Clinique & Lulu Guinness 'Kiss It Better' for GOSH

Lulu Guinness Coin Purse & Clinique Chubby Stick £55, available here

This month, Clinique are marking they're 10 year partnership with the Great Ormond Street Hospital, and the 'Kiss It Better' appeal, a charity that raises vital funds for research into childhood cancer, by teaming up with iconic British designer Lulu Guinness, to bring fans a range of Limited Edition must haves to both help and celebrate the cause. 

As a total sucker for anything Limited Edition, its hardly suprising that the 'Kiss It Better' purse and Chubby Stick made its way into my basket. I have admired the designs of eccentric Lulu for quite some time, so I am thrilled to finally have one of her pieces in my collection (and for less than the usual RRP), as for the Chubby Stick, well thats just a fabulous bonus. The fact that all proceeds from each sale goes to GOSH, certainly helps nurse my conscience for spending £55 before payday. 

This really is an ideal valentines gift for designer and lipstick lovers alike. So ladies, go give your guy some hints! But be quick as the purses have sold out once before, due to such high demand. 

Aside from the purse, Clinique and Lulu have also released a limited edition hot pink nail Colour (£12), aswell as 10 limited edition satchels, each with a range of Chubby Sticks. However with an eye watering £550 price tag, its a piece I will definitely be giving a miss. 

Are you tempted by this beautiful limited edition purse?

Tanya Burr Lips & Nails

Following in her soon to be Sister in law Sam Chapman's footsteps, the beautiful YouTube sensation come Makeup Artist Tanya Burr has added a purse friendly range of Lip Glosses and Nail Polishes to her repertoire, that are sure to send beauty bloggers, fans, and makeup fanatics alike into a total frenzy.

Everything about the collection screams Tanya Burr, from the fabulous shades, to the sweet names that clearly have a personal meaning. With a drawer brimming full of lacquers I decided to give the polishes a miss (although this doesn't stop me from swooning over Mini Marshmallows and Little Duck), however the glosses are a different story. Retailing at £6.99 I really could have added the full range to my basket, however I was sensibly restrained and opted for two creme finishes, Exotic Island (a vibrant fuchsia pink) and Picnic In The Park (a bright pink with a coral hint to it), aswell as a more shimmery offering Heart Skipped A Beat (a pinky red). 

Now lets get down to the nitty gritty. Aside from Chanel's Jalousie, its fair to say that I have a serious love/hate relationship with lip glosses in general. With a tendency to be over sticky, over glittery, and poor in pigmentation, It really takes something special to sweep me off my feet, and I am happy to say that Tanya's glosses have done just that. These sweet scented beauties are seriously pigmented (they really have fabulous colour pay off) and long lasting, with an almost moisturising texture. 

Aside from the beautiful shades, and sleek yet girly packaging (each product has a little pink heart emblazoned on the lid), I would have to say that the price tag is a huge selling point, meaning that the range is not only affordable for her younger fans, but for those on a budget aswell. 

The Tanya Burr Lips & Nails range can be purchased from Feel Unique and Cloud 10 Beauty

Have you tried anything from Tanya's range?

Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser

Lets face it, Maybelline sure knows how to send the beauty world into a total frenzy. Over the past year there has been a big song and dance over the brands products and its easy to see why. First there was the release of the ultimate under eye concealer and sought after Colour Tattoo's. Then in the Summer, the drugstore brand finally decided to bring the cult product, Maybelline Baby Lips, to British shores. With the hype dying down, it was only a matter of time before another product was thrown into the mix, que the Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser. 

Hailed as a drugstore equivalent to Benefit's Porefessional and Smashbox's Photo Finish Foundation Primer, I couldn't resist getting my mitts on one (plus im a total sucker for the cute packaging, shameful I know). The Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser does exactly what it says on the tube. The silicone based primer claims to reduce the appearance of pores whilst leaving the skin feeling velvety soft. 

Personally I find that Baby Skin does a marvellous job of blurring pores and imperfections. To the touch this primer has a greasy, silicone like texture, that once blended into the skin, leaves a smooth matte like finish. I really would liken this to the Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer over Benefit's Porefessional (a primer that fills in pores rather than covering them). 

The Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser is completely inexpensive making it a fab alternative to higher end silicone based primers on the market. At £7.99 this is a product that will be hard to beat. 

Have you tried Maybelline Baby Skin? 

M.A.C Cosmetics | Sharon & Kelly Osbourne Collection

Yep you read that right! Today the fabulous Mrs O announced on Twitter that M.A.C are set to collaborate with the Mother and Daughter duo. If that wasn't enough to get us excited Kelly then went on to post a sneak preview on her Instagram shortly after. According to the pair the collection should be released in June 2014. 

My days of yearning to posses every MAC item ever produced may be a distant memory, but I just cant stop myself from swooning over the spoilers (just look at that quad). The colour story is still unknown, but if the vibrant personalities of the reality duo is anything to go by, I can guarantee that it will be a collection not to miss.

