A Cheeky Shopping Trip ;)

Lately I've been staying fairly well behaved when it comes to spending, what with christmas, then not having a job for a few weeks but when I found out I'd got my new job I went out on a little trip to celebrate and buy myself a few treats. In my defense I also bought most of Daniels valentines gifts on the same trip so I didn't JUST spend money one me :)
Here's what I bought myself, by the way, I apologize for the terrible photos, they were taken on my phone as I was doing some late night tidying.

My first stop was Space NK where I picked up this pretty Rococo nail varnish. It's the first varnish of theirs that I've tried and I must say I am impressed. I have a review coming up for you when I'm back from Tenerife :)

Next up I popped in to The Body Shop to take a look at their mineral foundation £15 because I've heard that it is a good comparison to the Bare Minerals version. I picked one up in the shade Natural Vanilla (not the lightest for a change!) and so far so good, again, review to come next week! Whilst I was there I was drawn in by one of their fab offers; if you spend £18 on makeup and/or skin care at the moment you get a full sized body butter worth £13 free. Don't mind if I do! To round my spend up a bit I picked up a travel sized cleanser and toner to try out since my usual Lush goodies are pretty chunky and wouldn't really fit in my over full suitcase. The lovely sales lady recommended the aloe cleanser to cool me off after a day in the sun and the seaweed toner because it's packed full of vitamins and minerals. When I left she also popped a few face cream samples in to my bag from the aloe and seaweed ranges too for me to pack which I thought was quite sweet even if she just wanted me to come back and buy more!

Next stop was WHS because I like to have a good snoop around the books and they tend to have some good offers on, as you can see from the BIG RED STICKERS on my new Mary Berry cookery book. Such a sweet little old lady. I love baking, I don't write about it often on here, but we do quite a lot of baking in this house (Would you like me to share baking posts more often?) As you can see, I got this book as part of a 2 for £10 deal and since Daniel won't see this before valentines day it won't ruin any surprises for me to say that the other book I bought was a yummy looking mexican cookery book for him to enjoy :)

Finally, being totally hooked on chocolate, I stopped off at the Thorntons outlet that we're lucky enough to have in Bath (sandwiched between Whittard and Ann Summers down near Southgate if you happen to be local) and managed to pick up this huge minty box of fabbyness for £7 down from £20ish. Being a complete old lady, after taking this I popped the mint humbugs in a little bag to keep in my handbag...old before my time I know *face palm*

So thats my little celebration haul. I also spent lots in Lush and Molton Brown on Daniels treats as well as his book and a heart shaped chocolate lollie for him to look cute eating :)
Annie x
*ps, I'm away until 17th and this post is scheduled so if you comment and don't get a reply, I promise it's not that I'm ignoring you! <3*

Body Shop Chocomania Beautifying Oil Review

Hello,
I have a nice day planned today. I'm off into town with Daniel to do a spot of shopping and then its on over to a friends house for paella and movies in front of their freakishly large tv so I'm a very happy lady today.

Its no secret that I love the Chocomania range from The Body Shop so when I heard that they were releasing a range of beautifying oils for your body, face and hair I ordered my chocomania scented bottle straight away.

In the bottle you get 100ml of oil for £9 which is a good size that lasts a while as you need very little each time you use it. I have had this oil for at least two months now and I've probably only used around a 5th.
What I love the most about this product is the amazing chocolate smell. There is no other chocolate scented range I have ever found which smells as amazing as this. The smell is a deep and cosy scent and I find it really comforting. After a while of being worn I find that all of the chocomania range start to soften in scent and smell a lot like a soft vanilla which is very wearable and not at all over powering.

My first concern when I bought the oil was that although it is recommended for face, body and hair, that it would cause a slight oil slick effect if I did use it on my face or hair. However, because the oil is very light and quite dry I found that on my face, if you use a light touch and only very little oil it is actually very good for providing fast hydration without leaving a greasy layer.
On hair you need to be the most careful. The first time I tried this I put a little oil on my finger tips and ran it through my fringe for some extra shine and I was just left with a greasy mess. The trick is to rub a little of the oil into your hands and then scrunch it through the tips of wet hair as you would with a mousse. This doesn't make the hair look greasy but it does keep the ends of your hair beautifully soft and gives them a little texture and definition.

