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Monday 31 December 2012

Highlights of 2012 & my goals for 2013!!


So here we are again, at the end of yet another eventful year!! time seriously flies when your having fun. Looking back at last years post, I can see just how much my life has changed, im no longer a student after graduating in July and beginning to take my first steps in the big bad world outside of education (ok I want to do a masters so im not quite there yet). Ive learnt who I am, made new friends and left the ones holding me back behind, rekindled my love affair with fashion, much to my bank balances dismay (not that Zara will be complaining ha). In March I went to Poland with a group of uni friends as part of a final year module. With the help of vodka, dining in fabulous restaurants for the grand total of £4 (yep you read that correctly), late night hot chocolates and my first visit to Sephora, once back in the UK I sat in the taxi with 5 new life long friends. I went to several gigs, consumed far to many macaroons, started a course in sugarcraft, met bob the cat and celebrated 3 years of being with my best friend, but my highlight of all? I got whisked away to New York to celebrate my 21st in style, taking in the sites, shopping bags in tow, sipping cosmos whilst fully enjoying the sex and the city life (oh Carrie Bradshaw would be proud).

So here we are on new years eve and I find myself thinking of generic resolutions that go along the lines of not biting nails, losing weight blah blah blah, but there are a few things I know I can achieve with a little hard work and a lot of saving that will help to make 2013 even better than 2012.

  • I plan to blog each day! I love writing my little blog, its grown so much since my first post on cupcakes (dear lord I still cringe), and so it deserves to have a little more of my time. 
  • Apply for my masters, and move to Cardiff (if I can't live in Manhattan then the diff will have to do)
  • Tim and I are planning a four day trip to Paris after discussing doing so for the past two years.
  • finally if I follow my dreams I know I can sit here December 31st 2013 and tell you all that I succeeded!!
So here's to a great 2013, Happy New Year you lovely lot!! 

Thursday 20 December 2012

Melting Snowmen Biscuits




So this little Christmas treat seems to have caused a bit of a stir on Instagram. I first saw the idea on Becky's Blog (she seriously has the best festive ideas), and after seeing different takes of these cute little guys on Instagram, I decided to have a go at making my own, during a baking fest with my best friend the other day.
Fancy having a go aswell??

you will need:
Icing sugar
Biscuits (I used shortbread)
Marshmallows
Icing pens

These are seriously easy to make, all you need to do is make your icing , use a little to stick the marshmallows to the biscuits. Then cover both the biscuit and marshmallow in icing. Once dried draw design onto biscuits with icing pens to your hearts content!! 
there you have it a quick and simple Christmas treat!!

Wednesday 19 December 2012

Alpha-H Liquid Gold


Hello lovelies,
So when a sample of Alpha-H liquid gold landed on my doorstep a few weeks back, I was oblivious to the hype around this product containing glycolic acid, revita and firming solution. I actually received this after winning a weekly 'try me' with Whats In My Handbag. In all honesty I cannot remember doing it, but im so glad I did. 

With the use of glycolic acid, the treatment helps to improve the complexion by dealing with pigmentation, breaking down dead skin cells and helping out acne prone skin, working overnight to help the overall appearance of the skin. It works like an exfoliator but applies like a toner. A clear liquid solution, I apply this of an evening once or twice weekly with a cotton pad, avoiding the eye and lip area. 

In all honesty I was rather apprehensive about using this due to the ingredients, but during a pretty bad breakout I decided that enough was enough, so I bit the bullet and used it. Although my skin was nowhere near perfect, it was smoother and redness and spots were reduced the following morning, pretty good eh??
After using this for the past few weeks I have noticed a big reduction in spots and like the first time I used it, my skin is noticeably smoother.

The price tag of Alpha-H liquid gold may not be to everyone's taste due to its £30+ price tag. 
I received a 4ml sample which has lasted me around six weeks, so personally I would be willing to purchase the full size product. 
Have you tried Alpha-H liquid Gold?? What did you think of it?? 

Wordless Wednesday...Chanel Spring/ Summer 2013

Sunday 16 December 2012

Primark Spring/Summer 2013


Primark top picks

So with Christmas festivities well and truly in full swing, its hard to look past cosy knits, Oxblood red skinny's and skirts/dresses adorned in gold sequins. But with press pictures emerging left right and center, with sneak peeks of  up and coming spring/summer fashion, Its hard not to get a teenzy bit excited about the prospect of summer brights, lots of patterns and of course my faviourite thing about spring/summer, new sandals. 
Lets face it we all have a secret love affair with Primark.The perfect shop to indulge in the latest season must haves without having to splash the cash on the catwalk versions. Although lets face it we've all been in to Primark and seen ladies with bags full of what can only be described as pure tat. Anyway above are my top picks from Primark's Spring Summer Collection.   
In terms of clothing only one or two pieces take my fancy as much of the styles are quite grungy or out of my comfort zone. As for the accessories on the other hand, get me to Primark asap.

