put together, but that's how it should be shouldn't it?!

Vince very kindly got me the iPad cover I asked for, and a mysterious second present! When I opened it, it turned out to be an iPhone 4!! I can't believe how lucky I am and I absolutely love it! I also got lots of bits and pieces such as smellies, nail polish sets, books etc, etc.

I still haven't sorted any of it out and found it all a new home! I've got three days off work now so I'm sure it will get done. I'm also hoping to get lots of blog posts written up and you can expect lots of Instagram photos now that I have my lovely new iPhone!

Hope you all had a great Christmas and are looking forward to the New Year!

Merry Christmas!!

2011-12-25T09:00:00.001Z

Admittedly this is a scheduled post, mainly because it's Christmas day, but also because I'm working this morning and haven't time to write anything. So I've scheduled this post as I still want to wish all my blog readers a very Merry Christmas!

Thank you all so much for reading all of my posts over the past year and helping the blog to grow as much as it has! Hope you all have a brilliant day and I'll look forward to reading all of your Christmas present posts!

Don't forget to enter my Christmas MUA Giveaway!

Party Style with DesireClothing.co.uk

2011-12-24T09:00:00.002Z

After winning Desire Clothing's Britain's Best Blogger competition and browsing their website for my prize, I've found a new favourite fashion retailer, so obviously, I wanted to share a few of their items with you!

The items above are brand new for Desire Clothing and they're perfect for all of those New Year's Eve parties that everyone goes to! Unfortunately I'm not one of those people that goes to a club or a wild party to celebrate New Year, instead I usually go to Vince's house for a huge buffet, but the items are actually perfect for any time of year, which is why I wanted to feature them specifically.

I'm seeing so many sequins at the moment and love the small hints of sparkle within the Sequin Chiffon Tee. The Metallic Shift Dress in particular is definitely something I'd wear and I love the shape and slightly flared skirt! So pretty! It would have been perfect for the Xmas blogger meet that took place last week, if only I'd seen it sooner!

The Leopard Print Wrap Over Dress also looks extremely pretty and it's not too full on animal print. I love the addition of the belt. The Embellished Flapper Dress is another absolutely gorgeous product; simple and sophisticated.

What's even better is that most of these items have already had money knocked off them, making them slightly cheaper. If you can order something in time, they're perfect for all the upcoming parties, but if not, you can order them ready for any special occasions that are taking place in 2012!

What do you think of this small selection? Will you be ordering anything?

Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas tomorrow! Don't forget to enter my Christmas MUA Giveaway!

Last Minute Stocking Fillers

2011-12-23T09:00:00.000Z

There's just three more shopping days to go before Christmas (including today) so I thought I'd get a quick post written up with some stocking filler ideas. I originally wanted to write some gift guides, but lots of blogs are doing that, so I thought stocking fillers would be a nice idea.

If you can't afford one big expensive gift then stocking fillers are perfect because you can buy lots of little, cheaper bits and really stuff the stocking with them! I tried to keep the gift ideas pretty low priced and hopefully they'll give you a few ideas!

Topshop: Nail Art Pen, Smokey Eye Quad
ASOS: Bed Head Sugar Dust, Skinny Belt, Pyramid Rings, NARS Mini Nail Polishes
Temporary Secretary: Stripey Button Earrings

Stocking fillers for the girls are so easy! Beauty products, hair products, make-up etc, etc. Jewellery always makes great stocking fillers and I'd love to see all of the products above in my own stocking, if only I still got one!

As for the guys, they are a touch more difficult to buy for but I've chosen things that you can't really go wrong with, i.e Socks, Wallet, Jewellery...

Topman: Beanie Hat, Double Finger Cross Ring
River Island: Perforated Wallet
Urban Outfitters: Dresden Socks, Touch Screen Gloves
ASOS: Sandqvist iPad Case, Flat Anchor Ring

So, there you go! A few last minute ideas for you, happy Christmas shopping!

Glossybox December 2011

2011-12-21T09:00:00.006Z

Finally! The much anticipated December GlossyBox is here! The November box was a huge hit with me so I was expecting great things from the Christmas box and it certainly hasn't disappointed!

What was in the box?

Blink & Go Hi-Definition Mascara
Longer, thicker, sexier. Give your natural lashes a stunning flake-free waterproof boost.

Cargo Cosmetics Classic Lip Gloss
Cargo's new Lip Gloss formulation! Perfect shades, great wear and high-shine without being sticky.

Deborah Lippmann Razzle Dazzle Mini Nail Varnish with Stripped To Go Sachet
Party glitter nail colour with a sachet of the most amazing polish remover finger nail mitt.

MEMEME Seventh Heaven
A luxurious moisturising facebase enriched with active nutrients and extracts to prime and nourish the skin.

Rituals Foaming Shower Gel
This unique foaming shower gel gently cleanses your skin and leaves it silky soft and smooth.

I am so so happy with this box and love all of the products!

I was so excited to see a Deborah Lippmann nail polish in there as this is a brand that I've always wanted to try. Although named as a 'mini' polish, it's still quite a good size and is lovely and sparkly, perfect for Christmas!

It's one of those glitter polishes that are always a nightmare to remove, but it actually came with a 'Stripper Mitt' which took the polish off with no problem! I'd definitely recommend using this over a sink or something because it's very messy. When I opened the packet it splashed in my face and if you squeeze the mitt it's literally dripping in remover, but it does a great job!

I was also really excited to see a product from MEMEME Cosmetics, which I've also been wanting to try but have held off because of the pricing.

I received the moisturising facebase which is a great size and a lovely product. It's got a great scent and I love the cute packaging. I've yet to try it on my face as I'm always wary of skincare products but this could make a lovely little stocking filler for someone else!

The Cargo Lipgloss looks really lovely but I hate wearing lipglosses, so this will probably be given to someone else!

I was excited to see a shower gel in the box because that's like a Christmas present staple isn't it. I love that it's a foaming gel and it smells delicious, I'll definitely be using it all up!

A few people received the Blink & Go mascara, while others received an eyeshadow/blush palette, which I think I would have preferred. I really need a new mascara but I wasn't completely won over by this one, it's a bit clumpy and stringy once applied so only one or two layers is needed. I like the fact that it's waterproof and I'll probably use it occasionally, it's a great size and I love the packaging!

So what do you think of your December GlossyBox? I honestly think it's the best yet and I can't wait to see what they come up with for 2012!

P.S - Don't forget to enter my Christmas giveaway with MUA!

Topshop Nail Art Pens

2011-12-20T12:43:00.000Z

Finally I have got around to blogging about the new Topshop Nail Art Pens!

In the past I've tried the Models Own nail art pens and I think I'm probably the only blogger that really doesn't like them! The brush is useless and little wisps keep falling out of it and the pen itself doesn't even work, so I was so excited when I heard about Topshop's pens.

I brought myself Hustle which is a really pretty blue and Frozen which is a festive Silver, both for £6.50 each which might be a tad expensive, but they're actually really worth the money!

They're so easy to use. You simply shake the pen and then pump the colour until it reaches the nib. I tend to do this on a piece of paper so I don't ruin the nail, and then you just use them like you would a normal pen. It dries extremely quickly and a top coat seals the design!

I decided to do a bit of a Christmassy design using No7 Stay Perfect in #280 Betty Blue Eyes as a base coat.

I definitely want to get my hands on the other shades which I believe are Pink, Black and White but they seem to have sold out on the website!

I can't recommend these pens enough, they'd make great little stocking fillers!

Meet me under the stars tonight

2011-12-19T10:05:00.000Z

Desire Clothing - Chunky Knit Boyfriend Cardigan
New Look - Stripy Top
Topshop - Velvet Leggings

You wouldn't believe how long it took me just to get this one shot. Outfit posts are the hardest things to take, ever. I need some sort of tutorial to follow, so if you know of any, let me know! Excuse the mess behind me but this was literally the only alternative I could find to having to stand on my bed in bad lighting. I swear there is not one plain white wall in my house, so annoying!

Work experience has finally finished and the Christmas Blogger meet was a great way to top it off. Although I was working for most of the night, I still got to chat to lots of amazing bloggers, some I recognised and some I didn't. I definitely want to attend a meet again next year, perhaps somewhere a bit quieter and less hectic.

Today Vince and I are going to Bristol for lunch at a new all-you-can-eat restaurant! We absolutely love those types of places and Zaza Bazaar has the biggest range of food to choose from, we're literally going to stuff ourselves and then slowly move around the shops for a few last minute Christmas bits.

I've got 4 days off now so you can expect some new blog posts over the next few days, in the mean time, why not enter my Christmas giveaway to win 3 MUA Eyeshadow palettes!

Christmas Giveaway with MUA

2011-12-17T19:11:00.007Z

I've been meaning to write this post for about a week now but work experience has kept me extremely busy, but more about that another time. I wanted to do a little Christmas giveaway on the blog to help celebrate how far it's come in the past year, oh, and the fact that it's Christmas.

Ive decided to giveaway not one, not two, but THREE MUA palettes which I brought with my own money from the MUA Store. They actually have a great offer on at the moment until January 3rd; if you spend over £8 you receive a free Immaculate palette! As I am already the proud owner of the Immaculate palette (you can expect a review shortly) I decided to include it in the giveaway. You lucky things!

