Fabulous Finds - Put a pin in it

As a mum I don't have a great deal of time to myself in the morning. I get a few minutes to get ready and have to make the choice between makeup or hair. 99 times out of 100 I'll opt for makeup, which means my poor ol' hair gets pulled back into a pony or stuffed up into a scruffy attempt at a bun. I just don't have the time to rock a neat & pulled together up do. 

I love any product that helps me to look better whilst saving me time & I think I've found a really great little item, a nifty quick 'Fabulous Find'. 

Whilst browsing the hair accessories in Boots I spotted the Goody Simple Styles Spin Pins (£5.49). These coiled little spring type golden pins come in a pack of two & the box says they replace 20 bobby pins. Sold! 

So, to use them you simple put your hair into a ponytail, twist the pony into a bun shape and then very easily twist the pins in the bun, one at the bottom & one at the top.

I was very sceptical, I have medium length hair but I have a lot of it. A serious amount of thick curly heavy hair. Would two little springs be able to hold it all in place securely? (Normally in my hair an up do requires 2 hair bands, 40 bobby pins and 2 full cans of hairspray, almost!).

The answer is yes!! The spin pins are genius. They take all of 4 seconds to twist in and to take them out you just twist them back the other way. They don't dig into your scalp like bobby pins can sometimes do (& then you can never find the single pin causing the pain & have to star over!). 

The pins are slightly flexible meaning that they can adjust to hold as much hair weight as you need them too. 

If you've got finer hair you may only need to use one Spin Pin, for me 2 is perfect. I can use them to hold a pretty neat bun or hold a more relaxed up-do that looks put together without actually trying. They keep the style all day long securely without being painfully too tight. 

You can start with a high ponytail, low or even a side one to give you different looks. Once they're spun in they're not visible and they really do hold! I got the longer style pins for lighter hair (as this was the only variety Boots had at the time) but you can also pick them up in a darker colour or in a shorter length too. 

For someone short of time like me they're definitely a Fabulous Find! Have you tried the Spin Pins or have any other tricks for super quick hair styles? 

Read about a healthy ice cream Fabulous Find here! 

I'm off to up my hair do! 

Love Emma 

XOXO 

September Favourites

It's that time once again, it's the end of the month which means favourites! Here are the products I've been using & loving throughout September. 

Sally Hansen Sugar Coat Textured Nail Colour (£6.99)

L-to-R: Pink Sparkle (230), Royal Icing (210), Red Velvet (240), Treat-Heart (220).

My lovely hubbie bought these for me (isn't he good?) a little while ago but I've been wearing them nonstop this month. They've got a rough texture to them, exactly like sugar (funny that). They're almost matte with a subtle shimmer/glitter but the best thing is that they are so long wearing. My daughter calls the blue one 'Frozen nail varnish', it has that ice/frost look to it which I love. 

Yankee Candle in 'Vanilla Chai' (£7.99 for a small jar)

I'm obsessed with Yankee & this candle smells good enough to eat, the perfect Autumn smell. Seriously can't get enough of it. 

Dove Advanced Hair Series Pure Care Dry Oil Shampoo & Conditioner for 'Dull/Dry Hair' (£5.99 each)

These contain 'precious oil' but aren't greasy whatsoever. (Precious oil sounds a bit Lord of the Rings doesn't it?). They leave my hair so smooth & soft, plus they smell lovely too. Really great products for the price. 

Bomb Cosmetics Cleansing Shower Butter in 'Mint Choc Chip' (£7.99)

Another product that smells good enough to eat! At first I though this was just a novelty product looking at the colour but I really love it. You scoop a bit out and it melts under hot running water. It smells insanely good, has a really soft lather which is so creamy and moisturising. It contains essential oils & shea butter and makes showering a pleasure! 

Joe & Seph's Gourmet Popcorn (£19.99 for 6 bags with delivery)

L-to-R: Caramel with Espresso, Gin & Tonic, Apple & Cinnamon, Belgian Chocolate with Mint, Mince Pie, Brandy Butter. 

