My Morning Routine #1

I completely forgot to take photos of my food today, so no What I Ate this week.  I wrote this post around the beginning of January, I love reading about other bloggers morning skincare routines, it gives me a little inspiration and introduces me to brands or products I've never heard of, or never had the bravery to try out. So this was my morning routine until around the end of January, I'm going to get a post up for my evening routine soon, so keep an eye out for that (excuse the present tense throughout the post, imagine it's January).

The first thing I do is probably something that beauty lovers everywhere would smite me down for, but I use cleansing wipes. Before you grab your whips and shackles to lock me up as a skin care devil, let me explain. I don't have a bathroom to myself and when you're in a house with four people it's hard to get time to carry out a full blown cleanse session before bed and in the morning. I will one day invest in a proper cleansing routine, but for now, I'm using the T-Zone Shine Control Cleansing Wipes. Recently I've had a few blemishes pop up here and there and have found that since using these wipes they have all since disappeared. They do smell strongly of tea-tree oil, but I don't mind that, and if they do the job why not? I like to use wipes at night and in the morning, just to get rid of any excess I may not have picked up the night before and whatever may have accumulated over night. 

After receiving the Premae Skincare Balance Rescue Face Tonique in my January Glossybox I've been using it constantly, it smells very strongly of lemongrass, but I love that, and it makes my skin feel refreshed and cools it down, making it feel tighter and more 'awake'. I wipe that all over my face with a cotton pad, and you'd be suprised how much a toner can pick up off the skin that a face wipe can't. Then I move onto moisturising. Since receiving a sample of the Body Shop Vitamin E Moisture Cream in my October Glossybox I fell in love with it. It has a very delicate scent to it and moisturises my skin brilliantly. I have quite bad eczema patches on my temples throughout winter and using this product helped keep it at bay.

Then I move onto my eyes. First of all I use my Simple Kind to Eyes Revitalising Eye Roll On. It has a metal roller-ball which helps to wake up the skin under your eyes and the product itself smells like cucumbers and makes my skin feel much cooler. This product alone isn't the least bit moisturising enough for the skin under my eyes, so I follow that step with some Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream. This is, yet again, another sample from my October Glossybox, still going strong. It is a nice cream, but I still don't find it moisturising enough for my skin, I'm just trying to get rid of the sample before starting a new product. 

Finally I focus on my lips. After watching a few of Miss Glamorazzi's videos featuring the Lush Mint Julips Lip Scrub I asked for a pot for Christmas, and Santa was very nice to me this year! I've been using this sugar scrub every day and night and I've noticed a dramatic difference to my lips. I have very dry lips at the best of times, but throughout winter they get worse. I love looking at different lipsticks, but think to myself, 'no, it'll look cracked and horrific'. After using this product though I find myself reaching for a lipstick almost every day with no worries of looking like a member of the walking dead. It helps that it tastes like After Eight Mints as well, I'm a sucker for those.


So that was my morning routine, if you liked this post then let me know in the comments, or if you want a more in depth review of any of the products included. You could let me know what your morning routine is and how it differs from mine. Until next time...

Outfit of the Day #3

I apologise for the lack of post on Tuesday, I'm still not feeling 100% since last week, stupid illness, get lost already. Anyway, I did take some photos of my outfit on Tuesday (my intentions were there I promise you), some are a little lacks in the quality department but I'll try better next time. 

It was actually quite a nice day on Tuesday, a little sunshine and a temperature in the plus category, my god it must be Summer! So I decided to pull out something a little less Winter-esque. 

I purchased the long chiffon material top a while ago from a local shop called Newlife, it was £2.99, a total bargain. I love the feather image used on the fabric, and the sleeves are very flattering, a short bat wing style. The belt around the middle helps to accentuate my waist, and I think that's a plus anyway. Underneath I wore a beige vest from Primark, they're really inexpensive and I use them under jumpers and t-shirts to add extra layers when the temperatures aren't high enough for me. On my bottoms I wore as always a pair of my £3 Primark leggings, I love leggings, I think they're really versatile and you can wear them with a million different outfits. 

For accessories I wore my engagement ring and eternity ring, along with some silver owl earrings that my Auntie gave me on my graduation and a 'statement' necklace from Primark. It's a brushed dark silver colour and I've been obsessed with it for the past month, a favourite appearance may be made, and for £4 it was a total bargain. 

For shoes I wore my new brown knee high boots, I love them. They're really comfortable, I got them in the sale at ASDA for £20, which I don't thinks too bad for real leather. They'll last me a good while and I think brown makes a nice change to black sometimes.

