BodyCare Bargain

We all love a good bargin, especially with this credit crunch making it harder to justify splurging a couple of quid here and there on unnecessary items. However, finding those bargains can come at a struggle, especially with every shop claiming to have discounts, grand saving totals and big bold percentage off signs to put even the most clued up shopper in a frenzy over whether they have witnessed it cheaper elsewhere..

One thing is for sure, you all need to check out the big black box at the front of your Body Care. Although it may seem cheap, embarassing and feel like you are on display with everybody judging you, the baseline is that you will be surprised at what you can find in there. From baby, bath and beauty products all at an unbelievably low price, it is worth a rumage.

I managed to pick up this beautiful orangey/coraly/pink nail varnish for 19pence ! (That is less than a Freddo !) This will be used so much in the summer, but for now it can help brighten this snow up!

Body Care - Wet & Wild , 19pence

I have had BC nail varnishes in the past and they have been a nightmare when it comes to drying, which puts me off greatly. But for 19pence, I thought it would be worth buying. It dried really well, within seconds, even when applying a second coat !

It is definitely worth taking a peak into those bargain baskets!

D E T <3

Beauty Shhmuty

Beauty Boxes.

Don't worry, this isn't a 'what's in my Glossy Box this month' (Seen as we all get the same, if not very similar!)

I have been subscribed to GlossyBox for three months now. Which I'm sure that everybody has witnessed the 'GlossyBox #Enter Month#' post on numerous blogs.  If by luck you haven't , I'll be the one to run you through the mularky.

Glossy Box is a company which delivers five delux sized high end beauty product to your door for just £12.75 (Incl postage). The boxes are either a hit or miss, as you do not know what you are going to get until it arrives. The idea behind this is great. It gives you the opportunity to try out some expensive products in the comfort of your own home and really get a feel for whether you like them.

The only problem with this is the mystery behind the products. Some people may find these boxes a hit everytime, I however, have used three sample sized products all together - which I wouldn't really recommend. It is a nice surprise when the box arrives, as the packaging is amazing ! The excitement of the wrapping and all these surprises are lovely, but when the logic of the money comes into play, it daunts on you that you could be putting that towards going to the salon, getting some make-up and even cinema tickets.. (Not even on Orange Wednesdays ! Big spender!!!)

There are also a lot of other beauty boxes to try out which offer a vast range of products from sophisticated tea leaves to candles and relaxation oils at a similar price as the Glossy Box such as Boudoir Prive or Carmine .. There is also this subscription company Latest In Beauty who, for £1 , send you three highstreet (Reality affordable) sample products , the ones we look at in Boots and question whether to waste that couple of quid on.. Which for the price, you can't go wrong on really.

Has anybody tried any of the other beauty boxes?

D E T <3

The Girl Who Caused The Storm

There has been a storm of controversy over one little girl. I'm sure many of you have heard or seen the copy of French Vogue, which has a mesmorising ten year old beauty gracing the cover.

Thylane Lena-Rose Blondeau

It goes without a doubt when saying this little girl is absolutely beautiful ! Think of her as a collage of the most beautiful models in the world. The pout and teeth of Lara Stone, the face of Natalia Vondianova and the eyes of Adriana Lima. Without saying, this ten year old is going to have a packed life ahead filled with editorials and runway debuts. We can't keep putting Elle, Giselle and Kate through the traumas of lying in locations Thomas Cook doesn't even fly to, being pampered and made-up and then forced to look down a lense all morning, now can we.

The Vogue cover setting highlights her youth, the white dress and purity and her beautiful angelic face. However, turn the covers and this is what has caused the controversy.

The pictures are a reinterpretation of girls playing dress-up in make-up, heels, dresses and jewellery. Although this isn't the problem, the problem which has sparked the outrage is the adultness of the images, the sexuality of the not-even-teenage models.