I first discovered this incredible popcorn whilst away on holiday this month. I scoffed a bag of Mijito flavour in record time. As soon as we got back I couldn't wait to get my hands on more. They make the most amazing and unique flavours that taste soooo good & are ridiculously moorish. I'm going to attempt to keep some of these for Christmas (who am I kidding?!). 

So there are my September loves, what products have your been reaching for nonstop this past month? 

I'm off to NOT eat my popcorn, 

Love Emma 

XOXO 

Silent Sunday 28/9/14

One Lovely Blog Award!

Today's post is another short but sweet one. There are a lot of Awards and Tags doing the rounds at the moment, which I absolutely love. It's so nice to find out just a little more about the writers of your favourite blogs. 

Talking of favourite blogs the very lovely Brenda at Brenda BusyBee has nominated me for the "One Lovely Blog Award" - thank you!  Make sure you head over to Brenda's blog and show her some lovin'! 

So, the rules to the award are as follows: 

1. Thank the person nominating you and link back to them in your post

2. Share seven things about yourself

3. Nominate other bloggers you admire

4. Contact your chosen bloggers to let them know

So, here are 7 things about me: 

1. A slightly too hot bath, comfy PJs, & a big fluffy blanket is my idea of bliss. 

2. I have two budgies, called Messi & Jessie. (My daughter named Messi after Lionel Messi in her World Cup excitement. I may also have a little crush on him. Nothing at all to do with the fact he's worth a gazillion pounds at alllll). 

3. Ludacris is one of my all time favourite artists. 

4. I could eat chocolate for breakfast, lunch and dinner every single day & I would never ever get bored. (I could, but I don't!).

5. I really want pink hair, or at least some of it to be pink.

6. I've already started buying things for Xmas. Shopaholic? Me? 

7. I could watch my baby boy suck his thumb for hours (not that he actually sucks it for hours but you know what I mean). 

I now nominate: 

Chocolate & Lipstick 

Loves & Loathes 

Fizzy Peaches 

Thank you for reading, YOU are lovely! You can read my Liebster Award here.

I'm off to feed Messi & Jessie, 

Love Emma XOXO 

Tried & Tested - First Aid Beauty Eye Duty Triple Remedy

I am obsessed with the beautifully creamy First Aid Beauty Face Cleanser. So much so that I've bought a spare so that I never have to be without. My love for this facial wash made me absolutely want to try more of the products the brand had to offer.

Whilst making my last online order for the Face Cleanser I also added the First Aid Beauty Eye Duty Triple Remedy to my basket (£26 for 10ml). 

Relatively new to the UK I'd read a lot of hype and seen a few YouTube videos featuring this eye cream so couldn't wait to try it out. 

I wanted an eye cream that would help get rid of my dark circles and lack-of-sleep puffiness whilst delivering long term wrinkle fighting benefits and reading the product description this seemed like the product I was looking for. This eye treatment claims to brighten, de-puff & smooth.

It contains a whole host of magical ingredients: 

Retinyl Palmitate - to support natural collagen production 

Licorice Root - to reduce the look of dark circles

Caffeine - to enhance blood flow to help puffiness

Coralline Extract - to condition and nourish 

Glycerin - to hydrate and plump the skin
FAB Antioxidant Booster - to fight free radicals.

Sounds pretty good, right? I've used it now for just under a month, here's what I think! 

Firstly, this eye cream comes complete with a stainless steel applicator, which is shaped like the tip of your little finger. You simply dot a tiny amount of the cream under your eye and use the metal tip to smooth it in. I absolutely love applying eye cream like this. The metal is cold which helps reduce puffiness, it also feels sooo soothing too. So much nicer than using your boring old warm finger!

The cream itself has a pinky peach tone which surprised me, I'm so used to eye products being white. The colour is supposed to contain light reflective pigments to give you a bright & youthful look. That's exactly what it does. It gives you an immediate fresh look to your under eye, not as covering as a concealer but a real good start. 

It's lovely & lightweight, it sinks in really quick & creates the perfect base for makeup. My concealer doesn't crease and applies beautifully when I've used this. I hate it when an eye cream leaves your under eye an oily greasy mess and this certainly doesn't - it's the perfect balance between being moisturising and matte. 

