Monday 30 July 2012

Wales photographs


So I spent this weekend just gone in wales, I was actually there for a party but my camera seemed to be filled with shots of the surroundings rather than the actual party! Thought you might like to see them, I especially liked the doggies!









Meg x


Tuesday 24 July 2012

Jelly pong pong Irish cream pavlova lip frosting.


In my glossy box which arrived today there was an HD brow palette, I was so happy and couldn't wait to get to swatching it and trying it out etc etc, then I realised it was for blondes, I am a brunette so was not happy. However my attentions then turned to another item in the box, a cream gloss from jelly pong pong suitable for lips and cheeks. Now I love a multifunctional product, it saves on money and I think also brings a nice harmony to your face when used for both cheeks and lips.


















When I first squeezed a dollop out of the tube it looked incredibly daunting! but a lot of blending in later ( I used too much, a little goes along way with this) I had perfectly flushed cheeks with tinted lips to match. This is a very sweet smelling product, which I don't mind, but if you are not into sweet scents this might not rock your boat. However it leaves a nice dewy finish without being horrible sticky. I think this would be perfect with minimal summer time make up. I have included a picture below for reference (excuse the shiny head!, I didn't realise it was shiny and I don't think you should edit pictures of make up as it may change the look of the product,. Also, I am not in the nuddy just a strapless dress!) 


have you ever used this product, what do you think? are there any other multi products I should try?

Meg x

mini spiced banana cakes.


So I did a bit of baking yesterday ( I am a cake fiend) and made some scrumptious mini spiced banana cakes. In the picture they look very plain and boring, I would have topped them with a lovely icing but unfortunately had run out of cream cheese :(. I used this recipe as a base but made some tweaks. I swapped  pecans and sultanas for crushed walnuts and currents, replaced dark rum with a Jamaican ginger drink someone had bought back from their travels and also added a bit of ginger spice. I halved this recipe as I was making mini cupcakes yet it still looked like a cakes worth of mixture to me. The cakes themselves came out really nice, not to sweet and a succulent moist texture.

are you a banana cake fan?

Meg x

Monday 23 July 2012

Rockstar shellac nails




In this post I shared my uber sparkly coral nails which I sported for my holiday, I am now back with a very rockstar like version! A gorgeous gun-mental grey makes the base with silver sparkles added on top. I tried to get pictures to show the gorgeous glitter but it was a hard task!  These were done using shellac instead of a gel formula like my last. This involved a very similar process of each layer having to be cured and boasts similar results with a lovely smooth nail with a gorgeous colour and finish. It can really be specified how long your shellac manicure will last as it depends entirely on how your nails are looked after and what you do etc, but generally a shellac manicure will last longer than a regular nail varnish manicure ( considerably so) but less than a gel manicure. So brilliant if you don't want to commit for one colour for to long but also don't wan't the horror of chipping ( these nails kind of peel off in one if you do not want to remove them professionaly)  and unsightly polish applications. 

Do you get shellac or gel on your nails?

Meg x

Friday 20 July 2012

Tanning series: St. Moriz instant self tanning lotion, St. Tropez dupe?



The next faux glow maker to come in my series in something that has been named a St. Tropez dupe by many. This lotion I bought for a ridiculously cheap price at a local shop near my uni, i know it can be bought on ebay and online for around £3-4.  I have the lotion, but it is also available in a spray and a mousse. I actually did a full body application of this last night to prepare for a flesh baring hot tub party today ( though the weather is suggesting this is not going to happen) so all details are fresh in my mind. Firstly, the lotion itself, I am a pale skinned girl so the colour of the lotion when it dispensed out of the bottle scared me a little bit, very dark! I did toy with the idea of mixing it with a moisturiser to calm it down a bit  but we decided against it and just cracked on. Next, the application, I actually got my mum to help me a lot with my back and all the fiddly places and we found that it dried quite quickly, which would be a plus except it means you have to rub it in at full speed!the initial dark hue makes for a good guide colour and an instant Ibiza like glow. However to me it looked a bit patchy and streaky, no matter how hard we rubbed it in, so I went to bed a little apprehensive of what the morning would bring. So, I have woken up and I am actually extremely happy with the results! I keep scrutinising my body to find the streaks that plagued me the night before but they seem to have just blended in and gone. The colour is gorgeous and having used the St. Tropez spray for me the colour pay off is the same. My bed sheets are also a nice shade brown so be careful with that! 

have you got a favourite fake tan? do you go high end like St. Tropez or budget buys like St. Moriz?


Meg x

Thursday 19 July 2012

Yankee candle review


Yankee candles were once all the rage, I know now that Neom candles seems to have taken over the spotlight, but Yankee's still hold a place in many hearts. Except for mine that is! I honestly really wanted to like this little set which I purchased from e-bay via Yankee-Outlet. However the smell just wasn't there as much as I had hoped! as you can see I burnt them a lot to try and change my mind, and if I lift their lids now the and take a whiff the smell is very strong but I just can't seem to smell it when they are burning unless the candle is wafted under my nose, but I'm hardly going to do that all the time. The quality of the smell along with the price of Yankee products ( this trio of 3.7 oz candles set me back £17) really does not appeal to me and I do not find it worth it. I haven't given up completely on Yankee products, If I see a candle for cheap I may pick it up and have another go. However I know want to try Neom and see how my nose fares with their wares! ( sorry I couldn't resist)

how do you feel about Yankee products? are their any other scented candles you would reccommend?


Meg x

Friday 13 July 2012

Tanning series: Face; Clarins liquid bronze self tanning.