I think that the design of the bottle is very good. Where such a little hole has been left in the lid, it is hard to use too much in one go which could be very easily done otherwise. I think for travel purposes I would have preferred a twist on lid so that you can be sure it wouldn't pop open and leak into your bag but thats just personal opinion and the problem could easily be avoided by wrapping the bottle in a small plastic bag before traveling.

Over all, much like the rest of the range, I really really like this Chocomania beautifying oil. Its light on the skinn, does not leave a greasy feel or look and it smells wonderful so I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a beauty oil for their hair and body but doesn't want to spend too much.
Have you tried any of the Body Shop beautifying oils? What do you think of the range?
Annie x

Payday Treats!

Hello,
Thank goodness for payday, eh? It feels nice to have some money in my account again! I spent wayyy too much last month so this time round I am going to try to be good. I have bought myself some payday treats today but for the next four weeks I am going to be as good as I can and only buy essentials...although I will not be held responsible for any TK Maxx or Home Bargains goodies that may happen to fall into my hands!

Today I have treated myself to these goodies:

1. Chocomania Beautifying Oil from The Body Shop: Strictly speaking I bought this last night during the flash sale and paid just £4.39 despite the £9.00 RRP so I regret nothing!

2. E.l.f pressed powder in Ivory: As part of my month of behaving, I have done my shop for this month's beauty bits on e.l.f instead of the usual combination of boots, Benefit and Estee Lauder. My Calvin Klein pressed powder is running out so I actually needed this so I'm not sure it can be classed as a treat?

3. 10 pairs of Thick Natural False Eyelashes: These I needed to buy ready for a play I'm in later in 17th-19th May where I play a flapper girl (FOTD to come on Sunday) and I managed to grab 10 pairs for just over £2 with free delivery. I'm not expecting much from them but I'm looking forward to having some new falsies :)

4. E.l.f Minerals Lipstick in Natural Nymph: Ok, I had no need for this but thats what treats are all about. I've wanted to try the e.l.f mineral lipsticks for a while and I adore this colour.

5. E.l.f Kabuki Face Brush: I have a mini kabuki brush from Bare Minerals and I love how well it applies make-up so I decided to try out the larger one from e.l.f. According to the website this brush is dense enough to apply both liquid and powder products so fingers crossed for a nice, high quality brush.

6. E.l.f Healthy Glow Bronzer in Luminance: I have been on the hunt for a nice fair bronzer that will suit my skin tone for quite a while and this is the lightest I've seen so I thought I'd give it a go for spring :)

7. 12 Nail Art Pens: I picked these up on Ebay for around £7 after trying the Stargazer ones in Just Beauty. I like that there is such a nice range of colours that I can use to make pretty designs. They come a lot cheaper than the Models Own Wah pens but that may reflect in the quality. We'll see! A definite review to come.

So those are my payday treats to myself. Hopefully now I've had my mini splurge I'll be able to be controlled and relatively good for the rest of the month because there truly is nothing else at all that I need!

Have you been treating yourself lately? What have you been buying?

Annie x

The Body Shop New Release!

Morning lovelies!

Yesterday I was excited to find out that The Body Shop are releasing a new product in May. What is it? An all over beautifying oil that can be used on face, body and hair for an instant hydration boost leaving skin looking radiant and silky smooth with a little shine.
The collection is being released in 11 different flavours which are Strawberry, Moringa, Mango, Chocomania, Shea, Olive, Coconut, Sweet Lemon, Pink Grapefruit, Satsuma and Cocoa Butter.
Being as obsessed as I am with the Chocomania range, that is the one I am crazy excited to try.


For £9.00 you get 100ml of the oil and as with most Body Shop products, I have been assured that it will last a nice long time as you need very little to go a long way.
As well as this, for 24 hours only you can pre-order any of the oils for a special price of £6.75 with free delivery *here* which is pretty dandy and definitely something I will be doing :) The offer is valid until 11am tomorrow so get grabbing that oil :)

I will have a review posted on this shortly, no doubt in the flavour Chocomania.

