The Indigo Hours | Beauty & Lifestyle

I was recently contacted* about Repertoire Fashion, a collection of formal and casual fashion for both men (check out their range of Jeffery West shoes!) and women; one of the largest retailers of designer labels in Southern England, Repertoire also have an online site with a huge range of brands from Armani to Ted Baker. It certainly makes for lust-worthy browsing, and I was challenged to put together three Autumn outfits using pieces from Repertoire along with other online retailers - have a peek at what I came up with!

Forever Unique Berry Red Leather Pencil Skirt, Repertoire Fashion, £62.96

Gold Sequin Peplum Top, River Island, £15

Leopard Print Stilettos, Matalan, £15
Black & Gold Cut Out Box Clutch, New Look, £19.99
Gold Cut Out Geometric Cuff, New Look, £4.99
Look Beauty Nail Pop 'Berry Fizz', Look Beauty, £2.50
Look Beauty Loud Lips 'Cherry Bomb', Look Beauty, £3.50

This burgundy leather pencil skirt is an absolutely gorgeous colour, hitting the Autumn berry shades trend right on the head. Paired with gold sequins for instant glitz, plus leopard print heels to keep the look glamourous, I think this is an ideal outfit for the festive party season, without resorting to the clichéd LBD. Accessorise with a boxy clutch for your essentials, a gold cut-out cuff bracelet to bring the whole outfit together, and matching lips and nails for a well-groomed finishing touch.

Ted Baker 'Monay' Oil Painting Scarf, Repertoire Fashion, £53.10

Roma Black Shift Dress, Pinstripe & Pearls, £95

Vivienne Westwood Melissa Mushroom Buckle Court Shoes, Repertoire Fashion, £63.98

Fiorelli Chocolate Tote Zip Bag, Debenhams, £44.25

The Collection Gold Expander Waist Belt, Debenhams, £11.25

Gold Plated White Pave Swing Necklace, John Greed, £14.95

The second outfit I've put together is a smarter, more professional one which I think is perfect for the office; I fell head over heels for the Vivienne Westwood shoes and just had to include them! A simple black dress is so versatile and easy to dress up or down; here, I've gone for gold accessories with the belt and necklace. The Ted Baker scarf is a gorgeous print and adds a splash of colour, whilst keeping off the chill of over-zealous air conditioning. Finally, a huge bag is a must for me; you never know when you might need your diary / Kindle / choice of six magazines / entire make-up bag / kitchen sink! I love this tan Fiorelli number and have been doing some serious lusting over it at work.

MUUBAA Bottle Green Quilted Leather Biker Jacket, Repertoire Fashion, £382.50
Closet Cream Polka Dot Tie Back Dress, New Look, £42
Beaded Metallic Bracelet, Dorothy Perkins, £7
Rocket Dog Satire Western Boots, Barratts, £68
Barry M Textured Nail Paint 'White Pearl', £3.99
Textured Band Stone Ring, Topshop, £5.50
Chain Strap Leather Crossbody Bag, Topshop, £28

I love this leather jacket; the bottle-green leather is a bit more unusual than your standard black, but subtle enough to still be super wearable - it's pricey but beautiful. Here, I've dressed it up for a smart/casual date outfit, teaming it with this super-pretty cap sleeved polka dot dress to keep it girly. Ankle boots will keep your feet warm and dry in this inconsiderate British winter weather, whilst also balancing the jacket. I've gone for metallic jewellery in the form of a ring and bracelet, completed with a Barry M nail polish to complement the dress, and a little bag to keep your phone, purse and keys safe.

Have you heard of Repertoire Fashion before? Which are your favourites from the items I chose? Which outfit do you prefer?

xo
[*Please note this post is a PR Collaboration; as always, all thoughts and opinions are entirely my own!]
PS,

I was recently offered the opportunity to try out and review a Detomaso watch of my choice; after browsing the site and having a nosey at the available styles, I was thrilled to accept and chose the beautiful Concetta* watch in white. The watch arrived quickly from Germany via UPS, and within the black cardboard outer box it was beautifully presented in a brushed stainless steel tin, packed with protective foam.
Detomaso Concetta Watch Review

The watch itself was encased in plastic wrap to be completely certain that it reached me in perfect condition, which it did. Made of stainless steel and ceramic, with a mother of pearl dial and tiny sparkly stones surrounding the face, the Concetta is just gorgeous to look at.
Review Detomaso Concetta Watch

On removing the watch from its presentation tin, it became evident that I would need to have the bracelet altered; five links later, the watch actually fit my apparently tiny wrist! The bracelet clips together to fasten, with the mechanism feeling strong and secure once on the wrist. My only complaint with the watch lies here; the catch to release the mechanism can dig in ever so slightly when I bend my wrist - it only happens if I just catch it at the wrong angle and the catch is rounded so it doesn't hurt, but in the interests of an honest review I thought I'd mention it as it is uncomfortable.
Concetta Watch Detomaso

The watch feels heavier than I'm used to (probably because I've previously had leather straps rather than steel & ceramic bracelets!) but in a good way, like it's high-quality and well made. It's easy to set the time and date following the instructions in the enclosed book, but basically the crown clicks out once to set the date, and then clicks out further to set the time, before clicking back in. I really having the date on my watch, it's so handy as I truly am awful at remembering what day it is, never mind the date!
I love my Concetta watch, it's so lovely to look at, keeps time well so far, and because of its silver and white colours it goes with my whole wardrobe whilst still standing out on my wrist. The Detomaso Concetta Watch has an RRP of €229 (approximately £170), which I think makes it a fantastic choice either for yourself or as a gift, with the presentation tin making it ideal for the latter. The Concetta is also available in stainless steel with black ceramic, or rose gold with black ceramic, both of which look equally beautiful.
Have you heard of Detomaso Watches before? What do you think of the Concetta? Which colour would you choose?

xo
[*Please note, this product was sent to me free of charge in return for an honest review; as always, all thoughts and opinions are entirely my own, and I have not been paid for this post.]

You may remember I posted about LaylaD Beauty's Mango, Papaya & Cranberry range when it launched a couple of months ago; today, I'm back with an interview with the lovely Layla, who runs the company. Layla is a beautiful and genuinely lovely girl and also has a fantastic fashion & beauty blog of her own, Sprinkles of Style, which I'd love for you to go visit. For now, though, read on to find out a bit more about LaylaD Beauty!

