Mothers Day - Sunday 18th March

Mothers day for me this year was so special as it was my very first one as a new mother.  Phil and Olivia certainly made it a very special day for me.  The day started off perfectly with my husband and daughter waking me with me a card and a cup of tea.  The of course there was the present.

For a long time now, I wanted to buy a new camera so that we could take instant pictures of Olivia especially as she's growing up so fast.  The delay on our current Sony Cybershot was so long that we couldn't ever seem to capture Olivia smiling as she moves too quickly.  We'd been on the hunt for a while now to try and find a camera but we couldn't seem to find the right one.

Phil decided to take me shopping on Saturday to choose one.  He had picked out two that he thought I would like and this is the one that I went for, the Panasonic Lumix FZ48.  We bought it from my favourite department store, John Lewis as the customer service there is always excellent.  They didn't have the memory card we wanted, but we wanted to take pictures on the Saturday as Olivia had her first birthday party to go to and we also wanted to take pictures on Mothers Day.  John Lewis were great as they agreed to give us a memory card free of charge so that we could use the camera straight away.  Phil always says if you don't ask, you don't get, and in this instance he was right.

I don't know a lot about cameras.  I know enough to get by eg: how to use the settings etc, but I'm not a photographer by any means so I didn't need a really fancy one.  This one seemed to do everything I wanted, for example it takes instant shots, has a paparazzi setting, is fully HD, allows you to video, as well as having various scene settings for different effects.

It has a 24x optical zoom which allows you to take excellent close ups from across the room.

We even bought a really sturdy Lowepro protective case for it.

The only downside that I have come across so far is that the instruction manual is on a disk which is a bit of a pain especially if you want to look something up quickly.  There is a quick guide included but for some things it is a little too brief but it's enough to get you started so you can take pictures.  Also if you are not careful, you can sometimes catch your fingers when the zoom retracks automatically without warning, but I remembering that the more I use it.

My family mean the world to me and as it was Mothers Day it was really important for us to spend time as a family and for us to see my mum and Phil's mum.

It was also Phil's sisters birthday on the 19th March so I had a busy weekend making cupcakes for both our mums as well as for his sister's birthday.  This is the first time that I have made vanilla cupcakes with a vanilla butter cream and I really enjoyed making them and I can't wait to make more.  I've recently bought some excellent cook books for baking cakes and biscuits.  I have a feeling that this might start becoming a regular event in our house.  Although the dusting of icing sugar that seemed to coat the whole kitchen might become a little frustrating after a while.

How did you celebrate Mothers Day?  I really had a wonderful day and I wouldn't change anything about it.  At least Fathers Day isn't until June so it will give me plenty of time to plan something very special for Phil.

Mac Haul - Tendertone Lip Balms

When I first started watching beauty related Youtube videos almost 3 years ago, I remember gurus mentioning Mac Tendertones and how great they were.  They are a lip conditioner that combines the look of a gloss and the conditioning benefits of a balm with SPF 12 sun protection. It also has a really lovely strawberry-kiwi flavour.  Over the last two summers I have been paying attention to the Mac collections in hope that they would once again be re-released.  I was so excited to find out that this year they were to be re-promoted in the Cook Mac collection (currently out now). There's four different lip balms within the collection and there was two that I really wanted to get - Tread Gently and Hush Hush.

The day after they had been released I went to my nearest Mac counter.  I should have known better really as when I arrived (as soon as the store had opened) I was told that they had already sold out of all of them.  I could have kicked myself as I knew that they would be popular as they hadn't been released in over two years and they are limited edition, but I was still surprised that all of them had sold out on the first day.

During a quick coffee break I checked their website on my phone as the shop assistant had told me I could still get them on-line.  One again I was disappointed to see that they had all sold out except for Purring (the orange one) which I didn't really want to get (but now wish I had).  I thought I would try the mail order number, just in case they still had some and luckily for me they did.

I wasn't able to get Hush Hush which was the one I wanted the most out of all of them.  But I was able to get Tread Gently and Hot 'n' Saucy, so overall I was really pleased.

The packaging is cute and consists of a pink and white check pattern. This is the outer sleeve only as inside it is just a white box.

The lip balms are in similar containers to Mac's Paint Pots with a screw top lid.  The glass container is also see-through so you can see how much product you have left and they are small enough to carry around with you.

Tread Gently is a soft lime green with yellow pearl and gives a lovely sheer gloss to the lips.

