Saturday, 30 April 2016

Spring NOTD With OPI

Spring NOTD With OPI

Hello Lovelies

Today I have a NOTD for you and it's a lovely spring NOTD using the OPI shade Got Myself Into A Jambalaya, it's a beautiful peachy/coral shade and one I thought was a perfect spring shade. 

I featured this polish in my recent beauty haul post (see that post here) and I had a lot of comments saying how nice it looked and I have to say it really is a beautiful shade. 

OPI Got Myself Into A Jambalaya

I used 3 coats of polish and finished with 1 coat of the Orly Glosser top coat and I really like the finished look, the polish is the perfect shade for spring/summer. It applied well and wasn't streaky but I did need 3 coats for a nice opaque finish, I wore the polish for 6 days before it chipped which I think is brilliant and it removed with ease using my acetone free polish remover. 

OPI Got Myself Into A Jambalaya

OPI Got Myself Into A Jambalaya

I love this shade and am so glad I picked it up, I love coral and this is a beautiful coral shade, it is part of the OPI New Orleans spring 2016 collection and you can find it on the Nail Polish Direct website HERE for £8.95 (rrp 11.50) including free UK delivery. 

I'm really pleased with this shade and will definitely be purchasing more OPI shades, I used to use OPI a lot around 5 years ago and then stopped for some unknown reason, then I got some OPI polishes for Christmas and it has re kindled my love for them, they are great polishes and I cannot wait to pick up some more shades for spring/summer.

Do you like OPI polishes? Let me know in the comments if you have any shades you can recommend to me for the spring/summer months. 

Thank you for reading, much love as always 

Zoe x




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Friday, 29 April 2016

Fabulous Home And Gift Ideas From The Joy Store

Fabulous Home And Gift Ideas From The Joy Store

Hello Lovelies, 

Finding gifts can be difficult especially if like me you rely on the Internet to do your shopping. I sometimes find it hard to find gifts for my friends and family when shopping online and also find it hard to find decorations for my home when re decorating or re vamping but I recently discovered a fabulous website, The Joy Store. The Joy store stock many different items from clothing for men and women to jewellery, accessories, home wear and gifts, there is a wide range of things to choose from and today I want to share with you some lovely items I recently received from their Home & Gifts  department. 

The Easy On The Eyes Book

Fabulous Home And Gift Ideas From The Joy Store

Fabulous Home And Gift Ideas From The Joy Store

Since makeup and beauty are a huge passion of mine, I thought I would start by sharing with you the Easy On The Eyes, makeup looks book. Written by Lisa Potter Dixon the head makeup and trend artist for Benefit this is a really good book, it starts with the basics such as prepping the face before moving onto brows and makeup tutorials, there are a wide range of makeup looks to follow, some being quick and easy 5 minute looks and some that require more time such as 15 and 30 minute looks, there are looks for everyone dependant on how much time you have and whether you want to create a super quick make up look or a full smoky eye. There are some great makeup and beauty tips too, the tips and tutorials use a wide range of models and non models of different ages and skin tones too. 

Fabulous Home And Gift Ideas From The Joy Store

Fabulous Home And Gift Ideas From The Joy Store

This is a really good book whether you have some knowledge of makeup and beauty and have a real passion for both or if you are starting out with makeup and beauty products and want to learn the basics and build up to more complicated makeup looks. It is a brilliant book and would be wonderful for any makeup and beauty lover. You can find the Easy On The Eyes book on the Joy Store website HERE for £14.99. Don't worry if makeup and beauty aren't your thing or the person you are buying a gift for isn't interested in makeup and beauty as there are many different books to choose for from the Joy Store and there is something to suit all book enthusiasts. 

I Love Multi Tasking Note Pad & Tin

Fabulous Home And Gift Ideas From The Joy Store

This is such a cute and quirky item, I love the little tin and inside is a note pad which is ideal for keeping by the phone and the tin can be used afterwards too. I am absolutely appalling and can't multi task to save my life so this is quite funny for me and would make a quirky gift for me since all my friends know I am terrible and couldn't multi task if my life depended on it! This would also make a good secret Santa item at Christmas, did I just use the C word in April? But thinking ahead it would make a great secret Santa item or a gift for anytime if you're on a budget. I also think this is a lovely home wear item you could treat yourself to and it's a great price too. I couldn't find this exact notepad and tin but I found this one in the sale for just £1.50 which I love just as much. 

Drinking Jars With Holder

Fabulous Home And Gift Ideas From The Joy Store


I adore these drinking jars and holder, they are so lovely and would make a lovely gift but these are a gorgeous home wear item to treat yourself to. I love these and think they could be used to drink from but would also make a lovely decorative item in a bedroom or kitchen, both my girls love these and would use them in their rooms for decoration purposes. I love the colours of the lids and the straws and I think it's great how there is a rubber stopper in the lid of the bottles meaning no spills if you do use them to drink from, the straws also have rubber around the base to stop them coming out. You can find this adorable set on the Joy Store website HERE for £12.99. 