Low gazes, pouty lips and sultry body language have caused the outrage of pedestalling child sexuality which promotes the wrong type of attention. However, if they weren't playing dress-up in their mothers clothes, there would be an outrage over children wearing make-up and using hot hair tools, followed with captions about children losing their youth. The pictures are what the viewer perceives of them, if you want to associate an image of sexuality around a young girl playing dress up and lying on a bed in low cut dresses - then that is what you are going to get, rather than a young girl who has seized the opportunity of playing with her mothers unattended finest, pretend playing the elegant sophistocated women which comes with the nature of a childs imagination. When I saw the images, I couldn't believe a ten year old could look so beautiful. At ten, I was covered in cuts, bruises clutching a football ready for the next curby tornament, but even when I tried on a pair of my mums heels - I too used to strut along the landing like I was first face at Milan fashion week.

What are your views on ten-year old Thylane Lena- Rose Blondeau?


D E T <3

Winter Radiance

Hi beauties !

I hope everyone enjoyed their wonderful holidays and had a lovely Christmas / Newyear .. I hope you all were lavished with lots of love, laughter and luxurious food.

So, over the Christmas season, I'm sure we all know how frosty, cold and miserably rainy it gets. That is unless you're reading this from the Maldives, then in that case, we all envy you.

Because of the harsher weather conditions, it does call for a change in skin care. We have all suffered from low moisture in the skin, whether it is on our legs to our face. Noticing the dreaded 'Grey Knee'  occuring on those winter nights out (Grey adj. Knee n.  this is a result of the cold and dry skin which makes your knees look a tad grey. Unfortunately normally noticed when in the taxi, at the destination or on pictures the next day).

Personally, the cold weather creates an unpleasant array of problems to my face, from random dry patches of skin to chapped lips. I also used to suffer with acne (URFGGVHGF!), so I am a bit reluctant to keep applying moisturisers incase of breakouts. I usually use a very light moisturiser until winter time, then I switch to this foraken beauty MUST !

Nivea Creme , (Depending on size ) - £1.00 + available at drug stores, beauty counters, ASDA, Tesco etc

This is one of Nivea's classics ! I think everybody should have a tub of this at hand ! This is the ultimate dry skin therapy, forget expensive rehydrating skin creams, this is the best when it comes to tackling rough dry, coarse skin. It cannot be faulted for the price. I use it on my face where ever there is a dry patch, whether it is on my lips to around my eyes. It really absorbs into the skin. (I only got one spot which could of been down to anything from stress to the rich Christmas foods.)

As some may also know, putting foundation on over dry skin unflatteringly highlights that area. Also having thick heavy make-up on in winter isn't the most comfortable. What I have been doing is, applying Nivea to my face, as users know - it leaves a dewy shiny finish, then applying a cover of bronzer over to combat some of the shine yet create a tinted sheen.  

Rimmel Sun Shimmer; Duo Bronzing Powder 002 Brunette- £4.99 - Cosmetic stores, ASDA/Tesco etc

It also comes in a lighter shade but this is a good match for my skin tone. It has a shimmer to it so I use is sparingly, just dusting it all over the face. Working with the Nivea, it gives a very fresh summer skin look. I wouldn't use it for contouring or for a night out - especially with the lighting , unless you're appearing on Dancing with the Stars. But the pigmentation works well for a highlight over the cheek bones.

It is a nice alternate to wearing foundation everyday, especially as the slight shimmer helps to disguise some problem areas giving a fresh youthful glow to dull winter skin.

D E T <3 

With Candy Canes & Silver Lanes Aglow

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere except where I am. Unfortunately I am still at my University house, my friends went home for Christmas last week and I have stayed an extra couple of days to finish the rota off before I go home for the Christmas Break.

The inner Macaulay Culkin in me is coming out the nearer to Christmas we get. Even though I am in this unfestive house, consisting of no tree, advent calenders or cards. But I am getting very Christmas-y reading and watching everybody's 'Christmas Tag' posts.

I'm not sure if I will be able to do a post over the Christmas period, but I joined the blogging community because I love reading other people's blogs, so I will still browsing through everybody's blogs. If any passers through have any interesting blogs they would like to post below, I will happily check them out..

For now;

 I hope everybody has a lovely Christmas filled with lots of love, happiness and memories.