♥ Tell us a little bit about LaylaD Beauty - what do you do, what products do you sell..?
LaylaD Beauty is a skincare and mineral make-up company specialising in natural, pure products that are free of those nasty chemicals including parabens and sulphates. My name is Layla and I'm the founder of LaylaD Beauty and work with a wonderful team that I absolutely love!
♥ What made you decide to start your own beauty brand?
I've always been so fascinated with make-up and beauty products, I remember when I was younger I would sit at my mum's vanity table and line up all her creams in front of me and start mixing creams on my hand to create something new and to change the textures, once I was happy that I had 'done' something I would then move onto her make-up haha! I remember on my 4th or 5th birthday my mum bought me a little set of lipsticks and I just went and sat on the floor and started mixing the colours to create something new. Growing up I always loved the beauty industry, finding out about new products, new make-up looks and I always had the latest magazines, after school I went and studied make-up, worked in local theatres and fashion shows to build my portfolio and when I got my diploma I went to model agencies, theatres and worked with photographers on different shoots and events. I was then invited to work abroad for a TV show and more shoots. Once I returned to the UK I was lucky enough to work with Hugh Jackman, Blue, London Fashion Week and some wonderful designers. After seeing all the harsh chemicals used in many products I really wanted to make a change so I started putting together a team and we started researching what ingredients work well together, what was missing from the market and constantly developed and tested our products until we were happy with what was in front of us. We will only provide people with products we would use ourselves and I use these products every single day as well as on photoshoots, so you know it's great quality!
♥ What was the hardest part of setting up your business?
The hardest part of setting up LaylaD Beauty was the negativity coming from people who don't want to see you succeed. The more 'no' I hear the more it makes me want to do something and push further. Thankfully I have a wonderful family who always support me and push me to do better, without them I wouldn't be anywhere.
♥ What are you most proud of about LaylaD Beauty?
I'm proud of how far the brand has come since the launch, we are now selling our products in many places in the UK and abroad and the demand is increasing all the time, it's quite strange to think under a year ago LaylaD Beauty wasn't available anywhere....

♥ Which products do you use yourself as part of your everyday routine?
Since our new Mango, Papaya & Cranberry Range has been developed I've been using that every single day without fail...I love the texture of the products, the yummy fruity smell and how clean, smooth and fabulous my skin feels and looks. It's unlike any other products I've tried before which is why many of our customers love it too and it's our best-selling range! Give it a go...you'll love it! :)

♥ How do you come up with ideas for new products and ranges?

There is never a day when I don't stop thinking about new product, new colours, new ranges....I look at what's missing on the market and I think about what I would like to see and what I would buy/use for myself and then I work on that. The Mango, Papaya & Cranberry range has been developed as it's suitable for all skin types, Mango is a wonderful anti-oxidant, papaya is a brilliant cleanser and cranberry has natural fatty acids so it's wonderful to boost skin, it's wonderful as an anti-ageing range, it's wonderful for dry skin and normal skin....so something for everyone! :)

♥ What's the best thing about running LaylaD Beauty?
The best thing is that I am the only one who can sack me! Hahaha... no, on a serious note, I love that LaylaD Beauty can provide more than just skincare and make-up, as a brand we provide people with products that will make them look and feel wonderful everyday, it gives people confidence, it gives people results and that's what I like, the main thing for me is to make people feel better about themselves.
♥ How does a typical day go for you?
There isn't a typical day! One day I'll be going through emails, paperwork, phone calls, the next day I'll be with the team going through orders, on another day I'll be attending press events and travelling... it's wonderful though and I wouldn't change anything!
♥ What does the future hold for LaylaD Beauty?
We've just launched the Mango, Papaya & Cranberry Range which is proving SO popular that I didn't expect it to be selling so fast! We are currently working on new make-up colours and products so that's something to look out for! We're also developing our Italian website which is set to launch in the next couple of weeks due to the huge demand from there and we have many other things happening... it's all go, go, go!!!

I'd just like to say a massive thank you to Layla for taking the time to answer my questions, and I hope you all get chance to check out her wonderful store and maybe purchase something lovely! Layla has very kindly provided a discount code for use on the store; enter the code 'JUSTJESS' to get 10% off any order over £20 - you can use it as many times as you like and it's valid right up until Christmas, so perfect for a little bit of present-buying or of course to treat yourself! Layla has also asked me to let you know that if you sign up to their site and enter 'BLOGGER' as your company, you'll be added to their blogger database to be kept in the loop with new launches, discounts & samples, so if you like the sound of that then get yourself signed up now.

xo

No matter how much my boyfriend tells me off for buying magazines "just for the freebies", I highly doubt I'll ever stop being tempted by something shiny on the front of a glossy - this month, it was the choice of four mini Orly polishes with the December issue of Cosmopolitan UK (with Miley Cyrus on the cover) which drew me in - I went for 'Star Spangled', which looks like a lovely dense glitter-packed red polish in the bottle. It applied beautifully, although on application it's less of a glitter polish and more of a shimmer. The first coat goes on quite pink-looking, but a second built it up nicely to a gorgeous deep, shimmering red shade which I can't help but think will be perfect for the upcoming festivities! In these photos, you can see two coats of 'Star Spangled' over 17's Strengthening Base Coat.
Orly Star Spangled NOTD

The other shades available with this December's Cosmo include 'Hair Band', a golden glitter, 'Country Club Khaki', a nude shade, and 'Naughty', a deep burgundy red. Did you pick up this month's Cosmo? Which Orly shade did you go for? Do you like the look of 'Star Spangled'?

xo

It's recommended that we drink between 1.5-2L of water per day, with around 20% of that volume coming from the food we eat. Today, I just wanted to share a few of the benefits of making sure you get enough water, as well as my top tips for drinking more water!

Keeping hydrated is essential for the body to function properly, since water is necessary to regulate temperature, provide your cells with nutrients, flush out toxins from your body, and a whole number of other functions. Your blood is made up of water, as is the fluid around your brain and spinal cord; without water, the body becomes dehydrated, resulting in headaches and fatigue amongst other problems.
Drinking enough water is also important to look good! Without adequate hydration, you're likely to suffer from dry nails and hair, as well as dull, dry skin and a greater chance of spots. I know I notice a difference in my skin when I drink more water, with my skin looking smoother, plumper and clearer when I've drunk plenty for the last couple of days.
So how can you make sure you're getting enough to drink? Well, the good news is that tea, coffee, fruit juice and cordial all count towards your daily intake! I like to start my day with a glass of orange juice with breakfast, which also helps top up your Vitamin C levels to ward off colds. I carry a bottle of water in my bag with my so that I can have a sip when I'm thirsty. And when I'm at home, I keep a bottle or glass on my desk, because out of sight really is out of mind! If it's there in front of me, I find I can go through a 1L bottle in an afternoon, easily. If you're not keen on the taste of water, try adding a dash of lemon, lime or cordial to it. If you're interested, you can check out this article for some more water facts, I found it really interesting!

xo
[Please note this post is a PR collaboration; as always, this has not affected my opinions in any way and I'll only share content which I think is of value to my readers.]