I'm so pleased with my lovely items from the Home & Gifts section of the Joy Store website, they are all really nice and perfect for me but if these aren't your thing or you don't think any of your friends or relatives would like them, there are so many other things to choose from on the Joy Store website, which you can find HERE, their gifts start from as little as £1.50 which is brilliant and there is a great variety of gifts to choose from. If home wear is your thing or you are re decorating or re vamping certain area's of your home, you can find some awesome home wear items on the Joy Store website too, they have so many great items and some quirky and unusual items too which I love, they really are worth checking out, I'm really pleased I was introduced to the Joy Store and will definitely be shopping with them again in the future.

Have you shopped at the Joy Store? Chat with me in the comments and let me know if you have and what things you have picked up or if you haven't shopped there let me know which items you like on their website.

Thank you for reading, much love as always

Zoe x


✿ Post contains PR Samples or Gifted Items









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Wednesday, 27 April 2016

Wishlist Wednesday - My eBay Wishlist

 Wishlist Wednesday - My eBay Wishlist

Hello Lovelies

Since it's Wednesday, I have another wishlist Wednesday post for you and today's wishlist is something I haven't ever done before, and that's an eBay wishlist. I buy a few things from eBay and whilst I was browsing recently I added a few things to my basket and today I am going to share them with you. 

 Wishlist Wednesday - My eBay Wishlist

1. Gold Chain Strap Cross Body Bag - £9.74 inc delivery  - This bag is very similar to the Chloe Drew Bag which I love but I could never envisage myself spending over a thousand pounds on, these bags come in different colours so if this one isn't you thing there are other options including plain black, the price includes delivery too, which is always a bonus. 

2. Nail Art Rhinestones (300 piece) - £1.79 inc delivery -  These are really handy and make a lovely look for the nails. Lissy is thinking of doing her own gel nails and adding gems and I thought these would be perfect. 

3. Makeup Planner Stickers - £2.99 inc delivery - I have seen these on Etsy but they are always quite expensive and there is usually always a delivery charge, so these are a much cheaper option and great for beauty and planner addicts like myself. 

4. Acrylic Makeup Storage - £13.89 inc delivery  - This is lovely and ideal for on top of my dressing table/vanity, it has 3 drawers and spaces to store lipsticks or whatever you like plus storage for other items too, there's quite a lot of room in it and I don't think it's a bad price. 

5. Slogan T-Shirt - £9.99 inc delivery - My friend actually showed me this as she thought I'd like it and it did make me smile, there are other slogans available if you don't like this one. 

6. IPA - £12.99 inc delivery -  I use IPA to spot clean my makeup brushes, it is incredible stuff and cleans brushes in seconds, this is a huge bottle which comes with a pump dispenser, I dispense some into a small spray bottle so it is easier to use and cleaning my brushes takes seconds, it can also be used to sanitise products. If you would like a post on how I use this, please let me know. 

7.  Luxurious Satchel Handbag - £7.75 -This is so similar to the Chloe Faye bag which I love but doubt I will own considering they are over a thousand pounds, but this is a great "inspired by" option and a great price too, it comes in different colours if grey isn't your choice too, I really like this. 

So those are all the items I'm loving on eBay right now and which I have added to my basket, which of the items I have picked is your favourite? Do you shop on eBay and if so what kind of things do you buy? I love a good eBay bargain. 

Thank you for reading, much love as always 

Zoe x




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Monday, 25 April 2016

NYX Matte Lipsticks

NYX Matte Lipsticks

Hello Lovelies

I'm sure you already know by now that I love lip products, and I really like matte lip products whether it be a lipstick or liquid lipstick I really like matte shades, for my birthday one of my lovely friends gave me 3 of the NYX matte lipsticks, when I posted my "what I got for my birthday" post I got a lot of requests to review the NYX matte lipsticks I received, so as promised that's what I have for you today. 

I have tried the Soft Matte Lip Creams from NYX (review post here) and the NYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipsticks (review post here) but not any other lip products so I was really keen to use these especially as the shades are all perfect spring/summer shades.

NYX Matte Lipsticks
 (L-R)  Summer Breeze, Hippie Chic and Shocking Pink.

Summer Breeze

NYX Matte Lipsticks summer breeze

Summer Breeze is a lovely cool toned Barbie Pink shade, I love to wear shades like this in spring/summer, if you own or are aware of MAC Chatterbox lipstick it puts me in mind of that, it isn't super bright but it's a lovely pink shade that's definitely noticeable. It provides a lovely opaque finish in one swipe and feels very comfortable on the lips, it has what I would say is a satin finish and definitely not totally matte but that isn't something that bothers me at all, the colour payoff is excellent and it feels lovely on the lips, I can wear Summer Breeze for around 3-4 hours before re applying which I think is brilliant. It is a stunning shade and one I will be wearing a lot over the spring/summer months. 

