NOTD - Barry M Pink Flamingo

hi everyone

can you believe it's the weekend already?

i'm so desperate for some new summer clothes, so i went shopping yesterday morning and came back with absolutely NOTHING. don't you just hate when that happens? all i bought was Cosmo and a McDonalds on the way back - I always order the same thing: Big Mac meal; 4 chicken nuggets, Fanta & barbecue sauce. if i'm feeling adventurous i'll get a McFlurry, too ;o)

My little boy Jonah starts getting excited every time he sees the McDonalds sign! Haha.

Anyway, a quick NOTD for you. Barry M's Pink Flamingo. I absoultely love this and only wish I'd bought it sooner. the photo doesn't quite capture the true colour, it's a gorgeous pinky/peachy/coral. It's lasted really well too, 3 whole days before starting to peel!

We're Off To Button Moon...

hello hello

well, wasn't i a lucky lady on the weekend when i got a delivery from boots.com?

i ordered 3 nail polishes and they seem to have taken forever to arrive - or maybe i'm just impatient??

anyway, i ordered Barry M's Mint Green & Flamingo Pink, and Collection 2000's Button Moon. Now, i'll admit that in the past I've not been a fan of blue nails - they remind me of pneumonia - but after feeling like i've been in a pink/red rut lately, i decided to take a few steps down the rainbow and invest in greens and blues. and i'm so glad i did!

i'll be honest- the application wasn't great. at all. initially,it went on quite streaky, and it took a few coats to get it even. but otherwise, i really like it, and i'll definitely be wearing it again.there's nothing quite like getting your fingers ready for summer ;0)

TRESemmé Instant Refresh dry shampoo

hello hello

hope you all had a wonderful weekend!!i've taken today off (phew) and i think i've definitely earnt it after having had a super busy week.

yesterday was the most hectic day yet, i crawled into bed at around 11 last night, which is late considering i'd been up since stupid o'clock.

late nights and early starts brings me nicely onto the topic of my post =)

i wash my hair everyother day, ie if i washed it on monday the next time would be wednesday, but in-between i use dry shampoo. i've tried a few but the only two i've used solidly are Lee Stafford's and almost all of the Batiste range-i think the only ones i haven't tried are the blonde/brunette ones. a while ago when Tresemmé brought out their range of dry shampoos, i was eager to try them but never actually got around to it. however when my mum was buying her bits for coming out here, she asked me if there was anything i needed and a lightbulb went off in my head. a quick scan on the superdrug website told me Tresemmé was on buy 1 get 1 free (around £4 for one tin). i asked for the waterless foam version, but ended up with just the normal dry shampoo.

first thoughts?

as i like tresemme shampoo, i was excited to smell what the dry shampoo smelt like, and i wasn't disappointed. it has that smell of freshly washed hair.

so the smell was a winner, what about how it is on my hair?

again, i wasn't disappointed. i sprayed it on my roots and they really did feel like i'd washed my hair. i know, i know - that is the point of dry shampoo but it felt different to how it normally would. and what's more, the "freshly washed" feeling lasted all through the day.

if i had to find a flaw with it, it would be that the smell only lasted for an hour at most, but it definitely hasn't put me off from repurchasing when the time comes.

next time i'll be using the waterless foam =)

has anyone else used any of the Tresemmé dry shampoos?

Or are there any other brands you'd recommend?

Have a wonderful weekend! ♥

Outfit Of The Day (May 9th)

hiya everyone,

i last posted on sunday, and had good intentions to post again on monday, but as usual things got in the way! before i went to bed on monday evening my ear started to get itchy (someone gossiping about me, perhaps?). it was burning so badly that the only way to stop it was to stick a cotton bud right inside and scratch it that way.

and i know, doctors tell you not to stick them right inside as it can get lost and/or damage your ear, but i've done it loads of times and it's been safe. only this time it wasn't, and it broke inside my ear =(

naturally, i stared to panic and tried to dig it out with another one - even more stupid, right? but it made it bleed. by that time it was either go to the emergency room or just hope by morning it might somehow have settled.

so yesterday morning i woke up and my ear was absolutely throbbing, so i went to the doctors. the nurse there tried to syringe it out, but it wouldn't move so in the end she had to get a large pair of tweezers and get it out. needless to say she told me off and i've definitely learnt the hardway not to stick stuff in my ear. d'oh!

anyway, on with monday's outfit...

