Maybelline Rocket Volum mascara

So before I went on my 100 Day spending challenge, I went on a mini shopping spree, and one of the things I picked up, was this Rocket Volum mascara.  I've been using it for about a month now, but I hadn't reviewed it yet, as I was still unsure about what I thought of it.

My Thoughts

I'm not going to lie, I didn't like it at first, I thought it was rubbish.  I didn't feel it defined my lashes or gave them volume, but after leaving it for a couple of weeks to thicken up a bit I started using it again and I've been super impressed with it.  I mean, just look at the picture above, they look amazing!

They say "Now, the most explosive, beautiful lashes ever!  Supersonic Brush, and Fast Glide formula, Loads on big, sleek volume instantly"

Now it's at the stage I like, I find I'm reaching for it every day.  The one thing I don't like about it though, is despite it not being waterproof, it's quite tough to remove, it takes quite a lot of rubbing with the Liz Earle hot cloth cleanser  to get rid of it.  But you could also flip that around and say it has great staying power :)  Another thing I really love about it is the wand, it's just like the Cover Girl Lash Blast wand, it's almost the same!  I find that the big rubbery wands like that work best on me for getting the product on to my lashes, unlike big fluffy wands.

I haven't had any panda eyes from this when using it on my bottom lashes either, just great defined lashes on both bottom set and top set.  As long as Maybelline keep making this, I plan to keep re-purchasing it, I actually (and OMG, I can't believe I'm saying this!) prefer it to The Falsies!!!!  Yep, the wand is so much better, I kid you not!

Have you tried this yet?  Did you like it?

This months big pixi3 advertiser is the lovely Angelica from One Little Vice - be sure to head over to check out her beautiful blog <3

 

Week 4 summary - 100 day spending challenge

Hello beautiful people!  Finally one month in of my spending ban and I can put my hand on my heart and say two things.  Firstly, it's not been easy, there have been so many things I've been wanting to try but I've managed to be good and not buy anything.  Secondly, this spending challenge is very well timed, as I couldn't really afford to be splerging on all the shiny things I've been seeing anyway, so it gives me a good excuse.

There is one item I'll be needing to replace over the next week and that's my Chanel ecriture eyeliner.  I do have others, but I shall explain.  I have 4 other liquid liners, three of which transfer onto my lid within a few hours (due to lids being oily and hooded) so really I should throw them out.  The other one is a BarryM felt liner, which doesn't transfer (yay!) but it is a bit too fat to work with for the fine detail I usually do, and it's not that black, so for those reasons and because my Chanel has nearly run out, I'll be replacing :)

When it comes to what I've been lusting after over the last week... it's really only been the Dior Amber Diamond... I see things from day to day and think 'when the ban is over, I'll get that' and when it comes to writing this summary, I've forgotten it all!  But the Dior Amber Diamond is the one thing that's been really consistent, well... and the YSL shocking mascara... Naked basics palette... more than I thought :)

So all in all it's been a pretty good week, I'm glad to be nearly a third of the way through this challenge, and I feel positive that I'll be able to stick to it without cracking!







This months big pixi3 advertiser is the lovely Angelica from One Little Vice - be sure to head over to check out her beautiful blog <3

 

My first Birchbox

Hey guys!  I'm a little late to the party with this since my post was delivered late due to the snow! But I finally got my very first Birchbox a few days ago, and giddily like a little girl I tore it open and this is what I found inside :)

My Thoughts

Seeing as this was the first UK Birchbox, and we'd had a chance to see the US versions, I was actually really happy with this box.  First off the packaging - this has to be my favourite of all the beauty boxes I've had.  It doesn't have any raffia or shredded paper so it's not as messy, #winning!

