Next Haul

Quilted Jacket, Grey Leather Bag

Leather Riding Boots, Grey polka dot jumper

Around Christmas time I entered a competition from Next and ended up being in the top 25 with the most votes. I was so excited when I received an email saying that I had won some items from Next and a subscription to Look magazine.

The pieces I had chosen from the ones available in the competition were no longer obtainable so I was asked to pick 5 new items. This is what I chose, including a reversible leather belt for my husband (not shown).

Originally I had chosen a pair of burgundy trousers but when they arrived I didn't really love the fit of them so I exchanged them in the shop for the grey jumper, which comes with a detachable vest to wear under it.
I have already worn some of my prizes, including the jacket and the boots, which I absolutely love.

Have you shopped in Next lately?

xo

Burgundy jumper

Burgundy jumper, Bird print skater dress, 

Biker boots: all H&M; Black tights: Pretty Polly

What I wore on Saturday. We went to town and I got a couple of things which will be featuring 

on my 'New In: March' post ;D 

I really like this dress and even though it was very cold I wanted to wear it. Can't wait for warmer days!

How was your weekend?

xo

Primark Summer 2013 Favourites

Here are my picks from Primark's summer collection: lots of studs and spikes along with some more feminine and girly items like the floral headband and light coloured denim, that when combined together remind me of Lana del Rey.

I am especially loving that polka dot dress which I would style with a white shirt underneath for a cute and casual look to the style of Alexa Chung. I will definitely be on the lookout for these items.

Have any of these pieces caught your eye?

xo

Paul Smith Rose EDP

Spring is finally here and what better way to celebrate it than with a beautiful floral fragrance.
I purchased Paul Smith Rose a few weeks ago and started wearing it more frequently until it became my everyday perfume of the season.

It is a lovely floral fragrance, not really sweet but young and fresh which I really like. The perfume has notes of white peony, watery flower accord and bergamot, as well as sandalwood and white musk.
The bottle has a simple, clear glass design containing the light pink coloured product, topped with a sleek metallic lid and comes with a rose print fabric pouch for travelling.

Paul Smith Rose is a long lasting fragrance given that it is an Eau de Parfum, so you don't need to spray too much to smell like fresh roses all day long.
If you like floral fragrances I would recommend Paul Smith Rose as it is the perfect fragrance for spring.

You can get it from Superdrug and Boots.

Have you tried Paul Smith perfumes?

xo

April Magazine Freebies

This month there are some great freebies available on April's magazines. With Marie Claire (Mila Kunis on the cover) you get a free Neal's Yard hand cream worth £10. I really like this hand cream, it smells amazing and is made with organic ingredients such as honey and orange peel oil, which gives it a delicious fragrance.

You can choose between 2 different moisturisers and a lip balm from the Elemis brand with Cosmopolitan magazine (Zooey Deschanel on the cover). I got the lip balm (worth £8) and even though it makes my lips tingle a bit (it contains peppermint oil) it leaves my lips nice and soft so I am really liking this product as well.

With Glamour magazine (January Jones on the cover) you get to choose between a shampoo, conditioner, hair polish and volumising oil from Percy & Reed. I chose the Volumising No Oil Oil (worth £10). This product does help add some volume to my straight hair and makes it dry quicker after washing it, but the only thing I didn't like about it is that it contains alcohol (listed as the second ingredient), which can dry out your hair so I would not recommend this hair oil for everyday use.

Have you tried any of these products? 

xo

got2b Oil-licious Styling Oil

One day while looking around in Savers I found this little gem: got2b Oil-licious Tame & Shine Styling Oil with argan oil and I knew I had to get it for I had been looking for a hair oil for some time.

It may look small but you only need a tiny amount: I use one pump for my whole hair. There are no directions on the label but what I do is rub my hands together and run my fingers through the lengths of my hair, avoiding the roots. 

I used it after washing my hair and today when I got up my hair wasn't tangled and it felt super soft. It doesn't feel greasy, and leaves my hair shiny; it has a slightly sweet smell but after you put it on your hair you can't perceive it.

It claims to absorb instantly, make hair shiny and smooth, and tame hair to achieve sleek glossy styles.
This hair oil can be used for extra care pre-washing, better manageability pre-styling, and sleek finished styles.