logo shirt; New Look

coral vest; New Look

jeans; George @ Asda

i feel like lately i've been stuck in a clothes rut, so i've been rooting way to the back of my closet to find stuff i haven't worn in a while, and this top is one of them. it's of the slouchy/crop style that i like and when the weather is cooler i'll wear a coral cardigan over the top. i think the coral hearts give it a summery feel.

bangles; New Look/Primark/Miss Selfridge

i've g0t so many bangles it's getting to the point where it's actually ridculous, but having so many means its easy to mix and match them. i think the coral ones are actually my mums which somehow found their way into my collection. ahem.

earrings; New Look

Outfit Of The Day (May 7th)

well hello

i haven't posted in a few days as 've been flat out super busy, and today is just as hectic. it's mothers day, too which seems to be a little unfair but i guess there's no rest for the wicked =)

my mum flew home yesterday, boo-hiss. i love seeing my family when they come but it makes me so homesick when they leave. tomorrow david's mum and dad are coming so we'll have a houseful yet again =)

i took a few photos for an Outfit Of The Day on thursday, but i flipped back through them and they looked kind of messy :o/ , so i thought i'd show you what i wore yesterday (saturday) instead.

jacket; Miss Selfridge

tunic; New Look

jeggings; Miss Selfridge

bag; New Look

i never thought it was possible to love a jacket as much as i do this one. i bought myself it almost 2 years ago right after i had my baby, and it was an impulse buy, and i actually didn't think i'd wear it all that much, but i've worn it to death. and it's still looking good. i think i've had my money's worth. it's got a hood, which isn't visible in the pic and i love the zip detail on the top pockets.

this is the bag i'm currently using - no word of a lie, i am a handbag whore and change it every other day. but i like this one cos it's big enough to hold quite alot without being TOO big. i like the satchel-ly details on the front, plus it has a large pocket in the front so i can get to my phone and keys easily without panicking that i've lost them!!

and last but not least, my boots. I got them from New Look (surprise, surprise) about a year ago, and again i didn't think i'd wear them alot, but i have. they're actually looking abit battered on the front now. sadface. the downside is they have no soles on them so if it's icy they are soo not practical - i learnt the hardway, lol. but the upside is the supercute studs on the side.

and that my dears is that! saturday's outfit done and posted =)

April Favourites

hi-hello. i thought i'd do a post on what i used most last month - i actually meant to do one for march, but never actually got around to it. tut tut. anyway, here are my -

April Favourites

Boots Coconut Intensive Hair Mask : I bought this ages ago, and as with alot of my purchases, forgot all about it. it's from Boots, so i know i bought it when i was in the UK - October/November time, i think. anyway, i saw it in More magazine and they said it was great for smoothing out split ends, and it was a bargain at £1.99 for a 350ml tub. When I found myself without condtioner the other week, i decided to try it, and all i can say is that i wish i'd used it sooner! The smell is yum, but then again i love the smell of coconuts. the texture i found to be quite unusual (I meant to take a pic of it in the tub but forgot-sorry!!) and I slathered on a load and left for the recommended time of 5 minutes. as soon as i rinsed it out, i could tell how soft my hair was. i could definitely tell a difference when i'd dried my hair, and i'll definitely be repurchasing this.

Barry M Neon Pink Nail Paint (review here)

i won't say alot about this, as i've already featured it on my blog. it's a nice and bright summery colour, and i've worn it alot since buying it. another Barry M favourite!

Collection 2000 Illuminating Touch concealer: Now, I've tried my fair share of concealers, ranging in price from high end to 5op bargains from Primark (not an experience i'd like to repeat, i was lured by the packaging...) and this one is by far one of the best. as i bought it online, i was nervous about how accurate the shade swatches were, but shade 1: Naked is the perfect colour is perfect for my pasty skintone. it's creamy and smooths on well, and anything that covers up my panda eyes is a friend of mine.

and last but not least, an old favourite that i've recently rediscovered, Avon Glazewear Shine Lipgloss. I first tried this in pink watermelon (£6) when it was launched a couple of years ago, and every time I wore it someone complimented me. A bonus in itself, and it became my favourite "go to" colour. But you know how fickle we can me with makeup- one minute you're in love with one colour, the next you'll be smitten with another, and that's what happened to me. Unfortunately, I never repurchased this and it was only when i was flicking through some old photos the other week when i was wearing it that i decided to reorder it, and i'm glad i did!

what are your favourite products at the moment?