Next the products.  I'm really pleased with these for many many reasons.  First off, no perfume samples, yay!  It irks me how many of these beauty boxes include perfume samples that you could walk into Boots or Debenhams and pick up for free... seriously, why?  It's also a nice selection of products, a mixture of skincare, haircare and a lip care product.  They're all decent sized samples and there's a cuppa camomile to drink while you're testing out your new products :)  I might add, that cuppa went down a TREAT! I'll be buying some of those, it was sooo good!  Here's a little snippit about each product and my first impression where possible.

TAAJ Creme Mains Delhicates

They say "Taaj Crème Mains Delhicates Hands Cream nourishes, repairs and protects. It's key ingredients - Wheat Germ Oil and Sweet Almond Oil, help protect your hands from winter ailments. As it is rich in Shea Butter, it also softens and heals damaged hands and nails. The scent has notes of Cinnamon, ans is the perfect hand-bag staple for winter month's".
My first impressions: I've only used this twice, but I'm really impressed with it.  It did an amazing job of hydrating my dry hands and keeping them hydrated for a good 4-6 hrs.  During that time they smelt amazing too!  It's thick and non greasy, something I'm looking forward to using more :)
Costs: £10 for a full size

Fresh Sugar Rose Lip Treatment

They say "Sugar Rosé Tinted Lip Treatment SPF 15 moisturises, protects, and smoothes the lips while leaving a rosy tint with a proprietary blend of moisture-preserving sugar, nourishing precious oils, antioxidant-rich polyphenols, and essential SPF protection.  It is proven to provide 6 hours of significant moisture for soft, supple, and youthful lips. The unique formula also offers buildable coverage to customize a sheer or rich hue".
My first impressions: Another winner! It's non-greasy, hydrating and rescuing.  I always suffer from dry lips and this has really helped.  I love that it doesn't leave much colour on my lips, as tinted lip balms and me really don't go... I just look like I'm wearing too much makeup and it's wearing off... not a good look for me!
Costs: About $22 online

WEI White Lotus Eye Treatment

They say "Now there is hope for crow’s feet! This luxurious delicate eye cream uses White Lotus to hydrate and Peptide Argireline to minimize the appearance of lines and wrinkles. The key ingredient, White Lotus flower, has long been revered not only for its beauty, but also for its ability to absorb and retain water after it has been hand-harvested from ponds lined with nutrient-rich black mud."
My first impressions:  I haven't used this yet, so no comment from me :)
Costs: £60 for a full size

KMS California Add Volume Volumizing Spray

They say "KMS California AddVolume Volumizing Spray gives hair up to 70% more volume. Provides your tresses with heat protection and intense fullness. Whats more, it's alcohol free".
My first impressions: I've only used this once, so I won't say too much.  But, it's the strangest consistency! In the bottle it looks like a thick gel, but when you spray it, it's like a watery serum... very odd!  I'm not sure I noticed much of a difference, but maybe I didn't use enough (2 sprays) and I did straighten my hair afterwards... which pretty much negates the volumising!
Costs: £14.85 for a full size

Tea Pigs Dream in Chamomile flowers

They say "All teapigs teas (particularly the herbal ones!) use the whole leaf or flower, unlike most other tea brands. You’ll find the flavour of this blend much stronger and fresher than regular dusty paper teabags".
My first impressions: Now this, I love! One, it looks so pretty in the cup, and two, it tasted freakin' amazing!  I'd actually forgotten how nice Chamomile tea can be, I'd stopped drinking it as the ones I'd had weren't very nice, but this one I thoroughly enjoyed - so I'll be purchasing some of these for myself :)
Costs: £9.95 for a box of 50 (these can be bought in smaller boxes)

All in all, very happy with my little Birchbox, can't wait for the next one, bring on Feb!

This months big pixi3 advertiser is the lovely Angelica from One Little Vice - be sure to head over to check out her beautiful blog <3

 

Bdellium Tools

Hi guys!  So, if you're currently looking for some new makeup brushes to try/buy etc, look no further, I think I may have hit the jackpot!

Ladies (and Gents?!) I give you, Bdellium tools!