Will you be investing? Are you as in love with The Body Shop as I am?

Annie x

ps, I should probably mention that I am in no way affiliated with The Body Shop and haven't been asked to write this, I just really love the brand and the products they sell and am uber excited for the release of these oils :)

Update: You can also use the code "trial35" to get a further 35% discount on any order with no minimum spending limit :)

The Body Shop Candied Ginger Hand Cream Review

Hello!
Has everyone had a good day? I went on a trip to Ikea with mother dearest and she was lovely enough to buy me a lovely present of a large canvas picture of Three Little Owls (Búhos in other words!) I'll put up a photo after I've hung it tomorrow. Thank you mum!


On a trip to Swindon the other day I picked up a tube of The Body Shop's Candied Ginger Hand Cream. This was brought out as part of their Christmas range and can't be bought in full priced Body Shop stores at the moment, but it is floating around in a lot of their outlet stores and is definitely worth a buy.

The 50ml tube is the perfect size to keep in your handbag ready for re-applications during the day and the scent makes it a right treat when you do. The scent reminds me of the Bath Christmas market because it smells of ginger, spices and general festive goodies, along with a hint of Barley Sugar.

The formula itself is a very thick and creamy consistency which is rather hard to get out of the tube so I'm not sure how easy it will be to get out when its running low, but it does mean that a little goes a long way and the hand cream will last a nice long time. The cream sinks in to the skin beautifully leaving skin soft and instantly moisturised, a feeling that lingers for long time, even after washing hands which is something that I look for in a hand cream because my job requires a lot of hand washing which really dries out the hands.


I will admit that the smell will probably put some people off because it is strong but I personally love it and so does Daniel who I plastered in it earlier because he gets freakishly dry hands. Other than the smell however, I simply cannot knock it.


Have you tried any of the Cndied Ginger range? What do you think of the products? Do you find the smell over powering or love it as much as I do?
Annie x

Oops, I Seem to Have Been Shopping Again

Hello,
Sorry for the lack of post yesterday, I was so worn out from work I just collapsed when I got home.
Today I seem to have been spending again (oops!) as we took a trip over to Swindon to have a nosey around the outlet centre. I have to say, my main motive for wanting to visit was for one of the country's few "The Cosmetics Company Store" which is Estee Lauder's outlet store and holds brands such as Mac, Estee Lauder, Clinique and Bobbi Brown all at discounted prices, and oh god, it was worth it, I could have spent hundreds there.

I was fairly restrained today, mainly because I have so little money at the moment, but I did treat myself to a few bits and bobs.
A couple of essentials I grabbed in Sainsburys were the Nivea Visage daily essentials 2 in 1 cleanser and toner and facial cleansing wipes. All Nivea Visage is currently buy one get one free in Sainsbury's so you might like to check that out!
In The Body Shop I picked up a Hand Cleanse Gel which is coconut scented and lovely on the hands. Usually antibacterial gels sting and leave my hands dry and icky smelling so this makes a lovely change. I also bought a tube of the Candied Ginger Hand Cream which was part of the christmas line wo was reduced. This will live in my handbag too so that I can perk my hands up during the day. It smells so lovely, just like Christmas time!
Finally, my ultimate treat was the Bobbi Brown Pastel Eye Shadow Palette from The Cosmetics Company Store. This is totally beautiful. I fell in love straight away and at £20 it was a complete bargain.

I will do a full review with swatches of this palette in a little while for you but I just had to show how gorgeous is it inside. I'm in love, and I will use this far more then the Urban Decay Naked palettes that I have been lusting after for ages.
Like I say, I will write a review for the palette and I'll do reviews for the Body Shop goodies too so keep an eye out.

In other exciting news, I am now an iFabbo endorsed beauty blog! I'm really happy about this because it will allow me to get to know other iFabbo beauty bloggers and get keep up to date with blogging events as well as getting in touch with brands about product releases and other exciting things. But what makes me most proud is that it means the lovely iFabbo team have approved me as a credible source of information about beauty products and that they feel my reviews are fair and insightful. So thank you iFabbo, it makes me so happy to know that what I write here is good enough :) I feel truly privileged.

