tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36036327918225234442024-03-14T02:43:10.169+00:00The Beauty ScripturesAccording to Miss MojitoMiss Mojitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007817543945112447noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603632791822523444.post-81742163873598652722015-09-23T17:54:00.001+01:002015-09-23T17:54:31.972+01:00The Bath House | British-Made Perfumes, Candles And More....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I've just come back from a wonderful weekend in the Lake District celebrating the marriage of one of my oldest friends. Whilst there I was lucky enough to have chance to explore the area a little and wandering through the pretty town of Bowness on the edge of Lake Windermere, I stumbled upon the <a href="http://www.thebathhouseshop.com/">Bath House</a> and was immediately impressed. Think Jo Malone, but less spendy.</b><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">With the C word coming up (shhh, I'm in denial that it's summer no longer) I wanted to blog about it</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> because their beautiful British made all-natural products have got 'gift' written all over them. Some natural beauty products can be a bit worthy. You know it may be doing your skin good, but it just doesn't feel great to use. Not here. The entire range is luxurious with lovely packaging and is just the right side of affordable. How it's managed to escape my notice before now is beyond me.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Their <a href="http://www.thebathhouseshop.com/perfume-cologne/perfumes-1.html">perfumes</a> deserve a special mention. Mixed in amongst classic fragrance combinations are some unique scents that are perfect if you want a scent that's a little bit different. My boyfriend described <i>Patchouli and Black Pepper</i> as something Boadecia would wear - all spicy and sensual. <i>White Tea and Rose</i> bears more than a passing resemblance to Chloe's signature fragrance. This offering is a little lighter perhaps, but an excellent dupe at a fraction of the price. <i>Damask Rose and Violet</i> is the kind of traditional rose scent I love. Slightly grannyish and super feminine yet somehow still contemporary. <i>White Cedar and Pear -</i> my favourite -</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> is perfectly autumnal and manages to be both fresh and warm at the same time.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g_IphUOUH4U/VgGL4QEW6DI/AAAAAAAARvQ/kvAnXjywOwE/s1600/FB_IMG_1442923415315.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Bath House review" border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g_IphUOUH4U/VgGL4QEW6DI/AAAAAAAARvQ/kvAnXjywOwE/s640/FB_IMG_1442923415315.jpg" title="The Bath House review" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Wear time on the two I tried (</span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Patchouli and Black Pepper</i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> and </span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">White Cedar and Pear</i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">) was excellent, with the scent still lingering an impressive 12 hours later. At £28 for a 50ml bottle compared with £42 for a 30ml Jo Malone cologne, they offer excellent value for money and I know where I'll be spending my pennies in future. Bath House also do a 12ml handbag sized version giving you the chance to try a scent without committing to the large bottle. These would make perfect gifts.</span></div>
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</span> <span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Other things to look out for are the beautiful <a href="http://www.thebathhouseshop.com/bathing-1.html">bath oils and bath salts</a>. Who wouldn't want to display these in their bathrooms then indulge in a soak after a long day? I've also got my eye on the <a href="http://www.thebathhouseshop.com/home-collections/candles-diffusers.html">candles</a> which smelt amazing and promise to scent a room without even being lit. The <a href="http://www.thebathhouseshop.com/bathing-1/soap-bars.html">soap</a> and <a href="http://www.thebathhouseshop.com/gift-collections-by-product/lip-balms.html">lip balms</a> would make perfect stocking fillers too.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="color: #444444; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The Bowness store is sensory heaven and there are four other stores in the North West. For most people though, the Bath House online shop will be the place to look. If you're put off by buying fragrance online, their descriptions of the scents are clear and accurate, and there's free delivery on orders over £40. </span><br />
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</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I'm so pleased to have found this store. </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">High quality, chemical-free, British made products in gorgeous packaging to suit all ages and tastes, I'm seriously impressed. My challenge will be parting with the gifts I buy for other people and not keeping them all to myself.</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> </span><br />
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<a href="http://www.thebathhouseshop.com/" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">www.thebathhouseshop.com</a>.Miss Mojitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007817543945112447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603632791822523444.post-2638251334931389432015-07-07T11:48:00.000+01:002015-07-07T14:21:44.887+01:00Going For The Chop At A Salon With A Difference<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qAbP3440f-U/VZuo0bQtQmI/AAAAAAAARsU/kHl27Ht1yog/s1600/photo%2B5-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Kojo&Lee bob" border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qAbP3440f-U/VZuo0bQtQmI/AAAAAAAARsU/kHl27Ht1yog/s640/photo%2B5-2.JPG" title="The Beauty Scriptures" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">After years of having long blonde hair, I've finally gone for the chop. I dabbled with a darker colour for a few months recently, but it did nothing for me (I looked a bit dead). That change didn't work out but I was getting bored of having the same style and was ready for something different. When I was younger I was really adventurous with my hair and thought nothing of switching things up regularly. In the space of a few years I had a blonde crop, a red bob and even waist length braids. Then I found a style I liked, and stuck with it. FOR YEARS. Yawn.</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So yeah, the other day I went for the chop.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">After lots of recommendations from friends, I paid a visit to <b>Kojo&Lee</b> in Sheffield city centre. It's a hidden gem (literally), that has taken the traditional salon approach and turned it on its head. Currently there's no sign above the innocuous doorway, no sinks for hair washing and no colourist. It nails the minimalist shabby chic vibe, with gilded mirrors and a dark grey glazed cabinet adding a hint of faded glamour to bare walls and unsanded floorboards.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Nikki, a Toni and Guy trained stylist, set it up a few years ago and quickly realized that there was a market for a salon with a difference. Sometimes people find traditional salons intimidating, sometimes they're out of people's budgets. For me personally, I'm <i>so</i> over handing over large sums of money for a mediocre experience and a mediocre style. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>Kojo&Lee</b> has taken off by word of mouth alone and that tells me all I need to know. People are obviously loving what Nikki offers. What struck me more than anything was that she really listened to me - what I wanted and, importantly, what I didn't want - and seemed to pay real care and attention to every snip. She styled it with my wavy hair type in mind, when so many other stylists try to straighten the life out of it. I'm thrilled with the finished result.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I didn't really know what to expect when I went in, but my visit to <b>Kojo&Lee</b> was honestly one of the most positive hairdressing experiences I've had. The best bit? It set me back only £20.00. Unique, affordable, quality hairdressing - what more can you ask for? </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>Find out more about Kojo&Lee, including plans to add sinks and hire an experienced colourist at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/kojoandlee">www.facebook.com/kojoandlee</a></b></span>Miss Mojitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007817543945112447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603632791822523444.post-58498944936950973572015-06-29T12:38:00.002+01:002015-06-29T12:38:04.894+01:00The Perfect Summer Coral: Nails Inc Kensington Passage Gel Effect Nail Polish<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I'm a big fan of bright colours on my nails and cheery coral is my favourite. It somehow has the effect of looking like you've made a bit of effort without looking as try hard as bright red.</b></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q23_CpvKLKs/VZErZaD-BaI/AAAAAAAARrU/76hkwMFidZ4/s1600/20150629_115041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Nails Inc Kensington Passage Gel Effect Nail Polish" border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q23_CpvKLKs/VZErZaD-BaI/AAAAAAAARrU/76hkwMFidZ4/s640/20150629_115041.jpg" title="The Beauty Scriptures" width="360" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Nails Inc Gel Effect Nail Polish in </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Kensington Passage</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> is the perfect coral for summer. It's a bright, bold go-with-anything shade that is supposed to mimic the effect of gel polish. I've always been impressed with how gel polish dries instantly</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> and remains chip-free until you remove it. But it starts to look dodgy as soon as there's a significant amount of regrowth (after around 10 days) and I have neither the funds, time or inclination to be visiting a nail salon every couple of weeks to maintain it. Don't even get me started on the laborious removal process, which absolutely wrecks your nails.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kBRN5daEJzY/VZEpamxzrHI/AAAAAAAARq8/b2fPZeTpqdg/s1600/20150629_115050.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Nails Inc Kensington Passage Gel Effect Nail Polish" border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kBRN5daEJzY/VZEpamxzrHI/AAAAAAAARq8/b2fPZeTpqdg/s640/20150629_115050.jpg" title="The Beauty Scriptures" width="360" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">So a polish that gives the same effect but can be used at home and taken off with standard nail varnish remover sounds like a good idea to me. </span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hIX_A_KKSqU/VZEpfGKNnEI/AAAAAAAARrE/OfDSOGCLDSw/s1600/20150629_115111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Nails Inc Kensington Passage Gel Effect Nail Polish" border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hIX_A_KKSqU/VZEpfGKNnEI/AAAAAAAARrE/OfDSOGCLDSw/s640/20150629_115111.jpg" title="The Beauty Scriptures" width="360" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I used a base coat on my finger nails which provided a smooth base under which to apply the colour and I was seriously impressed with the pigment and application. This is just one coat of colour, whereas normally I'd apply two to get this level of coverage. The end result is certainly glossy, but not quite as high-sheen as an actual gel polish. The colour lasted a good few days before it started to chip. This picture was taken four days in - as you can see, there are a few small chips, but I'm pretty impressed considering it's only one application with no top coat.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hDMpg80bnpM/VZEpi07fW8I/AAAAAAAARrM/wdbNzlGDq18/s1600/20150629_115431.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Nails Inc Kensington Passage Gel Effect Nail Polish" border="0" height="360" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hDMpg80bnpM/VZEpi07fW8I/AAAAAAAARrM/wdbNzlGDq18/s640/20150629_115431.jpg" title="The Beauty Scriptures" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I didn't bother with a base coat on my toes, and things didn't fair quite so well. The application was a little streaky and I definitely needed two coats to get a decent coverage. The colour lasted well though, and four days in there are no chips and the colour is still looking glossy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I love the colour of <b>Kensington Passage</b> and will be wearing it all summer long, but I'll definitely be applying a base coat underneath to get the best effect.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>Nails Inc Kensington Passage Gel Effect Nail Polish</b> is £15.00 and can be bought <a href="http://www.boots.com/en/Nails-Inc-Gel-Effect-Kensington-Passage-Coral-14ml_1704396/?cm_mmc=pla-_-google-_-PLAs-_-Boots+Shopping+-+Category+-+Beauty">HERE</a></span>Miss Mojitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007817543945112447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603632791822523444.post-68745467424842633112015-06-16T14:09:00.000+01:002015-06-16T14:09:32.362+01:00Naturally Good: The Burt’s Bees Baby Bee Range<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3ZCXnGc9kt0/VYAKm9E1wDI/AAAAAAAARps/gsI_G38ycn0/s1600/IMG_20150610_094709.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Burt's Bees Baby Bee" border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3ZCXnGc9kt0/VYAKm9E1wDI/AAAAAAAARps/gsI_G38ycn0/s640/IMG_20150610_094709.jpg" title="The Beauty Scriptures" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The Burt’s Bees Baby Bee range is completely
natural, so there are no nasties in there to irritate teeny skin. You’d be
amazed how many popular baby brands pump their products full of well-known
irritants. Ingredients like Sodium Laureth Sulphate(SLS) can cause irritation
to adults, so it’s no wonder it can affect a baby’s delicate skin. I’ve
been keen to use only natural stuff on my daughter since she was born just over
six months ago, and I absolutely love everything I’ve tried from the Burt’s
Bees baby range. Undoubtedly it’s more
pricey than the likes of Johnson’s, but for me, the quality of the ingredients
and the fact that you only need small amounts each use make it good value. And
whilst money is tight at the moment (hello Statutory Maternity Pay!), I would
rather pay more to look after my baby’s delicate skin. </b><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Of the many things I’ve learnt since having a baby, it is that new cracks and crevices seemingly appear on a daily basis. Just when you think you’ve got your bathing and drying routine <i>down</i>, a new crevice comes along to remind you that you're not as on top of things as you should be. When Iris was a few weeks old, she smelt of what can only be described as festering, sour cheese for a good few hours before I realised that milk had been collecting under her armpit. Not only did the poor girl stink to high heaven, she was left with a horrible red sore there </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">too. I applied the <b>Burt’s Bees Baby Bee Diaper Ointment</b> (after a good wash) and the next morning, the redness was gone.</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> So whilst the name suggests it’s designed for use on bottoms, I find it works really well elsewhere too and it has successfully soothed Iris' dribbly chin and airless neck rolls. It’s basically a natural version of Sudocrem and it smells lovely – there’s definitely a hint of lavender (a natural antiseptic) in there. My only gripe is that the cream is quite thick and getting it out of the tube is a bit tricky – a pot would be much better. Other than that (and the annoying Americanised name), it’s a gem of a product which is well worth having in your baby kit.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The <b>Burt’s Bees Baby Bee Multi-Purpose Ointment</b>
is an all-natural alternative to Vaseline which will appeal to parents
who want to avoid using petroleum-based products on their little'uns. I've been really impressed with this stuff.
