EMPTIES #1

I finally managed to collect enough beauty rubbish to do an empties video, and believe me - it was a hard slog keeping Chris from throwing it all away and convincing him that it did all have a purpose!  Want to see what beauty products I've been using up? Look no further.. 

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RIVER ISLAND HAUL | AUTUMN/FALL 2014

When a new season comes through, its only right to update your wardrobe right? Want to see my picks from River Island's latest lines? Look no further..

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My First Kiko Order..

A little look at what I got in my first Kiko Order and my first impressions | Enjoy xxx

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The Autumn Tag

I was tagged by the beautiful Jasmine Mcrae to partake in the autumn/fall tag!

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Mini Makeup & Autumn Haul

Having to venture into town meant that some accidental shopping was bound to happen - this is the end result! Enjoy xx

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Top Five Hair Masks For Parched Hair

I can hear you all groan in unison! I know I know, another hair mask post. But what can I say? I stick to what I know, and believe me - I know hair masks! 
Here's my run down of the best bargain hair masks on the highstreet for parched, damaged hair that needs a little tender loving care. 1) Boots Ingredients Coconut & Almond Intensive Hair Mask - £1.99 300ml Ah! My favourite bargain basement hair mask. Ten minutes with this little guy smothered over your head will leave your locks luscious and feeling loved. It provides just the right amount of moisture without weighing the hair down and making it flat, provides a beautiful shine and helps with texture and managibility. For under two pounds this guy gives a whole lot of bang for your buck. Trust me, you need this in your life, and for less than a cup of coffee, what have you got to lose?
 2) TRESemme Thermal Recovery Treatment - £5.00 500ml Having already done a recent post on this one, I'm reluctant to waffle on too much. But, if you're hair is parched and your guilty of using a little too much heat a little too often then this is what you need. You can read my full review here.
3) John Frieda Sheer Blonde Hair Repair Conditioning Treatment - £5.89 150ml Having bleached my hair to within an inch of its life there's nothing quite like using a hair mask specifically designed for your needs. I find this one to give just the right amount of nourishment without making my hair too soft. Is there such a thing? Yep. I hate my hair when its too damn soft that it won't do what I'm asking of it. I don't get that problem with this one. It also helps to make my blonde hair super shiny and look a lot more healthy than it really is.
4) The Body Shop Rainforest Moisture Hair Butter - £8.00 200ml They got the name right when they called this one a butter. Thick and intensively deep conditioning are this little ones top traits and it feels super luxurious and a lot more expensive than its price tag. This hair mask helps to improve managability like a dream, reducing tangles and in turn reduces the dreaded hair snapping that plagues damaged hair. An added bonus is the great fruity smell! If you're unsure, they also make this one in a 50ml version for just £3.00!
5) Herbal Essences Bee Strong Rinse Off Intensive Mask - £3.99 200ml If your hair is in a real dire state and is weak and brittle this mask is the way to go. It provides the help you need and produces silky smooth strong hair in just a few minutes. It has a thick buttery texture and feels very indulgent in the hair while you soak in the bath. It doesn't weigh the hair down or leave that dreaded greasy film behind. Its a winner on all accounts and can be used as frequently as needed!

Have you tried any of these hair masks? Do you have any favourites?  

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Nars Sheer Glow Foundation; REVIEW

If you're a regular reader of this blog you will be thinking "Gem, you're oily. Why oh why did you buy this".  As an oily person, I have spent the last few years being told to stay away from any makeup bases that include the word glow, dewy and luminous, and for a while that's exactly what I did. Until I began reading some reviews on the Nars Sheer Glow Foundation from other oily gals that said they had no problems with the product and actually, loved it. That swung it for me. I had to have it. First of all, this was my first ever Nars purchase, and I was excited. I decided that I would definitely be needing the pump and purchased that along with the foundation, and a bronzer for good measure, obviously.