Hot 'n' Saucy is a soft cherry red and is the only Tendertone that gives a more pigmented look to the lips - perfect for adding a wash of colour for a quick pick me up without needing a mirror.

Do you like Tendertones or have you had difficulty in finding them?  I really like some of the Mac collections, but it is frustrating when so many are limited edition.  Then again, I guess that's partly the desire, as the products are more exclusive.

March Glossybox - The Harrods Edition

Last month I posted that Glossybox had included a card advertising a mystery box for this month.  You had to go on to their site and use the letters they gave you as a clue to work out what the box was.  I had mentioned that I thought the box might be designer - well I was wrong as the box was in fact Harrods. 

If you are unfamiliar to Glossybox, then you can look at my previous January and February posts for more information or click here to be taken to the Glossybox website.

Rather than the usual dusty pink box, this months box was white with The Harrods Edition written on the front.  You were also given an Age-Defying Skincare brochure which gives advice on how to care for your skin depending on your age.

As usual, inside the box you have a card that gives the details of all the products included.  However this time they do not tell you how much the full size would cost and how much product you get.  This is a little annoying but I guess it is a great marketing ploy as it forces you to go on to their website to find out.  The card also includes a discount code of 20% of selected beauty products at Harrods.com
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The packaging inside also continued the Harrods theme by including a green ribbon with gold lettering and a Harrods sticker to seal the paper.

Inside, on first glance I was genuinely quite excited about the products.  Although I was a little disappointed to see that there wasn't any full sized products (usually you get at least one).

1. Ojon - Damage Reverse Instant Restorative Hair Serum £16 / 25ml: 



This is described as being a weightless, highly concentrated serum which helps to restore brilliant shine and softness to dull, damaged hair. You warm one to two drops in the palms of your hands and apply to either damp or dry hair concentrating on the ends. It can be used daily before heat styling or as a finishing touch. I haven't yet tried this on my hair but this is the product that I was most excited about as I have very long/coloured hair and I like to use either a hair oil or serum on the end to protect them. I have a few to use up but once I have tried this I will let you know.

 2. Fendi - Fan Di Fendi Eau de Toilette £35 / 30ml:

I am always disappointed when I receive a perfume sample, firstly because I think perfume is a very personal choice and I love my Chanel and Dior perfumes and very rarely stray from them.  Secondly, because often you can get free perfume samples from counters.  This sample however was nicer than previous ones as it came in a beautiful miniature version of the full size.  The only downfall for me is that the lid is the stopper and I am always frightened of spilling perfumes like this (I once knocked over and spilt a whole bottle of Eternity by Calvin Klein when I was younger - very frustrating).  I much prefer a spray bottle as it's easier to apply and carry around in your bag. 
The perfume is described as a luminous floral fragrance, radiant with sunlight and leaving a lasting impression of light Roman leather on the skin.  I haven't yet tried it on my skin, but I agree that it does have a light floral scent and I think this would be lovely for spring/summer, although it's not something that I'd prefer to wear instead of my current perfumes.

3. Clarins - Extra-Firming Body Cream £39.50 / 200ml:

I could not find this product (or any Clarins products) on the Harrods website.  The price listed above was actually from the John Lewis website.  I'm not sure as to whether or not you can buy Clarins in store but it is rather odd that it isn't on their website which leads me to think that this might be an extra product that Glossybox decided to include.  Or perhaps Harrods are planning on including Clarins in the future. 

This product is described as a formula rich in regenerating and firming plant extracts which immediately helps to lift and tone, for firmer skin and a younger looking body.  I'm always quite skeptical about whether products like this one actually do what they claim to do.  But as I've recently had a baby, my skin could certainly do with a little firming so I'm more than happy to give this product a try to see if it works - fingers crossed!

4. Burberry Beauty - Miniature Lip Cover, Rosewood No4 £23 / 3.8g:

I was really pleased to receive this product as lip products in general are probably my favourite makeup item.  The lipstick is a complete miniature of the regular product and as you can see from the picture the lipstick is even embossed with the trademark Burberry print (so is the lipstick case but as it is reflective the picture doesn't show it).  Described as a soft satin lipstick that offers intense moisture and luminous long-lasting colour. Combining oils and light waxes, the super light formula is easy to apply and contains anti-aging ceramides for fuller lips.   This product is certainly very smooth on application and feels very moisturising on the lips.  The consistency reminds me of the Cremesheen lipsticks from Mac.  The colour is a deep berry stain and complements my dark hair and eyes, however it is a colour that I would be more prone to wearing on a night out.  However you can apply it lightly for a sheerer coverage if you wish for a day time look.  This certainly is a luxury product and one that would look very stylish in any makeup bag, but I am reluctant to purchase a full sized product as there are so many comparable lipsticks at a fraction of the cost.  But if it was bought for me as a present, I wouldn't say no!



