Happy Feet

Sandals: Peacocks // Models Own Purple Mystic and Purple Haze  

Feet. Not the most attractive body part but its the summer and you've gotta get them out. I cant resist a pair of pretty sandals and I just had to show you these that I got from peacocks for only £12. I usually find Peacocks a bit hit and miss but at the moment they have some of the most gorgeous shoes I've seen.

I always like to paint my toe nails a bright colour and 9 time out of 10 I like them to be purple, this combo is my current fave and it's what I'm sporting now. I thought it would probably be weird (and a bit gross) to show you a picture of my feel so the swatches will have to do.

What do you think? What colour are your toes at the minute?

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Charlie Says...It's My Birthday!

Face: Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation, Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer

Eyes: Sleek Eyebrow Kit, MUA White EyelIner, Rimmel Exaggerate Eye liner, No7 Extravagant Volume Mascara

Lips: Deborah Milano Shine Creator Lipstick Shade 14

♥ So today I am now closer to 30 than I am 20 and I'm not quite sure how this has happened! Seems like only yesterday I was leaving school getting my first job blah blah blah but now all of a sudden I’m past mid-twenties! Time to start living my life a little more I think.

♥ Today I am also off to Disney Land in Florida! Oh yes I'm still a big child and I cannot wait to have my picture taken with all the characters, visit Harry Potter World for a Butter Beer and try and man v food my way around all of the huge portions of food!

♥ I had my birthday celebrations with my friends on Friday which involved a picnic, a very competitive game of rounder’s and some dancing that would rival Beyonce, if I do say so myself. It couldn't have been better.

♥ When I get back from Florida I start my new job (eeeekk) I'm excited and nervous as it’s my biggest job yet and I can’t wait to get stuck in. My blog posts might become a bit less frequent while I'm settling in as unfortunately work has to come first but I'm hoping to be able to keep on top of things.

♥ I've scheduled a few posts while I'm away so please do pop in and have a read and then when I'm back I can’t wait to show you my birthday haul and antics as well as Disney pictures! See you all soon! xxxxxxxx

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Nails: Top 5 Summer Polishes

Chelsea Physic Garden* ♥ Cascade Cool ♥ Bikini So Teeny ♥ Greenberry ♥ Peach Melba 

As we are now slap bag in the middle of summer I thought it was about time to reveal my top 5 summer polishes. I'm all about bright colours at the minute but I'm particularly loving pastels, it was a tough pick but these are the ones that have come out on top.

You can’t have summer shades without a colour to match the sky and Chelsea Physic Garden is definitely the one, it’s a gorgeous pastel blue and during this recent heat wave it’s perfect to brighten up your nails.

I think I talk about Cascade Cool from Essie a lot but that’s just because I love it, a lot. I'm always reaching for this candy floss pink it looks so good when you’re wearing white or monochrome I love the pop of colour it gives.

Bikini So Teeny is perhaps the most aptly named summer polish, it’s pretty much considered a sin if you don’t get this colour out at this time of year! There are tiny flecks of glitter in this which you cant really see in the swatch but if you catch it in the sunlight is very pretty.

I am crazy about Greenberry, It’s the most striking shade and the shine finish is super pretty, I just wish it didn't chip so quickly!

There was tough competition to fill this last space but as soon as I found Peach Melba I knew I was on to a winner. This shade reminds me of a sorbet or a nice cooling ice lolly,  I quite fancy a lolly now!

What are your top summer picks? What colour is my collection lacking? I’d love some colour recommendations.

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Packing: Skincare and Make up

There is nothing more exciting than going on holiday, the excitement, being up early for the flight, arriving at your hotel all just make me a bit giddy just thinking about it! The only part that makes me want to tear my hair out is packing I am awful at it.

Last night I decided it was a good time to start and to make it more enjoyable I went through my make up and skincare stash to work out what I really need to take with me. I'm usually a complete over packer when it comes to products but this time I'm trying to be sensible and  take one of each product e.g. 1 blush 1 mascara and so on. This will also leave me with more room to bring things back with me!