Ive been admiring Satchels for a while, but with the nicest ones selling at £100 a pop, I cant commit to something that may just be for myself a fad. However I am loving Primarni's Alternative, bright pink? check, studs? check, whats not to love. Along with the clutch I cant help but take a fancy to the neon bracelet and box clutch (in all honesty im a sucker for pink). 
The rose gold watch looks rather lovely but at £5 im rather dubious as to how long it will last, or if its possible to pick one up that works at all. 

What do you think of Primark's Spring/Summer Collection? What do you think is it drab or fab? 


Friday 14 December 2012

Ciate Advent Christmas Countdown.. Days 6-13





6. Angel Wings... 7. Cutie Pie... 8. Vintage... 9. Mistress... 10. Ladylike Luxe... 11. Bumble Bee... 12. Twilight... 13. Glass Slipper
Hello lovelies, I hope your all well, and feeling festive! After consuming one to many glasses of homemade mulled wine, and eating one to many portions of Christmas Dinner with friends I am well and truly wrapped up in the spirit of Christmas. I seriously cannot believe that its a mere 11 days till Christmas, and a sad 10 days left of the Ciate Advent Calender. Being the nail addict that I am I have thoroughly enjoyed opening a brightly coloured door each morning to be greeted with miniature glass bottles, filled with fabulous shades, adorning a little black bow. So although I will be ex tactic to see Christmas morning arrive, I will also be sad to open the last door of my advent (I think theres a gap in the market, and a yearly calender should be released ha). 
So behind the doors of days 6-12 theres been yet another bottle full of beautiful Caviar beads, aptly named Bumble Bee due to the mix of yellow and black shades. A shimmery silver and a gorgeous gold. An unexpected new faviourite to my collection in the form of Vintage, a creamy dark grey with a somewhat green tint to it. Two classic shades Cutie Pie a creamy baby pink, and Mistress a creamy bright red.Twilight a stunning black with gold flecks that run throughout, and last but not least one of my faviourite shades so far a beautiful bright blue glitter polish 'glass slipper', a limited edition exclusive to the advent. 


Wednesday 5 December 2012

On the Fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...





Ciate's Cabaret... 
Cabaret is a gorgeous deep shade of purple, a shade very much similar to Models Own's Purple Grey!! In all honesty I found this streaky to apply unlike the others I have received so far, and after three coats I still feel like it could do with another! On top of this my brush was a little damaged, but ah well, its a lovely shade none the less. What did you lovely lot think of Door number 5? On a side note I adore the quote on the inside of the door, wise words from Coco Chanel. 

Wordless Wednesday..Its beginning to look alot like Christmas..



Tuesday 4 December 2012

On the Fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...


Ciate's Caviar Pearls in Prom Queen...
 I really like the treat behind door number 4, it gives nail addicts the opportunity to try the Caviar trend without the £18 price tag!!  When it comes to painting my nails, a nail art pen is the most imaginative I ever get. So the prospect of a bottle full of little beads leaves me a little overwhelmed, but im definitely up for the nail art challenge after seeing what can be achieved.

Monday 3 December 2012

On the Third day of Christmas my true love gave to me..



Ciate's Halo..
Another day another polish! On the back of the box Halo looks like a lilac shade, but it is actually the most gorgeous clear topcoat filled with lots of iridescent glitter!! due to the pretty pink and blues within this shade, its a perfect polish to wear subtly on its own, or as a perfect topcoat to add a little sparkle during the upcoming festivities. 

Sunday 2 December 2012

On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me...



Ciate's Dangerous Affair..
I think I could get used to the whole painting my nails with a new polish every day thing!!.. shame its not a yearly advent ha. I slightly ruined my excitement this morning by logging onto instagram to be greeted with everyone else's pictures before opening door number two to reveal the next little bottle of polish with its dainty little bow (note to self, open advent then log onto instagram ha). Enough of my rambling, Dangerous Affair is a lovely wine red, and the perfect shade for this time of year, im already planning on teaming it up with Barry M's red glitter, for that extra bit of Christmas Sparkle!! 