You've probably heard of these before, they've been kicking around the blogosphere for a while and have been revered and raved about by many bloggers, and now I have three of these beauties for myself, I now I can see what all the fuss was about :)

These brushes are part of their Green Bambu* collection.   

They say "Professional Eco Friendly makeup brushes with all sustainable bamboo handles and soft vegan synthetic bristles with an anodised aluminium ferrule.  The advantages of synthetic bristles includes less or no hair shedding compared to natural bristles, they are easier to clean and provide a much lighter application of products.  The bristles are hypoallergenic and 100% Cruelty Free."

My Thoughts

As you might be able to tell from my little intro, I quite like these :)  First off, I'm a massive fan of all things Japanese, and seeing as these are made of Bamboo, that's a big+ in my book.  Then take into consideration that these are suitable for vegans and 100% cruelty free and we're on to a winner.  But even still, the brushes could have been rubbish, but they're not.  They're quality products that have become my 'reach for first' brushes.  I may not have had them a very long time, but sometimes you don't need to use a product for long to know that it's amazing.

One of the biggest things I've noticed about these, is my eye shadow application, I feel that it's improved and well, as much as I'd like to say it has, I feel it's down to the brushes.  They don't pick up too much product, and they blend really really well.  They feel really nice to hold too (thank to the Bamboo), and I love the colour, it makes them really easy to pick out in your collection.  But if I had to pick a negative, I'd have to say the price.  They're not exactly cheap, but they're not crazy expensive either.  I think for the quality of the product, you get really good value for money, I just can't see many people being able to shed out enough for a whole collection straight off the bat.  But I think if you pick out a few or couple key brushes (for me, the large shadow brush and the crease brush have been my favourites) and build it up slowly, over a period of months you'd have yourself a lovely little collection :)

Where: You can pick up these little beauties from places like Beauty Chamber and other online stores.

Prices: Eyeliner brush £6.50, Crease brush £7.50 and Large Shadow brush £8.50.

Have you tried Bdellium tools?  What's your favourite brush?

This months big pixi3 advertiser is the lovely Angelica from One Little Vice - be sure to head over to check out her beautiful blog <3

 

Crystal Nail File

Hi guys! If you recall, back in December I went to a blogger event in London that was organised by a couple of other bloggers.  When I was there, I was lucky enough to win a crystal nail file, this is something I'd been really eager to try since I'd been speaking to Sandra from the Black Pearl Blog about it.  She'd been talking about the fact that they'd really helped her nails grow and basically she loved it.  So when I won one I was very excited :)  Especially as my nails were in such bad shape at the time (soft and peeling/splitting all the time).

I've found these online for just under £10 +P&P from here

They say "Swarovski Elements Crystal Nail Files By Mont Bleu Crystal Files Made With Tempered Bohemian Glass in The Czech Republic. Used around the best spas in the world, they are a real luxury and the surface has a life time guarantee. Totally hygienic as Crystal Nail Files do not absorb moisture or bacteria and can be sterlized or boiled if you wish. The surface of the files are acid etched on both sides, and made using a ion exchange technology. Crystal Nail Files are totally safe as they have been hardened and tempered but allow enough flexability required, the sides and ends of the glass files have been sanded by hand and are totally smooth, you can also files both ways and any nail residue you remove will have turned to dust while sealing the free edge making your nails stronger. Pointed front tip to clean under the free edge and aid cuticle removing."

On my nails: Fiddlesticks by Butter London (feat. in yesterday's post)

My Thoughts

For years I've been using the normal big patterned squishy nail files you can pick up in places like Boots or Superdrug and I'd never given much thought to whether or not they were good for my nails, but on reading more into it, they can be damaging.  The crystal nail file isn't damaging because it seals the ends of your nails to help stop peeling, which is what normal nail files don't do.

Since using this (nearly two months) I've had much less peeling on my nails, they've become stronger and they haven't broken or snapped as easily.  Yes, they've still had all those things happen, but much much less.  I love that it comes in a little velvet pouch too, it makes it feel really luxurious.

