Sunday Summary #69

When are we going to see summer?! This week has just been windy, cold and raining! And hearing the weather report earlier this week will get colder :( I worked a lot of extra hours this week but didn't notice too much until this weekend when I was just so tired. Me and my boyfriend spent last night at our friends house with him and his fiancée and 10 month old and our mutual friend and her partner for dinner and a night in. I took Cluedo as we weren't sure if we were going to watch Eurovision, play games or just chat. Their baby is just so cute! I love children and its still so novel to hold a baby. However I am still perfectly happy to hand them back after a short while haha. I still feel so very young to have a baby and I want me and my boyfriend to be as stable as possible in all aspects. Our friend cooked us the nicest spaghetti bolognese ever! He only did it as he uses turkey mince and I agreed to try it (I only eat chicken and fish) and I really enjoyed it. He said turkey mince has hardly any fat and is so much healthier than beef mince and he used wholegrain pasta so with all the tomatoes, peppers, onions and mushrooms it was a pretty clean meal. My boyfriend made garlic dough balls which were heavenly but I only had a couple. Our mutual friend brought cookie crumble cheesecake which was a naughty finish to the meal topped off by plenty of alcohol we got down to some competitive rounds of Cluedo. I was too tipsy to even think straight and attempt to guess. We then had a hilarious hour talking about the upcoming wedding and hen/stag do's and then his fiancée tested us all for diabetes as she had it during pregnancy. I REALLY didn't want to as I am terrified of needles and blood (despite having tattoos!) my boyfriend held my hand haha while she did it. It wasn't as bad as I feared and my result was 6.2. Considering the cheesecake and cocktails I was happy as it should be below 10.

My week was the same old routine. I spent Friday on a naughty retail therapy trip but I did have to go to Matalan to return some items from my online delivery. I then found more to buy as always seems to happen! I made use of The Body Shops 40% off deal in store and I have traded my Nintendo DS in as I think I was a 3DS XL for my birthday. I never want anything for Christmas or birthdays anymore as I can afford most things myself. I have wanted an iPad for a while but my boyfriend has talked me out of it as I would probably only use it at home or on the odd travel trip and I don't have enough free time. I have my laptop for YouTube, iTunes, blogging, online shopping and the occassional Sims game and my iPhone for the occasion where I might play an app. If I commuted further to work it would be a better investment for me. Plus I always see the 3DS games for sale and know my DS Lite wasn't compatible. It seems a 3DS would be appropriate for my life and I used to love playing Mario Kart and whatnot.

My eat clean diet is still going so well and although I don't look like I've lost weight this week I know in the few weeks I have been doing it I have so I'm not too concerned. I started the 30 Day Shred today and although I will struggle to find time everyday to do it I will attempt it as often as possible. When I did it last year I really lost weight and toned up and I was eating normally. With the added eating clean it might help that I can't manage it everyday. It really burned today, I know after a few runs it will be easy and its crazy how quickly your body adjusts to it and your endurance goes up.
It really is so easy to change your diet and I am gathering photos of my meals and snacks so I can blog about it but there's not much to it.

 X Mini II 2nd generation capsule speaker £15.22 - Amazon here

I bought these for my holiday as now I have a new iPod its not compatible with any speakers or docks in my house. I'd seen these around but to be honest because of the low price tag thought they were rubbish! I started browsing for something to take away with the hope of something small and compact - enter the X Mini. It only took the endless rave reviews to realise I had seriously underestimated how powerful these would be. I was astounded when I connected it to my iPod and the quality was just ridiculous. I am so happy with these and I know I'll use them for so much more than being away from home. The price has slightly gone up since I bought them but I would pay full price for these.

 Stripey top - Primark 

I have several of these now and they'll be lovely for warm weather as I cannot stand those cotton vests, I feel so manly in them. The bows on the shoulder are cute and being loose will be cool.

 Dragonfly top - Primark

This top is so pretty when on but has a flare from the arm pit down but I can forgive that as you'll never know if I have a cardigan or jacket on and if I do take it off the top is sheer so you'd see I'm not actually that wide!

 Dragonfly cardigan - F&F at Tesco 

Mum got me this when she went shopping and its so pretty. I always need a little cardigan during the summer as I get cold so easily especially in the evenings and they're so handy and light to take around with you.