If you're lucky enough to win the giveaway, you will be receiving the 24 shade Immaculate Palette, the extremely popular Heaven and Earth Palette and the perfect for Christmas, Glitterball Palette.

MUA has really gone from strength to strength in 2011 so I thought these palettes would make the perfect prize!

How to enter
1. Be a follower of the blog on GFC
2. Comment with your email address and tell me what have been your favourite posts to read on CherryPie Blog!

Pretty simple right? The giveaway will end on January 2nd and the prize will be sent once the postal service has resumed to normal! That way your prize shouldn't get lost!

In the mean time, you may have noticed the MUA badge on the right sidebar. If you haven't already discovered, this badge leads to the company's brilliant blog where everyday leading up to Christmas, they are creating festive inspired looks and hoping that readers will recreate them. It's great fun and I'm trying to find the time to recreate some myself. Get on over there if you haven't already.

Good luck!

Last call to South West Bloggers!

2011-12-16T09:19:00.000Z

Bloggers all over the country are waking up this morning with excitement...no, it's not actually Christmas day, it's the MyStreetChic.com Christmas Blogger's Party!

For the past two weeks I've been on work experience at MyStreetChic.com so I've had some great behind the scenes peeks at what's going on at tonight's party. I'm also helping out at the event before the official kick off at 7pm, and let me tell you, it's going to be brill!

I'm really looking forward to meeting some of my favourite bloggers and this is a last call to any South West based bloggers who fancy coming at the last minute!

The event is taking place at Java Cocktail Bar on Park Street, Bristol. This is right next to the College Green which is well signposted, so it should be very easy to find! As I mentioned, it all kicks off at 7pm and for just £5 you will receive entry to the club, a goodybag, free MyStreetChic Cocktail as well as entrance to the party room.

I don't want to give everything away but it's going to be a really fun night and there'll be lots of opportunities to talk to all of the different bloggers. You can take a look at the video below, of which I'm presenting, to see for yourself!

On the night I will be helping out with a Live Blog which you can follow HERE from 7pm!

If I've persuaded you to attend the event, tickets are available HERE

Very Christmas 2011

2011-12-15T09:00:00.002Z

Just wanted to dedicate a quick post to Very's Christmas Lookbook, which I was quite impressed with when I was having a sneaky peek. Like the ASOS Christmas Collection this isn't full of party dresses and sequins. It's full of practical items that are more than likely best for wearing on the big day itself.

Most of these looks come from the Holly Willoughby, Fearne Cotton and Love Label divisions, all of which I love. I particularly love the Lace Playsuit and Fitted Skater Dress, they're both perfectly comfortable, yet quite stylish for Christmas day!

Of course there are a few party dresses and some heels as well as a great polka dot blouse and dress, both great alternatives.

I'm really surprised at the Christmas Lookbook's I'm seeing at the moment. So far, all of the stuff is right up my street!

What do you think?

Wednesday Wishlist #14

2011-12-14T09:00:00.002Z

ASOS - Stripey Skater Dress
Topshop: Heart Studd Crossbody Bag, Cream Bow Shopper Bag, Cube Necklace, Overlap Tie Collar Necklace, Velvet Flippy Skirt, Nail Art Pen

I spotted the ASOS Skater Dress while having a browse through their new items section. I have to say I really like it, it's definitely a dress I would wear as it's got nice long sleeves and a full skirt. I keep saying it over and over again that I need to be more imaginative with my wardrobe, so I definitely need some dresses in there!

I've had a bit of a craving for some new necklaces recently and I spotted the Cube necklace and Collar necklace, both from Topshop. As for the Nail Art Pens, I know they featured in last week's Wishlist and I've even brought two of them, but they're so good that I want the whole set!

I spotted the Shopper Bag and Studded Crossbody Bag in store yesterday in Bath and thought they were both so pretty, expensive for a bag, but pretty all the same. You can never have too many bags, but I'm pretty sure cheaper versions of these are available somewhere!

Last but not least is the Velvet Flippy Skirt which is just so pretty. Last week I brought some velvet leggings which I absolutely love, this could be the start of a new velvet collection I think!

This week is the second and final week of my work experience at MyStreetChic.com and tonight we're attending an event called KittenCamp! It's taking place at The Big Chill Bar and is basically a great networking opportunity so if you can make it, it's open to anyone and you can buy tickets HERE.

What's in my shopping bags?

2011-12-13T09:00:00.001Z

I think I have an addiction to shopping! I literally cannot stop. When I was supposed to be buying Christmas presents for family, I brought presents for myself instead, and I wonder why I never have any money!

However, if I didn't shop, then I wouldn't have much content for the blog, so I'm bringing you the next installment in my 'What's in my shopping bags?' series!

Just a few things! I picked up the pink jumper from Internacionale while I was Christmas shopping with my mum. It caught my eye because it's similar to a Topshop one that featured in one of my Wednesday Wishlist posts. I've yet to wear it, but I like the casual shape of it. I'm not sure what I'm going to wear it with yet but I'll be sure to post a pic when I decide!

I decided to order the MUA Immaculate Palette on a bit of a whim as it was only £8 and full of lots of lovely shades. I will dedicate an entire blog post to reviewing it, so look out for that, but in the mean time, MUA are offering a free Immaculate palette when you spend £8 or more at the MUA Store. I've ordered a few bits from the site as a bit of a Christmas surprise for you all, so look out for that!

Last week, Topshop launched their brand new nail art pens so I purchased 'Frozen' (Silver) and 'Hustle' (Blue). I've actually just given them a little try and they're brilliant! In the past I purchased the Models Own nail art pen and I personally thought it was absolutely rubbish! The Topshop pens are proper pens, meaning it's so much easier to draw with them, I can't wait to try it out properly!

I hope you're still enjoying these posts and like taking a peek into my shopping bags! It's also a bit of a sneak peek as to what reviews are going to come up in the near future, there will definitely be ones for the Palette and Nail Art Pens. I just need to find some time to write them, so bare with me!

Desire Clothing - Britain's Best Blogger

2011-12-12T09:00:00.001Z

Last month I took part in Desire Clothing's Britain's Best Blogger competition! I didn't think I'd have a tiny chance compared to all of the other entries, but I did my best and put together my favourite looks from the site.

Well, I only went and won! Absolutely amazing! I couldn't believe it and I am so happy about it. I won a £50 voucher to spend on their website, and I've actually found a new favourite retailer in the form of Desire Clothing. It was so difficult to choose from items, but finally settled on a chunky cardigan, which I really needed/wanter, a sheer shirt and some new shoes!

The shirt is definitely not something I'd usually go for but it's actually really pretty! I'm thinking of wearing it with my velvet leggings to the MyStreetChic.com Christmas Blogger Party. I'm not sure how dressy people are going though?!

The wedges weren't available in my size (4) so I had to get a size 5. They're a little bit big but I think with some thick socks, they should be ok!

I'm sure you'll see all of these items popping up in future outfit posts. I just want to say thank you so much to Desire Clothing for choosing me as Britain's Best Blogger!

Sunday Style Steal #10

2011-12-11T09:00:00.002Z

I haven't written a Sunday Style Steal post in so long! I do apologise, it just seems that every Sunday I'm working and don't have time to do one.

The past week has been so hectic as I've been on work experience at MyStreetChic.com which as been really great, despite having to get up early and catch the train at 8am every morning. I'm really not used to early mornings anymore and I'm absolutely shattered, but enjoying it!

As I mentioned earlier in the week, they're hosting a Christmas Blogger party on Friday 16th, at Java in Bristol. On Thursday we travelled to the venue and shot a little promotional video, of which I appear in. I actually had to present it and I loathe doing things like that. When I did media in College I was always, always behind the camera, never infront of it, so doing the presenting was really nerve wracking and I think that will probably show on the finished product. Hopefully the camera man can work some magic and make it look fun and lively! We'll see. I've also had a sneak peek at the Goody bags that everyone will be receiving, and they're actually going to be brilliant! I expect I'll be spending a good chunk of next week stuffing them all!

Annoyingly, I'm working tomorrow as someone else is off sick. I've also got a few night shifts next week which is extra annoying as I don't get home until 6:45, so I'll be spending about an hour at home before having to go off to work until 11pm. :(

Anyway, enough of me jabbering on. I wanted to do this weeks Sunday Style Steal featuring Kate Middleton who recently wore a dress from high-street store, Zara. Unsurprisingly, it's already sold out, like everything she is spotted in, but I'm sure it'll be back in stock again soon, so I've come up with some ways to wear it.

Apologies for the dodgy pic, but you can see the dress well enough. The Lace Tulip Dress is perfect for this time of the year and is a reasonable £69.99. Not too pricey for a Princess, eh?

Kate kept her accessories pretty simple with a pair of black heels, black clutch and a black Ralph Lauren jacket. I decided to also try and keep the look simple and I love the little hint of colour from the clutch I've chosen!