I'm using my trusty Cath Kidson Travel bag which has 2 compartments to keep everything nice and organised.

Skincare:

♥ Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm

♥ Caudalie Beauty Elixir

♥ Origins Ginzing Eye Cream

♥ Elemis Mattifying Moisturiser

♥ Avene Light Moisturizer

♥ Avene Gentle Gel Cleanser

♥ Rieman P20

♥ Aussie Miricle Moist Shampoo

♥ Aussie 3 Minute Miricle Conditioner

♥ Nivea Face Wipes

♥ Muslin Cloths

♥ Toothbrush

So I know I have to cleansers and moisturisers here but I just can't live without my Emma Hardie in the evening but its just a bit to much for the morning so this cue little Avene sample size gel cleanser has come in extremely handy.

Make Up

♥ Sleek Eyebrow Kit

♥ MUA Undressed Palette

♥ Laura Mercier Primer Radiance

♥ Dr Jart BB Cream

♥ Danity Doll Cream Blush Orange County Girl

♥ Deborah Milano Shine Creator Lipstick

♥ Palmers Cocoa butter lip balm

♥ Natural Collection Waterproof mascara

♥ Rimmel Waterproof Eyeliner

♥ Real Techniques Brushes

I've even impressed myself here with my minimalist approach here but it is only Wednesday and I don't fly until Sunday which leaves plenty of time for additions, I've already realised I've missed out my Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer! wally.

Also my Boyfriend has the shower gel, after sun and tooth paste just to save me some space.

What do you think, is this sensible packing or am I missing something vital?

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Neal&Wolf Haircare

Ritual Daily Cleansing Shampoo Silk Smoothing Blow-Dry Balm*

After having my hair cut a few weeks ago I have now found a new love for my hair so when asked if I would like to receive some products from Neal and Wolf I jumped at the chance. I haven’t used any Neal and Wolf products before but I have noticed them creeping up on a lot of blog posts lately so i was excited to try for myself.

First of all I love the packaging; it’s sleek and has a really soft feel to it. I really like how on the back it uses the word ‘Indulgence’, making your hair care sound more like a luxury than a necessity.

The Daily Cleansing Shampoo has quite a musky smell to it, it really reminded me of when i used to go to the hairdressers with my mum when I was younger, it smells ‘professional’ if that makes sense. It feels so lovely on my hair and lathers up a treat

My hair tends to be prone to dry ends so was recommended to try the Silk Smoothing Blow-Dry Balm. You apply a small amount to damp hair before drying and it helps to de tangle and de frizz while adding in moisture, it really left my hair feeling silky smooth and there was no need for me to use straighteners afterward as I was so happy with the result. For me this was the star product out of the two

I've been using these two every time I have washed my hair lately and I love how it makes my hair feel. When I stayed round my boyfriends I didn't have the Silk balm to hand and that’s when I really noticed the difference, the softness that it leaves is just gorgeous. If you suffer with dry ends like me then these are definitely up your street!

Have you tried any Neal and Wolf Products?

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The Dream Team: Real Techniques and Dainty Doll Cream Blushes

Wearing Paper Roses by Dainty Doll

I purchased some Dainty Doll Cream Blushes from Fragrance Direct a couple of months ago now and I found myself in a bit of a tiz as I had no weapon of choice to apply them with! I asked on twitter what brush would work best with cream blushes and I had the same answer from so many people…the Real Techniques Stippling Brush, obviously.

The Stippling Brush was literally made for cream based products so teaming it with my Dainty Doll Cream Blushes is pretty much a match made in heaven. The brush is so soft but also dense so it applies the blush with ease, it picks up just the right amount of product for perfect precision and leaves a flawless finish. I know people like to use this brush for Foundation too but I think I’ll stick with my trusty Buffing Brush for now.

Today I opted for Paper Roses by Dainty Doll which is a gorgeous pastel pink shade perfect for us pale ladies, it leaves you with a lovely rosey cheeked fresh faced look.

