December Boots Haul

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas! The week before Christmas I went in to boots (which was a battle in itself - I hate the Christmas rush) and decided that since I had some Christmas spends and a voucher to get 300 extra points and double points that I just had to treat myself! So I thought I would show you guys the few bits and bobs that I picked up!

Batiste Dry Shampoo XXL

The first thing I grabbed is a necessity product to me. The Batiste dry shampoo for XXL volume is amazing in my eyes. I have a fringe and I use this to stop those annoying gaps that happen. It basically makes sure my fringe looks full at all times! It is also great to spray at the roots and underneath your hair before a night out! 

Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation

The next product I grabbed was the Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 hour foundation. I had just finished a foundation I had owned for a while and I thought I would pick up a different one to try. At the beginning of this year I wasn't a person that was too fussed about using different foundations or having foundations that left the skin with a different finish (matte, dewy etc) but now I like having in that mixture so I can swap about my make-up even if its an every day look. Rimmel is fantastic for foundation - I have yet to try a foundation of theirs that has been bad for me!

Loreal Paris Lumi Magique Pure Light Primer

I needed a new primer so I decided to pick up this Loreal primer! I have enjoyed Loreal Primers in the past so I thought this would be a safe bet! Expect a review of this in the near future as I plan on using this as my new daily primer.

Barry M 355- Gold Mine Glitter

After grabbing a new primer I thought I would try a few new nail polishes over the holidays. I can't usually wear polish during the week so the holidays are a great chance to try something special. First I picked up a black and gold glitter by Barry M in 355 Gold Mine Glitter.

Barry M 347- Limited Edition

This next Barry M polish is limited edition to boots (and can I just say how pretty is the bottle and its top is) and is a mix of purple, red and green fine glitter. It is almost like broken up tinsel! The colour is Barry M 347 - Limited Edition.

Barry M 351 - Yellow Topaz Glitter

The last nail polish I picked up is a gold glitter top coat. I really love this polish and I actually wore it for Christmas. It catches the light beautifully! The colour is in 351 Yellow Topaz Glitter.

Loreal Super Liner Eyebrow Pencil

Another thing I needed to pick up was an eyebrow pencil. I am a massive fan of the Loreal Eyebrow pencils however I haven't tried their newer Super Liner range so I thought I would have to try the newer version! Usually since I have black hair I buy the black pencil but the darkest they had was dark brown which is actually a perfect match for me!

So that was what I picked up from my last trip to boots! Have you been there recently? What did you pick up? Have you tried any of the products I picked up? Let me know in the comments!

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Christmas 2013 - Christmas Day and Presents!

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and I hope you are all having a lovely holiday break! I though I would write up a blog post on Christmas and how my Christmas day unfolded!

This is our tree. This is our second year having a real tree. The photo really doesn't do it justice as to how big and pretty it really is! I spent Christmas at home with my mum and dad this year. We got up at around about 8 and opened our presents! It doesn't matter how old you get you still need to get up at the same time and take turns opening your presents!

Coat, Boots, Scarf and Gloves - New Look

I had actually received and used the main bulk of my presents for Christmas. If you're interested I wrote a blog post on the above clothes that I got from my parents for Christmas. You can check it out here.

Now on to what I actually unwrapped on Christmas morning! I really love the thought that has gone in to my presents this year and they are all things I will put to great use! 

Loverdose Tattoo Gift Set

If you have seen my review of the Loverdose Perfume you will know that I only own Loverdose as a perfume. I wear it day in, day out and have never really tried anything else. Then I saw Loverdose Tattoo being advertised. I immediate went to my nearest boots to spray it to test it... well I fell in love and my generous boyfriend bought me the gift set for the Loverdose Tattoo perfume (he also took my boots card to give me the points - bonus!)

Loverdose Tattoo Gift Set

In the gift set you get a sample size of the original Loverdose which I am thankful for as I always love chucking these in my bag! On top of the 30ml Loverdose Tattoo perfume you also get a 50ml shower gel and a 50ml body lotion. 

