Review: Names4Ever Name Necklace

Hey everyone,

I recently received a name necklace from Names4Ever*. I opted for the silver name necklace in the font style Charlotte on a 45cm chain which is a nice length that sits just below my collar bone, although for an extra £4 you can have a longer chain. I received the necklace within a week of ordering which i think is good going to say each order is custom made to suit your needs and shipped from the Netherlands. I have always wanted a name necklace and after much deliberation of deciding between my blog name or real name however in the end i opted for Sinead. 

The necklace retails for £29 and they also have free delivery which i think is a really good price. It also came gift boxed so would make a wonderful gift. The buying process couldnt be easier, you click the pendant or font style you desire, choose gold or silver and enter your name. Simple! 

You can view all the products on the Names4Ever website here.

What do you think of Name necklaces?

xx

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Liz Earle Make Up - Bronzer & Blush

Hello lovelies,

I was recently sent a couple of make up products from Liz Earle that i wanted to show you as they have both made their way into my everyday makeup bag. 

Liz Earle make up products never fail to impress me and the Natural Glow Bronzer & Healthy Glow Powder Blush in Nectar are no exceptions. 

The Natural Glow Bronzer is extremely light and doesnt have a hint of orange which is perfect for my pale skin. Its not overly pigmented and does need building up to add the desired amount of colour, a bonus of this is that it doesnt look too muddy or cakey on the skin. Its quite pale in colour and is pretty much matte so would also make a good contour shade for those with pale skin tones. 

The Healthy Glow Blush in Nectar is such a stunning shade and described by Liz Earle as Fresh Rose Pink. Its quite a bright coral toned pink that has a slight hint of shimmer and reminds me ever so slightly in colour of NARS Orgasm minus shimmer. I found it to be quite pigmented and its extremely easy to go a little OTT resulting in clown cheeks but i feel as though it fades slightly over the course of the day. 

The Natural Glow Bronzer retails for £19.50 and the Healthy Glow Powder Blushes retail for £16.50 so not too reasonably priced and i feel as though price wise it is in line with the rest of the Liz Earle range. 

You can view the whole range on the Liz Earle Website.

Have you tried any Liz Earle make up products? Which is your favourite?

xx

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Contacts, Glasses & Fashion

Guest Post

When so many aspects of a person’s everyday appearance are discussed and taken into account with regard to fashion, it is a bit surprising how few people talk about eyewear and corrective vision from a style standpoint. Of course, people do recognize fashionable glasses on occasion, but in general the issue of how to address your corrected vision with regard to making a fashion statement is rarely brought up. Some people require either contact lenses or eyeglasses for reasons that go beyond fashion, such as comfort issues or other factors. However, for the most part, Acuvue contact lenses come in enough comfortable and different styles that most people at least have the option of wearing contacts. So, which form of corrective vision is most helpful for fashion?

The truth is, both glasses and contact lenses can help you a great deal to be versatile with style accessories. Eyeglasses can actually be extremely fashionable in a number of different contexts. The fact is, there are thousands and thousands of different frames available to you, which means that instead of merely thinking about correcting your vision with your prescription lenses, you should be thinking about what goes around those lenses! The right frame for your eyeglasses can turn them from a tool into an accessory, and can greatly improve your daily image.

That said, it is also worth noting that contact lenses offer you more flexibility than eyeglasses. To begin with, contact lenses enable you to spend days and nights without glasses on, and this can be a great option to have if you think certain looks are better without glasses, or even that certain events would be best without anything on your eyes. Additionally, wearing contact lenses allows you to wear other accessories, such as sunglasses during the warmer months of the year. This is a freedom you simply don’t have if you depend on eyeglasses for your vision.

Ultimately, it is clear that both contacts and glasses offer fashion benefits. The best option might be to simply have both on hand, so that you can use either one depending on what you think looks best with what you’re wearing, how you’re doing your hair, etc. However, another option to consider, which is becoming more and more popular, is to simply wear contact lenses for your vision, and to purchase a few pairs of stylish eyeglasses with clear lenses. That way, you will never truly be dependent on glasses for your vision, but you will have the option of putting on different frames when you want to, from a style standpoint.