Following an horrendous case of nappy rash at two weeks old, leaving Iris’ poor
little bottom with bleeding, open sores, I’ve used this after every change and she’s never had nappy rash since. On holiday recently, I forgot to take it, and
lo and behold, the nappy rash reappeared. Whereas Vaseline creates a protective
barrier to prevent moisture from a wet nappy penetrating the skin, this stuff has the added benefit of providing
nourishment too. Whilst I have a small person to look after, I will
never not be without it. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I bathe Iris every couple of days and use a small amount of
the <b>Burt’s Bees Baby Bee Shampoo and Body Wash</b> (not pictured) to cleanse her
hair and body. It’s really gentle and hasn’t stung on the few occasions it’s
got into her eyes when rinsing her hair. I’ve been using it for six months and
I’m only a quarter of the way through the bottle.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Iris sometimes gets dry skin on her cheeks
and around her eyes and I’ve found that the <b>Fragrance Free Nourishing Lotion</b>
from this range really helps to keep it at bay. I apply a small amount (saying
<i>“cheeky cheeky cheeky chops!”</i> whilst doing so is not compulsory). It sinks in really quickly and leaves her
skin really well moisturised and feeling nourished. This would be a fantastic choice for adults with sensitive skin too. </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I’m still on bottle number one despite using it every day for six months.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Lastly, and possibly my favourite from the range, is the <b>Burt’s Bees Baby
Bee Nourishing Baby Oil</b>. I got this in a gift set but didn’t try it until one of the mums I’d met at a
baby group recommended it. I quickly grew to love it and now use it all over Iris’ body after each bath. It
smells AMAZING, sinks in quickly and leaves her skin beautifully soft. It’s also great for use during Baby Massage.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>There’s currently a third off the Burt’s Bees Baby Bee range
at <a href="http://www.boots.com/en/Burts-Bees/Baby-Mama/" target="_blank">Boots</a></b></span></div>
Miss Mojitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007817543945112447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603632791822523444.post-44633885497827408372015-05-29T10:55:00.001+01:002015-05-29T10:55:09.808+01:00Clarins Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster | The Fake Tan For People Who Don't Like Fake Tan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-erIoB1EixO0/VWgVUiemLwI/AAAAAAAARow/u4M4cimjslQ/s1600/20150525_191327.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Beauty Scriptures" border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-erIoB1EixO0/VWgVUiemLwI/AAAAAAAARow/u4M4cimjslQ/s640/20150525_191327.jpg" title="Clarins Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster" width="360" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Me and fake tan do not get on. On the few occasions I've tried it over the years, it's ended up patchy, orange, or both. I once sported feet that David Dickinson would be proud of after a particularly over-zealous encounter with a bottle of St Tropez and they remained orange for weeks after the rest of my tan(go) had faded. Not a good look! </span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Perhaps it's because my skin is dry and very pale, but I've not fared much better with gradual tanners either, which, despite promising to be simpler and more natural-looking, still go patchy. And don't even get me started on the lingering smell of biscuits that seems to be a necessary tanning evil.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Given all that, I decided a few years ago to embrace the pale and interesting look. I would much rather be deathly white than orange any day of the week. But summer is fast approaching, I have a holiday coming up and, frankly, I just feel more confident getting my legs out when they're not so milk bottle.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So when I heard about the new <i>Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster</i> from Clarins I was intrigued. It's basically a concentrated vial of gradual self-tan that you add to your usual moisturiser. Clarins recommend adding 4-6 drops per 'zone' and the fact that it's totally customisable really appealed to me. You're in control, so you can simply add more or less depending on how dark (or not, as the case may be) you want the end result to look.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I broke my body down into arms and chest; thighs and bum; knees, calves and feet, missing out my tummy because it's never on show. With my regular body cream - a Body Shop Body Butter - at the ready, I added 4 drops of tan to the amount of cream I'd usually use to cover each of those areas. I then mixed the two together in my hands and applied as normal i.e slapping it on in a haphazard fashion until it's vaguely rubbed in. It was super easy and faff-free.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FGho77PJmck/VWgVZvuf-KI/AAAAAAAARpA/EQF7jWEZKQQ/s1600/20150528_102037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Beauty Scriptures" border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FGho77PJmck/VWgVZvuf-KI/AAAAAAAARpA/EQF7jWEZKQQ/s640/20150528_102037.jpg" title="Clarins Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster" width="360" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Interestingly, Clarins also offer a version of this product for the face, but you get half the quantity (15ml as opposed to 30ml) for only a few pounds less. I questioned what was the difference between the two and was advised that the body version is slightly darker. So I simply added 2 drops instead of the recommended 4-6 to my usual amount of moisturiser to cover my face and neck.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wF2n7417kfM/VWgVYvWSbFI/AAAAAAAARo4/J1hP0hfzM64/s1600/20150528_101908.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Beauty Scriptures" border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wF2n7417kfM/VWgVYvWSbFI/AAAAAAAARo4/J1hP0hfzM64/s640/20150528_101908.jpg" title="Clarins Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster" width="360" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Over the course of a few hours, a subtle colour developed. On my very pale skin, it was noticeable enough to minimise the milk bottle effect on my legs and give my face a healthy glow, but it was not so noticeable as to look fake.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">When I've used fake tan in the past, I've always had dodgy results around my wrist, elbows and ankles where the skin is dryer. Not so here. I was left with an even coating of natural-looking colour. If you're darker skinned, I'd say you could easily apply 6 drops per area without it looking too dark. Alas, there was a still faint whiff of Eau de Biscuit once the colour started to emerge, but it was not as bad as other tanning products I've tried.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I used it again a couple of days later and was even more impressed second time around. The colour on both my face and body was <i>really</i> natural looking. No-one else would be able to tell I was wearing fake tan, I'm sure of it, but I just looked that little bit healthier. That's exactly the effect I wanted.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Overall, I think this is an excellent buy. It's certainly the best self-tan I've ever tried and is brilliant for dipping your pasty toe in the tanning water if you're an orange-phobe like me. The 30ml body version worked perfectly well on the face, so I'd suggest opting for that rather than getting the smaller version.</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> At around the £23 mark, it's not the cheapest gradual tanner on the market, but the bottle should last a while and the quality of the results make it good value for money.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Buy the Clarins Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster <a href="http://www.escentual.com/clarins/clarins-sun/self-tan/clradianceplus002/">HERE</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Happy tanning!</span>Miss Mojitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007817543945112447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603632791822523444.post-51144434372604720692015-01-19T19:05:00.001+00:002015-01-19T19:09:12.449+00:00The perfect lip balm? Lovely Cosmetics Peppermint Lip Conditioner review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ucfS4R2wvDQ/VL1J4NYoy7I/AAAAAAAAPmo/fp8se7rv1v0/s1600/IMG_20150107_123228.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><img alt="Lovely Cosmetics Peppermint Lip Conditioner Review" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ucfS4R2wvDQ/VL1J4NYoy7I/AAAAAAAAPmo/fp8se7rv1v0/s1600/IMG_20150107_123228.jpg" height="400" title="The Beauty Scriptures | Lovely Cosmetics Peppermint Lip Conditioner Review" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I recently worked out that not a day has passed since 1994 in which I've not applied lip balm, so it's fair to say I'm well and truly addicted. </span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Over the years I've tried pretty much every pot and tube of the stuff going and have settled on this <a href="http://m.boots.com/h5/cat_hub?unCountry=uk&path=/en/Blistex-Daily-Lip-Conditioner_51888/">Blistex</a> offering for quite some time now. However, it's petroleum-heavy and I've been increasingly trying to remove petroleum and mineral oil-based products from my skincare regime. A by-product of the oil industry, those ingredients are quite simply an inexpensive way for beauty companies to bulk out their cosmetics and despite popular belief, they are great at keeping moisture out (hence why cross-channel swimmers coat themselves in it!) but aren't actually very good at imparting moisture into the skin. Lips don't have any oil-producing glands, so they need all the help they can get.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">What with the wintery weather we've been experiencing recently, my lips have been particularly parched so I was excited to try this <a href="http://www.lovelycosmetics.co.uk/product/peppermint-lip-conditioner/"><i>Peppermint Lip Conditioner</i></a> by Sheffield-based artisan company, Lovely Cosmetics, which I was given as a gift by my boyfriend for Christmas. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I love the ethos of Lovely Cosmetics, whose aim is to make small-scale, natural, cruelty-free skincare. The vintage-style packaging is cute, though the chunky pot is not particularly transportable if, like me, you always like to have a lip balm in your handbag. The Peppermint scent is pleasant and not at all cloying or overpowering. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">As for the balm itself, it's jam-packed full of skin-loving oils - all of which are clearly listed on the pot and on the Lovely Cosmetics website, so you know exactly what you're putting on your skin. If only some of the big beauty players were so transparent about their ingredients!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The<i> Peppermint Lip Conditioner</i> contains:</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Persea gratissima (avocado) oil, butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, cera alba (beeswax), theobroma cacao (cocoa) butter, mentha piperita (peppermint) essential oil, tocopherol (vitamin e) oil</span></i></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Being oil based, the balm feels quite different to a traditional lip balm. Solid in the pot, it needs to be warmed on the finger before applying on the lips. Once on, it feels immediately nourishing. I can really see how it's earned its 'conditioner' moniker. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">One of my gripes with many lip balms is that they sink in too quickly and require constant replication. This one doesn't. Applied at night, there's still a trace left next morning and lips feel noticeably softer and more moisturised. It's also great for applying before lipstick to create a smooth base. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This is one of my favourite finds of the last year and I'm a total convert - I've not used my Blistex balm since getting it and I can't see me ever going back. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>The </b><b><i>Peppermint Lip Conditioner</i> is £5 and can be bought online <a href="http://www.lovelycosmetics.co.uk/product/peppermint-lip-conditioner/">here</a>.</b></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">If you're Sheffield-based, lots of the city's indie shops are <a href="http://www.lovelycosmetics.co.uk/stockists/">stockists</a> and I'd encourage you to check them out as it's a <i>lovely</i> brand (sorry, not sorry) and worth giving a go.</span></b>Miss Mojitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007817543945112447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603632791822523444.post-1119912403573803952014-12-24T09:36:00.001+00:002014-12-24T09:36:37.443+00:00Mummy Christmas!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bNftR1WO_UI/VJqIqceufdI/AAAAAAAAOBo/T2Z08aWz1ck/s1600/20141215_014735-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Mummy Christmas" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bNftR1WO_UI/VJqIqceufdI/AAAAAAAAOBo/T2Z08aWz1ck/s1600/20141215_014735-2.jpg" height="400" title="The Beauty Scriptures" width="225" /></a></div>
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Well, it's Christmas eve and I currently have a snoozing baby lying on me as I type. Iris was born three weeks ago and nothing could have prepared me for what a whirlwind having a baby would be - it's been a successful day if I find the time to have a piece of toast, never mind fit a beauty regime into my day - but Iris is just perfect and I'm totally in love with her.<br />
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I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to everyone who has read my blog over the past year - I've loved writing it and hearing from readers. I'm probably not going to be posting quite so much for a while as I focus on being a Mum, but I'll check in every now and again with beauty news or inspiration.<br />
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Have a wonderful Christmas xMiss Mojitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007817543945112447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603632791822523444.post-36736709988530703412014-11-26T17:38:00.001+00:002014-11-26T17:43:13.301+00:00Loving my baby body<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>When I was recently asked to be photographed for a pregnancy photoshoot, I didn’t really give it much thought before accepting. It was lovely to be asked, and I figured it would be a nice way to capture these last few weeks of my pregnancy.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It was only the day before the shoot that I got to thinking about how much my body has changed over the past few months and how I feel about it.</span></div>
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</span> <span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Physically, I can’t say I’ve loved being pregnant. I’ve struggled with my energy levels throughout, become incredibly clumsy, and found lugging my expanding bump around logistically challenging. Creating a nightly pillow fort in bed to support said bump sounds way more fun than it actually is</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BTEPYrUVGr8/VHRkxrNZadI/AAAAAAAAMEw/vx_LPCKL778/s1600/IMG_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="Loving my baby body" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BTEPYrUVGr8/VHRkxrNZadI/AAAAAAAAMEw/vx_LPCKL778/s1600/IMG_002.jpg" height="400" title="The Beauty Scriptures" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">But I’ve also <i>loved </i>seeing my bump grow, knowing that every week it means the baby is growing too and that we’re that little bit closer to meeting her. </span></div>