Zara - Lace Tulip Dress
Topshop - Black Suspender Tights
ASOS - Suede Envelope Clutch, Tabitha Shoe Boot

I think pretty much anybody could pull this outfit off. I'd definitely team it with black tights as I hate showing off my legs, but for those that are more confident, you can leave them off!

What do you think?

*Image courtesy of GraziaDaily

ASOS 2011 Christmas Collection

2011-12-08T19:01:00.000Z

It's really not long to go now until the big day!! Who am I kidding? I won't be enjoying waking up on Christmas day and opening lots of lovely presents...in fact I'll be waking up on Christmas day, putting my Uniform on and going to work for the morning. How depressing.

Last week, I posted a S/S 2012 Lookbook from Tesco, and while it may still be a little early, there's no harm in planning our wardrobes out now. However, let's get all the Christmas parties and 'dos' out of the way first shall we.

Now, this may be a Christmas Collection, but it's got a pretty dark theme to it, which is very me. I can't be doing with all that sparkle and glitter, I'd rather wear something plain coloured and comfortable!

I love the black/navy theme that's going on and am particularly interested in the shorts that have been transformed into chiffon trousers? Interesting, but wearable? Probably not.

My favourite item has got to be the blue lace shorts with scallop hem. They'd look great with a pretty blouse, tights and heels and they're something I'd definitely wear to a Christmas party!

ASOS: Lace Short with Scallop Edge, Leopard Cross Body Bag, Tabitha Shoe Boot
Topshop: Black Suspender Tights, Tulip Mesh Blouse

Christmas Blogger Party with MyStreetChic.com & Boohoo.com

2011-12-06T21:23:00.003Z

As you may or may not know, I'm currently on work experience at MyStreetChic.com, which is partly why I've neglected the blog over the past few days. I'm only onto my second day, but already there is some exciting stuff coming up and I wanted to help spread the word about the most exciting event of them all, the Christmas Blogger Party on 16th December in Bristol.

In association with Boohoo.com, the Christmas Blogger Party will see bloggers from around the country come together to enjoy a fashion show, music and drinks at Java, Bristol.

The Boohoo.com sponsored fashion show will showcase a range of looks from the website and following that, bloggers will be able to enjoy music provided by the resident DJ. It's a really great opportunity to meet some new bloggers and I'm really looking forward to it.

I've never met any bloggers before but have read about plenty of meetings that have taken place and they all look like fun. I'm quite nervous when it comes to meeting new people but this is an event I can't pass up!

If you're based in and around Bristol I'd definitely recommend attending and tickets are only £5, available HERE.

I hope to see you all there! Please come over and chat if you see me!

P.S - This is my first blog written on my iPad! Amazing!

Tesco S/S 2012

2011-12-02T09:00:00.003Z

I know it's December. I know it's freezing outside and there is probably lots of lovely Snow on the way, so what better way to cheer yourselves up by looking at some bright and Summery pieces from the Tesco Spring/Summer 2012 Lookbook! Just imagine when it's nice and warm again and we'll be throwing off our cardigans in favour of skirts and vest tops!

Unfortunately being based in Weston Super Mare and having to work meant I couldn't make it to the Tesco S/S press day, but so I wasn't left out, the lovely people at Tesco sent me the new Lookbook and I thought I'd give you all a glimpse. I'm seeing so many ultra bright colours coming out for S/S 12 actually, and obviously Tesco are getting in on the act as well. I think these brights are a little more bearable than the ones from the likes of River Island S/S 12 and I really like the stripes and Aztec print influence that is still hanging around.

For me personally, I wouldn't wear this much colour all in one outfit. I might opt for the bright red jacket with something a bit subtler underneath or a stripy pencil skirt with a basic top.

Absolutely love the bright oversized bag, kitten heels and ankle cropped trousers. I'm not too keen on a lot of the tops, they're very girly and bright and not really me but I can definitely get on with the skirts and red crops.

What do you think? Are you planning your Spring/Summer wardrobe yet?

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November Favourites

2011-12-01T09:00:00.001Z

Goodness me! It's December. Amazing that this year has gone so so quickly! Only 25 days until Christmas, can you believe it? As normal, I'll be spending Christmas at home, but unfortunately I have to work in the morning. I can safely say that anyone I serve will probably get quite a grumpy Cherry, but once I get home (the sooner the better, working on Christmas day should be illegal) I will be all smiles again and looking forward to my dinner!

November has been full of great products thanks to some lovely Nail Polish launches and of course, this months Glossybox, which always supplies great products.

So, my month started off with the purchase of the Chanel Illusion D'Ombre eyeshadow which I had been wanting ever since it's release. This has quickly become one of my favourite eyeshadows and although I originally wanted to keep it for best, I've been using it more and more often. I'd definitely recommend getting it as a little Christmas treat to yourself, I really want some of the other shades as well! It's so velvety and lovely to apply, it gives a great finish that lasts all day as well!

The Illusion D'Ombre has a highstreet rival in the form of 17's Wild Metallics range. I picked up their new Eyeshadow pot in Wild Midnight Blue and was extremely impressed! Like the Chanel shadow, it was lovely and soft and easy to apply. I love the glitter and shimmer in it as it's great for special occasions.

As well as the eyeshadows, 17 also released their much anticipated Magnetised Nail Polishes, which I finally got my hands on! I picked up the Blue shade and had lots of fun creating the patterns.

Another highly anticipated Nail Polish collection was the Models Own Beetlejuice Collection and I was one of the people waiting patiently for the website countdown to finally reach zero so I could purchase some of the shades!

I picked up Aqua Violet and Purple Blue and absolutely love them. On first application they looked a bit like normal nail polishes but in the light they dazzle all sorts of different colours that are gorgeous!

November was also the month that Soap & Glory launched their new Cosmetics range. It was only a matter of time before they did something like this as their usual products are always so popular! I brought the Supercat Liner and the Smoulder Kohl Pencil. I haven't really got on with the thick pen liner, but the pencil Kohl is great, really smooth and stays put for hours.

Most recently, with thanks to the November Glossybox, I received some lovely Dead Sea Bath Salts that I've already tried and tested! They're so great for softening your skin and leaving it refreshed. There was a lot of controversy and disappointment over the Bath Salts being in the box but I absolutely loved them!

Last, but not least, I finally got around to using and posting about the L'Occitane Limited Edtion Hibiscus Flower Hand Cream. I always thought that L'occitane was a sophisticated brand, for older people. I didn't think it would smell any good, but I was proved completely and utterly wrong when I tried the Hand Cream, which came free in Marie Claire magazine.

The smell is absolutely amazing and it leaves my hands feeling so soft. I certainly want to try some more products from L'Occitane. They also make great Christmas gifts and I've already brought my Nan a Hand Cream set!

I'm sure December is going to bring lots of new and exciting products, if my Christmas wishlist is anything to go by! I'm eagerly anticipating the release of the Topshop Nail Art pens and have popped a few other products onto my Wishlist! I also can't wait to see what the Christmas Glossy Box is going to bring!

Wednesday Wishlist #13

2011-11-30T10:51:00.000Z

I can't believe I haven't blogged in so long! I just haven't found a spare half an hour or so to get everything written up! Luckily, today I've got the day off and thought I'd get a post up before I meet my sister for some shopping fun!

Before I get on with the Wednesday Wishlist, I want to tell you all that I won Desire Clothing's Britain's Best Blogger Competition! I posted my entry about two weeks ago HERE and I can't believe I was actually picked!! I won a £50 voucher and have had such trouble picking what I want! I'm going to dedicate an entire post to it when I've finally chosen! Now, onto today's Wishlist!

Topshop: Velvet Ankle Leggings, Nail Art Pen, Nail Polish Set, Make-Up Bag
Desire Clothing: Brogue Wedges, Gold Sequin Collar Shirt

The words Velvet and Leggings probably shouldn't go in the same sentence, but although they don't sound right together, they do look rather right, which is why these Topshop Velvet Leggings are on my wishlist. Something a bit different from my usual leggings, which I'm really bored of. I definitely think I need to try before I buy with these though!

The Desire Clothing Gold Sequin Collar Shirt was on my prize wishlist, but I opted for the red version instead. However, I'm still really keen on the blue and once I recieve my prize I might consider getting this colour as well.

I've also asked for the Brogue Wedges but I'm worried they won't have my size, which is a 4. I can sometimes get into size 5's but am not sure whether to risk it or not!

I don't know about you, but I thought the Topshop Nail Art Pens were due on sale yesterday, so I popped on my iPad before work to quickly buy some and they were nowhere to be seen! They're not online today either so I'm getting a bit impatient now!

Topshop have some great Christmas gift ideas and stocking fillers. Their Set of 3 Nail Polishes are so cute and great stocking fillers. Unfortunately I don't get a stocking anymore so I'll probably buy them myself! Also really love the Pale Pink Make-Up Bag for only £8 which I definitely need as I'm getting annoyed with all my products taking up space in my bedroom!

I really must have a shower and get ready now! I only have £30 to play with in town and still need to get a whole load of Christmas presents, but most of all I'm looking forward to seeing my Niece and having a nice cup of tea somewhere! Ciao!