I don't know whether nails count as part of an outfit, but I love them at the moment. I took some inspiration from a post on Anna's blog (Vivianna Does Make Up). The base coat is Beauty UK 'Smokey Lilac' and the dot at the center is Max Factors 'Silver'. I'm thinking of trying a beige base with a gold dot. 


So that's what I wore, let me know what you think, and maybe what you would wear on a Spring day. Until next time...

My 5 Product Face

It's a well known fact in my family that I need at least a good 45 minutes to put my 'face' on (my Grandad lovingly refers to it as 'the mask' which automatically brings to mind Jim Carey in green, charming eh?).

One day last week I was in a hurry to go prom dress shopping for my Cousin, I was under family peer pressure to get up and get going and found myself using only five products. It took me 10 minutes, a fraction compared to my usual record to apply. I was so blown over with it I've been using this look all week and thought it could be worth sharing.

For my base I did stick to my usual Revlon Colourstay 24 Hour Liquid Foundation (I've not found myself able to brave the BB Cream world outside of my house as of yet, I'm trying though). My shade is 150 Buff Chamois, and I use the Normal/Dry Skin formula. I love the smell of this foundation, and the yellow undertones in this shade is perfect for my skin, I traipsed around Boots carrying a bottle of No7 Stay Perfect Foundation in Cool Vanilla to try and find the right shade for me, and 150 really is that. The foundation itself is very easy to blend and feels very light on the skin whilst giving medium coverage, I really enjoy using it and love how it makes my skin look. To apply my foundation I've been using the Real Techniques Buffing Brush since last October, it's very effective and easily blends the foundation into my skin with little effort, a staple in my eyes.

With my foundation giving only medium coverage I find myself needing more for my huge under eye baggies, although I'm fortunately blemish free at the moment. So I just apply the Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer underneath my eyes and around my nose to cover any redness. After a rookie mistake I'm using Light 1, I originally bought Fair 2, which in hindsight was a thousand shades too dark and way to orange for my skin, silly me. As many bloggers have expressed, this concealer has very good coverage and lasts a great length of time. It does go a little cakey and creases a little on my skin, but I do have extremely dry skin in the areas I use it. I blend the concealer into my skin with a Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush, I assume this brush was designed for eye shadow, but I find it's the perfect shape to get into my eye contours and around my nose.

For my eyes I do cheat a little (strike me down now, I'm a sinner), but they are in one little compact, so I count that as one product. I'm still head over heels for my MAC shadows since the beginning of the year, and February has been no different. For this look I've been using Omega all over the lid with Satin Taupe blended into the crease. I found these colours really compliment my eye colour (green with orange centers if you cared to know), and they go really well with the outfit's I've been throwing on, which have consisted of mostly greys and creams. MAC shadows are a new obsession of mine and I'm determined to add a fourth to my little trio by the end of February. To apply these shadows I use the MUA E3, I am absolutely obsessed with this brush, it blends very effectively and is really soft. I use the whole brush to apply Omega, then add a little Satin Taupe on the tip of the brush and blend. A great 2 in 1, and a new staple in my brush collection, I'll be purchasing a few more very soon.

To finish my eyes I've been using Seventeen Wild Curls Mascara in Black for months and I honestly adore it. I never thought I would use a comb wand in a mascara, I love big bristly wands, however, since using this mascara I think I've been converted. It picks up all of my lashes with an even coat, it adds a little volume at the base and lengthens the lashes, but not so much that it could be deemed unsuitable for daytime. I've a feeling it may be repurchased very soon. Before I apply my mascara I do use some eyelash curlers, mine are just a cheap pair from Superdrug, but I'm hoping to save for a pair of Shu Uemura ones, or maybe even a Chanel pair to compare high end and drugstore.

Finally, to finish it all off I added a dusting of Revlon Colourstay Pressed Powder in Light. The powder adds a little more coverage and helps keep the make up in place for a lot longer. I wouldn't say my make up lasts all day, mainly the concealer ends up wearing a little thin eventually, but I'm hoping one day soon I'll find a concealer perfect for me. To apply my powder I use the MUA F4, a brilliantly big face brush, very soft and picks up a good amount of product, I'm really impressed with the MUA range and can't wait for them to perhaps extend their brush line in the future.


So that's it, my 5 product face, not too shabby ladies and gents. I'll probably end up going back to my usual 'face' application next week, but this is going in the vault for another week where I'm feeling I need to get back to basics for a while. What five products do you think you could survive with? Until next time...

