Buttons &Bulldogs...

...Week in instagram pics #2...

*Yorkie buttons are the best, and big enough to write messages on!!

*Miley moo dishing out the sly eye and looking freaking adorable!

*Boiler breakdown saw me and Ben escaping our ice box of a flat and staying the night at Bobs.

*A blast from the past photo shoot, a Gypsy themed editorial...sooo Autumnul I love these pictures!
*The quote of my life!
*Bob getting his farmer boy groove on.
*'Xmassed up' Bobs bedroom.
*Psycho selfie!
*Chloe Croft London silk French Bulldog cushion a surprise pressie from Bob <3 (link)

I hope you have all had a great week!
Happpppppppyyyyyyy Friday!!
xxx

Drugstore basics- How do I choose the right foundation?

I'm presuming that if you have landed on this post then you are among the many women that walk into drug stores across the land and feel overwhelmed by the vast selection of cosmetics on offer, it is overwhelming, the cosmetics industry is super massive and growing all the time sometimes it would be nice, like most things in this day and age (ooooooh how old does that make me sound?? eek!) if things would pause, let us take a breather and catch up with it all. That's not going to happen though so I'll talk more generally about foundation, a tricky one to get right at the best of times, but throw in different finishes, formula's and a bunch of letters and numbers, it can be enough to make your head explode.Too dramatic??

Things to bear in mind when shopping for foundation.

These 4 things will work as your basic guide to picking an everyday foundation.

If you wanted a foundation for a specific occasion or one that will give you a specific quality to your skin then you would look at different factors, this is just the basic knowledge you need to be equipt with to begin.

1.Your skin tone- fair, medium,dark.

So that you know which section of the colour spectrum you should be looking at to begin with.Of course there are many variations within each tone...

2.Your undertone- cool, warm or neutral

  So that you pick a foundation with the correct base colour for your undertone

(The quickest way to check this is to look at the veins on your wrist if they are blue then you have a cool undertone, you have a warm undertone if they are more green, and if there is neither more green or blue then you have a neutral undertone.)

For example you could have fair skin but a warm undertone so you would want a pale colour foundation that is yellow based rather than pink.Those of us with neutral undertones should pick colours that have a balance of the two.

Just as a side note even if you have a cool undertone do steer clear of foundations that are overly pink based (fortunatley there aren't too many now a days!) as they never blend into the skin enough to leave a natural finish.

Test shades on your jawline in as natural a light as you can you will want to pick out the shade that best blends with your chest/shoulder colour.If you are stuck deciding between 2 shades pick out the lighter shade as you can always darken it with bronzer.

3.Your skin type normal, dry, oily or combination.

So that you pick a foundation with the formula and finish that is most beneficial to you regarding the application, longevity and overall look of the foundation you choose.

Generally, foundations aren't labelled up to specify which skin types they are most suitable for. Revlon colour stay shades do come in normal/dry and combination/oily however I can't think of another drugstore brand that specifically state skin type suitability on their foundation bottles.

4.Coverage 

This is personal preference all the way!

Ones to check out!

Normal-dry skin types

 Bourjois Healthy mix serum £10.99

Bourjois Healthy mix £9.99

Rimmel wake me up £8.99

Maybelline fit me! £7.99

Oily/combination 

Loreal True match (great shade range) £9.99

Revlon colourstay £12.49

Rimmel match perfection £6.99

Garnier nutritionist BB oil free miracle skin perfector £6.66

Bourjois 1,2,3 perfect £10.99

I really hope I explained this clearly and this was helpful to some of you!

Do tell me your drug store faves!!

xxx

Seventeen Stay pout lipstick

Saintly

Its complicated

Top- Its complicated
Bottom- Saintly

Stay pout is a new addition to Boots' Seventeen range, I went out and unintentionally stumbled upon them a couple of weeks ago then bought the two because I already had one thing in my basket and it was 3 for 2 across all make-up (still is!) you know the drill... 

Stupidly of me and not something I would recommend to anyone (I don't for one minute think that you would) I bought both of these without swatching them. Why?? Well um there were no testers out on the stand I liked the stickers underneath and had way too much faith...yes I should know better.