L'Occitane Hibiscus Flower

2011-11-26T09:00:00.001Z

I can't believe how long it has taken me to get this post up! I actually got the L'Occitane Limited Edition Hibiscus Flower hand cream free in an issue of Marie Claire magazine back in September/October and it's been sat in my little review box ever since.

I've never tried L'Occitane until this product as I always saw the brand as quite expensive, somewhere up there with the likes of Elemis and one of those products I always see on QVC, which instantly puts me off.

When I saw that Marie Claire were giving away 3 or 4 different hand creams, I had to get my hands (lol!) on one and decided on the Hibiscus Flower simply because it looked and sounded the nicest of the lot.

The hand cream is available on the L'Occitane website for £7.50, which surprisingly, isn't that expensive at all! It contains 20% shea butter (always a good thing) as well as honey and almond extracts and of course, that lovely Hibiscus scent which is gorgeous!

It's a really light hand cream and sinks in rather quickly which I always love. I can't stand using a moisturiser and having clammy hands for five minute afterwards. It leaves your hands feeling really soft and I've been suffering from really dry skin lately so it's great! My favourite thing about this hand cream is the lovely packaging.It really stands out and is easily identifiable as L'Occitane.

L'Occitane would actually make great gifts for Christmas. I've brought my Nan the L'Occitane Hand Cream Trio Collection, which I nabbed for £18 instead of £20. I previously saw L'Occitane as a product for the 'older generation' but have been completely proved wrong because it's for people of all ages! I'd love to receive some more products for Christmas, perhaps I'll add some to my wishlist!

What's in my shopping bags?

2011-11-25T09:00:00.002Z

Another edition of my favourite type of post! This time featuring the lovely New Look, who I've never purchased from Online before.

With work experience coming up, I thought I needed something a bit less casual than normal so decided on a three quarter length sleeve version of the Twill Blazer. Although no longer on the website (it must be so popular!), it was advertised with the Heart Print tee underneath and I thought it looked OK so would try it!

I'm not used to wearing blazers so it still feels a bit weird to me but I'll be sure to put up an Outfit Of The Day post soon! I didn't want a blazer that was too structured with shoulder pads, and this one is really loose fitting which is great. I love the three quarter length sleeves and the ruching detailing on the pockets.

I probably wouldn't wear the top without the blazer over the top as it's not very fitted and I'm not keen on the sleeves, but I think it works well. I'm not usually a leopard print fan but I really love the heart print on this Tee.

I purchased this when there was a lovely 20% discount available. I'm usually really put off by delivery charges but there is an option to receive free delivery to your nearest store, so of course I just had to get it! They gave me an expected delivery date and sure enough it was ready when they said. I actually got Vince to pick it up for me and they were actually wary about giving it to him because he obviously wasn't a girl called Cherry, but finally they handed it over and it all fits perfectly! I'd definitely recommend buying from New Look online! It's great for me because the local store isn't completely up to date and I can never find anything in it.

What do you think? Would you purchase anything like this?

Glossybox November 2011

2011-11-24T09:00:00.002Z

There seems to be a pattern immerging with GlossyBox, in the way that one month people will be heaping huge amounts of praise on them, and the next, they'll be bitterly disappointed and demanding refunds.

To be honest, I think there's absolutely no need for it. When we signed up to GlossyBox, we knew what we were getting in to, so, if one month you don't like a box then it's really simple to unsubscribe instead of being damn right rude on the company's Facebook page. I subscribed a while back and missed out on two months worth of boxes, I couldn't bare to be missing out so signed up again and am really glad I did. I'm by no means disappointed with this months box and am extremely excited for the Christmas box!

What was in the box?

Arbonne FC5 Ultra Hydrating Hand Crème
Soothing crème moisturises hands, leaving a healthy appearance and skin feeling smooth and refreshed.

Dead Sea Spa Magik Dead Sea Bath Salts
2011 Beauty Awards winner. Fantastic for alleviating dry skin conditions as well as natural exfoliant, Dead Sea Bath Salts remarkably improves skin texture.

Illamasqua Freak Eau De Parfum
Celebrate the night with Freak, the dangerously exotic first fragrance from cult British beauty brand, Illamasqua.

Monu Revitalising Moisturiser
A light, easily absorbed cream to revive and soften the skin. With soothing Cucumber, Elderflower and Mallow Extracts.

Nail Rock Designer Nail Wraps
The new Nail Rock designer nail wrap range is designed to last up to 7 days on nails and 8 weeks on toes. They wont chip or stain the nail, require no drying time and deliver on trend style in just 15 minutes.

I'll admit that I looked at a few reviews Online before I got my box and it seems that we all got a few different things to each other, which is great as we can all swap and change to get what we want?

I was really hoping for the Illamasqua Freak Eau De Parfum as I was interested in giving it a little sniff, and there was no way I was going to pay £59 for it without trying it first. I have to say, I don't really like it! It's much too strong for me and when I put it on yesterday, Vince said I smelt like a man! Obviously, people's tastes differ so I'm sure someone else will absolutely love it.

I was really excited to see some Black and White Nail Rock Wraps in the box, as I've never tried them before! I would have preferred a more exciting design, perhaps the red lace ones, but these will do! I've used nail wraps in the past and they're tricky so I'll have to let you know how I get on with these! They'll be great for putting on just before my work experience starts! I'll be sure to post some pics!

The Monu Revitalising Moisturiser and the Arbonne FC5 Ultra Hydrating Hand Crème are both products I've never heard of or tried before, but this is what GlossyBox is all about, and they both sound lovely and right up my street. The moisturiser is for Normal/Combination skin and mine is particularly sensitive and dry so I'm not sure whether I'll be using it on a daily basis, but it does seem lovely. It smells great and sinks in pretty fast as well as being a really good size, so I'm pleased!

I'm in desperate need of hand crème as I suffer with Psoriasis and am constantly trying out products in the hope that they wont trigger it. It contains fresh Kiwi cell extracts which means it smells amazing and you only need a tiny pea sized amount which means it will last ages!

Last, but not least, lets discuss the Dead Sea Spa Magik Dead Sea Bath Salts, which have caused a lot of controversy over the past few days. People expect 'high-end' products in the box and I can see why they might be disappointed, but...and that's a big but, has no one but me ever heard that the Dead Sea is pretty much the best place in the world to go to for skin conditions and complaints? Dip yourself in the Dead Sea and your skin will transform, but as we can't all travel thousands of miles to try it out so these bath salts are the next best thing!

I was probably looking forward to the Bath Salts more than any other product in the box! I believe people are put off by the plastic bag packaging, but look at the amount of salts you get, that's enough for about a hundred baths! The product is a 2011 Beauty Award winner which is why they've been put in the box. They alleviate dry and flaky skin conditions - which I suffer with and they also help soften and improve the skin. I can't wait to run myself a bath and try these out, I just need to keep them hidden away from my mum who is bound to steal them!

I'm extremely happy with this box, and if you noticed on the pink piece of card it was labelled as 'The Christmas Gift Guide Part 1' which means Part 2 can only get better! When people open the boxes, I think they broadcast their opinions straight away, before having a read through and proper look at all the products. If you're expecting Nars and other high-end make-up every month then you've probably not understood the reason for the box and I'd advise you to unsubscribe, but personally I love this box and can't wait to see where Glossybox goes in the future.

If you want to get your hands on a GlossyBox just in time for Christmas (think of it as a present to yourself) then you can sign up HERE

Wednesday Wishlist #12

2011-11-23T09:00:00.002Z

New Look: Belted Spot Tunic, 2pk Bodycon Tops
Topshop: Star Brooch Set, Snowflake Socks, Rosette Stripe Gloves

I do really love doing these wishlist posts! Last week I mentioned that I was attending the MyStreetChic.com Christmas Blogger Party in December and I was looking for something to wear. Well, the New Look Belted Spot Tunic could be a possible contender! Though it could get a bit chilly! I want something nice to wear, but not too over the top and something I can possibly wear to Work Experience in the day time as I'll be going to the event straight from there. It's difficult to choose. I wonder if anyone else is already thinking about what they're going to wear?

Whilst browsing the New Look website, I also came across the 2pk Bodycon Tops. I really need some new tops that aren't short sleeved, what with it being so cold now. Every morning I look in my wardrobe and it's all T-shirts! These are so basic and simple that you can't really go wrong with them!

As I mentioned the cold weather, I thought the Snowflake Socks and Rosette Gloves would come in handy. Not that I need anymore socks or gloves!

I wanted to get the Star Brooch Set as it's a bit different and not something I'd usually wear. I definitely need more brooches in my life!

I'd love all of your opinions on the dress! If you're going to the MyStreetChic.com event, then let me know what you're wearing too!

Cross my heart and hope for the end

2011-11-22T13:42:00.000Z

Ahh my blogging roll came to a swift end this week. I was doing quite well, getting up a post almost every day but with work and being busy on my days off, it came to a bit of a hault. Today is another day off, as is tomorrow and Thursday (yes!) so I'm trying to get some blog posts written, but today I wanted to have a little catch up with you all, so stick the kettle on and relax!