My Instagram Week #4

Vanilla & Mint Choc Chip, my favourites/They didn't work, much to the boys anger/Primark Studded Flats

W.I.P Nail Art/Addicted to Tapped Out/A Very Proud Boy

My Future Car Reg/A Very Happy Boy with his Electric Drums/Beauty UK 'Smokey Lilac'

If you fancy seeing what else goes on in my little world then follow my Instagram at lunnybunny9, I'm taking part in Photo A Day each month to try and keep to my New Years Resolution of taking more photographs, let me know if you're doing the same. Until next time...

Wedding Inspiration #1

Seeing as I'm not planning on getting married for a while, all of the little snippets of genius I see and think 'that's what I'm going to have' I'm going to keep in this little series of posts.

Lets start off by clarifying a few facts, I've not been dreaming about my wedding since I could understand what dreams were, and I honestly believe I do not want a princess theme wedding with a huge dress and lots of fancy things. I don't really know what I want, I never thought about my wedding until the boy proposed, and this is where it's going to begin.

Initial Thoughts;

I've 'sub-titled' this post Initial Thoughts (you'll see a lot of sub-titling here, I'm obsessed with written organisation, I apologise). I wanted to try and get down my first ideas about a wedding before they disappear into the depths of flower arrangements, puffy dresses and dreams of an open bar. I've known a few people who have been wed hoping to be surrounded by peace and calm but instead took a detour to a place known little more as Bridezillaville and almost tugged out all of their hair under pressure for want of a 'perfect' day. In earnest I do hope that I can have a relaxing, enjoyable day marrying the boy, I am however, a realist. There's going to be hiccups, and things going awry, even with my organisational prowess at the helm. I'm hoping however, that these posts can help me track my thoughts and pick up some helpful tips from elsewhere along the way, maybe even help another betrothed soul out there who's as clueless as me when it comes to what they want. 

So, blurb over, onto business; I always start with my three favourite W's, When, Where and Who.

When: My when is unknown at the minute, the plan is maybe in a few years, maximum three, but for now it's not the thing at the top of the agenda. So my when right now is latest, 2015.

Where: My where is England definitely, I'm not an abroad kind of lady. Obviously we want it to be near either one of our families, it just depends on where we find that we like the best, so either Worcestershire or Staffordshire. 

Who: My who is family of course, family and very close friends. I'm not about numbers and the amount of people attending, I'm very family oriented, and I want the day to be shared by people who have been through our lives, not just one time friends. My initial thoughts are to have family and very close friends at the ceremony and meal then invite others to a 'party' afterwards, who knows, it may change.

Now for two miscellaneous categories; theme and colours.

I think I'm drawn towards traditional themes, nice flowers, decorations, styles. I found a few pictures of some reception decorations on Pinterest that caught my eye, and might give you a little insight into the colours I like.

I love the chandeliers in this photo, and the draped chiffon style material on the ceiling, it looks elegant and clean, with the dark wooden furniture helping it to look more homely and informal. The use of candles as a centerpiece really caught my eye as well.

I really love the colours grey and white together, I think they look clean, classic and modern. I decided pretty early on that I find grey to be a sophisticated colour, and easy to pair with brighter colours if desired. I toyed with the idea of a navy blue or a dark green, but in the end I loved the idea of different grey's working together to add a little depth. The baby's breath centerpieces here are incredible, I've firmly set my sights on that little flower being a part of our wedding.

You can see the impact of the centerpiece in this photo so much more clearly. It's a simple addition to a table but can add so much. It makes the table look full without looking cluttered. The silver charger plates also add to the classic look and feel of the decorations. The theme I'm keeping in mind at the minute is simple, elegant but a little different. I really want it to be bright and have clean lines and a classic feel.

 The factor that grabbed my attention in this image was the use of light. I have a feeling that the light in this photo is created with candles, but I love the look of small lights dotted around. Fairy lights are something that I would definitely keep in mind for our wedding, they're simple, yet easily usable and available. In the majority of images that have grabbed my attention, round tables are included. This is something else I would love, I think it helps guests interact as they can see all who are joining them at their table, the use of oval shaped tables in this image shows that different rounded tables can be used to add a certain feel to a room.





So that's all I wanted to get down for this first post, I hope you enjoyed reading it and it helped a few people collect some thoughts or even take some inspiration themselves. 