 Black top with monochrome bow - Primark 

Nothing can beat black with a touch of class. It looks so sweet on.

 Shorts - Primark

I've never been too much of a shorts girl but these are almost like a skirt as they are quite flowy and soft material. They're really flattering and are quite long on my short thighs.

 Shorts and lace shoulder top - Primark 

Another pair of those shorts because I love this blue colour! The top was so nice on but so tight on my chest I've had to return it.

 Blouses - Primark 

I bought this mostly for an occasion I may need something smart but plain. I have endless blouses with animals and floral patterns but nothing plain but smart. The yellow is so nice and I wish my store had more colours in this design. The blue has a pussy bow but is cut quite low.

 Batiste £1.49, Nivea Express Hydration Primer £3.99 - Superdrug

I get through Batiste so fast and always stock up when its on offer. They only had a few cans so I left some at work and brought the rest home. I got another primer while they're on offer as I'm using mine everyday and really like it.

 I know this is kind of breaking my new years resolutions not to buy magazines but I am a huge fan of Disclosure and I'm so pleased they're getting noticed now and becoming popular. Plus it had a CD on it!

 Pj bottoms £3 and £8 - George at Asda 

I love the Disney pyjamas at Asda and got the top to go with the Aristocats bottoms a few weeks ago but left the bottoms as I wear shorts more. With the colder weather I've discovered I've only got one pair of bottoms and asked my Mum to get this pair on her next visit. She also found the star pair for half price.

 T-shirt - George at Asda 

Mum also found me this in the sale. I love having a few t-shirts that are loose and this is glittery - win win. 

 Summer dress £8 - Matalan 

I bought a different colour of this dress online and really liked it so when I saw these two colours in store I snapped them up. I've been so disappointed by Primark this year as they used to do lovely summer dresses and I found two in Norwich and that's been it.

 Neon bat wing tops £6 - Matalan 

These were both half price and it might be the fit. They are snug to the waist with bat wing sleeves - I really like them and the flash of neon is subtle. I wish I had more statement necklaces in my collection as they'd look great with these but I didn't get on well with them as I feel uncomfortable with them on blouses.

 Gem collar top £12 - Matalan 

This caught my eye from afar and the magpie in me just had to have it. It's an odd fit as its tight to my chest and then goes out at the waist but not too much because its a jersey material. The collar is gorgeous and some of the beads have a Swarovski look to them.

 Satsuma body butter, Indian Night Jasmine body mist £7.50 (for both) - The Body Shop 

I used the code in store to get these so cheap. I hate the way most items were on offer but the voucher can only used once on items not in a multi save. I would have bought so much otherwise!

 Maybelline Color Show in Rain Forest Canopy and Shooting Stars £2.99 (BOGOHP), Models Own Tropical in Aqua Splash, Mermaid Tears and Pink Paradise £5 (3 for 2) - Boots

I am unable to walk away from new polish. This was a very restricted pick as I had so many in my hand originally that I had to force myself to leave some behind. I can't wait to try the Tropical ones as they'll look amazing in the summer. I got the Maybelline purely for a quicker manicure then painting my nails and then using the L'Oreal Confetti topcoat.

The Great Gatsby deluxe soundtrack £10.99, Perks of being a wallflower £7, Les Miserables two disc Sainsburys exclusive £12.99 - Sainsburys
My friend told me ages ago she had pre-ordered a two disc Les Mis DVD from Sainsburys and I assumed it was going to be everywhere but I soon realised I couldn't find it anywhere and a work colleague told me Sainsburys had it. I happened to look online and if you spent £30 you got £5.99 off the DVD so I pre-ordered a game and then added the other two and I got my discount. The soundtrack is amazing and I can't wait to see the film!