First up, as you can all see I'm having lots of fun with my iPad and am loving the Instagram app. I really wish the app was available on the Android network as I'd be snapping photos all over the place. It's a bit difficult to take my iPad everywhere I go, but I do manage to get quite a few snaps of my dog, Jasper. He usually absolutely HATES cameras, but with the iPad I'm able to snap in secret, muahah!

On Sunday, after over a year of waiting and keeping the tickets safe, Vince and I finally went to watch Lee Evans in Cardiff! I can't describe how hilarious and brilliant he was! I've seen all of his shows on DVD, but this was the first time I saw him live. We had pretty good floor seats so we could see all of his hilarious facial expressions and movements and he put on a great show, coming on at 8pm and making us laugh right through to 11pm. He also did his usual song at the end, but he also surprised the audience with his Bohemian Rhapsody routine, which I highly recommend you watch!

Although we arrived a bit late to do much shopping, Cardiff was actually really nice! The shopping centre is huge and has loads of great shops, and we loved the Christmas lights and the cute little market. We're definitely going to have to go back again for a day out.

Dad has already brought the new Lee Evans DVD and we watched it last night. It was pretty weird seeing the show again and seeing the audience react to the jokes. My cheeks were hurting by the end of the night because I was just laughing so much! I'll definitely be going if he tours again!

As I mentioned I'm catching up on my blogging and general writing bits and pieces today. I actually wrote a single review for TheWhiteboardProject.com today, which is hopefully the first of many! After AmpedReviews.net went a bit stale, it was difficult to get back into the swing of music reviewing, but I think I did OK. Hopefully one day in the future I can relaunch AmpedReviews.net and really see it go somewhere!

Right now I'm aiming to review this month's Glossybox, which has received a lot of mixed reviews. I'm actually quite happy with it and looking forward to the final box of the year in December! My review will be up sometime this week so keep your eyes peeled!

Recently I've managed to get quite a few Christmas presents brought. It's so much easier buying things here and there instead of going shopping specifically for presents. If I see something I think someone will like, I've brought it and put it in my wardrobe ready for wrapping. I've still got quite a few bits to get, but I did manage to score Coldplay tickets for Vince's Christmas present, so the most important one is out of the way, phew!

I'm trying to set some Christmas Gift Guide posts in motion, but need to have a bit of a browse first. If you've got any suggestions, let me know!

I need to stop rambling now and get on with things, ciao!

Beetlejuice.

2011-11-19T09:00:00.001Z

Everyone wanted to get their hands on the new Models Own Beetlejuice collection and I was one of the people that kept checking their countdown to the release! Finally, it was time and I quickly ordered the Aqua Violet and Purple Blue shades, as those were the two that really stood out to me!

I did have a browse of ASOS.com as they were selling some of the polishes, but unfortunately not the two I wanted! There are five shades in total; Pinky Brown, Aqua Violet, Purple Blue, Golden Green and Emerald Black. As you probably already know, the polishes are pearlescent shades which mean they glimmer and shine in the light. The collection is inspired by the wings of a beetle (not by the movie as many might think) and I think Models Own have got it spot on with the shades and colourings.

When first applying the polishes I was surprised at how thin they were to begin with. I used three coats in total to get the final finish which I think is lovely. Aqua Violet is a gorgeous Purple/Blue blend with a hint of shimmer, while Purple Blue is a more glittering Fuschia and Indigo mix.

Both colours are totally gorgeous, and in the right light I can definitely see hints of purple, blue and even bits of green in the Aqua Violet. I'm also seeing pinks, reds and purple in the Purple Blue, which again, is lovely!

Aqua Violet with Purple Blue accent nail

Purple Blue with Aqua Violet accent nail

After seeing other blogs swatching all the shades, I've realised that I want them all! A box set of all five Beetlejuice polishes, plus a 3 in 1 base coat and a top coat is available on ModelsOwnIt.com for just £20. Anyone want to buy me it for Christmas?!

Carnival

2011-11-18T09:00:00.001Z

Every year, Weston Super Mare holds it's annual carnival which parades through the town centre. I've been to the carnival several times before and one year I was even a part of it and had to dance around the entire route dressed as an angel!

The carnival includes floats from all sorts of different companies and businesses, complete with deafening music, bright lights, mechanics and even dancers and actors. This year Vince and I decided to go, found a comfy seat on a windowledge and finally, after a few hold ups, the floats and music reached us! I took so many pictures on the night, but just wanted to share a few of my faves!

It seemed like it went on for ages and I never realised what large gaps there were between each float, but I guess that's probably a health and safety thing. Apart from it being freezing, and us getting a little bored towards the end, it was actually a fun night and it's something that Weston Super Mare loves to go and see so I don't think it'll ever stop. I manage to snap a rare, rather yellow image of Vince and I aswell!

17 Wild Metallics

2011-11-17T09:00:00.002Z

I know I'm giving you another 17 Cosmetics review, but I wanted to get the nail polish and eyeshadow reviewed within a reasonable amount time of each other as they're relatively new and I really love them!

When I saw the Wild Metallics Cream Eyeshadow being reviewed on other blogs, I had to get my hands on it. Earlier this week I posted about the Chanel Illusion D'Ombre eyeshadow I brought, and this is a great little rival for it!

It's available in six different shades, so there's a real variety for only £3.99 each! I decided to go for something I wouldn't usually try, so opted for Wild Midnight Blue instead of the Bronze I would usually go for!

The shade is actually gorgeous, highly pigmented and very shimmery, much like the Chanel shadow. Unfortunately it doesn't come with a brush, but luckily I had one.

The shadow itself is really soft and velvety to touch and it applies brilliantly. I prefer to pat the product onto the eyelid as it creates a better, more vivid finish.

It does go a little crumbly but it lasts ages and really is sparkly and wild! You have to be careful as after a little while it does tend to transfer onto the upper lid, which is a tad annoying, but other than that it's a great little product for a great price!

I'd certainly recommend this shadow, as well as the others in the range. The other shades available are; Silver, Purple, Nude, Green and Bronze, and they're all so lovely and perfect for Christmas. They'd make great stocking fillers! I'll definitely be buying a few more!

P.S - The Glossybox Nail Off finishes at 12pm tomorrow! I've entered my Galaxy Nails and I'd be so grateful if you could vote for me by liking the image HERE

Wednesday Wishlist #11

2011-11-16T09:00:00.000Z

I recently entered my Galaxy Nails into the new Glossybox 'Nail Off' competition! I'm up against some great designs so it'd be great if any of you lovely readers could vote for me right here! To vote for me you just need to 'like' the photo! Thanks so much everyone!

Can't believe I'm back at work today after three days off! I've got so comfortable at home now that I just want to stay here, haha. Yesterday I managed to get a little bit of Christmas shopping done while I was waiting for a prescription to be done. I think if you're actively looking for presents, then you won't find anything, but if you just fancy a browse around, you'll find loads! I managed to get something for Vince's parents and my dad which is a big help because they're always so difficult to buy for!

As we get close to Christmas, I think I might put together some present idea posts! Would anyone be interested in those? Anyway, onto today's Wednesday Wishlist!

Dorothy Perkins: Cream/Black Leather Trim Top
Topshop: Anchor Clip Purse, Cat Eye Pendant, Floral Snood, Sun Moon and Star Earrings

At the weekend I had a good look through the fashion website's 'new items' sections and came up with these goodies! I've already asked Vince for the Sun, Moon and Star earrings and want the leather trim top so badly! It's one of those things I spot and love instantly, but whether it will suit me or not is another question! I'm hoping it will be in my local DP store so I can try it on!

I really need/want to get a new scarf for Winter and I really like the look of the Floral snood from Topshop. It'll go nicely with my leather jacket and it's not too badly priced like most Topshop stuff!

Again, if you could vote for my Galaxy nails I really will love you forever! Another day off tomorrow, can't wait! I'll be able to get lots more blog posts done!

17 Magnetized Nail Polish

2011-11-15T09:00:00.001Z

So I have finally got my hands on 17's Magnetized Nail Polish when it eventually came into stock at my local Boots. The one thing I hate about Weston Super Mare is that we're so slow to get products like clothes and cosmetics, it's so frustrating!

Although the price is a little more expensive than most of their polishes, at £5.99, I just had to buy one and I think they're totally worth it as the finished look is brill!

The polish is available in four different shades, Gun Metal, Lilac, Blue and Teal, which aren't very original, but lovely all the same. Magnetized polishes are a popular new trend so I was keen to try it out as soon as possible.

I picked up the Blue shade, and as I initially thought, the polish contains teeny tiny metal particles which react to the magnet when held over it. The effect is created by holding the magnet over the wet nail polish for around 10 seconds and voila! However, I find 15 seconds creates a more defined effect in the Blue polish.

The magnet is placed within the lid and the ridge on it gives you the ability to rest it on your finger. The polish is not supposed to touch the magnet but as you can see, I had a few accidents with it!

I actually really love the finished effect. The magnet creates dark purple zig-zags in the polish which, in the right light, look as if they're moving when you move your fingers. I am definitely going to be picking up more of the shades just because I'm curious to see the rest of the finished effects.

