What's in my bathroom?

Hi guys, 

I need some product suggestions from you all! I was taking a big bubble bath the other day and wanted to show you what I currently keep in my bathroom. I came to realise that only half of the products I actually like...I thought I'd show you what I have and then I'm hoping you lovely people can suggest some bathroom goodies that you use, which I can try out for myself.

Here goes...

Tangle Teaser - Boots

This is my most recent addition to my bathroom. I've seen Tangle Teaser hair brushes all over the place but never picked one up until I had some vouchers to use in Boots - they're pretty expensive. (You can get them loads of places.) I have to say I'm very impressed and to be honest, I didn't think I would be. The brush is small and suitable for keeping in your handbag. It even has a bristle protector for travel purposes. The brush detangles your hair perfectly with very little tugging or pulling. The main reason I've included it in here is because I use it to brush through my hair when it's wet. So much better than a regular hair brush, no lie. And it's pink.

Rating: 4/5

Snow Fairy Shower Gel - Lush

I purchased the iconic Snow Fairy from Lush at Christmas time because I'd been wanting to try it since last year. To be honest, I just wanted to see what all the fuss was about because this product is raved about so much. I absolutely love it. I didn't love the smell at first when I poofed it in the shop, but when you use it in the shower....oh my god. It smells like pear drops and fruity yum and sweets and candy floss and ugh, it's just lovely. The smell lasts for a long time on your skin, it lathers lovely and it's pink! The only poo-poo about it is that it's a limited edition product that only comes out at Christmas. Thank god I got the biggest bottle. I will definitely be stocking up next year.

Rating: 4/5

Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser - John Lewis

If you read my blog, you'll already know my feelings on Liz Earle's Hot Cloth Cleanser. Just to recap for those that are new here....YOU NEED IT! This product is absolutely amazing. I use this pretty  much daily to cleanse my skin from makeup (if I'm not using this one, I use my Superdrug's own version which is just as good and a quarter of the price - see my review HERE) There's not much more I can say about this product except that it does exactly what it's supposed to and it's amazing. I got mine from John Lewis but if you google shop, you can get it from loads of different retailers. I'd buy it again if it were a special occasion such as birthday or Christmas, but at the moment I'm quite happy re purchasing my Superdrug version.

Rating: 4/5

Neutrogena Visibly Clear Oil Free Facial Wash - Boots

I got this product to use with my Clarisonic initially, and to use as a facial wash after using my Liz Earle C&P. I don't like it. For one, I don't like the colour orange, but I suppose that has nothing to do with it really. The product is oil free but feels oily on the skin. It leaves a residue after rinsing with water and I find myself rinsing again and again and even using soap and water to cleanse my face AFTER using this product. It doesn't really smell of anything/doesn't particularly smell nice, hasn't improved my skin and overall it's just a bit poo. I'm sure you can get this other places than Boots if you really wanted to, but to be honest I wouldn't even bother.

Rating: 1/5

Dove Daily Care Shampoo - Boots

Now, shampoos are the thing that irritate me the most. Every company claim to be the best and offer the shiniest results and care for your hair but I've never EVER found  a shampoo that does anything special or different from any other bottle on the shelf. I've tried countless brands and just find myself buying the ones on offer more than anything else. If you have any suggestions on amazing shampoos/conditioners, please let me know. I really want to be wowed by one but I really just think that all the claims are false on these products! What I really want is a shampoo that allows me to go two days without washing my hair. At the moment I was it once a day if I want to wear it down, otherwise I just go a couple of days but have to wear my hair up in between. I don't really have an opinion on this product. It washes my hair, it's okay! I wouldn't buy it again.

Rating: 2.5/5

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Jewel Edition - Debenhams

Here's another product I love. I'd been wanting to try Eight Hour Cream for ages and ages because I'd heard such good reviews on it, so when I saw it in TKMAXX for a bargain, I picked it up. The one I got is in the Jewel Edition packaging, which is lovely. You can still get it in Debenhams and I really think you should because it's on sale! I use this product as a lip balm at night. I normally keep it on my bedside table but wanted to include it in this post because its absolutely amazing. I apply it at night and can still feel the effects of it in the morning. I'm a lip balm fiend and couldn't live without this by my bed at night. It smells a bit odd, I have to say, so it's not one for using before you smooch, but I don't mind the smell too much. I would buy this product over and over again if I needed to, but to be honest I think this pot will last me a life time.

