Friday, October 31, 2014

MEET HELLO KITTY & CELEBRATE HER 40TH ANNIVERSARY


If you are a fan of Hello Kitty you will of course be aware that she is currently celebrating her 40th anniversary tomorrow, Saturday 1st November she will be bringing those celebrations to Hamleys toy store in London.

Hello Kitty's 'mission' is all about spreading kindness around the world and so she will be giving hugs in a global hug-a-thon this is your opportunity to meet Hello Kitty for the London part of her trip.

There will also be the unveiling of a life size cake which will be shared with everyone who has come to celebrate with Hello Kitty.

The event will run for 12 - 4pm with the cake cutting at 1pm on the 2nd floor Hamley's on Regent Street. It's a great free event for those ready to draw a close to the half term holidays.

Hopefully I'll be able to take my niece along so don't forget to say hi to me too!


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Thursday, October 30, 2014

Primark Jewellery Haul


I very rarely shop in Primark anymore for no other reason than I can't bear what always feels like a jumble sale environment. Back in the day my local branch was a haven and I can remember heading to New York many moons ago with a case loaded with coats, jumpers and hats all picked up from there. These days I never know what size I'll be in the clothes as the sizing can be hit and miss and the queues, never is there anything often I want which warrants committing time to it.


Of course the problem is with blogs and YouTube videos is that hauls appear, you spot one or two things you'd like and into the store I go although it's not often the treasures present themselves to me on my trips.

A week or two ago I was heading to an event which just happened to be located nearer Tottenham Court Road Station so I decided to try out that branch and see what was on offer. The jewelled headband caught my eye and I thought it was perfect if not for now but for my holiday I have just booked to Ibiza.


Once again I decided I didn't need to queue for a headband I had no purpose for wearing for over 6 months time and put it back on the shelf and left the store and subsequently spent the following days talking about nothing else and regretting why I didn't part with £5 just in case.

Typically my local branch didn't stock said item but thankfully another blog event was put into the diary and with Tottenham Court Road being the destination I had the perfect opportunity to see if the headband was to me mine - and as you can see it was.

The fact that I would already queuing for something meant I took the opportunity to throw another couple of items into my bag. A black jewelled necklace which is something I've been looking for for some time and some earrings, just because I loved them.


Unfortunately my head must be smaller than average as I need to do some work with the headband to get it to fit without slipping off but as I said I've got some months till I intend to wear it so I can get some practice in!

Are you a Primark fan or like be do you hate the mayhem of it's stores?


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Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Vaseline Goes Vintage

Vaseline Lip Therapy* link
Early readers of my blog will know that it's roots lay in vintage hauls rather than the beauty variety so the recent special edition vintage style tins from Vaseline certainly caught my attention. Did you know that Vaseline has been around since 1872? Me either.

I apologise in advance but I will likely be referencing Christmas a lot in the next couple of weeks and as I discussed in Friday's post these cute tins would certainly be a worthy addition to any Christmas stocking such as the one I usually receive filled with beauty treats and necessities. 

The line up includes the Original formula we all know and love, Aloe Vera, Cocoa Butter, which is my favourite fyi and finally Rosy Lips which has a slight tint for those at home no make up days. I know many people that would enjoy having one of these attractive tins sitting on their desk at work or bedside table. I for one have a lip balm next to my sofa so that I can lazily reach across for a swipe when my lips are verging on the drier side.

They would also make a great unisex product for homemade crackers or table gifts for visiting friends and family and those of you with children the important gifts for teachers and the like. A quick look online and Boots have a 3 for 2 offer on so it's the perfect time to get ahead with your shopping.

What do you think of the new style tins, are you a fan of the vintage style?

*PR Sample

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Patty & Bun Liverpool Street

Patty & Bun link
When news reached me that Patty & Bun were opening a City branch in Liverpool Street I was both elated and scared for my waist line. It's not unheard of for me to stumble through Liverpool Street Station and make a pit stop at Burger King following after work drinks and with no disrepect intended to Burger King, Patty & Bun is far superior and harder to resist.


That said despite being open for sometime my first visit to the branch located outside the station was on my way home from a blog event last week. It's a small site with a few tables that are often occupied but they have a handy takeaway window and knowing what a beast Patty & Bun burgers can be I decided to take mine home and enjoy it in privacy.


Once again I went for the Smokey Robinson accompanied by rosemary fries and how I managed to journey home on the train with my brown paper bag of goodness without sneaking a bite is surely worthy of a medal of some description?


On arrival home I dived straight in enjoying the cardboard tray to display them on. Obviously travel time meant that my meal wasn't piping hot but this didn't stop any enjoyment. The familar moist burger was a messy dream, Patty & Bun burgers still hit the top spot for me.


