Friday 28 June 2013

Deborah Milano Shine Creator Lipstick


Deborah Milano is a new brand to me, after doing  some research I found that they are one of the top Italian cosmetic brands that have only just arrived in the UK so I was super excited to receive one of their products.

I picked the Shine Creator Lipstick in shade 14. The first thing that drew me to this product over the others was the gorgeous pink packaging; it’s bright and girly but still has a touch of elegance. On the top of the lipstick itself there is a cute little Deborah Milano logo imprinted on it, I love it and think it completes the overall image of the product.

The packaging is sturdy and the lid clips into place so there’s no chance of losing the lid in your handbag!

The website claims that the Shine Creator Lipstick:

“Combines the shine of lip gloss with the comfort of lipstick and the moisturising properties of lip balm.

I can confirm that this lipstick ticks all of the boxes above. The formula is very moisturising, some lip products can leave my lips feeling quite dry but this really does give you the benefits of a lip balm with a bit of added glamour. I’d say the Shine Creator is quite sheer and  the colour is very subtle so I'd say it's more of a day lip product. It reminds me a bit of the Revlon Lip Butters but a bit more luxurious . It contains SPF 15 which is perfect for these summer months and there’s 14 different shades to choose from!

The Shine Creator Lipstick retails for £8.50 and is available from the Deborah Milano Website.

I'm impressed with this lipstick and it has been a great introduction to the Deborah Milano brand for me and I hope they are just as successful here as they are in Italy!

What do you think? Have you tried any Deborah Milano Products?













Wednesday 26 June 2013

Total 0% Greek Yoghurt

When it comes to food snacking has always been one of my biggest problems, it’s so easy to just reach for a bag of crisps or a chocolate bar to then find that after half an hour I'm hungry again and I'm eating again. Enter TOTAL Greek Yoghurt*.

Total aim their products at people who are interested in health and wellbeing, it’s 100% natural, there is no added sugar, sweeteners or thickeners and it contains more protein than other yoghurt too. In fact there are only 2 ingredients, milk and live yoghurt cultures so you know exactly what you are eating.

I was lucky enough to be sent a HUGE selection of yoghurt to sample (I know, it’s a tough job) from the 0% range including the Plain yoghurt, split pots and Fruyo which is ready mixed with fruit.

 I'm just going to just jump straight in and tell you that these yoghurts are delicious! They are so thick and creamy and they curb my afternoon snack pains a treat with no guilt what so ever as they are fat free!

The split pots have to be my favourite, greek yoghurt with a side of honey or fruit compote. I can’t tell you how tasty the honey one is, it’s so thick and takes a lot of mixing to incorporate it in with the yoghurt but the taste is just amazing and definitely feels like an indulgent snack. I even caught my dad pinching one of these!

The Total 0% yoghurt is great because it is so versatile. I like to mix in some sugar free jam or a little bit of peanut butter and its lovely served with fresh fruit. It is also perfect for using in cooking in place of cream or mayo. My house mate and I made a mushroom stroganoff using this and I even added a little bit to my tuna sandwich the other day in place of mayo, and I never thought this would happen as I’m a big mayo fan.

The Fruyo are again are gorgeous, the pineapple flavour is particularly refreshing and will be the perfect summer snack when you’re sitting outside in the sun.

Today for breakfast I had the original Total 0% with strawberries, blueberries and raspberries, a great way to start the day.

If you can’t already tell I am really, really loving these yoghurts and if you are on a health kick at the minute these are especially perfect for you. Or if you are just in the market for a tasty new snack then I (and my dad) highly recommend looking these up.










Monday 24 June 2013

Botanics BB Cream Radiant Youth

Botanics BB Cream Radiant Youth

The BB cream craze did not initially grab me, for me it’s just a tinted moisturiser with a higher SPF. However I recently won a completion on twitter for a bag of goodies from Boots (woop, woop!) and the product that caught my eye was the Botanics BB Cream Radiant Youth. Maybe it was the pretty packaging but I was excited to try.