Hippie Chic

NYX Matte Lipsticks hippie chic

Out of all the 3 lipsticks Hippie Chic is my favourite, I knew it would be before I'd even tried any of the lipsticks, it is a gorgeous cool toned neon coral shade, I thought it may be a dupe for one of my favourite MAC lipsticks Betty Bright which was limited edition but unfortunately it isn't, it isn't far off but it's not a dupe either. Hippie Chic is a beautiful shade, I have to layer it up to get a nice opaque shade, it isn't as pigmented as Summer Breeze and Shocking Pink but don't let that put you off because it is beautiful and will definitely be one of my go to shades for the spring/summer months, I love coral and wear a lot of coral lip products throughout spring/summer and this will be no exception, it's stunning. As with Summer Breeze, Hippie Chic glides on to the lips and feels very nourishing and creamy and not drying at all, again it isn't a full matte finish and definitely more of a satin but that isn't a problem because it is a beautiful lipstick. I can wear Hippie Chic for around 3 hours before re applying. 

Shocking Pink

NYX Matte Lipsticks shocking pink

Out of all 3 of the lipsticks Shocking Pink is definitely the brightest shade, it is a cool toned bright pink with purple undertones, it is opaque in one swipe and the pigmentation and colour payoff is incredible, it is again very comfortable on the lips and more of a satin finish but that isn't a problem, it is a beautiful bright pink shade with definite purple tones and is again stunning. I can wear Shocking Pink for around 4 hours before re applying and it doesn't dry my lips out at all, it is stunning and perfect for a bright spring/summer lip. 

Overall, I love all 3 shades, they are all perfect shades for the spring/summer especially Hippie Chic and Summer Breeze, Shocking Pink would make a lovely bright evening lip colour but isn't too bright to wear during the day either, all 3 shades are stunning and I love them all but Hippie Chic has to be my favourite out of the 3. All 3 lipsticks apply effortlessly, they feel nourishing and creamy on the lips and not drying at all, as I said I feel they are definitely more of a satin finish than a matte finish but because of that they aren't at all drying so if matte lip products aren't usually something you enjoy, these may be for you but on the other hand if you do like matte lipsticks, don't write these off because they are stunning in shade and formula. Summer Breeze and Shocking Pink definitely have the best colour payoff and are opaque in just 1 swipe whereas I have to apply 2 layers of Hippie Chic as it isn't as pigmented but it is still stunning and layering doesn't put me off at all because it is a beautiful lipstick.  I highly recommend all 3 of the shades I have, and will definitely be picking up some more shades, they are incredible lipsticks for their price of £6.50 and there are a lot shades to choose from, so if the 3 shades I have aren't your thing, there is bound to be a shade you like. 

NYX Matte Lipsticks swatches

I do have a photograph of me wearing Hippie Chic, unfortunately I don't have a photograph of me wearing any of the other shades but they are true to swatch.

NYX Matte Lipsticks, Hippie Chic
Me wearing Hippie Chic 

I am so impressed with the NYX matte lipsticks, they are incredible for the price and the colour payoff and wear time is brilliant, as I said they feel more of a satin finish than a matte but I certainly wouldn't let that deter you from trying these as they are incredible. 

If you would like to try the NYX matte lipsticks, you can find 28 shades on the Boots website for £6.50.

Have you tried any of the NYX matte lipsticks? Which shade of the 3 I have is your favourite? And can you recommend any other shades to me? Let me know in the comments. 

Thank you for reading, much love as always 

Zoe x 

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Sunday, 24 April 2016

My Answers To Your Q And A Questions

My Answers To Your Q And A Questions

Hello Lovelies

If you follow me on Instagram (here) Twitter (here) or you're my friend on Facebook (Mammaful Zo), you will have seen me ask for questions for a Q&A post, I have recently been asked a lot if I could do another Q&A post, you all seemed to enjoy my first Q&A post (read that post here) so I thought I would do another one, I did get quite a lot of questions so I'm going to crack on with the post and answer them. 

Q - Amy Louise - What's your favourite spring look and colours?
A - I like to wear a light base throughout the spring (and summer) so I change my base to a lighter one and I wear neutral eye makeup but sometimes add a little coral or pale pink and sometimes a turquoise liner if I'm being daring ha ha, I love pink and coral blush and lips for spring too. So my favourite look would be a neutral eye look with a pink or coral blush and a pink or coral lip and depending if my blush is matte or satin, I might add a touch of highlight. 

Q - Lucy Lou - What are your bag essentials?
A- Unfortunately, I don't often carry a bag because of my medical conditions, so Simon carries my purse and medication etc but if I did my essentials would be my purse, my medications I need, pocket pack of tissues, hand sanitiser, the lipstick I'm wearing and a mirror, mini deodorant, radar key, my headphones and a nail file. 

Q - Heather - Favourite Musical?
A - Out of all the musicals I've seen, I would say Blood Brothers or Grease but I would love to see Chicago and Dirty Dancing. 

Q - Nick J - How are you doing? Miss you on You Tube.
A - Thank you for asking, but I'm not good at the moment, my pain is very bad and the GP feels my condition has worsened, I am going for quite a few tests to diagnose another condition too, I will write an update blog post soon. It's nice of you to miss me, thank you, I miss it too, at the moment though it's just not possible I'm afraid :( 

Q - Denise - What is your favourite high end and budget bronzer? 
A - My favourite high end bronzer would be the Clarins Aquatic Treasures bronzing powder, it's incredible, Clarins do lovely bronzers, the MAC mineralise skin finishes also make lovely bronzers and my favourite budget bronzer is the W7 Honolulu Bronzing Powder (I have a review here) it's £2.99 and is an incredible dupe for Benefit's Hoola.