Well, that's it guys, November is over for another year and tomorrow you're all officially allowed to start talking about Christmas - I've already told Leanne and Sera off for various decoration-related offences! When I lived with my parents, we never put up our tree until Christmas Eve, which is a tradition I'm really trying to continue as much as I can now I've moved out; we'll be having Christmas with my step-kids on Christmas Eve so it'll have to go up a little earlier than that, but I want to leave it as long as possible. I always feel like it makes things more special if you only have your decorations up for a couple of weeks (ours come down on Twelfth Night - traditionalists!), rather than them having become "just part of the house" by Christmas if you put them up too early. ANYWAY. Enough of my Christmas-related rants, and onto what I've finished up this month - it's been a pretty slow month and I'm quite disappointed, although I know I've got quite a few "almost there" products so next month should be better. Here goes:
November Empties 1

Boots Smooth Care Shaving Gel This is about my second can of this, I usually buy Gillette but whilst we've been on a tight budget and this has been on offer, I've been saving where I can. I like it, it does the job and smells really lovely, too. However, it's gone back up to full-price in Boots now, which makes it more expensive than Gillette from Bodycare, so I won't be buying it again unless there's another offer.
Repurchase? Already have a spare can, but not again unless it's on offer.
Naked Volume Body Building Shampoo I adore this shampoo, it's the best I've found for not irritating my eczema and also stopping my hair getting oily too quickly, which can be a real problem for me. It also smells gorgeous! A bottle usually lasts me around a month so it's not too pricey, either, at £4.19 per bottle from Boots.
Repurchase? Probably, although I've been sent a little something else from Naked to try first!
Batiste Tropical Dry Shampoo A staple for me, I've gone through two cans this month (cue the disastrous morning where I had to wash my hair, unplanned, because the can I thought I had in the cupboard turned out not to exist...) and wouldn't be without it. I've actually got one of the massive 400ml cans now, as they work out cheaper when the 200ml cans aren't on offer.
Repurchase? Always.

Collection Loose Powder Another staple, make-up wouldn't last past lunchtime on my oily skin without a decent powder, and I really like Collection's offering - a pot lasts ages and it does the job for me. I prefer loose powders as, although they can be messy, I find it's easier to get a decent coverage, which is important for me. I do tend to use a pressed powder for travelling and for touch-ups during the day, though.
Repurchase? Already have.
Mitchum Advanced Control Anti-Perspirant Deodorant Stick Aaaand another staple, I love Mitchum deodorant, it smells lovely and works well. What more could you want? There isn't really a whole lot else to say.
Repurchase? Already have.
Peach Deep Moisturising Foot Pack I'll have a review of this coming soon - this was a Poundland impulse buy which I actually quite enjoyed using, so look out for my full review in the next few days.
Repurchase? Maybe.
Armani Code Perfume I'm gutted to have finished this, although it did come on offer with a smaller travel size version which I haven't finished just yet, so it's not completely gone. I adore this perfume, it smells beautiful and lasts really well on my skin, and I've had tons of compliments on it. I've been wearing this for about 18 months now, as I only really use one or two perfumes at once so they don't go off, so this will be a nice opportunity to try something new.
Repurchase? Probably not.
So, there you have my disappointingly small list of Empties from November - I think this was the quickest Empties post I've ever written! Have you tried any of these products? What have you finished up lately?

xo

Now we're into December, it's officially Christmas in my mind - which means it's acceptable to start putting decorations up, getting excited about Christmas dinner and, of course, choosing the annual Christmas Jumper! I've put together a little top ten of some of my favourites, which I've split in half: the first half features "nice", traditional festive knitwear, whilst the second half is graced by the cheesiest, tackiest novelty jumperss I could find!

Penguin Sweater, Ravi Famous, £20

Polar Bear Jumper, H! by Henry Holland at Debenhams, £40

Snowman Jumper, Matalan, £15

Jolly Fluffy Christmas Jumper, New Look, £24.99

Rudolph Face Jumper, Ravi Famous, £20

My Christmas Jumper last year featured a penguin, there's just something about them... I really like the bottle green colour of the Ravi Famous number, too. This Henry Holland Polar Bear jumper is super cute with his pink mittens, and there is also a lovely detail on the back, with the polar bear's rear end and its little tail - I love it! The Matalan Snowman Jumper is, technically, menswear, but I've never let that stop me before and I'm certainly not about to start now! I love the stars in the background and the snowman's lovely bright carrot nose. The New Look 'Jolly' Jumper features a stocking a candy canes, with a lovely tacky texture to boot. Finally, what's Christmas without Rudolph's glowing red nose? I particularly like his scarf on this one, too.

Grey Snowflake Jumper, Mantaray at Debenhams, £40

Fairisle Jumper, Matalan, £18
Collection Fairisle Jumper, M&S, £28

Parisian White & Grey Snowflake Jumper, New Look, £22.99
Bellfield Christmas Jumper, ASOS, £38

I love the soft white and grey of the Mantaray Snowflake Jumper, it's so pretty. The Matalan Fairisle is a traditional print but still quite bold which I really like as I'm definitely not one for subtlety! M&S's contribution just screams traditional festive knitwear to me, it reminds me of something Ron Weasley would wear which just makes me love it even more! The New Look Snowflake jumper is a more modern take on a traditional motif and I think it works really well. Finally, this patterned-sleeve reindeer number from ASOS is the perfect bridge-jumper, for me, between cheesy and traditional; the reindeer is a bit more modern whilst the sleeves and tapestry-style print reindeer keep it a little more on the conservative side.
Which knitwear camp do you fall into? I'm definitely a cheesy novelty jumper girl, the more 3D features and glitter the better in my book! Which is your favourite of my top ten?

xo

Cruise Fashion have nine stores around the UK, and also now run an online boutique specialising in high-end fashion for men and women. Stocking designers including Alexander McQueen, Dolce & Gabbana and Versace, as well as more affordable brands such as Armani, Forever Unique and Michael Kors, Cruise have a lot to offer, which has led me to put together a little wish list of some of my favourites!