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</span> <span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Frequent visits to the work biscuit tin and a slightly obsessive penchant for ice-cream aside, I’ve eaten well. My priority has been to stay healthy and to give the baby all the nutrients she needs, so I've not given much thought to my figure. Having said that, I’ve been lucky not to have put much weight on. </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Over the years, my weight has fluctuated and at 39 weeks pregnant, I’m still lighter than when I was at my heaviest.</span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I’ve always tried to maintain a healthy attitude to food and body image, even when I was bigger and I worry about raising a girl in an increasingly weight-obsessed world. That's a whole other blog post though.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Anyway, the day before the shoot, I started to think about what to wear. Admittedly my options were rather limited. I’ve bought as few maternity clothes as possible with the view that I’ll only be wearing them for a short time and my money can be better spent elsewhere. (You know, like on the million and one things we need for the baby.) And then I thought about actually getting the bump OUT. </span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">There’s no way I would have considered being photographed in my undies before. It's a bit, well, self-indulgent and vain, right? But </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I realised that I feel confident about my pregnancy body – stretch marks, cellulite and all and this was an opportunity to capture this special time on camera.</span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">So I dug out my best underwear (<i>literally </i>- it’s not seen the light of day for months) and got my kit off. Photographer Shelley was lovely and I felt totally comfortable with her. </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">If you could see me now, typing away wearing joggers and my boyfriend's biggest jumper because it's the only one in the house that fits me, I couldn't look more different from the way I do in these pictures. They certainly aren't representative of my day-to-day pregnancy look, but </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I feel glamorous and sexy. I love the resulting shots.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">O</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">ver the coming months, my body is sure to change even more. I can’t predict how I’ll feel about it when I’m left with the remains of a bump that once was, but I know I'll always be happy that I took the opportunity to flaunt it whilst I still had it.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>What do you think? Would you have the confidence to get your kit off on camera, pregnant or not?</b> </span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>Photography:</b> <a href="http://www.shelleyrichmond.co.uk/">Shelley Richmon</a>d</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Shelley is currently offering mini-portrait photo shoots for just £50 - perfect for growing bumps or babies. </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>Location:</b> <a href="http://www.brocco.co.uk/">Brocco on the Park Hotel</a></span></div>
Miss Mojitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007817543945112447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603632791822523444.post-24816227067427254612014-10-30T14:35:00.001+00:002014-10-30T14:35:07.381+00:00Glamorous and Gory Halloween | The Dead Flapper Girl<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gLP9ryM09bw/VFIPzFTnZJI/AAAAAAAALC8/6DVwY5dGpKA/s1600/IMG_20141030_090850.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Glamorous and Gory Halloween Costume | The Dead Flapper Girl" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gLP9ryM09bw/VFIPzFTnZJI/AAAAAAAALC8/6DVwY5dGpKA/s1600/IMG_20141030_090850.jpg" height="640" title="The Beauty Scriptures" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Dead Flapper Girl</span></i></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><b>Just in time for Halloween, I thought I'd share some fancy dress inspiration in the form of my costume last year: <i>The Dead Flapper Girl</i>. With the help of loo roll (yes, really), eyelash glue, fake blood and LOTS of eyeshadow, I created one of my favourite ever looks. I loved having the opportunity to get creative with my make-up bag.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">The main focus of the look is the open wounds, and believe it or not, that's where the loo roll comes in! When applied with eyelash glue and coloured in using a combination of red lipstick, black eyeshadow and fake blood, it gives a surprisingly realistic effect. This <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_G5pKt_3wcs" target="_blank">Glamorous Zombie tutorial</a> by Doll Face Ree gives a good explanation for how to achieve those type of wounds.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Loo roll, eyelash glue and fake blood are used to create surprisingly realistic wounds</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Classic 1920s make-up - all purple smokey eyes and red lips - worked as the perfect contrast with all that gore. To really up the halloween ante, I used matte textured sludgy-coloured eyeshadow to create a sunken effect under the eyes and in the cheekbones.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G5_-czP44tM/VFIPzBTvRTI/AAAAAAAALC4/yGem2OvGy1A/s1600/IMG_20141030_101146.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Glamorous and Gory Halloween Costume | The Dead Flapper Girl" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G5_-czP44tM/VFIPzBTvRTI/AAAAAAAALC4/yGem2OvGy1A/s1600/IMG_20141030_101146.jpg" height="640" title="The Beauty Scriptures" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Time-consuming but worth it: A giant crimper helped to create 1920s finger waves</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">To create the 1920s finger waves, the <a href="http://www.lookfantastic.com/babyliss-pro-triple-barrel-waver-hot-pink/10481829.html?utm_source=googleprod&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=gp_healthelectricals&affil=thggpsad&switchcurrency=GBP&gclid=CO7nsK-R1MECFSXKtAodrBgApg&gclsrc=aw.ds" target="_blank">Babyliss Pro Triple Barrel Waver</a> worked a treat. It took AGES to work my way through my long hair, but I was thrilled with the finished result after pinning it up to create a faux-bob. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><i>So there's my favourite halloween look - what's yours?</i></span>Miss Mojitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007817543945112447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603632791822523444.post-82985908891340686932014-10-28T13:05:00.001+00:002014-10-28T14:55:08.188+00:00Mojito Loves | Clarins Instant Concealer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>When I recently had enough Boots points for a beauty splurge, I decided to give the <u>Clarins Instant Concealer</u> a go after reading good reviews about it. I'm really glad I did - it was love at first use.</b></span></b> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Concealer tends to have two very different functions – offering either coverage <i>or</i> brightening effects – and I’ve yet to find one that manages to do both very successfully. All too often, those that offer a decent level of coverage to disguise under-eye luggage or spots can be very drying. Brightening concealers, such as the infamous <a href="http://www.boots.com/en/Yves-Saint-Laurent-Touche-Eclat-Radiant-Touch-Highlighting-Pen_1214075/">YSL Touche Eclat</a>, don't provide any coverage at all. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">One of my main complexion issues is dark circles and dryness under the eyes. When combined with pink eyelids, this has the effect of making me look constantly tired. At 35 weeks pregnant, I <i>am</i>
constantly tired, but it doesn’t mean I want to look it! I also have
red thread veins around the side of my nose and redness on my cheeks and
chin, so concealer is one of the products I never leave home without.<b> </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Clarins Instant Concealer: Texture and application</span></span></span></i><b> </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">With its light texture, a medium buildable coverage, and light-reflecting particles, the <u>Clarins Instant Concealer</u> is pretty much the perfect consistency. Its creamy formula is a dream to apply. A little goes a long way – as you can see in the image above, a small amount covered all of my problem areas. I find it applies best with the ring finger to smooth it on and then pat it in. Best of all, it doesn’t go cakey – even on my dry skin and when reapplied throughout the day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Clarins Instant Concealer: In action</span></i></span><b> </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">It’s being marketed specifically as an under-eye concealer and it really does conceal dark circles and brighten this area very well. I’ve also been using it to cover imperfections elsewhere on my face and it does an equally good job there, concealing the thread veins around my nose and the redness on my cheeks and chin, whilst still looking natural. I’m seriously impressed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Here it is on the right side of my face (the left as you look at it) - under the eyes, on the eyelids, around the nose and on the cheeks and chin - I look so much fresher and all the redness has been well concealed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><span style="color: #e06666;">Clarins Instant Concealer: Should you buy it?</span></i></span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">There are currently only three shades in the range so it’s not ideal if you have very dark skin. I have 01 which is a perfect match for my pale complexion. At £21.00, it’s an investment product but one which really delivers for me. I would definitely purchase it again – even if I don’t have enough Boots points to foot the bill next time!<br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">You can buy the Clarins Instant Concealer <a href="http://www.boots.com/en/Clarins-Instant-Concealer_1367934/">HERE</a>.</span>Miss Mojitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007817543945112447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603632791822523444.post-29960021130037475782014-10-13T14:59:00.000+01:002014-10-13T16:42:00.549+01:00Review | Rimmel Sun Shimmer Instant Tan BB Skin Perfector<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xieGnjBU1co/VDvYF5sNwKI/AAAAAAAAKEU/LZaPJMPx0Ls/s1600/IMG_20141013_132536.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Rimmel Sun Shimmer Instant Tan BB Skin Perfector Review" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xieGnjBU1co/VDvYF5sNwKI/AAAAAAAAKEU/LZaPJMPx0Ls/s1600/IMG_20141013_132536.jpg" height="640" title="The Beauty Scriptures" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Rimmel Sun Shimmer Instant Tan BB Skin Perfector in Light Matte</span></i></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">A 20p sized blob applied on a tanning mitt created a natural-looking colour.</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Before and after: milk bottle legs, be gone with you!</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Autumn’s well and truly here and if you’re anything like me, you’ll be rejoicing at the fact that you can <i>finally </i>start wearing the opaque black tights that have been banished to the back of the drawer all summer. But sometimes, even as the temperature drops, black tights don’t look quite right and bare legs have to make an appearance. </span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Whilst I try and rock the pale and <strike>tragic</strike> interesting look most of the time, I have milk bottles where my legs should be and it’s just a fact of life that they look better with a little bit of colour. I’m not averse to a pair of <i>very </i>sheer nude tights with the right outfit, but the ever-increasing baby bump means my existing pairs are currently redundant.<b> </b>Similarly, me and fake tan have a long and chequered history, because frankly, I can’t be arsed with the faff of it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">That’s why I was intrigued by the promises being made by the <i><b>Rimmel Sun Shimmer Instant Tan BB Skin Perfector</b></i>* in <i><b>Light Matte</b></i>. It’s claim to offer 24 hours of natural looking matte tan which can simply be washed off appealed to my lazy sensibilities. As with most fake tan, good preparation and a bit of patience make all the difference, so exfoliating and moisturising beforehand will create a smooth base. I did this the night before to save time on the day. Although technically a wash-off product, I didn’t trust it enough not to end up with orange palms, so I applied it with a mitt which was far less messy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">My impatience got the better of me the first couple of times I used it and there were some streaks at the back of my calves which didn’t look great. But this time I made sure I spent plenty of time rubbing it in – when I thought I’d blended it enough, I blended some more and it seemed to do the trick: I achieved a natural-looking tan in less than 10 minutes. If you prefer a darker shade, you could easily get a more intense colour by using more product. As it was, a 20p sized blob was enough to do each of my pale legs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Overall, I was impressed with the <i><b>Rimmel Sun Shimmer Instant Tan BB Skin Perfector</b></i>. It’s a great value product which is ideal for fake-tan-phobes like myself, or for time-pressed tan fans. I suspect I’ll get quite a bit of use out of it in the Spring and Summer. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Have you tried it yet? Or are there any other wash-off tans which you can recommend?<b> </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><a href="http://www.boots.com/en/Sunshimmer-Instant-Tan-+-BB-Perfector-Light-Matte_1421363/?cm_mmc=pla-_-google-_-PLAs-_-Boots+Shopping+-+Category+-+Beauty">Rimmel Sun Shimmer Instant Tan BB Skin Perfector</a> | £6.99<br /> </span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">*I’m completely ignoring the BB claim as, frankly, I’m not convinced it’s anything other than marketing speak.</span></i>Miss Mojitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007817543945112447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603632791822523444.post-76886684810662631322014-10-03T14:11:00.004+01:002014-10-03T14:11:54.272+01:00Berry Nice: Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lip Colour in 08 Grand Cru<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L7Xw1NSO0Pw/VC6Z4PNAYaI/AAAAAAAAJhw/EuLeTr3j4Oo/s1600/IMG_20141002_162143.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lip Colour in 08 Grand Cru" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L7Xw1NSO0Pw/VC6Z4PNAYaI/AAAAAAAAJhw/EuLeTr3j4Oo/s1600/IMG_20141002_162143.jpg" height="640" title="The Beauty Scriptures Beauty Blog" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">7am: Bold lips from the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lip Colour in 08 Grand Cru</span></i></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>5pm: Excellent longevity from this matte lip product, albeit with a little bit of dryness in the centre of the lips</i></span></span></span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I don’t know about you, but with the onset of Autumn I find myself wanting to mix things up in the make-up department. The bright corals and pinks that I’ve worn all summer no longer appeal. I prefer something warmer. Something more, well, autumnal. </span></b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>Enter the berry lip. This one from Bourjois – their <a href="http://www.boots.com/en/Bourjois-Rouge-Edition-Velvet-lipstick_1459266/">Rouge Edition Velvet Lip Colour in 08 Grand Cru</a> – sure does pack a real punch. Forget the whole subtle <i>“I’ve just been eating cherries and they’ve stained my lips”</i> look. This product offers amazing colour pay-off which is not for the faint-hearted. </b><br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">So what’s good about it?</span></span></i></span> <br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">It’s an incredibly pigmented matte product. </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Generally, I find matte textures too drying but this one fares pretty well, even on my parched lips. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Now let’s just take a moment to admire the gorgeous colour. The texture may not be up everyone's street </span>but the colour itself is actually very wearable and would suit most skin tones. </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">The
two images above were taken at different times of the day - it's
showing a little more pink in the lower image when the light wasn't as