Rating: 4/5

Aveeno Positively Radiant Triple Boost Serum - Boots

I'm so-so on this product. I wanted to get into skincare, especially for my face and decided to try this product as it was on offer. It smells lovely and applies nicely but I'm not really seeing any major difference in my skin. I know its all probably false claims and these products are just for us to waste our money on, but I'd really like any suggestions on a good serum/moisturiser/eye cream which has really made a difference in your skin care. I wouldn't buy again.

Rating: 2.5/5

Oilatum Natural Repair Face Cream - Boots

I got this product because the Pixiwoo sisters raved about it. It moisturises nicely, sinks into the skin okay, but again it hasn't been a wow product for me. It's expensive for the amount of product you get and I don't really think it's suited to my skin type. I think I'm after a light moisturiser for my face as I'm not too dry. My skin is combination, I have a few tiny dryer patches around my nose and between my eyebrows, but not too much. I wouldn't use this product under makeup as it makes my skin appear oily throughout the duration of the day. Any suggestions on a good moisturiser, too, will be appreciated. I wouldn't buy this product again.

Rating: 3/5

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Vs Superdrug Naturally Radiant Hot Cloth Cleanser

I've been using Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser for a few years and I can't knock it at all. It takes off all makeup with ease and leaves your skin feeling clean and smooth. I can't knock it...except for the price. At £14.25 for 100ml and two cloths, the cost adds up!

A couple of months ago, I came across the Superdrug's own version of a Hot Cloth Cleanser - Naturally Radiant - which at £5.99 for 150ml and one cloth, is a fraction of the price of the Liz Earle C&P. (I actually got mine for £2.99 introductory offer which has now finished, but it is currently on Buy One Get One Half Price)

The products come in similar squeezy packaging (note: you can get Liz Earle in a hard tube as well) and the muslin cloths are very similar. The Superdrug product is a little thinner, but does the same job.

Here is my makeup after my Christmas do. I thought this would be a good a time as any to show you how well these products both work as I was wearing a ton of makeup.

Cue some pouty pictures of me trying to get the same face every time!

I used Liz Earle C&P on the right hand side and Superdrug NR on the left hand side.

Notice how well each product works.

With the Liz Earle, you rub the product directly on to dry skin and rub over your makeup to break down.

With the Superdrug product, you need to wet your face slightly before rubbing the product in.

In the picture below you can see how well about 20 seconds of gentle rubbing breaks down the eye makeup.

Looks gross, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do!

I then dipped the muslin cloth in hot water, squeezed it out and wiped the product from my face.

Normally, with every day makeup, this one step is enough and all of my makeup is removed. However, since I was wearing loads of dark eye makeup, I decided to repeat the process once more to make sure everything was removed.

Tadaaa! I then just washed my face with soap and water to get rid of any residue and that's it. All traces of makeup removed within a couple of minutes.

Both products work pretty much EXACTLY the same. The only difference is the smell. I have to admit that I'm not a massive fan of the Superdrug smell which is Kiwi, Mulberry and Cocoa Butter. For the difference in price, though, I'd rather go without the Eucalyptus and Chamomile smell of the Liz Earle. 

As much as I love my Liz Earle product, I can safely say that I would prefer to buy a product which is cheaper than half the price, that does the same job. In fact, taking advantage of the £2.99 introductory offer, I actually purchased three tubes of the Superdrug stuff, so I'm set for a while.

If you're a Liz Earle C&P addict like I used to be and want to save some money, I'd definitely try out this product. And if you haven't used either before and want an amazing makeup remover, get yourself down to Superdrug ASAP!

Hope this helped some of you in need of a new product!

See you soon,

N

xxx

Michael Kors MK5128 Rose Gold Watch Review

Hi guys, I thought I'd make a blog post on my Michael Kors watch.

From my recent statistics, one of the most searched for things that leads people to my blog is this watch - so I'm guessing a lot of people want one for Christmas or are thinking of buying one for a gift. I wanted to do a quick review of mine in hopes that it will help some of you decided if it's the right timepiece for you!

:)

So the watch in question is the Michael Kors MK5128 Ladies Chronograph Watch in Rose Gold.

The measurements of the watch are as follows:

The watch face measures 40mm wide and the depth measures around 14mm.

The strap width is 20mms.