All of the images are linked to the pin on my board in Pinterest, and my Wedding Inspiration board is linked here. 

Until next time...

What I Ate #3

 
Being riddled with sickness never does good for my diet, so today was a bit of an abnormal day on the eating front for me. I've not really been getting along with yoghurts, so today I opted for a homemade (by my own fair hands) Sour Cream and Chive Muffin with margarine and a cocktail of Orange Juice and Cranberry Juice. FYI you will be seeing a few straws, I love drinking through a straw, I say it's because it's better for your teeth, but truthfully, I just love straws. 

For lunch I opted for an Orange and some Orange Juice. Not overly adventurous I know, but I'm a firm believer of the healing powers of Vitamin C, and I love anything orange flavoured, so it's a win win for me.

For dinner my Nan had made Chicken and Leek Pie with all the trimmings, yummy! Homemade food day today for Miss Lunny. It's been quite cold today compared to the minimal heatwave we've had since the beginning of the week, and being ill, a nice warm hearty meal was just what I needed. I did have a KitKat after I ate this, but needless to say it didn't last long enough for me to photograph it, but just imagine a KitKat (now I want another, damn).

No snacks for me today, but I have been devouring a few Jakemans Throat & Chest Menthol Sweets. I'm not a fan of throat sweets with gooey centers, so these are just perfect, although the Halls Eucalyptus Sugar Free ones are my favourites, alas, none were available. 


So that's it for me today, hopefully this stupid ill feeling will have disappeared this time next week so I'm back to my food loving self. Although, I have promised myself to eat a little better starting next week, but I've heard 'that's what they all say' quite a lot since making this point, so we shall see. Until next time...

B. Pure Micellar Water Review

For what feels like a lifetime I've wanted to delve into the Micellar Water pool. I've been using face wipes for about 7 months now (don't strike me down, I know it's the lazy way out), cleansers always seem such a chore to me, rubbing it on then having to wash it off with water was just too much of a long process. Hesitant I am not, but the cost to purchase some Bioderma or La Roche-Posay was a little too high for my budget, especially for something that I had no knowledge of using. Bloggers and Youtubers had raved and mentioned Micellar Water in so many posts and videos I lose count, I don't even remember where I first heard about them, but into the unknown I longed to delve. 

It happened about a month ago, I was browsing online dreaming and wishing for a ridiculous amount of products (I mean really, there's only so much one person can fit on their face). My usual routine is; Boots, Beauty Bay, MUA and Superdrug. On my last website of the night there was an advert for a new brand of 'premium' skincare and make up; B. Knowing that Superdrug have a really good amount of affordable but good quality brands I decided to take a look. First thing that pops up on the screen, a new B. Pure Micellar Water, better still, it's introductory price was £3.99. So I calmly proceeded to the product page (I lie, I nearly squealed, I treble clicked the link for gods sake). Alas, it's was out of stock, typically my luck. Resigned to looking at a near future without a product I had fallen in love with in 5 minutes I was needless to say, a little upset. 

Then, a few Saturday's ago I ventured out to Westfield Merryhill and remembered they had a Superdrug. Informing my other half I had a mission to complete I walked at a pretty swift pace and found myself face to face with the product I had been wanting. The lovely lady at the counter explained that it was suitable for the most sensitive skin and was cruelty free, she claims it could easily compete with Bioderma in the Micellar stakes and with that I was waiting at the till. 

I've been using the water for the last few weeks, and without having anything to compare it too I have to say, I don't know why I would want to try anything else. It's quite a refreshing experience for my skin, it's very gentle, fragrance free and I was astonished how easily it takes off make up. On the bottle it does state not to get the product near your eyes, but I am guilty of using it to take my eye make up off, I've had no irritation, and it takes all of 2 minutes to get rid of a face and eye full of products. It claims to cleanse and tone, so I've felt no need to use my face wipes, and the fact you don't have to rinse your face with water after using it is just another reason I am loving this product.



As I said, I can't compare it to more pricier products, but for me it works just fine. Finally, a Micellar Water for me! If you've used this product and can say if it is better or worse than brands such as Bioderma then let me know in the comments, but until next time...

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain

Apologies for the lack of an outfit of the day post this week, but I'm ridiculously ill, and I don't think anyone in their right mind would be at all impressed with seeing a photo of my pyjamas and reasons as to why they're 'well worn' meaning 'so comfortable'. So I thought today would be a good opportunity to show you a little item I purchased a few days ago before I emigrated to the land that sickness built.