good, but generally I'd describe it as a red-toned berry shade. </span></span>It’s perfect for the upcoming season and is a great alternative to classic red for lovers of a bold lip.</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"></span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">The best thing about this product for me though is the very impressive staying power. Once applied, give it a minute or so to set then you’re good to go for the rest of the day. I applied just one layer at 7am and it survived a full day at work with back to back meetings, breakfast, lunch and innumerable snacks in between. Normally, I would top-up my lip colour at lunch, but I didn’t on this occasion to give it a really good road-test and it fared very well. You can see in the above image that my lips do look dry by the end of the day, but there’s still a noticeable layer of colour there. I can’t think of many other products that would offer that level of longevity.<br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">What’s not so good?</span></i></span><br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I found the application a little tricky to master at first. The doe-foot applicator delivers a slightly uneven amount of colour as it glides over the lip, so you have to be really precise. Because the colour is so pigmented, any mistakes are noticeable. Now, I’m not normally a fan of lip liner but a very fine line around the outer edge of the lip did seem to help resolve this. I applied a thin layer of the <b><i>Rouge Edition Velvet Lip Colour</i></b> in the line, then blended it in with my finger and I think that gave the best effect. <br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Once you’ve practiced this technique a couple of times, it seems to work very well and the pigmentation and longevity are worth the patience and time it requires to achieve a polished look. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Overall, the <b>Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lip Colour</b> in 08 Grand Cru gets the thumbs up from me and I’m looking forward to experimenting with the rest of my make-up to really show off the gorgeous colour to its best effect.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I picked up my Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lip Colour in 08 Grand Cru from <a href="http://www.boots.com/en/Bourjois-Rouge-Edition-Velvet-lipstick_1459266/">Boots </a>and it was £8.99.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><i><b>Will you be trying it or do you run a mile from matte lipsticks?</b></i></span>Miss Mojitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007817543945112447noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603632791822523444.post-35418444020726389852014-09-09T13:12:00.003+01:002014-09-09T13:12:23.808+01:00Dye: Why you should patch test EVERY time<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>I have very fair eyelashes and eyebrows and I began dyeing them when I was about 15. Every couple of months for four years I temporarily didn’t look like a boiled egg without make-up on. Yay! Then one time things went wrong...</b> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">When I was 19 I went to have my eyelashes dyed at a reputable salon attached to a 4* hotel. Things looked great for the first 24 hours. Then the itching started. Then the redness. Soon my eyes felt like they were on fire. Bloodshot doesn’t even begin to cover it. Think albino-red-eyed rabbit. I looked like I’d been on a marathon crying session for weeks. It took four days for the pain and redness to go away.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kViLDiwLv-A/VAR8caml0bI/AAAAAAAAHbg/rOuX0ZbIRCY/s1600/Ivory%2BMini%2BRex%2BSatin%2BBuck.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kViLDiwLv-A/VAR8caml0bI/AAAAAAAAHbg/rOuX0ZbIRCY/s1600/Ivory%2BMini%2BRex%2BSatin%2BBuck.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Yep, this is what my eyes looked like</span></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Contaminated equipment?</span></i></span></span></span> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Because I’d used dye so many times before I assumed the salon had used contaminated equipment. It never occurred to me that I may be having an allergic reaction. I called the salon to complain, they assured me they only use clean equipment, offered me a free appointment (which I declined to accept) and that was the end of that. The experience put me off using dye and I relied on mascara and eyebrow pencil to add colour to my facial features from there on in.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Take two</span></i></span> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Until a few years later that is… This time I had my eyebrows dyed at an established salon which had been recommended to me. Again, things looked great at first. 24 hours later my brows started itching. REALLY itching. </span></span><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">A few hours later they were bright red. </span></span>I was in pain. For days afterwards I was left with hideous, itchy scaly crusts where my eyebrows should have been. <br />
</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The penny drops</span></i></span> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">At this point I put two and two together and realised that, at some point, for some unknown reason, I had developed an allergic reaction to dye. Suffice to say, I have never coloured my lashes or brows since.<br />
</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Noooo! Not hair dye too?</span></i></span> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">When
I recently visited a new hair salon to get my light blonde hair dyed a few shades darker, I was surprised to be asked to pop in for
a patch test in advance. So many places just don’t bother. (</span></span><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Neither of the salons I went to for the eyelash and brow dye offered me one by the way.) </span></span>I have my
hair highlighted a couple of times a year and have never experienced any
problems on my scalp, so I hadn’t expected there to be any issues. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>THANK
GOD</b> <b>THEY DID!</b> The next day, the itching started and the spot behind my
ear where they’d applied the dye was red raw and painful. I was 5 months
pregnant at the time. Had the colour been applied all over my scalp,
the result could have been very serious. My stylist was great when I
went back in to explain what had happened. She suggested doing another patch test
of a lighter shade (which I didn’t react to) and used barrier cream on
my scalp before applying the dye as an extra precaution. </span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dcOY0IqK89Q/VAR6OJr3jII/AAAAAAAAHbQ/bJgW1frGp-Q/s1600/20140808_072532.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dcOY0IqK89Q/VAR6OJr3jII/AAAAAAAAHbQ/bJgW1frGp-Q/s1600/20140808_072532.jpg" height="640" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Thanks to patch testing, I didn't experience a reaction to my new hair colour</span></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">It’s more common than you think</span></i></span><br />
</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">A goth friend of mine used to dye her mousy hair black every six weeks for years. One time though, she was hospitalised after experiencing a severe reaction to the dye. Her face puffed up so badly her own mother didn’t recognise her. NCIS star, Pauly Perrette, was recently rushed to hospital with a similar experience. She <a href="https://twitter.com/PauleyP/status/490384897878396928">posted this picture</a> on her twitter account of the result. Here's another example of a bad reaction on Welsh woman, Carmen Rowe which the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2109186/Carmen-Rowe-hair-dye-Pictures-swollen-face-woman-25-allergic-reaction.html">Daily Mail</a> reported on back in 2012.</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NGC5DVl-gcc/VA1eGDLZ_rI/AAAAAAAAHxk/43YVajC6k2A/s1600/dye%2Bjob.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NGC5DVl-gcc/VA1eGDLZ_rI/AAAAAAAAHxk/43YVajC6k2A/s1600/dye%2Bjob.jpg" height="382" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Carmen Rowe's severe reaction to hair dye</span></i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Having since done some research into this, it seems that it’s fairly common for people who have used dye – be it on their head, brows or lashes – for years without any problems to all of a sudden develop an allergic reaction. In the worst cases it can lead to anaphylactic shock or even death. The offending ingredient is para-phenylenediamine (PPD) and darker brown and black dyes are much more likely to cause a reaction.<br />
</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">What's the answer?</span></i></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Patch test EVERY TIME. For people who have never experienced a problem with dye, I’m aware that this feels like an unnecessary step. It really isn’t. A reaction can occur at any time, even after years of use.</span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>DIY dye-er?</b><br />
If you dye your hair, lashes or brows yourself at home, plan ahead. Patch test behind your ear at least 24 hours before applying the dye to your head. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>Salon dye-er?</b><br />
All good salons should offer patch tests before any treatment, but very few actually do. Especially with regular clients. You may have to suggest it yourself and it may be a bit of an inconvenience, but it’s worth taking the time to pay a visit to the salon in advance (at least 24 hours) of your appointment to get a patch test done. </span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Of course, the
best precaution is to not use dye at all. If that's not an option,
lighter shades tend to be less problematic. You could also consider
natural alternatives, such as vegetable dyes or henna for your hair, but there are no alternatives for lashes and brows as far as I'm aware.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"></span></span><ul>
</ul>
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #e06666;">Symptoms to look out for</span></span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Worryingly, more and more stories seem to be emerging of people patch testing and still experiencing a reaction, but I wonder if this is more a case of symptoms not being picked up on rather than them not being there at all. </span></span>Things to look out for include include redness, inflamed skin and itching.</span></span><br />
<ul>
</ul>
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>So
what do you think? Will you start getting patch-tested before each dye
job? Have you ever experienced an allergic reaction to dye? Leave a
comment below and share your experiences.</b></span></span> </span></span><br />
<ul>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><a href="http://www.allergyuk.org/skin-allergy/reactions-to-hair-dye">Allergy UK</a> offer some more useful advice and information about hair dye allergies.<br />
</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br />
</span></span>Miss Mojitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007817543945112447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603632791822523444.post-34302571471265821252014-08-27T12:58:00.000+01:002014-08-27T12:58:16.295+01:001970s inspired vintage wedding<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier;">I was recently lucky enough to be involved
in a gorgeous 1970's inspired wedding photo-shoot which has now been featured
on the <a href="http://festivalbrides.co.uk/vintage-hippie-styled-shoot-by-diamonds-doodles">Festival
Brides</a> wedding blog - very exciting!</span><span style="font-family: Courier;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier;">It was a real treat for me to be able to
get creative with my make-up bag to help produce a stunning vintage feel. Of
course, the make-up look that I created was only one part of the equation and I
loved seeing the looks come together over the course of the evening as some
talented people got to work on our models, Grace and Flick.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier;">The shoot was both styled and shot by
Shelley Richmond. As well as being an amazing photographer at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DiamondsAndDoodles">Diamonds and Doodles</a>,
Shelley also runs a budget wedding blog, <a href="http://www.prettythrifty.co.uk/">Pretty Thrifty</a>. If you’re a
bride-to-be looking for inspiration on how to do a budget wedding in style, you
should definitely take a look. I’m not even getting married and I love reading
the blog!</span><span style="font-family: Courier;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/amymacshairups?fref=ts">Amy McCullagh</a> did an
amazing job with the hair, and the flowers and flower crowns (HOW gorgeous?) were by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ofthewildflowers">of the wild</a>. Proving that
wedding dresses don’t have to cost a fortune, the dresses used in the shoot
were all supplied by <a href="http://www.vintedge448.co.uk/">Vintedge</a> and
Vintage Sweetheart.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier;">Here are some behind-the-scenes shots taken on my
phone, but I was blown away when I saw Shelley’s final edit over at <a href="http://festivalbrides.co.uk/vintage-hippie-styled-shoot-by-diamonds-doodles">Festival
Brides</a>. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier;">Take a look - I'd love to know what you
think. </span>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier;">x</span><br />
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Miss Mojitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007817543945112447noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603632791822523444.post-30467800927119319412014-08-18T20:16:00.001+01:002014-08-19T08:01:56.958+01:00The Best Hair Mask You'll Ever Use (and four other ways with coconut oil)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: #222222; font-size: 11.5pt;">It may be more commonly found in the kitchen cupboard than the bathroom cabinet, but invest in a tub of virgin coconut oil and your skin, hair and nails will only thank you. </span></span></b><br />
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<span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 11.5pt;">Solid in the tub, once warmed into your hands it melts into an unctuous, versatile oil that smells delicious.</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 15px;">With no hidden nasties, preservatives, fragrances or chemicals, the best thing about it is that it’s completely natural.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: #222222; font-size: 11.5pt;">I’ve had a tub of Coconoil Organic Virgin Coconut Oil on the go for months now and there's still plenty left – amazing value at just £10.45 for a huge 460g tub. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 11.5pt;">Any coconut oil will do though, just make sure it's the virgin variety as that's when it's at its most pure. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 11.5pt;">Here are my favourite ways to use it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: initial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">1. </span><span style="font-size: large;">The best hair mask you’ll ever use</span></span></span></i></span><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: #222222; font-size: 11.5pt;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: #222222; font-size: 11.5pt;"><b>If your hair is dry, coloured, over straightened or is just looking a bit lacklustre, I recommend giving a coconut oil mask a go.</b> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: #222222; font-size: 11.5pt;">It has the ability to transform my dry, frizzy locks into shiny frizz-free curls in a way that no other product has ever been able to do. Its anti-bacterial qualities make it a good choice for people who suffer from scalp conditions, such as dandruff, too. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: #222222; font-size: 11.5pt;">I’m usually a fan of treatments that get to work instantly, but alas, there are no short-cuts here. You need to leave the oil on for at least an hour – longer if possible – to really feel the benefits. I tend to use it when I’m hibernating at home with no likelihood of encountering another human being. I’ll apply it in the morning, go about my daily business (i.e. binge-watching cooking programmes), then wash it off a few hours later.</span></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: #222222; font-size: 11.5pt;"> </span></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: #222222; font-size: 11.5pt;">Section off dry hair and apply the oil generously all over. I find it works better applying it in sections than in one go – especially if you have thick hair.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 11.5pt;">Pay extra attention to the ends, as this tends to be where hair is most damaged.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 11.5pt;">Remember to rub the oil it into your roots too, as it is great at nourishing the scalp. Don’t worry about it leaving your hair looking greasy, as it will be washed out later.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 11.5pt;">Wrap hair in a warm towel or a shower cap and leave for at least an hour.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 11.5pt;">Shampoo twice and condition as normal.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: initial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">2.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> Facial cleanser</span></span></span></i></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 11.5pt;"><b>Coconut oil is an excellent deep cleanser which makes nifty work of removing even stubborn eye make-up.</b> </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 11.5pt;">Simply massage about a teaspoon-full in well, then wipe away with a damp muslin or flannel. Repeat if you’ve been wearing a full face of make-up or sunscreen to ensure every last bit of grease, grime and dirt have been removed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: initial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">3.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> Post-hair-removal soother</span></span></span></i></span><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: #222222; font-size: 11.5pt;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 11.5pt;"><b>Whether you’re a Nair on the top-lip girl, a bikini-line shaver or a leg epilator, hair removal can leave skin sore and dry afterwards.</b> </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 11.5pt;">Coconut oil is the best post-hair-removal soother I’ve used. It quickly imparts moisture back into the skin, calms any redness and quickly soothes itching or burning. I won’t ever be without it for this purpose alone.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: initial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">4.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> Cuticle oil</span></span></i></span></span><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: #222222; font-size: 11.5pt;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: #222222; font-size: 11.5pt;"><b>Man, my cuticles are in terrible condition. My nails aren’t much better.</b> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: #222222; font-size: 11.5pt;">They’re just so damn dry all the time. I’ve made it my mission to remember to rub a little bit of coconut oil into the cuticles each evening. I've been doing it for about a month and they certainly feel more nourished and look less flakey. I just need to keep it up now.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: initial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">5.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> Body moisturiser</span></span></span></i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: #222222; font-size: 11.5pt;"><b>Many body lotions use coconut oil as a base anyway. Apply this all-natural alternative straight from the tub for well moisturised limbs.</b> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: #222222; font-size: 11.5pt;">It sinks in surprisingly quickly (just give it a few minutes before putting your clothes on) and leaves a lovely sheen to the skin. You will smell so good you may want to lick yourself afterwards though.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: #222222; font-size: 11.5pt;"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Coconoil-Organic-Virgin-Coconut-460g/dp/B002DFDT9E"><i>Buy Coconoil Virgin Coconut Oil</i></a></span></span><br />
