Objects of Desire - Jimmy Choo Silver Glitter Flash Sunglasses

Now before you bite my head off, yes, I know it's autumn, and I know I live in England and have no need for them, but just look at how pretty they are! This image really doesn't do them justice at all, you need to check out Ruth from A Model Recommends wearing them. See? I told you!

You can get them here.

Project Use Up

Being a bit of a beauty junkie comes with 2 main downsides the first one being storage, my ever growing collection seems to be taking up more and more space, and the second being that it's not exactly kind on the old purse strings! As I'll soon be moving house I need to tighten up my spending and the less stuff I have to pack and move the better.

So enter my solution, Project Use Up. It's pretty self explanatory really, these are the products that I need to use up before I'm allowed to buy anything similar. These are all products that for some reason or the other have been sitting around for a while feeling a bit neglected, I don't love them, but I wouldn't go as far as to say I hate them either. They just need to be used up to make room for an alternative I will love! 

First up is No7 Beautiful Skin Day Cream Dry/Very Dry Skin SPF15. I bought this last winter when my skin was going though a really dehydrated and sensitive phase in an attempt to get it back to normal. Unfortunately my skin was so sensitive at the time that when I put this on my face it just felt like it was burning! Long story short I managed to sort my skin out in the end by using  something else and this one got shoved away somewhere and was soon forgotten. It has quite a thick consistency so I think less is definitely more with this one, I'll try it out on my face again because my skin isn't at all sensitive any more but if I don't get on well with it I'll just use it on my elbows!

Next up is MAC Pro Longwear Foundation in NC45, there's nothing I dislike about this foundation, it just ends up getting neglected because I have other foundations that I like more. Seeing as there are some foundations that I'd like to try I thought I'd use this up to make room. This one might take a while as I still have more than half the bottle left! 

MAC Studio Fix Powder, I've had this one quite a while and it's served me well, but now that I favour a more natural looking complexion as apposed to my previous love of a matte complexion, this has started to feel a bit heavy. I haven't got a huge amount of this left so it won't take me long to get through it, plus it will be another empty for my back to MAC* stash. 

I find mascaras to be very much a personal preference thing, I like a wide closely packed bristle brush as apposed to a narrow plastic one like the Avon SuperExtend Extreme Mascara. I find that on me it tends to stick lashes together rather that creating a separated look. That said, it's nothing a quick comb through with a lash comb can't fix! 

I usually love everything from Soap & Glory, in fact when it comes to bath and body care, they're probably my favourite brand (alongside The Body Shop of course!). Unfortunately their Smoothie Star Deep Moisture Body Milk is an exception, I just don't like the smell at all. It has a very artificial almond smell which I think you either love or hate. I was also quite surprised and disappointed to see that it contains mineral oil, unlike their other body lotions/butters I've tried. None the less, I'll try and get though it as I have way too many body lotions on the go!

I mentioned the Ted Baker Hand Cream a few days ago in my Bedtime Beauty Post, it smells lovely but doesn't seem to really do much. As soon as a couple of hours have passed or I've washed my hands they just feel really dry again. I'll be going for something that works a bit better next time.

I don't use primers everyday, just when I need my makeup to last well or if the weather is humid. That said, I have tried quite a few and the L'Oreal Studio Secrets Smoothing Resurfacing Primer is probably my least favourite, it has quite a thick consistency compared to others and takes a bit more working into the skin. As well as that the pot is a bit difficult to use as you have to really dig your finger in to get any out! It does work though so I'll be putting in the extra effort from now on.

The last of the bunch is another foundation, it's The Body Shop Extra Virgin Minerals Cream Compact Foundation in 408 Rose Caramel. I actually really like this foundation but as the name would suggest it is very creamy so it's best suited for dry skin days. It's great for sensitive skin and so I used it constantly last winter. There isn't much left in it but I'll definitely be using it up when the weather gets colder and my skin gets drier.

* Back to MAC - Save up the containers/bottles of empty MAC products, take them all to a counter and you can exchange them for a free MAC lipstick of your choice!   

NOTD #10

When I hear Bourjois, I automatically think of their blushers and eyeshadows, housed in their iconic little round pots. I guess for me they are a bit of a nostalgia brand, wandering around Boots with school friends in my early teens, it was a brand I was automatically drawn too, back in the days when I was just discovering makeup. I always loved their lip glosses too, remember the clear one that made your lips tingle and had what I can only describe as that lovely 'Bourjois lipgloss smell', well I had one in my school pencil case! 