I really enjoy using it. My dark circles are definitely still there but they don't seem to be as dark. It really does reduce puffiness straight away. I haven't noticed much difference with my fine lines but I would expect to have to use this much longer than 4 weeks to see any change there. I love the fact the colour brightens immediately. 

Would I repurchase it? Yes. At £26 it isn't cheap however for the immediate effects I give it a huge thumbs up. I'm excited to see if the wrinkle fighting ingredients work their magic in the near future. 

Any negatives? Unfortunately yes, but probably my fault. The first time I used I stupidly squeezed the tube whilst trying to remove the lid. Even though there is a tiny stopper built into the lid, quite a bit of the product squirted out into it before I managed to get the lid off. I did manage to scrape it out with a cotton bud thankfully. I now remember to gently pull off the lid without holding on to the tube too hard or squeezing it. 

Have you tried any of First Aid Beauty's products? What's your favourite? 

Read 'Simple Step for Sparkling Skin' featuring FAB's Face Cleanser here! 

I'm off to re-puff my bags! 

Love Emma 

XOXO 

A clean start - 9 days of detox

Whilst I was pregnant with my son I had pretty bad morning sickness & food aversions. For the first 3 months I could only stomach pizza and pasta. So pizza and pasta I ate every day for weeks. And weeks. Needless to say I gained 3 stone during those long 9 months. 

The first 28 pounds dropped off relatively easy but the final 14 pounds have kindly hung around to remind me of my crazed Italian food cravings. 

To add to that a week away, where we completely & utterly overindulged, has left me feeling uncomfortable, bloated and basically like a big fat slug.

On top of this my caffeine consumption is frankly out of control. Lack of sleep with the baby has led me to drink about 5 or 6 cups a day, mostly all before lunch. Just too much. Far far too much. My will-power has been rubbish. I know I need to eat better but I'm just not doing it. 

I need to make a change and do something positive. I've lost a fair bit of weight before on Slimming World, which I absolutely loved and found ever so simple. Slimming World got me to the lightest weight I've ever been in my adult life. I want to go back to the heathy balanced diet that Slimming World keeps you on but this time my motivation has been lacking big time. Boy do I need a blimin' big kick up the bum. 

I was talking to my bestie Laura Willis, about how I've been feeling (slug alert) when she mentioned the Forever Living Clean 9 programme. 

I read up some info about what it involves and decided this is exactly what I need to get back on track. My body is in major need of a break and Clean 9 could do this & more. 

Put together by Forever Living, the aloe vera specialists, their 9 day detox plan, Clean 9, sets you on the path for a "cleaner, healthier happier you whilst cleansing your body of unnatural chemicals". 

Clean 9 is basically a 9 day eating & diet detox plan involving meal replacement shakes, supplements & calorie controlled meals. In the kit you get everything you need (bar your evening meals) for the whole 9 days plus full instructions. 

My husband & I have both bought Clean 9. (There was no way I can do a detox if he were still eating & drinking normally around me!). We are actually looking forward to being on a strict controlled diet but we're also under no ill illusions. 

Cutting out coffee & all drinks, except water, skipping snacks and replacing meals with shakes isn't going to be a walk in the park, especially for someone with a caffeine addiction like mine! 

Here's what you get in your Forever Clean 9 kit:

3 x 1ltr bottles of Aloe Vera Gel

Aloe leaf contains over 200 different compounds which help maintain a healthy digestive system and a healthy energy level. 

Forever Lite Ultra with Aminontein Shake (Vanilla or chocolate, I went with vanilla) plus a shaker 

You mix this meal replacement shake powder with milk or soya milk. It's high in protein and 2 shakes provide 100% RDA of vitamins and minerals. It contains a blend of enzymes designed to break down the protein in your diet. 

Forever Garcinia Plus softgels

These aid natural metabolism, help lower cholesterol and fatty acids. They also aid the development of healthy hair, nails and skin. 

