ciate mini mani month - the end

Here are the last 3 nail polishes that I found hiding behind the little doors of the Ciate Mini Mani Month Advent Calendar!

December 22nd: 'Sundance' - The fourth bottle of caviar pearls, a teal blue & golden yellow with added  gold glitter, these are a true beachy nail art!
December 23rd: 'Mojito' - A very bright lime green, reminds me of the shiny Granny Smith apples!
December 24th: 'Enchanted Rose' - The final exclusive polish, a beautiful ruby red glitter, Ciate well & truly saved the best til last with this little festive shade!

To see what polishes I received during week 1 of advent click here (:

To see what polishes I received during week 2 of advent click here (:

To see what polishes I received during week 3 of advent click here (:

I can't believe Christmas is over, it was such a treat having a new nail polish every day during advent, I can't wait to see what beauty advent calendars will be available next year! My absolute favourite from all of the polishes is Enchanted Rose, I wore it on Christmas day on top of my second favourite 'Dangerous Affair' a burgundy red shade & it was like they were made for each other, haha!

L x

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soap & glory - the best of all™

Soap & Glory - The Best of All™ (£27)

When I heard Boots had an amazing offer on the Soap & Glory 'The Best of All™' set, reducing it from £60 to less than half price at £27 I knew I needed to get one. Dom is pretty clued up when it comes to this kinda stuff now, shows he is actually listening to me, haha ;) & off he went to purchase one for my Christmas present. He tried to keep it a surprise for me, but my constant questioning got the better of him & he ended up telling me, I had planned to buy it myself & he stopped me multiple times, so I kinda guessed anyway! 

The set contains 9 full size products:

The Righteous Butter™ Body Butter (300ml) 

Hand Food™ Hand Cream (125ml)

Sugar Crush™ Body Scrub (300ml)

Clean On Me™ Shower Gel (500ml)

Smoothie Star™ Body Milk (500ml)

Heel Genius™ Foot Mask (125ml)

Peaches & Clean™ Cleansing Milk (200ml)

Sexy Mother Pucker™ Lip Plumper in Punch Bowl (3ml)

Thick & Fast™ Super Volume Mascara (10ml)

Hand Food, Heel Genius, Clean on Me & The Righteous Butter are all products I've tried before & loved. I was most excited about the Smoothie Star Body Milk, the smell is seriously good! I'll probably end up writing full reviews for all of these products. 

I'm looking forward to trying out the mascara & lip plumper, I've no experiences of the Soap & Glory makeup range, so I appreciate these two being included! I also think Soap & Glory have the best names for the products, I love the play on words or the cutesy titles! And of course, the packaging is probably my favourite from high street brands, sugary pink seems to be the main colour scheme with a vintage pin up kinda style, perfect!

Did you end up getting one of these sets? Whats your favourite Soap & Glory product?

L x

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boxing day

Starbucks Gift Set (£5) | Daisy Perfume Set (£24.99) | Snow Fairy Shower Gel (£5.12)

Dom & I got up early(ish) on Boxing Day as I needed to go say goodbye to my Mum, Stepdad & little Sister, Leah, as they had to drive back home to Leicester. Rather than go back to bed we decided to head into town to have a little look at the sales & get some breakfast whilst we were out. Firstly we exchanged a few things that had been bought in the wrong sizes, then we headed to Boots as I knew all the gift sets would be half price! I wasn't really intending on buying anything because I got lots of beauty bits & pieces, but I like looking anyway! We spotted the Starbucks mugs which were reduced to £5 so grabbed one each as I had been after one for ages & these came with two little candy canes & some coffee! Then we looked at perfume deals as I have completely run out, I either wanted Manifesto by YSL or Daisy by Marc Jacobs, Manifesto was still pricey but I couldn't believe my luck when I found the Daisy set in The Perfume Shop for just £24.99! It was meant to be £50 so I quickly snapped this pretty little set up. At 11am we walked down to Lush to see a queue forming outside, lots of people excited & eager to pick up some Christmas bargains. When the doors opened it was absolutely manic, I've never experienced anything like it! Everyone was grabbing the gift boxes & going crazy, one girl had around 10 bottles of Snow Fairy in her arms! I was about to give up when I spotted a stash in the corner, so I hurried Dom over to get a few bottles. Its my favourite smell ever, it's so sweet & I knew I needed to stock up so with 50% off I couldn't resist! I'm going to give one to Abi & my sister though as I already have way too many shower products & Snow Fairy lasts such a long time anyway, my 100g bottle is still pretty full & I've had it for over a month! 