This is definitely something I will keep using and eventually when it's completely worn out, I'll treat myself to another one :)

If you're wondering which one I had, it's the Mont Bleu Swarovski file, you can check out their range here.

This months big pixi3 advertiser is the lovely Angelica from One Little Vice - be sure to head over to check out her beautiful blog <3

 

Butter London in Fiddlesticks

Don't you just love that name!  I picked this up in my Christmas sales shopping I did on the 27th Dec, I'd popped into TK Maxx to see what they had in the way of beauty items and this was one of the things that really caught my attention.  I know this isn't exactly a brand new shade, it's been out for a while, but hey, it's new to me!

Excuse the slightly blurry image!  I bought mine from TK Maxx with a matching lipgloss for £8

They say "Full coverage, semi-matte, magenta glitter suspended in a raspberry base."

My Thoughts

This was my first venture into Butter London nail polish and I have to say, I've been very impressed!  The main thing that struck me is the finish, as they say above it's semi-matte and you can really see that when you wear it.  It's the most unusual finish but that really makes it stand apart from others.  I didn't have a pink glitter polish in my collection so this has made the perfect addition!  It took me 2 coats for perfect coverage, but with just 1 coat it was near perfect.  As with most glitter polishes it did chip fairly quickly, I think I had a small chip the next day and after 3 days there was quite a lot of chipping - and that's with using the OPI base and top coat.

The brush was high quality and not too wide, so it was very precise.  All in all, I'm really happy with my first experience with Butter London!  I'll definitely be keeping my eyes peeled for more of their shades, I'd love to try their shade in The Black Knight - absolutely stunning! It looks like a galaxy :)

What's your favourite Butter London shade?

This months big pixi3 advertiser is the lovely Angelica from One Little Vice - be sure to head over to check out her beautiful blog <3

 

Holy Grail: Chanel Ecriture liquid eyeliner

Boy oh boy oh boy has this review been a long time coming!  Be warned, this is a massively rave review of a product I've been using for years!  As it's such a 'rave' review, I'd like to make clear that I've not been paid to say these things, and that my opinions and thoughts are my own :)

Chanel Ecriture £25 over the counter and online

They say "Water-based eyeliner with a soft and supple felt-tip point delivers a smooth, precise line every time. Special pigments ensure long wear and keep colour from 'running,' so eyeliner always looks fresh. Slim cartridge allows for maximum control and ease of application, while the cartridge seal protects freshness of colour."

My Thoughts

Where do I begin!  Ok, about 8 years ago I delved into high end makeup.  I'd always loved the Chanel brand and admired it from afar, and I decided to invest in some of their makeup.  I say 'invest', because with Chanel you really do get what you pay for.  Yes they're expensive, but you can really tell the difference, for example, I almost always get compliments on my makeup when I wear Chanel.

The first time I bought Chanel makeup, I bought this liquid eyeliner, some blusher, pressed powder, foundation and an eye shadow quad.  The foundation was amazing, lasted me ages! The pressed powder lasted a crazy amount of time too, and I still have the blusher (yeah I should probably throw what's left of it (not much!) out).  The ecriture eyeliner lasts me about 6 months+ before it needs replacing, so I usually buy1-2 a year.  They're £25 so... personally I think under £50 a year on what is in my opinion, the best liquid eyliner out there, isn't bad :)

Holy Grail Status

I don't know how many other people hold this to holy grail status, but I certainly do.  I've tried so many other liquid liners to try and find a dupe for it, other high end ones too and none come close to being able to compare to this.  Here's why I love it:

• The applicator - the applicator is small fine bristles which are very precise, that allows me to create perfect winged liner looks without dragging the skin
• Doesn't dry out - because it's a proper liquid liner and not a felt pen, it doesn't dry out, you simply twist the bottom once for more product (I use one twist per eye)
• No transfer - one of my biggest issues with other liquid liners is that on my super hooded right eye, they transfer onto my upper lid leaving an unsightly black line, but this doesn't at all.
• It lasts - it stays put on my lid until I decide to remove it, whether that's 6 hours after applying it, or 14 hours, it's so long lasting.  It doesn't crack and crumble either, unlike some others.
• Lots of product - the fact that I only need to buy one about every 6-9 months is testament to the amount of product you get for your money (£25), and something that doesn't put me off repurchasing it at all.