The Smokey Robinson is filled with all my favourites, cheese, caramelised onions, bacon and served on a brioche bun - anyone else struggle to enjoy a burger not accompanied by brioche bun these days?



As you can see from the lipstick remnants on my thumb eating a Patty & Bun burger is a messy affair but they have your back and supply a wet wipe to clean up all your mess

You can find Patty & Bun at 22 - 23 Liverpool Street and I'd highly recommend a visit although there's some competition on it's way as I hear Honest Burgers is coming to the City next month.


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Monday, October 27, 2014

October Empties

Products I've used up link
Halloween is upon us, Bonfire Night is on the horizon which can only mean one thing - Empties time. Let's take a look at the products I've used up this month.

Clinque Body Butter link
It's taken me nearly a year to use up this tub of body butter from Clinque and you can find my review here. In short it's thick body lotion which does the job but not a product I enjoyed, hence it taking me so long to get through. Ideal for the colder weather when you want something more heavy duty but if you're a fan of scented products this won't be top of your wish list. 

Chanel Perfection Lumiere Foundation link
I did not like this foundation at all and thankful it was only a sample. I had a couple of these testers but didn't even get to the bottom of the first such was my dislike. It clung to any dry patch of skin I had, and I have little but it exaggerated ones I didn't know existed. 

imPRESS Nails
Short on time and heading out for the day I grabbed a pack of imPRESS nails to ensure nails looked tip top. After a shaky start if you read this post you will know I'm converted. And if you follow me on Instagram you will know my niece was a fan too!

Sure Maximum Protection link 
Mentioned countless times on my blog and it no doubt wins the award for most appearances in an empties post. I won't say any more but feel free to take a look at this post if you want to know why I'm a fan. 

Radox Mango Mayhem Shower Gel* link
Another brand that is mentioned many times by me is Radox. Mango Mayhem featured in my July Favourites post and was the perfect Summer staple. Stay tuned for more Radox goodness coming up soon.

Soap & Glory Hand Food link
Another hand cream bites the dust and I love both the scent and size of this tube of Hand Food from Soap & Glory. A recent trip to Boots to restock on some items meant that the full size of this ended up coming home to me due to a 3 for 2 offer and will now sit on my desk at work.

I don't get excited about micellar waters beyond their use for removing make up and stepping in when I'm feeling lazy but I did get excited about the packaging of this product. Compared to L'Oreal and Garnier Micellar Waters which I love to use but struggle with their bottles this was able to perfectly distribute product onto cotton pads without spilling everywhere. That said despite being a good product for the price point I think it's unlikely I'll repurchase as I'm happier with the cheaper brands.

I only reviewed this moisturiser from A-DERMA recently in this post so I won't say any more than this is a thumbs up for those who want a lighter product and is perfect for the Summer months. 

St Ives Apricot Body Scrub* link
Another reviewed product that you can read about here. There are no complaints from me about the product although it is like cement to remove from the bath if it dries. I liked this product and it worked well for me but I couldn't maintain excitement about it. I would repurchase for it's price point although when pay day hit I treated myself to an old favourite, The Breakfast Scrub from Soap & Glory as if nothing more than the scent lends itself well to the Autumn months. 

Molton Brown Blue Maquis Hand Cream link
Stay tuned for more Molton Brown Hand Cream empties as I'm just getting to the bottom of another bottle. I swear I've had a collection of Molton Brown hand creams in my possession for years - they just never seem to disappear. One sat in my bathroom and another in my kitchen. When neither of those destinations seemed to aid their completion I took them to work as the pump dispensers make for easy application. I find the formula of Molton Brown hand creams to be rather thin and runny which I don't enjoy and prefer cream than lotion. I wouldn't repurchase again, and certainly not in larger sizes but if you're looking for a product that will last a long time this might be for you. 

Molton Brown Travel Reviving Cempaka Body Wash link
I took this bottle of body wash from Molton Brown to Las Vegas with me as it doubled up as both shower gel and bubble bath. I can't argue with Molton Brown for their range of products but I don't know if it's overuse over the years but they don't excite me like they used to. I would happily repurchase this product and if I received as a gift I wouldn't be disappointed but I'm not sure I'd rush out to replace.

Kiehls Powerful Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate link 
I recently stayed over at my brothers and grabbed this sachet to take with me rather than a full size product. I have used this product in the past and didn't quite get the results claimed but I'll happily use in it's sample size when needed.

What products did you use up this month?





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Friday, October 24, 2014

Gillette Venus & Olay Sugarberry Scent Razor

Gillette Venus & Olay Sugarberry* link
Some might say its too early, others like me may already be halfway through their Christmas shopping. That aside it can't have escaped anyone's notice that the Boots Christmas Catalogue is out and supermarkets are beginning to stock their shelves with Christmas gifts such as the one I'm talking about today from Gillette Venus & Olay. 