For reference, my wrist measures about 140mms around, and you can see the size of the face on my arm in the pictures.

It's definitely not 'too big' on my wrist, however, I would class it as a large watch. It makes a statement but also remains very feminine because it's not too bulky.

The watch strap can be shortened if needs be. I had a few links taken out to make it fit better - you can take it to any jewellers to get the links taken out. The watch features the simple pin method so it's not complicated at all to remove or re-add links. 

For my wrist measurement, I have 13 complete links. This allows comfort room for my watch to move, but does not allow the face to fall to the underside of my wrist. If in doubt, try one on in your local stockists. If you're buying it as a gift, I wouldn't worry about the watch not fitting as even on my watch, I have 3 more links that are removable to make the strap smaller,  and also have 5 spare links incase I ever need to make the strap larger.

I wear my MK5128 every day, pretty much. It is a very sturdy watch, meaning it is quite weighty. Looking at specs online, the watch weighs around 455grams. I've always worn heavy watches, but it may take some getting used to if you're used to wearing more delicate styles. 

I wear mine to work every day, for at least 10 hours at a time. By the end of the day I do feel more comfortable with it off, however, I don't particularly notice it being uncomfortable throughout the day, so I'd say it is easy to wear.

The colour of this watch is gorgeous. The Rose Gold finish allows you to wear it with any coloured jewellery you desire. I was struggling to pick between the different colour variations when I was buying this watch (it comes in loads, silver, gold, duo, brown, rose) but I think I definitely went with the right choice.

The watch looks great with silver jewellery...

It also looks great with gold jewellery...

...or pearly beads...

...or a mash up of a bit of everything!

It goes without saying that it would look awesome with rose gold jewellery, but I don't actually own any!

The watch has many features including Chronograph dials, luminous hour markers and arms, date display, stopwatch. Personally, I just use it to tell the time - but if you like all this extra bumf, then this watch may be perfect for you! 

If you're interested, it also features Japanese Quartz battery and is water resistant upto 50 - 100m which means you can apparently go swimming in it without it being affected. I can't swim and never wear my watch in the shower or bath so have no experience with this area. If in doubt though, don't get it wet!

The fastener is a 'Push Button Deployment Clasp' apparently. It's easy peasy to put on and easy peasy to take off.

You just need to fold it over and click it together to fasten it and to take it off, you just press the two buttons on either side of the Michael Kors branded clasp. Mine has never unclasped itself.

Here's a side view of the watch. The links with the small dots in the corner of them are the links that are able to be removed if you need to.

As I said, I've worn my watch every day for a good year at least and I don't think it's in bad condition at all. It has held up well. The colouring is all in tact and there are no tarnished areas. I've bashed it many a time on walls and doors and given it some general wear and tear in my workplace and there aren't any major dints or scratches on the face or strap.

The watch comes in it's own box with spare links and booklet.

As if you couldn't tell already, I absolutely LOVE this watch, and I think that anyone would be thrilled to receive it as a gift... of if you're like me, a present to yourself would be greatly received! ;)

You can't go wrong, honestly. 

I got my watch from Goldsmiths (I was lucky enough to claim it off my insurance, though, as my last watch from there had to go in for repairs about 5 times, so I got it for swapsies, yay!) but you can get this style from countless of stockists. It is around £199 but depending on where you buy it from you could get a better deal, or be ripped off! It's best to do your shopping around to find the best price.

The big department stores like Selfridges, John Lewis and House of Fraser are selling them for £229, but here are some websites where you can get it for around £180.

AMAZON

THE WATCH HUT

WATCH SHOP

And if you're buying for yourself, why not check out ebay to see if you can get a bargain!?

I really hope this helped you if you were thinking about getting this watch. As I said, recently it has been one of the most searched items on my blog, so I'm guessing that people are after it for Christmas. It's really hard to find some in depth reviews of watches so I hope that I've helped you make up your mind.

Five out of five stars awarded by me! :)

Get one!

Go on, treat yourself or someone you love.

xxx

Should've Gone to Firmoo!

Hello everyone! 

Eee, I'm so excited to share this post with you. I love getting parcels in the mail (who doesn't?) and the other day, these little beauties from Firmoo landed on my doorstep.

I was very, very kindly sent this pair of glasses to try out and to be honest I wasn't expecting them to arrive so fast, so it was a nice little surprise to come home to after staying away for Halloween for a couple of days. 