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<b style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 15px;">So there are my five ways with coconut oil that don't involve cooking. Is there anything I've missed?</b></div>
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Miss Mojitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007817543945112447noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603632791822523444.post-77451195713695389892014-07-29T12:35:00.005+01:002014-07-29T14:50:48.964+01:00Metallic make-up look using my favourite budget eyeshadow palette<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1kUOcRf1pMI/U9dM0Oc_xUI/AAAAAAAADQY/7mjZiSEz2rQ/s1600/20140529_180945.jpg" height="640" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="360" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Molten metallic eye look created using <br />Sleek's iDivine palette in Storm</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I’d not long had <b>Sleek’s iDivine palette in Storm</b> when I <a href="http://thebeautyscriptures.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/bargain-eyeshadow-palette.html" target="_blank">blogged about it</a> back in May. Whilst I liked it then, a true test of a product is how much use it gets after the initial New Purchase excitement has dissipated. A couples of months in, I still love it.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">As is often the case with palettes, there are some colours that I’ve not used much but there are a few shades that I’ve been wearing almost every day – day and night. </span></span><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Molten and shimmery yet very wearable, individually they are gorgeous. Together they are the perfect trio:</span></span></span></span> </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>Sand Storm</b>: A gorgeous warm-toned gold. Often these type of shades can be too yellow which is hard to pull off, but this has a slight copperyness to it which makes it very flattering.</span></span> </blockquote>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>Thunder Storm</b>: This pretty cool-toned gold suits most skin tones, and again, doesn't contain too much yellow.<b></b></span></span> </blockquote>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>Dust Storm</b>: Rich and sumptuous, this is a warm-toned rust-bronze that will complement all eye colours, but it really makes blue eyes pop.</span></span></blockquote>
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Combined with the matte <b>Calm Before The Storm</b> and <b>Eye Of The Storm</b> - neutral-toned nudes that are great for shading (and for eyebrows) - you can create numerous wearable looks for every day or for a special occasion using these five shades.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_THcwQtyi9U/U9dI1b20gKI/AAAAAAAADQI/6e5zB1vVFro/s1600/2014-05-11+18.08.36+-+text+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_THcwQtyi9U/U9dI1b20gKI/AAAAAAAADQI/6e5zB1vVFro/s1600/2014-05-11+18.08.36+-+text+4.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Here I've used them with some other fantastic drugstore products on my friend Grace to create what I think is the perfect look for these balmy summer evenings. Not only is it simple to achieve it's affordable too, with every product coming in at less than £10.00.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7-Klwhw_L04/U9ZGNFiWCxI/AAAAAAAADPo/Gzrrl5q9sSw/s1600/20140529_171511.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7-Klwhw_L04/U9ZGNFiWCxI/AAAAAAAADPo/Gzrrl5q9sSw/s1600/20140529_171511.jpg" height="640" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Before</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GWNqcBpPn3w/U9ZG5l-4f_I/AAAAAAAADP0/_szg3VmBwwo/s1600/20140529_180952.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GWNqcBpPn3w/U9ZG5l-4f_I/AAAAAAAADP0/_szg3VmBwwo/s1600/20140529_180952.jpg" height="640" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">After: </span></span></i></span><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Metallic eyes + nude peachy lips = gorgeous</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Achieve the look</span></span></i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>1.</b> Start by applying a light wash of Maybelline Colour Tattoo Cream Eyeshadow in <a href="http://www.boots.com/en/Maybelline-EyeStudio-Color-Tattoo-24hr-Cream-Gel-Eyeshadow_1253778/" target="_blank">On and On Bronze</a> across the eyelid. The colour won't end up showing through, but it acts as a fantastic base for powder shadows. Think of it as a (budget) coloured eye primer.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>2.</b> Next use the pale gold shade from the <b>Storm</b> palette, <b>Thunderstorm</b>, all over the eyelid.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>3.</b> Apply the warm gold shade, <b>Sand Storm</b>, to the outer third of the lid - blending upwards above the crease slightly.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>4.</b> Lightly apply the rust-bronze shade, <b>Dust Storm</b>, to the crease, blending well.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>5.</b> Next, take the same shade, <b>Dust Storm</b>, along the upper and lower lash line, building up until you get your desired level of colour.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>6.</b> Lastly, apply lashings of black mascara. I used my trusty <a href="https://maxfactor.co.uk/make-up-products/eyes/mascara/max-factor-masterpiece-max" target="_blank">Max Factor Masterpiece Max</a> here after curling Grace's lashes.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>7.</b> The look is finished off with a combination of <b>Calm Before The Storm</b> and <b>Eye Of The Storm</b> on the brows, and a gentle wash of peach on the cheeks (<a href="http://www.asos.com/Bourjois/Bourjois-Cream-Blush/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=3198242" target="_blank">Bourjois Cream Blush in 01 Nude Velvet</a>) and lips (<a href="http://www.boots.com/en/Bourjois-Rouge-Edition-Lipstick_1290744/" target="_blank">Bourjois Rouge Edition in 17 Rose milesime</a>).</span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-87XJqLF-K7I/U9dNayK0DvI/AAAAAAAADQg/PXPI62sWvbI/s1600/20140529_181003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-87XJqLF-K7I/U9dNayK0DvI/AAAAAAAADQg/PXPI62sWvbI/s1600/20140529_181003.jpg" height="640" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">You'd never know that every product used here cost<br />less than £10.00</span></span></i></span></span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">This is a really achievable look for every budget and skin tone. In fact, Grace loved it so much she went out and bought pretty much everything I used the very next day!</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>Have you tried any of the other Sleek palettes? Are there any shades you can recommend?</b> </span></span></span>Miss Mojitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007817543945112447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603632791822523444.post-16433956413292581612014-07-10T09:05:00.001+01:002014-07-10T09:09:21.097+01:00Stuff you need to know about facial sunscreen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WnSLGkCYR9Y/U746I94g5KI/AAAAAAAADN0/U--twBQtR_0/s1600/IMG_20140614_210955.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WnSLGkCYR9Y/U746I94g5KI/AAAAAAAADN0/U--twBQtR_0/s1600/IMG_20140614_210955.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>I don’t need to tell you that you need to wear sunscreen on your face every day, right? </b><br /> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;">You need to wear sunscreen on your face every day.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;">And yes, that includes the male contingent amongst you.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;">There are lots of reasons why you should, and even more reasons why people don't. Partly, I think this is down to misleading marketing about other facial products which contain low levels of SPF. Partly it's because, let's face it, everyone looks and feels better with a tan. Partly because the notoriously rubbish British weather fools us into thinking we don't need it. And partly because we just can't be arsed.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you've ever thought any of the following statements, you may want to think again...</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>“But my moisturiser/primer/foundation/WHATEVER has SPF in it.”</i> </span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;">Most make-up and skincare products containing SPF don’t provide anywhere near enough protection, nor do we apply enough of them to be effective. Not even on mildly sunny days in the UK. </span></span></blockquote>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>“I have dark skin and never burn.”</i> </span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;">You may not see any immediate effects, but the sun’s rays still cause skin damage and will still give you wrinkles prematurely. And if vanity isn't reason enough, you’re still at risk of skin cancer.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></blockquote>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">"I applied sunscreen a few hours ago/this morning/LAST WEEK so I don't need any more."</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Welllll, you kinda do. Ideally you should reapply every four hours. More frequently if you're in a humid environment, you've been swimming, or you're a bit, well, sweaty.<span style="font-size: small;"> This isn't always possible, but it's worth bearing in mind.</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>“I want a tan.” </i></b><br />You’ll still tan with SPF30. You just won't burn.</span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;">You can of course slap on any old sunscreen, so long as it’s SPF30 (minimum) and offers broad-based protection against UVA and UVB rays. But I have sensitive skin and eyes, I wear make-up most days and I hate the feel of sticky sunscreen so I find specially designed facial products to be much more suitable for the job. Whichever type you go for, the key is to apply it generously and don't rub it in too much - you'll just be rubbing away its effectiveness.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;">These ones won’t interfere with your make-up or leave you looking like an oil-slick. And because I don't particularly want to look like a moomin all summer, nor do they leave a white cast on the skin, which so many do. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;">My current favourite is the </span></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.boots.com/en/Soap-Glory%E2%84%A2-Make-Yourself-Youthful%E2%84%A2-Sunshield-Superfluid%E2%84%A2-SPF50-_1438035/">Soap and Glory Sunshield Superfluid</a>. Usually £15, it's on offer for £10 at Boots at the moment and it's just <i>really </i>nice to use. It's lightweight, non-greasy and sinks in quickly with no hint of white residue. I'd say it would work on most skin types. Pretty impressive for an SPF50 at a great price. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.boots.com/en/La-Roche-Posay-ANTHELIOS-FACE-ANTI-SHINE-FLUID-SPF30-50ml_1102656/">La Roche Posay ANTHELIOS Anti Shine Fluid</a>, is particularly good if you have very oily skin. It's usually £15.50 but is also currently on offer for £11.62 at Boots. Other good ones are <a href="http://www.johnlewis.com/clinique-super-city-block-spf40-40ml/p47881?navAction=jump">Clinique City Block</a>, £18 and <a href="http://www.feelunique.com/p/Vichy-Capital-Soleil-Face-Velvety-Cream-SPF50-50ml">Vichy Capital Soleil,</a> £14.50.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;">A worthwhile investment in your looks and your health.</span></span>Miss Mojitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007817543945112447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603632791822523444.post-77386515430206157642014-06-26T21:12:00.000+01:002014-06-27T07:36:26.301+01:00I'm having a baby and there are loads of new beauty products to try as a result<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f2pF7oMb7rQ/U6xup1ptNBI/AAAAAAAAC9M/UddRM6UzfOQ/s1600/IMG_20140626_181247.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #444444;"><img alt="The Beauty Scriptures" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f2pF7oMb7rQ/U6xup1ptNBI/AAAAAAAAC9M/UddRM6UzfOQ/s1600/IMG_20140626_181247.jpg" height="640" title="Bump at 17 weeks" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><i>17 week bump.</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><b style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">So you may have noticed that things have been a bit quiet on <i>The Beauty Scriptures</i> recently. Don’t worry, I’ve not given up on this blogging business just yet. I am in fact, having a baby.</b><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Previously my response to that would have been, <i>“And what? You’re pregnant, not ill!”</i> Alas, I fear my aforementioned lack of sympathy for pregnant women has karma coming back round to bite me on my (ever expanding) ass because, truthfully, I’m finding things pretty tough. Nothing could have prepared me for how so ridiculously exhausting this pregnancy malarky is. I’m just so tired. </span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">All. </span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">The. </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bloody. </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">Time.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">And no, I don’t want to hear that </span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">“it’s only downhill from here”</i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;"> or </span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">“if you think it’s bad now, just wait until the little’un is born”</i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Nope, that’s not helpful. All I want to do is sleep. Zzzzzzzz.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anyway, back to the matter in hand. My ever-changing body has opened my eyes to a new world of products that claim to soothe my aching limbs, give me a bit of a boost or prevent stretch marks. It’s the latter which I’m most interested in so I’ve been slathering on a whole host of lotions and potions ever since I found out I was expecting. Some are specifically designed for the job, others are standard body lotions and oils.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">But here’s the thing about stretch marks: You’re either predisposed to developing them or not, and no product can <i>really </i>penetrate the epidermis far enough down to actually make a difference. This is where brand marketing and science don’t exactly match up. </span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17.25px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Having said that, the more natural a product is, the more likely it is to be effective at nourishing the top epidermal layers, so may help reduce light stretch marks. Nut and plant oils (virgin coconut, almond, argan etc) are best because their molecules are easily absorbed into the skin. On that note, </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m always </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17.25px; white-space: pre-wrap;">skeptical</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of scientific-sounding unpronounceable ingredients, but even more so now that I have a human growing inside me - I’d quite like to know what I’m putting onto my body, thanks very much.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">Whilst I know the facts and am aware of the limited ability of topical products to make a difference to stretch marks, it makes me feel better to look after myself during this massive period of change that my body is going through.</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I massage the lotion or oil into my boobs, stomach, bum and thighs after my evening shower, before applying any surplus on the rest of my body. Then I go to bed. At about 8.30pm...