I've heard so much about the Revlon Kissable Lip Stains and Balm Stains. After reading through review after review and after watching YouTube video after YouTube video, I decided that if I was to get one I think I would delve into the Balm Stain pool first.

I'm not the most adventurous in the lip colour stakes, I prefer to play it safe, and as I've said before, I love to experiment with eye looks a lot more. Mainly because the skin on my lips is so dry, and I'm more confident wearing a moisturising lip product. So when I walked into a local make up store I noticed they had the Revlon Kissable Balm Stain in Charm. It looked like a nice spring shade, quite orange toned but being a balm, when I swatched the tester on my hand it looked very pale and not at all overly pigmented. It felt quite smooth and suprisingly moisturising.

I'm becoming quite the fan of products in pen form, they're easy to apply and easy to carry in your handbag. That is as opposed to being laden with a clutch bag full of products in case you feel like changing your make ups 'direction' during the day (this is mainly due to the fact I've not grasped the whole day to night make up look yet, as effortless as others make it seem I always find a way to pretty much carry a whole new pack of products with me).

I'm pleasantly looking forward to using this product, and I can't wait for Spring to get here, I'm sure it will become a statement in my handbag. If our relationship blossoms I may even purchase a few different shades, or even dip my toe into the Lip Stain pool.


I hope you found this post a little informative, if not just another glimpse into my not to experimental make up preferences. Have you used any of the Revlon Kissable Lip/Balm Stains before? What are your opinions? Let me know down below, and until next time...

My Instagram Week #3

 

 Late Night Big Bang Theory/Hanging Out with Lara/My Favourite Food

Valentines Nails; Models Own 'Peach Puff'&Sally Hansen 'Mousseline'/Valentines Flowers/Miners 'Seduction'

The Boys Fragrance Obsession/Nothing Better Than A Glass Mug/Late Night YouTube Videos

If you fancy seeing what else goes on in my little world then follow my Instagram at lunnybunny9, I'm taking part in Photo A Day each month to try and keep to my New Years Resolution of taking more photographs, let me know if you're doing the same. Until next time...

Glossybox February 2013 Opening

It's Glossybox time again, yay! I've been receiving Glossybox since August last year, and really only on one occasion have I been disappointed with the contents. It's a 'beauty' box, but really I've been receiving a lot of skincare items, until today!

The box this month has changed again, it has this really sweet bow design on the front, call me easily pleased, but I love a good looking box, packaging is the key thing for me (I dream of a wrapping station in my house). 

Inside everything has changed to pink in honour of the 'love'liest holiday of the year (see what I did there, funny me). The new information leaflets are starting to grow on me, you do get a lot more information on the products, and the inclusion of discount codes is a plus in retrospect. 

After all that rambling about packaging and reading material, onto the important subject; the contents. 

The first thing I received this month was the Micabella Cosmetics Mineral Eye Shadow. Cosmetics, hooray! I was sent the shade Deep Secrets. It seems like a shimmery brown colour, perfect for me, very neutral and easily wearable. Inside the leaflet it explains how the product is made from a crystal-like mineral called Mica and it will make my eyes 'traffic-stopping'. Dangerous but interesting all at the same time. I'm picky with packaging, and I really don't like the way it has the 'shaker holes' in the top, similar to mineral powder, but beggars can't be choosers. A full size shadow is an eye watering £14.95 for 2.5g, and this sample is 1g, a whole £6 in that little container.

Next up was something I was pleasantly surprised to see (although it is skincare), the Balance Me Rose Otto Body Cream. I wouldn't say I love Balance Me, but I still have the Wonder Eye Cream from last years September box, I use it every day and it's still going strong. This cream is rose scented (a little hint in the name for you there), but it does have undertones of aloe vera, camellia, lotus and violet, meaning that the rose scent is still dominant, but I don't find it too off putting. A full size of this cream is £6 for 30ml and £18 for 200ml. The sample I was given is actually 30ml, so a full size product.

A little gem I found in my box is something I've been contemplating for a while but haven't had that impulse moment where I commit to purchase. The Figs and Rouge Lip Balm, keeping in with the Valentine theme of my box this one is Rambling Rose scented, and this is definitely rose. The scent doesn't bother me at all, I quite like rose. It looks a little dry in the tin, but as soon as you swirl your finger around in the product it turns smooth and seems very moisturising. I will definitely be using this sample up in the near future. A full size is £3.49 for 8ml, which is exactly what I received. 