Saturday 1 December 2012

On the First day of Christmas my true love gave to me....




Ciate's Cupcake Queen...
Hello lovelies, so its finally December which means only one thing, Its now acceptable to feel all christmassy, of course this means blasting out Christmas music (hello pogues), wapping out the oversized reindeer jumper, covering everything in site with sprinkles of glitter, and of course counting down the days till jolly old st Nick arrives, and what better way to do so with my less than conventional but none the less fabulous Ciate Advent Calender. For an added countdown ive decided that I will share my Ciate offerings each day with you lovely lot!!
So door number one, unveiled Cupcake Queen, a shade oh so similar to Ciate's Jellybean, a barbie pink , filled with blue undertones. A very bright, but perfect pink to add to my already brimming collection!! 

Saturday 24 November 2012

Fashion meets comfort

Vivienne Westwood Anglomania + Melissa Skyscraper pump 2 






Like most, my love for fashion developed at a young age when I would proudly stand in front of my mums full length mirror in her faviourite red heels, adorned with pearl necklaces, with a face covered in hideous dress up makeup from my beloved fisher price dressing table. To be honest excluding the makeup not much has changed since those days, and dressing up in my faviourite glad rags has become a faviourite past time. However one thing that has slipped over time has been my desire to wear high heels. Long gone are the days where I would roll in at 3am after a night dancing away in my faviourite DP Mary janes, instead these days my heels get replaced after an hour or so in favor of a comfy pair of flats. 
However ladies things are about to change, thanks to the well overdue addition to my collection. Meet my Vivienne Westwood and Melissa Black Skyscraper heels. When I think of Westwood I imagine her crazy ass heels that have sent models such as Naomi Campbell flying across the runway. These however are a simple, stylish and wearable pair of black heels. 
All Melissa shoes are made from plastic, think old school jelly shoes meets fabulous modern day fashion, creating something unique yet quirky that incorporates the styles of both designers. With a cushioned instep these beauties are function-able yet fashionable. Want to know the best bit of all?? the shoes smell like bubblegum, mmmmm bliss!!
The only downfall is the £130 price tag, but with years of fabulous nights out on the horizon, we can forget about that not so little negative, right??
Are you a heel lover, or would you rather opt for flats?

Wednesday 21 November 2012

Wordless Wednesday #2 ..The Bubble Necklace

Monday 19 November 2012

Gift ideas for him

Gift ideas for him

I dont know about you lovely lot, but I always find it quite a task to conger up original Christmas ideas for the men in my life. I sound like a floozy saying that, but of course I mean for the boyfriend, brother, granddad etc ha. I often feel like presents 'for him' are often unimaginative, ie socks, boxers, deodorant. They may not put a full face of makeup on, or spend all morning in the mirrors like ourselves (this fully excludes my brother, I have never known a man to primp themselves as much as him), but even the men in your lives whether it be husband, granddad or brother  sometimes like a little luxury too. So here's my pick of gift ideas 'for him'. 

Box Of Twinkies- what man wouldn't love a box full of american yumminess. 
Comic Wallet- Lets face it most men are nerds at heart, with the likes of DC and Marvel being all the rage, hopefully this little gift will make you their hero *que the tumbleweed*. 
Topman Geek tee- So the female version of this tee has been doing the blogging rounds lately, and with good reason. This version is just as nice in my honest opinion, a perfect choice for the fashion forward guy. 
Call of Duty Black Ops 2- Need I say more, whether 15 or 50 most men have some form of console in their lives (I swear they never grow up ha).. so why not treat them to the latest craze, and be prepared to be ignored (or on the other hand keep them quiet) for hours
Ipad Mini- Okay this is a slightly extravagant purchase, but after living with a dad whos obsessed with electronics for the past 21 years aswell as a brother and boyfriend whom have to have the latest gadget/widget, I know this would go down a storm with most. 
Chanel Deodorant- I know I mentioned deodorant at the start of the post, but I think this one is a perfect example of a little male luxury. My mum tends to purchase this for my brother most Christmas/birthdays, being the pamper obsessed (I will not lie ive known him to use my face masks ha) this present never gets old, and its something he enjoys that he would not necessarily splash the cash on, for himself. 

What gifts will you be purchasing 'him' this Christmas?? 

Sunday 18 November 2012

Weekend Essentials


So nearly two weeks ago (time seriously flies) the Boyfriend and myself spent a lovely, hectic weekend in London, of course for a makeup obsessive I didn't travel that light (Is bringing 6 lip products a little excessive for two nights away? no I didn't think so either ha). Swapping and changing, these 5 pamper must haves made the cut, as I squashed them into my already bulging suitcase, oops. So here it is, my weekend essentials. 