Armani Jeans Star Studs Jumper, £197

Barbour Kellas Merlot Knitted Roll Neck Jumper, £84
Vivienne Westwood Swarovski Skull Pendant, £69

Darling Bailey Leather Panel Dress, £69
Barbour Country Cottage Winter Plaid Scarf, £30
Juicy Couture Pave Heart Pendant Charm Bracelet, £48

Michael Kors Hamilton Luggage Leather Satchel, £285

Lola Cruz Studded Leather Ankle Boots, £233

Cruise Fashion have very generously offered three Juicy Couture Puffed Pave Heart Charms (pictured below) to give away to three of you lovely bunch! All you have to do to enter is fill in your details in the Rafflecopter form below, but please make sure you read the Terms & Conditions before entering. PLEASE NOTE THIS GIVEAWAY IS OPEN TO UK RESIDENTS ONLY - sorry to any international readers. The giveaway will run for two weeks from today, so hopefully the winners will have their prizes in time for Christmas!
Juicy Couture Puffed Pave Heart Charm

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Which is your favourite item from my wish list? Have you ever shopped with Cruise Fashion?
xo

From the depths of Winter, encased in their thick socks and cosy boots, a muffled cry for help can be heard from my poor, neglected, abused feet. Whilst in summer they're looked after and I even paint my toenails, in Winter it doesn't seem worth the effort and sadly, they do tend to get overlooked. To try and rectify this situation, I picked up this Peach Deep Moisturising Foot Pack as a complete impulse-purchase in Poundland a while ago, and have recently got around to using it - don't worry, there's no photos of my feet!
Peach Foot Pack

Packaged in a peach-coloured foil pouch, much like a face mask, the foot pack consists of two "boots" which you put onto your feet to work their magic. The packaging claims, "Peach intensive treatment boots are enriched with Peach, Gingko, Honeysuckle and Vitamin E to penetrate deep into the skin to reduce callus build-up and help repair and soften cracked, split heels. How to use: 1. Thoroughly wash and dry feet. 2. Take out and unfold the boots and wear the boots on your feet. 3. Remove the boots after 15-20 minutes. No need to wash feet after using the boots!"
Peach Deep Moisturising Foot Pack Review

Peach Deep Moisturising Foot Pack Review

So, after washing and drying my feet, I tore open the pouch to remove the boots. At this point, I was relieved to discover that the boots weren't like a sheet face mask as I'd imagined (I'd been worrying I'd have to spend twenty minutes stood on a towel!), but instead are made of plastic with a fabric lining, which is soaked in the treatment liquid. There is a gorgeous peachy scent as soon as you open the pouch, which lasts for the whole treatment time and can still be smelt for hours after use. The boots felt cold to put on, but soon warmed up to body temperature; I actually put my slippers on over the top to keep my feet warm as my house is freezing! I have big feet (UK size eight!) and the boots were just big enough for me, so in the unlikely event your feet are any bigger than that, you'd struggle with these.
Upon removing the boots around half an hour later, there was a lot of excess liquid left on my feet - the instructions say it's not necessary to wash your feet, so I didn't, but it did make putting tights on a strange experience! That aside, my feet felt smooth and moisturised, with the hard skin on my heels being noticeably softer. This foot pack did make a definite difference to my feet, which I have to say I was impressed by!
Ingredients Peach Deep Moisturising Foot Pack

Ingredients Peach Deep Moisturising Foot Pack

[Ingredients: Aqua, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate,
Paraffinum Liquidum, Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Urea,
Cetearyl Alcohol, Prunus Persica (Peach) Fruit Extract, Betaine, Cyclopentasiloxane,
Polyacrylate-13, Dimethiconol, Polyisobutene, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Triethanolamine, Salicylic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate,
Disodium EDTA, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle)
Flower Extract, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Ginkgo Biloba
Leaf Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract,
Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Fruit Extract,
Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Fruit Extract, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Cetearyl Glucoside,
Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Methylparaben,
Phenoxyethanol, Propylparaben, Parfum.]

I wouldn't expect much more from such a cheap product, but the ingredients list is nothing to write home about; although there are a fair few nice ingredients including several fruit extracts, Vitamin E and Glycerin, there are also dodgy contenders in the form of Paraffin, Dimethicone and various parabens. I wasn't too concerned about this as my feet have never been prone to eczema, whereas I wouldn't dream of putting these on my hands for fear of them cracking and flaking. If you are sensitive to these ingredients, it's definitely something to be aware of.
Peach Foot Pack Review

Overall, this was lovely to use and did seem to soften my feet up nicely, which makes it a product I'd consider repurchasing in the future, although I wouldn't recommend it to those who are prone to sensitive skin on the feet. Peach Deep Moisturising Foot Packs can be purchased in Poundland at £1 for a single-use pouch containing two boots, although I can't find them on the Poundland website. Have you tried these foot packs, or a similar product? Do you try to look after your feet during Winter, or do you just have a massive rescue mission come Spring?

xo

I received Collection's Longer Lash Lengthening Mascara as part of a giveaway prize quite some time ago, but have only recently started to use it as I was being sensible and waiting until I'd finished another before opening it. I've been wearing this as my everyday mascara for the last few weeks, so here are my thoughts. Collection claim, "Lengthen your lashes! Added fibres for an ultra lengthening effect."
Collection Longer Lash Lengthening Mascara Review

Collection Longer Lash Lengthening Mascara Review

First up, the packaging; this isn't something you'll lose easily due to the bright orange tube, which personally I don't really like and would prefer something a little more toned-down and classy looking. It does mean that the mascara is easy to find in the depths of your make-up bag, though, and I know a lot of people love the bright colourful mascara tubes so this is completely down to personal preference. The wand is a standard mascara brush, which I tend to prefer to the plastic wand-style brushes (Benefit's They're Real!, I'm looking at you...), although this does seem to be particularly bad for mascara clumping on the end as you pull it out of the tube, as you can see below.
Collection 2000 Longer Lash Mascara Review

Collection 2000 Longer Lash Mascara Review

The wand makes it easy to apply the mascara and I'm quite happy with the length it gives, although I do tend to look for volume over length in a mascara; again, this is personal preference and obviously, this being a lengthening mascara, is what you'd expect! I have shade 17 'Ultra-Black' and I'd agree that it is a good, true black shade, although I don't have the "regular" black to compare it to... The fibres in the mascara aren't overly noticeable and I'm not sure that they transfer from the wand onto the lashes, to be honest. I haven't had any problems with my lashes clumping or looking spidery at all, but I do find that the mascara can smudge around my eyes after a few hours' wear; this is probably due, at least in part, to my oily skin, but isn't a problem I've had with other mascaras and so would put me off repurchasing the Longer Lash Lengthening Mascara.
Collection Longer Lash Mascara Review

The above photos show my lashes with no mascara (top), and with two coats of Collection Longer Lash Lengthening Mascara (bottom); you can see that the length of my lashes is emphasised nicely (though I do have quite long lashes to start with) with a good strong, black colour. You can also see that the volume I tend to look for in a mascara isn't really there. I do still like how this looks and it is perfect for day-to-day wear (as seen below), but it's not a mascara I'll be queuing up to buy again I'm afraid. Collection Longer Lash Mascara FOTD

[Other products used: W7 Anti-Dull Skin Primer*; MUA Matte Perfect Foundation in 'Fair';

Soap & Glory Kick-Ass Concealer in '01 Light'; Collection Loose Powder in 'Barely There';

Sleek Blusher in 'Rose Gold'; MUA Pro Brow Kit; Urban Decay Naked2 Palette 'Half-Baked'

(applied with a damp brush as a liner); Chitchat Juicy Lipstick in 'Damson']

Collection's Longer Lash Lengthening Mascara is available from Superdrug (amongst other retailers), priced at £2.99 for 8ml of product. I'd recommend this if you're looking for a cheap and cheerful lengthening mascara and don't struggle with oily skin; if your skin is oily, or you tend to prefer volume over length, then this probably isn't the mascara for you. Overall, though, this is a pretty good offering.