NOTD - Ciatè paint pots - Mistress

what's up, bloggers?

hope you all had a wonderful weekend. i, as usual, didn't really do anything, other than a touch of online shopping and finding out some very exciting news - more about that in a few weeks time!

anyway, i blogged yesterday about my experience with using Barry M's nail effects in Pink Fizz, and how i'd had to take it off because it had peeled off too easily. i'd already decided to try out ciatè paint pot in Mistress 039; one i'd not used before, and funnily enough after i'd dug it out i saw it featured on two other blogs.

it came free with with marie claire magazine a little while ago, and to be honest i put it away with my others and forgot all about it.

firstly, i think the bottle is way cute. i wish all my nail polishe's had bows on the bottle. secondly, i found the brush a pleasure to use. thirdly, it took 3 coats to cover my nail line, plus it did take a while to dry, resulting in several smudges. grrr. anyway, the finished result is a very bright, glossy red.

and lastly, i managed to knock the bottle over and got nail polish on my carpet. d'oh!

will i be wearing it again? hm, probably. and i say probably because i do like the colour, but as i said it did seem to take forever to try. i guess it's okay if you have all day to do your nails.

despite the snaggles i had while applying it, it's an overall big thumbs up.

NOTD + other stuff

hi everyone,

first of all i'll start this post by saying how amazing i thought the Royal Wedding was. i thought it was so sweet how William apparently said "You look beautiful, babe" to Kate when she got to the altar, and she did. Both dresses she wore were absolutely gorgeous.

I didn't watch all the coverage as it went out because it was very early in the morning here when it was shown, but it's been repeated on several channels since then. And they had the weather for it too =)

Now back to business. I used my new Barry M nail effects in Pink Fizz for the first time on Friday afternoon, over the top of Barry M's Dusky Mauve.

What do you think? I liked the contrast of the pink against the grey-purple, and for a different nail effect effect (if that makes sense!), I painted it on diagonally as to how i normally would, and was pleased with how it turned out.

Overall though if I was to mark this out of a possible five, it would only have to be a 3 I'm afraid. i've since had to take it off due to chipping WAY too easily - maybe next time I'll add top coat and try a different colour underneath.

Do you have any of the new Nail Effect colours? What colours do you wear them over?

Outfit Of The Day (April 28th)

hey everyone,

i don't know about any of you but i have been struck down with a summer cold, so the past couple of days have been spent doing lots of sneezing and coughing. to top it off i've had a super busy week where i feel like i haven't even had time to do day to day things, let alone blog.

here's just a quick outfit of the day

tunic top; New Look

cardi;New Look

jeggings; Miss Selfridge

i got this tunic a couple of summers ago when floral patterns were big. i like all the different purples. i remember there was also a long-line vest version of this, but i prefer the sleeved version cos i am a bit of a wimp when it comes to feeling the cold. it actually has a panel cut out of the back, but i've chosen to cover up today!

chunky beads; Claires Accessories (also featured in an OOTD post from last week)

material ring; Dorothy Perkins

this ring was an absolute bargain, £2 in the sale a little while ago. i have man-sized knuckles but skinny fingers, and really struggle to find rings that fit properly. more often than not my fingers swell up too so i have to take off my engagement/wedding rings.

anyway, this one is okay for me as it has a stretchy band making it fit just right :) it's actually a pale lilac colour but it hasn't shown up that great on this picture. and, lastly, on my nails i'm still wearing Barry M Neon Pink.

what have you been wearing this week?

x0x

Outfit Of The Day (April 24th)

hello-hello

today i've had a very lazy sunday watching dvds, so i've dressed down.

check shirt; New Look

long vest; Miss Selfridge

jeggings; Miss Selfridge

i own so many checked shirts now that i actually don't know how many i have. and most of them are 3/4 sleeves like this pink one.

earrings; George @ Asda

these are the only accessories i have on today!! they were just £1 a while ago, and i sneaked them into the trolley whilst doing the food shop.

what do you wear on a lazy day?