BB Sunday Shampoo- When I originally purchased this Shampoo, I may or may not have overused it due to its amazing cleaning effects, which sadly led to my hair getting lighter in colour due to its stripping ingredients. Since this incident I only use it on a Weekend to leave my hair feeling squeaky clean, so a perfect tool for a weekend running around the capital. 

Caudalie Beauty Elixir- I will quite happily admit that I excessively use this product, I use it after cleansing both morning and night, throughout the day, aswell as when I feel my skin is in need of a little tender loving care. I absolutely love the smell, its like a Spa in a bottle, and it refreshes my skin. Whether it actually does that much im not to sure, but it well and truly has a home in my makeup bag!! 

Lush Ponche Shower Gel- After a somewhat in-depth conversation with the sales assistant at Lush about all things spice scented, she very kindly sent me away with a near full try me bottle of Ponche (I can never get over how friendly and fabulous the sales assistants at Lush are). Since then this has been my go to shower gel of a morning, It really is like a party in the Shower. I wont even attempt to describe this as im awful at identifying and describing scents, but with a shot of tequila and with influence from Traditional Mexican Christmas Punch, Ponche is a perfect wake me up of a morning. 

Benefit Boo Boo Zap- When I originally purchased this spot treatment I was slightly unsure on how to dispense the product, after getting over that little stepping stone I have found this to be a brilliant spot remover, so it is understandable why it is a necessity for a weekend away!! 

Benefit Foamingly Clean Cleanser- Long gone are the days where I may or may not have used just wipes to clean my face (naughty I know). This Benefit product is a perfect sized Cleanser for a weekend away!! 
So there you have it, my weekend essentials! What are your must haves for a weekend away?

Saturday 17 November 2012

Gift Ideas- A little luxury for someone special

Gift Ideas- A little luxury for someone special

Carrying on with the Gift Ideas theme (you can see my post on my handmade gift jars here) this next post is based on more luxurious presents for that extra special person in your life, whether it be your mum, aunt, girlfriend or best friend. 

I absolutely adore the Anya Hindmarch Pouch, a perfect token for your nearest and dearest, I know id certainly love to see this in my stocking Christmas morning (hint hint Santa if your reading). 
These Mulberry stacked rings are a perfect gift for the jewellery obsessed, with bright pink hearts and the iconic Mulberry tree logo whats not to love?? 
A girl can never have enough heels right?? These Vivienne Westwood beauties are a perfect edition to any shoe lovers wardrobe!! 
Finally for the beauty obsessed, These Dior Polishes add a touch of glamour and a splash of colour, as for the eye palette I dont think it needs any justification!!!

Would you be pleased to wake up to these Christmas Morning??  

Thursday 15 November 2012

Christmas Ideas: Gift Jars






So for the past few years, Christmas has been a time full of hectic deadlines, especially last year with the forbidden D word, and Christmas shopping was put on the back burner in order to complete essays etc, however now a graduate, and being free from the work load, I am thoroughly throwing myself into the spirit of Christmas shopping (aswell as convincing myself not to purchase an extra polish here and there for myself ha). After reading Becky's post on crafty Christmas gift jars, I decided to take some inspiration from her fabulous idea and created my own jars as gifts for friends. Not to blow my own trumpet, but I am currently smiling like a Cheshire cat with how they turned out!! 
I purchased everything to create these gift Jars from Wilkinsons (apart from the presents) for around £20, with the most expensive items being the Jars themselves at around £4 each. 
Like Becky I have hidden some of the presents within the jar,however instead of filling the jars with chocolate I used faux snow, which I think adds an extra little Christmas touch.
I filled the jars with:  
  • Nail Polishes from the Mirror ball Collection
  • A Disney Vinylmation
  • Cath Kidston Mirrors
  • Snowmen socks (from Tesco)
  • A Cath Kidston purse. 
 After filling the Jars with presents I then wrapped ribbon around the lid, and then threaded it through the clasp to create a pretty bow. The way  in which I have tied the bow means that it needs to be undone in order to open the lid, so hopefully no sneaky peeking until December 25th ;).
To finish it off I bought plain paper tags for around 60p and jazzed them up with christmassy stickers and added two bells which I think gives that finishing touch, what do you think?? 

What Crafty ideas to you have planned for Christmas this year??

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