From being dispatched from China to arriving at my door in good old North West England it only took bang on seven days. Speedy!

These are Model number #DBSN5252 in Matte Black and can be found HERE. 

Firmoo.com is a Global Online Optical Store which offers a massive range of glasses for both ladies and gents at really affordable prices. It also has a large range of sunglasses which, as well as the regular glasses, can be made with prescription lenses. Firmoo also have a designer range too, which are slightly more on the expensive side, but I'm definitely lusting over a few pairs in that section, let me tell you!

So, at my last appointment at the opticians I was told that, basically, my eyes don't align 100% accurately which is the why I sometimes get blurriness or double vision. I was actually quite excited about getting glasses until they told me that they would need to be 'special' prism lenses (think Professor from Futurama) to help fix this problem. Errrrm, no thanks! So I opted to keep up with some eye exercises on a promise that it "should" help in the long run.

Long story short. I'm bogeyed when I get stressed and I'll deal with it but in the mean time I'll wear pretend (none prescription) glasses til my heart's content. Just because!

So here they are and I actually really, really like them. 

So, I  always find it really hard trying to fathom what pair will suit my face when I'm not able to actually try the frames on in person. One thing I found really helpful on the website was the nifty little feature that actually made it a lot easier for me to pick which frames I liked best. You can upload a picture of yourself, determine the distance between your eyes and click through the frames on the website to see how they actually look on your face! Virtual insanittyyyy.

These are the ones I chose, but in the Matte Black version. Excuse the frazzled look, I'd just got back from work in the picture that I used as my upload!

And here's how they actually look on. I think it's quite an accurate representation, what do you think?

I also "tried on" a number of other pairs which are similar styles, as you can see below.

I didn't see until quite late on (duh! Pass me my glasses) that a number of frames come in different colour variations, which you can view with the "Select Colour" option in the top right of the product spec page. Hence the reason I only "tried on" the green version of the frames that I actually ordered.

The glasses themselves are reasonably sturdy. The arms don't seem to bend outwards past the frames and give reasonable resistance to any attempts to do this. They seem very nicely made, no sharp edges or wobbly bits - which is always good!

The frame that I chose is a lovely Matte texture and feel almost furry to the touch, which I love. I thought it was also nice that they come with both a hard case, a soft pouch and a cloth for cleaning the lenses. As well as that, the glasses also came with a spare set of screws for the hinges and a little screwdriver for any mishaps. (Must. Not. Stand. On. Glasses!)

Strike a pose! ;)

They also fit very nicely. All the measurements for each frame is in the specifications so if you're a glasses wearer already, you can easily imagine how big or small the frames are going to be in comparison to your own. If you're not a glasses wearer, like me, just compare them to some of your sunglasses or make a paper template or draw it to scale with eyeliner on the mirror - that's always fun :)

Ordering is really simple if you're interested in getting yourself a pair of glasses. And what's even better is that if you order yourself a pair (first time buyer) you actually get the frames....FREE. Uh, what?! 

FREEEEEEEEEE!

Everyone loves that word! There must be a catch, right? Well, you do have to pay shipping costs, but that's it. 

THIS LINK explains exactly how you can order your first pair of free glasses. (If you're interested and do actually make an order, will you let me know?! I'd love to see which ones you chose.)

If you have any troubles at all, the Customer Service team are super fast at responding to any questions you may have. I exchanged a number of emails with Firmoo and my responses were always quick, friendly and informative. I even messaged them on facebook, to which they replied at lightning speed, too.

Happy Movember by they way, guys! I'm sporting my Mo' earrings in support for the cause!

Oh, and my lippy is "Chatterbox" by MAC.

So what you waiting for! Glasses wearers or frame fakers (like me!) get yourself over to Firmoo to check out their range.

Choose your glasses > Click First Pair Free - GET NOW > Log in > Place your order with the Promo Code issued to you!

If you have any other info you want to know, please leave a comment and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

Hope you like the frames I chose and make sure you let me know if you order some for yourself, I'd love to have a nosey. :)

See you later Alligators!

xx

Just so you know, all opinions are my own. I was sent these glasses for review but was under no obligation to write a biased post at all. I really, really like um! :)

Product Rave: Benefit "They're Real" Mascara

Hello girls!