Did you pick up any bargains in the sales?

L x

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christmas day 2012

Christmas tree | Cutest Pug giftcard | Doms presents wrapped up

Christmas Eve cupcake decorating with my Sister | Mince pie baking | Christmas Day Bucks Fizz!

Vintage Reindeer Christmas jumper! | Mini Christmas Yankee candles | Christmas Day lace top

My gifts from my Mum, Nana & Grandad, My Sister Hannah, Dom, Doms family & Abi

I spent Christmas Eve baking mince pies & decorating cupcakes with my youngest sister, followed by painting my nails all festive with my final Ciate polish, a sparkly red glitter! Then I watched the Made in Chelsea Christmas special with my other sister Hannah, who I swear is Sophia's long lost twin! On Christmas morning we got woken up by our sister Leah at 6:30am, to go & see if Father Christmas had been. After opening all of our presents we feasted on a breakfast of chocolate & sweets, the only day of the year when it's acceptable! Around 9am my Dad & little brother FaceTimed us from Turkey, it was kinda surreal seeing sunshine on Christmas day! My Mum was in charge of cooking the dinner, we had a choice of prawn cocktail with smoked salmon or freshly baked bread rolls with pate for starters, I had a bit of both! The best bit was the Turkey roast dinner, complete with pigs in blankets & sausage meat stuffing, yum! I was way too full after all of that so I skipped pudding, but the rest of the family tucked into either Christmas Pudding or Sticky Toffee Pudding. In the afternoon Dom came to pick me up so we could spend Christmas evening together, swapping gifts & keeping our tradition of playing monopoly! 

Link me to your Christmas posts please, I love knowing how other people celebrate Christmas! (:

L x

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ciate mini mani month - week 3

(L-R) Headliner, Big Yellow Taxi, Power Dressing, Candyshop, Cookies and Cream, Magic Carpet, Fade to Greige

Here is what I found hiding behind the little doors of my Ciate calendar between the 15th & 21st!

December 15th: 'Headliner' - A mix of blue & green tones form this vibrant turquoise shade.

December 16th: 'Big Yellow Taxi' - Ridiculously bold sunshine yellow polish, perfectly named after the famous yellow NYC taxis!

December 17th: 'Power Dressing' - A very deep & dark navy blue coloured polish in a creme finish.

December 18th: 'Candyshop' - Caviar pearls in teal blue, rusty orange & fuschia colour scheme

December 19th: 'Cookies and Cream' - Pastel nude shade, almost bicuit like with undertones of taupe & grey.

December 20th: 'Magic Carpet' - The second exclusive polish, a magenta pink glitter, I'm wearing it over the top of 'Cutie Pie' in this picture!

December 21st: 'Fade to Greige' - This polish is a violet toned grey, almost a taupe shade.

To see what polishes I received during week 1 of advent click here (:

To see what polishes I received during week 2 of advent click here (:

My favourite this week is Cookies and Cream! What is your favourite?

L x

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LUSH snow fairy shower gel

LUSH Snow Fairy Shower Gel - £3.50

Snow Fairy is a pretty pink shower gel containing sprinkles of blue iridescent glitter and has the yummiest scent I've ever come across! A sweet mix of candy floss and pear drops really does remind me of my childhood, as implied on the bottle. I picked up the 100g to see what the fuss was all about. Only a tiny amount is needed to create lots of lather and bubbles and seriousy soft, soft skin! The best thing about this product? Throughout the day I regularly get hints of the delicious smell. It manages to remain on your skin, even after it's all washed away! The worst thing about this product? It's only available during the festive period! & the price makes me slightly sad, but it's okay because hopefully Santa will bring me a full size version! Also, if you're more of a bath kinda person, don't worry, you can still experience the Snow Fairy magic in the form of the reusable star shaped bubble bar - Magic Wand. 

Have you tried Snow Fairy? What is your favourite Christmas LUSH product?

L x

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ciate mini mani month - week 2

(L-R) Vintage, Mistress, Ladylike Luxe, Bumble Bee, Twilight, Glass Slipper, Speed Dial

Here is what I found hiding behind the little doors of my Ciate calendar between the 8th & 14th!