Although my makeup tastes have changed and I've swapped wet look glosses for bold matte lipsticks, I still love Bourjois, they seem to have so many great products and their new editions are just getting better and better. Saying that, in all my years of Bourjois lovin' I've never tried a single one of their nail varnishes! 

Luckily enough the lovely Emily from the blog British Beauty Addict came to my rescue! She recently held a giveaway to celebrate reaching 100 followers (Congratulations!) and I was lucky enough to win it! I was so pleased when she emailed me and I couldn't quite believe it. All my lovely Bourjois products arrived soon after, along with a really sweet note congratulating me on winning! 

The nail varnish was on my nails within about 15 minutes, and I absolutely love it! It's a lovely coral colour called 25 Melon that somehow manages to look pastely and bright at the same time, it's from the Bourjois 1 Seconde Gel Nail Varnish range. This stuff applies like a dream, the brush is brilliant as it's wide and flat (as you can see on the front of the bottle) and gives a even coverage in one quick swipe. The formula is pretty darn good too, it applies opaque in one coat and doesn't streak at all! So it's definitely an all round winner. I'll definitely be picking up more shades of this nail varnish so if you have any recommendations then please let me know in the comments below! 

A huge thank you and congratulations once again to Emily and make sure you check out her blog if you haven't already! 

Bedside Beauty

Today I thought I'd share with you the beauty bits that live on my bedside table. I don't use all of them everyday but I like to have them to hand for when I do. 

First up is my Decorware Inc Milk Bath Remedy Candle in Sugared Hibiscus which I picked up from TK Maxx a while ago for 3.99. I can't seem to find a link anywhere to buy these online so if anyone knows where you can get them please let me know! This has a lovely sweet flowery scent that's really delicate and not at all sickly. I find burning candles before bedtime very relaxing just remember to turn them off before you fall asleep! 

If I've had a long day and just want to crash I tend to go for the Avon Naturals Lavender and Camomile Room and Linen Spray instead as the results are instant and I don't have to worry about accidentally setting the house on fire! This isn't your traditional straight up lavender scent, the addition of camomile really does add a certain something too it. I've been using this for a long time now and it's a smell that I now strongly associate with sleep, it really does help me drift off! I usually spray a couple of spritzes into the air and one onto my pillow for good measure!

Next up is my Ted Baker Hand Cream, I always have a hand cream on my bedside table, I like to try different ones and I'm not hugely fussy. This one smells nice but I'm not sure it really does much. It keeps my hands feeling soft till I wash them but once I do the skin feels really tight and parched again. I suspect the formula is full of mineral oil but I can't be sure because the tube doesn't have the ingredients listed on it. 

Lip Balm is my other bedside table essential as I always put some on every night without fail. This one is the Nivea Lip Butter in Raspberry Rose, I bought this after hearing lots of rave reviews about it on beauty blogs and I completely get why everyone loves it so much. It smells delicious, just like a yummy, creamy raspberry yoghurt! It's also super moisturising and leaves my lips feeling nice and soft come morning. My only niggle with this product? It leaves a bit of a pale cast on the lips, if you are very fair you can probably get away with it but if I put too much on I can be left looking a bit like a cricketer. Not a good look! For this reason I stick to just using it at night!

Origins Sensory Therapy Peace of Mind is an aromatherapy product in a gel formula. It has a really relaxing and soothing minty scent and is designed to be applied to pulse points and inhaled for instant calm. This is something I would never have bought for myself but it was a gift (actually it was a gift to Erik but he had no idea what it was and I promptly stole it!), but I absolutely love it! It's great after a stressful day to help calm down and it also has another great use I recently discovered. If I feel a headache coming on, I just use this and it seems to just nip it in the bud! 

Avon Nail Experts Conditioning Cuticle Pen is a much cheaper alternative to the Nails Inc version this is a simple and easy to use cuticle oil. You simple twist the bottom and the product is dispensed into the brush at the top, all you have to do is swipe it on. This really helps keep cuticles looking tidy and moisturised and encourages healthy nail growth. I wasn't using this nearly enough before as it was just bunged in with all my varnishes and I forgot about it, now that it has a new home it's being used a lot more and I've seen a huge improvement in my nails! 

Other things I have on my bedside table are a little trinket box I put my jewellery into before bed, an ipod dock which also charges my phone and whatever book/magazine I happen to be reading. I'm currently reading Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor by my favourite author Gabriel Garcia Marques and I'm really enjoying it! 