</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2lNtI_7GdGs/U6xuy_sWDRI/AAAAAAAAC9c/tLCr3D1K4-A/s1600/IMG_20140624_210934.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #444444;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2lNtI_7GdGs/U6xuy_sWDRI/AAAAAAAAC9c/tLCr3D1K4-A/s1600/IMG_20140624_210934.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><i>Lotions and potions.</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Interestingly, of the products I’ve tried so far, I’ve least enjoyed using the specialist stretch-mark products from a couple of trusted brands. Let’s start with the </span><a href="http://www.boots.com/en/Champneys-Moisturising-Duo-Gift-Set_1311327/" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; line-height: 1.15; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: 15px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Champneys Blissful Bump Moisturising Duo</span></a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (£15.00). This set contains an oil and a body lotion. There are some nice, natural ingredients in there like coconut oil and shea butter, but a whole load of other things which I can’t pronounce too. The oil is a lovely texture and the body lotion is rich and creamy, but man, this stuff STINKS. I’m not the first mum-to-be to experience a heightened sense of smell - it’s a common side-effect of pregnancy - so I’m surprised that they’ve gone for something so potent. I <i>think </i>it’s supposed to be a floral scent, but all I can smell is sourness. You know when vinegary salad has been lingering in the fridge a bit too long? <i>That</i>. Not for me I’m afraid. I’ve given the set to a pregnant friend whose nose is less sensitive.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Next up is the </span><a href="http://www.weleda.co.uk/mummy-too/stretch-mark-massage-oil-100ml/invt/606160" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; line-height: 1.15; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: 15px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Weleda Stretch Mark Massage Oil</span></a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (£15.95, not pictured). It’s an award winning, all-natural product with sweet almond oil as the base and lots of other skin-loving essential oils in there too. I’m finding I need to use a hefty glug to get good slip across the body and it’s left me thinking that you could easily get through a few bottles during a full-term pregnancy which would work out quite costly. Skin does feel well nourished and moisturised after each use though. However, once again I just can’t get on with the scent. I can see where they’re going with it - it’s really natural, almost botanical - but it’s WAY too strong for me. I’ll finish the bottle (on days when I don’t feel too queasy), but I wouldn’t re-purchase it. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The ones I have been enjoying using are the </span><a href="http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/bath-body-care/beautifying-oils/coconut-beautifying-oil.aspx" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; line-height: 1.15; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: 15px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Body Shop Coconut Beautifying Oil</span></a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (£9.00) and the </span><a href="http://www.marksandspencer.com/fresh-blossom-dry-body-oil-150ml/p/p22287458?extid=ps_ggl_UK_Gen_,Beauty+_PLABeauty+--%3E+Bath+&+Body+--%3E+Body+Moisturisers+&+Butters_M&S+Fresh+Blossom+Dry+Body+Oil+150ml?s_kwcid=AL!%7Bef_userid%7D!%7Bef_sid%7D!%7Bcreative%7D!%7Bmatchtype%7D!%7Bplacement%7D!%7Bnetwork%7D!%7Badwords_producttargetid%7D!%7Bkeyword%7D&ef_id=UlvpyAAABHsX4Jp0:20140625130054:s" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; line-height: 1.15; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: 15px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ragdale Hall Fresh Blossom Dry Body Oil</span></a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (£8.50). Only a small amount is needed to get good moisturisation and they sink in quickly. Thankfully, the scents are light and fresh - the Body Shop offering unsurprisingly smells of tropical coconut and the Ragdale Hall one has a delicate floral scent. The list of unpronounceable ingredients in the Fresh Blossom Dry Body Oil does concern me slightly though.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The latest addition to my stretch-mark-busting armour is the </span><a href="http://www.boots.com/en/Palmers-Cocoa-Butter-Formula-Massage-Lotion-For-Stretch-Marks-1-x-250ml_24015/" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; line-height: 1.15; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: 15px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Palmers Cocoa Butter Massage Lotion for Stretch Marks</span></a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (£3.15). This one is pleasant to use and I like the sweet, familiar scent. It’s by far the cheapest of the bunch too. Again though, there’s a lot of </span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 17.25px; white-space: pre-wrap;">unpronounceables</span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in there and it contains a high level of mineral oil. Mineral oil is not, as the name would suggest, a natural oil at all. It’s a by-product of the petroleum industry and is used to make things like Vaseline. It’s also loved by beauty brands because it’s a cheap way to bulk out their products. Mineral oil (or petroleum) creates a barrier on the skin, but it can’t be actually be absorbed into the epidermis. As a result, skin may feel soft to the touch, but don't expect miracles on the stretch-mark-banishing front.</span></span><br />
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<b style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">Apologies for the essay here, but I had more to say than I'd anticipated about the products I've tried up to the four month point in my pregnancy! Are there any others I've missed that I should give a go?</b></div>
Miss Mojitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007817543945112447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603632791822523444.post-27385536065554079902014-06-09T14:06:00.001+01:002014-06-09T14:06:23.960+01:00My Holiday Essentials<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5d3PCOVvc4o/U5Wo3r8FEFI/AAAAAAAAC70/FNBTy5Wgy6Y/s1600/Hat+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5d3PCOVvc4o/U5Wo3r8FEFI/AAAAAAAAC70/FNBTy5Wgy6Y/s1600/Hat+2.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I like big hats and I cannot lie.</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>I’m off to the Greek island of Zante later this week and it probably comes as no surprise to anyone that travelling light is a challenge for me. Over the years though, I’ve learnt that there are a few key items which are essential for a week in the sun. Being deathly pale and prone to being eaten alive by mosquitoes, these mainly revolve around sun protection and insect avoidance. Of course, I'll always make space in my luggage for a touch of glamour too...</b><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></i></span></span></span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The Sunscreen</span></i></span></span><br />Perhaps THE most important holiday purchase. This year I’ve opted for <a href="http://www.boots.com/en/PIZ-BUIN-Ultra-Light-Dry-Touch-Sun-Fluid-SPF30-200ml_1421435/">Piz Buin Ultra-Light Dry Touch Fluid</a>.
It offers broad-based UVA and UVB protection, is beautifully light and
blends in easily. I hate the greasy residue which some sunscreens leave
behind on the skin and, whilst this one isn’t perfect, it’s definitely
the best one I’ve tried. I’ll be doing a whole post about facial
sunscreen soon, but I'm currently trialling this <a href="http://www.boots.com/en/Soap-Glory%C2%99-Make-Yourself-Youthful%C2%99-Sunshield-Superfluid%C2%99-SPF50-_1438035/">Soap and Glory</a> one. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></i></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The Hat</span></i></span></span><br />I bloody love this navy and white polka dot hat (above) which I bought from Primark last year. It travels brilliantly, adds an old-school Hollywood vibe to proceedings, and the wide brim offers excellent sun protection to the face and neck. My other hat of choice is a straw trilby for when I want a more casual look. I’ve also got my eye on this <a href="http://www.asos.com/ASOS/ASOS-Straw-Fedora-Hat-With-Skinny-Band/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=3685060&cid=4174&Rf997=4080&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=204&sort=3&clr=Natural">straw trilby</a> from ASOS.<br /><br /><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The Red Lipstick</span></i></span></span><br />During the day I don’t wear any make-up. I don’t see the point when I’m relaxing by the pool, or wandering around in the heat when make-up is prone to sliding off. The only concession to that is a fabulous red lipstick for instant poolside glamour. My current favourite is <a href="http://www.boots.com/en/Rimmel-London-Colour-Rush-Balm_1376503/">Rimmel Colour Rush Balm</a> in The Redder The Better. <br /><br /><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The Budge Proof Make-Up</span></i></span></span><br />For evenings I favour a light, shimmery look to emphasise any (admittedly minimal) tan I’m likely to pick up. Tinted moisturiser with sunscreen provides light coverage and protection against early evening rays. I’m taking a discontinued Stila one, but <a href="http://www.houseoffraser.co.uk/Laura+Mercier+Tinted+Moisturizer+SPF+20/B063810,default,pd.html">this one from Laura Mercier</a> is also excellent. Powder sets everything in place and keeps shine at bay and I’m currently liking <a href="http://www.superdrug.com/rimmel-london/rimmel-stay-matte-pressed-powder-transparent-1/invt/592471">Rimmel’s Stay Matte Pressed Powder</a> in 01 Transparent. A sweep of Maybelline’s <a href="http://www.boots.com/en/Maybelline-EyeStudio-Color-Tattoo-24hr-Cream-Gel-Eyeshadow_1253778/">Colour Tattoo Cream Gel Shadow</a> in On and On Bronze followed by <a href="http://www.esteelauder.co.uk/product/635/3300/Product-Catalog/Makeup/Eyes/Eyeliners/Double-Wear/Zero-Smudge-Liquid-Eyeliner/index.tmpl">Estee Lauder’s Double Wear Liquid Eyeliner</a> will not budge, no matter how high the temperature gets. Bronzer is a holiday staple and my favourite is <a href="http://www.narscosmetics.co.uk/color/cheeks/bronzer/~/bronzing-powder">Laguna from Nars</a>. With not a hint of orange, it seems to suit all skin tones (even my very pale skin) and whilst it ain't cheap, it lasts for ages and is well worth the investment. The colour rush balm mentioned above is one of the best stains I’ve tried and it offers excellent staying power, but for something less punchy I like <a href="http://www.boots.com/en/Lanolips-Lip-Ointment-with-Colour-Rose_1132908/">Lanolips Lip Ointment</a> in Rose which provides a subtle sheen and excellent hydration.<span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span></i></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The Conditioner</span></i></span></span><br />My naturally wavy hair is prone to frizz at the best of times, but throw sun, sea and chlorine into the mix and things can all-too-quickly turn a bit Monica from Friends. Whereas I usually wash my hair a few times a week, it’s a daily occurrence on holiday and copious amounts of moisturising conditioner is essential for locking in moisture and keeping the flyaways at bay. I’ll be using <a href="http://www.boots.com/en/Toni-Guy-Nourish-Conditioner-for-Dry-Hair-250ml_1234295/">Toni and Guy’s Nourish Conditioner</a> which I really rate. They do it in travel sizes too (currently on 3-for-2 at Boots), which is especially handy.<br /><br /><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The Unscented Stuff</span></i></span></span><br />My blood must taste sweeeet because all biting insects seem to love me. Mosquitoes especially. Unfortunately, I don’t love them quite so much. I’m allergic to their bites and frequently end up with huge infected welts where there should be little spots. Attractive. Trying to avoid getting bitten in the first place is a military operation and step one is not using scented products. If you too are a bug magnet, the best advice I can give is to leave the perfumed stuff at home and give up your scents for a week. The <a href="http://www.boots.com/en/Simple/Simple-washing-bathing/">Simple range</a> is a great place to start and their fragrance-free shower gel is my top pick.<br /><br /><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The Insect Repelling Body Oil-cum-After-Sun</span></i></span></span><br /><a href="http://avonshop.co.uk/product/bath-and-body/skin-so-soft/skin-so-soft-original-dry-oil-body-spray.html">This stuff</a> from Avon should be in every holidaymakers arsenal for its ability to moisturise sun-parched skin and provide protection from insects. Just buy it.<br /><br /><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Bug Guards Insect Repelling Wrist Bands</span></i></span></span><br />I normally have a constant supply of jungle-strength <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DEET">Deet-based</a> insect repellent creams and sprays on me at all times, but I’m 15 weeks pregnant so, alas, these will not be coming with me this time. With its ability to remove nail varnish (really), I know Deet can’t be good for my skin, but it does a fine job of keeping the bugs away so I apply it liberally at all times. Anyway, <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000TGIKXY/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1">these wrist bands</a> combined with the Avon body oil will be insect repelling weapons of choice this year - wish me luck!</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">So there we have it - these are my holiday essentials. Have I missed anything? Is there something you HAVE to take away with you when on holiday? Let me know!</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>x </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"></span>Miss Mojitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007817543945112447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603632791822523444.post-22451796744724159892014-06-04T08:45:00.002+01:002014-06-04T20:11:25.164+01:00The Liebster Blogging Award<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zIbwAl9MzwU/U42IBkGZUzI/AAAAAAAAC5s/PT8eGUEwoKk/s1600/liebster2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Beauty Scriptures" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zIbwAl9MzwU/U42IBkGZUzI/AAAAAAAAC5s/PT8eGUEwoKk/s1600/liebster2.png" height="199" title="Liebster Award" width="200"></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">The lovely Adele from <a href="http://acesparklestar.blogspot.co.uk/">Ace Sparkle Star</a>
has nominated me for a Liebster Blogging Award! </span></b><br>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">The rules are listed at the bottom of this page, but it's basically an online
award to recognise and support bloggers with a low number of
followers (some rules say it's under 200, other say under 1,000). As a
new blogger, this is a great way to spread the word
about my blog and share some of the blogs I enjoy reading too. </span></b><br>
<br><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Scroll down to the bottom to see my nominations. </span></b><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span></span></i></span><br>
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<span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Q & A with Ruth Mojito</span></span></i></span><br>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Me</span></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>Why did you start blogging?</b><br>I love writing, and over the years I’ve picked up quite a bit of knowledge about make-up and beauty products, so it kind of made sense to bring the two together. It took me years to get round to finally doing it though! I was nervous about putting myself out there, but I’m really glad I eventually did. <br><br><b>What’s your favourite thing about blogging?</b><br>One of the things I like about blogging is having an outlet for my creativity, which the day job doesn’t always allow. I also really enjoy trying out new products and make-up looks and being able to share my thoughts with my readers. My favourite thing though is getting feedback from people – when I hear someone saying they’ve enjoyed reading the blog, or they’ve tried and loved a product I’ve recommended, it gives me a great sense of satisfaction.<br><br><b>Where did the inspiration come from for your blog name?</b><br>It was a shower moment after thinking of hundreds of other (rubbish) names. I love the name The Beauty Scriptures – it's memorable and it does what it says on the tin.<br><br><b>Do you prefer a night in or out?</b><br>I'm always partial to a night on the cocktails but I’m increasingly enjoying nights in with good food, good wine and good company. Yes, I am officially old.<br><br><b>Describe your ideal day out.</b><br>I love food, family, friends, sleep, sunshine and being by the sea. A day which involves any or all of these things is a good day. <br><br><b>What’s your favourite film and why?</b><br>I’m not really a film buff, but I could watch Chocolat over and over again. I love the moody French atmosphere, the soundtrack, the actors, Juliette Binoche's amazing wardrobe and of course, the confectionery. Let's gloss over Johnny Depp's questionable Irish accent though....</span><br>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">My two favourites</span></i></span></td></tr></tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>Do you have any pets, if so what?</b></span></span><br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I