Andrea Thompson is a freelancer and blog contributor who hopes to work in fashion journalism. She enjoys following the newest trends and seasonal styles.

Review: L'Occitane Sorbet Verbena Refreshing Mist & Cooling Gloss

Happy Sunday sweets!

L'Occitane have recently launched their Limited Edition Summer collection named 'Sorbet Verbena' and i had the opportunity to try a couple of products from the collection. 

The main product in the collection is the Sorbet Verbena Eau De Toilette that is a citrus fragrance with top notes of lime and grapefruit. The other products in this collection are also based around this.

I was sent the L'Occitane Refreshing Mist* and the Cooling Gloss*. 

Sorbet Verbena Fresh Mist

'The Sorbet Verbena Fresh Mist is an alcohol-free formula that intensely refreshes the skin and maintains its hydration level, leaving behind a delicate perfume with summery notes of citrus and mint. Energize yourself with this mist, which contains an organic verbena extract from Corsica. 

Packaged in a convenient travel-sized bottle, this mist is perfect to keep with you throughout the day'.

I have never really tried a cooling face mist before however this L'Occitane one is extremely refreshing and leaves my skin feeling hydrated. This would be great in blistering heat (which i cant say we have had recently in the UK) but i will be packing this up and taking it with me on my travels. I have been spritzing this after cleansing an toning to leave my skin feeling fresh and waking me up on early mornings. 

In line with the theme of products in this range the refreshing mist has a citrus scent. It is lightly scented as it contains lemon and mint essential oils but it isnt overpowering at all. Its also a handy 50ml size and retails for £10. 

Sorbet Verbena Cooling Gloss

'The Sorbet Verbena Cooling Gloss not only moisturises lips, but also provides a cooling sensation, perfect especially during the heat of summer! 

Enriched with shea butter, this gloss also provides nourishment and protection'.

As the name suggests this is a cooling lipgloss and instantly cools as soon as it hits your lips. It comes in a handy sized squeezy tube and goes on and stays clear. It gives a glossy finish to the lips and is by no means sticky at all. It does go on quite gel like and a little bit wet but it quickly absorbs into your lips. 

It comes in a 15ml tube and retails for £8.

The L'Occitane Sorbet Verbena Collection is available to buy now for a limited time only. 

For more information visit the L'Occitane Website.

xx

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Glossybox August 2012 International Superstars

Hi ladies, 

Another month & another Glossybox! This months theme is 'International Superstars' and as the Olympics has just finished i think its very fitting, dont you? We were spoilt with not 5 but 6 products in this months box. 

♥ Alessandro - Pro White ♥

The Alessandro Pro White is a German product that is a optically brightening effect nail polish that has a anti-yellowing formula for radiant white and gleaming nails. This is definitely a product i will get some use out of and i will use as a base coat before applying nail polish. Its a full size 10ml bottle thats worth £7.85.

♥ DHC - DHC Deep Cleansing Oil ♥

The DHC Deep Cleansing Oil is a Japanese product as is quite a hefty 30ml sample of their cleanser. Seriously looking forward to trying this out! Full size 200ml would cost £18.50 making this worth around £3.

♥ Broadway Nails - Impress Press On Manicure ♥

The Impress nails have been seen in the Glossybox before and as i do quite like using them i am happy for them to take place once again. To apply the impress nails you simply peel off and press on, simple as that! This time i have received a lilac shade with subtle shimmer so i will definitely use these. These are a full size product that retail in the UK for £7.99.

♥ Vera Valenti - L'Ombre a Paupiere Margarita ♥

This is a eyeshadow palette from Spanish brand Vera Valenti. It contains 10 different eyeshadow shades and a sponge tip applicator. I received the blue and grey shade which in all honesty im not too keen on and this is more fitting for my mum so i will be passing this on, however i have seen a neutral version of this palette on other blogs. This palette retails for £3.85. 

♥ Lipcote ♥

Lipcote is such an iconic British product and is the original lipstick sealer. Believe it or not i have never actually used lipcote so i will be giving it a whirl to see if it lives up to its name! This is a full size 7ml bottle that retails for £3.99.

