What's In My Handbag - Spring 2015!

Of course, a new handbag means I have to show it off!

I bought this today from Primark in Hanley and absolutely love it! It cost £10 and honestly rivals those in other high street stores at the moment. My best friend and I actually thought that the Primark version felt a much better quality to others, and the colours are all so in right now. Being black, white and tan (*with rose gold detail may I add) means it can be paired with almost anything this season. Also, that white pocket you see at the front? It's actually a removable pouch!

Now on to the good stuff.. what's inside...

 

• 2015 Diary - my boyfriend and I have a tradition each new year that he buys me a diary and I get him a calendar, with a little nudge I was thrilled to get this one from Paperchase! It's a day per page diary with gold edged paper, LOVE! The sticky notes are important dates for me to remember, and honestly they really help me to keep organised, I can't be without my diary.
• Real Techniques Retractable Kabuki Brush - this is a brand new brush (does anyone else fear the first use, knowing it will never be as perfect again?) bought as a replacement for my retractable bronzer brush. In all honesty, I didn't much like the bronzer brush but love the idea, I'm hoping this one will be better for touching up my face throughout the day.
• Nu:elite Notebook - I got this from uni a few weeks ago, because I'm hopefully graduating soon and new beginnings obviously mean a new notebook don't they? Anyway, I think the extra money I spent on this is paying off because of how durable it is and very high quality. I just hate cheap feeling paper! 
• Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Lipstick in 120 Desirable - Another Christmas gift! This came as part of a gift set and it couldn't be a better colour for me to be honest. Its the perfect pinky nude for my lips (like a pinker version of Mac Patisserie) and I may have to buy the full size when this runs out.
• Mac Syrup - I picked this up not realising it was a fairly hyped product, but can completely see why it is. Its a wearable, day-time colour with a brown/pink/purple tone. Very hard to describe but I'd recommend going to try this for yourself!
• The 'Just-In-Case' Bundle - inspired by Vivianna Does Makeup  I decided to bundle up those items everyone has (or should have) in their handbags in case of an 'emergency'. In my bundle there's wet wipes, tissues, plasters, allergy tablets, paracetamol, a bobble, hair pins and wax (for my brace). Depending on where I'm off to, sometimes things will be added/taken out, but you get the picture.
• E45 Intense Recovery Hand Cream - I've already talked about this here but if you haven't already tried this, you should!
• Travel Size Tangle Teezer - the investment in a Tangle Teezer is one you will never regret I promise you, I have 2 full size brushes and this one for my handbag which has a handy cover to protect the bristles. Although its small, it still works just as well as the original.
• Polos - ahh instant fresh breath! Usually I keep Extra White chewing gum in my bag, but while I've got my fixed brace on, Polo's have taken its space. I'm rather enjoying it, so may make the change permanent.
• Emergency Chocolate Bar - you may laugh now, but you wouldn't be when you're out somewhere and desperately need something to eat. Only carrying one is actually unusual for me, but I'm in a transition to Summer weather when chocolate just melts. I'm trying out packs of raisins and dried mango to replace the chocolate for now.
• Purse - I got this purse last year from River Island (I bet you probably guessed that just from looking, there's something about River Island purses...) and it's really lasted well. I didn't expect the stones to stay this well fixed at all! It can be heavy though so I'm on the hunt for a cute little coin purse for days when I use a smaller bag.
• iPhone 4S - this is actually my old phone, but I still love using it to play music in the car. That way, it doesn't matter if the battery is rubbish on it, and I don't need to worry about the memory on my new phone...
• Sony Xperia Z3 Compact - LOVE this phone! I think I'm fully converted to android now, the memory, camera and battery are just so much more superior to the iPhones in my opinion and really don't get the credit they deserve.
• Estee Lauder Pure Color Lipgloss in Praline Paradise - this is a beautiful shimmery pink/nude gloss, in similarly beautiful packaging. This was another gift at Christmas and its not been out of my bag since. It is fairly sticky for a gloss, but I think that's part of the reason why it lasts so well on the lips.
• Max Factor Colour Elixir Lip Liner in Pink Petal - this is pretty much Mac Syrup in pencil form. So creamy and long lasting, and really suits any nude or pinky lip colour.
• Lanolips 101 Ointment Multipurpose Balm - this has been my lip saviour, and although it comes at a fairly high price (much to my boyfriend's dismay) it's totally worth it and I'm never looking back!
• Concealer - I'm ashamed about how old this is, and the fact I can't even tell where it's from! I'm going to assume its the collection lasting perfection concealer but I may be wrong. My handbag concealer is usually whichever needs using up and this is probably due a trip to the bin.
• Chanel Levres Scintillantes in Glossimer - a gorgeous pink gloss with shimmer flecks running all through it. They don't show up too much on the lips so no need to worry, and the pink isn't too bright either (the packaging is deceiving). I love the formula and it's really long lasting - what you expect from Chanel really!