have two beloved rescue cats. I found Atticus (the tabby) as a kitten on my
doorstep one cold and rainy November evening three years ago, and I got
Buddy from the Cats Protection a few months later to keep him company. Despite the fact that they wreck my furniture,
puke on my carpet, cost me a fortune and wake me up at crazy hours, they have brought much joy to my life. I'm
definitely a self-confessed crazy cat lady!</span></span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>If you could choose only one brand of make-up what would it be?</b><br>Each brand has different strengths, so this is a tricky one. If I HAD to pick one though, it would probably be Estee Lauder as they do a great range of bases, good lip, eye and blush colours, and their skincare is excellent. </span><br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br><b>High-End or Drugstore?</b><br>My make-up bag is made up of well chosen items from a range of high-end and drugstore brands. I'm always happy to pay for something which does what it claims to do really well, but I'll happily use cheaper alternatives if they are good. If something is effective, or it makes you feel amazing, then it's worth every penny but it should be about value for money, not price. Sometimes you get what you pay for, sometimes you don't and it drives me mad when premium brands charge premium prices for mediocre products. There are some great drugstore items out there which I really enjoy using.<br><b><br>What’s your favourite colour?</b><br>Coral, for its ability to always brighten my day.<b></b><br><b><br>What’s the one item of make-up you can not live without?</b></span><br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Just one? I'll narrow it down to three first. </span><br>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Concealer to cover blotchiness and disguise dark circles. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Mascara for my albino lashes. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Kick ass red lipstick. It brightens my face and instantly makes me feel more polished. </span></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">If you tortured me to make me choose just one, it would have to be the red lipstick. Why? Because hopefully a fabulous bold lip will detract from said blotchiness and albino lashes!</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"></span><br>
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<i><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">11 random facts about me</span></span></span></i><br>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">A very young-looking me on Neighbours' Ramsey Street<br>whilst travelling when I was 21</span></i></span></td></tr>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I'm terribly indecisive. I think.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I went travelling on my own around Australia and Thailand when I was 21. It's the best thing I've ever done.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">If
I had to pick one food to eat for the rest of my life, it would be
pizza. Not just any pizza though - a stone baked, super thin Italian
pizza, preferably with Buffalo mozzarella, basil, artichoke and pine
nuts. Living the middle class dream.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I'm a member of Sheffield's <a href="http://sevenhillswi.blogspot.co.uk/">Seven Hills Women's Institute</a>. Yes, we do bake (and eat) a lot of cakes, but no, we aren't all grannys. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I used to be scared of cats.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">My favourite book is To Kill a Mockingbird. Atticus is such an inspirational character. He does the right thing, despite it being the hardest course of action and it's something we can all learn from. His namesake, my cat Atticus, is just as wise, obvs.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">There's a German Baroness in my not-too-distant family tree. Yes, you may curtsy when you meet me.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I helped to organise a Guinness World Record for the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozmyrzdcsog">most people flipping pancakes</a> in 2012. There were 890 people in total and we're still the record holders!</span> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">My favourite perfume is Dior's Midnight Poison but they've annoyingly discontinued it. I have one bottle left and it's on rations.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I'd love to live abroad at some point. Preferably somewhere sunny, with a view out to sea. You can't get much more different from land-locked Sheffield!</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">A weekend is not a weekend without at least one siesta. Fact.</span></li>
</ol>
<span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">My nominations</span></span></i></span><br>
<br><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">These are some of the blogs I find interesting, inspirational, or just enjoy reading: </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blog/11009987">Kim's Beauty Draw</a> </span><br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><a href="http://rinicawrites.blogspot.co.uk/">Rinica Writes</a> </span><br>
<a href="http://sobadass.me/"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">So Bad Ass</span></a><br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><a href="http://www.prettythrifty.co.uk/">Pretty Thrifty</a></span><br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><a href="http://realalewomeneatpie.tumblr.com/">Real Ale Women Eat Pie</a> </span><br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><a href="http://drjenkinsunts.wordpress.com/">Dr JenkinSunts</a> </span><br>
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<span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">My questions for you</span></span></i></span><br>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">What made you decide to start blogging?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">What's your favourite thing about blogging? </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">What's your least favourite thing about blogging?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Name your top five ideal dinner guests, dead or alive.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">What's been the best experience of your life so far?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Tea or coffee?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">If you had to eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Describe yourself in five words.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Night in or night out?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Do you have any pets?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">What's the one beauty product that you can't live without?</span></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"></span><ol>
</ol>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">And lastly... The Liebster Award Rules </span></span></i></span></span><br>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Thank the person who nominated you, and post a link to their blog on your blog.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Display
the award on your blog — by including it in your post and/or displaying
it using a “widget” or a “gadget”. (Note that the best way to do this
is to save the image to your own computer and then upload it to your
blog post.)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Answer 11 questions about yourself, which will be provided to you by the person who nominated you.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Provide 11 random facts about yourself.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Nominate
5 – 11 blogs that you feel deserve the award, who have a less than 1000
followers. (Note that you can always ask the blog owner this since not
all blogs display a widget that lets the readers know this information!)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Create a new list of questions for the blogger to answer.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">List these rules in your post. Once you have written and published it, you then have to:</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Inform the people/blogs that you nominated that they have been
nominated for the Liebster award and provide a link for them to your
post so that they can learn about it (they might not have ever heard of
it!).</span></span></li>
</ol>
<br>
<ol>
</ol>
Miss Mojitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007817543945112447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603632791822523444.post-1657846494112394382014-05-23T22:12:00.000+01:002014-05-23T22:25:04.411+01:00Guest Post: The Milliner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TswzQwg1tmQ/Uw3ffwP-joI/AAAAAAAACaY/qmf4Th9LhE4/s1600/PhotoGrid_1393398421190.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Imogen's Imagination" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TswzQwg1tmQ/Uw3ffwP-joI/AAAAAAAACaY/qmf4Th9LhE4/s1600/PhotoGrid_1393398421190.jpg" height="640" title="The Beauty Scriptures" width="472" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<b style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I was recently lucky enough to be invited to Imogen Towers to meet Sophie Cooke, the brains behind vintage-inspired headwear brand, Imogen’s Imagination. I’ve been a fan of Sophie’s work for a long time, so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to see where all the magic happens, find out more about the business and, of course, get to try on some of her gorgeous pieces. </b><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span> <span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>From office job to full time milliner…</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">"I’ve always been creative, and I’ve always loved hats, but I never thought it could become a career. I was working in an office job when I started out making mini-top hats for friends on the Sheffield burlesque scene when I started to realise that I was actually pretty good at it, and that there was a market for handmade headwear. After encouragement from family and friends – and the inspiration of my teacher-turned-jeweller Mum – I set up the label in 2005. Nearly ten years on, I never dreamed I would have come this far. For years I juggled work with running the business, but I recently gave up my job to concentrate on the Imogen's Imagination full time. There's been a lot of hard work involved, but starting the business was the best decision I ever made." </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WI1M2EIYAjQ/Uw3fjR2vN9I/AAAAAAAACak/_m3SR9xgHQE/s1600/PhotoGrid_1393397895129-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Imogen's Imagination" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WI1M2EIYAjQ/Uw3fjR2vN9I/AAAAAAAACak/_m3SR9xgHQE/s1600/PhotoGrid_1393397895129-1.jpg" height="640" title="The Beauty Scriptures" width="472" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span> <span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>I don’t pay attention to trends…</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">"Trends come and go, but my pieces are vintage inspired so they’ll never go out of fashion. I use classic shapes, but keep things interesting through the use of colour, texture and accessories – my little birdies are a big seller!" </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span> <span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>To hat or not to hat…</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">"There’s no rule that says you have to wear a hat or a fascinator to a wedding, but if you’re the only one who isn’t wearing one, you may feel uncomfortable. My Mum always used to say that hats didn’t suit her, so making her one which she loved for my brother’s wedding was one of my proudest achievements. In fact, lots of women tell me that they don’t suit hats, but I truly believe it’s just that they haven’t found the right one yet. From a small comb or a simple fascinator, through to a bird-cage veil or a wide-brimmed hat, there’s definitely something out there for everyone. Trying them on can be lots of fun." </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rQOivf9DQpY/Uw3fhLoU2tI/AAAAAAAACac/Rfyh0G5J6ww/s1600/PhotoGrid_1393397895129.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Imogen's Imagination" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rQOivf9DQpY/Uw3fhLoU2tI/AAAAAAAACac/Rfyh0G5J6ww/s1600/PhotoGrid_1393397895129.jpg" height="640" title="The Beauty Scriptures" width="472" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>A confidence boost…</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">"When choosing a hat, there are a few things to think about - your face shape, your colouring, your own personal style, the rest of your outfit and the setting at which the hat will be worn. The end result should not only look great, but should raise your confidence levels too. It gives me so much pride to see my clients walk that little bit taller when they try on their chosen design for the first time."</span> <br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span> <br />
<ul>
<li><b style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Try on Imogen’s Imagination’s fabulous creations for yourself at <a href="http://thehatstand.weebly.com/">The Hat Stand</a> in the Sheffield Winter Gardens Pop-Up Shop until Friday 30th May. </b></li>
<li><b style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Permanent stockists include <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/All-Good-Stuff-at-Butcher-Works/237318426443843">All Good Stuff</a> at Butchers Works Sheffield, <a href="http://www.birdsyardsheffield.co.uk/">Bird's Yard</a> Sheffield, <a href="http://www.franklymydeer.co.uk/">Frankly My Deer</a> Sheffield, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/makersemporium">The Makers Emporium</a> Rotherham, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bellafigurashop">Bella Figura</a> Matlock and <a href="http://millinersguild.com/">UK Milliners Guild</a> Bristol.</b></li>
<li><b style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Visit <a href="http://www.imogensimagination.co.uk/">www.imogensimagination.co.uk</a> </b></li>
</ul>
Miss Mojitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007817543945112447noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603632791822523444.post-91727703220145814902014-05-20T15:19:00.006+01:002014-05-20T18:36:55.565+01:00Buy This Now! British Beauty Blogger Dream Box<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="BBB Beauty Box III" src="http://www.britishbeautyblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/IMG_4774.jpg" height="480" title="BBB Beauty Box III" width="640" /> </span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><b>If like me you love trying new products, but don't want the risk of buying the full size or full price versions, beauty boxes are a great way to dip your toe in the water. Brands like Glossy Box and Birch Box are a lovely way to get a surprise selection of items, but you often have to sign up for a monthly subscription and they charge a delivery fee on top of the standard cost.</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Enter </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">the British Beauty Blogger Dream Box. The brain child of Jane Cunningham, one of the UK's most influential bloggers, each and every product has been tried, tested and verified for quality by the lady herself. I've been lucky
enough to get the previous two British Beauty Blogger boxes and I've
been seriously impressed with the products, so I