So that's my week. I am getting so excited for my holiday I just want to pack and go now!
Hope you've all had good weeks

February Favourites

Literally unbelievable March is here already. I've been having a great week off from work, so sad its almost over and I'll be back to the rat race on Monday, le sigh.
I didn't buy any new products in February and used some of the many new and unopened products I already have. I had such a frugal month it was really nice to use some lovely items I'd had sitting for months in my room.
I got round to opening the Soap and Glory set from 2011 so there's alot of it in my favourites

Soap and Glory; Hand Food and Heel Genius

Firstly I have fallen head over heels in love with the insane scent of Soap and Glory. Its so hard to explain because it isn't overly floral, or fruity, or anything, its just this gorgeous mixture of rightness. It has a clean smell to it that lingers for ages after using a product and I couldn't stop smelling myself the first week I was using Soap and Glory haha. I struggle to find hand creams that work for me as my hands get so dry I need a really intense cream but I hate having greasy/slippery hands so like something that sinks in quickly but lasts through hand washing. For me Hand Food ticks all these boxes which is pretty amazing. Heel Genius is a similar cream in its thickness and sinks in quickly too. I never usually use a foot cream just whatever body butter/lotion I've got going but my feet felt softer than usual with this. 

Soap and Glory; Clean On Me shower creme and Mist You Madly body mist, The Body Shop; Strawberry shower gel

Clean On Me has to be one of the most intoxicating smelling shower gels/cremes I have ever had the pleasure to use. It smells divine! This bottle is massive and a little goes a long way so it'll last me ages. I switched to the Body Shop Strawberry one as I get bored quickly and its nearly all gone so will go back to S&G. All Body Shop shower gels smell amazing and Strawberry is so sweet. I'm willing Spring to start! I've loved spritzing the Mist You Madly on as its the Soap and Glory scent in a bottle. If they had a perfume I'd definitely buy it! 

Soap and Glory; Face Soap 3-in-1 facial washer and Pulp Friction body scrub

Two more amazing products. I'm a Soap and Glory convert for sure. Just as well I bought the 2012 Soap and Glory set too, I'm all S&G'd out. I find it hard to find face washes and scrubs that don't make my skin feel tight and horrible so it was pleasant surprise that Face Soap left my skin feeling soft, smooth and clean. Its so nice to use I've been making an effort to remember to use it as I usually forget or can't be bothered. Plus it smells amazing and again a little goes a long way. The Pulp Friction is the perfect scrub for sensitive skin as most scrubs scratch my skin leaving it sore and red. A Lush scrub actually once left me with loads of scratches all over my arms like a cat had attacked me. Again it smells amazing and even my boyfriend liked using it haha. The only downside is all the grit it leaves in the bath/shower. But just shows how much they've packed in and how little you need. A quick squirt and it's down the plug hole and forgotten about.  

 Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion 

I've had this for ages which is testament to how much you get in a bottle. When I got this I didn't think it would make a difference to my skin but it has. My skin is softer, more subtle and brighter. It's always worth the extra money for a product that is going somewhere as important as your face as that's what will age you most. Once I hit 25 (in six months ARGH!) I want to start using anti-aging products as I was told that's the age...can't hurt even if its rubbish advice!

 Revlon lip butter in Strawberry Shortcake 

I bought this shade because everyone was raving about it and saying it was THE shade. However on the handful of times I applied it, I simply detested it. It looked tacky and cheap and horrible. It sat lost and unloved in my lipstick drawer until a few weeks ago. I was hunting for a subtle but pretty shade to wear out and grabbed this, applied it, and it was true love. Its the perfect everyday pretty pink. I'm bewildered as to how and why I overlooked this. Its been coming everywhere with me. Sometimes I think that with lipsticks you have to break through that outer layer to get the true colour/texture/application so it could have been that  as I've broken it now. I hope you know what I mean otherwise I sound crazy!

Rimmel Apocalips in Nova

Another colour I hated on first application. Then I used it for a day out and fell in love with the colour. Rimmel have really upped their game recently and have become much more popular. Its amazing to see all the new products coming out and how fiercely competitive brands are getting.I thought these might be sticky or tacky and collect on the inside of my lips. However its not the cheap product I thought it might be, I was really surprised at how much I liked it.  I want to get another colour but unsure what to go for. I'm braver with red lips now so it would be nice to get a red one to add to my collection.

So they are my favourites of the past month, I really like this month even though there isn't that many products and most are Soap and Glory. Now I'm back spending on make-up I'd love to see what your favourites are!

November/December Favourites

I didn't have enough favourites for just November so let it tick over into December to give me a few more. 

Avon Nail Experts Peeling & Brittleness Solver £5

In recent years my nails have been very strong and tough but in recent weeks have been peeling quite badly. It was not only ruining my nails but after two or three days it would chip my nails and look awful. I tried cutting them shorter and filing them but it didn't solve the problem. I spotted this in Avon and ordered it right away. I've used it every time but once under my nail polish and it really did help. My nails are still peeling but not as much and my polish is lasting longer. I'm hoping with continued use the peeling will stop altogether and I'm looking for ways to reduce it further with diet etc. 