5. Erno Laszlo - The Hollywood Collection: 5 Piece Cream Gift Set:

I had never heard of this product before so I went on to the Harrods website as I was intrigued to find out more. However once again, I could not find the brand. However on doing a bit of research I was able to find out some information. This Hollywood Collection is to celebrate 85 years of Erno Laszlo.  Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn and Madonna are just a few of the Hollywoods finest who have been huge advocates of this revoluntionary skincare and there is a store in Covent Garden where you can purchase the products. Dr Erno Laszlo was a Hungarian dermatologist who, back in 1927, started the company that went on to become a worldwide sensation. At first, the Erno Laszlo institute would only treat those who came via recommendation, thus assuring its exclusivity. Now, however, anyone can enjoy the benefits of Laszlo’s skin-boosting systems, from their classic Black Sea Mud soap to luxury spa treatments that target anti-ageing, brightening and problem skin.  So perhaps Harrods are about to launch this product in their stores too.

This sample pack contains Morning Beauty Rescue, Refresh Moisture Infusion, Instant Eye Repair, Intensive Porcelain Veil and Velvet Night Cream.  I'm not sure what all of the products claim to do but you can click here to go to their website.

As you know, I love my Liz Earle skincare products but I might just have to give these products a try.  I just hope that I don't like them too much as I doubt I will be able to afford the price tag as the US website has the items ranged from $85 to $175. 

A little tip - if you have samples in a sachet make a hole using a safety pin so you can squeeze out a small amount at a time ands then seal with some sellotape afterwards this ensures that you don't waste any of the product and so they last longer and don't expire.

Initial impression:

I'm really pleased with my box this month, and I'm happy with all of the products, especially with the hair oil.  The only thing I am slightly disappointed with is the perfume sample which I feel you can get over the counter anyway, but other than that I think this months box was a great edition and I look forward to future limited edition boxes that Glossybox do.

WW Update - Week 8

This is only going to be a quick post, but I wanted to start by saying that I'm sorry for not having a Weight Watchers update last week, but I wasn't feeling very well so I never went and got weighed. :(

This week I did go and I've managed to maintain my losing streak as I lost a further 2 1/2 lbs taking the grand total so far to 16 lbs.  As much as I'm pleased, I can't help but feel a little disappointed in myself as so far I haven't really been giving a hundred per cent.  Lately I've only been tracking my points mentally and at times I really haven't been sticking to the plan.  Really it's amazing that I've been losing weight at all considering, but it's frustrating to know that I could have lost so much more if I was following the diet properly and truly giving it my all.

Some days though when Olivia has been hard work to settle (she's usually so good, but every baby has their moments) the last thing I want to be thinking about is how many points certain foods are.  I therefore tend to grab something quick like a chocolate bar or cake to satisfy my hunger.  They might be the Weight Watchers versions but even still I should try and make the time to make myself have a proper breakfast and lunch.   Several times, I have even found myself guessing rather than weighing items which I know is wrong but it was just easier.

I feel that this week, I'm slowly trying to get my head around the Pro Points plan.  Phil and I are even having our grocery shopping delivered now so that it frees up more time on the weekend for us to spend together as a family.  It also means that I'm less likely to be lured into buying foods that I really shouldn't (especially those that are naughty).

So fingers crossed for this coming week.  I'm hoping that I'll be able to stick to the diet a little better than I have so far.  But I guess only time will tell!

February Beauty Favourites 2012

I do not have a lot of new favourites this month I'm afraid, as I'm still loving the products mentioned in my January Beauty Favourites.  But I thought I'd still share a couple of things that I've been particularly enjoying this month.

I've been a lot more minimalist with my makeup lately and I've been trying to achieve a more natural glow.  Blusher is one product that I feel can achieve this as it really helps to warm the skin.  Usually I go for Mac's Melba blush for a more natural cheek, however this month I've been reaching for Estee Lauder's Tender Blush in Rose Wood (No 13) which is a rosey/mauve colour.  Unfortunately this blush has been discontinued but you might still be able to find it or one similar to it.   