have high hopes for this one too. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">For just £20.00, you'll get an amazing selection of samples and full sized beauty products from both budget and luxe brands:</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">1 x Benefit it's potent! eye cream (3g) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">1 x Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara (Full Size, 8ml) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">1 x Elemis Treat Your Feet FOOT CREAM (20ml) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">1 x L'Occitane Divine Lotion (50ml) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">1 x Essie Spring Shades (Full Size, 13.5ml) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">1 x REN Satin Perfection BB Cream (3ml) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">1 x Charlote Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick sachets (1 sachet) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">1 x La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water (50ml) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">1 x ROGER & GALLET Gingembre Rouge (1.5ml vial) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">1 x Janjira Hand Wash (50ml) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">1 x LOLA Make Up Kabuki Brush (Full Size) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">1 x Makeup Revolution Awesome Eyeshadow & Eyebrow Palette (Full Size) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">1 x Bourjois Cream Blush (Full size, 2.5g) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">1 x Kneipp® Herbal Baths (Full Size, 100ml) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">1 x Bee Good Honey & Wild Water Mint 3-in-1 Cleansing Water (Full Size, 100ml) </span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Be quick though - no doubt the </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">British Beauty Blogger Dream Box</span> will sell out fast.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><a href="http://www.latestinbeauty.com/collections/collections/the-british-beauty-blogger-dream-box.html">Buy the British Beauty Blogger Dream Box</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Go! </span>Miss Mojitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007817543945112447noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603632791822523444.post-81230005226608962492014-05-11T22:37:00.000+01:002014-05-11T22:37:44.689+01:00Bargain eyeshadow palette<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>For £7.99, you could be forgiven for having low expectations of the <a href="http://www.superdrug.com/sleek-makeup/sleek-makeup-i-divine-12-piece-shadow-storm/invt/472360">Sleek iDivine <i>Storm</i> palette</a>, but here's one product that under-promises and over-delivers</b>. </span><div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4qc9z86JbuY/U2-wgDpZL9I/AAAAAAAAC3U/TS2_xnl1-tY/s1600/2014-05-11+18.08.36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sleek iDivine Palette in Storm" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4qc9z86JbuY/U2-wgDpZL9I/AAAAAAAAC3U/TS2_xnl1-tY/s1600/2014-05-11+18.08.36.jpg" height="360" title="The Beauty Scriptures " width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><i>Sleek iDivine Storm Palette offers 12 shimmery and matte shades</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FoeKG2X49-s/U2-wrRKsO_I/AAAAAAAAC3k/c0cnc4bsvGI/s1600/20140511_091745.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sleek iDivine Palette in Storm" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FoeKG2X49-s/U2-wrRKsO_I/AAAAAAAAC3k/c0cnc4bsvGI/s1600/20140511_091745.jpg" height="360" title="The Beauty Scriptures " width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><i>Appropriately sleek packaging</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YPa66uONXF8/U2-wL2wHLyI/AAAAAAAAC20/qs7_mHqq8vs/s1600/2014-05-11+18.02.46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sleek iDivine Palette in Storm" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YPa66uONXF8/U2-wL2wHLyI/AAAAAAAAC20/qs7_mHqq8vs/s1600/2014-05-11+18.02.46.jpg" height="560" title="The Beauty Scriptures " width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><i>L-R: Sand Storm, Snow Storm, Calm Before The Storm, Thunder Storm, Perfect Storm, Firestorm</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Tp90mosJ0IQ/U2-v8o-BfFI/AAAAAAAAC2U/yFda2d-WeMQ/s1600/2014-05-11+18.05.59.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sleek iDivine Palette in Storm" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Tp90mosJ0IQ/U2-v8o-BfFI/AAAAAAAAC2U/yFda2d-WeMQ/s1600/2014-05-11+18.05.59.jpg" height="434" title="The Beauty Scriptures " width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><i>L-R: Dust Storm, Gathering Storm, Storm Cloud, Electric Storm, Eye Of The Storm, Blackout</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Shade range</i></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Well, there's a gorgeous mix of twelve shimmery and matte shades, from pale gold through to deepest black. One of the great things about palettes is that the colours have been pre-selected for you so you know they'll work well together and there are endless possibilities for colour combinations here. Of course, each colour can be worn alone too. Each of them is very wearable. The golden and darker shades will suit most skin tones, whilst the pinkier colours </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">will look amazing on darker, Asian and black skin tones. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b>Pigmentation</b></i></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The shadows in the <b><i>Storm </i></b>palette, for the most part, are really well pigmented. The pale shimmery shade, <b><i>Snow Storm</i></b>, hasn't shown up well in the pictures but it actually applies beautifully on the eye. The darker shimmery shades, including <b><i>Sand Storm</i></b>, <b><i>Dust Storm</i></b> and <b><i>Storm Cloud</i></b>, are amazingly well pigmented. </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The two paler matte shades, <b><i>Calm Before The Storm</i></b> and <b><i>Eye Of The Storm</i></b>, don't fare as well on the pigment front, but they are still good for shading in the crease and they work perfectly well as eyebrow colours. The darkest matte shade, <b><i>Blackout</i></b>, is super pigmented. </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">In fact, I had trouble getting it off my arm after swatching.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b>Wear time</b></i></span></div>
<div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Speaking of staying power,</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> I find these shadows work best with a primer underneath. But then so do all eyeshadows on me. I got a good nine hours wear out of them, with only some fading as the day wore on. Without primer, it was more like six hours wear time - still pretty good considering the price. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<b><i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Blendability</span></i></b></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">One thing to note is how soft the shadows are. Whilst this makes blending a breeze, it does result in some drop down. I found it best to tap any excess off the brush and blend the colour into the back of my hand before applying to the eye to minimise drop down</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Packaging</i></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">This palette really is sleek by name and sleek by nature. It's small enough to be easily transportable and comes with a decent mirror inside. The double ended foam applicator isn't something which I'd use as I prefer to use a brush, but it could be good for emergencies I guess.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Dupes</i></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It would be rude to mention this palette without drawing comparisons with its pricier cousins in the <b><a href="http://www.feelunique.com/brands/urban-decay/naked?aff=mrn&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=urban%20decay%20naked%20palettes&utm_campaign=Urban+Decay&mkwid=sHupbFBaq_dc&pcrid=38238766068&pkw=urban%20decay%20naked%20palettes&pmt=e">Urban Decay Naked</a></b> range. Along with </span><b style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Mac</b><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">, </span><b style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Urban Decay</b><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> eyeshadows have been my favourites for years because I really rate their staying power, pigmentation and amazing choice of shades. Whilst the <b>Sleek </b>shadows aren't </span><i style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">quite</i><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> in their league, and the colours not exact matches for the <b>Naked </b>palettes, they give them a damn good run for their money. The <b>Naked </b>palette is £37.00. The <b>Sleek </b>palette is £7.99. 'nuff said.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Verdict</i></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I've been seriously impressed with the <b>Sleek iDivine <i>Storm </i>palette</b>. It offers a gorgeous colour selection and outstanding quality and value for the price. </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">There are 16 other palettes in the <b>iDivine</b> range and I can't wait to give them a go. I picked mine up from Superdrug where there's currently a 3 for 2 offer on.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>Sleek iDivine in <a href="http://www.superdrug.com/sleek-makeup/sleek-makeup-i-divine-12-piece-shadow-storm/invt/472360">Storm</a> | £7.99</i></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> </span></div>
Miss Mojitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007817543945112447noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603632791822523444.post-613726302598603062014-05-08T09:02:00.000+01:002014-05-08T11:22:06.957+01:00Lush Anti-Badger Cull Bath Bomb<b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Brands like Lush and the Body Shop have a long history of using their beauty products to support charitable causes and it's something I always keep an eye out for. What's not to like about contributing to a worthwhile cause whilst handing over pennies for a product you're going to buy and use anyway? </span></b><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ljjBzIZ_8U8/U2s4bq6jyQI/AAAAAAAACxA/fR9m9tpzq4s/s1600/LushMayDayBallistic-Badger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ljjBzIZ_8U8/U2s4bq6jyQI/AAAAAAAACxA/fR9m9tpzq4s/s1600/LushMayDayBallistic-Badger.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">How cute?</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Every penny of LUSH's new badger inspired, <a href="https://www.lush.co.uk/products/bath-bombs/may-day">May Day bath bomb</a> (minus the VAT which has to go to the Government) goes towards anti-badger cull projects in the UK, including <a href="http://www.save-me.org.uk/">SAVE ME</a> - the animal welfare organisation founded in 2010 by Queen guitarist Brian May. </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">If you're against the badger cull too, this adorable limited edition bath bomb will
be right </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">up your street. </span>With fennel oil to stimulate your skin and antiseptic rosewood oil to soothe and uplift, it would make a lovely treat for yourself and an even lovelier gift for wildlife lovers. And at just £2.95 each, you can feel like you're making a difference for the same price as a cup of coffee.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">There are many opposing arguments when it comes to the UK badger cull and it's arguably a more political issue than some beauty charity campaigns. Whatever your standpoint, you've got to admire Lush for sticking their head above the parapet and trying to make a difference for something they believe in.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">May Day bath bomb | £2.95 | Available for one month only from Lush stores or <a href="https://www.lush.co.uk/products/bath-bombs/may-day">online</a></span></i></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br /></span>Miss Mojitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007817543945112447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3603632791822523444.post-83837952255629584022014-05-01T13:33:00.002+01:002014-05-01T13:40:35.951+01:00Review | STEAMCREAM<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>Before we get started with the moisturiser itself, let's just take a moment to appreciate the <i>be-auti-ful</i> packaging of my tin of STEAMCREAM for a second. This was a birthday gift for me recently (I'm an April baby, hence the Aries tin).</b> </span></span></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RynH13r76hk/U2H_FjAe6yI/AAAAAAAACwU/xq_2IwoB6LM/s1600/IMG_20140429_072635.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="STEAMCREAM Review" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RynH13r76hk/U2H_FjAe6yI/AAAAAAAACwU/xq_2IwoB6LM/s1600/IMG_20140429_072635.jpg" height="640" title="The Beauty Scriptures" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Pretty packaging #1.</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Here's the Aquarius version which I bought for my Mum. </span></span></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X31mmufWWDM/U2H_Hk6Pl2I/AAAAAAAACwo/Fl4yNpUK9H4/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="STEAMCREAM Review" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X31mmufWWDM/U2H_Hk6Pl2I/AAAAAAAACwo/Fl4yNpUK9H4/s1600/unnamed.jpg" height="640" title="The Beauty Scriptures" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Pretty packaging #2.</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Aren't they just gorgeous? </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">There are lots of other regular and limited edition designs to choose from which are all equally lovely - from florals to peacock feathers, there's sure to be something that tickles your fancy. Once the cream has run out, they make perfect trinket jars. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">STEAMCREAM smells naturally floral, with a predominant scent of lavender. Even if lavender isn't usually your bag, it's not overpowering. STEAMCREAM is </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>billed as a multi-purpose moisturiser for body, hands and face. I
like the idea of multi-tasking products, but in reality I'd
question its abilities as a body lotion. Personally I prefer something richer and the 75g tin wouldn't last very long if
applied all over regularly. It could be handy for weekend
trips though. </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CgtquhUassc/U2H_H1nvhqI/AAAAAAAACww/LSaDcJ7VD8M/s1600/IMG_20140429_072718.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="STEAMCREAM Review" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CgtquhUassc/U2H_H1nvhqI/AAAAAAAACww/LSaDcJ7VD8M/s1600/IMG_20140429_072718.jpg" height="640" title="The Beauty Scriptures" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">All natural ingredients make for a lovely scent.</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"></span></span></span>I occasionally use it as a hand cream, but for me, STEAMCREAM
is best when used on the face. It's light in texture and just a small amount leaves my normal/combination skin feeling nourished and moisturised. I find it makes a nice base for make up and is rich enough to be used as a night cream too. If used as a day cream, you'll need to use a separate SPF.</span></span></span> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">One of the things I love most about </span></span></span><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">STEAMCREAM is the level of information </span></span></span><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">about <a href="https://www.steamcream.co.uk/info/what-is-steamcream/ingredients/">each of the ingredients</a> on their website. There's no hiding behind fancy-schmancy, unpronounceable names here. </span></span></span><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Of the less pronounceable ingredients there's an explanation about why they've been used. It's so refreshing to know exactly what you're putting onto your skin.</span></span></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Ingredients: Oatmeal Infusion (Avena sativa), Orange Flower Water (Citrus Aurantium amara, Aqua), Almond Oil (Prunus dulcis), Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cacao), Glycerine, Stearic Acid, Triethanolamine, Organic Jojoba Oil (Simmondsia chinensis), Lavender Oil (Lavandula augustifolia), Chamomile Blue Oil (Chamomilla recutita), Orange Blossom Absolute (Citrus Aurantium dulcis), Rose Absolute (Rosa damascena), Neroli Oil (Citrus Aurantium amara), Cetyl Stearyl Alcohol, *Coumarin, *Geraniol, *Citronellol, * Limonene, *Linalool, Perfume, Methylparaben, Propylparaben.</span></span></span></i></blockquote>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I</span></span></span>n
there we have British oatmeal to brighten and soothe irritated skin,
lavender to balance sebum and reduce redness, orange flower water to
hydrate, and sweet almond oil to soften and nourish. </span></span></span>As the name suggests, they use steam to naturally fuse all the ingredients together, which they claim improves absorption into the epidermis. </span></span></span> </span></span></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xNNcThEnV3I/U2H_HjQblaI/AAAAAAAACws/l0ypHENc9xU/s1600/IMG_20140429_072752.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="STEAMCREAM Review" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xNNcThEnV3I/U2H_HjQblaI/AAAAAAAACws/l0ypHENc9xU/s1600/IMG_20140429_072752.jpg" height="640" title="The Beauty Scriptures" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Only a small amount is needed when used as a day or night cream.</span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">So who should try STEAMCREAM? <span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">For the face I'd say it's best for normal to dry complexions. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>It may be too rich for very oily skin during the day but as a night cream it should be ok. Very sensitive skins may need to be careful due to the essential oils, but I have sensitive skin and I've not had any problems with it at all. In fact, I've really been enjoying using it and would definitely re-purchase. The gorgeous range of designs and the quality of the product make it a great gift for women of any age too.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>STEAMCREAM is £12.95 (including free delivery) from <a href="http://www.steamcream.co.uk/">www.steamcream.co.uk</a>.</b></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span></span></span>Miss Mojitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10007817543945112447noreply@blogger.com2