The Body Shop Love Etc EDP (discontinued)

This was/is my favourite perfume which I'd been wearing recently as my boyfriend got me a bottle for my birthday (I'd been saving it ha) and TBS go and discontinue it. Gutted. I've stocked up on this little beauty as I adore the scent: a musky vanilla with jasmine, neroli, pear and sandalwood. I'll be so sad when I have no more. They reduced everything to clear so this will be quite hard to get hold of now.  

Neutrogena Visibly Clear Gentle Exfoliating Wash £3.99 & Blackhead Eliminating Wash £4.69

I picked this up on a promotion in Boots on a whim. I fancied a new facial scrub and I am more likely to try new products if they're on offer. I'd also heard positive things about these two for years so it seemed a safe purchase. I enjoy both of these and couldn't see myself not re-purchasing. I tend to mix my facial care up but I'll be returning to these in between different products. I love the clean smell and they don't leave my skin feeling tight which is a massive plus for me. They don't dry my skin out either. I don't have spots that need clearing so can't comment on if they helped but they're lovely alone as facial wash/scrub. 

Lush Snow Fairy shower gel £10.25

The beautiful smell that signals Christmas is coming. Words cannot express my love for Snow Fairy. I stock up and use it sparingly randomly during the year to keep me going until it gets released again. The smell is intoxicating, I'll always remember it being marketed as "fairy dust, candyfloss and bubblegum". Its stuck in my mind but its exactly what this is, a very sweet, glittery dream to shower in. They have done lip tints and perfume in the Snow Fairy scent which I wish they would bring out every year!  

Topshop Lipstick in Mischief £8 

I used to think red was something I could never wear and it was too risky. However its become incredibly on trend to have red lips and after adoring the look for years I have been looking, googling, swatching and determining the best red for me. I have dark hair (usually dark red or my natural dark brown) with pale skin, green eyes and freckles. This is such a perfect red for me, a clean, blue red. I love wearing it and its made me look at other reds in my venture to be braver and bolder. 

Yankee Candles 

Not a beauty product but nothing beats the smell of these burning away. My boyfriend loves burning them as much as I do! All Yankee candles give off a very noticeable but not over powering smell and have decent burning time. I don't know why I ever wasted so much money on other candles that only burn for a fraction of the time of Yankee. I bought a Yankee Candle votive holder as I was buying the sampler size "votive candle". You simply pop in the chosen sampler then burn away. You really get your moneys worth as they burn right now so you just have to scrape out the metal wick holder and a tiny layer of wax on the bottom. I just use a flat knife and pop the next votive in. I have burnt a votive candle on a candle plate and it melted into a pool so got wasted which is why I bought the holder. The votive candles sell relatively cheap between £1.50-£2.00 but I've found them cheaper in independent shops (£1.13). You get about 15 hours burning time which is insane for the price! 

Avon Naturals Black Cherry body lotion £3 & Vaseline Cocoa Butter Deep Conditioning body lotion £2.99

My skin gets so dry during the winter that I've been smothering myself in these two. I hate the feeling of dry skin so finding products that work is a must for me. The Avon Naturals range is all lovely, leaving my skin feeling soft and moisturised with the Black Cherry range being my favourite. The Vaseline lotion is brilliant for my dry hands, it really sinks in and will last for ages even through hand washing. It smells nice too and feels creamy when applied.  

 Rimmel Wake Me Up £8.99

I adore this foundation. Its everything I would want: creamy, blendable, soft, light but covers well, smells amazing, lasts all day and leaves a beautiful dewy look to the skin. Just this morning I was admiring the tiny shimmers sitting along my cheekbone despite sleeping through half an hour of my alarm and pressing snooze in my sleep (how!?). It seems everyone is raving about this and I can totally understand why. Its inexpensive too. I will wear this forever.