 

 

And that's it! I hoped you enjoyed having a nosey through my handbag essentials, I love to read about everyone else's myself!

 

 

A

 

xx

Lets Talk E45

As you probably all know by now, my skin is almost as dry and sensitive as it can get. As long as I can remember I've been having oil and Dettol (my Dad's obsession, best not to ask) baths and layering on the cream. To be honest, for us sensitive skin sufferers, there's not much out there to help!

Back in the day, when my parents would buy anything to try and sort out my skin, I tried E45 body lotion. To be honest I didn't really give it a long enough time to test, and quickly passed over it. For years I used purely Eumovate all over, a prescribed, steroid cream for my eczema, because it was literally the only thing that worked. Not the best idea.

In 2013 BzzAgent sent me some samples of the new range of E45 cream to try out, and I wrote a blog post all about it, which you can find here. I used it all, and enjoyed it, but it didn't leave a lasting impression. More recently, I discovered that the Garnier Ambre Solaire Aftersun Skin Soother Hydrating Milk is brilliant for hydrating my skin, after piling it on twice a day throughout a whole Summer! My favourite moisturiser though has got to be the Body Shop's Body Butters (my favourites are coconut, hemp, Satsuma and honeymania) which are some of the few scented lotions I can use. This habit can be quite expensive though, so I try to purchase these only when they're on offer!

However, for Christmas last year I got a tub of E45 in my stocking (again, don't ask) and decided to give it another go. While it isn't quite as fast working as my prescribed cream, or exciting as the body butters, it does just work. I've been using the cream all over, but mostly my hands which are really suffering since I got a new job. I feel like the cream works so much better if I use it often to maintain hydration rather than just to try and fix a problem.

So now I've invested in a bottle of the stuff and the other day, the Intense Recovery Hand Cream (all currently 3 for 2 in Boots if you get a move on!). I can already see a difference from using the hand cream nightly, and think it's actually enough to not need to use throughout the day. I don't think I'll ever be one of those people who re-applies every hour.

Give it a go if you haven't already! It may surprise you!


A

xx

Review: Batiste Dry Shampoo (Floral)

For me, Batiste is the original dry shampoo (whether it technically is I'm not certain) and definitely the best. It was the first one I tried, admittedly there seemed to be a hype and I jumped on that bandwagon. At the moment I'm using the Batiste Dry Shampoo Floral Essences version, and I think it's my favourite yet. The scent is light and not overpowering, while still working wonders on my hair. Although this is part of the revitalising range, I do find that it adds a touch of volume as well.

 

 

In the past year or so I've dabbled with other branded dry shampoos on the market including;

• Herbal Essences Dry Shampoo Uplifting Volume - I hated this from first use, it made my hair feel sticky and it looked even worse than it had before!
• Herbal Essences Clearly Naked (0%) Dry Shampoo - this is okay and I'm still using up the tin but I wouldn't repurchase it while I can buy the Batiste at the same price. Also, my first tin came with a dodgy nozzle, but it could have just been a fluke.
• Batiste XXL - same brand I know, but didn't think the XXL version was much different to their simple dry shampoos.

 

So, maybe I've not dabbled too much, but why try to find an alternative to a product I like, trust and can afford (though I do wait until I see it on offer)? From now on, I'm sticking the Batiste original formula and may just switch up the scents instead!

 

 

A

 

xx

Brace Face: 3 Months down..