What are your thoughts on M.A.Cs latest collaboration?

* A fun Sharon O fact for you (one that swam through my mind the whole time I was writing this) - back in the day, Mrs O would send Tiffany boxes filled with turds to her enemies

What I Got For Christmas 2013

So it maybe January and the decs may have already been taken down, but it hasn't stopped me from clinging on to whats left of the festivities (ie still consuming one too many chocolates and watching Home Alone for the millionth time). So with that in mind, today I have decided to show you lovely lot a selection of the goodies I received from Santa this year. As with all posts like this, I would just like to add a small disclaimer, and just put it out there, that I am in no means trying to brag (its a bit of a marmite like post). Being a nosey parker I love reading these types of posts, and thought you may too!! 

Michael Kors and Estee Lauder Makeup Set

Being the makeup fanatic that I am, its hardly suprising that I received some pretty new beauty treats. Aside from the essentials ie, the customary bottle of Philosophy's Purity Cleanser and festive polishes, I was also gifted some gorgeous beauty sets. Tim sneakily picked up this Estee Lauder and Michael Kors set during our recent trip to Bicester.

Ted Baker Hat Box Gift Set

Tims Mum treated me to this fabulous Ted Baker Set, after hearing me rave about it several weeks ago. I seriously cant get enough of the vibrant hat box, who could resist neon pink stripes and floral patterns.

Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy

Knowing im a sucker for a good Juicy Couture scent, Tim treated me to not one but two Viva La Juicy and Viva La Juicy Noir Sets.

Included in one of the sets was a bright pink makeup bag, double ended polishes (expect a review soon), a mini rollerball, lipgloss and Juicy Charm. 

Jewellery | McQueen Wrap Bracelet, Kate Spade Bangles, Pandora Charm & Tory Burch Earrings

One thing I love more than beauty is a good bit of bling, most specifically arm candy. I really must have been on Santa's good list this Christmas as I received a beautiful Alexander McQueen Double Wrap Skull Bracelet, Tory Burch Earrings, and Kate Spade bangle from Tim (I really do have an amazing boyfriend). I also received a beautiful blue Pandora Charm from my Mum and Dad. 

Kate Spade Cable Tidy 

Forever leaving a trail of tangled wires behind me, the boy though that these Cable Tidy's from Kate Spade would be ideal. 

how beautiful!!

Michael Kors Ugg Boots

My main present from my parents this year was these gorgeous Michael Kors Ugg Boots. Love them or hate them, there's no denying that these will keep my tootsies warm and snuggly during this horrendous weather. 

Alexander McQueen Skull Scarf

Each Christmas I set aside a little money from my December pay check to go a little crazy over the Christmas Eve sales (hello Mulberry and Harrods). Sadly a spanner was thrown into the works this year as I was sadly a victim of fraud. Card-less over Christmas, I compensated (with a little help from Christmas money) by indulging in this beautiful Alexander McQueen skull scarf. 

So thats what I got for Christmas this year (technically last year, oh my). I really am one lucky girl, and am truly grateful for the thoughtful gifts I received. I also received several other bits and pieces including a snuggly snood and jamis (did I also mention that im the proud owner of Karl Pilkingtons The Moaning Of Life? haha). What did you get for Christmas? If you've done a similar post I would love to see it!! 

Lancome by Alber Elbaz Hypnose Eyeshadows | Best of the sales

When it comes to the sales, Id rather bag a bargain from the comfort of my own sofa, snuggled up in my Christmas Juicy Couture Jami's with a glass of Disaronno in hand, than drag myself out of bed at stupid o'clock to be pushed and prodded by sales warriors. You know the ones I mean, the crazy ladies who grab items off sales assistants and start fights over the last pair of size 5 heels (maybe working one too many next sales in my Uni days has given me this opinion). Leaving enough time for shopping fever to die down, I finally decided on Monday to leave my Christmas induced food coma and hit the sales. 

After mooching around the shops for several hours, much to the boyfriends dismay, I convinced him to take one last look in Debenhams before we departed to the car-park. After smelling one too many discounted perfume sets I was just about ready to call it quits, when I spotted a bowl full of discounted Lancome by Alber Elbaz products from the corner of my eye. Several minutes of serious swatching later, I decided to make my way to the till with Hypnose Doll Eyes in L106, a beautiful iridescent metallic pale rose gold (did I mention that its seriously sparkly?) and Hypnose Drama Eyes in P105 a fabulous pearly pink shade, perfect for a sheer wash of colour over the lid or as a highlight for the brow bone.  

My thoughts? ... Seriously pigmented? Check ... fabulous packaging? double check (who could resist the hearts and dots design by Alber Elbaz) ...Want to know the best bit? These are currently £9.25 (originally £18), so your basically getting two for the price of one. 

Have you tried anything from the Lancome by Alber Elbaz Collection?