♥ Glossybox lipstick in Glossy Pink ♥

I believe this is probably a little Glossybox extra and this time its a full size 4g Glossybox lipstick in the shade Glossy Pink. They say that it is a professional beauty lipstick for soft and glamourous lips with a luminous, long-lasting colour. The retail price of this is £9.50.

Overall the 6 product in this months Glossybox are worth around £36 which is pretty impressive to say it costs £10 plus postage each month. The stand out product for me is the  Impress nails as its a full size product that i know i will get use out of and that i will enjoy using. The packaging as always is flawless and i love keeping my powder pink storage box each month and unpacking the samples from underneath the tissue paper. 

What products did you receive in this months Glossybox?

You can sign up here
xx
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New Sleek MakeUP Be Beautiful Blemish Balm & GIVEAWAY

Hello ladies, 

Sleek MakeUP have a new offering to their evergrowing range and this time in the form of a blemish balm (BB cream).

'Skincare meets make-up: What product can be used as a primer, tinted moisturiser, contains SPF15, is highly moisturising, conceals blemishes, has anti-aging properties and provides full coverage?...Sleek MakeUP's Be Beautiful Blemish Balm'.

Sleek MakeUP's Be Beautiful Blemish Balm was created to protect, moisturise, conceal and prime the skin whilst brightening your complexion and leaving skin look smooth and radiant. 

Their are 4 shades in the range: fair, light, medium and dark and im sure a lot of you will agree when i say it isnt an extensive selection and there is quite a colour difference between each shade, especially between light and medium so i feel as though some people may need to mix a couple of colours to find their perfect match. I was sent the shade in light which is the 2nd lightest and it is a little bit too dark for my natural NC15 skin tone and suits me much more when i have fake tanned although it will be perfect for holidays. 

I really like the packaging. The product is housed in a black tube that fits in line with other products from the Sleek MakeUP range and is a squeezy tube that holds 50ml so you get quite a lot of product for your money. I havent really tried any other BB creams that the drugstores/highstreet are currently offering although i do know that the Garnier version has been a major hit with bloggers but obviously i cant compare. 

The consistency of the product is extremely thick and opaque in colour. I applied it to my skin using a brush and you really do have to work quickly with the product. I dab a bit on all areas of my face but found that it started to dry up before i had chance to blend and really had to work hard to buff it in. It definitely doesnt offer light coverage like a tinted moisturiser and i found it to be of quite a medium coverage that was buildable if you required a heavier coverage. I applied one layer of the Blemish Balm and then applied another thin layer on areas of my skin that needed concealing slightly more like my chin. 

Once applied to the skin it looks extremely dewy and gives a gorgeous glow. I have quite oily skin so had to be careful of shine and obviously had to powder like i would do with any base product. If you have dry skin i think this would be amazing for you! It sunk into the skin really well and even though it looked radiant it didnt look or feel wet which was a bonus! 

Overall, the Sleek MakeUP Blemish Balm gave extremely good coverage, made my skin look radiant and glowy and is a good alternative for days when im not wanting full coverage especially as it contains SPF15 to protect your skin from harmful rays. 

The Sleek MakeUP Be Beautiful Blemish Balm launches in Superdrug stores nationwide and online at sleekmakeup.com on the 29th August 2012 for £8.99.

GIVEAWAY
I was actually sent the Sleek MakeUP Blemish Balm in the lightest shade too that is called 'fair' that i have decided to giveaway! 
I will be running the giveaway through Rafflecopter and there will be a number of different ways to enter. The giveaway will be open internationally and will run for a week. Good luck! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

xx

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NOTD: Barry M Berry Ice Cream & OPI Sparkle-icious

Happy Sunday lovelies!

Its not often im seen in any other shade nail polish than pink so purple nails is quite a rarity for me although something i have been seen sporting more and more often as of late! And of course paired with the obligatory glittery nail which i am hardly even seen without these days!

Todays nail of the day is courtesy of Barry M's Berry Ice Cream and OPI Sparkle-icious on my ring finger. I get asked quite often why i sport a bit of bling on my ring finger and i never quite know how to go ahead and explain it! A Lorraine Stanick trend? 