My bathroom is absolutely choc-a-bloc with every kind of self tanning product, from sprays to mousses and from budget buys to splurges. I decided I would go through them all one by one so I could tell you ( and remind myself) what my best and worst ones are. Today we are starting with facial tanning, and the first contestant is, Clarins liquid bronze self tanning (£17.50). I love this product, for starters I find it so easy to use, in the evening I just put some of product onto a cotton pad and sweep all over my face (avoiding my eyebrows)., and when I wake up I have a nice subtle hint of colour. I like that it doesn't transform me over night as that  doesn't exactly look natural! In the bottle it does have quite a strong smell, but whenever I use this I never find myself wrinkling my nose in disgust or wishing the smell would go away so for me the smell doesn't transfer to my face.  I never have any problems with streaks or patches and I'm not terrified of touching my face for hours as it sinks in lovely and quickly. Clarins boasts that it is "vitamin-packed" which can only mean good things for your skin, and it is also winner of " Best Face Self Tanner Harper's Bazaar Hot 100 2011" I also have a smaller version of this product for travel which just shows how much I love it!

have you tried this self tanner? do you have a favourite tanning product for your face?

Meg x

Tuesday 10 July 2012

Lips like sugar; diy lip scrub

In my bath I have an adorable little pot of a lemon meringue sugar scrub, I love using the sweet smelling and tasting granules to keep my lips smooth but i'm sure I could make one myself from things usually found in the kitchen. I would then know it is completely organic and I am not putting any nasties on my lips and would also be saving money. There are sooo many diy lip scrubs on the internet and the general rule is if they have something granulated in them (sugar is the best as you wouldn't want any stray salt getting in your mouth!) then it will work.

coconut oil + honey + sugar = a perfect pucker!

the oil will moisturise your lips while the sugar will gently exfoliate away and flaky skin and the honey will help seal in the moisture, lush! play around with the measurements until you find a consistency you like and works for you. a table spoon of both coconut oil and honey with 2 spoons of sugar is a good place to start. Just be careful you don't get tempted to eat it to satisfy a serious sweet tooth craving!

Meg x



Sunday 8 July 2012

Clinique anti blemish solutions; antibacterial face and body soap




I have been banging on a  lot lately about how badly my skin broke out on holiday, I don't think my skin has ever been as bad as it was. On my 'using up euros' shopping trip on my last day I picked up this Clinique soap for 10 euros;




My mum swears by clinique and has been religiously using one of their soaps on her face for as long as I can remember, so I thought I would give it a go! I have been using this soap since I got back from holiday in the early hours of the 26th of June, every morning and evening. And it is working! slowly but surely my skin is becoming clearer and feeling softer. The bar itself is very big and I feel like I am going to get a good run out of this product and if it keeps going how it is I am sure I will be repurchasing. 

do you have any holy grail skin products? 

                                                                        Meg x



Saturday 7 July 2012

A cheap hair miracle


Bleaching + a sun and sea filled holiday = tresses in dire need of some lovin'! When I came back from holiday I not only had skin that had erupted but my hair had turned to straw, my friend even commented that my head looked like a ball of candy floss, not the look I was going for! I went into town with my friend and gave myself a budget for clothes and something for my locks. Panic ensued when I was in Primark having spent my budget and no time to go Boots or Superdrug, then this little flask of Argan oil caught my eye. At £2.50 I thought it was a little bit steep for such a small amount of product and Primark for me did not exactly scream "quality!" however I picked it up and rushed home to try it. After washing and towel drying my hair I went to put a bit of oil on the ends before blow drying, this was my first surprise! I expected quite a cheap watery oil but it was thick and I only needed the smallest amount, this made the price seem pretty reasonable. Then after drying my hair I was amazed! It was so soft and shiny and felt better than it had in weeks! If you are battling with dry hair I would definitely recommend this, especially as a "first time" product. I also found out from a friend that she swears by Primark lashes! maybe I should have a little more faith in the Primark beauty stand.

Have you ever tried any beauty products from primark? what do you think?

Meg x

Tuesday 3 July 2012

first attempt; leopard pint nails with no nail art tools.



So this is my first attempt at leopard print nails, I dont think it went too bad especially as I do not have any nil art tools. You will have to excuse the picture as I didn't have time to clean up around the edges of my nails :(
Anyway I started with a Rimmel clear base coat, followed by two coats of a shimmery pearly white which is unbranded as far as I know. I then used a biro ( I would use a cocktail stick but we didn't have any) to dot OPI's rising star over my nails. Then as I do not own a black nail art pen I used a liquid eyeliner which once covered once again with my clear Rimmel polish was a good as anything, and a lot easier to control too!

Meg x

Sunday 1 July 2012

Clinique chubby stick review





While on holiday I thought I would do a bit of shopping at the end to finish of my euros. My beauty related purchases were; this chubby stick from clinique which I had been eying since it had been released ( I bought it for 15 euros with a discount). I bought in shade Mega Melon as I am still on my coral-y orange phase for summer. I'm actually really pleased with this purchase, it is lovely and moisturising with a nice shine and also a subtle hint of colour, like a balm, lipstick and gloss in one! I find it very easily to apply, even if I don't have a mirror I can sweep it on like a balm, with a mirror I kind of 'colour in' my lips with more precision like a lipstick. It looks like it will last a while as I only need a few swipes for my desired colour, so fingers crossed! I also bought a face and body soap from clinique formulated for break outs and spot prone skin as my face definitely took a turn for the worst on holiday! I have been using it twice and day and will give a bit of time before I give my verdict.

Meg x