Rockin' around the Christmas tree

Over the weekend i went out for my first Christmas shenanigans with a few old school girls, then spent Sunday recovering (wine is not my friend) so this post is more of a Tuesday catch up, snap shot. if you like.

On Sunday i wrapped all my presents, and bloody heck there was a lot of them. The first few i busted out my amazing wrapping skills, getting all fancy with festive and strategically placed bows, evoking that Love Actually moment with all the finishing touches and decoration. Not forgetting my Christmas slippers at the ready and my ultimate get-into-christmas film, Mary Poppins on in the background. 

17's Mirror Shine lipstick in Hollywood - Boots (£3.06)

After perusing around Boots on payday, i decided to splurge on a red lipstick named 'Hollywood' from 17. Their Mirror Sine formulas are incredible, with a striking resemble to Chanel's Coco Rouge Shines. They apply really creamy, with a strong moisturising/hydrating feel on the lips, but looking ever so shiny. After previously purchasing the nude shade Beehive, i knew Hollywood would be a nicely pigmented (not overly so) but with a enough shine to not look too out there. Slowly taking those baby steps to a wearable red lip! Definitely be whacking this out at the Work Christmas do, then maybe one day Mac's Ruby Woo.

Last night i went out for a second Christmas rendezvous, dinner with the girls. The lovely Sarah gifted me with these beautiful presents. Hands-down she is the best gift giver, and no you can't steal her. The Liz Earle hair set has been a long favourite of mine (i highly rate it), Victor & Rolf fairy tales is another beautiful coffee table book for my collection, and sorry - but Fashion Designer Top Trumps - amazing!

Black Rainbow Beaded Mini - New Look (£10.00)

Tulip Sequin Mini Skirt - New Look (£6.50)

These two skirts are no lie, probably two of the best clothing buys of this year. I spied the two embellished beauties back on the New Look website in early November, but never looked twice as combined they came to a good eighty quid. I bought them both on Saturday night for a horrendously amazing £16! The black and gold sequin skirt is made of surprising good quality, with a fitted lining and embellished gold waist band, a skirt i'll definitely be wearing on Christmas eve. The pale nude pink skirt is a rather Mui Mui-esk scalloped edged with dainty sequin flower petal detail, one to definitely be worn in summer. Such great buys for my wardrobe, perfect with a silk vest top or dressed down with a black blazer and plain white v-neck tee! 

Also, a short little note to say please keep a beady eye on your dashboard tomorrow as there is a very, very exciting Christmas posts due to be popping up by some of my (and yours!) fellow bloggers..

Whats your favourite Christmas film?

Best i ever had.

Prompted by a purchase on a naughty-lunch-break-make-up-binge, i decided to write a post dedicated to all the great products i've purchased in one the high-street counters. As much as i adore popping another Laura Mercier blush in my make-up bag, i'm no snob when it comes to finding a great bargain. Clearly, the high-street brands aren't going to have the most award-winning ingredients, but the sheer pigmentation, formula and colour range around now has seriously upped it's game. Dowdy and dull No7 has been completely revamped by MUA Lisa Elderidge their new summer collection, and has topped numerous skin care polls for its amazing skin care line, with one of their famous skin creams selling out in minutes. 

Here are some of my favourite drug-store products, i haven't included products such as foundations or concealers, because frankly i haven't found any outstanding ones!

Limited Edition Bourjois Blusher in shade 16, Rose Coup - Boots (£7.00)

I remember buying a Bourjois blusher when i was 14 years old, it smelt horribly of roses and the pigmentation was poor, so bad in fact i hadn't looked since. Somewhat a few years later, they have clearly taken this onboard and boy is it a whole other story. 

They have created the perfect pink/peach shade with a slight gold shimmer shot through, that actually translates on to your skin. This is everything that i wanted from Nars Orgasm, but without the chunks of glitter. Albeit, it still stinks of roses, i can ignore the smell for the beautiful flush of summer peach flush it gives. I really do urge you to swatch this in-store! The shade on the skin is bloody amazing, where as the pan colour looks like your bog-standard pink blush.