I am absolutely in love with Sparkle-icious, it is such a beaut of a shade but unfortunately limited edition! OPI why do you do this to is? It is jam packed with stunning gold, blue and purple flecks of glitter and i really feel as though it compliments the Barry M shade! 

As with most nail of the days i am wearing my Nailene false nails that come in the 200 pack, seriously couldnt recommend them enough! 

Next on the list of lilac shade polishes i want to try is Jo'mina by Illamasqua! 

What are you currently wearing on your nails?

xx

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Liz Earle Cooling Essentials

Hello lovelies,

Im sure if you have been reading for a while you will know that i am a major Liz Earle fangirl. I am lucky enough to have tried quite a good selection of products and some of my favourites are the award winning cleanse and polish and their skin tonic toner. 

Whether you are jetting away or staying in the UK Liz Earle have some products on offer to cool and refresh, all of which i have used before which i am going to share with you today and compile mini reviews of each.

♥ Liz Earle Sun Shade Botanical Aftersun Gel ♥

I have actually reviewed the Liz Earle Aftersun gel last year here and again it is already packed up and ready to go away with me on holiday. It is one of the best aftersuns i have used. It is extremely soothing and if left in the fridge it is extremely refreshing on skin that has been exposed to the soon and instantly cools it down. It is a hefty sized 200ml bottle which i find is more than enough for a couple of weeks away in the sun and i also think for £13.50 its a good price too.

♥ Liz Earle Eyebright ♥

Another product i love is the Liz Earle Eyebright which i mentioned in my skincare routine post a couple of months ago. I have gone through a couple of bottles of this but dont let the small bottle fool you as a little really does go a long way and these last forever. It is quite multipurpose as it helps to wake up or refresh tired eyes but i also find it is an amazing eye make up remover and gently gets rid of stubborn mascara and eyeliner. 

♥ Liz Earle Foot Spritzer ♥

I have tried the foot spritzer before but i havent actually reviewed it. It contains menthol, aloe vera, peppermint and rosemary essential oils so it smells amazing and minty. It helps to refresh and revive tired feet after a long hard day and cool them down. I dont think you can go wrong for £7.75 for a 75ml tube! 

♥ Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic Spritzer ♥

Hands down one of my favourite Liz Earle products ever ever although i have never used the spritzer version. This is such a perfect toner and has featured itself a good few times on my blog on both skin care posts here and here and also on my holiday skincare essentials post here so as you can see i do have a lot of love for this product and have been using it for years. The spritzer version will be amazing to spray directly on the face to cool you down or after cleansing and can also be used sprayed onto a cotton pad to tone traditionally. It gently tones skin without being harsh and removes any excess make up that may be missed when cleansing.

You can browse the Liz Earle website here.

Whats your favourite Liz Earle product?

xx

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Week In Photos No5 - Birmingham Style

Hello lovlies,

Last week i spent 2 nights in Birmingham with my friends Carla, Lydia and Lydia which was a lot of fun and mostly spent in the Bullring Shopping centre (i.e Selfridges). 

♥ Cosmos in Selfridges Moet Bar ♥ Little Selfridges Purchase ♥ More cocktails in Selfridges Moet Bar ♥ Purchases - 2 MAC Electric Cool Eyeshadows ♥ Selfridges ♥ Starbucks Berry Hibiscus Refresha ♥ Amazing pancakes and ice cream ♥ Eds Diner - I was so excited to go here! ♥ Lydia & Carla in Starbucks  ♥ The Bullring ♥ Lydia & Lydia with their cocktail pitchers ♥ Train ticket ♥ 

I had an absolutely amazing few days away in Birmingham with these girlies. Most of the days admitedly were spent in Selfridges but that place is seriously heaven. Highlight for me was actually losing my clutch bag in selfridges and the security having to retrieve it for me from 'the vault' with me having to describe every item in my bag, cringe! The cocktails were yummy though and went down extremely well! If youre near a Eds Diner i would highly recommend! We only went for desert but it was amazing and as you can see i had the pancakes and ice cream with chocolate sauce - yum! 

xx

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Wishlist

Hi girls,

Im sure you know by now how much i love doing wishlist posts? Im trying to make them a monthly thing. I love reading about what others are wanting to buy and love sharing my wishlists. Usually its quite a mixed bag of make up/jewellery/clothes but this month its all beauty orientated!

