Stroke of Midnight Part II

This product is a gift for someone for Christmas, but I couldn't resist a sneaky peek!

This is the Stroke of Midnight Face Palette in Cool. It's for someone who has very recently started wearing make-up, and the cool tones suit her colouring perfectly. The shadows and pressed powder can be built up to give darker tones or used sparingly for a hint of colour. 

I hope she likes it!

Stroke of Midnight Part I

I've been gawking over the MAC Holiday collection for way too long, and decided the other day to splurge on a couple of my favourites! Tomorrow is my designated Christmas shopping day so watch out MAC Leeds - I'll probably be back!

First up is the Stroke of Midnight Eye Bag in Nude, which includes In Extreme Dimension Lash mascara, Past Twilight Fluidline, Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Utterly Becoming (both pictured below), a double ended eyeliner/eye shader brush and a gorgeous limited edition (two words which always give me palpitations) make up bag.

Utterly Becoming is the most perfect shade for my skin tone, I am utterly in love! It's creamy texture makes it go on really smoothy and it stays put all day. I've been using it with the iridescent powder from the Antonio Lopez face palette and it gives it a gorgeous shimmer which is perfect for night time and not too much for day time! Fluidline is my ultimate favourite when it comes to eyeliner, and this shade is a deep, rich, inky purple which adds just a hint of colour and it's a gorgeous alternative to my traditional black.

I've been wearing these products every day since I got them; the mascara is divine and makes my lashes look thick and full in a way that my high-street brands haven't done for a while. I remember now why I used to splash out on MAC so frequently! 

Candy Mountain Review

Warning: LUSH love ahead!

If you love Snow Fairy, then this has to be your next purchase. Anything called Candy Mountain is guaranteed to have me gravitating towards it. And this gorgeous pink bubble bar is no exception! It smells like a sweet shop, and reminds me so so much of of Snow Fairy - which is my favourite LUSH product ever - so I absolutely loved it!

It turned the bath water a lovely shade of pink, and don't be put off by the glitter! Unlike Sunnyside it doesn't leave you looking like a reject from Twilight, but it does leave a subtle shimmer on your skin which lasts for a while. My skin was deliciously soft and I smelled great all evening. With their bubble crumble mix it can last forever as you can use as little or as much as you like. It's vegan, and uses Fair Trade vanilla absolute, so it ticks all the boxes for me!

Candy Mountains are only £2.65 and are selling super quick, so get down to LUSH and pick one up ASAP!

Beat Those Blues!

The nights are long, dark and cold and most of us are feeling deflated after the rush and the flurry and the excitement of Christmas.

So I threw together a little list of ways that you can beat those winter blues, and inject some warmth back into your days!

1. Soak up the sun. Tough to do when it's cloudy and grey outside, right? True, and unless you can jet off to a Caribbean beach to soak up the vitamin D you'll have to be a bit creative. Leave the house as much as you can, go for walks or a jog, sit near the windows in a cafe or restaurant, and just avoid keeping yourself closeted in dim rooms for hours at a time. Fresh air and sunlight can work wonders!

2. Keep cosy! That sounds like I'm stating the obvious, but there are things you can do apart from muffling up in layers of scarves and hats all day. Wearing a base layer (I learned this from my arborist boyfriend) is the key to keeping your body warm especially if you're outside for long periods of time. Hot drinks can bring an instant flash of warmth to your hands and stomach - I'm a coffee girl myself, but will never say no to a hot chocolate.

3. Relive your childhood. Disney films aren't just for kids! If you have any tots in your family, round them up for a DVD day - and give them a selection of your favourites to choose from, so you know you'll enjoy!

4. Make a list, and stick to it! I'm talking about New Year's Resolutions. We all make them, don't we? Wild, life-changing lists and then when next December creeps around and you realise you've crossed off, well, none of them it can be a bit disheartening. You don't feel like you've progressed. So start small, and set targets. 'By January, I will have done A and B. By June, I will have done C and D, and stopped doing E.' Nobody expects you to change the world. But small changes often lead to bigger ones than you expected.

5. Eat well. I don't mean feating like there's no end (which is what most of us do on Christmas), but keeping it balanced. If you must eat everything you see (like me), try and mix it up with your main food categories, and go easy on the chocolate and caffeine in the AM.

6. Work hard, play hard. Christmas is for family time, but family time can get pretty taxing. Make sure you set aside some 'you' time, to catch up on your thank-you notes, that film you wanted to see, that half hour at the gym or just to snooze on the sofa with the dog. Nobody will think worse of you, and you'll be more revitalised for your next engagement.

Now to settle down in front of The Lion King in my slippers...

Ernest: A Review

Last night, after a whirlwind train journey and mad dash through the rainy streets of Newcastle we landed at a cute little place called Ernest tucked away down a sidestreet somewhere. I couldn't find it again if my life depended on it, but dammit I'm going to!

Their website says 'Great Food, Great Drink, Great Company' and Ernest certainly delivered that! After a mango and raspberry cider I could forget about my wet feet and relax, soaking up the rustic, kitschy surroundings with glee. The giant decapitated head of a Lego man stood in one windowsill, a shelving display contained a variety of Star Wars figures, candles burned in the windows, the music was aptly retro with a splash of modern, and the menu had me drooling before I'd even got past the first page. 

I opted for Huevos Rancheros: Toasted English muffin topped with refried black beans,  poached free range eggs and fresh salsa, served with  rainbow rösti. DELISH. The eggs were perfectly cooked, and I was totally disappointed when I'd finished it and wanted more. 

After a few hours relaxing with cider, wine, and coke for the DD (poor designated driver) we went tumbling back out into the Northern weather and I made a sprint for the train again, diving onto it with seconds to spare. Newcastle, it was ace to be in you again and Ernest: wait for me. I'll be back. No fear.

http://www.weareernest.com/

Winter Wishlist

1. thisworks deep sleep heavenly candle | 2. Topshop lipstick in Beguiled | 3. Soap and Glory 'Great Kisser' lip balm |

4. The Body Shop Ginger Sparkle body and moisture collection |5. Antonio Lopez for MAC blusher brush | 6. Lush Snow Fairy gift set.

Christmas isn't far away, so that means it's almost time to write that list to Santa. I've collected my favourite wintry products this year, I hope you love them all just as much as I do!

Nordic Touch

It's that time of year! Winter has set in, it's freezing outside, and all you want to do is snuggle up on the sofa with a cuppa and a good film. This is also the time of year where I spring clean and change up the style of my house. I've been keen on rustic decor for a long time, and this table by Barker and Stonehouse is just lush for a bedroom. Ideal for storing all your nightly things and also displaying books, ornaments, or anything else you like to have to hand.

The print is one of my favourite quotes, and I have a card of it taped to my fridge. I think it's completely and utterly true.

The reindeer and the throw, well what better way to inject a bit of wintry chic into a bedroom? A bit of dazzle and a bit of comfort.