I also Picked up Orange County Girl with is more of a peachy toned blush which I think is going to be my most reached for shade on my holiday.

The stippling Brush was the perfect blush for me, what brush do you use for cream blushes?

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Barrie Stephen Salons | King Street Leicester

Barrie Stephen Salons*

Last week I was given the fabulous opportunity to visit the newly refurbished Barrie Stephen salon on King Street in Leicester.

Bit of back ground on my hair, I’m a bit of a wimp; I've never dyed it and usually try and avoid getting it cut. This pretty much stems from child hood when I had beautiful long locks and on a trip to the hair dressers they were cut off in a swift snip. I can’t tell you how much I cried. I was also the kid at school that was given one of those huge bowl cut style fringes, I was definitely a victim of bad hair abuse!

Anyway I’m still a bit of a stereotypical girl and love being pampered. I find people playing with my hair so relaxing and sometime it can make me fall asleep...maybe this is why I end up with bad hair?

When I arrived at Barrie Stephen I knew I was in for a treat. The atmosphere was so relaxing and not at all intimidating, the soothing background music made me instantly feel like I was in a place of luxury.

I was introduced to Joe who looked after me, we had a chat about my hair and he could tell just on first glance what needed doing to it and I felt confident to let him do what he thought was best, he is the professional after all! After having my hair washed, head massaged and good chat about the salons history by Chelsea I was back to Joe and he showed me how much hair he would be taking off he also introduced some layers into my hair. My hair is usually pretty flat so I asked him for tips on creating volume and he was more than happy to advise on methods that I could use to add volume while blow drying my hair myself.

I’m so happy with the end result my hair looks and feels a million times healthier; the layers help to add volume and the shaping around my face makes me feel a bit glamorous.

When I walked out of the salon I couldn't help but feel a little Cheryl Cole-esque, feeling super confident with a great bounce to my hair. I feel like I've overcome my anxiety with hairdressers, I’m tempted to even have a bit of colour put in next eeek!

 A big thank you to Joe, Chelsea and everyone at Barrie Stephen for helping me fall back in love with my hair, I love it.

What do you think?

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Barry M Gelly Shine: Blue Grape

Blue Grape

I can't tell you how much I adore this colour. To be honest I’ve been lusting after Essie’s Butler Please and Nails Inc Baker Street for a long time so when I heard Barry M had created a dupe I knew I had to have it.

Blue Grape Is a gorgeous royal blue shade, the colour is very intense and sure to attract a lot of attention!

I found the formula itself quite difficult to apply and it went very streaky after one coat however the second applied much easier and left me with the striking look I was after. It has a great shine to it but it does tend to chip very easily barely even making it to 2 days!

For £3.99 compared to Nails Inc’s £12 price tag this is an absolute steal.

What do you think? Have you tried any Barry M Gelly polishes?

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Charlie Says...

Dress: H&M Sunglasses: Rayban Beverage: Strongow Dark Fruits :p

♥ How nice has the weather been this week! I grabbed this pretty sun dress from H&M last week and thank goodness I did, it’s the most perfect dress for summer and a steal at only £12.99.

♥ My holiday countdown is on, 2 weeks today and I will be in Disney Land Florida aaahh I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am!

♥ My healthy eating and gym routine is going well, although I will say I have indulged in a few fruity alcoholic beverages this weekend, my will power isn't quite strong enough to resist the sunshine yet.

♥ My birthday is almost here too and I’m really hoping the sun will stick around, I’m hoping to get all my friends together for a picnic and then find a bar to dance the night away in the evening. I need to get on the hunt for a pretty outfit.

♥ I've had a productive blog photography weekend and I've got some lovely things I can’t wait to show you. I find it so much easier to photograph things in bulk, it’s good to be organised.

♥ Back to work tomorrow, why is it the weekend is just never long enough? What have you been up to this weekend?

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MyProtein Chocolate Chip Muffins

MyProtein Chocolate Chip Muffins*

Over the last month or so I have found my inner gym freak, I've even started going to the gym at 6.30 in the morning! Crazy I know but I'm actually really enjoying it.