The first day I decided to use this, I set about applying without a primer to really get a feel for the foundation itself. You can watch my first impressions video here. I was fairly impressed, it lasted well, covered everything and that was that. I liked the coverage, I liked the colour match. All was well. The next day however, I woke up to find my skin had erupted into horrible little pimples that I wasn't expecting nor was I too happy about. I sorted them out, camouflaged and this time applied my Nars Sheer glow with primer. Again, the coverage, colour, and lasting power were all impressive. And the next day? No spots to report. Perhaps if you're oily and get congested pores quite easily such as myself then a primer is crucial - I find that it helped hold the foundation but also created a barrier between my skin and the foundation, eliminating the pimple situation! I generally get around five hours of wear out of this foundation before I feel I need to go on in with some blotting sheets and patch up my nose and oily chin, which on the whole isn't too bad. I really enjoy the second skin feeling that I get with this foundation, and how much I can sheer out the coverage if so required to give the appearance of no makeup. I definitely think that those with combination or dry skin would get along with this foundation better than I, and in hindsight I really should have gone for the Sheer Matte foundation - I really need to learn that foundations work for everyone individually but I just get caught up with all the excitement of buying something new! If you're the type of gal that likes to be able to access her foundation with ease and as little mess as possible, I would certainly advise you to invest in the pump from Nars, as it saves you time and effort, and I have a feeling a little product to boot! Have you tried the Nars Sheer Glow Foundation? What other Nars products should be on my wish list?

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Seventeen Falsiefeye Mascara: REVIEW

I've always been a mascara fanatic. From my early days discovering makeup, a new mascara was always my weakness and countless amounts of pocket money were spent on the newest releases in that particular field. Nowadays are no exception and when I found almost all of my mascara's had dried up at the same time I was fairly excited to make a trip to boots. Seventeen have become the 'drugstore' brand of the moment for me, and with each new discovery I am more and more impressed. The Falsiefeye Mascara is no exception and wowed me from first use.  For those of you who don't know, Seventeen is one of Boot's own brands - think the little sister of No.7 and therefore of the same great quality and prices. They offer at least one product to cover all bases and really are in touch with their clientele, girls and women alike who are searching for fab products at bargain price points.   Falsiefeye HD Mascara is by no means a new mascara, in fact it is one that has been re-launched, re-packaged and the formula re-tweaked slightly to improve it.  

I picked this up just over a week ago and have been using it daily since, my other favourites and old faithfuls have been shunned in favour of this and instead of using two or three different mascaras to achieve my desired look I have come to depend on this little guy alone which is very, very unusual for me. Basically, this guy does everything I want it to; he holds a curl like no other 'drugstore' mascara, coats my lashes beautifully without clumping, volumises and lengthens to boot. Its smudge proof and the wear time is incredible. I don't find it to flake, or disappear from my lashes after a long day at work.  The brush is made of plastic, and although I much prefer a traditional mascara wand I don't find this one to be 'scratchy' or irritate my eyes when using. All in all its a great mascara, and one that I certainly don't want my collection to ever be without.

You can find the Seventeen Falsiefeye Mascara exclusively at Boots for £6.49

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H&M Lingerie; REVIEW

The first thing that really becomes apparent when I'm losing weight is that my boobs disappear. I imagine most girls would be devastated by that discovery, but to me it means that I'm finally feeling more confident in my body. My weight has always fluctuated, but since cutting out meat completely I've begun to lose a lot of weight, which means that my usual 32DD chest has shrunk down to a much more comfortable 32C. This of course means that I've been left with the dilema of wearing bra's that are much too large for me and aren't doing a great deal in the way of supporting my lady lumps. On a recent shopping trip I thought it was about time that I treated myself to some pretty new pieces that I would feel more comfortable, and dare I say, sexy in.