Rose Wood is on the left

This compact came as part of a Christmas limited edition gift set a couple of years ago.  This is a matte blusher which is fairly pigmented and gives a nice warm flush to the cheeks and is perfect for Winter.  It is always worth keeping an eye out for Estee Lauder compacts as this is perfect for travelling with as it comes with a decent sized mirror, two blushes, a bronzer and a brush (although I never use these brushes it's always good to have for touch ups).

My next favourite is an eye look which I have been wearing almost every day throughout February.  All the eye shadows can be found in the Urban Decay Naked Palette (probably my favourite palette of all time).  I start by priming my eyes with Two Faced Shadow Insurance and then add a small amount of Mac's Bare study Paint Pot over the top,  I use both of these as they help to keep my eye shadows in place all day as well as enhancing the colour.  I then apply Sin all over the lid and blend Naked just above the crease.  I then take a small amount of Buck and blend it into the outer corner, feathering inwards a long the crease. 

L-R
Virgin, Sin, Naked, Sidecare, Buck

Sometimes if I want a more subtle eye I will leave it and just use Virgin to highlight the brow bone and inner corner of the eye.  However if I want to add a little more depth, I take Smog (a beautiful bronze colour) and put a small amount in the outer corner and feather lightly along the outer crease.  I then line the outer half of the lower lash line to give the look more intensity.


L-R
Buck, Half Baked, Smog, Darkhorse, Toasted

 Below are some swatches of the main four shadows that I use.


L-R
Buck, Naked, Sin, Smog

This eye combination works beautifully with my brown eyes however I think it would be suitable for all eye colours as well.  I love this palette and at the moment I tend to be reaching for it on a daily basis and ignoring all of my other eye shadows, which I must stop doing as I have so many others.  But the Urban Decay shadows are brilliant as they are so pigmented and are really easy to blend - why would I want to use anything else?
If I've not been using Mac's Tinted Lip Conditioner in Petting Pink (as mentioned in my January Beauty Favourites) then I've tended to gravitate towards the following lip combination.  I apply Mac's Creme Cup lipstick (which is a cremesheen finish) lightly over the lips and then apply Mac's Baby Sparks Dazzleglass over the top.  I use to love Dazzleglasses and I have quite a few of them, however this is the only colour that I seem to use now as it is a wearable baby pink (with pink and blue shimmer/glitter) without having too much glitter like some of the others.  As I'm getting older, I've started to like a more natural but glossy lip.  This lip combination works brilliant for day or night and can be paired with either a natural eye or one that is slightly more dramatic, so for me this is perfect.

This swatch was taken without a flash so I'm afraid it is not great but it gives you an idea of what the colours look like.  As you can see from the picture below, the lipgloss is fairly thick and it is very sticky so if you don't like that feeling on your lips then I would avoid this, however the plus side is that it does last longer on the lips so you don't have to keep reapplying it.

My last beauty favourite for February is Sudocrem.  Recently I've had the odd blemish on my face and so I've been reaching for this product and applying it over any redness at night before I go to bed.  The next morning, the blemish has either completely gone or become significantly smaller with hardly any redness left.  A true winner and something that I will constantly repurchase and use time and time again.

Other non-beauty favourites this month have been Cath Kidston.  I've really discovered their products this month and currently I have a long list of things that I would like to get.  I also have a review of one of their changing bags coming up in a future post so look out for that. If you like floral prints with a countryside flair then you will probably love her things, I know I do.  They sell a variety of things from clothing, accessories as well as things for the home and more so it is definitely worth checking out if you haven't already. 

 

My other favourite this month has been American TV shows.  I have especially been loving Ringer at the moment as well as The Secret Circle and Hart of Dixie.  Also previous favourites such as Gossip Girl, Greys Anatomy and Vampire Diaries have just returned to our screens following a mid-season break.  Our Sky box at the moment is looking rather full from all the shows that I've been recording, but as our nights are mostly spent in looking after Olivia, it gives us something to watch.  Plus Phil doesn't mind watching them either which is a bonus for me.

 

I've been loving some more products this month, but as it was towards the end of February I thought that I would include them in next months beauty favourites.  So you will just have to wait until then to find out what they are.