I've come to accept that I'll never find a good dupe for this.  With all the others I've tried, they've either transferred onto my lid, the pen dries out quickly, or they run with the hint of moisture (I'm looking at you Dior liquid liner!) or they don't apply well, but this does none of that.  For those reasons it's my holy grail eyeliner, and I hate that it's starting to run out, and I'm near the beginning of my 100 day spending challenge, if I didn't have other (poor) ones to use, I'd repurchase it in a heartbeat, but I have the others to use first.

So, thank you Chanel for making such an amazing product, I highly recommend that you all treat yourself to it, as I promise you won't regret it :)

Will you be giving this a try?

This months big pixi3 advertiser is the lovely Angelica from One Little Vice - be sure to head over to check out her beautiful blog <3

 

SOS Lip Balm

Back in December, as you probably know, Laurie and I did a Secret Santa beauty swap, and one of the lovely things she sent to me, was this SOS lip balm - despite loving everything she sent to me, this is one thing that's really stood out to me, so I wanted to share it with you :)

My Thoughts

After trawling the internet for you trying to find somewhere that sells this, I've failed!  I've seen a couple of expired ebay auctions but that's about it.  It was included in the November Jolie Box, so I would say to keep your eyes peeled, as I expect this to become more available soon :)  I would also normally try to include their product claims but since I can't even find a website for them, I'm a bit stumped :p

As for the product, I really love it!  It smells of coconut, it's quick thick in consistency and not oily, it's very hydrating and has a pearlised finish, so it gives your lips a slight welcomed sparkle.  In wintery / snowy times like these, this is what I'm reaching for every day instead of lipstick or lipgloss.

Did you get one of these in your November Jolie box?  Did you like yours?

This months big pixi3 advertiser is the lovely Angelica from One Little Vice - be sure to head over to check out her beautiful blog <3

 

TAG You're it!

Hello lovelies!  The lovely Beauty Bird has tagged me to do this post, so I thought, why the hell not!  Right now, it's Tuesday evening about... 7pm (exactly actually!) and the snow is coming down really heavily outside... I'm pretty fed up with it and wish it would go away!  So, before I jump in the bath and have a bit of a pamper I thought I'd answer these TAG questions for you :)

Here's the rules

1. Answer the 11 questions set.
2. Set 11 questions for the people you tag.
3. Mention the blog who tagged you.

Here's my questions to answer!

1. What beauty resolutions have you set yourself for 2013?

I've set a couple, ones that I hope will be positive ones!  The first is to make the effort not just to read other people's blogs, but to comment, just be more... social and supportive to other bloggers.  Also to try and discover some new blogs for me to support over the next year :)

2. If you could click your fingers and make one beauty product appear to be yours, what would it be?

Ooh... that is a tough one!  *after much deliberation* probably the Urban Decay Naked2 palette... but because of the timing it would probably be my Chanel Ecriture liquid liner - mine has nearly run out and because of the spending ban I can't repurchase it (yet), as if I'm honest to myself, I do have other (rubbish) ones to use up first...

3. Tell me one of your favourite makeup tips.

Ooh this is a toughie!  Probably my discovery of eye shadow primer.  Finding that (UD primer potion) started my love affair with makeup (mostly eye shadow).  Before that, eye shadow would crease on me in about 1-2 hours and look horrendous... after discovering that - I can go 6-8 hours before it starts looking dodgy and the colours are so much more vibrant!

