Lancome wish list

Every now an then I find myself browsing the department stores online, and filling imaginary shopping baskets with the treats I'd buy if I had the money. Now that I'm a mummy and on maternity leave, these really are dream wish-lists, but I can dream none-the-less.  So, if I had the money, here's what I'd be spending it on :)

Teint Miracle - £29.50

I've heard so many good things about this foundation - it's supposed to be light weight (right up my alley!), luminous and dewey - all things I look for in a foundation.  But at £29.50 it's not exactly a cheap foundation to buy - maybe I should pop to a counter to see if they have a little sample I can try?

Lip Lover - £18.50

I love that this comes in 18 different shades.  I've been looking at swatches of these and they look absolutely gorgeous - an even spread of colour, not over-the-top pigmented, more of a jelly finish, which looks lovely.

Blush Subtil - £28.00

When it comes to blusher I'm a complete addict and collector, but I've never tried one from Lancome, in fact, the only makeup I've ever tried from Lancome is their Hypnose Star mascara (also on this wish list) and I loved it! This looks like a gorgeous and pretty much matte blusher.

Hypnose eye palette - £38.00

Now at £38 this really is a luxe purchase, especially only for 5 shadows.  However, they look absolutely gorgeous and I could see myself getting a lot of wear out of them as they're all colours I'd wear. Great for day or night.

Hypnose Star mascara - £22.50

This really is one of my favourite high end mascaras.  I remember when I first tried it, I really didn't like it, I didn't think it gripped my lashes very well.  But after a few days, I've no idea if it was the formula thickening up or just me getting used to it, but it started giving me fantastic lashes - enough that I'd go back and buy it again, if I had the money ;)

If you're thinking of making a cheeky Lancome purchase, House of Fraser actually have a pretty neat off on at the moment - with any 2 Lancome purchases you get a free gift set worth up to £107 and 500 bonus points with recognition - if you buy a 3rd product, you get an extra gift :) To shop the offer just visit the site here.

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Bedroom inspiration

On the poll I have on my blog I asked what kind of posts you'd like to see more of, and interior design was the top one, so you ask and shall receive.

We've recently re-done our bedroom, but it was on a very tight budget and it's a very small room. This post is more of a 'if I had no real budget restrictions and a bigger room' this is the kind of setup I'd go for.

First I picked a new bed, there's nothing wrong with ours, but it's 10 years old and was a real budget buy, so when I picked out my wish list furniture from Bedstar, I opted for this double metal bedstead which would set me back £715 - ignore the yellow, in my room it'd be purple, but if money wasn't a real option, I'd want something more opulent and grand, a bed that makes a statement like this one.

Over the years as I've got older, my tastes have changed from being into light coloured wood like IKEA's birch products, to darker wood - in fact, most of the wood in my house is now darker, at least downstairs.  If I had a bigger room it'd lend itself to darker furniture, but as it stands our room is too small to not only accommodate large furniture, but dark wood too.

All pieces of furniture I picked were from the Julian Bowen Minuet collection, all with a wenge finish - clearly I'm loving wenge as the bathroom we're in the middle of doing is a white suite with wenge too.  The bedside cabinet we picked was the 3 Drawer Bedside which is a very reasonable £122 and with really snazzy contemporary handles.

While the hubby is a fan of wardrobes, I'm a bigger fan of a good chest of drawers.  Most of my clothes don't need to be hung up, whereas the hubby has lots of shirts for work that need to be hung. For me, I picked the minuet 6 drawer dresser (£297).  I opted for this one over the taller 5 drawer as this would give me more space for my ever growing makeup collection on the top, and a nice mirror.

Finally, the wardrobe is from the same collection but the wider 3 door version (£525).  I love the colour of these, it makes them look so much older than they are.  Team it up with purple walls, a white fluffy rug and a nice big plant in the corner, oh and of course a massive bay window - and you're good to go :)

If you were imaginary shopping what would you pick?

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*Collaborative post - opinions are my own :)

The Body Shop wish list

First off, before I get into this post, I just want to say sorry I've been away this past week or so - I was spending my evenings preparing for a job interview (didn't get the job), then I was ill, and then I was away for a long weekend and this is the first opportunity I've had to blog, so thought I'd come back with a list of things I've been lusting after from The Body Shop.

1 & 5 -  Mango & pink grapefruit body sorbet £8 each

I've seen these bouncing around on twitter and blogs, they sound nothing short of awesome.  They say it's light and fast absorbing, keeping your skin hydrated for up to 24 hrs.  They described it as "a breakthrough sorbet texture instantly melts into skin for a frosty burst of fresh moisture" - now that sounds like something I want to get my mitts on!

2 - Spa Fit Smoothing & Refining Scrub £14

Described as a zesty citrus scrub, with lemon and grapefruit, nom! I normally shower in the mornings and when I do, I love really citrusy scents, I'm convinced they help to wake me up :D  That aside I do love a good body scrub or polish, they always leave my skin feeling super smooth :)

3 - Honey body butter & body scrub £13 each

Honey is one of my favourite scents (and flavours!) and ever since these came out, I've had my eye on them.  The last Body Shop body butter I bought was the blueberry one, which I've nearly finished, I absolutely love it and I'm gutted I can't find it on their site :(  However, the honey one might be a great replacement - and I needn't bang on about the body scrub :)

4 - Raspberry body butter £13

Can you see a trend here? Yep, love body butters and scrubs - my favourite things from the body shop. Raspberries are one of my favourite fruits and I love how sweet they smell.  I can only imagine how amazing this must smell - I want it!