Soap & Glory Bright and Bubbly Gift Set

Next I opened this present. This was from my mum and its a good old Soap & Glory gift set! If you are a keen follower of my blog you will know that I just bought/treated myself to the Yule Monty limited edition bag which came with 9 full sized goodies. This however is a nice treat to also have and the boxes are great for storing make-up brushes! 

Soap & Glory Bright and Bubbly Gift Set

In this Soap & Glory gift set you receive: Hand Food 50ml, Scrub of Your Life 50ml, Clean on me 75ml, The Righteous Butter 50ml and a loofa!

MAC Stroke of Midnight Brush Kit: Mineralize

This next present I will love forever and will always remind me of my boyfriend! As followers of my blog will know MAC is a brand I have been wanting to try for so long now. Ever since I was around 17/18 and began wearing make-up I always wanted to try something from the brand. However because it is an expensive brand I wanted to make sure I would get the use out of them! My loving boyfriend bought me the MAC Stroke of Midnight Brush Kit: Mineralize which I had said to him I would chose if I was buying myself one of the sets available as I would use them the most in my routine... clearly he was listening and taking note!

Here is a sneak peak of the set. I plan on doing a full review of this set! I even plan on reviewing the little samples that came with it! I received MAC Zoom Fast Mascara and MAC Prep and Prime. All I can say is my boyfriend is amazing! For all of those MAC fans that read my blog I will also be the proud owner of MAC foundation soon which I also plan on reviewing for you all!

Despicable Me 2 and A3 Notepad

These next two presents are random ones. My mum knows how obsessed me and my boyfriend are about Despicable Me and minions so she bought me the DVD (we both thought it was funny that she left the price on, there is always one price tag that is left on isn't there!) My cousin also bought me a little notepad to do my writing in. It is an A3 sized lined pad that has a magnetic clasp to keep it shut. I enjoy writing so I will be sure to be writing in this little book!

Clothes, clothes and clothes!

As always my mum and dad showed just how much they know me and my style with the clothes they bought me. I wasn't expecting more clothes but they picked my up some pjs, some leggings and two skater style lace dresses from Select! I thought I would show you guys the dresses from Select!

Red Lace Skater Dress - Select

This first skater dress is so warm its unbelievable. It is hard to tell from the picture but it is made from a really thick material that is lined within the dress. 

The lace itself is thick wool almost - I'd call it more of a lace pattern rather than actual lace on the dress! I ended up wearing this dress on Christmas day as it was so warm and also very festive looking!

Blue Lace Skater Dress - Select

This next dress is a lace dress and is also in the form of a skater style. I love this blue it is such a beautiful royal blue colour that will be great for winter but can also be dressed up and down with belts and jewellery.

As you can tell this dress is much more delicate but I really do love the floral lace pattern. Overall I am so happy with both of these dresses and I don't think I could have chosen better myself!

Roast Dinner!

Of course I had to include a picture of my amazing roast dinner! Kudos to my mother she did an amazing job as always! I always get nervous for moving out thinking about how awful my first roast dinner will be in comparison to my mothers! Needless to say this was absolutely gorgeous!

So how was your Christmas? What did you all end up doing and what were the presents you received and gave? Let me know in the comments! Happy Holidays to you all!

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Christmas 2013 - NOTD, OOTD & FOTD

Hello everyone! I hope you are all having a nice Christmas! I thought I would post a quick Christmas blog from my phone (forgive any errors ill fix them when I'm next on the computer!). So here are my Christmas nails, outfit and make-up for the day!

NOTD - Nail of the Day

My nails are all Barry M red today. You can't go wrong with a bit of red polish and gold glitter on Christmas Day!

OOTD - Outfit of the Day

My outfit today is a dress I actually got today for Christmas from my parents! It's a dress from Select and I love it. I'm wearing it as I am writing this! It's a really red thick lace pattern skater dress. My parents know me so well! I love these type of dresses as I can wear them for work and also wear them with boots and leggings for casual wear! 