I’ve changed my session’s form mainly cardio to more resistance and weight training and my trainer recommended that I increase my protein levels throughout the day to help my muscles recover faster.

When I was asked by The Hut if I wanted to sample some protein muffins I about fell of my seat, protein muffins! I can tell you it is not going to be hard for me to squeeze these bad boys into my diet.

The Myprotein Chocolate Chip Protein Muffins contain a massive 19grams of protein so that ups my protein intake dramatically! They taste absolutely delicious, if you didn't know they were from Myprotein you would never be able to tell, they don’t have a ‘healthy’ taste if that makes sense, they are well and truly packed with chocolate chips. I caught my boyfriend scoffing one the other day and he just thought he was getting a great chocolaty treat!

I have either been eating the muffins for breakfast with fruit after my work out or as an afternoon snack. I wouldn't just eat one at night because I wanted pudding.

They are quite high in calories at 387 per muffin so if you’re a calorie counter I imagine you are screaming at the screen right now. But my trainer has reassured me that for the amount of resistance training I'm doing these are perfectly fine as long as the rest of your diet is balanced, you don’t gorge on more than one and I try not to have one every day.

You can find these and lots more MyProtein products over on The Hut Website.

What do you think? Have you tried any products from Myprotein? Will you be trying these?

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Haul: The Beauty Bits

Real Techniques Blush Brush and Stippling Brush

I wanted the stippling brush to apply my cream blushes and it just so happened that the brushes were buy one get one half price in Superdrug so it would of been rude not to pick up the blush brush too right?

MUA Pistachio Ice Cream, Barry M Blue Grape and Mango

The Famous Essie dupe and these gorgeous Barry M colours are perfect for summer.

Natural Collection Waterproof  Mascara, DrJart BB Cream, Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer

I'm so excited to try this DrJart BB Cream! The mascara was only a bargainous £1.99 and the concealer is a staple in my make up bag.

M&S Shower Gel, Nivea Face Wipes

I picked this shower gel up while I was in the queue at Marks and Spencers it smells delicious. I'm not usually one for face wipes but on holiday they are a must.

Mini Nspa Shower Gel, Aussie shampoo and Conditioner, Nivea Deodorant L'oreal Salt Spray

Asda have a great deal on miniatures at the moment, 4 for £3! The Salt spay was down too £2 and I want to stop using so much heat on my hair so I can't wait to create a textured Holiday look with this.

As promised here are my new beauty purchases for my holiday. What are your holiday essentials?

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Haul: Primark, New Look, H&M and Topshop

With my holiday fast approaching I decided it was time to treat myself to a few new bits and bobs. I’ve decided to split this post into 2 parts, clothes and beauty products just because i went a bit over the top and bought quite a lot, so first up is the clothes!

H&M

Rose Dress £12.99 Top: £12.99

Skirt £3.99 Top £2.99

H&M is usually one of those shops where I either find nothing or want absolutely everything, this time they didn't fail me. I love their basics range they are such good prices and fab quality. I saw this skirt on the persianbabe and knew I needed it!

Topshop

Trousers £15

These bad boys were down from something ridiculous like £40, what an absolute steal!

New Look

Playsuit £14.99 Vest Dress: £6.99

I'm loving elephant prints at the moment and I fell in love with this playsuit as soon as I saw it!

Primark

Shorts: £10 Butterfly Top: £6 Blue Chain Strap Cami £5

Everyone needs a pair of denim shorts in their lives. I'm tempted to go pack and pick some more of these cami tops they are super pretty and really flattering.

Pumps:£6 Slingbacks:£10

Daytime and night time shoes. How gorgeous are these black Slingbacks!

Bag £4

And last but not least is this little bag which is the perfect size for all my travel bits.

So there we go! What do you think? Which piece do you like best? I can't wait to show you might latest beauty purchases! how you all had a good weekend, how nice is the weather!

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