Q - Kate_Tserkeziex - If you had to choose between eye makeup and face makeup, what would you choose and why?
A - I wasn't sure if you meant to buy or to wear but my answer would be the same for both and it's eye makeup, for buying purposes because there's more variety, lots of colours, lots of different products etc and for wearing a similar answer really, there's more to choose from with eye makeup when I'm applying my makeup, with face makeup, I usually stick to the same base unless it's on the days I'm testing out different foundations for review purposes, and my concealer remains the same, I change my blush up but not drastically but with eye makeup I have more to choose from with eye shadow and the different looks I can create and then there's eye liner and mascara and brow products so lots more variety with eye makeup so I would definitely choose eye makeup. 

Q - raineys.weightlossdairy - How do you cope with your health problems? 
A - I don't dwell on them to be honest, if I have to speak about them, say at an appointment I always end up getting really upset because I have to think about it, but I try not to dwell on the way I am, obviously I am aware of it, I am in excruciating pain 24/7 plus a lot of other symptoms so there's no getting away from it but I don't sit talking about it and thinking about it, it is what it is and there is no cure so I have to get on with it really, what else can I do? I always think that there are people worse off than me too, it could be worse and I'm still here which is a privilege some people don't have.

Q - raineys.weightlossdairy - Do you have any depression as a result of your health and if so how do you manage it? 
A - I suffer from depression and anxiety quite badly and take medication for it and also see a consultant regarding it, I wouldn't say I manage it but again it's something I have to deal with, I'm not a woe is me type of person and if you follow me on social media you'll be aware of that, I try to be as upbeat as possible but I do put a massive brave face on 24/7, I'm known for it amongst my family and friends and it's even been picked up by the consultants I see so I clearly don't hide it well haha, but I wouldn't say I manage it as such but I try to look for the positives, if something bad happens there is always a positive no matter how small, I have my thankful journal too (I have a post on that here) and we also have our jar of happy things ( I have a post on that here) and I think it's good to try and think of at least 1 positive thing that has happened in your day, even something like you have hot water and food to eat, those things are things that not everyone has the luxury of and they are positive things or the fact I have 2 lovely daughters, some people can't have children so even though things are pretty shit there are always things to be positive about and I am trying my best to be more positive but I'm not sure I manage it as such. 

Q - mollydaniels21 - Is Simon Cole and Lissys Dad?
A - In every sense other than biologically, yes. He has brought them up from a very young age (Lissy was 3) and has been their dad in every way possible, he's done and does all the things dads do and they are extremely close, they say "mum and dad" when they talk about us and to the girls he is their dad and they adore him as he does them, to Simon, he always says he couldn't love them anymore if he'd made them. The only thing missing is the biology but in all other ways he is their dad and that's all that matters, what's a bit of DNA? 

Q - laurenstenning98 - What's your favourite drugstore product and what's your must have high end product? 
A - Ooooh this is a tough one Lauren, my favourite drugstore product at the moment and I have to say at the moment because new there are launches all the time so in 6 months I may say something else but now it has to be the Maybelline Lash Sensational mascara and my must have high end product would be the Smashbox Photofinish Hydrating Primer, it's incredible for dry/dehydrated skin and makes a huge difference the way my makeup looks. 

Q - laurenstenning98 - Are the MAC eyeshadow palettes worth it, as I want one?
A - I am assuming you mean the X9 or the Cool/Warm Neutral palettes that are already made up? I would say yes, the X9 have 9 small shadows in but each shadow is 0.8g and a full size is 1.5g so in a X9 the shadows are just over half the amount of product, but you are getting 9 shades so you have the chance to try 9 MAC shadows but if you made your own quad it would cost you £45.00 and you can only try 4 shadows so I would say they are worth the money, I have 2 of the X9 palettes, I have a post on one of them (read that here) and I am going to have a post on my other one soon, so you can see the shades in those, I also have 2 MAC 15 palettes that I made, these are very expensive to make with each shadow being £10. You can buy a warm or cool neutral palette with 15 shadows for £65.00 which is also great value so I would say, if you haven't ever tried MAC shadows have a look at the X9 palettes, they're a great way to try them and to find out what you like and don't like but if you do have some MAC shadows and know what shades/tones you like, maybe look at the pre made cool/warm neutrals would be good because they are still a lot cheaper than making your own palette which would cost you around £135 for 12 shadows. Some MAC shadows are hit and miss like any brand, I would say, go in and swatch some shades and have a feel of the different finishes to see what you like and then choose from there. 