FOTD - Face of the Day

My make-up is pretty neutral - the only new make-up I used today was MAC Mascara and primer samples I received alongside a Christmas present! More on that to come in another blog post! Neutral make-up for me on Christmas Day is a winner since as we all know it's all about running around to get Christmas dinner done!

So what are you all wearing for Christmas? How have you all done your make-up and nails? Let me know I'm the comments and Merry Christmas!

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Soap & Glory The Yule Monty Limited Edition Jonathan Saunders Bag

Soap & Glory The Yule Monty Limited Edition Jonathan Saunders Bag £27 (RRP £60)

This has to be the most exited I have ever been when writing a blog post. EVER! I only became a fan of Soap & Glory after receiving some Soap & Glory presents last year for Christmas. When the Yule Monty which usually retails for £60 went down to £27 I totally missed the memo and missed the original online sales. So I decided to check my local boots who were also out of stock! By chance when a few more went back online I managed to snatch one up and quickly order it! You can just ask my other half if you want to know how exited I was that I would soon be receiving the Yule Monty limited edition bag!

Firstly I must tell you the bag is so big. I could tell it was big from the pictures and obviously the big containers of products you get however I didn't think it would be as big as it was! I love the bag it is a pink bag with silver detailing and has little silver buckle detailing on the zip saying 'Limited Edition'. The inside of the bag has a lovely smooth silver lining. Personally I have used this to organise my mini day to day make-up bags, make-up removers and skincare. It nicely stores all my daily products in one place that I can quickly access. It really is a strong and durable bag and since you get not only this but 9 products for £27 you definitely get a lot for your money! I can even see myself using this for when I go abroad to keep all my toiletries, make-up etc in.

The box has a little cardboard wrap around it that shows all the lovely products you will be receiving...and yes your eyes do not deceive you there are 9 full sized products!

So here are all the products! Some I have already tried but the majority I am completely new to. I have been meaning to expand the products I have tried from the Soap & Glory range however I thought now would be a great place to try more since each product works out at £3! So in the bag you get:

• Hand Food
• Heel Genius
• The Scrub of Your Life
• Sugar Crush Body Wash
• Butter Yourself Moisture Lotion
• Peaches and Clean
• The Righteous Butter
• Thick and Fast Mascara
• Sexy Mother Pucker XL

I have linked the products I have reviewed in case you would like to check them out. I will be sure to be posting reviews on the products I have yet to try!

And now on to the little surprise sample in the box! I hadn't actually read on many blog posts about this little sample so it was nice to see and have! The sample is for Soap & Glory Genius In a Bottle which is a serum/ moisturiser that you can use before your make-up. I'll be sure to review these samples for you guys! I really do like that Soap & Glory included 3 sample sachets for three uses. Big thumbs up there Soap & Glory!

So did you manage to get your hands on the Soap & Glory The Yule Monty bag? What were your thoughts? Or have you tried any of these products? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

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Goodreads 2014 Reading Challenge

Hello everyone! I hope you are all well! This is a little update post to let you know on a challenge I will be doing during 2014. I will be trying to read 50 books in 2014! Two years ago on an old Goodreads account I did take part in the reading challenge and surpassed my goal of 100 books however since I imagine next year to be just as busy as this year I thought I would set a slightly lower target!

So for all of you that have a Goodreads account please add me as a friend for any immediate updates on the challenge! To keep you updated on my 2014 reading challenge I will be adding a new tab on the blog where you can check out my Goodreads account and a list of the books I have read so far! During next year I may also begin writing a few book reviews. 

So please follow my progress throughout the 2014 reading challenge!

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GFC gone... gone forever?!?

Yes fellow bloggers it seems it has finally happened. GFC (Google Friends Connect) seems to have finally been removed. So I thought I would post a little reminder that you can still follow me on Bloglovin and on SheSaidBeauty! So please if you follow me only on GFC please continue to follow me on either one of the two!