What beauty bits do you keep on your bedside table? 

Free Ren Minis with InStyle Magazine

When it comes to magazine freebees, InStyle Magazine are seriously bringin' it right now. Last month they gave away a Philip Kingsley Elastizer (review coming soon) and this month its a mini trio of Ren loveliness! Ren is one of my favourite skincare brands (Alongside Caudalie and Clarins) and I've never tried a single product that I didn't like. 

The word Ren itself means 'pure' and this is very much reflected in their products, they contain no parabens, sulphates, mineral oil, petrolatum, synthetic fragrance, synthetic colours, silicones or other horrible ingredients. Brilliant if you have sensitive skin because if you're reacting to something, chances are it's one of these ingredients. In a nutshell, if you want clean skincare without any added nasties, stick with Ren and you can't go wrong!

So what's in the trio? The Evercalm Gentle Cleansing milk, which I've used many times before and absolutely love. A Vita Mineral Active 7 Eye Gel, which I'm excited to try as I've never tried any of their eye products, and an Evercalm Global Protection Day Cream! The magazine costs just £2.00!! So if you've ever wanted to try products by Ren, then now's your chance! 

I'm going away for the weekend soon so I'll definitely be taking these with me, their mini size means they're perfect for travelling with! I'll be sure to do a post on how I get on with them and wether or not I'll be buying the full size so stay tuned! For daily posts and updates you can follow me on bloglovin'. 

The Body Shop Hand Creams

There was recently a code on Vouchercodes for a free 30ml hand cream from The Body Shop, I've always heard great things about these creams so I thought this was a good excuse to try them out! I got one and so did Erik, no prizes for guessing who picked which I'm afraid! 

The Wild Rose one has a lovely delicate and fresh rose scent, it's not at all powdery or overpowering, it also contains SPF 15 which is a bonus! The Absinthe one is more of a 'no smell, smell' it just smells fresh and clean. Both formulas are really light and refreshing while still being super moisturising. Plus they sink straight in and don't leave any residue on the skin which I think is essential in a hand cream, especially if you're as clumsy as I am!

If you're ever buying anything online, it's definitely worth checking out Vouchercodes first as they often have codes for free delivery and anything from 10% - 50% off! The Body Shop ones come up really often so keep your eyes peeled!

Review - Stella by Stella McCartney EDP

I did a review a couple of weeks ago on Marc Jacobs, Lola and it was really popular, so I thought I'd review another one of my perfumes! This time it's Stella by Stella McCartney. As I've said before I tend to go for quite contemporary floral fragrances, usually with floral heart notes and a hint of citrus or musk. 

This one is definitely one of my favourites, usually I have certain fragrances that I tend to wear either in the evening or in the day time, in the summer months or the colder months but this one is the exception to that. It's one of the few that I quite regularly wear any day, any time. I'd quite happily wear this perfume to a job interview, but I'd also wear it on date night, there aren't many fragrances that can pull that off! 

  

Well, what's in it? I hear you ask, well, let me tell you!

Top Notes - Rose Essence, Peony Flower and Mandarin Essence

Heart Notes - Rose Absolute

Base Notes - Woods and Amber 

It's no surprise I like it so much as Peony, Rose and Mandarin are some of my most favourite scents! The addition of the mandarin and the woods and amber take this fragrance from something quite traditional to something really contemporary. It really is a modern twist on a classic. If this sounds like something you might like, I'd definitely recommend you go take a sniff! 

Can we just take a moment to appreciate the bottle? I know it's the scent inside that matters more but a lovely bottle can make a difference too! I know that people have very different tastes when it comes to bottles, I like something quite sleek and unfussy that still looks glamorous on the dressing table and travels well and this one ticks all those boxes!

Stella by Stella McCartney is available in 3 sizes 30ml, 50ml and 100ml 

Skinted or Minted? Everyday Autumn/Winter Boots

Skinted

1. Beige Spiky - New Look

2. Grey Wool - Asos

3. Bordeaux Cowboy Buckles - Asos

4. Cherry Zip up - New Look

5. Black with Eyelets - Miss KG

6. Black with Straps and Buckles - New Look

Minted

1. Black with Buckles - Giuseppe Zanotti 

2. Black with Gold Stud Heel - Fendi

3. Black Distressed - Rag & Bone

4. Chocolate Brown - Rag & Bone 

5. Contrast Glitter - Markus Lupfer

6. Black Simple - Acne