Have you tried Longer Lash Lengthening Mascara, or any other Collection mascaras? What's your favourite budget mascara?

My December advertiser is the beautiful Sarah from Small'N'Hot, I'd love for you to pay her a visit!

Remember to enter my Cruise Fashion giveaway to win one of three Juicy Couture charms.

The lovely Isabelle from Le Chateau des Fleurs is holding a giveaway to win an Urban Decay Vice 2 Palette! For your chance to win, just scroll down and enter via the Rafflecopter widget.

http://www.urbandecay.com/urban-decay/makeup-palettes-%26-gifts/vice-2/386.html

"Experiment with insanely cool brights, not-your-average neutrals, and sexy hits of smoke, all in our decadent, revamped formula. In case you weren’t around for the frenzy of the original Vice Palette, here’s the deal: yes, Vice 2 is limited edition and it WILL sell out. (With 20 EXCLUSIVE shades you won’t find anywhere else, what would you expect!?"
Shades include: Smokeout (dark taupe-black satin), Lovesick (black matte with iridescent micro-glitter), Shellshock (bright metallic silver), Coax (medium metallic pink with golden iridescent micro-sparkle), X-Rated (baby pink satin), Prank (deep navy matte with turquoise floating pearl), Madness (bright metallic blue shimmer with blue micro-glitter), Strike (antique gold shimmer with silver micro-glitter), Stash (deep olive green shimmer with iridescent micro-sparkle), Poison (charcoal satin with iridescent micro-sparkle), Radar (metallic brown shimmer with iridescent micro-glitter), Damaged (bright metallic emerald shimmer), Voodoo (metallic purple shimmer with iridescent purple micro-glitter), Betrayal (bright purple satin with blue shift), Derailed (medium metallic taupe-brown shimmer), Dope (warm champagne satin), Toxic (metallic copper-pink shimmer with tonal micro-glitter), Habit (light nude matte), Ambush (metallic brown satin) and Rewind (medium brown matte).

Available for both USA and International Entrants a Rafflecopter giveaway

Placing a little online order from Boots last week, I ended up adding a couple of extra items to my basket to qualify for free collection from instore; one of them was Barry M's Nail Paint in 'Crush', from their A/W Matte Collection. I posted about 'Mocha' a while ago and was really impressed with the formula, so I had been looking forward to picking up a couple more shades and this was the perfect opportunity! The formula of 'Crush' wasn't quite so smooth, and I found it went on quite patchy with the first coat, although the second coat neatened everything up nicely and dried reasonably quickly to a gorgeous, matte finish. I do find that the matte finish of these polishes (and indeed, every matte I've tried) tends to wear off after a couple of days, but there's no denying this is a gorgeous shade. Below you can see two coats over OPI's Nail Envy, with no top coat; I apologise for the photos, it's so dark at the moment! The photos with flash show the colour quite nicely, but I also included the bottom right one without flash just for reference.
Barry M Matte Crush NOTD

'Crush' is available from Boots, Superdrug or direct from Barry M, priced at £3.99 for 10ml of product.
What do you think of 'Crush'? Do you like matte nail polishes, or do you prefer the "traditional" glossy finish?

xo

My December advertiser is the beautiful Sarah from Small'N'Hot, I'd love for you to pay her a visit!

Remember to enter my Cruise Fashion giveaway to win one of three Juicy Couture charms.

On Thursday, I attended a blogger event organised by the lovely Rachelle of Inspired by the Retired. #TBSXmasBonanza was held at The Body Shop's Preston store and involved a lovely mix of bloggers, cupcakes, beauty products, samples, cocktails, photos and chatting.

On arriving, Rachelle gave us name badges to help us match up names with faces, and we were offered drinks, mince pies and cupcakes which were so pretty that no-one dared touch them for about twenty minutes - at length, I put mine in a little bag to take home since I'm firmly convinced there's no dignified way to eat a cupcake.
TBSXmasBonanza3

Rachelle had also prepared lovely little sample bags - with a difference; the sample pots were empty! With a mug of spatulas on hand, we were allowed to roam the shop filling our little pots with whatever we fancied, which was such fun, although a little taxing for those of us with only two hands and little in the way of co-ordination (that would be me). The samples I went for were Almond Hand & Nail Cream, Vanilla Bliss Body Butter,Seaweed Ionic Clay Mask, and Seaweed Mattifying Day Cream, all of which I can't wait to try!
TBSXmasBonanza4

We then had chance to fill our baskets to take advantage of the 40% off promotion with our kindly gifted Love Your Body cards, whilst chatting, making use of the photo props and generally confusing the rest of the late-night shoppers. Rachelle also gave each of us a little red goodie bag with a Christmas-themed sponge, some gingerbread biscuits and Love Hearts sweets, which was so lovely - I thought the samples were the goodie bags she'd mentioned, but then there was more!
TBSXmasBonanza2

Afterwards, a few of us headed around the corner to a newly-opened cocktail bar, Treehouse, to continue chatting with the addition of delicious (if a little on the strong side) cocktails; mine was a Mango Daiquiri which was lovely but maybe not the best idea when I had to be at work for 7am the next day.. Unfortunately we all had to leave after an hour or so for various trains, buses and lifts, but it was a fab evening and so nice to meet some fellow North-West bloggers!
If you're interested in what I bought, here are my purchases. I picked up the Tea Tree Pore Minimiser (£7.50) which I've previously reviewed and absolutely adore, along with the Limited Edition Ginger Sparkle Body Butter (£13) which again, I've had before and love. I also decided to try some new things, in the form of Rainforest Radiance Hair Butter (£3), and a lovely gift-set duo (£16 with a value of £27) containing Vitamin C Microdermabrasion (£13) and Vitamin C Skin Reviver (£14), along with a treat for my boyfriend's stocking at Christmas. Altogether, my shopping was worth £45, but with the 40% off I paid £27, and also qualified for a freebie; a gorgeous Body Butter Christmas Cracker Gift Set (worth £12), containing Body Butters in Shea, Chocomania and Coconut - all of which smelled amazing when I was wandering round sniffing everything in sight!
TBSXmasBonanza5

Below are the lovely bloggers who attended the event, I think I've included everyone on the list, but if I missed you I'm so sorry, let me know and I'll add you in!