D E T <3

A Two Pound Glaze

If any readers didn't catch a few posts ago, I bought two lipsticks for £40; one from Bobby Brown and one from NARS. Don't get me wrong, these are luxury items, I cherish and admire their presence in my make-up bag ! But I know better than anyone what it is like to be in school and college trying to juggle the weekly spenditure allowance off your parents, or having to sit through that gastly General Studies class just for the tick in the register granting that glorious EMA allowance every week!

The thought never even crossed my mind whilst I was in school to spend over £5 on a lipstick, let alone four times that amount ! I still get reluctant to spent over £10 on a lipstick with the horrific thought that I'll get home and find the shade doesn't suit me in the slightest.

I have had my eyes on two colours of lipsticks, both by MAC and both exremely popular! One is a shade close to the (sold out!) Pink Friday shade and the other is a nude shade. I don't fancy spending £30 on two colours which may not compliment my skin or find they are too pigmented so I look like I've smeared a pot of concealer on my lips.

The next two items I have bought many-a-times from the Natural Collection make-up section at Boots. They were to test out whether the pink and nude look would suit me so I could go and buy a MAC lipstick.. But I loved them too much and for £1.99 (YES one pound ninety nine !!) I don't think it's necessary to replace them with a hit or miss £16 lipstick !

L-R, Pink Mallow & Lotus - £1.99 Boots Natural Collection

Both of these are quite sheer, but have a buildable coverage. So if you want a really pink / nude look just apply over a few more times.. Pink Mallow is a moisture shine finish and Lotus is a sheer natural finish. I like to use Lotus over Pink Mallow, I think it gives a really nice finish..

T-B, Lotus - Pink Mallow

T-B, Lotus - Pink Mallow

(With a flash) Just to give you an idea of how pink it can really look

I always use Lotus, it is one which is constantly at the bottom of my bag.. It gives a really natural sheer nude but also gives you the ability to alter how pigmented you want it. Although they don't look the most stylish lipstick to ever be brought out, I don't think you can complain for £1.99 , especially with Christmas a couple of weeks away eeeek !!

D E T <3

Mattifying Kelly Rowland

To start off, I haven't done anything to my nails in 10 days ! Yes, a very long ten whole days ! I have had to count because I have sent my nails to nail rescue priory ! For ten long days I have been using this;

Rimmel Nail Rescue , £4.99 , Boots

Although I've cut four days out of the treatment I have noticed a difference with my nails. You apply one coat to your nails on day one, then add another coat on day two , then you leave them alone till day seven , take it all off and restart the process. It is a lot of faffing about. I found my nails have stopped splitting and chipping and they have hardened slightly more than usual. The treatment gives a really beautiful shiny coat, so it was nice to have natural looking nails for a change.

BUT, I was expecting big results, I think I would have the same results if I had just left my nails 14 days with out doing anything to them.. The nail varnish chips so I was left with a catch 22 . If I reapplied to all the chipped areas I would have to write a rota to keep check on which day and which nail I have applied coats to. (Even I have limits !)

Anyway, this is what cut my nail treatment process by four days !

Most of you will have seen my other Kelly Rowland nails.. Having an accent finger nail a different colour than the rest has become a really big trend. I have seen many people sporting this using different coloured nail varnishes.

Here is my third, yes third, KR inspired nails.

I've chosen the ring finger to sport a different colour.. I'm using the pink glitter from the second KR nails I did.

Clear Nail Varnish - Gift Set. Claire's glitter powder- Gift, you can pick glitter up from any craft store

I applied clear nail varnish to my nail, and sprinkled the pink glitter over. Whilst that was drying I painted the rest of the nails.

Rimmel Lasting Finish 080 Black Cab - £2.99

I chose to use a black after going through numerous summer corals. Whilst the black was drying, I did a top coat of clear over the glitter.. (Make sure you wipe the brush with a tissue before putting it back into the varnish pot!)

I have been waiting to use this for so long...

Rimmel Matte Finish - £4.99

This is amazing ! You apply it over any dried varnish and it instantly mattifys it. I can't wait to have so much fun with this !

Mattified Kelly Rowland inspired nails

The Matte Finish tones down the black contrast to the pink. I love this mattifying varnish & have some really nice ideas to try out with it!

Now to sort the glitter massacre out !

D E T <3