6 - Raspberry shower gel £4

You always need shower gel and I tend to get through my fair share of it, so I don't like spending too much money on it, otherwise I get really precious over it and use a really stingy amount.  This range is picked with early-harvest raspberries, and this shower gel is soap free :)

So there's my Body Shop wish list, what would be top of your list?

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My perfect spa day

You may be surprised to hear this, but I’ve never been to a spa, I know, it’s terrible isn’t it!  I guess it’s just something that’s never been a high priority for me so I’ve never made time for it.  But it’s something I’d really like to start treating myself to, so with that in mind, I’ve compiled a bit of a wish list of what I’d have done as well as mention some of the places that you could go over the UK.

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The Vale Resort & Spa – Cardiff

Let’s kick off the tour in my home city, Cardiff.  Technically this is just outside Cardiff, but we won’t worry about that.  A few years ago the hubby and I spent a weekend at the Vale Resort & Spa and it’s the only time I’ve ever tried to have a treatment, we went along to the Spa but sadly they were fully booked and couldn’t accommodate me for a facial.  That being said, I’d still love to give them a try.  Top of my wish list here would be the Vale spa creation facial (£55), it’s a Clarins aromatherapy facial created based on your own skin type, this sounds amazing and lasts nearly 1 hour, can you just imagine how relaxed you’d be after that!?

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Spa London – London

Next stop is the big city, London.  The thing I like about this place, the prices, it’s probably one of the most affordable spas in London, and made it in the Time Out list of London’s best spas.  Top of my wish list here is the Elemis skin solutions oxygen calm facial (£65), it lasts for 70 heavenly minutes and includes a Japanese silk mask, face massaging and more.  I’d also be really keen to try their Escape the city salt scrub – I’m a big fan of salt scrubs but haven’t tried any really luxury ones before. I’m also a big fan of the Elemis Frangipani range, and they have a body nourish wrap there that’s only £59 and lasts 50 mins, I can’t describe it as amazingly as they have on their site, so I’ll copy it here for you “Aromatic Tahitian Coconut and Frangipani Flowers are soaked together to produce the Monoi which is poured all over the body and then cocooned in a nourishing foil wrap. Drenching the skin in moisture, this therapy provides ultimate radiance.” – ERMERGHERD!

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The Beauty Manor – Leicester

Next we’ll head up north on our spa tour to the Leicester beauty salon, The Beauty Manor.  You know how with the previous two spas they had a brand they worked with? i.e the Vale works with Clarins, Spa London were Elemis?  Well The Beauty Manor are Decleor who I’m a big fan of, their skincare is amazing, such great quality.  My wish list here would start with an Aroma expert facial (1hrr 15 mins) which is £55, I’d follow that up with a Madagascar escape with exfoliation (1hr) which is £50, it’s a series of massages and exfoliation of the skin.  Here I’d add a 3rd treatment, a Cleanse and Make Up (45 mins) which is £37, treating myself to having someone else do my makeup for a change.

So there’s my whistle stop tour of Spas that are top of my wish list, and what treatments I’d have done.

What’s your favourite treatment to get at the spa?

This months Bigest-Pixi3 advertiser is the lovely Karen from Liverpool Lashes

 

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If I had the figure...

Browsing through the John Lewis Everyday Luxe section, I can't help but pine over so many beautiful dresses, if only I had the figure to wear them!  But, I know a lot of you reading this do, so I thought I'd take the opportunity to showcase what I'd buy if I had the figure, and the money for these stunning dresses.

1. Alexon Estelle Jacquard Dress, Neutral £135

2. Ted Baker Linkah Colour Block Dress, Pink £159

3. Somerset by Alice Temperley Pine Cone Dress, Black £160

4. Phase Eight Madison Jacquard Dress, Aubergine £140

5. Adrianna Papell Shirred Dress, Aubergine £150

6. Kaliko Lace Yoke Dress, Dark Purple £99

7. Coast Daymee Dress, Jade £150

8. Rise Paisley Lace Dress, Lilac £65

Can you see a trend here?  Yes, my mind is gearing up for Autumn as I tend to lean towards lovely warm aubergines and purples, but number 8 is still pretty summery and the cheapest dress in the collection.

If I had the pins and body to pull off any of these dresses, I'd be tempted never to wear jeans again! But, I don't, so jeans it shall be, especially as we're moving further towards autumn, the season that makes me want pumpkin spiced lattes, to walk through piles of fallen yellow and orange leaves with knee high boots on, woollen gloves and my old aubergine corduroy wool-lined jacket, and lighting my best and most scentful candles whilst listening to the rain beat down on the conservatory roof while reading a good book.

It's been a beautiful summer, and I've been so grateful for it not being another year of rain, but as the temperature cools, I'm eagerly awaiting what autumn brings.

This months Bigest-Pixi3 advertiser is the lovely Hayley from Water Painted Dreams

 

Written by Georgina Kent

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