My sister-in-law and I both share a love for our Christmas stockings we receive from our mum's which are filled with all sorts of necessities that can often be a chore to buy for ourselves. They are filled with cotton wool, tissues, socks you know the type of thing and all have a slightly festive edge such as the gold beauty bag which this kit contains. 

Decorative extras aside who doesn't have use for razors, I'm sure I buy them more frequently than milk at times. So what do two well known brands Gillette and Olay Sugarberry offer us? Well there's 5-blade technology to exfoliate the top layer of skin to avoid any ingrown hair problems and moisture boost shave gel bars from Olay which contain ingredients to lock in moisture and prevent dryness. That all sounds very good and technological doesn't it but does it 'work'?

The answer is yes. When testing razors for review I tend to avoid using L'Occitane Almond Oil my preferred additional product when shaving my legs to see how the razor will fair using regular shower gels and of course in this instance an additional shaving product isn't required due to the shave gel bars that sit either side of the blades. I was slightly skeptical whether this would work and whilst there wasn't too much of a lather when I used them they still provide enough slip to give a shave that didn't leave me irritated and I was surprised at how soft the skin felt afterward.

I would probably still reach for an additional product during normal everyday use as much out of habit than anything but the Gillette Venus and Olay razor would be the perfect addition to your desk draw or gym bag to avoid needing multiple products. 

As we know the weather has taken rather a turn so there has been some laziness in leg shaving due to being able to hide any sins beneath black tights but imagine if there was an opportunity for dancing after work and things would look a bit more disco without tights, having the Gillette an Olay Sugarberry razor to hand would be ideal. And of course the cute gold bag is the perfect way to stash it without anyone rustling around your desk knowing your secrets.

*PR Sample
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Thursday, October 23, 2014

A-derma Hydrating Light UV Cream Review


I've talked before how prior to beauty blogging I didn't pay much attention to swapping beauty products out depending on the seasons but that's all change now and A-derma's Hydrating Light UV Cream* was a Summer saviour.
I appreciate Summer is but a distant memory for us Brit's you may be lucky enough to be jetting after to warmer climes soon or even better living somewhere with perputal sunshine so I thought it deserved a worthy mention.
I have just finished my tube of this moisturiser having used it in the mornings throughout the Summer with great results. Typically A-Derma is a brand that specialises in products for sensitive, dry or eczema prone skin which are not concerns for me but the Hydrating Light UV Cream offers immediate and long-lasting hydration which protects from environmental stress which is something to consider due to my working week in London.
This is quite a small tube at 40ml than what I'm used to from a moisturiser, usually around 50ml but it's a thinner consistancy than most and still lasted a number of months and was the perfect size to accompany me on my trip to Las Vegas. The tube rather than a pot or tube made it ideal and for those who don't enjoy dipping fingers into products it's perfect.
As mentioned there's no more humid heat than Vegas and I found this (along with Benefit's POREfessional) provided the perfect make up base for my trip. Despite it's thinner texture it was not watery and felt both soothing and hydrating to the skin without being greasy.
I'm switching to a heavier product as the weather cools down and the central heating is turned up but I'll definitely have this moisturiser in mind for warmer weather.

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Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Products That Didn't Work for Me #4


It's another round of products that didn't work for me and as you will notice all these products fall into the peachy orange category and I think it's time for me to say where lip products are concerned this a shade that I cannot make work.

Peach on the Beach from Bourjois was a blogger favourite some time ago and it was only earlier in the Summer that I jumped on the bandwagon. Needless to say I should've stuck with my Red Sunrise from the range which is one of my go to lip products.

Again another product that was more style over substance was Babette from Lime Crime. Again all across YouTube and blogs I decided to make the purchase and whilst I love the gorgeous packaging the shade makes me look ill.

L'Oreal LExtraordinarie Liquid Lipsticks are loved by many but sadly I just did not get on with the shade Rose Symphony. I found the colour whilst pleasant enough it was the formula which let me down. It pooled around the edge of my lips and it just didn't work for me. I had hoped the colour would be a holiday favourite but it was more a cause of frustration.

I raved about the NYX Matte Lipsticks in this post but unfortunate the shade Stella from one of their regular ranges was another colour that didn't suit me at all and I found it emphasised any dryness on my lips despite not being of a matte formula and the opposite being the case with those.

Finally it's a nail polish from Maybelline's Bleached Neons collection which I reviewed in this post. As you may remember or will read I found the formula of these polishes a disappointment and could easily find a similar shade in a better range.

What have you been lately that hasn't worked for you?