Cut to a very disappointed me sat in the car with two very frosty (least favourite lipstick finish ever)

pinks instead of the beautiful nude and raspberry shades I had hoped for.

So I sound like I'm having a right bitch about these, I'm not I just think it's funny to share what a dumb ass I was in my shade selecting process. So for the purpose of giving you a bit of a review I have been trying them out.

Firstly the pigmentation is great, so it's a good start! They are a long wearing formula so I was expecting them to be more on the matte side and possibly quite drying, not the case here, they apply really smoothly and feel so moisturising, the Shea butter in them lends a hand to this which is great at this time of year when dry lips are rife! As I mentioned before going off on a standard tangent, the formula is long wearing Seventeen don't claim  X number of hours but I've found they last a good 7 hours, wearing off evenly into a subtle stain which I like.

Altogether a really good lipstick for the price (£4.59) I'm definitely going to check out the other shades, there's 15 in total so the chances are if there are some testers out that I'll find some I like ;) 

xxx

Festive inspiration- 5 Xmas mini beauty sets (under £20)

You can't go wrong with a good mini kit as a stocking stuffer at Christmas, they're just a great way to try out new products without committing your cash and brilliant as stocking stuffers what with them being all small and that. 

I check out asos every year for these mini beauty kits around Christmas. Wow how sponsered does that sound?? Its not FYI. I just like it ok. ;) There's actually a surprising amount of great stocking fillers for under £20 so I've picked out my top 5 with a little bit of something for everyone's beauty tastes in mind.

1.Benefit limited edition "how to look the best at everything" make-up kit £15-18 (depending on shade) link
2.REN mini's gift set £15 link
3.Percy and Reed Va-va-voom volume mini zip lock bag £15 link
4.nails inc Best dressed nails mini polish collection £16 link
5.Benefit b.right 6 piece skincare set £12.50 link

xxx

Something & Nothing....

...a week in instagram...

1.Shopped- Barry M Matte nail paints...yes!
2.Wore the shade "crush" and loved it!
3.Liked my outfit then failed at being able to take a picture without blinding myself!
4.Who's bored of seeing Costa coffee pics?
5.Found my favourite picture of my boyfriend in my phone-*instagrammed* shh though he'll get a big head!
6.Bunnies rockin geek glasses!
7.Winter spice bleach? who buys this? Me evidently...
8.Sunrise out of my living room window while enjoying my (mini gingerbreadman-less) coffee.
9. Autumn nails wrapped up with these 5 mini OPI polishes.

I hope you have all had a great week!

Happy Friday!

xxx

All used up! Beauty products

I love reading empties posts, funny that considering I don't think I've ever done one here myself huh? I find them the most useful posts when it comes to deciding on products that I might be thinking of buying. Lets face it there are a lot of glowing product reviews out there of what people are loving right now, but an actual empty bottle, tube, container or whatever else we "hoard goo" in is always a good sign that a product has been really, truly well loved or at least given a thorough go through it's paces enough to say why it isn't worth bothering spending your money on.

Here I have a mixed bag of the two...

Sebastian potion 9
An all round leave in styling treatment that can be used to create texture in dry hair or soft movement when applied to damp hair. It's quite a hyped up product among hairdressers that I know, but one that I have never fallen in love with, it's just never really done anything noticeable for my hair.The one thing I do love about it is the smell, oh my God, you know when you have that "hairdressers" smell on your hair? That! But I would rather spend the 20 odd pounds getting a good blow dry to achieve that than buy this again.

Alien by Thierry Mugler.
I almost have no words. This perfume to me is perfection in a bottle and I don't just throw the word perfection out there willy nilly oh no! I have repurchased this twice a year (Or my Mum has kindly bought it for me!) since my very first magazine tester of it, which I remember vividly... Lunch break, Elle magazine, 2008...sad but true! It's has quite a heavy woody scent that would normally lead it to be considered night time fragrance but it also has a freshness to it which makes it so unusual and versatile, I wear it day and night and would bath in it if I was queen!