Q - holdz2013 - Do you ever get writers block when writing a blog post and if so how do you deal with it? 
A - I do indeed! I speak my blog posts as I have voice dictation on my laptop so I just speak and my laptop types it for me, but I often sit saying nothing because I'll be mid sentence and I just lose what I was saying, I also have problems with getting my words mixed up and concentration problems with my health so as you can imagine it can be a nightmare! But I usually just do something else for a while and leave it alone and then go back to it, I have had blogging block where I have had no idea what to post about too, this happened to me in January, I'd been so busy with posts up to Christmas and I just couldn't think at all it drove me mad, but I just stopped getting worked up about it and did something else and I was fine a couple of days later, so I basically just do something else to distract me and don't think about it and I'm fine, if I ever have any idea's for posts I make a note of them and then if ever I'm stuck again I'll have a couple of ideas, but mid post if I get it I just shut blogger down and go and have an online window shop or put the laptop down and do something else and go back to it. 

Q - littlemissstyleguru - Do you get dressed everyday or do you stay in your PJ's a lot of the time? I'm always in my PJ's or leggings.
A - It depends what I'm doing and how I am feeling, if I have an appointment I will be dressed but only in leggings and a t-shirt and it depends on who is coming to "mamma sit" me too, if it's one of my friends I will be wearing leggings and t-shirt but if it's a family member I usually wear PJ's but purely because the effort for me to be dressed is a lot of effort and also a lot of pain so if I don't have to be dressed, I won't, I'll save myself the pain and effort but if I am dressed it's always t-shirt and leggings, so similar to PJ's anyway.  

Q - madmizzy - How are you? Also (cheekily) have you got any plans to return to You Tube? I'm loving your Snap Chats by the way. 
A - Thank you for asking, I'm not great at the moment, my pain has been really bad for the last few weeks and it's getting me down, my GP feels my condition has worsened which I'm not happy about, I have also been to the hospital regarding some tests for another condition too but I will be writing a health update soon, otherwise this will be an essay haha, thank you so much I'm so pleased you're enjoying my Snap Chats, I sometimes worry I'm a bit boring but everyone seems to enjoy them especially people missing my You Tube videos, you're not cheeky at all don't worry, at the moment I don't have any plans to return but never say never, but not at the moment due to health reasons, I'm sorry. 

Q - sunnysalfordgirl - What's your one, cannot live without it, product? Since I'm in a lovely mood, I'll let you choose one skincare and one makeup. 
A - Oooh this is hard, you know me, I can't choose between things ha ha, I would say for skincare it would be either and I'm being cheeky picking two, either the Vichy Aquathermal serum or some form of acid toner for example the Nip+Fab glycolic pads and for makeup it would be my Bobbi Brown corrector, I have dark circles and it's the best ever for them, so I would have to say that and although not technically makeup, my Smashbox hydrating primer. 

Q - katie_rjb - Do you have any fave makeup products/brushes that you use for something other than their intended purpose? 
A - Yes all the time, I love using bronzer as a transition eyeshadow shade, bronzers make the best transition shades, I use coral blushes as eyeshadows, I use my Mary Lou Manizer highlight as an eyeshadow too, anyone who has it it's stunning as an eyeshadow, I use pink eyeshadow as blush, lipstick as cream blush, cream blush as lipstick, lots of products I use for different things, with brushes there are so many I use for different purposes, blending brushes like the MAC 217 are excellent for blending out under eye corrector and concealer and for adding powder to the under eye area, Beauty Blenders are great for applying powder too and for applying fake tan to the face, pencil brushes are good for under brow bone highlight, there are lots of brushes I use for other purposes, probably most of them now I think about it haha. 

Q - itsneecola - If you could live in any film, which film would it be and why? 
A - I would love to be in Dirty Dancing or Pretty Woman as they're my favourites but I love comedy too and something like the Inbetweeners would be so funny to live in, to be at college with them would be funny or maybe a Disney film like Snow White so lots of little cute animals could come and do my housework, how amazing would that be? Although I love horror films I wouldn't want to live one, I'm too much of a softy for that. My friend Dominic used to say I was exactly like Bridget Jones, so I think if you asked him, he'd say I've already lived that ha ha. 

Q - official_that_emoji_girl - What's your favourite food?
A - This is a hard one, I love Simons "Sido's" which is his own homemade version of Nando's and I love his pasta bolognese and roast dinners, but I am a real ice cream face and love ice cream but I also really like the Asda sticky toffee puddings with cream and my mums creme brûlée, I really can't choose but love all of those, if I think about food for long enough I'd write you a huge list and considering I'm quite fussy that's good for me ha ha.

Q - kimkphotography - If you could be another you tuber for a day, who would you choose and why? 
A - I honestly don't know, I don't watch that many people on you tube, I watch my friends and people I know and apart from those there are only a couple of people I watch and there's none of the people I watch who I don't actually know that I would swap with, sorry, let me know in the comments who you would swap with and why though :) 

And that's the last question, thank you so much for all your questions, it's so kind of you to take the time to ask your questions and I really appreciate it. I hope those of you who asked a question, enjoyed my answers and I everyone reading this enjoyed my Q&A. 