I recently purchased a new mascara which I saw on offer in Boots (full size and travel size for £18ish, if I recall.)

It's the Benefit - They're Real mascara which has had rave reviews ever since it first came out... and mine's no different.

Before I start chatting about it, here's a picture with one eye makeup free and the other with one coat of They're Real.

And here's with one coat on the eye on the left hand side of your screen and two coats on the eye on the right.

Wow.

I've been using Benefit's Bad Gal Lash mascara for years but wanted to see what all the hype was about with They're Real - and I can see. 

The product is super black, extremely lengthening and offers great volume.

It says on the box that 94% saw dramatic length and volume: Double Check!

90% saw base to tip curl: not so check, but I've only ever found one mascara that can hold a curl in my lashes, never mind create one. With my poker straight lashes, this formulation is slightly too wet/has a longer drying time than the Bad Gal Lash, but still offers amazing results if I hold my lashes in a curl with my fingers when they're drying.

94% saw visible lift: Same as above. Once the mascara has dried, the curl stays without a problem.

100% saw long wearing results: Check! This mascara lasted all day, no problems at all with flaking or running.

Even my other half noticed that my lashes were "nicely separated" (I've taught him well!) compared to when I use my regular mascara, Bad Gal Lash.

Although this mascara is amazing, if you want thick lashes with a mascara that's slightly drier in formulation, I'd definitely recommend trying out the Bad Gal. 

It hasn't overtaken Bad Gal in the mascara stakes (still my ultimate fave!) but it's definitely a close second place.

You can see yourself from the results why I like it, black, thick, lengthened lashes. The only downside for me is the formulation being too wet, leading to the curl in my lashes having time to drop flat before it dries - but I have the straightest eyelashes ever and hair that does not curl, so you may be fine!

So glad I tried it out anyway! If you're on the look out for a new mascara, I'd definitely recommend trying Benefit.

Have any of you tried Benefit mascaras before? What do you all think of them? 

O.O.T.D ft. MaxStar Flatform Sneaker

Hi guys,

I recently got in touch with a company called MaxStar shoes. I'd seen their shoes on a couple of youtube channels that I'm subscribed to and really liked the look of them, so I messaged the company and asked if I could review a pair of their shoes for you guys. Julian at MaxStar very kindly sent me a pair of my choice so I could try them out and let you know what I thought of them!

These are the shoes I picked out....wait for it...

Ta-daaaa!

Aren't they insane!? 

They are the MaxStar C50 6 Hole Platform Low Sneaker in Black which you can find HERE. They look super like the Converse All Stars but sport a mega platform sole.

Here's what I decided to wear them with. I was just having a casual day with the boyfriend and needed to run a few errands in town.

And this is how they look close up...

I have to admit, at first sight of them I thought they were going to be hard to walk in and pretty clunky...but I couldn'tve been more wrong. These shoes rival the comfort of regular Converse trainers in my opinion. They are very lightweight because the sole seems to be made out a firm spongey material rather than the thick rubber that Converse are made from. This both makes the shoes super light and also makes them really, really comfy and squidgy beneath the feet. :) 

I ordered a size 6.0 which is equal to a UK4 - which I am - and they fit me perfectly. I walked all day in them today and there was no rubbing what-so-ever. Ker-ching!

Comparing them to authentic Converse again, I'd say that the material is a little thinner - not quite the canvassy material that the Converse are made out of, but by no means are they bad quality.

The only issue I did have with these shoes when walking was that they seemed to be a bit loose round the heel area. To be honest, though, you can see how I've laced them up (to hide the shoelace bow) and I didn't really pull them that tight. If I would've tied them properly, this would most likely tighten them up a little, but I kind of like the loose, slouchy look, so why am I even complaining... I'm not.

Anyway, here's a video of my O.O.T.D so you can see me walking in these babies!

MaxStar have a whole range of platform/flatform sneaks - some are absolutely mental! You have to check them out. I went with quite a tame pair but you can get silver, stripy, acid wash - pretty much any colour. They also come in the Hi-Top style as well.

Visit MaxStar website HERE. If you do decide to purchase any of the shoes on the website you can use the following promo code to receive 10% off your order.

Coupon Code: NEENY

Expiry Date: September 20th 2012

By the way, my order arrived within about 3 days from Korea which I thought was bloody good!

Let me know what you think of these.

See you soon guys! 

x