4. If you could raid anyone's makeup bag, famous or not, whose would it be?

Probably MissGlamorazzi - she has a lovely (and not too crazily big) makeup collection, with products we can't get here.  I've tried searching for the Revlon blush in Pink Sorbet too that she raves about but I think it's discontinued... so yeah, her :)

5. What's your current favourite skincare brand?

Not sure I could pick just one :/ It's a close call between Soap & Glory, Lush and Liz Earle... with Superdrug coming in very closely!  I know, that's rubbish!  Umm... I would say Liz Earle, but I've only ever tried their C&P, whereas I've tried lots of Soap & Glory and Lush... I'm leaning towards Soap & Glory because they're new to me, and there's a couple of their products I'm in love with (brown sugar scrub that smells of lime, divine!).

6. Why did you decide to start blogging?

It was an evolution of YouTube - there was more I wanted to share and talk about, and after reading blogs like Sprinkle of Glitter and Beauty Broadcast I just felt an affinity for it and had to start!

7. Who is your celebrity style crush?

I don't know that I base my style on her, but I adore Zooey Deschanel's style and look - she's kooky, cute and her makeup always looks flawless :)

8. If you could eat just one food forever, what would it be?

Simple, potatoes!  I love them!  I think it's the Irish in me (I'm half Irish and most of my family still live in Ireland, including my Dad), I pretty much have potatoes with every dinner and I just love them... NOM!

9. What is your dream job?

That's easy again, full time YouTuber and Blogger - that's the dream.  Oh and if you want to help me achieve that, I'd love for you to subscribe to me on YouTube :) (link).

10.  What is your favourite film?

Impossible to answer!  I could give you a top 5 for each category?  I'm really into films and couldn't possibly come up with 1 favourite... so I'm not going to... well... I'll list all the ones I love that I can think of instead :D  Anchorman, Oceans 13, Fight Club, Inglorious Basterds, Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill - basically every Tarantino film, Devil Wears Prada, 13 going on 30, Juno, Extract, Whip it, Spirited Away, My neighbour Totoro, The Cat Returns, Kiki's delivery service, Howl's Moving Castle, Thank you for smoking, Office Space, Gran Torino, Amelie, 7 Psychopaths, Yes Man, The Avengers, Thor, Iron Man, The King and I (original version), The red shoes, Rear Window... the list could go on for another 100% movies :p

11. Tell me one random fact about you - it can be anything!

I'm a published Illustrator :)  If you want to check out my online portfolio, you can find it here http://www.georgina-kent.co.uk/

The questions I'm setting are:

1.  If you could change 1 thing about yourself, what would it be?
2.  If you could be anyone else for the day, who would it be?
3.  What's your favourite thing about blogging?
4.  What's your favourite hobby to do besides blogging?
5.  Do you have any pets? If not, what would you have if you could?
6.  What's been your favourite age to be and why?
7.  What mobile phone do you have and do you like it?
8.  What's your favourite brand of beauty product?
9.  What's your favourite makeup brush make?
10.  What's your idea of the perfect day?
11.  Sum yourself up in 3 words.

And here's who I'm tagging!

Laurie from A Scottish Lass

Grace from AllThatSlap

The delectable Cariadity

Leanne from A Slice of my life

Hannah from Midnight-Violets

Laura from CSI Beauty blog

I look forward to reading all yours! And, if of course you're not on the TAG list please do feel free to do this TAG too :)

This months big pixi3 advertiser is the lovely Angelica from One Little Vice - be sure to head over to check out her beautiful blog <3

 

Feature: The Various Cut, Carat, Clarity and Colour of Diamonds for Engagement Rings

Perhaps the most stressful part of preparing for a wedding proposal is finding the perfect ring. However, with an idea already in mind when that day comes, the adventure of selecting an engagement ring will prove to be more exciting than stressful. Possessing the knowledge of the various elements that contribute to the overall style and quality of the ring will ensure that the engagement ring search is done comfortably and with confidence.