No7 Make-up Brushes - Boots (£6.75+)

Every time i get a £5 off voucher i frog march straight to the No7 brushes, for £1.75 the eyeshadow brushes are simply amazing. They are fluffy and light, perfect for packing on colour or blending out. Even so, i reach for these over the Mac brushes i received last year as a present. They can easily double up as a tool for blending concealer, and i definitely prefer to use the large foundation brush for putting on cream blush. And the fact of the matter is the more i buy, the less i have to wash. Savvy.

L'Oreal Super Liner - Boots (£6.19)

The only eyeliner i have ever been able to master. The blackest pigmentation, it has a long-lasting staying power, with the actual brush it's self being a dream to handle. I don't think i'll ever stray.

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss in Peach Petal - Boots (£6.99)

This is everything i wanted from Mac Underage nude lipgloss, but wasn't. Its creamy, opaque and highly moisturising. It literally pairs it's self with every lipstick i own, from corals to nudes to pinks. Theres no need to use a lipbalm underneath, its that moisturising, so subtle and creamy! No nasty streaks here. Even when i haven't got a lipbalm to hand, i wack this on to plump my lips. I adore the shade too, nudey pink, but not concealer lips. 

17 Wild Curls Mascara - Boots (£6.29)

This is the mascara i purchase when i'm near the end of the month and i can't stretch to my overpriced disgusting mascara habit. It never fails to amaze me. Sod the curl, it gives the lashes serious va-va-voom and so much length, it leaves my Diorshow quivering in its empty tube (as seen here). 17 is also a brand that always has a fantastic range of products, especially blushers, varnishes and eyeshadows. I also have a fascination with a pink lipstick i bought years back called 'Candy Pink,' which makes an appearance in the summer. 

All in all, its obvious that the drug store make-up still has many flaws; limited skin-type shades and crap staying power to name a few. And most shockingly the prices have sky-rocketed recently, questioning whether its worth splashing out that extra few quid for a high-end item. But never the less, there are some real gems in the drugstore to be found, it really is worth hunting out. 

Whats your favourite drugstore item?

stop crying your heart out

After what seems like an eternity of the foreign (drug store mascaras), i finally succumbed to indulging in my all time favourite dirty little piece of luxury - the amazing Doir Show mascara. Ever since i resorted back to this mascara, i've had a whole host of compliments; yet when the complimenter asks the brand/price i get the reaction that i've just murdered their first born. I mean come on people, i don't smoke, do drugs, and yes occasionally i like to have a good (round) of cocktails, but seriously, if i want to spend twenty one pounds fifty pence on a mascara, then i will.

Some ladies need that show-stopping red lipstick, some need that immaculate, flawless finishing foundation - i just need this mascara. The following photos show the Doir Show in all its fabulousness, compared to a top contender that i found.

First up, i apply L'Oreal Lash Serum before applying any mascara, it lengthens and nourishes lashes, while separating lashes. It transforms any mascara to their full potential, generally making it much easier for the mascara to apply. Plus, this does wonders to any mascara thats on it's last legs. buy it, buy it.

17 Wild Curls Mascara (£5.99) vs Doir Show Black Out (£21.50)


(click to read moar)

with the 17 on the left and Doir on the right.

Well i can certainly tell the difference, basically the Wild Curls is more separating and more wispy looking with a good level of length for that price. The Doir elongates ever lash for a false lash effect, boosting each lash to crazy volume. And in the top photo you can clearly see the umph!

But still both mascaras have cons, the Wild Curl drops during the day as well as leaving bleeding under my bottom lashes, and with the Doir the wand is nearly as big as the Bad Gal mascara by Benefit, which some people have difficulty with, although i don't.

Basically, Doir Show in Black Out is fabulous, but if i need a cheap fix the Wild Curls is the next best thing.

Have you tried these mascaras? A lot of hype has been around the Max Factor False Lash Effect, i have serious issues with the mascara, firstly i cannot stop prodding ones eye and secondly its just dull.

Oh, and if your going to judge my expensive mascara habit, i'll just bat you off with my long pretty lashes ;)