♥ Marc Jacobs Dot Perfume ♥

I love Marc Jacobs perfumes, up until the release of this one i think i pretty much have them all. When i first saw the bottle i wasnt sold, i loved how it was a little different from the other bottle designs but i wasnt really feeling the ladybird print. However, this was all before i smelt it, now i really do need it in my life! It smells beautiful, pretty much summer in a bottle and really do need to own this to add to my collection!

♥ OPI Nothin' Mousie 'bout It ♥

How gorgeous is this? As soon as i saw the Minnie Mouse collection by OPI i knew it would be right up my street as it was pink themed and i love OPI anyway. I was instantly drawn to Nothin' Mousie 'bout it and even though it looks extremely sheer i do think it would make a gorgeous top coat and is something a bit different to a glitter nail. 

♥ Benefit Brow Zings - Dark ♥

I was really lucky to receive the Benefit Brow Zings in Medium in my goodie bag from the Leeds Benefit even t but unfortunately it is too light for my uber dark brows. I have heard so many great things about it and think it will be perfect to replace my Sleek MakeUP brow kit.

♥ NARS American Dream Eyeshadow Palette ♥ 

As sad as it sounds, my heart literally skipped a beat when i saw this online for the first time today! It is simply beautiful! I do love a good eyeshadow palette and when its neutrals all the better! I feel like i would get a lot of wear out of this NARS American Dream palette and with a name like that it wouuld be rude not to buy it on my travels surely? 

♥ Juicy Couture Purse Spray Set ♥

I have been looking for a set like this for literally forever and thought you could only get them across the pond so i was excited to add it to my America shopping list, however i have actually managed to track it down from Debenhams for £40 for 4 10ml Juicy Couture purse sprays. I love the Juicy fragrances and think these will be a fab addition to my handbag. Question is do i purchase now or wait until i go away?

♥ Origins Super Spot Remover ♥

My skin has been absolutely terrible at the moment and i have always held off purchasing this as i just assumed it didnt really do much and that your skin just cleared itself up once it go over its breakout. However i have come to the conclusion that it really is time to purchase this. However, (i feel like i keep banging on about this!) but Lydia informs me it is much cheaper to buy in the states so i will get it once im out there!

So thats it for this month, my beauty wishlist! Whats on yours?

xx
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MAC Electric Cool Eyeshadows

Hello my loves, 

How are you all? I have spent the past few days in Birmingham with some wonderful friends (hence the lack of posts!) and most of that time was spent in the Bullring Shopping Centre! I made a couple of MAC Electric Cool purchases that i thought i would show you! I rarely keep up with MAC nowadays and didnt even know that this collection was coming out so it was nice to see it in person rather than go off swatches online and order that way. I had my eye on two gorgeous, neutral shades that funnily enough 3 of us ended up buying the same 2!

Electric Cool is a limited edition collection from MAC that is made up of 12 eyeshadows that have a springy formula.

I purchased Superwatt and Pure Flash! Superwatt is described as a light shimmering taupe and Pure Flash! as a pale champagne both of which i would wholeheartedly agree with! Superwatt is a brown toned taupe and Pure Flash! is a soft peach shade, both of which have a high shimmer finish which i personally do love. They have a soft, lightweight consistency that is spongy to touch and somewhat similar to the Chanel D'Ombre Eyeshadows (Which i love and use pretty much everyday) however they are slightly more shimmery than those. 

I found both of these shades to be pretty pigmented and the swatches are one swipe of the product with my fingers. As with all mouse/sponge like eyeshadows i wouldnt wear these alone but as a base for other eyeshadows. Ive read a lot about people not really liking the packaging of these eyeshadows as they have a screw top although im not too fussed by it as it makes them stand out for the original eyeshadows.

Each pot contains 2.1g of products so slightly more than the normal eyeshadows and retail for £14.50.

You can buy them now from MAC counters or from the MAC Website.

Did you pick anything up from this collection?

xx

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