Dove Summer glow nourishing lotion medium/dark skin with soft shimmer particles.
I've always got an empty bottle of this lying around it's my go to tan.It's marketed as an everyday moisturiser with gradual tan but I find that just one application gives me the nicest most natural bronze colour which is noticeable within around 4 hours. On my skin the colour fades after 3 days so I find myself using this twice a week to maintain it.
This particular one with the shimmer particles I won't repurchase because it is just way OTT glittery and I really don't like to see obvious pieces of glitter on my skin. I've already been and repurchased the regular non shimmery one though.

Rimmel instant tan air brush effects-Medium matte.
This was the first instant wash off tan I've ever bought, Although I've heard good things about the Rimmel instant range, even my boyfriend had a bottle...(New years eve, dressed as a woman,what a card!) the thought of wash off tan has always filled me with fear...Spray and go...what if it rains? I just imagined myself walking into the pub looking like a piece of badly varnished wood. But I was curious....alongside the good reviews, the 24 hour streak free claim on the bottle settled my anxiety enough to buy it and I've found it to be great to have around for quick fix tan emergency's!

Beauty so clean conditioning brush cleanser.
The thought of brush cleaning actually made me yawn just now haha! I either use this or surgical spirit to clean my brushes I have surgical spirit in my kit for spot cleaning and I use this at home for general cleaning, either this or hand soap and water. I love it because it has a spray pump and contains alcohol the two combined magically speed up the whole tedious process.

Collection-lasting perfection concealer-Medium 3
There's not a lot to say about this,that hasn't already been said. It's the high street darling concealer! I love how it conceals all imperfections without that cakey chalky ugh that even some higher end concealers dish out and its less than a fiver! I've already got a couple of back ups.

NARS Sheer glow foundation-Fiji
Another bottle has bitten the dust! I think I might bore you if I write anything about this, I'll definitely bore myself! I've done a full review here and mentioned it so many times it's silly.<3.

Are any of these favourites of yours? Anything you've tried and wouldn't repurchase?
Let me know.
xxx

Home- Thrift shoppin'

What, what?? OK I'm sorry for being such a massive cheese ball but that had to be done! 

Something a bit different from beauty today, I hope you don't mind.It's still beautiful in it's own way because it's charitable and all! 

Thrift shopping or 'mooching around the charity shops' if you don't want to Americanise another term, is something I do on the days that I'm broke after my direct debits come out and need a shopping fix, today was one of those days.

If you are familiar with charity shops you will know that there is always a little tiny home ware section usually pushed towards the back of the shop, that at first glance looks like it houses all of your grandparents old junk but look closer and if you can be bothered to pick through the Barry Manilow memoribilia and hideous china dolls you can usually pick up some really cool/unique things to decorate your house.

Tea light holder- 50p Not the best example of a unique find as I just spotted an Ikea sticker underneath it, ha!-Currently burning Yankee Midsummers night. 

Blue glass jug £1- I like jugs I have no plans for this as yet, it'll probably end up housing a fake flower of some sort.

Glass tray 50p- I didn't even have to go and check the price because evidently I am the blogger equivalent of the girl who keeps the stickers on underneath her shoes!

The same glass tray- I haven't decided weather to keep Jewellery in it or soap type products...

Books- I bought these from a charity shop a while a go, they were either £1 or £2 each I tend to use nice books as decor, either on my dressing table or TV stand so I do judge them by there covers, naughty I know!

5 piece photo frame- £2.50 I have looked at getting these kind of distressed, held together with rope photo frames for my bathroom for a while now and never got around to actually buying one so I was super happy to find this one like brand new. I hammered it into the wall as soon as I got in using my trusty Allegra boot heel/girl hammer.
I just need to think of a theme for the photographs, or is it a new trend to have 5 pictures of a barbed wire fence? Let me know!

I'm pretty pleased with my little haul I spent £4.50 (not including the books) and still got the shopping buzz minus the buyers remorse!