Forever Bee Pollen tablets 

Bee pollen contains vitamins C, D, E, K, beta carotene, B complex, minerals, enzymes, co-enzymes, plant-source fatty acids, carbohydrates, proteins and 22 amino acids. It can also assist in maintaining a healthy circulatory, digestive, immune and nervous system. 

(Victoria Beckham tweeted her love for bee pollen a little while ago, ohhhhh!)

You also get a full guide, a measuring cup for your aloe & a tape measure (to measure your inch loss). 

The plan has two stages, days one-two and then days three-nine. Day 1 and 2, apart from your aloe & supplements you have no food whatsoever (yikes) except a shake at lunch. Day 3 to 9 you have a shake for breakfast, another for lunch and then a 600 calorie dinner, again combined with the aloe & supplements. 

One of the great things about a programme like Clean 9 is that you don't just detox, you are also likely to loose a little weight too. Double thumbs up for me right there. However, we don't want to use this as just a quick fix weight loss. I need to ween myself of caffeine and get a much needed kick start to a healthier eating lifestyle too. So, we've already started Clean 9 but I'm going to write about the journey & our results once we've finished so this isn't the longest post known to mankind. 

Make sure you stay tuned (does that phrase even apply to a blog?) or make sure you stay logged on (?) for part 2! I'm hoping for a positive success story but time will tell, thankfully only 9 days!! 

You can read a lovely guest post Laura Willis wrote for me about 'how to feed veg to your fussy little ones' here!
If you would like more information on Clean 9 or any of Forever Living products you can contact Laura through her Facebook page (here). 

I'm off to drink some water, 

Love Emma 

   

Fabulous Finds - A Treat for Travel

Today's post isn't so much of a brand new Fabulous Find, it's more of a product I've been meaning to write about since the start of my blog. 

Say hello to the Olay Essentials Daily Facial Cloths. 

What are they? They are basically single use facial cloths impregnated with a creamy foaming facial wash. I use the sensitive kind, which contain aloe, chamomile extract & vitamin E plus they are soap & fragrance free. They lift away dirt, makeup and even waterproof mascara. 

These are not a new skincare product at all, my mum had used these cloths for years & years, & I have been too the last few years on certain occasions. 

So, why am I telling you about these little facial cloths? Well, they are dry until you add water to create the foam. Being dry and no bigger than a tissue makes them the ultimate travel companion. 

If you need to keep your luggage weight low, only wish to take an overnight bag or are flying with only hand luggage these are your new best friend. 

They weigh as light as a feather, take up no space & you don't need to worry about taking a liquid facial cleanser. You can pack a weeks worth of facial wash literally in your pocket & your airline definitely won't confiscate these when you go through the bag check. 

At only £4.99 for a box of 30 they're not a bank buster. (They're normally on a 3 for 2 in Boots). I use the Sensitive ones but they're available in Normal/Dry skin too. 

They actually do a pretty good job at make up removal. You just add water, rub slightly to lather & then use the cloth to give your face a good scrub. They're not drying on the skin & they don't sting your eyes either when taking off eye makeup. 

I always take these away with me. To be honest I wouldn't use these all year round at home but for a trip away you can't beat them. They're great for your gym bag, hospital bag or any bag you like! 

Next time you're packing for a holiday or trip and are short of space have a think about switching your bottle of cleanser or squeezy tube of facial wash for these little cloths. You won't arrive at your destination to find they've leaked all over the place that's for sure! 

Have you used the Olay Daily Facial Cloths? Do you have any other Fabulous Finds for travel? 

Read about a Fabulous Find all about healthy ice cream here! 

I'm off to wash my face, 

Love Emma 

XOXO  

Life's Greatest Mysteries!

Whilst writing a post the other day, about the Soap & Glory Supercat Fat Eyeliner & that how I can master one eye but not the other, it got me thinking about more of life's greatest mysteries. Things that happen that you just can't explain.... real super serious stuff *major sarcasm alert*! 

Here are just a few things I can't get my sleep deprived head around. 

~ Why does Coca Cola taste so much better out of a glass bottle? And if you're drinking out of that glass bottle whilst being abroad it's the greatest drink known to mankind. 