Outfit Of The Day (April 21st)

hi-hello,

and happy easter!! i do love a nice choccy egg =)

i originally took these following photos on thursdays, as it was going to get posted then. but as david and i ended up going out on thursday night and my mum flying in on friday i didn't get around to it. but i wanted to show you anyway.

this is what i wore during the daytime. we went to the cinema in the evening and then for dinner and drinks - big mistake. i got way too drunk, and i don't know if it's david that's a bad influence or just the fact that i can't handle my drink anymore at the grand old age of 25.

i'm thinking it's the last one.

on with the outfit...

leopard print cardi; Bradford

coral t-shirt; New Look

jeans; New Look

there's actually a funny story behind the cardigan. i originally featured it in my *birthday post*. i bought it from a stall on Bradford market later last year when i was visiting my family. now, i don't make a habit out of buying from market stalls, but it was so cheap at just £4 that i simply couldn't resist. it's a size small, but is actually really big on me! oh well, i'll wear it anyway. i think it works well with the coral t-shirt. i've got quite a few coral tops so i'll start featuring those more now the sun looks like it's staying around!

bracelets; Primark/New Look

I've got so many wooded bracelets that i'm not sure which shops these actually came from. i'm presuming new look and primark as i get most accessories from there. i stacked them up, and especially like the gold ridged one.

and that is that for another day at least! enjoy the rest of your weekend

xox

NOTD - Barry M Neon Pink

hi-hello

i'm really pulling my socks up when it comes to posting on here regularly! i've already written my next couple of posts, including thursday's outfit of the day, which i didn't get around to posting.

my mum arrived here yesterday, bringing the parcels i'd ordered with her. i ripped into the barry m one first as i was so excited about trying the pink nail effects. i was going to use the two nail paints together, but the pink shades are too close together to really get the full crackle effect.

i absolutely LOVE this colour! it reminds me a little bit of the pink stargazer ones i have, only more fluorescent and more glossy. i didn't manage to fully capture the "pinkness" of the shade, but to give you an idea i wrapped my fingers around my bright pink straighteners. and my nails are brighter! i'll definitely be wearing this colour alot.

another barry m bargain!

Royal Mail Rant

hellohello

i'd like to start this entry by saying the following...

i am pissed off beyond belief at the royal mail.

now, thankfully as i no longer reside in the UK all dealings with them are kept to an absolute minimum. basically none. but, now things have changed.

a few days ago i ordered a few things off the barry m website, along with a few bits off the superdrug website. now i'll point out here that i hardly ever go online shopping. i actually prefer to go out and bring loads of shopping bags home with me.

but, i saw a couple of items on the barry m website that i simply couldn't wait until the next time i'm in england to buy, so i thought - bugger it, i'll order them. as airmail can sometimes take forever, i thought the logical thing to do would be to have them delivered to my mum's house as she is flying here tomorrow. yay! anyway, this morning at 2.45 my mum texted me and said that the parcel had arrived, minus an item. i'd ordered 3; 2 nail paints and 1 lipgloss wand, and it was the lipgloss that didn't arrive. i also ordered a brochure which didn't come either.

in no way am i blaming barry m for this mistake. i received a notification email saying 3 items plus brochure had been dispatched, plus when my mum checked the receipt, all items had been ticked of telling us that they had left barry m as complete parcel.

however, by the time the parcel got to my mum's house, some thieving git at the post office hadhelped themselves to my stuff. how do i know? well, the envelope had been opened just enough for a hand to sneak in and grab something.

i watched an undercover report a couple of years ago that showed postmen just helping themselves to people's christmas presents, birthday cards etc. shocking enough, but it's even more shocking when it happens to you! i know the lipgloss is only worth about a fiver, but the point is it's theft.

has anyone had anything like this happen to them?

Outfit Of The Day (April 20th)

hi

it's another early start for me today as i was up an hour earlier than usual. in our bedroom we have cream curtains; and when the sun is up so early in a morning it confuses me about the time! i thought it felt about time to get up and it was actually only 5.30. d'oh. David has taken the boys to daycare, but i'm up and dressed anyway, thanks to having had an argument with my next door neighbour. i won't get into it as i'll just get angry but they piss me off sometimes!!

rant over (for now), here's what i'm wearing today...

knotted top; New Look

black tank; New Look

jeans; New Look

all in New Look again, then! as i've mentioned before, i did used to work there so that is why it feels like i have a whole New Look store hidden in my house! i actually bought this top the last time i was in the UK. it was around £7. the knot is actually meant to be tied at the front but it just didn't seem to sit right, so i tied it up to one side.

chunky bead necklace; Claire's Accessories

the beads are another item i'd forgotten all about - shame on me! i must have bought it a very long time ago as i haven't bought anything from Claire's for years.

leopard print bangle; Claire's Accessories

again, bought a very long time ago!! i have a few leopard print bangles but this one is the closest in colour to my top.

bow earrings; New Look

aren't they the cutest

and on my feet today? nothing, as i'm not planning on going anywhere! but i am wearing my leopard print slippers ♡

that's it for today my dears. what have you all been wearing since the weather's been warmer?