• Claire• Caroline• Rachel• Louise • Yasmin• Danielle• Katie• Paula• Nafisah• Nicolle• Emma• Hannah• Louise•

A massive, massive thank you is due to Rachelle and the rest of the lovely ladies at the Preston store for making this such a fun evening! It was lovely to meet so many local bloggers and I really hope I can attend a similar event in the future.

Have you attended any amazing events recently? What would you buy with 40% off at The Body Shop?

My December advertiser is the beautiful Sarah from Small'N'Hot, I'd love for you to pay her a visit!

Remember to enter my Cruise Fashion giveaway to win one of three Juicy Couture charms.

It's been a couple of months since I shared some of the lovely things I've been lucky enough to win, so I thought it was high time I put together another little post to show you all. I don't want anyone to feel like I'm bragging or anything like that - I genuinely enjoy reading these sorts of posts on other blogs, and I think it's always nice to say thank you to the bloggers who've been kind enough to hold giveaways!
I was one of four lucky winners in the lovely Angelica's giveaway, winning a Lanolips Lip Ointment with colour SPF 15 in the shade 'Dark Honey', which I reviewed here.
Lanolips Honey

I won three Sophie Kinsella books from Marissa at Chic Darling, which are perfect for a bit of light reading; I've enjoyed a couple of Sophie Kinsella's books before, so it's lovely to add to my collection! I especially got into Twenties Girl and read it in two afternoons, almost running home from work on the second day to finish it!
Sophie Kinsella Books

I won this super-cute dotcomgiftshop Owl Cookie Jar from Laura at Made Peachy - he'll look perfect in My Kitchen, although I can't guarantee he'll contain cookies for very long...
Owl Cookie Jar dotcomgiftshop

etailPR gave away a goodie bag from an AX Paris event which I unfortunately wasn't able to attend; the contents of this tote almost made up for that, from the delicious AX Paris cookie to the gorgeous Kukee jewellery, Barry M Matte Nail Paint, Neal & Wolf haircare samples, and a gorgeous contouring brush from Zoeva, amongst other things.
AX Paris Goodie Bag

Charlotte from Carlotta's Beauty Spot celebrated 1000 GFC followers with a giveaway for a MAC Quad & four eyeshadows - I chose Cranberry, Electra, Steamy & Twinks. I'm absolutely thrilled to have won this, as MAC make-up isn't something I can ever justify treating myself too, but these four are just gorgeous. Charlotte also sent me a little box of Celebrations, although they didn't survive long beyond this photo..
MAC Quad

Sarah from MyBeautySleuth gave away a little trio of Body Shop products, including Coconut Shower Cream, Pink Grapefruit Shower Gel, and White Musk Libertine Body Lotion, in her Christmas giveaway.
Body Shop Goodies

Ila from The Cleanser Blog celebrated 100 followers by giving away a gorgeous trio of Sanctuary Spa Body Butters, which I'm so excited to try as I love Sanctuary Spa products!

I also won a month's advertising on Jess's blog, Dungarees & Donuts, which is a lovely opportunity to hopefully gain a couple of readers, and I won a £15 ASOS voucher from Adrienne at Late Night Nonsense, which I put towards some REN Skincare.
Have you won anything lovely lately? You can always enter my giveaway with Cruise Fashion to be in with a chance of winning one of three Juicy Couture charms!

xo
My December advertiser is the beautiful Sarah from Small'N'Hot, I'd love for you to pay her a visit!

I've decided to put together a few little gift guides, to hopefully help you with your Christmas shopping - assuming that you, like me, have not yet completed the task! I started in about October, felt really organised, and haven't done anything since. Whoops. Anyway, I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking that men are the worst to buy presents for - I have a Dad, a boyfriend, a step-son, and a brother whose birthday also falls on Christmas Day. That's a lot of man-presents! I hope some of these suggestions come in handy for you.
Christmas Gifts for Men

1. Black Leather Sony Xperia Z Case/Wallet, eBay, £4.802. 5-Pack Festive Fairisle Socks, Asda, £63. Moustache Fridge Magnets, ASOS, £54. Personalised Map Cufflinks, Not On The High Street, £29.505. Beeswax Texturising Wax, The Body Shop, £5.506. Bicycle Cufflinks, Not On The High Street, £19.757. Stegosaurus Cookie Cutters, ASOS, £7.50

8. Burgundy Checked Shirt, Topman, £30
9. Union Jack Ceramic Travel Mug, Debenhams, £8

Gadgets and accessories are usually a safe bet; obviously you'd have to tailor this to the type of phone/tablet the man in your life owns, but I really like this leather case/wallet which means he'll never be with an excuse for not paying! Toiletries are something every man needs, as much as he might hate to admit it.. Shaving products are a great option if your man doesn't use hair products, or you can always fall back on shower gel and deodorant if you have a shaven-head, bearded fella to buy for. I think cufflinks are a lovely gift as they're something that will last forever; maybe you could personalise map ones with where you got engaged and married for your husband? My brother is a keen cyclist, so the lovely little bikes would be perfect for him. Christmas socks are something of a tradition in my family, so this five-pack from Asda offers great value and includes a couple of plain pairs for non-festive wear, too! In my view, there's nothing better than a gift you can borrow, and I think this lovely checked shirt would look just as good on me as it would on my boyfriend. Finally, the novelty gifts; all men love food, this is a fact, and what could be better than food which is a 3D model of a dinosaur!? This is also available in T-Rex, Brachiosaurus and Triceratops, just in case you want to make a cookie version of Jurassic Park (and lets face it, what man doesn't!?) Moustaches are right on trend at the moment, so these fridge magnets are the perfect way to keep your shopping list on the fridge in style - novelty and practical, beat that!
What are you buying for the men in your life this Christmas? Any recommendations? I'd love to hear your ideas, or how these gifts go down if you end up purchasing any!

xo

My December advertiser is the beautiful Sarah from Small'N'Hot, I'd love for you to pay her a visit!

Remember to enter my Cruise Fashion giveaway to win one of three Juicy Couture charms.