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Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Sleek Make Up | New Releases


Last week I was lucky enough to attend the Sleek Gold press event for their new A/W releases which may I say rather exciting. The event itself was hosted by Sarah-Jane Crawford of Xtra Factor fame with music from the Festival Foxes and a catwalk show to keep us entertained. I was also able to get my nails painted which was an opportunity to try out the Sleek Gel nail colours which have a pretty impressive opaque look in one coat.

But let's talk about the new releases, two eye and cheek palettes and a swoon worthy highlighting palette which I'll put out there right away is my favourite of the three.

Both palettes featuring two blushes and four eyeshadows from the Sleek range. See You At Midnight is what I'd refer to as the evening palette and for those wanting a darker look. The eyeshadow's are from the Romance i-Diving Palette and the blushes are Pomegranate and Antique. The blushes are perfect for the Autumn season and both are shades I have in my collection as singles. Pomegranate is a berry shade which whilst a light hand is needed is gorgeous and for the shimmery lovers Antique hits the spot. Eyeshadows are shades of blue and purple and perfect for taking a simple eye look from day to night so this is definitely one I'll be stashing in my drawer at work to take me from desk to disco as the party season approaches.

Dancing Till Dusk is also autumnal in its tones or orange and brown and probably the more wearable of the two and the one I would naturally reach for on a daily basis. I could happily throw this in my make up bag and put together a look for the office or a day shopping at the weekend. Eyeshadows are from the Au Naturel i-Divine palette and the blushes are mirrored pink and Sahara neither blush I had tried before this.

Both palettes are a bargain at £9.99 and a worthy make up staple.


Moving on to my favourite item from the collection, the Precious Metals Highlighting Palette which contains three cream and one powder blush. The palette itself has moved away from the traditional 'sleek' black packaging and is a shiny gold which was a b*****d to photograph hence it's been omitted from this post. My highlighting collection doesn't contain any cream products so it was great to try something new.

The palette features a white/silver shade called Platinum and two not dissimilar colours Royal and Renaissance Gold which are obviously gold. Antique Bronze the powder highlighter is a, again as the name suggests, bronze tone which a lighter is needed. I find this not too disimilar to Magnetic Appeal from Mac which I have been using of late to give both colour and highlight in one swipe.


As I repeatedly share with you in my posts I pop my make up on during my journey to work so a palette such as this is great as of course cream products lend themselves very well to finger application.
I can't wait to get more use out of this and the eye and cheek palettes as the party season approaches.

And finally to end on please enjoy my littel gif I put together from the fashion show at the event, when two pictures call for such a creation you can't ignore it.
e You at M
Do any of these palettes sound like something you'll be looking out for? And for those of you interested in swatches check out my Instagram throughout the day. 
*Pr Sample


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Monday, October 20, 2014

Bishopsgate Market

The Roadery link
The Bell & Brisket link
Spit & Roast link
The Grilling Greek link
Luardos link
The Coffee Traveller link
Yu Kyu link
Crosstown Doughnut link
Crosstown Doughnut link
Crosstown Doughnut link
I often wonder how I ever managed without Twitter. Half of the the events, products and even friends I've attended, discovered or met have been via Twitter and last week I made a food discovery, Bishopsgate Market. How did I not realise that mere minutes from my office and nestled amongst Starbucks and Pret a Manger was a haven of food trucks ready to serve up a tasty treat.

Luckily despite it having escaped me through Summer it was now moved to a Friday slot during October so I took myself for a stroll last Friday to see what was on offer. 

The market kicks off at 1145am and I anticipated it being rather busy so headed down for about 1230pm and was surprised to see things weren't as manic as I expected. Due to the variety of food available and the simple menus turnaround was swift and plenty of seating was to be found as long as you don't mind climbing in amongst other groups of people.

It's a perfect spot to break up the monotony of the usual lunch fair and I was truly spoilt for choice, pork from The Roadery, chicken and pitta from the Grilling Greek or a favourite of my chicken katsu curry from Yu Kyu. I finally decided upon buttermilk chicken with coleslaw and spicy sauce in the perfect brioche bap from Spit & Roast as it was a combo I'd been craving for some time and it did not disappoint.

Buttermilk Chicken link
Vanilla Glaze & Chocolate Ganache Doughnuts link
I was tempted in the spirit of blog research of course to try a few other delights but instead I went to Crosstown Doughnuts and picked up some treats to share with my colleagues. I kept things simple and went for Vanilla Glazed and Chocolate Ganache which one friend described as 'fairies dancing in my mouth' after a taste. 

Having raved about Bishopsgate Market to my colleagues and with payday on the horizon this week I think it's time for a work outing. If you fancy visiting yourself (and I'd highly recommend it) you can find Bishopsgate Market on the corner of Camomille and Gracechurch Streets.

Bishopsgate Market link
Only two more Friday's left in October for me to enjoy this lunchtime treat, what will I try on my next visit?

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