Outfit Of The Day (April 19th)

hello hello,

another day, another outfit.

i'm up and dressed earlier than usual today - normally eli & jonah wake up around 6.40, and i'll get them ready and shuffle around in my PJs till 9.30 ish. but today is different - i'm up, i'm fed, i'm dressed - because we're going to the zoo!!

all we have to do is wait for daddy to get his skates on and change and we're all set to go...

slouchy top; New Look

vest; New Look

jeans; New Look

well, look at that, i'm head to toe in New Look today! i did used to work there though so go figure...

this is only the second time i've worn this top. i like that it slouches but the length was actually longer than i remembered, so i've tied it off to one side. it was relatively cheap too, around £6.

necklace; Dorothy Perkins

ring; Primark

i really like all the different colours in the necklace because it goes with loads of different tops and accessories.

the ring was £1.50 a little while ago. embarrassingly, i found it in my accessories basket with the label still attached - but it worked out well as it goes well with my top and necklace.

2 different days, 2 different outfits

hey everyone

well, i've been home for a week, and i thought i'd do a post just to touch base. my operation went well, thank god - although i have been very sore and have only just got to the point where i'm wearing jeans again, albeit with the top button undone (my operation was on my stomach). i've killed time by organising my iTunes, catching up on my favourite blogs and watching a shit-load of television!

over the weekend i had a massive bath courtesy of yet more left over Lush stock, so i'll probably upload that within the next couple of days.

for the meantime, i've got a couple of outfits of the day - the first is what i have on today. i'm only going for a check-up- although i feel i've seen the doc so much lately i should have my own chair in the waiting room.

without further ado, onto what i've been wearing...

(today's outfit)

shirt; Miss Selfridge

vest; Primark

jeans; New Look

i'll be honest: i forgot i even owned this shirt until i was having a good rummage through my clothes - and i'm so glad i've found it. if i remember rightly both tops were a bargain - the shirt was around £6 in the sale, and the vest was around £5. i've also got it in a mint green colour.

my earrings were around £6 from Miss Selfridge a couple of years ago. i like they've got a vintage-y feel to them. i don't wear them that often cos they're quite heavy.

onto outfit number two...what i wore on wednesday, the first day i'd worn anything but PJs or sweats.

cardigan; New Look

jersey top; New Look

jeans; New Look

these jeans are actually my old maternity ones. i'm not pregnant, but as my tummy is so swollen at the moment they're perfect!

i'm definitely going through a real peachy/pinky phase this week. also i'll be pulling out last years coral colours!

my necklace was around £3 from Primark, when i wear it, it always reminds me of Lisa Simpson!

ordinarily, i wouldn't wear a button up cardigan with a button down top, but i thought somehow they worked kind of well together.

the cardigan is so soft and i love the faded floral pattern.

and that, my lovely ladies is that! two cheap, cheerful, comfy outfits.

The Ex-Factor

hey there,

well tomorrow is d-day, but seeing as though i'm being operated on, i guess it's o-day. i'm nervous as i hate anaesthetic, but i guess it's just one of these things that needs to be done! the things we ladies have to go through!!

so, on Saturday i used another item from my (now dwindling) Lush collection, another leftover from what i bought with my birthday vouchers in February. seems so long ago now!

let's get started.

i decided to use "The Ex-Factor", which i believe to have been limited edition for Valentine's Day.

the first thing i'll pick up on with this is the price, a bargain at £1.99. if you look at the pic below you'll get a better idea of the size - it's bigger than the palm of my hand.

the second thing i'll pick up on is how much it reminds me of iggle piggle from in the night-garden. i don't know, maybe i just watch too much kids tv. haha.

as with other Lush products, it started fizzing the moment it touched the water, and the smell just exploded around the bathroom. unfortunately i didn't make a note of the main ingredients, but what i'll say to describe it is how much it reminded me of white musk.

again, as with other Lush products, it dyed my bathwater (and left a tide mark around my tub), and the smell lasted around in the bathroom long after i'd pulled the plughole. the only negative i found was that it didn't make me smell nice - not that i stink, but you get the idea...

not making me smell nice aside, i really enjoyed using this so a big thumbs up.

now unfortunately this is my last post for a little while, so i'm not sure when i'll be updating again!

lots of love until then xoxox