December 8th: 'Vintage' - It is showing up more grey toned on my images, but I would say it has undertones of a deep green. 

December 9th: 'Mistress' - Definitely a classic pillar box red, it's pretty hard to find the perfect shade of red but I think this might be it!

December 10th: 'Ladylike Luxe' - A shimmery gold, a true festive colour!

December 11th: 'Bumble Bee' - Golden yellow & black caviar pearls create a cute bumble bee style, not a huge fan of this combination but it does go nicely with Ladylike Luxe, so perhaps I could do an accent nail.

December 12th: 'Twilight' -  A black polish filled with lots of glittery gold sparkles.

December 13th: 'Glass Slipper' - This is one of the shades exclusive to the mani month, a beautiful bright blue glitter, layer this over a baby blue polish & it will create a icy looking nail!

December 14th: 'Speed Dial' - Quite a summery shade, a creamy coral with orange & pink tones. This polish looks completely different in real life in comparison with the images on the Ciate website.

This week my favourite has got to be Glass Slipper, but I also love Vintage as it is such a unique shade, I've personally never seen a polish like it before! What polish is your favourite?

To see what polishes I received during week 1 of advent click here (:

L x

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wednesday wishlist #7

one | two | three | four | five | six | seven | eight

A wishlist dedicated to Topshop, I have asked for some Topshop vouchers for Christmas & my 21st birthday, so I thought I'd base this wishlist around that then I'm prepared to hunt for these pretty things when I go shopping!

What are some of your favourite picks from Topshop at the moment?

L x

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my week in photos #15

love this mug! | i never wear earrings but couldn't resist this bargain | christmas starbucks |

the soap & glory bargain! | so true | pick 'n' mix at winter wonderland |

coca cola christmas van at marble arch! | my cupcake cake cook books | christmas tealights

L x

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ciate mini mani month advent calendar

(L-R) - Cupcake Queen, Dangerous Affair, Halo, Prom Queen, Cabaret, Angel Wings, Cutie Pie

Ciaté Mini Mani Month - £38

When this calendar made its first appearance in the blogosphere I knew I had to own it, being a nail polish addict I fell in love with it instantly. Waking up to a cute little polish every single day during the build up to Christmas is definitely the best start to my morning! I did have a little struggle getting hold of this at first, as it kept going in & out of stock, but eventually I snapped one up. I was filled with regret for spending so much on an advent calendar & was considering selling it, infact I didn't even open any of the doors until yesterday, but my lovely boyfriend has given me the money for it as a treat! (thank you Dom) ♡

I'm going to do a post each week showing the polishes that have been included so far, so this is week one! I can't believe how pretty these little paint pots are & the adorable black ribbon bow is the perfect touch. I have used Ciaté before & even though it was a little scary paying almost £40, I knew that it was completely worth it, as they're high quality. Plus a full sized bottle retails for £9 & this set includes 24, although they aren't full size it prices them at less than £2 a bottle & I never tend to use up an entire bottle anyway.

December 1st: 'Cupcake Queen' - Firstly, cute name! Bright Barbie pink, with blue iridescent running through.  

December 2nd: 'Dangerous Affair' - A beautiful burgundy red wine shade, currently wearing this on my nails.

December 3rd: 'Halo' - A pearlescent polish with a rainbow of holographic shimmers running through.

December 4th: 'Prom Queen' - Silver, pink & dark blue caviar pearls with specks of glitter mixed in.

December 5th: 'Cabaret' - A creamy purple, with undertones of pink. 

December 6th: 'Angel Wings' - Quite similar to Halo, a pretty pearl finish without the shimmer. 

December 7th: 'Cutie Pie' - Milky, soft pink, ideal for french manicures.

I'm really struggling to stop myself open the remaining doors, I'm so impressed with this product & I can't wait to see what beauty advent calendars are available next year! 

Which is your favourite shade so far? I am torn between Dangerous Affair & Halo!

L x

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my week in photos #14

Ciate Week 1 | I liked my hair | Christmas in Doms flat |

Strawberry lemonade slush at TGI's | Bestest yankee candle | Cutest little puppy |

Christmas wrapping paper! | Library times | Ciate mini mani month arrived!