I'm expecting every single nail polish company to now bring out a magnetized polish, there's so many available already, but with time it will probably fade out to make way for a new trend, much like the crackle polish trend did. I actually really love this effect though so I'll be using it when it's long out of trend!

The polish can also be used without the magnet effect and is a really shimmery and lovely midnight blue shade. It also dries so quickly which is a bonus and the effect will make your nails a real talking point! I often get compliments on them in Boots of all places!

Illusion D'Ombre

2011-11-14T09:00:00.002Z

Don't worry, I haven't suddenly gone all French on you. (I dropped the subject in year 9!) I can only just about pronounce the name of the new (ish) Chanel eyeshadow that I purchased recently!

If you're a regular reader (if not, why not?) then you would have got a sneaky peek at this in my 'Whats in my shopping bags?' post, but I really wanted to dedicate an entire post to it because it's just so beautiful!

When Vince and I were in Bristol we popped into Debenhams and I headed straight to the Chanel counter. I spent a bit of time trying out the different shades but eventually settled on #86 Ébloui, which is a lovely and trusty shimmering brown shade. I thought I should stick to what I know since I was spending so much money (£22) on it. I'm really glad I picked up this shade actually as it's so pretty and very pigmented.

It comes in a lovely little pot, complete with an equally lovely little brush. It can be used as eyeshadow and even eyeliner, which I'm not too sure about. The shadow itself is velvety soft and luxurious, it's so lovely to apply and the brush is easy to hold and so soft! I almost didn't want to use it as it looked so perfect!

The shade looks very purple in these images and in real life actually, but it comes out as the lovely brown I described above!

I'm really glad I splashed out on this because it's the sort of product I can save for special occasions. Compared to most Chanel products, £22 probably isn't that expensive, but for people like you and me, it wouldn't be a weekly/monthly purchase!

Will you be putting one of the Illusion D'Ombre eyeshadows on your Christmas list this year? I might have to think about getting another!

P.S - Please vote for my Galaxy Nails in the Glossybox Nail Off competition! All you have to do is 'like' the photo HERE. Thanks!

Sunday Style Steal #9

2011-11-13T09:00:00.001Z

Thank goodness it's Sunday to be honest! A day of rest and relaxation! Actually, yesterday was a pretty relaxing day as well. :) This week has been a bit rubbishy, mainly due to my hours being completely slaughtered at work due to Christmas. In all other companies, most peoples hours go up at Christmas but because we go full board and close at lunch time, they get cut dramatically. It doesn't help that we now only need two people a day instead of three, and as I'm 'just a helper' mine were the hours that had to go. Great.

I'm definitely going to be looking for something else after Christmas. I'm not having much luck on the Journalism/Writing front but am always looking! I've managed to secure a two week work experience placement at MyStreetChic.com which I'm really looking forward to! It definitely calls for a few new wardrobe items I think! (Actually I've just ordered two items in the process of writing this post! Oops!)

My work experience coincides with the Christmas Blogger Meet which is taking place in Bristol and is actually sponsored/held by MyStreetChic! I've gone and brought myself a ticket, despite knowing absolutely nobody! I've never met any bloggers before so fingers crossed I don't go all shy! If any of you are near Bristol you should definitely come!

Right, enough about me. This week's Sunday Style Steal was a bit difficult as I had some trouble actually finding someone's outfit to recreate! This week I've chosen Sienna Miller who was recently spotted wearing a black Twenty8Twelve Fall 2011 romper suit with chiffon sleeves!

Sienna is one of those celebs that is always pictured falling out of nightclubs and just generally looking rough, so this image caught my eye as she looks great. I love the simplicity of her outfit as well as the small chiffon detail on the sleeves. Although a romper or playsuit as I prefer to say, it looks a lot like a dress due to the puffball style hem. She styled it with some simple black tights, Jimmy Choos and gold earrings, but what I really love is her sophisticated top knot, which really suits her!

Topshop: Oversized Hoops, Stone Pendant, Playsuit by RARE
New Look: Pointelle Tights, Cutout Slingback Sandals

Is this something you'd wear yourself? I think the playsuit is great and I'm actually looking for something to wear to the Christmas Blogger Meet, so maybe a playsuit like this would be a good idea?

I decided on the Pointelle Tights and the purple Stone Pendant to give the outfit a bit of interest and colour. Personally I'd probably wear my Velvet Ballet Pumps with plain black tights as they'd also give a little hint of colour. I think I've been suitably inspired by this outfit and it's something I definitely want to recreate for the meet! I'll let you know how it goes!

My favourites from Desire Clothing

2011-11-12T15:01:00.000Z

Like many other bloggers, I was recently emailed about a great competition that is currently being held! Basically, Desire Clothing are on the hunt for Britain's Best Blogger and they wanted us all to feature our favourite items from the website. The winner wins a £50 shopping spree, which sounds good to me, so I thought I'd have a go!

First of all, I wanted to show you a few of my favourite pieces! Desire have some great, on trend pieces available and they're also at pretty reasonable prices. A great alternative to the likes of Topshop and New Look!

Desire Clothing: Quilted Jacket, Chunky Knit Cardigan, Fur Ankle Boots, Suede Wedge Ankle Boots, Fairisle Bodycon Skirt, Aztec Jumper, Knee Length Chunky Socks, Hankerchief Cardigan

What I absolutely love more than anything about Desire is that they create celebrity inspired clothing as well, meaning we can all look like our fave celebs, including Jessie J, Leighton Meester and even Olivia Palermo, some of my favourite stylish ladies.

Now, the whole point of this post is to write about my absolute favourite item from Desire, so here goes...

Simple, stripy, relaxed neckline, loose fit. The Navy Stripe Silk Blouse is pretty much everything I love about a top. I'm a sucker for stripes and I think this top would go with pretty much anything. I also love the fact that it's a silky material, which gives it a 'fancier' feel if you ask me. Priced at only £16, it's a tough rival for Topshop and other highstreet stores.

I've put together a few different ways that I think it can be worn too!

If I were to win I'd definitely be picking up this top. Even if I don't win, I think I might just buy it anyway!

Wednesday Wishlist #10

2011-11-09T09:00:00.000Z

It's a long way off yet but Vince and I are hoping to get a place to live together at some point next year. (Fingers crossed)

I'm trying to save a portion of my wages every week but I can't help thinking about how I (I mean, we!) will decorate our place! So this week's wishlist has a little twist as I've picked out lots of bits and pieces that I want in our new place!

Urban Outfitters: Flying Birds Wall Art, Jewellery Tree, Bird Box
Topshop: Margi Tea Cup & Saucer
Matalan: Live Love Laugh Photo Frame, Collage Frame

I didn't intend there to be a black and white theme at all! I want loads of photos dotted through out the whole place. I love seeing photographs everywhere and it's something I've not had much of living at mum and dad's house.

I've not run any of this past Vince yet but I'm sure he'll like everything I've chosen! Lol! The bird wall art is pretty cool, I think he'll like it!

Glamour magazine & Nails Inc

2011-11-08T09:00:00.001Z

I absolutely love it when Nails Inc team up with other brands for special promotions. I purchased every single shade when they teamed up with Diet Coke in the past and now they've teamed up with Glamour magazine to give away 4 different shades free with the December issue.

I felt a bit silly buying 4 copies of the magazine but there's no way I'm spending £11 on a nail polish, so this is the only way! Free with the magazine are the shades; Basil Street, Piccadilly Circus, Tate, and Victoria. It works out at £8 for all 4 shades which is such a bargain!

All of the shades are lovely but I wish they'd offer up something brighter for these promos! It always seems to be reds and beige shades, I'd love something bright and bold, perhaps some greens and blues! Although I do remember a blue denim shade not too long ago!

I'm pretty sure I've already got the 'Victoria' shade and something similar to 'Basil Street', but you can never have too much Nails Inc! I really liked the look of the 'Piccadilly Circus' shade as it's got a nice pink/cerise hue to it which is a nice change!

The shades are all really lovely. Tate, and Victoria are actually very similar shades and Piccadilly Circus is the perfect Christmas red. Basil Street is an extremely thin nude shade that needs a couple of layers, but still pretty! And the best part is, they dry really quickly!

Which shade will you be picking up? What about all 4?

Soap & Glory Supercat & Smoulder Kohl

2011-11-07T09:00:00.004Z

How was everyone's weekend? Mine was spent working on Friday and Saturday night, meaning I missed out on any Fireworks displays that were going on. Vince went down to the Pier and watched their display. I really wanted to go but was put down to work, so I've made sure I'm not at work at all on the day of the next big Weston Super Mare event, the Carnival! It's pretty much tradition in W-S-M for the Carnival to take place every year and although I haven't gone every single year, I really wanted to go with Vince this time around.

The whole of Weston comes out to watch all the different floats and I was even in it one year as well and had to dance the whole way round! I'm hoping it won't be chucking down with rain!

Anyway...I wanted to share with you my thoughts on the new Soap & Glory cosmetics range! When I heard that the fabulous Soap & Glory were launching a cosmetics range, I knew instantly that I wanted to try it out! I love Soap & Glory products, as I'm sure many of you do as well, so I knew that the new range would be great quality and extremely popular.