So far my opinion with Botanics has been split. I LOVE the Botanics Rosewater Spritz but the Botanics Mattifying Cream really dried out my skin and broke me out so I was a little concerned that the BB cream may do the same.

The Botanics BB Cream Radiant Youth claims to give you instantly radiant skin, even out your skin tone, blur imperfections and keep your skin hydrated.

I am happy to report that I have been pleasantly surprised by this. It gives just the right amount of coverage yet it doesn’t feel like I’m wearing anything, its light and allows my skin to breathe.
I have shade medium, which when it came out of the tube looked scarily dark but blended into my skin looked light and natural.

The wear time was pretty good the only places I needed to reapply were my usual areas like my chin and around my nose which happened with nearly every foundation I use so this was not a problem.

Overall Botanics BB Cream Radiant Youth has a thumbs up from me and it has opened my eyes to the world of BB creams. Now the summer is approaching and I’m looking for less coverage I’m definitely looking to expand my BB cream Range, Dr Jart I’m looking at you!

Do you use a BB cream? What BB cream do you recommend?










Friday 21 June 2013

Nails: Pretty In Pink

Tour de Finance  Cascade Cool ♥ Milan ♥ Elizabeth Street Gala Pink

While I was trying to decide which of my favourite shades to show you this month I completely dismissed pink as an option as I didn't think I actually had that many…turns out I was wrong, I have a lot and it was such a difficult decision deciding on these 5!

First up is Essie’s Tour De finance, the brightest of the bunch with such a beautiful shine. I usually pull this baby out when I’m wearing a little black dress to give a pop of colour to my outfit.

Another Essie favourite is Cascade Cool. This is the perfect candyfloss pink it’s super girly and perfect for the summer.

I went through a face last year of wearing No7’s Milan all the time because it’s that stunning. I think the silver shimmer running through it makes it unique, I've never found another colour that comes close to this.

Don’t you love it when magazines give away great nail polishes? Well I have a magazine to thank for this beauty (I can’t remember which one). Elizabeth Street by Nails Inc is a gorgeous ’my nails but better’ colour. It’s great for French manicures or if you just want something that isn't over the top.

Gala Pink By Bad Apple cosmetics* is heading more to the coral side of pink but again it’s just a great summer colour I especially like this if I'm wearing a white outfit.

Which is your favourite? Does pink frequent your nails a lot?











Wednesday 19 June 2013

Outfit Post: Wedding Blessing


Dress: Red Herring at Debenhams Necklace: Dorothy Perkins Bag: Suzy Smith (borrowed from my sister!)

On Saturday I attended a wedding blessing for my friends that came all the way over from Australia. As soon as I received my invite the first thing I thought about of course was, what do I wear!

With the weather being so temperamental at the moment I tried on so many different styles but as soon as I saw this beauty in Debenams it was love at first sight, sod the weather I want to look pretty!

This shift dress is from Red Herring is just the perfect dress for a wedding, it’s simple, elegant and also very flattering. I added a statement necklace to for a bit extra glamour and I have to thank my sister for letting me borrow this beautiful bag, I really don’t want to give it back!

I went for a natural make up look with Revlon Lip Butter in cotton candy on my lips as a nice contrast and Essie’s Penny Talk on my nails.

We were so lucky with the weather, after leaving the church it completely chucked it down with rain but luckily it cleared up just as we were pulling up to the reception location. I will admit I did have a few to many glasses of prosecco and the next morning my boyfriend had a bit of a state to look after but never the less it was a fantastic day and I wish the happy couple all the best for the future.