Dove Damage Solutions Intensive Repair spray £3.59, Dove Nourishing Oil care spray £3.39, Pantene Instant Damage Defence spray £4.49

Part of taking really good care of my hair has included venturing into leave in sprays and conditioners. I LOVE the Dove ones, they smell incredible and leave my hair feeling soft. I've used so much of them but hardly any of the bottle is gone. The Pantene one is nice but may be discontinued as I can't find it online now but I got it on offer in Superdrug. This doesn't smell as nice as the Dove ones but is still nice to use as my hair get look quite dry despite not using heat on my hair, every little bit of care helps. 

So that's it! I definitely tend to buy products on reviews or raves so its nice to have my own input on what I've found. I also tend to buy most things on offer or multi-buys :) every penny counts and all that. The more I save the more I have to spend on other things be it more beauty products, clothes or socialising. 

Sunday Summary #51

I've had such a rough week being ill I can't wait to be back to my usual self. Losing my appetite has to be the worst thing about being ill and my weight always plummets so fast from it. I seem to get such rotten colds nowadays. I was smothered in Vicks Vaborub the last few nights which helped me to fall asleep but I was blocked up a few hours later. So tired and weak, woe is me. My boyfriend has been a gentleman making me smile and suggesting food to encourage me to eat. Its definitely an illness thing to become clingy and I just want my boyfriend or my Mum. He even watched the Notebook with me this week which I've been asking him to ever since we got together and he's always said no. He told me he'd watched the start years ago and thought it was boring but was wrong after all. I was crying my eyes out so much at the end, because I knew what was coming. My boyfriend had the snottiest, soggiest arm! I also forgot to say we finally got round to watching Michael McIntyre's Showtime, I have never laughed so hard. At times my whole body was tensed up and I couldn't breathe and laugh at the same time - odd but worth it. I had such jaw ache by the end and its not even that long a show. I'm quite difficult with comedy as I only find certain people/shows/films funny. For example I HATED the film Bridesmaids, yet everyone else seems to love it. Lee Evans used to be my favourite but Michael McIntyre is closely rounding on him.
I was so naughty this week and happened to trip into Primark. Since spending a fortune in Oxford Street in November I hadn't gone in. Curiosity got the better of me - I just had to know what beauties they had. I wasn't disappointed as it seemed like they had loads in. I couldn't remember my sizes as it varies on the type of top, material and if it has buttons (they seem to have not realised girls with boobs need extra room!) so I may not keep everything.
I was waiting for my boyfriend's train to get in last night so watched Sleeping Beauty. I can never find anything on TV so was great to watch an old favourite Disney film. We watched The Adjustment Bureau today which was quite good. Took me a while to get my head around what was going on and its such a clever story. Doing really well on watching more films! Just placed an order on HMV for the LOTR trilogy and some other dvds so looking forward to those arriving. Plus lots of films appearing at the cinema so as I've got an unlimited card can't wait to get down there and see them. We're seeing Les Miserables next Saturday so excited for that and really want to see Gangster Squad.

 Why do they make these tops so wide and floaty at the bottom?! Makes me look wider, so if I keep this I'll run it through the sewing machine to bring it in. 

 I couldn't resist this little blouse with bows on 

 Look at the cute little hearts and beads on the shoulders!

 This looks a horrible colour with the flash, its a very dark grey, very American Apparel. I tend to size up as I prefer my hoodies baggy

 Panda pjs!

I LOVE this shirt! So so so pretty and looks divine on 

I adore the top part of this but the bottom is just so baggy :(

Love the horse shoe print on this

The collar detail is just too cute 

I'm a little on the fence about leopard print. I like it but not sure its really me. Reminds me of Kat Slater haha

I love the flowers on this chest section and will look so cute dressed up and down

I love blouses and bird prints so this was an obvious choice 

I couldn't decide about this one but got it to try on anyway. Loved the leopards on the collar :)

And the worst part of my week was discovering the Body Shop have discontinued my FAVOURITE perfume! Gutted isn't the word. I bought two more bottles as I got one in my sales order and my boyfriend bought me a huge bottle for my birthday which I've only just opened but I don't use it everyday. Everytime I find a perfume I love it gets discontinued!

Love etc £7 each, half price

So I've done really well again except the little big Primark slip. I've just placed a few orders online but they are all for things I know I'll use/enjoy/love so I feel better about it. Nothing worse than spending hard earned money on something that gets wasted. Its ridiculous that we're already halfway through January. Time certainly does go quicker the older you get. 

Hope you've all had good weeks