What do you think of my latest buys? Have you ever tried any of these products? Have you ever visited a The Cosmetics Company Store outlet?

Annie x

The Big Sample Survival Experiment Week one

Hello,
Hooray for Monday being out of the way, and having a few hours to relax this evening.
At the beginning of April I set myself the challenge of using up all of the samples that have been littering up the bathroom (If you saw the original post, you will know that there are a lot!) and so far, so good...ish. Let me tell you a bit about my progress.

This week I have managed to use up nine samples which sounds like quite a few, yet they don't seem to have made much of a dent in the box somehow. I have been using:

Magic Touch Whipped Body Cream

Sisley Hydra-flash

Clinique Even Better Foundation

Erno Laszlo Instant Eye Repair

The Comfort Zone Vital Leg Cream

Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula Lotion

Erno Laszlo Moisture Infusion

Body Shop Day Cream

OXI Triple Action Wipe

So a bit of a mixed selection really in regards to both product and quality but heres a little bit about each product I tried.

Magic Touch Whipped Body Cream: At first I was very happy with this cream. I used it on my eczema prone legs to test it as the skin here takes quite a lot to make it smooth. This cream was a silky smooth consistency and applied and sunk into the skin well. There was a little shimmer to the cream but this wasn't visible once rubbed in. Whilst this made my legs feel a lot more hydrated, it made them feel a little itchy and I think that has something to do with the heavily perfumed formula. I seriously did not like the smell, it was completely over powering and when I used it one night while feeling a little under the weather, the smell was enough to turn my stomach completely, it also lingers for a long time which I didn't like. Rated: 2/5

Sisley Hydra-flash: I completely fell in love with this product 100%. I used this on my face in place of my usual Neals Yard moisturiser and found myself instantly wishing I hadn't as it retails at a whopping £108 so I will never be able to afford to replace it, despite the instant love I felt. The formula is wonderful; an indulgent thick and creamy consistency that melts beautifully into the skin with little effort leaving skin feeling really soft and hydrated. The smell was also nice, very faint as I think a face product should be, and very slightly herby and fresh. Rated 5/5

Clinique Even Better Foundation: I was excited to try this because I'm a fan of high end foundations, they are nearly always worth the money because they just make skin look so much better than drugstore brands. The Even Better foundation did not disappoint on this front. Whilst the shade I had to sample was slightly too dark for my very fair skin tone, it adapted well with a bit of buffing. Although the coverage says to be light to medium, it worked well to smooth the look of blemishes and lasted a nice long time on my face without wearing off or looking shiny. Rated 4/5

Erno Laszlo Instant Eye Repair: This is a tricky one for my to write as my initial impressions were fairly good, yet I am pretty sure this is the product which caused such a traumatic allergic reaction (I still have swollen, dry eyes now!) so I am going to simply tell you what I first thought and not rate this out of 5. When using this, my eyes felt instantly refreshed, soothed and instantly hydrated after a long hard day. The creamy consistency was easy to work into such a small area and a little went a long way which is always a good thing. Even though I initially liked this product, I would never buy it because the price tag is extortionate and there are so many cheaper brands that are equally as effective.

The Comfort Zone Vital Leg Cream Gel: This is my definite favourite of the week and felt like a real treat on my legs. The idea of this product is to nourish, tone and protect legs as well as refreshing and relaxing the muscles after long periods on your feet. I really think this lives up to its claims; when I use it my legs feel relaxed, refreshed and fairly well moisturised at the same time. The smell will not be for everyone as it is herb based and smells almost medicinal  but I personally love it. Rated 5/5

Palmers Cocoa Formula Lotion: I know that most people absolutely rave about this body lotion but I'm personally not a fan, and I don't think it is anywhere near as nice as my beloved Chocomania body butter from The Body Shop (reviewed here). The formula itself is a bit too runny for my liking and I find that you need quite a lot to properly coat legs to the level I like to, I also find it a little greasy on my legs which isn't something I'm used to with such dry leggies. But what I can't stand at all is the smell. I find it way too sickly sweet to the point that its almost artificial which isn't my cup of tea. What I will say though, is that if you're looking for a quick burst of hydration, this is a great product which works well even if it isn't something I like. Rated 3/5

Erno Laszlo Moisture Infusion: Again, I find it hard to write about this product so I will keep it short and sweet. The first thing I noticed when opening this cream is the lovely smell which is nice without being over powering or offensive. Like the eye cream, this has a soft and creamy formula which feels indulgent on the skin. I do think this is best suited to very dry skin however and it is very likely you will find a product just as good with a much smaller price tag.