There are several ways to assess the style of the ring: the cut (or shape) of the diamonds, the arrangement of the diamonds, and the setting.

The cut (which is also one of the 4 C's) of a diamond refers to the proportions of the gemstone, taking into account the uniformity of the cuts in relation to the width and depth of the stone. The "sparkle" that comes from diamonds is directly related to the cut: the depth of the cut determines how much light either reflects or deflects through the diamond. There are five basic diamond shapes:

• Brilliant -Cylindrical in shape and most prominent of all shapes, has a high "sparkle" factor
• Princess -Square in shape with a fairly high "sparkle" factor
• Emerald -Rectangular in form with a moderate "sparkle" factor
• Marquise -Oval shaped with pointed ends. The "sparkle" of this shape varies, depending on the dimensions of the centre, which tend to be more dense than the ends or tips of the diamond.
• Heart -Heart-shaped. This shape is considered to be a "customized" shape.

The three most popular engagement ring diamond arrangements are:

• Solitaire -Most common arrangement featuring a single diamond in the centre of the band. Although a solitaire is usually round, it can come in other shapes, such as Princess, Emerald, Oval, or Radiant.
• Solitaire with Side Accents -Diamond solitaire in the centre with accent stones on each side of the solitaire. The accent stones can be similar to the solitaire or vary by type, shape, and/or size.
• Three Stone -Three diamond stones (with either similar or varying shapes and/or sizes)on the centre. The three stones represent the past, present, and future of the relationship.

Lastly, there are two common diamond engagement ring settings:

• Prong (also known as a "claw" setting) -4 or 6 prongs
• Bezel (also known as a "rub over" setting) -Diamond is secured with a metal rim at the top corners. A part bezel indicates that the setting is evident throughout part of the diamond, while a full bezel indicates that the setting surrounds the entire or major portion of the diamond.

Once a general idea of the style of the ring is conceived, the 4 C's can be utilized to determine the quality of the diamond. The first C (cut) was described above. The remaining C's are colour, clarity, and carat. 

Diamonds are rated according to their colour: the more clarity they have, the more highly they are rated. Each diamond is given a letter rating, ranging from D (absolutely without colour and of the highest grade) to Z (yellow and aesthetically unattractive).

The clarity of a diamond indicates the lack of imperfections in the diamond. A rare, flawless diamond is given a FL or IF measurement, while a I1, I2, or I3 indicates that the imperfections can be seen with the naked eye.

The last "C" is carat, which is the weight of the diamond solitaire and usually ranges from 1/4 carat up to 4 or 5 carats in size.

Buying tips

Your budget will obviously dictate how perfect you can get the ring in terms of the carat, clarity and colouring and this can see a standard ring’s style price rocket by 4 times with a flawless colourless diamond which truth be told your partner may not even fully appreciate or know about.

You may think women would care about the size of the carat but in truth they would prefer the style to be right for them and suit their individual nature so buying a cheaper ring might be possible if you know the women you are buying for and her personal sense of style. If you get this right it will show her that you love and know her very well, which is extra sweet for her. 

Author Bio: Rebecca is a fashion student who has aspirations to design her own wedding gown collection and run her own specialist wedding boutique, she also works for Samara James helping people find the perfect diamond engagement rings for their loved ones. You might want to consider hiring a fashion consultant, such as Coathanger to get your outfit right for any occasion.

This months big pixi3 advertiser is the lovely Angelica from One Little Vice - be sure to head over to check out her beautiful blog <3

 *

Week 3 summary - 100 day spending challenge

I'll be honest guys, this has been a really hard week for me.

I've been quite down, very low self-esteem, teary and angry... I've been desperate to spend money on products mostly for the retail therapy factor but you know what, even if I wasn't doing this challenge I wouldn't be able to as we're skint at the moment.  For the first time in about 8 months I've had to stop advertising on other peoples blogs to save money.  I'm hoping I'll be able to start up doing that again in March but who knows.

