Fifteen Festive Favourites Tag

For me Christmas really is the most wonderful time of the year. This year is going to be a little tricky, it's the first year without my incredible mum but I'm still trying my upmost to get into the festive spirit. With an 8 year old it's super important that we make the big day a special as it's always been. Plus it will be my little boy's first Christmas so there's still a lot to look forward to.

I love a good Tag post and I love Christmas so the Festive 15 tag is right up my chimney (that sounds so wrong but what the heck). Thank you to the very lovely Helen from Loves & Loathes for the nomination.

Okay, let's get on with it: 

1. Favourite Festive Food - Oh man, I love it ALL. Just everything. Mince Pies, Stollen, Christmas Pudding, Gingerbread Lattes... the list goes on.

2. Favourite Reindeer Rudolf. That nose is too cool, right?

3. Favourite Day of Christmas - That's a toss up between Christmas Eve & the big day itself. The anticipation and excitement of Christmas Eve is just so magical but Christmas it's even better! 

4. Favourite Christmas Song - Another tough one. I love all the oldies but you really can't beat a bit of diva with Mariah Carey's 'All I Want For Christmas'. Don't judge me! 

5. Favourite Christmas Present - Alllll of them! Gotta love some crisp new PJs though. 

6. Favourite Festive Film - Elf. Can't get enough. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation is a very close second. 

7. Favourite Cracker Toy - The teeny tiny plastic moustache you basically stick up your nose. Which is always far too small. You know it's gonna hurt but stick it up your nose we still do. 

8. Favourite Cracker Joke - The more rubbish the better. Something like 'what did one snowman say to the other? I can smell carrots *sigh*.

9. Favourite Christmas Decoration - The Tree. And all my Xmas scented Yankee candles with their matching festive shades. Love buying a new load each year and burning them all through December. 

10. Favourite Christmas Candle Scent
Ohhh I should have read the questions better before I started writing them. Anything cinnamon-y. 

11. Favourite Christmas Advert - Two words. John Lewis.

12. Favourite Festive Tradition - There are just too many to pick. Elf on the Shelf is a new addition to the Rumble household this year and I can see this becoming a firm favourite. 

13. Favourite Place to Spend Christmas - with my amazing family at home. I once spent Xmas & New Years in Florida with my parents and some very special family friends - that was a great great time.

14. Favourite Christmas Fact - something to do with Father Christmas being dressed in Green before Coca Cola got hold of him and turned him red. Unless that's just made up fact. 

15. Favourite Snowman Accessory - It's allll about the carrot nose. 

So there are my festive 15 faves! I now tag the gorgeous Naddy from A Life Of Retail Therapy & Marie from Rainbows & Unicorns.

Wishing you all a very very merry Christmas! 

Lots of love and Xmas fun, Emma XOXO

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 

5 Product Face Tag

So, hands up. I'm a complete make-up addict. 

On a typical average day I'll use around 14 different cosmetics on my face. Yep, 14. (Primer, foundation, concealer, powder, bronzer, blusher, highlighter, eyeshadow primer, eyeshadows x2, eyeliner, mascara, eyebrow pencil, lipgloss). 

Do I need all of that day to day? Nope, definitely not. 

If I'm in a rush I will simplify my 'routine' but the truth is I love the process of applying it just as much as I love buying it & wearing it.  The more the merrier in my book. Don't get me wrong, I don't bust a drag queen look but less is more certainly does not apply not me. 

I first saw the '5 Product Face Tag' on YouTube and then Alison from Rock & Glitter posted her 5 which spurred me to join the bandwagon. 

The concept is what the title suggests, makeup using just 5 products. (Shock, horror). I'm not one to shy away from a challenge, and let's face it this was going to take to some serious thought. 

Not only did I manage it but I was actually pretty impressed what you can achieve with a handful of products. 

Here are the 5 I went with.

Foundation: Original bareMinerals foundation in 'Fairly Light'. £25

I'm a huge fan of this powder foundation. I went for this as it's totally buildable and can double up as concealer if you switch to a smaller brush if you're having a good skin day. 

Blusher: Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in 'Etheral Glow'. £28

One of my all time faves. The swirly mixture of colour and Ambient Lighting powder gives you two products in one. Great cheek colour and then a touch of subtle highlight in one swipe. I used a pencil brush to pick out the lighting powder to pop some under my eyebrows and down my nose for a touch of highlight. 

Eyeshadow: Maybelline 24 hour Colour Tattoo in 'Pink Gold'. £4.99

The colour tattoos are one of my favourite drugstore eyeshadows. They are seriously long wearing so you can totally skip an eyeshadow primer. I applied mine with a brush and took a few seconds to blend well to avoid a harsh edge. 

Soap & Glory Archery 2-in-1 Eyebrow Pencil & Brush in 'Hot Chocolate'. £8

Love this eyebrow pencil, easy to apply and long wearing. I used my imagination and doubled this up as an eyeliner too. Genius!

Mascara: L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes so couture in 'Black'. £10.99

Great mascara. Gives volume and length. Doesn't clump or flake. 

So there you have it. I was actually happy with the result. I would totally do a 5 product face if I was short of time. Perhaps adding a little under eye concealer. And a touch of lipstick. Oh and maybe a swipe of lipgloss.... 

I tag YOU. Do a 5 product face and share! What 5 products would you use? 

Check out a full review of the Soap & Glory eyebrow pencil here. 

I'm off to pop on some lipgloss! 

Love Emma 

XOXO