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Update: It seems there are some problems with the GFC feature but it is not known if this will be fixed or not. Please follow me through BlogLovin and/or SheSaidBeauty to make sure you hear the latest from my blog! Thank you!

Elvive Colour Protect Caring Shampoo and Caring Conditioner review

If you have been following my blog for a while, particularly my product empties posts, you will briefly remember my occasional reluctance to wanting to include my shampoo and conditioners in my product empties as I have been using the same shampoo and conditioner since I was 16 so it would be the same two bottles over and over again! Unlike my deep conditioners I don't switch these out at all as they have always worked well for my hair. However I thought it would be great to review two products that I have used for years and that have always been a staple product for me.

First a little bit of a back story on my hair. I am naturally pretty much bleach blonde however when I was 15 I decided it really didn't suit me and I wanted a change. Throughout the course of a year after embarking on chemically straightening my hair with keratin treatments in my hairdressers I began trying different blondes and even went to brown. None of those seemed to really match what I wanted. I always told my hairdresser I wanted black hair and eventually she alongside me decided to go for it. It took hours but eventually just before I turned 16 I had black hair. I have never changed it since and I am now coming up to 22!

For those that dye their hair black or a darker colour you know just how hard it can be to maintain; especially at the beginning when you are trying to get the colour to 'grip' to your hair for want of a better work. For me I tried to look for numerous colour protect shampoos and conditioners until I struck gold with the Elvive Colour Protect range.

Over the years the formula has changed slightly along with the bottle but the product is pretty much the same. The shampoo and conditioner both have UVA & UVB filters which I love because its not only protecting the colour from any sun but also your actual hair follicle from any sun damage. Overall I did see a dramatic result from when I first started dying my hair to the months where I began using this as my shampoo and conditioner. Before using this range the black on my hair would last between 2-3 weeks but now can last between 4-6. Even when my hair does begin to fade it is only subtle and fades naturally which I like. The only real give-away that my hair needs a re-dye is my roots!

The shampoo lathers up really nicely whilst the conditioner is a smooth consistency which goes on lovely and results in lovely smooth and shiny hair. The pair work great together but I also know from using these alongside my deep conditioners that they can work great with other product ranges.

Have you tried the Elvive Colour protect range? Have you got a colour protecting shampoo and conditioner you could recommend to me? Let me know in the comments!

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Small New Look Haul - December 2013

So here I am with yet another New Look haul! Admittedly my last New Look haul I posted up a bit later than when I bought all the the items because I have been mad busy lately! However this one I am getting out to you pretty quickly. I only got these delivered this week and lucky me I managed to bag a few steals in the bunch too!

Wide Fit Black Lace Up Biker Boots

If you have been following my blog for a while now you will know how mad I am about boots and combat boots. They are pretty much the only shoe I will wear. I was unsure about ordering these but I am so glad I did as I am in love with them! I got these for £29.99. You can also get these in brown.

The detailing on the boot is subtle but enough to make it slightly different from your standard combat boot!

Black Floral Print Skater Dress

The next two things I decided to buy were dresses. I like skater style dresses as they are easy to dress up and down. I managed to pick this up in the sale for£12.59 - the original price was £17.99 so there were a few pounds saved there!

I really love the colours and patters on this dress. Sometimes it can be hard to get floral right on a dress but I think this dress pulls it off nicely.

Black and Red Tapestry Floral Cap Sleeve Skater Dress

This dress I managed to snatch up on in the sale for £9 down from £17.99. I'm pretty pleased with that I must admit!

You can tell from the photo that this is a much more toned down and distressed floral look. I love this dress. Both the dresses I got from this New Look order are so comfortable and I love the style and pattern they are in!

So what clothes have you been buying lately? Have you visited New Look lately? Let me know in the comments!

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Anniversary Gift Ideas - One Year Anniversary

So today marks my one year anniversary for me and my boyfriend. The last weekend we have been celebrating our year anniversary by having a meal and a night out and then a chilled day in over the weekend. I thought I would make a quick little post to let you guys know what I put together for our anniversary!