Thank you so much for reading, much love as always

Zoe x




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Saturday, 23 April 2016

Garnier Skin Active Oil Infused Micellar Water

Garnier Skin Active Oil Infused Micellar Water

Hello Lovelies

You may have seen in my recent drugstore beauty haul post that I picked up the Garnier Skin Active Oil Infused Micellar Water (if you haven't seen my haul post but would like to, you can read that post here) when I posted my haul so many of you wanted to know my thoughts on the micellar water, I have now been using it for a couple of weeks and today am going to share my thoughts with you. 

Garnier Skin Active Oil Infused Micellar Water

Garnier Skin Active Oil Infused Micellar Water

I  tried the original Garnier micelllar water with the pink lid last year and I absolutely hated it, it stung my eyes and I had to use so many cotton pads to remove my makeup and had to scrub at my eyes to remove my mascara, it really was awful. Recently I saw the oil infused Garnier micellar water on the lovely Ionna's blog and it sounded like it would be good for my super dry skin so I thought I would look into it and when I was placing a Boots order it was on offer for £5.99 or 2 bottles for £7.00 so I took advantage of the offer and ordered 2. 

The oil infused Garnier micellar water is suitable for dry and sensitive skin and claims to remove all makeup, even waterproof makeup, it claims to cleanse and nourish the skin, containing micelles which are cleansing agents to capture impurities and lift away the dirt from the skin and oil to dissolve all types of makeup, it is both dermatologically and opthalmologically tested. The micellar water is a bi phase product meaning you need to shake it before use to mix the products together, you apply it to a cotton pad and sweep it across your face to remove your makeup, it is non greasy and there is no need for rinsing. 

Considering I hated the original, I absolutely love this! It's so different, it doesn't sting my eyes and I don't need to use countless cotton pads when removing my makeup, my makeup is removed effortlessly and my skin is left feeling soft and smooth and not greasy at all, there isn't any kind of film left on my skin at all. I have both dry and sensitive skin and also suffer from eczema and I have had no problems at all when using this, I apply it to a cotton pad and sweep it across my face and it removes my makeup effortlessly without the need for rubbing, my daughter also uses it to remove her makeup and she loves it too, she wears a full face of make up most days and has no trouble removing it. I like to take my makeup off before I use my balm cleanser and this does the job brilliantly, removing every trace of makeup and leaving my skin soft and smooth, I am so pleased I picked this up and even more pleased I took advantage of the offer and bought 2 as I now have a backup.

I highly recommend this product, it does exactly what it says on the tin and I love it, my skin feels lovely and soft after I've used it and it is incredible at removing makeup, I can't recommend it highly enough especially if like me you suffer from dry and dehydrated skin, it really is a brilliant product and one I will definitely re purchase. 

You can find the Garnier Skin Active Oil Infused Micellar Water on the Boots website HERE or the Superdrug website HERE, it is currently on offer on both the Boots and Superdrug websites for £3.99 (was £5.99) for 400ml.

Have you tried the Garnier oil infused micellar water? Do you love it as much as I do? Chat with me in the comments and let me know your thoughts. 

Thank you for reading, much love as always 

Zoe x



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Friday, 22 April 2016

Nioxin Night Density Restore Overnight Treatment Trial - Halfway Review

Nioxin Night Density Restore Overnight Treatment Review

Hello Lovelies

I have a problem with hair loss and my hair being extremely thin, when my hair is brushed especially when wet I lose a lot of hair and my hair is very thin, it feels thin and looks thin. My hair loss and thinning hair has been put down to my various medical conditions but it really gets to me and I have tried numerous shampoos, different hair brushes and even having layers cut into my hair to try and reduce the hair loss and make my hair appear thicker but to no avail, so when I was asked a few months ago if I would like to try the Nioxin Night Density Restore Overnight Treatment, an overnight leave in serum treatment proven to promote hair density in three months, it was an offer I couldn't refuse, I have been using the treatment for just over 6 weeks now so am halfway through my 3 month trial period and today I am going to share with you the process so far and how I'm getting along. 

Nioxin Night Density Restore Overnight Treatment Review

Nioxin Night Density Restore Overnight Treatment Review

What Is Nioxin Night Density Restore Overnight Treatment?

The Nioxin Night Density Restore Overnight Treatment promotes hair density by reducing hair fall associated with scalp surface oxidation, it includes Nioxydine24 a technology that helps promote hair density. Working during your body's natural, nightly regeneration process, the solution helps fight against oxidative damage (known to contribute to hair loss) and delivers a host of powerful antioxidants, including vitamin E, ginger root extract, caffeine and biotin. These potent ingredients target oxidative damage and help neutralise free radical attacks for healthy scalp maintenance, the treatment is suitable for all hair types, leaves no residue on the pillow and is infused with a soothing fragrance for night time. 

The Nioxin overnight treatment comes with a pipette style applicator/dropper making application simple, I apply 4 drops in different areas onto my scalp and then massage in and leave overnight. 

Nioxin Night Density Restore Overnight Treatment Review

Using The Treatment

I have been using the treatment for just over 6 weeks and so far I have found the product really easy to use, Simon pops 4 drops of the serum onto my scalp each night in different areas of my scalp, usually 1 at the front, 1 on each side and 1 at the back, he then massages it into my scalp and I go to bed, the product doesn't leave any kind of residue or marks on my pillow which is great as I thought it might and it also smells amazing, it has a nice fresh scent to it, it isn't an over powering scent but I am aware of it.