I think the snow has had a big impact on my mood/stress levels this past week.  Going back to about 3 years ago I'd get so excited when it snowed, I'd be like a little child, giddy with excitement.  Then about 2 years ago we had really bad snow for about 5 weeks and at the time I worked at the hospital and I simply HAD to get to work, even if a 15 min journey was taking 2 hours (which is what happened).  I'd fall over 5-6 times each way and then have to work an 11 hr shift on my feet, not fun.  And as a result of that experience, I now HATE the snow.  As soon as it snows, I'm filled with dread, the hassle of not being able to get out of our close (we live on the side of a mountain), and the feeling of being trapped (that's the worst bit for me).  All combines to make me feel really down and stressed.  So it's not been a great week for me for all these reasons and the spending ban/financial situation.

All in all I've lusted after the same products as previous weeks with the inclusion of the Revlon Nearly Naked foundation and powder which I know aren't out here in the UK yet.

If you want to see my previous updates, just click on the label at the bottom of this post called '100 day spending challenge' and I'll load all the posts :)

How's your week been?

This months big pixi3 advertiser is the lovely Angelica from One Little Vice - be sure to head over to check out her beautiful blog <3

 

TAG: Where I live

Hey lovelies!  Several months ago I discovered A Scottish lass' blog, the first post I read is one thats really stood out in my mind, it was a sort of TAG post about her house and where she lives.  The voyer in me really enjoyed seeing into someone's life, I guess that's why I love vloggers on YouTube too :)  I'd always intended on doing this post, but I've never been that happy with my house, and I'm still not, but realistically it'll be years before I am so here's some snippits from around my home to give you a bit of a 'look and feel' tour :)

Little corner in the lounge next to the TV (you might recognise it from my latest YouTube vids)

Our very new kettle (water still smells like plastic when we boil it!) and my cherished Tassimo machine!

Kitchen windowsill, I use the clementine Method washing up liquid - smells amazing!

The windowsill with all the plants on it :)

Close up of my Orchid which I've had for about 3 years, one of the few plants that like me :)

Our broken oven (hasn't worked in months) and hand towels :)

Our TV unit, xbox and clutter!  And, obligatory Simon's cat card :)

The wall behind the sofa with accent praline colour, hanging my paintings/drawings

Door to the kitchen, also hanging my paintings (when I bought that plant, its total height was about where the leaves now start, it's grown loads over the... 6ish years I've had it)

Bannisters with my bags (some of them) on it... I really need to have a clear out of my bags!

Under this table is Matilda's cat flap.  The big plant my step-dad gave me when my mum passed away, it was one she'd been growing cuttings of and was really small :)  And the pebbles in the bottom of the pic were taken from Newgale beach in Pembrokeshire about 2 days before her funeral.

Tall mirror at the top of the stairs :)

I found this little one asleep on the bed all dozy and cute, so I took this pic and gave her a snuggle :)

The shelf above the bed, the right half is mine, left half is Chris'

My dusty old Jewellery box that my friend bought for me, yes it needs a dusting and tobe organised!

The light in the bedroom (yes we also have glow stars all over the ceiling - I love them)  :)

The light in the spare room (I love it!) - this room is where we spend a lot of time, all my makeup is in there, and the computers :)

My desk - as you can see, there's an absence of my laptop (it's downstairs at the mo) and on the right, nearly all of my makeup!

Makeup collection closeup! Well, brush collection closeup!

Another makeup collection close up :)

I've had this mirror since I was about 15, back when I loved all Sun, Moon, Star stuff - mum bought it for me and I've had it ever since, now it hangs there in the bathroom :)

Our bathroom windowsill with my shower/shampoo/conditioner products on it :)

I hope you liked the little tour and all the notes below the pics to explain them :)  Maybe I'll do another one in a years' time and we'll see if much has changed :)

This months big pixi3 advertiser is the lovely Angelica from One Little Vice - be sure to head over to check out her beautiful blog <3