I'm not a lady who highlights and contours a lot with my make up. I'm not overly confident of my novice skills, but the next thing I received in my box was the MeMeMe Beat the Blues Highlighter in Oyster Gold. I've used MeMeMe cosmetics before and was very underwhelmed, but I'll give this product the benefit of the doubt. I do like the fact it's yellow toned, which goes well with my skin and does look more natural than I was expecting. In the leaflet it does say you can mix a little in with your foundation to give an all over glow, which is a little trick I might try. A full size is £5.50 for 12ml, which again, is what I received. 

Finally, another cosmetic item, I was astonished. The Miners Cosmetic Lip Colour I received is a brand I've never heard of before and the colour on the bottom of the lipstick looked like a nice bright red named Seduction, perfect for Spring. Unfortunately, it wasn't true to the bullet. It's none the less a lovely deep red shade, but more a colour I would wear in the Winter/Autumn months. I think I'll be using a trick passed on my Lisa Eldridge and pat the colour on with my finger and top it off with a nude colour to tone it down a little. A full size product is £3.99 for 4g, which I'm assuming is what I received as there was no weight on the lip colour itself.

There was a little valentines lollypop in there, mine was broken but I assure you, it will be eaten. 


All in all I was really pleased with this months box, more cosmetics for a change and a lot of full size good quality items. My whole box came to around £25, so double the cost of the box at £12.95 (including P&P). 

Quite looking forward to next months box now, and getting some use out of this one. What did you all get in your Glossybox's this month? Until next time...

Glossybox is a monthly subscription box priced at £10 per month (+2.95 postage), you can find out more on their website here.

What I Ate #2

 

So, same as always I had an Activia Peach 0% Yoghurt for breakfast. I just love the peach ones, I really love how they have pieces of real fruit in them, it makes them seem more substantial. Not that I have a vendetta against smooth yoghurt, but anything with bits is a plus to me.

For lunch I had the leftover pancakes from Pancake Day, Shrove Tuesday, beginning of Lent (take your pick). I love pancakes, I really want to try one with banana and nutella, but I just went with good old lemon and sugar, stick with what you know for today. It really weirds me out how it's the same mixture as yorkshire puddings but tastes so different. Maybe I'll try banana and nutella in a yorkshire pudding instead?

For dinner my fiance took me out for a pre-valentines day meal because I'm at work on Valentine's Day (boo!). So he took me to Chiqitos for a Chimichangas, one of my favourite meals from there. We had the BBQ pulled Pork with chips and sour cream dip, we always seem to have the same meals. It's because he copies me; obviously.

As an extra treat I had a Virgin Mango Daiquiri, it was delicious, really refreshing and lasted ages because it's blended with ice. The one thing I dislike about cocktails is the fact they never last long, with me anyway.


No desert for me today, I felt absolutely full from the Chimichangas, they're huge. What did you have today? Until next time...

January 2013 Glossybox Review

 

This months Glossybox was the theme Detox, which I think was reflected in the contents. A lot of skincare once again, which doesn't particularly bother me, but I really would like to see more cosmetic items in the mix.

First off I'll talk about the two things I haven't tried this month. The Monu Aromatic Mask smells like a generic face mask, and looks like one too. I've heard that Monu is an amazing skincare brand, but the container that the mask is in has no pump, just a tiny little hole that you can't get anything in to get the product out, and the bottle is quite rigid, so I couldn't squeeze it out either, all in all, would like to try it, but without reverting to a good old pair of scissors and cutting it open, I don't think it's going to happen. The Elemis Fresh Skin Exfoliating Face Wash is another product I didn't try, mainly because my skin care routine doesn't call for one at the moment, and I'm going to wait until my present one runs out, it smells nice though and Elemis has been a brand in Glossybox before and received a pretty good review.

On to the products I did try out. The Jason Lips Bee Healthier lip balm was actually one of my favourite things this month, after seeing it in the box and the fact it's only £1.99 I wasn't holding out much hope. However, it is quite moisturising and it tastes like mint after eights so I was pleasantly suprised. I use it before I put on any lipstick to smooth out the surface of my lips and it helps a lot. I would definitely consider repurchasing it after this one runs out. 

The Premae Skin Care Balance Rescue Face Tonique has actually become a regular in my morning and night skincare routine. It smells very refreshing, a lot like lemons, so if you don't like citrus scents then this may not be for you. A lot of bloggers I've read posts from or watched videos of have said that they don't really care for a toner step in their skin care routine, but I actually quite like it. Personally I find it wakens my skin up and gives it that little extra clean. This particular one is a little expensive, so I don't think I'll be repurchasing it after this sample runs out, but it's definitely made me think about trying out more affordable toners in the future. 