~ You can never ever find a pen when you need one. Especially if you're on the phone. 

~ Why is it that you can fall asleep watching a movie at home but you are guaranteed to wake the second the end credits start rolling?

~ Why do your door or car keys go missing the second you want to leave the house? *They were riiiiight there?!*

~ You've waited in all day for a delivery, watching out the window for the postman like a creeper but when you check the letter box there's a 'sorry we missed you' card!! How is that even possible? 

~ You're eating a Kit-Kat Yum. You reach for the second finger and it's gone? Who the hell stole that?! I mean you didn't eat it, right?  

~ When applying fake eyelashes one goes on first attempt like a dream. The second takes 37 attempts. (And when you do finally get it on looking half decent you realise you've stuck them on the wrong eyes.)

~ You're all set on the sofa in front of the TV. Under a blanket, cushions perfectly placed. Drink on the side, snack on your lap, dog curled up on your feet.... and the TV remote control has completely disappeared. Absolutely nowhere to be found. 

~ The one day you decide to nip out without makeup & your hair is scruffed up you are absolutely guaranteed to run into at least 5 different people you know. The day your hair is perfect and your makeup is flawless you won't see a single person. (And then it will start to rain.)

~ You've always got a purse full of loose change. There's extra in your coat pocket and loads in the ashtray of your car. Except when you park your car and need money for the ticket machine. Then all you have is 16p in coppers and a few Euros. And 7 pens you could have done with when you were on the phone earlier.

Totally life's greatest mysteries right there! Bermuda Triangle what? What other puzzlers can you add to the list? 

Read '20 ways you know you're a new mum' here. 

I'm off to find my door keys, 

Love Emma

XOXO

Silent Sunday 21/9/14

Blogger Tag!

Hello you beauties. Today's post is the Blogger Tag. A huge big thank you to the lovely Brenda from Brenda BusyBee for tagging me. (Brenda writes an incredible Beauty & Lifestyle blog so go check her out.)

So, let's just jump straight in. 

1. What is your favourite beauty product?

This is actually a toughy. At the moment it has to be a toss up between the Original Foundation from bareMinerals & Nars Pro Prime Eyeshadow Base. 

The bareMinerals foundation is one I've been using for over 7 years & will continue to do so. 

As a person with oily eyelids the Nars Pro Prime has changed my eyeshadow game. This bad boy keeps my eye shadow on all day & night. When I go to take it off in the evening it still looks exactly as it did when I applied it. 

2. If you could travel anywhere in the world where would it be and why?

Right now with all this rain I'd have to say back to The Body Holiday Le Sport in St Lucia. We had our honeymoon here and it was incredible. Elemis Spa treatments every single day? Yes please. (The pic above is of the spa.... *sigh*.)

3. What is your all time favourite brand?

I first read this as band & started writing about my love for New Kids On The Block. Thank god I read back the question! 

Anyway, bareMinerals has to be my all time fave. Their foundation was one of the only products I could get back in the day that actually matched my super pale skintone. It's a product I still love and use now which is saying something. My obsession now includes their blushers and eyeshadows too. 

4. Do you collect anything, if so what is it?

Makeup, nail varnishes, body products.... No surprises there. Oh, & pretty stationery. 

5. Early bird or night owl?

As a mum of two I'm an early bird. If I have a late night my little bubba's will be up at the crack of dawn anyway so in normally tucked up by 11pm. 

6. Tea or coffee?

Oh coffee, coffee, coffee. Cappuccino, Latte, Americano, I love them all. I'm that person that will eat the coffee chocolate in a selection box first. I might have a decaf tea in the afternoon but coffee rules my world. 

7. What is your favourite TV show?

This is another tricky one. I'm currently loving True Blood (I'm quite behind but after reading all the books I just had to watch it). All time fave has to be Friends. Timeless comedy right there. Oh & what about Dawson's Creek.... 

8. If you could travel to any era what would it be?

It's got to be the 40's. For the outfits, the hair, the makeup... stylish, chic and classy. 

So, there you have my Blogger Tag! 