Monday 17 June 2013

Healthy Breakfast: Egg Muffins

Hi Guys! So you may or may not know that I have jumped on the health wagon, increasing resistance training, cardio and eating as ‘clean’ as possible. I've spent hours googling food ideas to make healthy eating a bit more exciting and this and also super easy recipe is one of my favourites.
What you will need:
Eggs
Spinach
Spring Onion
Low fat cheese
Chilli Flakes
Black pepper

To be honest all of the ingredients except the eggs are optional, you can pick and choose which veggies you want to add in, you can also add meat or if your being really healthy you can even just use whites instead of whole eggs.

Pre heat the oven to 190c/Gas mark 5.
First of all prep your muffin tin with a little oil in each hole; I used fry lights 1 cal spray. Then layer the veggies and cheese at the bottom of each tin.

Crack your eggs in to a bowl and lightly whisk. In this case I used 5 (because that was how many I had) and this made 6 muffins, I could have actually made a couple more but I don’t have another tin so 4 eggs will be enough for me next time. Add your seasoning to the eggs.

Pour the egg mixture over your veg so the tin is ¾ full and then place in the oven and leave for 25-30 minutes and you’re done! Easy peasy.
They are a bit like a cross between an omelette and a Yorkshire pudding.
One of the best things about these egg muffins is that you can keep them in an air tight container or bag and they can last up to a week so you can prepare them in advance and have them on the go. I brought mine to work with me this morning and microwaved them for about a minute and then served them with some more spinach and a cheeky bit of smoked salmon. Healthy, light and delicious.

Will you be trying these out? Do you have any healthy recipes? I would love to hear.










Friday 14 June 2013

The 'whoops I snoozed too many times' Face

This week when Monday morning rolled around my alarm went off, followed by my second and then my third. The next thing I know the postman is banging on the door with a delivery and I realized I overslept by 30 minutes!

Panic mode sets in and I start moving so fast I could give sonic a run for his money, but somewhere in between jumping in the shower and trying to put my clothes on the right way the blogger in me thought what a great idea for a post, so here are the products that made it onto my face in the 3 minutes or so that I had to turn myself from zombie to a presentable employee. 

For a base I used the Botanics BB Cream which gives a light and dewy finish to brighten my skin. The next step and probably most important is concealer, those under eye bags have got to go so I opted for the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer as its pretty heavy duty and will easily help hide the fact that I'm still half asleep. I think this took me about a minute to apply.

I used the Sleek Eyebrow Kit in dark for my brows and I know some people may not class brow products as an essential but it really does make a difference to my face when they are filled in. Rimmels Scandaleyes Eyeliner in Nude used on my waterline helps to hide any redness, I finished my eyes with Benefit’s They’re Real on my lashes, this is great for fanning out my lashes and making my eyes look more open.

Last but not least is a bit of blusher; the nearest one to me was Nars Orgasm which added a nice of a healthy glow. I finished off with a bit of Palmers Cocoa Butter Lip Balm on my lips and I’m done.

Thinking about it now maybe I can actually get away with and extra half an hours sleep more often!

What products do you reach for in a rush?












Wednesday 12 June 2013

Nails: Twisted Silk


What’s the best thing about your housemate signing up for a Glossybox? Borrowing her nail polish of course!

As soon as I saw this colour I knew it needed to be on my nails. Twisted Silk from Headline Colours is a very subtle chalky pink which is absolutely perfect now the sun has started to make an appearance again. I wore this for an interview as it’s not too ‘out there’ and I think it looks quite sophisticated.

I found application itself quite streaky and you definitely need at least to coats for an opaque finish, but with a bit of patience I finally achieved the desired look.

From browsing online I’ve found Headline Colours polishes retail for £9.00 each, which to be honest I think is a bit expensive especially as application for me wasn’t the smoothest. I have seen another colour from the range called Belladonna which is a striking royal blue and I may have to treat myself, you know, just so I can see how that applies in contrast haha.

What do you think? Have you tried any Headline Colours?












Monday 10 June 2013

Outfit Post: Pearly Queen

Top: MinaUK* Shorts: New Look Bag: Primark

You know when you get new clothes and you just want to wear them as soon as you get it? Well that’s what I did this weekend.