My one bug bear about underwear is how expensive it can be. Now I'm no idiot, I know when it comes to staples like well fitting bra's that in the majority of cases you really do get what you pay for. After walking round the likes of M and S, for over an hour weighing up the pro's and con's of the variety they had to offer I decided to leave it and just do some autumn staples shopping instead. I headed over to one of my favourite clothing destinations H&M. After perusing the racks for a while I found myself in the underwear department and came across some of the loveliest lingerie I had seen in a long time. Better yet, they were reasonably inexpensive and fit like a dream.  I picked up a few different sets, but obviously have worn the majority of them, so can only include one photo of a set that hasn't made it into the mix just yet.  Both the bra's and knickers are of very good quality and fit nicely, leaving my bust feeling supported and comfortable. I can report back that all of the set's I purchased wash and wear very well indeed and so far I've had no issues.  H&M currently do not cater for all bust sizes which is a shame, but hopefully one day! If you're in the market for some cutsey, sexy, or every day lingerie then I would suggest giving H&M a try, I am most certainly not disappointed! 

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Maybelline Colour Drama Intense Velvet Lip Pencils: REVIEW

Hands up if you can walk away from a new product release. No, me neither. Which is how these little lovelies ended up coming home with me last week. These beautiful sticks of magic are the newest offering in lip colour from Maybelline, and I am certainly a huge fan. I can honestly say that whenever I'm after a new lip product, I hardly ever stray away from the usual lipsticks and lip liners, but something about these pencils drew me in immediately. I was instantly taken with the glossy black pencils which each have the corresponding colour band on the bottom and the fantastic range of shades available; there's everything you could want from a beautiful nude, classic red and deep autumnal berry, plus everything inbetween! 

Left to right - Fuchsia Desire, Perfectly Nude, Berry Much & In With Coral

I chose the colours above because they are the most 'me'. I would have liked to have got one of each of those available but unfortunately some inconsiderate shoppers had been using the pencils as samples, instead of the samples provided, which meant I didn't bother with them. But after seeing how good these guys really are, I may just have to place an order online! My favourite have got to be Fuchsia Desire; a deep, blue toned pink that I think would look good on any skintone and Berry Much; the perfect deep plum/berry for autumn.

These lip pencils follow the 'jumbo pencil' craze that has become apparent over the last few years, and fit comfortbaly in the hand. They are easy to control and the 'lipstick' itself is both soft enough to glide upon the lips without tugging at the gentle skin but tough enough not to crumble too. You will need to invest in a pencil sharpener that fits these, as after a couple of uses I found that application became a little tricky as the pencil got a little blunt. I found that the dual size sharpener from Bourjois works perfectly.

The formula of these pencils is really on point. For a girl with dry lips I can confirm that these were in fact extremely comfortable and last all day long - even throughout eating and drinking and didn't leave my lips in a bit of a state like some lip products can do. 

The finish is somewhere around the satin mark, and although aren't 'glossy' as such, they do have a sheen on the lip which I actually quite enjoy, although I'm usually a matte lip kind of girl.

All in all, Maybelline have hit the nail on the head with this newest release and I can see them being a hit to rival the likes of Nars. At only £4.99 a pop they are both affordable and makeup bag worthy. I can see these little beauties getting a lot of use from me this coming autumn!

Have you used these Maybelline Colour Drama Intense Velvet Lip Pencils? What colour is your favourite?

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TRESemme Thermal Recovery Treatment; REVIEW

Its no secret that I'm a big fan of hair masks and treatments. After putting my hair through some tough times over the past few years I look to hair masks to help re-hydrate and make my hair softer and more manageable. To say I've tried my fair share of hair masks is a bit of an understatement, but although I've often come close to my 'holy grail' product I'm still on my quest to find the best for my needs. I stumbled across the TRESemme Thermal Recovery Treatment during my weekly shop in good old Tesco. I must admit, it was the fact that this hair mask was on offer that drew me in - being a girl on a budget means I appreciate being able to save a few pennies! If I remember correctly the offer was two 500ml tubs for only five pounds, so in the trolley they went.  As a teenager I'd tried a lot of different products from TRESemme, but had sort of out grown them and left the brand back with my adolescence whilst moving on to more expensive products as most do when they begin bringing in their own money. As far as I remembered, I didn't dislike the brand but they'd just become out of favour on my quest to try a sample of the billion different products that are out there. First of all; the packaging. The product is housed in a screw top tub, which most hair masks tend to be. The packaging isn't bad, but nor does it draw the attention. However, being a more affordable product I can understand that TRESemme wouldn't want to have to boost the price point by spending more on fancy packaging. If it ain't broke, don't fix it - right? It works well, keeps the product safe, doesn't leak and although can be a little inconvenient in the shower on the whole its pretty decent. The colours of the packaging are synonymous with the other products in this particular line and are distinguishable from other lines by TRESemme.