I now tag: 

Angela from Chocolate & Lipstick  & Helen from Loves & Loathes. Your questions are the same as above! 

I'm off to buy some more makeup! 

Love Emma 

XOXO 

My First Blogger Swap Box!

I'm a relatively newbie blogger, I'll have been posting two months at the end of September. In this short time I've learnt a serious amount and met some amazing people. 

One of these amazing people is the lovely Angela from Chocolate & Lipstick. Angie's blog is a superb beauty & lifestyle blog which I absolutely love reading. As a trained Beauty Therapist & Makeup Artist (as well as being a mum of two like me) Angie's opinion is one that I fully trust, her posts are such an enjoyable read (not to mention the stunning photographs!).

A little while back Angie & I agreed to do a Blogger's Swap Box. I had no idea what this was but when Angie explained the premise - to buy products for your swap partner within a certain budget - I couldn't wait to go shopping! We set a £20 price tag and the date to post. When Angie's box arrived I was beyond excited. She had already shown me a sneak peak on Instagram without giving away any of its contents. 

Now, let me just say that Angie is the ULTIMATE shopper. Seriously. My box was heavy, packed to the brim with bubble wrapped products tucked under pretty pink paper stuffing. Sitting on top was a lovely thank you card, with no clue to the contents of the box.... the excitement was building big time! I couldn't wait to dig in. 

I cannot believe just how much Angie got for the £20 budget. 14 beauty items. Yes, 14. Astonishing. So, here's what I received: 

Makeup Revolution Blush & Contour palette in 'Hot Spice'

Now, I love me some blush. It's one of my buying guilty pleasures so this palette is spot on. 8 beautiful colours, both matte & shimmery shades. Stunning. They swatched perfectly, can't wait to get wearing them. 

Elf Brush Shampoo

I think Angie may be a mind reader, my current shampoo has about one use left so a replacement was on my to-buy list. 

L to R: 

Pink Tease Bronzer in 'Blush'

A great shade, really buildable colour.  Angie says this is perfect for contouring. 

Makeup Revolution Mono Eyeshadow in 'Hung Up'

I love this colour, it's seriously pretty. A shimmering taupe brown with what looks like almost a touch of lilac. This will be a go-to for sure. 

Makeup Revolution Blushes in 'Sugar' & 'Hot'

Two beautiful shades. Totally my cup of tea. Really pigmented pinks. Thumbs up from me.

NYC Individual Eyes in 'Smokey Blues'

A cute pocket sized eyeshadow palette created for blue eyes. It contains a base primer, 4 eyeshadows & a cream illuminator. On the back are instructions of where to apply each shade. Looks like a fab idea to me! 

NYC Cityproof Twistable Intense Lip Colour in 'Riverside Rose'

A chubby twist up lipstick pencil. I've been wanting to try one of these so excited to try it out. Exactly the shade I would have chosen. 

Makeup Revolution Lipstick in 'The One'

I love me a nude lipstick so this looks perfect. Really creamy and pigmented. 

Two Pink Tease Lipsticks

I can't seem to find their colour names but that so doesn't matter as these two shades are lovely.

L to R: NYC, Makeup Revolution, Pink Tease x 2. 

Superdrug Face Cleansing Wipes for Sensitive Skin

These take off even waterproof mascara, hello!! 

L to R: 

Y.E.T Don't Worry Mask Sheet in 'Bee my Love' 

How adorable is the packaging? I've never used a sheet mask before, this one looks yummy! 

Superdrug Sugar & Spice Self Heating Face Mask

This has cinnamon sticks on the packet. I absolutely LOVE cinnamon. *Excited dance* 

So, there you have the contents of my Blogger Swap Box. I am totally & utterly thrilled. All the products are right up my street, Angie did the most amazing job selecting them all for me. (Thank you Angie *hugs*). I think perhaps Angie should start her very own Beauty Box company, it would be a massive success!! 

Check out the box I put together for Angie, plus your chance to get involved with a Blogger Swap Box, over on Chocolate & Lipstick here.

I'm off to put on a face mask! 

Love Emma

XOXO