Next up was the Duck Island Body Lotion. The smell of this product is amazing, it's so refreshing and slightly addictive. I tried it on my legs as I find they are one of the driest parts of my body. The lotion felt nice on the skin and absorbed quickly, (something I look for in a body lotion). However, the moisture in my legs didn't last long and I found myself reverting to my Dove Extra Dry as it keeps my legs moisturised for longer. So as lovely as it smells I don't think that it's a product I would repurchase in the future.

The final thing in my box was a Glossy Dreams Eye Mask. I've never really been tempted into purchasing one of these before as I pretty much saw it as a waste of time, when you sleep at night, it's dark, so what's the point? However, with my 'sleep difficulties', that is staying asleep, I thought I'd give it a go. To be honest, I really enjoy using it, when it's early in the morning (I mean 4am onwards) it helps me to still think it's 11 at night, so a nice little extra in the box this month.

So that was my January 2013 Glossybox, keep an eye out for my February Glossybox post. I'm expecting it to fall onto my doorstep soon. Leave me any comments with what you thought of your Glossybox's this month, and until next time...

Glossybox is a monthly subscription box priced at £10 per month (+2.95 postage), you can find out more on their website here.

Outfit of the Day #2

  

I was  hoping that this week I could switch up some more clothes for 'spring' wear. Maybe swap a cardigan or jumper for a thin shirt, or maybe even... dun dun dun a dress?! No, not to be, not yet. It's still freezing, it even snowed (again!). So the jumpers came back out, I wore this dark red knitted jumper, I can't remember where I got it from, I think it was a Christmas present, I love the shape of it, it's a little fitted at the bust so the bottom half really flatters my shape. On my bottoms I wore my new Zara Jeans, they're the rubberised side stripe ones, in the sale for £10 reduced from £40, a bargain if ever I saw one. They're really nicely fitted and I like to roll them up at the bottoms, mainly because it looks nice, but also because they're a little long for my vertically challenged limbs. 

I decided to change my bag from my L Credi Teal Bag to my old faithful River Island Zipper Bag. I've had this bag for around 4 years, it was the first full price thing I ever picked up from River Island, so I cherish it. I love how many pockets and compartments it has, it helps me organise my belongings better, otherwise they get lost in the cavernous depths forever. I particularly love the silver hardware, when I purchased this bag silver hardware was the 'in thing', nowadays it's more gold; I don't like gold, the end.

For shoes I went with these studded slipper style flats from Primark, I don't think they were overly expensive, but I honestly can't remember. They were an impulse buy, one which I don't regret. They're really comfortable and the silver studs tie in with the silver on the bag. On the accessory front I wore exactly the same as my OOTD #1 which you can look at here, minus the necklace, today wasn't a necklace day.

I know I said it last time but I'm still unsure of the best way to take photos of my outfits, if this way it working out for you then let me know, or if you have any suggestions I'd love that too. Until next time...

My Instagram Week #2

Afternoon Baking/Models Own 'Peach Puff'/My Wishlist Amount

Brain Puzzles/Mint Chocolate Cake/New Filofax

Lazy Sunday/Night Time Reading/Best Cider Ever 

If you fancy seeing what else goes on in my little world then follow my Instagram at lunnybunny9, I'm taking part in Photo A Day each month to try and keep to my New Years Resolution of taking more photographs, let me know if you're doing the same. Until next time...

January 2013 Favourites

For January I know that a lot of people focus on their new years resolutions, stop smoking, lose weight, stop biting your nails to the bone, and other goals that many people (although we don't admit it) carry out for about 2 weeks and then 'life' gets in the way. 

For me, my main resolution was to sleep better, go to bed earlier and wake up earlier. Sleep has never been a problem for me until recently, waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to drop back off is a problem I thought I would be able to avoid. The This Works Sleep Balm and Stress Less Roller Ball have helped enormously this month. I have no idea what it is that helps, maybe the scent, maybe just the idea that you're physically doing something, even though I've not been falling asleep any earlier, when I do drop off I never get back up again until good old morning. Also, I find that reading before bed helps a lot when it comes to trying to sleep, so my Kindle has come in a trooper this month, I had a new case for Christmas with an integrated light, and to me this makes it really calming and relaxing.