The week approaching is probably going to be absolute hell for me, either an exam or coursework deadline every single day! Friday 14th December cannot come quicker, Christmas properly begins for me then, I'll be able to finish off my shopping, wrap presents, watch as many Christmas films as I wish, bake loads of festive goodies, visit Winter Wonderland at Hyde Park & travel back up north to be with my family & friends for Christmas, New Year & My 21st! 

Also, how cuuute is the little puppy my dad found? They live in Turkey now & found this sweet little pup abandoned on the streets (how could anyone be so cruel!?) so they took her to the vets & they were told treatment was free as they had found her. She is just 5 weeks old, they named her Cara & she is a labrador spaniel cross they think! I wish I could give her a cuddle, seriously the cutest, most adorable doggy I've ever seen (:

L x

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southbank german christmas markets

I thought I'd share a few quick snaps from the Southbank German Christmas markets I went to a couple of weeks ago, with Dom & our friends. It was a pretty horrible day, weather wise so the images are quite dark. It's absolutely amazing to walk around London and soak up the Christmassy atmosphere, if I'm having a bad day I just hop on a tube and enjoy the pretty lights, the busy streets & the beautiful window displays. I always want to buy so much from the Christmas markets, there are loads of lovely handmade items, yummy treats & festive decorations. My favourite stall was probably the candle one, lots of different shapes, sizes & smells! After the markets we walked over Westminster bridge & of course, I had to take a quick snap of Mr Big Ben! Next week I'm going to visit Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park, I went last year too & I believe it's worth going to, I'm obsessed with anything to do with Christmas! 

Have you been to a Christmas Market? What is your favourite part of London during Christmas?

L x

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november favourites

Snow Fairy Shower Gel: This is the nicest smelling shower gel to ever exist! I thought the candy floss & pear drop scent would be very sweet & it is, but in the best way possible & what makes it even better is the smell doesn't disappear when washed away. It lathers up really well & leaves my skin silky smooth, I'll be stocking up on litres of this magical stuff before all the Christmas stock disappears.

REN Vita-Mineral Day Cream: I hadn't used any REN skincare until I purchased the mini skincare set, (review coming soon!) & I've certainly been very impressed so far. This moisturiser is lightly scented, not too heavy or thick & really soft. I apply this before doing my makeup, allowing it a few minutes to sink in & my skin feels beautiful. 

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish: Obviously I'm pretty behind with this product, I have wanted to try it for ages but never got round to purchasing it! I got this free with RED magazine a while back & have mainly used it this month. The hype around this product is very true, it's perfect for removing every trace of makeup & my skin always feels really refreshed afterwards. I've had no breakouts either, so its a winner with me!

Topshop Lipstick 'Beguiled': I already have Inhibition, which is ridiculously similar, but I have to say I much prefer Beguiled. The colour suits me better & it's a lovely wintery shade.

Mavala Nail Polish 'Flashy Violet': This is actually my housemates, but I've been borrowing it alot recently, it's seriously such a pretty colour! There is a picture on my weekly instagram post showing it & I will also have a blog post up soon. I had never heard of Mavala nail polish before, but I noticed that it was also included in the Latest in Beauty You advent calendar, so perhaps these little polishes are about to become very popular!

Most of these are sample size items, I prefer to buy small versions first before splurging on a full size if I'm unsure about something. Luckily, these favourites have come just in time for Christmas & I have a few of these on my wishlist now!

What are your November favourites?

L x

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(late) my week in my photos #13

Trying to be cosy & warm - it's so cold! | My favourite sweets, ever | December 1st! |

Goodies from the Revlon enamoured exhibition | Essie winter collection | Cutest slippers! |

Oxford Street Christmas lights | Soup & Coffee with my sister | Nail art I did (:

You can probably tell from these photos that I'm a little bit obsessed with Hello Kitty, even if I am almost 21, it's definitely okay in my eyes!

L x 

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it's the most wonderful time of the year...

one | two | three | four | five | six | seven | eight | nine

Seeing as though it is December 1st today, it is finally okay to put up all the Christmas decorations, (I believe it is bad luck before!) & really get into the festivities! I've made a little wishlist of decorations I would buy if I had my own place to decorate & wasn't living on a tight student budget! My housemates & I are planning to put up a few things & possibly buy a really cheap tree if we can find one, but I can't wait for the day I can decorate my very own place with lots of cute festive items (:

Have you put your decorations up yet?

L x

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