Body Shop Day Cream: This is definitely the biggest disappointment I faced this week. I was really excited to try this cream out but when I did I found it to be wayyy too greasy to contemplate wearing and it looked like an oil slick on my face. I have little more to say about the product really. Rated 1/5

OXI Triple Use Wipe: I was intrigued by this product because it claims so much. The wipe itself felt just as soft and gentle on the skin as a face wipe yet it worked so much better at removing dirt and make-up than a normal wipe does. I think I will be buying these again because I was so impressed. Rated 4/5

Goodness, what a wordy post, maybe I'll try and find a shorter, easier way to tell you about next weeks samples. I'm not going to be starting vlogging because I'm too shy, but I will see what I can do :) If you'd like a full review on any of these products then just let me know and I'll pop one up for you :)

Have you tried any of these? What did you think?

Annie x

The Body Shop Chocomania Lip Butter Review

Hello,
Its a lovely day here in Canterbury, all hot and sunny and there's rabbits lazing all over the grass which is pretty fab :)
A couple of weeks ago I picked up the Chocomania body butter (reviewed here) and fell in love with it. I still get way over excited about it and use it every day. Its doing wonders for my eczema scars on my legs.
After the huge success I found with the body butter I went back to get some of the lip butter, in hope that it would be just as lovely and effective. So far I haven't been disappointed.

If you read the post where I reviewed the body butter then you will know I had a horrible cold for a few days over the weekend. Thankfully the cold has gone now but it gave me a great chance to test the lip butter on some uber dry lips.
I have been so happy with this product. My lips have been drinking it up and it sinks in nice and quickly and without leaving any feeling of greasiness or stickiness which is my biggest pet peeve when it comes to lip products.
The smell is divine. Not quite as chocolatey as the body butter, and with more of a nutty edge to it, but its a smell that I'm more than happy to have near my nose :) One thing that I like about it, but maybe some people wouldn't, is that although it smells so lovely, it doesn't taste very nice at all. Which is good for me as I tend to   find myself licking it off again in an absent minded manner if lip butter tastes too nice.
Another great thing is that a little goes a long way, so although a small tub costs £4, it lasts a nice long time.

I think every body should have this product in their life.
What about you? Have you tried any of the Chocomania range yet? Which product do you like the look of best?
I think we're off for a wander and an ice cream now, catch you later :)
Annie x
PS. don't forget that today is the last day to enter my giveaway and win some cute little prizes!

A Day at the Shops :D

Hiya!
I've had a lovely day today. The cold seems to have been flushed out a little from all the squash and rest I got yesterday so today my mum and I headed into town for a long day of looking around all the lovely shops that Bath has to offer. I really am so lucky to live in such a great place!
The weather here today has been wonderful; warm and bright with plenty of blue sky. We even managed to comfortably sit outside and drink a nice cup of coffee without being driven back inside by cold winds or rain. Spring is truly on its way!
We were both a little naughty and spent lots of money, even though we're both a little tight this month and trying to save towards other things. I am, however, over the moon with the lovely bits and pieces I picked up.

As you can see, considering I'm meant to be saving money, I picked up a few lovely bits and pieces. I was also given a couple of samples to try out as well which is always lovely.