So it feels like I've had these on for ages now, not just 3 months! I seriously can't wait to get them off and smile properly. Yesterday I looked back on some pictures and wish I felt confident enough to smile with my teeth while the braces are on. But who wants reminders of a metal mouth?!

As you can probably tell, I'm hating the braces at the moment. It's nothing to do with pain or issues, just my own vanity, and I don't think there's much I can do about it for now!

On a brighter note, my teeth are definitely still moving well and I'm looking forward to each monthly appointment, because I know that they are going to change again. They always seem to have an drastic change in that first painful week after an adjustment (obviously) but I do find they still alter through the weeks in between too.



Before: November 2014

During: February 2015

You can see by the pictures above, the changes from November and February are small but make a huge difference. My tooth that was moving behind my front teeth is now back where it should be. The two middle teeth which were slightly turned in, are also beginning to straighten back up again. The orthodontist also filed down the front two teeth slightly so they are now more square and 'normal' looking (sounds scary but a little bit goes a long way!). At the moment I'm now concerned with the bottom line level of the teeth, the front two are still lower than the others and I would ideally like a nice uniform line. We shall see! I am very happy with the results so far though!


A

xx



Brace Face: Braces are On! 1 Month In!

So my braces have been on for a month now, I can't believe how fast it has gone!

Getting them on wasn't too bad, the worst thing I find is the mouth piece that stretches your mouth open. It really starts to pull while they're fitting the brace, so if you're getting one make sure you take plenty of lip balm for before and after. The brace itself didn't hurt at all while they fitted it, but did for a few days after which is to be expected.

My teeth have changed so much already, I'll put pictures below of before (see last blog post), when I first got the braces on, and what they look like now! I went back to the Orthodontist today to get the brackets and wires altered again, my mouth is aching a bit but it will be all worth it in the end.

Before

The day my braces got put on.

One month in!

 

 

A

 

xx

Autumn-Winter 2014 Part 1 - New Look Sale!

So, I woke up this morning to an email from New Look announcing their latest sale had started! So obviously I had to check it out before I surfaced from bed. This isn't the best sale I've seen in a while for my personal style, but there's some brilliant bargains.

Winter (Eg. Christmas dare I say it?) parties are coming up and there's a couple of weddings happening also, so I'm in the market for some seasonally appropriate dresses. So my top five picks from the New Look sale consist of 4 dresses and a jumpsuit!

This dress reminds me of pieces I've seen in Topshop recently, especially with the black and white collar. It really meets the 'sporty' trend while still looking dressy enough to wear out. At £12 it's a complete bargain! I'd wear this with black heeled boots and a biker jacket.

 A jumpsuit hasn't been in my wardrobe since I was about 8! There usually just not my thing, and can make me look a lot shorter and frumpy. However, I think this one would be different, due to the high waistline. The red berry colour is gorgeous and perfect for winter, I'd style it with black heels and a black clutch. Even better - it costs just £9!

Sparkly and sophisticated, need I say more? I'm a sucker for anything with a bit of glitter, and this would be so easy to wear. I'm eyeing this up for one of the weddings! £8 is nothing to pay for a dress like this.

I love the mix of the winter florals and 'sporty' sleeves and collar on this dress. I think it's a bit different to what I usually wear, but for £9 it doesn't matter if I only wear it this year. I'd probably dress this down with black tights & boots for a cinema date.

Finally this piece is one I think could be really versatile, and be worn for almost any occasion. I love the print on it and the slight hint of colour. This dress will flatter most figures with the dark pattern at the waist, a bargain at just £10.

A

xx

Essie After School Boy Blazer

Yes, I crumbled and gave in to the new 'it product of Autumn. After School Boy Blazer from Essie's new collection is the most coveted colour right now and I can definitely see why. The colour is a very dark navy with a slight hint of glisten. In some lights it can look black, but in others the perfect deep navy. It's absolutely stunning and definitely one to look it if you don't want to go with full on black nails. It's also a really lovely colour to wear if you don't want to be completely traditional with your Autumn nails this season. Everybody does the reds, burgundies and grey/nudes at this time of year, so it's nice to have such a fitting but different colour.

If you want to get this, beautybay.com actually have it on sale right now here. Even more reason to pick it up!

A

xx