I suffer with extremely oily hair, my hair can be washed in a morning and be oily by 6pm and using the treatment does mean my hair is oily in the morning after I've used it overnight but I expected that and since I do have extremely oily hair anyway, it was inevitable really and it is something that can easily be rectified either by washing my hair in the morning or with dry shampoo and wearing my hair up so it really isn't a problem at all. 

I lose my hair mostly when my hair is brushed when it is wet after washing, it does fall out during the course of the day and Simon is always covered in my hair but my hair loss is usually caused by brushing my hair when wet and having it dried with the hairdryer, I look like some kind of animal after having my hair dried, as I said I have had some layers cut into my hair to try and make my hair appear thicker but it didn't work unfortunately. 

The Results So far...

So as I said I am just over 6 weeks into my 3 month trial and so far I haven't noticed my hair looking thicker but I have noticed that when my hair is brushed there is no where near as much hair in the brush as there was before, I used to have a huge hair ball in the brush but now there is less than half the hair there was before in the brush, I have also noticed that when my hair is dried I am not covered in nearly as much hair as I was before I started using the treatment and I do think my pony tail feels thicker than it did which is fantastic news and the treatment is clearly working. 

I didn't expect to see any results at the halfway mark and because my hair loss is due to health reasons I worried the treatment wouldn't make a difference but it really has and I am extremely pleased with the results so far. I cannot wait to see if there are any more differences in another 6 weeks time and I will of course come back and let you know the results at the end of my 3 month trial. 

If you would like to try the Nioxin Night Density Restore Overnight Treatment it is available on the Beauty Expert website which you can find here and is £31.99 (rrp £39.99)


Thank you for reading, much love as always 

Zoe x


✿ Post contains PR Samples or Gifted Items 



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Wednesday, 20 April 2016

Re Cover Correct And Conceal Red


Hello Lovelies

I have spoken before on my blog about my very pink toned skin and the redness I have, I have a very pink/red tone to my skin but also suffer from redness on my cheeks where I have broken capillaries and generally flush, I also have redness around my nose and in recent months I have been suffering with blemishes and scarring. I only started wearing blush a few years ago because I was so self conscious of my pink/red toned skin and the redness in my cheeks, so when I received the Re Cover Correct & Conceal Red I was really excited to try it, I have been using it for a couple of weeks now and wanted to share my thoughts with you.


The founder of Re Cover is the makeup artist Annabel Jardella, a professional makeup artist for 25 years working on films such as Evita, Gladiator and Sense & Sensibility, plus teaching at the renowned Delemar Academy, Annabel is a seasoned expert when it comes to make up application and she has put her 25 years of makeup artist experience into her new range of products. The launch product, Re Cover Correct & Conceal Red, has been developed with the colour theory that makeup artists use to correct facial redness, specially selected yellow based pigments neutralise any red tones in the skin, without draining the natural colour from your face. 

Re Cover Correct & Conceal Red is available in six shades, 0 - Very Light, 1 - Light, 2 - Fair, 3- Beige, 4 - Mid Tan and 5 - Deep Tan, I have the shade 1- Light. 



The packaging of the Re Cover Correct & Conceal Red is a grey with gold writing and a smoky grey transparent lid, I like the packaging and think it looks classy and is nice and compact for popping in my makeup bag and would be ideal for travelling. The packaging has a pump action and the product is dispensed via the 23k gold plated applicator that has been designed for ease of application and hygiene as the applicator can be wiped clean unlike the brush type applicators we often see on concealing products, I really like the applicator it feels lovely and soothing on the skin and allows me to apply the concealer effortlessly and precisely.


The concealer has a full coverage but a nice light consistency and blends beautifully onto the skin, I apply it with the applicator and then use my Beauty Blender to blend onto the skin. The coverage is fantastic and my redness is completely covered but I don't feel like I am wearing any product, it is a lovely light feeling concealer that covers extremely well, leaving a flawless finish that doesn't feel or look caked. The concealer can be used under foundation to cover areas of redness including scarring, rosacea, naturally red skin, flushes and broken capillaries or you can apply it all over the face for a light flawless base.

The first time I used the concealer I took a before and after photograph and you can see how well the concealer covers without looking cakey. 

Before and after using the Re Cover Correct & Conceal Red

In the photographs above I have used the concealer on my cheeks, my chin and around my nose, I also applied it to my forehead where I had some blemishes and scarring from old blemishes which were also red. I didn't apply the concealer to my under eye as yellow toned concealers do not counter act blue/purple tones, when I applied the rest of my makeup I used my under eye corrector for my dark circles. As you can see, the concealer has done a brilliant job of correcting the redness on my face without looking caked on.

Finished makeup application

My foundation applies beautifully over the top of the concealer and the concealer does not move around underneath the foundation, once it has been applied and blended onto the skin it does not move all day. The first time I used the concealer I was having a bad day health wise and my skin was also extremely dry, I'm not sure if the photograph above will pick it up well but my foundation looked flawless where I had applied the concealer to my redness but clung to my dry skin where I hadn't used it, so it clearly provided a lovely flawless base for my makeup and I wished I'd used it all over my face! 