When I went into my local Boots on launch day, they only had selected items from the range which was really disappointing. I wanted to check out the blushers, concealers and the mascara but they weren't in stock yet. Instead I picked up the two eyeliners available.

Supercat is a brilliantly named and packaged Carbon black eyeliner pen, that was £6. Not too pricey for an eyeliner really.

The cosmetics range is in keeping with the usual Soap & Glory theme and the Supercat eyeliner includes a unique Inkject colour release & Gloss–Fix finish, giving you a really intense look.

Being the useless person that I am, I've gotten so used to my usual liquid eyeliners that I can barely apply this without smudging it everywhere. Because it's basically in a pen shape, I found it difficult to hold and control.

I'm also not a huge fan of really intense dark liner either, unless it's ultra thin, which I can never do. This eyeliner would be absolutely brilliant for 'cat-eye's though, but I need some practice before I can do that!

I much prefer the Soap & Glory Smoulder Kohl pencil which includes jojoba oil and Vitamin E to nourish and protect the skin!

I paid £5 for the eyeliner and it was money well spent as I absolutely love it! I've been using a Sephora eyeliner for quite a while now and it's got really small after so much use, so I'm really looking for a replacement and I think I've found it with this.

Although I don't like intense black liquid liner on the eyelids, I do love the intense colour on the lower lash line as it's so dramatic. This pencil is great because it's so soft and easy to apply and it's even waterproof, so you don't have to worry about it running. Although, it is really hard to remove with a wipe, so you'll have to have some proper make-up remover at hand.

Like it's name suggests, the liner really does smoulder and would be great for a smoky eye look, or a simple line like mine. It does smudge a little on it's own to be honest which I really like. The best bit about the eyeliner is the fact it comes with a sharpener on the end! I never seem to have one at hand so having it attached to the actual pencil is something I love. :)

I appreciate this might look a bit weird due to not having any other make-up on, but use your imagination!

So, overall I'm really impressed with the Soap & Glory cosmetics range. I do want to try out the rest of the products so I'll keep you updated if I get my hands on any in the future!

I'd certainly recommend the products to everyone because Soap & Glory is such a trusted brand. I receive a S&G gift set every year for Christmas and I expect the cosmetic products would make great stocking fillers for make-up lovers!

Sunday Style Steal #8

2011-11-06T08:00:00.002Z

Another much deserved day off from work! I'm up early today as we're going to visit Cadbury Garden Centre to have a look at their Christmas displays, which are always amazing! We're taking my niece, Daisy, and although she doesn't even have a clue what Christmas is, it should still be nice to see her being amused by all of the lights.

I've decided to do something a little different for this weeks Sunday Style Steal as it's not technically an entire outfit. However, it really stood out to me this week and I love the look, so why not try and imitate it?

I spotted an image of Katy Perry wearing a gorgeous Valentino Fall 2011 cashmere cloth Coat when she was in Manchester recently and I love the way it complimented her hair colour. The look itself is very pale and girly, though I wouldn't exactly wear a cat mask out and about.

I love how she's teamed a simple pink scarf underneath the coat and worn black suede knee-length shoes. The look just screams 'Winter,' and it's something that's cosy and so easy to recreate!

Topshop: Faux Fur Coat, Bat Mask
ASOS: Suede Long Leg Boot
Miss Selfridge: Lace Ruffle Scarf

I chose a faux fur coat as it's so much more snug and I even managed to find a mask to complete the full Katy Perry look. It's such a simple outdoors look but I'd be pretty worried about getting the cream coat dirty! I'm quite accident-prone!

The faux fur coat is a huge investment piece and will probably keep you going for a good few years. The boots are another investment item as you'll wear them year in and year out, so although a little pricey they're actually extremely cost efffective.

Will you be recreating Katy's Winter look?

*Image courtesy of DownCoatBlog

Snowflakes.

2011-11-05T09:00:00.001Z

I wanted to take this opportunity to say a gigantic, massive, tremendous THANK YOU to every one who is following me and Cherry Pie Blog. I've reached 500 followers which is absolutely staggering. I can't believe that many people want to read about me and my life.

Looking back on old posts, the blog has really grown a lot and I hope there are many more exciting opportunities to come in the future! I never thought the blog would go into a fashion/beauty direction as it started out being a place to showcase my writing, but I absolutely LOVE writing about clothes and make-up!

I'd love to hear what you guys think of the blog, both good and bad! Let me in the comments and hopefully we can help move the blog into it's next direction!

Collection 2000 Cream Puff

2011-11-04T09:00:00.001Z

I wanted to try the new Cream Puff Lip Creams from Collection 2000 simply because I love the packaging, fonts and the colours. I absolutely hate lip glosses so I thought these products would be perfect for me as they're velvety soft lip creams with a lovely matte finish.

The creams are highly moisturising and rich in vitamins and give a lovely shade to the lips. My local Boots weren't stocking the Cream Puffs which was weird and I actually picked these up at a Collection 2000 stand in my local Morrisons! I love the fact that supermarkets are now including makeup concessions as it means we can pick up our fave product along with a pint of milk!

I decided on the 'Powder Puff' and 'Angel Delight' shades, but 'Fairy Cake' and 'Cotton Candy' are also available. I decided on 'Powder Puff' and 'Angel Delight' because they were the least pink of the four shades and more 'lip like'.

As you can see, they're quite cute items and I really like the 'Angel Delight' shade as I think it suits me much better. They're lovely to apply and very thick and rich in consistency.

They also smell delicious! This can be a bit of a downside when it's a lip product because it makes you instantly want to lick it off! I think I could restrain myself because I wouldn't want to loose the lovely shade.

I particularly love the 'Angel Delight' as it sticks much better than the 'Powder Puff'. Unfortunately 'Powder Puff' gives a bit of a 'concealer lip' look which I don't really like and it's a bit thinner in consistency, meaning the colour doesn't show as well.

I probably won't use 'Powder Puff' due to the inconsistency of it and the fact that it's a bit too light in colour. I wanted to really show you 'Angel Delight' as I was really impressed by it and would probably use it again as an alternative to lip balm and glosses.

What's in my shopping bags?

2011-11-03T10:39:00.000Z

Last week Vince and I took a trip to Cabot Circus in Bristol. I was hoping to get there at a reasonable time but Vince had a hospital appointment and a hair cut appointment and the amount of traffic in Bristol meant we finally got there at around 5pm. Luckily, it doesn't close until 8pm so we had a good old nose around, and I managed to pick up a few little things, meaning I can do another of my favourite types of post: What's in my shopping bags?

H&M was the first shop we went into and I spotted this jumper as soon as we went in. I instantly loved it and it looked really cosy, perfect for wearing on Christmas day too! Vince liked it too and even offered to buy it for me, which was very nice of him, but I couldn't let him after he got me an iPad for my birthday!

I'm aiming to feature the jumper in an outfit post in the near future so keep a look out for it!

Vince didn't have much luck on the shopping trip. He was looking for a nice hoody but all the ones he found were really plain and boring! Primark was equally disappointing, I couldn't even find a plain black cardigan and Vince couldn't find anything either. I did spot a thick navy cardigan that I wish I brought now! Damn!

When we'd had enough and were making our way back to the car park, I just had to stop off at Debenhams and have a quick look at the Chanel counter.

I've wanted an eyeshadow from the new(ish) Illusion D'Ombre range for a while now so I tried a few of them out and settled on #86 Ébloui.

It was £22 I think, which is a tad expensive for an eyeshadow but I wanted it so badly, and after trying it out I'm really glad I got it!

I don't want to post too many pictures because I want to dedicate an entire post to it and write about it in much more detail, but look how pretty!!

I've been keeping it in the box and resisting using it until I could get some decent pics! I just have to say it's so soft and luxurious and the colour is so lovely! I definitely made the right choice!

So I had quite a successful trip I'd say. Now all shopping in the future will be strictly Christmas related! I purchased a part of my sister's Christmas present yesterday, but I still have SO much to get! How far have you all got with your Christmas shopping?

Wednesday Wishlist #9

2011-11-02T09:00:00.001Z

ASOS: Lipsy Mirror Shard Earrings, Spike Drop Earrings, Beaded Headband
New Look: Twill Luxe Blazer
River Island: New York City Tshirt
Models Own: Beetlejuice Collection

I'm cheating just a little bit on this weeks wishlist because I've already purchased the ASOS Beaded Headband and the Lipsy shard earrings! I literally couldn't wait any longer! I was so bored of my current headband that I have to wear for work and I wanted something a bit more interesting. I absolutely love dangly earrings so definitely wanted another pair, and both items were in the sale so I thought, why not? They're on they're way to me now!

I've been looking for a blazer for absolutely ages but they all seem to have quite padded shoulders. I hate my shoulders enough as it is so I don't want to draw any more attention to them, which is why the New Look Twill Blazer blazer looks (whether it is in real life is another question) perfect because it's not too sharp and is made of a softer material than most. I also really wanted one with three-quarter length sleeves. I need to check this out in store and try it on asap!

I spotted the New York Tshirt in River Island while I was in Bristol with Vince. We both really liked it actually, but £15 for a Tshirt? I couldn't do it...New York City tops always stick out for me because I went there in 2009 and loved it, so I can truly say, I heart New York.