Do you spend much time popping tags in charity shops?

xxx

Wordless worth the hype #1

Maybelline Baby lips in Peach kiss

<3

xxx

To ombre or not to ombre that is the question (HELP!!)...

Above is the result of my battle with the bleach back in 2011 (full post here) I want to say when ombre hair was 'cool' but I actually have no idea if it ever went out of style, maybe overdone yeah but it's stuck around for much longer than I thought it would!

Anyway over the last few months a combination of keeping up with those bloody Kardashians and seeing Khloe's nailed on perfect ombre aswell as looking back (possibly with rose tinted specs on!) at these old pictures has given me the ombre itch so to speak.

The other day I decided to scratch the itch....

Before- "Off to pick up ma bleach"...

After- "Well umm!?"...

I picked up the L'oreal wild ombre kit in 01 for medium to dark brown hair which I had really high hopes would get me all Khloe-fied but as you can see after using it my hair has only lightened up ever so slightly.

I don't know much about the science of hair colour in fact I know nothing but I don't think that it's a fault with the product, I'm guessing it might have something to do with dyeing my hair black a few months ago, (which I didn't take into consideration beforehand) as I've seen reviews of this kit giving great results on other girls with my hair colour.

So what I was wondering was, if you guys could help me decide...should I pop out and pick up a bleach (There is a Jerome Russell one for dark hair that looks good!) been as I am kind of halfway through the process Or just forget the whole thing? Has Ombre had its day? Also any hairdressers that are reading this if you have any tips for me that would be really appreciated!
xxx

Beauty bargain! Soap and Glory Girl-O-Whirl gift set £19 for one week only!

Ooh hello, this is a bit of something different from Soap and Glory, who are well known at this time of year for bringing out a huge Xmas gift set containing their best selling skincare and bathtime treats worth around the £50 mark and then slashing the price in half, sending ladies into a dither and emptying shelves in Boots stores across the country. This year, with the success of the S&G cosmetics line instead of skincare the deal is on "GIRL-O-WHIRL" a handy Make-up kit stuffed with the best sellers from the range.

The kit includes:

6 Lidstuff eyeshadows

6 Supercolour fabulipsticks

Thick and fast super volume mascara

Sexy mother pucker gloss stick in 'Nudist'

'Glow all out' luminising face powder

Solar powder multi shade bronzer

Smoulder kohl

Eyeshadow brush

Lip brush

Blush brush

The kit has an RRP of £40 and from tomorrow will be on sale in Boots stores and online for £19, the deal is only on for one week so if you are planning on picking this up as a stocking filler grab one (thick and)fast!....New years resolution- no more puns!

Are you a Soap and Glory cosmetics fan? Will you be picking this up?

xxx

Superdrug 3 for 2...

A few weeks ago as I was driving to my parents house minding my own business I noticed that the elusive One parking space outside my local Superdrug was empty....this never happens...I took it as a sign and pulled over without pausing to think A.do I have any money? and B.do I need anything?

The answer to both questions was yes which in the case of A was fortunate!

Realising it was 3 for 2 across all cosmetics and Clearly feeling the need to bring Summer back into my life that day I purchased the Bourjois colour boost lip crayon in "Peach on the beach" Barry M hi shine Gelly nail paint in "Blueberry" and Collection cream puff in "Fairy cake."

As you can probably tell my lips have started to get dry now that the cold weather has hit and the macro setting on a camera doesn't help matters so I am preferring the balmy texture and glossy finish of the Bourjois pencil over the matte finish of the Collection lip cream right now, although the cream puff's are always a big love of mine especially for the bargain £2.99 price. Both however feel moisturising when applied, the cream puff "sets" and emphasises dryness throughout the day whereas the Bourjois lip crayon continues to feel comfortable and moisturising.

Nail wise, I love how there has been so much more choice on the high street in the past couple of years and have been guilty of taking good old faithful Barry M for granted, bypassing it to coo over Essie and Models own, but I had to come crawling back tail between legs when I was in my tiny town's teeny Superdrug as they have not quite made the leap into bringing in the big guns! Very happy I am with my polish of choice though...Blueberry has been on my nails for the past 2 weeks...I always get bored of my nail polish colour after about 5 days but I have actually taken this off and reapplied a fresh coat that's kind of a big deal, you go Barry!