A swatch of the Re Cover Correct & Conceal Red in 1 - Light

I have have been using the concealer for the last couple of weeks now and have used it underneath my foundation to cover redness and also used it as a light base all over my face, both applications look lovely and provide a flawless finish to my skin, my skin looks smooth and even and the redness is completely covered, the concealer is wonderful on my dry skin and doesn't cling to any dryness or settle into any fine lines I have, the concealer sets perfectly, doesn't transfer and stays in place all day. 

I am really pleased with the Re Cover Correct & Conceal Red and would highly recommend it if you suffer from any form of redness, it does exactly what it promises and is a fantastic product. You can purchase the Re Cover Correct & Conceal Red from the Re Cover website HERE for £28.00 for 5ml. 

I cannot wait for the launch of the Correct & Conceal Under Eye in Autumn 2016, if it is as good as the concealer, it will be a fabulous product.  

Do you suffer from redness? Is this a product you think you would benefit from or have tried? Chat with me in the comments and let me know. 

Thank you for reading, much love as always 

Zoe x


✿ Post contains PR Samples or Gifted Items 



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Monday, 18 April 2016

My Thankful Journal

My Thankful Journal

Hello Lovelies

You may have seen in my what I got for my birthday post (see that post here) that my lovely friend Lynne bought me some beautiful gifts and one of the gifts she bought me was a Thankful Journal and a matching pen. I'd never seen a Thankful Journal before and it's such a lovely idea and something that I wanted to share with you all. 

My thankful journal or gratitude journal as they are also known is a lovely journal with a dark purple cover with a floral design and a lovely jewelled brooch and elastic fastening.

My Thankful Journal

My Thankful Journal

 The cover is lovely and the jewel fastening makes it look and feel luxurious, I also have a matching pen which is lovely. 

The Thankful Journal is a lovely idea and one I hadn't heard of before I received mine for my birthday. Inside the journal are lined pages with a header at the top of the page where it says "Today I am thankful for" and then the a space for me to write the date in and then 4 numbered spaces where I can write down 4 things from that day that I am thankful for. 

My Thankful Journal

My Thankful Journal


My Thankful Journal


I really like the concept of the Thankful Journal, 2015 was a really hard year for me and my family and especially from around September onwards and so far the beginning of 2016 hasn't been brilliant either for a few different reasons, so writing down 4 things at the end of the day that I am thankful for is a really good way of reminding myself that even though things are difficult right now there are things to be thankful for and there are positives in my life too. 

I think the Thankful Journal is a lovely idea and would make an ideal gift for someone, I know I will definitely buy them for friends, especially if they've been through or are going through tough times as I find mine so helpful. 

 I write down lots of different things in my journal, sometimes I'll simply write "family" or "friends" other times it might be a specific friend or family member or something nice that's happened and other times I write things like "being able to buy a full weeks shopping" or "being able to live in a warm house" these are simple things that can be taken for granted but they are things that I am so thankful for because some people don't have those luxuries and without going into detail we could have easily been the same towards the end of last year. 

Of course you don't have to have a Thankful Journal and you could easily make one out of a notepad or even just write down things you are thankful for on some paper but it is nice to have the journal to look back on and because I write the date in and it isn't dated like a diary for instance,  I don't have to write in the journal daily. 

I read an article recently on thankful journals and the benefits of them and some of the benefits stated were -  

✿ Lower stress levels.
✿ Feel calm at night.
✿ Gain a new perspective of what is important to you and what you truly appreciate in your life.
✿ By noting what you are thankful for, you will gain clarity on what you want to have more of in your life, and what you can cut from you life.
 Helps you focus on what really matters.
✿ Keeping a thankful journal helps you learn more about yourself and become more self-aware.
✿ Your thankful journal is a safe zone for your eyes only, so you can write anything you feel without judgment.

 On days when you feel blue, read back through your thankful journal to readjust your attitude and remember that you have great people and things in your life.
I do agree with the benefits stated in the article and I can't wait to look back through my journal when I've had it a while and remember all the things I've been thankful for. We have a "jar of happy things" in our kitchen (read my post about it here) and when something good has happened to any of us we write it down and pop it in the jar and then on New Years Eve we read out all the notes that we've put in the jar throughout the year, there were lots of nice things to read on New Years Eve 2015 and although the year had been horrible we still had plenty of nice things to read out that each of us had put in over the year and it reminded us all that whilst 2015 was incredibly cruel, we did still have some lovely times and some great things happened and my journal I feel will be a similar thing but on a more personal level and it will be lovely to look back on. 

If you would like to purchase a Thankful Journal like mine, you can find it on the Paperchase website HERE for £6.00. 

Is a Thankful Journal or a Gratitude Journal something you would like to own? Or do you already own one? What do you think of the idea? Chat with me in the comments and let me know, I'd love to know your thoughts on it. 

Thank you for reading, much love as always

Zoe x

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