Laduree Macaroons

Anyone heading to Paris soon? Well if you are there is one place that you must visit – Ladurée. A Parisian tea room best known for their iconic selection of delicious macaroons. Now, I was not lucky enough to visit the tea room myself, but my hubby brought me home some macaroons after his work trip. They are literally the best I have ever tasted, even better than my wedding ones and that is saying something! What’s even better is that I was sat on my sofa eating macaroons delivered from Paris made fresh that morning, LUSH

 

 

 

MAC Perfectly Plush Brush Kit - Essentials

My old brush set was not one to be envied; it was a collection of odds and ends I had picked up along the way to make do. I reached a point where I had enough and MAC was the only way forward.

OK so it was not the ONLY way forward, other options like Real Techniques and Ecotools were on offer to help with my make up brush woes. However as soon as I saw the leopard print lushness of the MAC Perfectly Plush Brush Set I just could not resist.

 
 
 
 
 

 There were three sets to choose from, the one I chose was `Essential’ which has a good variety of brushes to start a new collection. This one includes a 129 powder/blush brush, 190 foundation brush, 2 75 medium angled shading brush, 266 small angle brush & 226 small tapered blending brush.

I love the handy wipe clean pouch that the brushes come in; it’s also got another popper pocket to keep things in for when you are on the go. It will be really handy for travel as these brushes are a bit shorter than single brushes so it saves on space.

The packaging it came in was really nice too, a leopard print box and a zig zag print satin bag with a bow makes it a great prezzie idea. Any of the holiday bags and kits would make amazing presents, you can choose from eye kits, lip kits as well as the brush sets – all in leopard print!


 
 
 
 
 
 
 

It’s not the cheapest of kits – its £39.50, but what I have learnt is that you cannot scrape on the budget when it comes to tools you will keep for years. Cheap brushes are rubbish! Nothing worse than a hard brush or one that leaves strands of brush on your face.

High quality brushes are wise investment, do you agree?

New hair!

Fringe Alert!

I have been debating whether to have a fringe or not, it’s one of those cuts that can make or break the whole look.

It’s taken me what seems like an age to grow my hair and I was reluctant to see my hard earned length drop to the hairdresser’s floor.

However, on a whim I said to the hairdresser `just do it’ a couple of snips later and the deed was done.

Am I pleased? Yes indeedy, its looks much neater and more styled then before. My hairdresser also offers a free fringe trim, so I am able to pop in as and when I need it done.

Do you fancy a fringe but not sure whether to take the plunge? Why not try out a clip in fringe? I found the one below from ASOS!

Balenciaga Florabotanica

 There has to be some benefits to having a husband who travels for work, and for me it comes in the form of an amazing bottle or perfume.  Luckily for me, my other half has great taste when it comes to buying gifts (no petrol station flowers or ill fitting underwear thank goodness) and this time was no different when he whipped out a bottle of the new Florabotanica by Balenciaga.

I have tried a Balenciaga perfume before, I love the signature musky scent. However this new edition has floral notes too which adds a touch of femininity and freshness.

Being a sucker for packaging this bottle did not disappoint, the black and white tube down the middle of the bottle is so different it makes the perfume even more appealing. The coloured glass on the bottom and sides of the bottle adds to the design and makes a great dressing table piece. Even the box has an amazing print on it! So this ticks all the boxes for a perfect present.

Lush Let The Good Times Roll Cleanser

Whilst doing a bit of present shopping, I had a quick peek at the special edition Christmas items in Lush. I got lured in by the SA to smell the new `Let the good times roll’ cleanser, one sniff and it was in my basket.

It seems a bit odd rubbing something that smells so much like food on to your face, to me this smells like a cookie mixture and the texture is the same too. It smells really yummy, probably one to avoid if you are on a diet or avoiding cakes/biscuits (because eating your facial cleanser does count as points)

The `cookie dough’ texture is quite thick and crumbly when you first scoop it out of the pot, but once added to water it turns to a paste. The directions are to mix the cleanser with water in your hands to create the paste and then to massage into your skin then rinse.

*Even Mojo had to have a sniff of this (spot the moji nose) 

I have to say I was not expecting this cleanser to be so exfoliating; in fact I would have called this an exfoliator rather than a cleanser. There are large pieces of popcorn but also very fine pieces too so it is a lot more abrasive than I expected.

However I was really pleasantly surprised with the results, my skin was ultra silky smooth after using this! I even said `woah’ to myself in the mirror as I was not expecting that at all.  

I bought this thinking it was a novelty Christmas cleanser, it actually ended up being a really good exfoliator! It is not too moisturising too which is great for my oily combination skin type.

Which  Christmas edition Lush items will you be trying?

Spinning Plates

It’s almost time for me to celebrate my one year blogiversary, blimey how time flies! It only seems like yesterday that I was writing my first post.  

Somehow blogging seems to absorb me like a witch luring me into her evil spell. It’s a consuming hobby in many ways - money, effort, but for me it’s mainly time.

I work full time; I live with my husband and two step children and of course the two chi chi’s. So let’s just say that it’s not exactly easy to keep on top of a blogging schedule. Unfortunately the boring chores take over most blogging opportunities, when the family are screaming at you to be fed `not now I am blogging’ just doesn’t suffice.

The desire to blog does however linger around, how many times are you out and about and spot something and you immediately think `ooh that’s blogworthy’ you whip out your camera to your other halves eye rolling dismay (to take photos of food while in a nice restaurant, like you have never eaten before) but you have to catch the opportunity while you can.

It can be quite frustrating having limitations to the creativity of blogging, now that its winter I have to take batches of photos in the daylight at the weekend (MEGA pain in the ass), funds start to run low on the run up to Xmas (no exciting products for me then) and other plans take up my time (surely my new workout routine can wait until next Monday?)

Blogging is supposed to be fun, so why do we put pressures on ourselves? I have read no end of times a blog post starting with – Sorry I have not blogged for a while or I am a bad blogger – I am guilty of it too. Who exactly are we saying sorry too? Because surely no one is going to have a sleepless night over the fact that you have not written a blog post for a few days.

Really we are saying sorry to ourselves because we feel guilty for not being an A* blogger. My daily check list goes something like this at the moment – washing done– check, dinners sorted – check, dogs walked – check, blogging – oh shit.

The moral of the story is this – blogging is meant to be fun, not a chore. If it becomes a chore then it’s not right! I have taken a step back and realised I need to chill and go with the flow and not pressure myself.

It’s been a year and I think I have not done too bad!?  And to celebrate I will be having a blog makeover & giveaway – watch out for the blog birthday post, when I eventually get round to writing it of course....

Saturday Shopping - Clinique Pore Refining Solutions

You have probably read on a few occasions on my blog that I suffer with large pores. I needed a foundation, so I thought I would try the new one from the Pore Refining Solutions range by Clinique. Seeing as my hubby was treating me, I cheekily added the serum into my basket too.

This foundation is supposed to be light weight and create a poreless finish. Normally I am a `coke it on thick’ type of person to hide pores and blemishes, so it will be interesting to try a lighter foundation.

The idea behind the foundation & serum  `power couple’ is that the serum gets to work at night by shrinking your pores over time and then the foundation gives the instant day minimising finish. There are a few other items in this range too, including the stay matte hydrator and the instant perfector, seeing as I have many primers and matte moisturisers at the moment I opted just for the serum & foundation.

The claim from Clinique while using the serum is:

`Pores 'snap back' into shape. In 2 weeks, pores look 58% smaller. Guaranteed’

Guaranteed? Hhhmm we will see! Anyone tried this yet?