Onto other issues; the only real problem I notice with my skin through winter is my ridiculously dry lips. I've been trying to use more lipstick to add a bit of colour to my make up everyday, but when you have lips that seem to be falling apart it's not the most attractive of looks. After receiving the Lush Mint Julips Lip Scrub for Christmas I've noticed a massive difference in the state of my lips, it's super exfoliating (and yummy when you lick it off). I've been using it day and night everyday and it looks barely touched, so it looks like it's going to last a while.

Make Up wise this month I've been absolutely adoring my MAC trio. Omega is a staple every day shade for me, using it as a base with a little of Satin Taupe in the crease is my favourite way to use it. All That Glitters is a shade that I love to wear all over the lid on its own, I find it's a very versatile shade and compliments so many looks. I'm hoping to add Amber Lights to my collection soon, so that might be popping up as a favourite next month. I've been loving applying these shadows with my new MUA E3 blending brush. The quality is incredible for the price (at only £1.95!) and I've been finding myself reaching for it more and more as opposed to my Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush, which definitely tells me it's a favourite.


So that's my January 2013 favourites. Let me know in the comments if you have any of the same or even what your favourites are for January. Until next time...

Rimmel Apocalips Review

 

After reading blog post after blog post and seeing mention after mention about the new Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquer I caved in to my own self pressurisation and toddled off to Boots to snap one up.

The range is pretty broad in terms of colours, the spectrum spans from nudes, to bright reds and a few pinks thrown in the middle. I'm very cautious when it comes to lip colour, I prefer to play around with eye colour than to draw attention to the lower region of my face. So true to form I picked out the nudest shade they produced, Nude Eclipse. 

 

 

I wouldn't say that this shade is totally bare, it has got brown undertones and is quite peachy, depending on your skin tone obviously depends on how 'nude' this shade really is. I have quite pale skin, and I find that this shade stands out more than other neutral shades I own, but it is extremely wearable and could be worn casually everyday or for a night out with a smokey eye. 

The applicator is a doe foot with a hole indentation on the base, this holds a little of the product. I find this a really good concept, it means that you don't have to 'double dip' the applicator in the product when applying it, just one foul swoop across the lips will do the job. It is slightly scented, it reminds me of the scent you get from the Rimmel Kate Moss Lipsticks, which isn't offensive in any way, I quite like the smell, it's quite sweet. The consistency isn't sticky, it feels smooth on the lips and the colour pigmentation is brilliant. I don't feel like I have to layer the product up to get a good application either, which makes a nice change. 

I did find that I had to re-apply the product throughout the day once or twice, depending on when I'd had food or drink or if the product had simply worn off, but this was mainly for the gloss, the colour tended to stick, so I might try it out with just a clear lip gloss or a little lip balm over the top to see if it can gloss back up that way.

All in all I found the product a pleasure to wear, I definitely think I'll be venturing out to Boots on payday to pick up one of the lighter pink shades, and seeing as I've heard some cosmetics are 3 for 2 at the minute, maybe I'll leave with more than one. Let me know if you've tried the new Apocalips and what you liked or even didn't like about them. Until next time...

What I Ate #1

I'm a naughty human, I never ever ever eat a proper breakfast; ever. In my head I'd rather spend an extra half hour asleep than eating, I know, I'm lazy. Saying that I've been having these Activia 0% fat Yoghurts in the morning recently, I don't class it as breakfast, but it's a little something. Peach is my favourite right now, yummy!

Then for lunch I just had a Cheese Salad Wrap, I love wraps, they're so versatile, I have them for dinner sometimes with chicken goujons or chicken pieces, I've had them with ham before as well, I love putting a little sweet chilli sauce on them too, just to add a bit more flavour. I like the multi-seed ones, I feel like they're a little healthier, but that might be me trying to fool myself.

For a snack I had a Sour Cream and Chive Muffin that I made in my afternoon of baking, really tasty and filled a little hole until dinner time. I think it would be really nice warmed with a little butter on.

For dinner I had homemade Lentil Soup with gammon and bread. I love lentil soup, it's been quite cold again recently, and there's nothing like a hot bowl of soup to make you feel cosy, I love lentils too, they fill you up and they're not that bad for you as far as I know.

For desert I had a slice of Mint Chocolate Cake that I made in my afternoon of baking, so easy to make and it was so tasty, I used mint matchmakers to give it the mint flavour and decorated the top with leftovers. It had a nutella center and was all in all delicious.

I'm not the healthiest person in the world, but I do try and make sure I don't over indulge; too much. What did you eat today? Until next time...