I found out this week that I had gotten a job promotion at work (yay!) which of course meant a celebration meal out with the girls and an excuse to wear my beautiful new top from Mina. I love this blouse because it’s so gorgeous and girly and the front pleating makes it very flattering. The lace collar with pearl detailing just adds that last bit of sophistication.

Because the sun made an appearance this weekend I teamed the blouse with some black fitted shorts and sandals, but it will also look great with jeans and even some smart trousers when I start my new job! I do love versatile items.

New job, new clothes and a delicious meal out with friends, life is pretty good at the moment. How was your weekend?











Friday 7 June 2013

Goldwell Oil Treatment


My hair loves a treatment; the ends of my hair usually tend to be quite dry so I find hair oils a bit of a life saver for me.

The Goldwell Treatment Oil ticks all the right boxes for me, it’s protective, moisturising and non-greasy. It also contains Argan and Tamanu oils to leave your hair feeling sleek and soft.

I use this on the ends of my hair after washing my hair but before blow drying to help protect my hair and I love that it leaves my hair soft and shiny and frizz free!  You can also use it on dry hair for a little pick me up.

The Goldwell Oil Treatment retails on LookFantastic for £20.00 which may sound expensive at first, but honestly you only need to use the tiniest amount and my hair is quite long but this bottle will last for months, a worthy investment I’d say.

Do you use hair oils? Have you tried this?










Wednesday 5 June 2013

Outfit Post: Loving the Trousers

Top: New Look Trousers: New Look Necklace: Dorothy Perkins Bag: Primark

These trousers are a big fashion leap for me, I'm always a bit self conscious when it comes to my outfits but trousers have really grabbed my attention after seeing them in so may lovely outfit posts.

These bad boys were only £8 in the New Look sale so I just couldn't turn them down. They are so versatile and look great for day time and also in the evenings. I teamed them with a peplum top and statement necklace for a meal out and considering they are not really 'me' I really love them and plan on buying a few more styles.

What do you think? Are you into the patterned trousers look?










Monday 3 June 2013

Optibac: For a Flat Stomach


When I was offered the chance to try out Optibac I literally jumped at the chance, For a Flat Stomach? Yes please! I am prone to stomach bloating (glamorous, I know) so if a product can claim to help me reduce this then send it my way.

I’d never used a product like this before so I spent ages reading about the product and reading customer reviews on their website just to make sure I knew exactly what I was putting into my body.
Optibac: For a Flat Stomach is a probiotic supplement which helps your digestion and aid transit to help leaving you with a comfortably flatter stomach.

Each box contains 7 sachets of the probiotic supplement, which you take once a day for 7 days straight. You mix the powder in with water and drink it with your breakfast.
It doesn't taste of anything, which I think is a bit of a bonus because I hate it when you take something and it tastes disgusting.

There are full instructions included which answered any questions I had. It also explains the ingredients, and I love the fact it's suitable for vegetarians and gluten free so is suitable for the majority of people.

I had my first sachet on a Monday, no problems but by the end of Tuesday, I’ll be honest I did feel a bit more bloated than usual, but apparently this can be because my body is adapting to the probiotics as it's something I'm not used to. It was Friday morning when I woke up and thought ‘Wow! It’s actually worked’, I couldn’t believe I felt as good as I did.

I finished my For a Flat Stomach course 7 days ago now and I am happy to report I am still feeling the benefits from it. I haven’t had that uncomfortable feeling all week and my stomach is noticeably flatter, and believe me, I don’t say that often! Bring on next months course.

For me Optibac’s For a Flat stomach has worked a treat so if you are prone to bloating then I definitely suggest you check this out.

For a Flat Stomach retails for £8.69 on the Optibac Website.

You can also pick up some extra bloating tips here!

Have you ever tried any products from Optibac? How do you beat the bloat!?











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