I've been watching the countdown on the Models Own Beetlejuice Collection, which finally reached zero at 10am this morning. I really want the Aqua Violet and Purple Blue shades, but the postage costs are really putting me off! ASOS were selling the Pinky Brown and Golden Green shades, but I'm not too keen. I think I might just have to go ahead and order them, I want them that much!

October Favourites

2011-11-01T09:00:00.003Z

I say it in every single monthly faves post I write, but this month seems to have gone quicker than all the rest. It might be because it was my birthday on the 13th, but I really can't believe it's November tomorrow.

All the Christmas decorations have gone up at work already and the Christmas shows are starting as well. I'm starting to think more and more about getting my Christmas presents sorted, but I really don't know what to get everyone!

I almost completely forgot to do this month's 'faves' post and usually I actually do them before the month ends but I had so many posts lined up that I couldn't fit it in. At least I'm only posting this on the 1st November, and not half way through!

So, as I mentioned, it was my birthday this month and I received this lovely Vera Wang Lovestruck Perfume from my parents. It smells so gorgeous and I absolutely LOVE the bottle. This is the type of perfume bottle that you keep, even after the perfume is gone, and display it!

Poor Vince brought me the same one as he remembered that I liked it. I felt so bad because I had asked my parents for it, not thinking he would have got it for me. So he only went an swapped it for an iPad!! To say I was shocked was an understatement!

I also received my October Glossybox this month after resubscribing! You can read my full thoughts on the post here, but I just quickly want to say that it was by far one of the best boxes we've had. I can't believe that I've read some negative reviews about it, those bloggers must be absolutely crazy.

I particularly loved the Stila eyeliner and Leighton Denny nailpolish. Both are gorgeous gorgeous colours and great full size products for the box!

Lastly, I want to quickly mention my new favourite hair products from the BedHead by TIGI Candy Fixations range, reviewed right here. These two volumising products have become part of my daily routine and they give my hair lovely volume, and best of all, they leave behind a mouth-watering scent!

I certainly want to check out the rest of the range and perhaps purchase some more. A lot of people disregard BedHead/TIGI, but I've always found them to be quite good for my hair!

I'd absolutely repurchase all of these products and I would definitely recommend them to you all! Perhaps add them to your Christmas lists?

So, what have I got to look forward to in November? More work unfortunately, but Vince and I are also off to see Lee Evans live on November 20th. I absolutely cannot wait for this. I've had the tickets for over a year now and we both absolutely love him so he better be funny!

Halloween Nails!

2011-10-31T09:00:00.003Z

I don't really celebrate Halloween anymore. Obviously as a kid I went Tric Or Treating, but I didn't really have imaginative outfits, I remember being a witch, Scream and a cat and later on at University, I was a Witch and a Devil...My first ever Halloween costume was a Witch that was made out of bin bags and a witch's hat!

On Wednesday Vince and I went to see Paranormal Activity 3 and I have to say, I was SO disappointed. I actually really liked the previous two movies, although a bit silly at times, and I thought this one was going to really explain the back story of the two main characters, but it just really left me feeling like 'was that it?' It also didn't help that the cinema was full of children, blatantly under 15, all shouting, screaming and laughing. I'm not entirely sure why they paid over £7 for a ticket, only to miss half of the film due to messing around?!

Anyway...as a form of Halloween celebration, I decided to try my hand at some Halloween nails! After a quick Google search, I got some ideas and whipped these up quickly! They're a bit messy but they'll do just for one day. Barry M have some great colourful polishes that are perfect for Halloween nails. I also used a black eyeliner for the drawing as I just hate the Models Own nail art pen, and a China Glaze crackle polish as well!

Created using: Barry M #290 Spring Green, #134 Yellow, #301 Block Orange
China Glaze #980 Black Mesh
Rimmel Exaggerate Eye Liner

Happy Halloween everyone!

Sunday Style Steal #7

2011-10-30T09:00:00.003Z

I cannot wait for this weekend to be over! At work we are hosting the 'Fisherman's Festival' for the British Aquatic Society and while it's nice looking at all the fish and some of the animals and stalls in the tents, that's all there is to it. The people that have turned out for the event aren't our usual over 50's, they're much louder and ruder. Yesterday morning I served a man at 10:15am and he was already drunk, with a Becks in his hand! Gross.

Christmas officially starts on Tuesday at work and I can't wait. It means we don't serve ANY hot food, meaning I won't stink of chips after work! I don't have a day off until Thursday now, so I'm going to try and keep the blogs going when I'm finished each day. It might be difficult to get some decent pictures though. I finish at 5:30 every day this week and with the clocks going back, it'll probably be dark before I leave!

One of my old Glossybox's is coming in really handy as a little 'review' box. I've picked up quite a few bits and pieces to review recently, so they're all sitting in the box waiting to be photographed and written about!

Until then...let's get on with today's Sunday Style Steal. Number 7, can you believe?! This week featuring Kate Bosworth, who's fashion sense is sometimes pretty questionable. Thankfully, she turned out looking half decent at a Chanel dinner recently, in an all black outfit.

Kate looks simply stylish here and her hair looks great in a top knot. Very sophisticated and I much prefer it to her more recent turquoise blue dip-dye look. Her outfit consists of a black A-line patterned skirt and black silk shirt with embroidered cuffs and detailed buttons.

She also wore Chanel lace up wedges, complete with gold trim detail, and a Chanel clutch bag! Unfortunately, we can't all afford gold trimmed designer clothes, so I've managed to find a few alternatives!

Topshop: Black Flannel Mini Skirt, Chiffon Tab Shirt
ASOS: Vintage Look Watch Bracelet, Pointed Wedge Shoe Boot, Feather Clutch Bag

Whenever I wear black on black, I always feel like a mime artist. I suppose this look is broken up a bit by the skirt and the material of the shirt. Although a designer label, the outfit itself looks like something pretty simple to be wearing to such a prestigious event. Kate pulls it off well though, don't you think?

*Image courtesy of Celebrity-Gossip.net

Your Hair December '11

2011-10-29T09:00:00.003+01:00

You may remember when I posted about my work in Hair Ideas magazine. Well, now I've got something even better to show you!

When I was on work experience back in August, at Your Hair magazine, I was asked if I would fill in for someone who had dropped out of the reader makeover. I was told I'd get a lovely haircut and make over and would appear in the magazine. I was a bit unsure whether to do it at first but everyone told me I should as it would be a great experience and probably something I'd never get to do again.

On the day I arrived at a hairdressers in Bristol and was given a consultation. I definitely wanted some colour in my hair and we decided on some Red, which I loved. We had the lovely team from Indola doing our hair and the company's global ambassador, Leonardo Rizzo, cutting it.

My change of hairstyle wasn't as drastic as the other girl's, but I really loved it. Unfortunately there was no way I could keep it up at home, but I did love the new found volume of it.

It was absolutely HORRIBLE having my photos taken. I had to stand in awkward poses and was made to show my teeth, something which I really hate and am concious of, but I think the photos turned out OK in the end. I wouldn't like to see the ones that were rejected, haha!

So, you can see my full make-over and hair restyle in the December Issue #124 of Your Hair magazine!

Bed Head by TIGI Candy Fixations

2011-10-28T09:00:00.001+01:00

When I received an email asking if I'd like to try the new Bed Head by TIGI Candy Fixations range, I jumped at the chance! I thought the packaging alone looked gorgeous and fun and when I saw the volume products, I knew I had to try them out. The Candy Fixations range claims to deliver volume 'lighter than candyfloss with flexible hold and no residue,' and I can safely say that they more than deliver!

Since I had my hair cut in August, I've been using the Fudge Pump Up Mousse for some much needed volume and bounce to my hair, but I'm afraid I now have a new favourite in the form of the Totally Baked Volumizing and Prepping Hair Meringue.

Not only is this mousse lovely and light, it gives my hair some much needed volume, but the best bit is the smell. It smells AMAZING. I'm being completely honest when I say this smells EXACTLY like Lemon Meringue and it's gorgeous! My mum and I were sat on the sofa sniffing it for ages! The scent stays in your hair as well so you get nice whiffs of it through-out the day. It's best applied to damp hair like any normal mousse, but if you blow-dry it afterwards, you get a lovely cooked meringue smell, which again, is gorgeous!

I also received the Sugar Dust Invisible Micro-Texture Root Powder which is just so cute! I've never used a powder for volume before and this is just lovely! I applied it to my hair when it was wet and again when it was dry and it didn't leave my hair with a white tinge to it (thank goodness), and it left it lovely and volumised, just how I like it. The dust is so fine it looks like it's snowing when you sprinkle it on and again, it smells utterly gorgeous!

My roots feel a tiny bit dry and stiff but that's something I can easily put up with. My hair has got a bit longer and heavier now so it's difficult for it to retain the volume but I've had the products in for a few hours and it's holding nicely. I'm still getting lovely lemon meringue scent as well.

So, all in all, I am more than happy with these products and I've been using them daily ever since! I've taken a few snaps of my hair straight after using the products, but please forgive my terrible split ends!