I decided I would pick up a Kilner Jar and I would put in all his favourite sweets and chocolate to munch on. I also added little love hearts with different notes in to make him smile as he made his way through the sweets!

To finish it off I added a note saying all the reasons why I loved him and wishing him a happy anniversary! The whole idea is a great little treat for anyone. The jar is pretty affordable, I got mine for £3 and it is a really large size! You can also slowly fill up your jar of sweets/treats as and when you get ideas!

I also bought him a bar of his favourite chocolate bar and a cuddly toy! 

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Treacle Moon - Warm Cinnamon Nights Bath and Shower gel review

I totally fell in love with the Treacle Moon shower Gel range from the moment I laid eyes on the brand. If you haven't checked out my review of the Treacle Moon Original Toffee Bon Bon bath and shower gel then check it out here. You will see just how much I love these bath and shower gels on top of their body butters which if you look here you will see I also loved!

So what about Warm Cinnamon Nights? What do I think of this? Well I absolutely love this! If these is such a thing as the perfect Christmas scent then this is it. If you are the type of person who likes to co-ordinates scents of products with seasons (like myself) then you will love using this around Christmas time. The scent reminds me of holiday themed candles and holiday themed lush products. You can also smell that hint of cinnamon; especially straight after you've used it.

As I have said in previous reviews, the lather on this bath and shower gel is amazing. It produces a really soft and fluffy lather and really makes my skin feel nice and clean. As I have also mentioned in previous reviews; this bath and shower gel can be found in Tesco for a small £2.99. So for all of you that go through bath and shower products quickly or just like to change a lot this is definitely a brand that won't hurt your purse too much but for really good quality!

So have you tried the Treacle Moon Warm Cinnamon Nights bath and Shower Gel? What were your thoughts? Or let me know you're thoughts on the Treacle Moon brand down in the comments!

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New Look haul / Christmas presents from the Family - November 2013 - Winter Clothes Haul

Hello everyone! I hope you are all having a great start to your December! So this year I got the usual question from my mum and dad - what would you like for Christmas? This year I have had a very practical head on as far as money and buying are concerned as I am saving to move out. So I asked for practical clothes, things I could wear for work and college environments and things I would get a lot of wear out of that I would only end up having to buy myself throughout the year. So with my Christmas present budget here is what I picked myself up!

Miss Real Black Tweed Frill Hem Coat - £49.99

The first thing I decided I needed was a new coat. This coat is the Miss Real Black Tweed Frill Hem Coat. I can't express how much I love this coat. It is thick and durable and it smartens up everything I wear! 

Red Check Snood - £7.99

I love the new tartan craze that has been going round and I knew I needed to grab this when I saw it. Not only has it got a bold tartan design on it but it keeps you so warm and is so soft!

Black Woven Chain Strap Ankle Boots - £19.99

I decided I needed to pick up a pair of ankle boots for the cold weather that I could wear when I still want to dress smart rather than having cold feet in ballet pump flats! These boots are really comfy and go with a lot of the dresses and tights I like to wear.

Black Triple Buckle Lace Up Biker Boots - £29.99

I also wanted to pick up a good old pair of biker boots! You can't go wrong with a strong pair of durable boots especially when it gets in to cold weather and ESPECIALLY when it snows! The grips on these are amazing so if you are after a fashionable pair of snow safe boots these are your best bet! I feel safely prepared for the bad weather with these boots at hand!

Black and Cream Heart Print Flip Top Gloves - £6.99

If you were to ask my partner what my favourite thing about colder weather is he would no doubt say mittens. I love these... regardless of the fact I look about 7 when I wear them. They are great for those of us that have phones and purses and folders to fiddle around in but once we are outside we want to cover our fingers up! I just love mittens for how versatile they are and yes for how cute they are!

So have you taken a sneak peak in to New Look lately? Have you bought anything from there? Let me know in the comments! Also let me know if there any products I bought that you have your eye on!

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