Have you taken advantage of 3 for 2?

xxx

A Primark/TKMAXX "Instahaul" ....

Evening all!

Who's off to a fireworks display tonight? I'm not thank goodness, I wish I could hack it but it's way too cold and I am more than happy to be sat wrapped up in my new Primark cozies tonight....(in a position with the radiator that could be classed as intimate!) Ahem anyway I shopped yesterday, I instagrammed also...

Oatmeal Reindeer leggings- £5 Primark

Slipper boots- £6 Primark

 King size duvet cover & 2 pillows-£20 Primark

My pillow pet- £ priceless

Ghostly haze-Me not getting much sleep tonight!

Love heart double bobble hat- £3 Primark

Midi rings- £1.50 Primark

Brown slouch beret- £3 Primark

I love this!

Necklace (<3) - £4 Primark

Hair bobbles (pack of 2) - £1 Primark

High top pumps- £7 Primark

SISLEY purse- £12.99 RRP £28.00 TKMAXX

(so many compartments, I'm in love!!)

OCCO DALMACIJA No1 Gentle soft wax cleanser 50ml - £5.99 RRP £28.99 TKMAXX

(So excited to try this out!)

I don't know if an "instahaul" actually exists but I do hope you enjoyed mine!

xxx

Big love for Dove... dry shampoo

I recently picked up the Dove refresh and care dry shampoo on a night time dash around Sainsburys, mainly because I have been doing the 30 day shred for the past few weeks and had been in the market for a dry shampoo to refresh my sweaty fringe after a workout...gross I know!

I really can't compare this to other dry shampoo's as I have only ever briefly dabbled with the likes of batiste and tresemme and never enough to form much of an opinion. The Dove one is fab though, the first thing that I was pleased to find is that it doesn't leave any white residue behind or feel sticky/heavy in my hair. It has a really fresh smell and leaves my hair feeling like it has actually been washed even on days where the whole hair washing palaver has been well overdue!

As well as absorbing oil and refreshing hair between washes it also claims to give volume, and while my fine normal/oily hair takes a lot of persuading to volumise I have found that using it on just washed damp hair at the roots while blow drying it, gives me a noticeable amount of volume and body.

Another thing to mention is that I've noticed when I spray it through the mid lengths and ends it also adds texture to my hair so its basically a multi tasking bottle of fabulousness!! 

Dove refresh and care dry shampoo is currently on offer in Sainsburys at £2.30. Normal price £4.59 

xxx

Kate Spade for Nails inc FREE in Glamour magazine!

British magazines are amazing when it comes to dishing out (decent) free beauty products and Glamour magazine never fails to disappoint with its offerings. This month there are 4 Kate Spade for Nails inc full sized nail polishes to choose from worth £11 each! Admittedly now a days I only ever buy magazines for the free gifts but I do really like having a flick through Glamour magazine so for £2 its a win win! 

As I said there are 4 shades in the range a Gold metallic (Uptown glamour), a Silver metallic (Soho Silver), a Red (Big apple Red), and a Black (New York Noir) all very festive themed, sparkly and lovely! I picked up the Gold shade as its one that I have nothing similar to in my collection and not a colour I would usually wear so I thought I'd use the fact that it's a freebie to try out something different!

 I applied "Uptown Glamour" and my first thought was "Oooh this is like Gold member in a bottle" it is like pure liquid gold! I applied 2 coats because I always do but it's pretty opaque and you could easily get away with one coat. The formula is delightful it applies smoothly and dried really quickly leaving a pretty festive metallic sheen and although I don't feel like a convert to Gold nail polish,  if you are a fan then this is definitely worth you getting!

 Because of how nice, and more importantly how fast drying the formula is my decision to just pick up the one colour (what was I thinking?!) has now been re thought and I'm off to pick up the Red and Black ones as well! 

Are you planning on picking these up?

xxx