I've been getting into the Christmas spirit with a little bit of festive nail art! For the look below, I started with a coat of 17's Nail Xtras Strengthening Base Coat on each nail, before applying my base colours; I used Barry M's Matte 'Espresso' for my little finger, 17's Rock Hard Couture Nail Effects in 'Celestial Pearl' on my ring finger, Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine 'Lychee' for my middle finger, Nails Inc. 'New Burlington Place' on my pointer, and Kolor Kubes 'Coffee Bean' on my thumb, each with either one or two coats until opaque.
I used Barry M's Silver Nail Art Pen to draw a snowflake onto my little finger, Models Own 'Green Grass' to add a triangle shape for a Christmas tree to my middle finger, and Rimmel Professional Finish 'Ruby Me' for an oval on my thumb to form a robin. Once these had dried, I went over the triangle and oval a couple more times to increase the depth of colour and even out patchy-ness, particularly on my thumb where the deep brown base showed through the red quite strongly at first.
Next, I added detail; a dot of Khroma Beauty 'Fairy Dust' at the top of the green triangle for a star, followed by diagonal lines of 'Fairy Dust' across the tree as tinsel, and small dots of 'Ruby Me' as baubles. I also added two dots with Barry M's White Nail Art Pen above the red oval on my thumb, for eyes. I then added a small triangle of Essie's 'Orange, It's Obvious' to the red oval as a beak, and a dot of Barry M's Black Nail Art Pen to the centre of each white dot to complete the eyes. Finally, once dry, I added two coats of JacavaLONDON's Top Coat to each nail to seal in, smooth and protect my designs and add shine.
Christmas Nails NOTD

I'm actually really happy with how these turned out, although I didn't attempt them on my right hand this time.. What do you think of my festive nail art? Which is your favourite design? Have you done any Christmassy nails yet?

My December advertiser is the beautiful Sarah from Small'N'Hot, I'd love for you to pay her a visit!

Remember to enter my Cruise Fashion giveaway to win one of three Juicy Couture charms.

For me, my mum is one of the most important people in my life, so I always want to get her something a little bit special come Christmas time. She can be quite hard to buy for as she doesn't really wear make-up or perfume, or use hair products, she doesn't use a handbag, and let's just say the football fan in my parents' house is not my Dad.. She isn't your typical woman, so I've tried to go for gifts which are thoughtful and feminine but would still suit my mama.

1. John Bishop Book, Amazon, £9

2. Red Spotty Oven Mitt, Dotcomgiftshop, £4.95

3. Diary, Paperchase, £7

4. Floral Ceramic Travel Mug, Debenhams, £8

5. Metal Wall Sign, Dotcomgiftshop, £6.95

6. Silver Knot Studs, H Samuel, £4.99

7. Pack of four Rudolf socks, Asda, £4

8. Bruce Springsteen 'High Hopes', Amazon, £9.99

9.Hand Knitted Cable Hot Water Bottle Cover, NotOnTheHighStreet, £39

10. Red Cable Bootie Slippers, Debenhams, £15.60

My Mum has her ears pierced and wears a pair of plain gold studs, at all times. I'd like to get her something a little bit prettier to wear for special occasions, especially since she's recently had her hair cut a bit shorter so her earrings are now on show more. One thing I inherited from my Mum is her sense of humour, and so Christmas socks are a must; I really like this super-cute set of four reindeer-themed socks from George at Asda. I unfortunately also inherited her perpetually cold feet, so I know these cosy boot-style slippers would be gratefully received, as would the gorgeous hand-knitted hot water bottle cover. I've already mentioned her sense of humour, and recently my Mum and I went to see John Bishop - he's a very funny and exceptionally nice man (we had a chat after his show) and if my Mum didn't already own his book, I'd be buying it for her. She's also a massive fan of Bruce Springsteen, who is releasing a new album in January - it's a bit late for Christmas, but I've pre-ordered it for her - shhh! Keeping track of my brother's activities is no easy task, even now he's moved away to Uni, so a diary is an essential item for my Mum, and this one is super pretty. I'd hate to be misconstrued as sexist, but it's a statement of fact that my Mum does the vast majority of the cooking, so this lovely spotty oven mitt would be a cheerful addition to her kitchen, whilst the metal wall sign is a frighteningly accurate representation of my mother's view on picky eaters... Finally, as an avid coffee drinker, I think a travel mug would be a perfect gift - my Mum has a battered plain steel one at the moment, so this pretty one would be a nice change.

What are you getting your Mum for Christmas this year? Are any of these suggestions helpful to you? If you're a Mum, would you like to receive these gifts?

My December advertiser is the beautiful Sarah from Small'N'Hot, I'd love for you to pay her a visit!

Remember to enter my Cruise Fashion giveaway to win one of three Juicy Couture charms.

I've borrowed this little tag off Amy as I've been feeling super Christmassy the last few days, what with my Christmas Gift Guides posts, my Christmas nail art, and finally making some progress on my Christmas shopping! I'm so excited about Christmas this year (usually it takes me until about the 20th to get excited) and can't wait to put our tree up!
What is your favourite Christmas film?
I adore Love, Actually! I seem to watch it every year with my Mum, I just love the way there's so many stories and they slowly intertwine. And of course, everyone loves a happy ending (and Hugh Grant!)
What is your favourite festive colour?
Red! There's something about red that's just inherently Christmassy to me, it reminds me of holly berries and the cherries in the Christmas cake.

c/o cindy47452 on Flickr

Do you open your gifts on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?
Morning! This was a strict tradition in my family; stockings were taken into our parents' room at a pre-specified time (which I'm sure became later each year, as we got older..), and then we had to get dressed and have breakfast before being allowed to open any more presents. My brother and I would take it in turns to get a present from under the tree and give it to its owner, so that we could all watch it being opened and see what everyone got, and my Mum wrote us each a list so that we could write thank you notes.
What is your favourite winter fragrance?
To be honest, I have no idea what's classed as winter fragrance in terms of perfume and so on, but generally speaking I like to wear slightly spicier scents in the Winter.
What is your favourite Christmas scent?
I couldn't possibly choose! I love the scent of cinnamon and cloves, and pine from the tree, and Christmas dinner of course!
What is your favourite holiday drink?
Again, I have a few! Hot chocolate with marshmallows is a favourite, although I'll drink that all year round.. I also really like hot cider, and mulled wine smells gorgeous even though I can't stand the taste of wine...
Candy Canes or Gingerbread Men?
I love gingerbread men! I'm not such a fan of candy canes, they tend to go sticky and they take too long to eat. Give me a gingerbread man anyday! They also smell amazing.
What is your favourite Christmas song?
At primary school, we always had a Christmas party in the last week of term - we'd get to dress up in party clothes, lunch would be a Christmas dinner, and in the afternoon we'd have party games and Christmas songs. It was amazing, and this song always reminds me of those parties.
Have you ever made a snowman?
Oh yes! Although they rarely get finished as my brother and I always used to aim far too high as kids, so we'd end up with an enormous body and zero inclination to make a head to match, particularly when there were also snowball fights to be had, and sledging to do...
What is the most important thing to you about Christmas?
It's clichéd and predictable, but you can't beat spending time with family. I love that we have a full house on Christmas Day and it's so nice having everyone together, even if cooking for a dozen or more people is a nightmare..
I'm tagging a couple of bloggers whose answers I'd love to see, but if you're reading this and fancy answering the questions then feel free to do so and leave me a link so I can read them! I tag: Laura, Laura, and Rachael.
Are you in the Christmas spirit yet? What's your favourite thing about Christmas?

xo

My December advertiser is the beautiful Sarah from Small'N'Hot, I'd love for you to pay her a visit!