Analyzing the ingredients I was really pleased to find lots of natural oils in the formula, though it does contain silicones. The latter are used to smooth hair and reduce frizz and they are usually recommended by some hair stylists for said reasons.
The ingredients are always listed from highest percentage to lowest in a product, so the main ingredients in this product are silicones, however it contains not one but eight different types of oils: sunflower, argan, macadamia, olive, almond, apricot, murula and sesame oils. 

If we compare it to Moroccan Oil they are quite similar in the ingredients they contain. I do not own Moroccan Oil but with a little research I found that the main ingredients in Moroccan Oil are silicones as well: Cyclomethicone, Dimethicone, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Parfum, Linseed Seed Extract, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Benzil Benzoate, Alpha - Isomethyl Ionone, CI26100, CI47000.

After the comparison I would definitely be inclined to purchase the got2be oil over the Moroccan Oil not just because of the similarities in ingredients (silicones, oils, perfumes and colorants) but for the price: I found that 25ml of the Original Moroccan Oil retails for £12.85 (£51.40 for 100ml) on feelunique.com, while for a mere £2.50 you get 50ml (£5 for 100ml) of product with got2b.

If you are looking to venture into the world of hair oils I recommend this product over any other expensive one because it does its job for a small price.

You can find got2b Oil-licious Styling Oil in Savers for £2.50, and it is also currently on sale in Superdrug for  £2.55 (RRP £4.05).

Have you tried any hair oils?

xo

Simple Kind to Skin Cleansing Wipes

Who doesn't like a quick and easy cleansing routine? When you come home from a night out you might think "it's ok" to fall asleep with your make-up on, but it really isn't. At night is when your skin takes time to regenerate, so leaving your makeup on disrupts your skin's natural renewal process and it also can clog your pores which might lead to blemishes.

With cleansing wipes you don't have to spend a lot of time getting rid of your makeup at night. I have used Simple Kind to Skin Cleansing Wipes before and I know they work. I like to remove my eye makeup with Simple wipes because it is quite easy and it doesn't irritate my eyes.

The wipes are now softer and thicker than before, and contain vitamins to refresh and moisturise the skin. They contain no alcohol or oil so they don't leave your skin dry or greasy, and they are free from artificial perfumes, colours and harsh chemicals making them perfect for even sensitive skin.

Simple Kind to Skin Cleansing Facial Wipes are available in Tesco, Boots and most retailers. RRP £2.99 with 25 wipes per pack.

Take the Simple Skin Health Check here, your one-to-one consultation with a virtual skin expert! It usually costs £8.99 but you can get it free with the code BZZ13.

Have you tried Simple wipes before? 

xo

*PR Sample.

Nail of the day

Nails inc. in Haymarket

I'm absolutely loving this duck egg blue shade for spring, even though it doesn't look very spring-like outside (sad face)

The formulation is quite runny, so you need a couple of coats for the colour to become opaque. I have been wearing it for a few days without a top coat with insignificant chipping on one nail, which probably wouldn't have happened if I had used a top coat, ha!

The brush isn't the most amazing brush in the world, but it works. All in all a good, durable nail polish.

You can purchase Haymarket on the nails inc website.


Have you tried nails inc. polishes before?

xo

Mother's Day Gift Ideas

Here are a few suggestions on what to get this Mother's Day.
My top 10 picks include indulgent skincare products; gorgeous makeup for eyes, nails and lips; accessories, and even something for the home. So you are likely to find something perfect for your dear mother (in case you haven't yet!).

Cowshed Gorgeous Cow Limited Edition Gift Set, Dior Vernis Nail Polish, SteamCream Whispering Blossom Tin,
Tom Ford Lip Color, Starbucks Coffee Machine, Collage Picture Frame, Guerlain Shalimar Initial L'Eau EDT
Nip + Fab 10 Years Younger In A Box, Aerin Spring Style Palette, Mulberry East West Leather Pouch    

Have you got any plans for Mother's Day this Sunday?

xo

Fur jacket

Faux fur jacket, Scarf, Angora jumper: H&M

Skinny Jeans, Leather bag: Topshop; Boots: Next