These are the smaller bits and bobs. I got the new issue of Grazia, I buy it most weeks these days. I think it may well be my favourite women's magazine because it has a good mix of articles, fashion and good old gossip. The little round tub is The Body Shop Chocomania Lip Butter. I simply had to go back and grab one of these because I have been so impressed with the effect the body butter has had on my skin that I wanted to try this on my lips and see if the effect is as good (I'll let you know in a few days). They gave me a sample pack of the body butter for free when I told them how much I'm enjoying the range which I thought was sweet. I think I'll save it for when I go away during the summer to save some room in my toiletries bag. The other sample I was given was a Clarins Skin-smoothing Eye Mask which I'm pretty interested to try out. It promises to make skin look fresher, more awake and more energised, even on very little sleep so I'll have to put that to the test and report back.

In Uttam London I picked up this pretty light pink dress which is decorated with little, beautifully detailed butterflies, lace and sequins. As it was in the sale it was reduced down to just £19.99 so I think I found a nice bargain there. It will look lovely in the summer with sandals and sunglasses but it also looked rather fab today with black leggings and cowboy boots so I think I'll be able to carry it over well through most seasons.

Please excuse how I look in this picture, it is the exact reason I don't often add photos of myself, however, I couldn't think of a better way to show off this pretty skirt I bought in New Look. I love this style of skirts with the short underlay and sheer top layer. I think they look so pretty with the waterfall effect down around the leg and then maxi length at the back. This has been my first "summer buy" because I couldn't get the picture of walking along a sandy beach in the sun wearing this and a pretty tribal top out of my head in the changing room. Whilst I think it will look lovely year round with black tights and killer heels for an evening out, I think it will really be a summer staple.

What have you been up to today? Have you been out enjoying the sun? What do you think of my new bits and bobs?

Annie x

ps. enter my giveaway *here* for the chance to win some pretty, homemade goodies

The New Kids on the Block

Hello,
I swear I must have the worst track record ever when it comes to illness! Once again, I've woken up this morning with a proper wipe out cold type illness despite feeling more unless fine yesterday. I feel completely pants and only seem capable of sitting in bed drinking gallons of squash and cuddling Lolly the grumpy kitty.
I have, however, managed to summon up enough energy to get uber excited about my two little treat purchases I picked up yesterday. Everyone needs to own both of these lovely little pots.

Soap and Glory A Great Kisser lip moisture balm and The Body Shop Chocomania body butter

I've read some brilliant reviews about both of these products recently, especially the body butter so snapped them both up while I was in town and had the chance and I have to say, I haven't been disappointed with either so far.

The Body Shop Chocomania body butter mini £5 for 48g

First of all, lets take a look at the Chocomania body butter. I honestly am so excited about this latest collection to be released by The Body Shop. I often find that chocolate scented products smell rather sickly and slightly manufactured in a chemically way. This collection however does not have that smell but instead has a smell rather reminiscent of chocolate cheesecake. It smells delicious! And, although I would never taste the product myself, I can fully understand why the samples  in the shop were plastered with signs saying "UNFIT FOR CONSUMPTION" in large, threatening letters.
Although I have only been using the body butter since getting home yesterday afternoon, I already love it. I have trouble with eczema and dry skin on my legs in particular and my skin seems to just drink up moisuriser, but since several applications of this, my legs have already been noticeably less dry and itchy. It also contains shea butter, coconut oil and sesame oil so I'm hoping that the oils in the shea particularly help to take down some of the redness and scarring left by the eczema. I'll keep you posted : )

Soap and Glory A Great Kisser lip moisture balm £5 for 18g from Boots

I am a big fan of Soap and Glory products, especially The Righteous Butter so leapt on this lip moisture balm when I found it. The coconut flavour also drew me in if I'm honest what with my current coconut addiction.
Everyone hates having chapped lips, me included, so I've been looking for a good lip moisturiser for some time. So far from using this product, while I'm a little put off by the slight stickiness it gives my lips, it does seem to be doing a pretty good job. My lips look healthier and a lot fuller and less dry. You need to use very little at each application so it looks to be a nice long lasting product which is always handy :) There are also two other flavours to choose from, both of which are also tinted so if thats your thing, they're definitely worth looking out for.

Have you tried out either of these products? What did you think of them? Maybe you've tried some of the other products from these collections? I'd love to hear from you :)
Annie x

ps. Don't forget to enter my first giveaway *here* so far there haven't been many entries so your chances of winning yourself some pretty little treats are good!