Remember to enter my Cruise Fashion giveaway to win one of three Juicy Couture charms.

I'm onto my third gift guide, and today I'm thinking about grandparents - sadly, I never met either of my grandfathers, but I'm lucky to still have both my Nan and my Gran. My Gran turned 90 at the end of last month, so I reckon she's due a good Christmas pressie! I find the older generation can be a little harder to buy for, personally, as they tend not to want things in the same way younger generations often do; therefore, I find, something useful is often the best way to go!

1. Simon Carter Platinum Plated Owl Pendant, TK Maxx, £24.99
2. Mantaray Beige Hedgehog Embroidered Purse, Debenhams, £16
3. Parker IM Premium Metallic Pink Ball Point, WH Smith, £21
4. The Essential Diabetes Cookbook, Waterstones, £15
5. Teapigs Mug Gift Set, Teapigs, £13.50
6. Festive Hot Water Bottle, Primark, £5
7. Red Fair Isle Throw, John Lewis, £50
8. Pearl Trim Beanie, Asda, £6
9. Christmas Scented Handmade Candle, Not on the High Street, £8.50

Okay, so jewellery isn't necessarily useful, but this necklace is pretty and something I think most Grannies would appreciate and wear. A purse, on the other hand, is endlessly practical, and yet this Mantaray Hedgehog embroidered one from Debenhams is also really sweet and sure to gain endless compliments. Both my grannies are fans of making notes, keeping journals and sending hand-written notes, so a lovely pen like this one would be ideal for adding a touch of luxury to the everyday; although, knowing my Nan, it'd get lost in the bottom of one of her endless handbags within a week! Diabetes is unfortunately quite common in the older generations - both my grannies sadly struggle with it - but that's no reason to stop cooking, particularly when it's something you enjoy! This cookbook was written in association with Diabetes UK and promises diabetes-friendly yet still delicious recipes. Everyone loves a good cuppa, so this Teapigs giftset consisting of two types of tea and a lovely mug makes a perfect gift. There's a lot of concern about older people keeping warm enough during the Winter months, so I've included this lovely festive hot water bottle and blanket to help keep your loved ones cosy. The hat goes along the same lines, whilst still being stylish with the lovely knitted pattern and pearl detailing. Finally, Christmassy candles - again, a little bit more indulgent rather than practical, but I still think this would be a lovely gift and a welcome addition to anyone's home this Christmas!
So, those are my Christmas gift picks for Grandparents - I apologise if they're a little female-grandparent-oriented, but I do think they could easily be adapted - cufflinks, wallets and blue pens, for example. Do you get your grandparents Christmas gifts? What are you getting them this Christmas?

xo

My December advertiser is the beautiful Sarah from Small'N'Hot, I'd love for you to pay her a visit!

Remember to enter my Cruise Fashion giveaway to win one of three Juicy Couture charms - it closes at midnight tomorrow!!

Today I have a little treat for you all; a fab guest post from the lovely Saida! Saida contacted me a few weeks ago and asked if I'd be interested in a guest post swap, and I was thrilled to say yes please as I always enjoy reading her blog and her photography is amazing! You can pop on over to her blog to read my review of a lovely budget hand cream. So without further ado, I'll hand you over. Enjoy!

♥ ♥ ♥

Hello lovely readers of Jess’ blog! I’m Saida from Saida Cane photography. Jess has kindly agreed to let me write this review post, and she has written a post over on my blog too! Feel free to come on over and browse through my photography, lifestyle and beauty posts, I would love to hear what you think. I hope you are getting into the Christmas spirit – I can’t believe how close it is, I really do feel like a little kid again when I think about going back home for Christmas day.
Today I am going to be reviewing a nail polish which is going to be a definite favourite of mine to wear over the christmas season. It is the Revlon nail polish in 570 'Vixen', a gorgeous deep red shade which I have worn a lot already and I think it goes with pretty much any outfit. I was in boots looking for a christmassy shade, and when I came across this I couldn’t help myself as I am a big fan of Revlon nail products. It cost £6.49 but as usual it was on 3 for 2 at boots so I really had no excuse but to pick it up!
nails4

I think the packaging of this polish is really lovely, it almost looks like something you’d expect from high end brands, it is just sleek and simple with gold accents. The brush makes the polish really easy to apply, it is a great size and easy to work with. I usually apply two coats to get a perfect look with this, as well as applying a base and top coat just to seal it all in, and the wear time without any chipping for me is around a week, which for a drugstore product is not bad at all. Even then a little touch up is enough to fix it! I think you guys can tell that I would definitely recommend this lovely product, and you can pick it up here. I would love to know if you have used this product before, and if not, what is your favourite nail polish for the Christmas season?
I hope you have enjoyed this post, and that you all have a lovely christmas.

Saida x
[All photos in this post are c/o Saida, of course!]

My December advertiser is the beautiful Sarah from Small'N'Hot, I'd love for you to pay her a visit!

Remember today is your LAST CHANCE to enter my Cruise Fashion giveaway to win one of three Juicy Couture charms - it closes at midnight tonight!!

Autumn Style feat. Repertoire Fashion

Review: Detomaso Concetta Watch*

Introducing: LaylaD Beauty

NOTD: Star Spangled

How Much Water Are You Drinking?

November Empties

Top Ten Christmas Jumpers

Focus On: Cruise Fashion (+ A Giveaway!)

Review: Peach Deep Moisturising Foot Pack

Review: Collection Longer Lash Lengthening Mascara

Giveaway: Urban Decay Vice 2 Palette

NOTD: Matte Crush

#TBSXmasBonanza

Recent Giveaway Wins

Gift Guides #1: The Man In Your Life

NOTD: Festive Nail Art

Gift Guides #2: Mama

The Christmas Tag

Gift Guides #3: Grandparents

Guest Post: NOTD 'Vixen'