Inside the tub you will find a hefty 500ml of product which although fragranced, isn't too strong or overbearing. The mask is not unlike any other generic hair mask that you may have in your bathroom cabinet in texture or colour, just an average white, gloopy looking paste which reminds me of something from 'get your own back'.  Ingredients include aloe vera and almond oil extracts, both of which are a bit of a big deal in the hair care world. Both have substantial claims of being replenishing behind them, and any product that I have used containing either one or the other, or indeed both have left my hair feeling pretty darn happy. I tend to apply this mask to dry hair before getting in the bath, and I try to leave it on for as long as possible, depending what time frame I have. I find that leaving it for 30-45 minutes works best, but I still get great results if I only leave it for 10 minutes. I smooth a handful of product through my hair, avoiding the roots but concentrating on my very dehydrated ends and clip on top of my head. You can also use a shower cap to help keep your bathtub mess free, but a clip works just fine. I then get on with what ever I'm doing in the bathroom, the usual, obvious things that I wont go into, or something a little more unusual like reading a book (its the only place I'm guaranteed some peace!) I tend to find that putting this on when in the bath works best, because of the heat that is created by sitting in a hot bath allows the product to absorb into the hair shaft better, similarly if you have things to be getting on with, putting a shower cap over your hair and using a blow dryer for a few seconds works well too. Whenever I'm ready, I simply rinse the mask out using the shower head and shampoo and condition as usual.  When I've blow dried and styled my hair I am left with beautifully shiny, bouncy, cashmere soft hair that looks like it's never been miss treated a day in its life. Pretty spectacular for hair that's actually been bleached to within an inch of its life.  Is it the best hair mask around? Probably not - but it's pretty phenomenal for a fiver! I'm loving the long lasting results that it gives my hair. Only yesterday my hairdresser commented on how much healthier my hair feels nowadays, and I can't help but think that this little tub of tlc for your hair may be partly responsible! Have you tried any of the TRESemme intensive masks?

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Haulin' Again..

So I've been at it again.. Its an illness, I swear. Fancy seeing what I got? Look no further.. 

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VIDEO - Monthly Favourites August

With the end of another month comes another load of favourites. Feel like having a nosy at what I've been loving this month? Look no further..

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Becoming Pescetarian..

Eight weeks ago I took the decision to cut out meat from my diet. It's something I'd been thinking about for a long time, and an incident at Nando's finally made my mind up for me. Chris had taken me out for lunch to Nando's, and I didn't really fancy chicken (I know I know, but Chris wanted chicken!) so decided to opt for the Prego Steak Roll. Now, I should note that no where in the menu does it state that the 'steak' roll is in fact processed or reformed. Half way through my 'steak' I came across this particularly tough mouthful, and after trying to chew my way through it for a couple of minutes I decided there was no way this was getting any smaller and I had to spit it out. FYI I do not normally go around restaurants spitting my food out. On closer inspection the mouthful of 'steak' was actually a large marbel sized ball of arteries. I was immediately put off my food to say the least.  The manager on duty was actually really lovely, offered to replace my meal and refunded our entire order. She also presented us with a voucher for a free meal for two which was really appreciated. But unfortunately the damage was done. This may sound dramatic to some of you, but after seeing what was in my 'steak' all I could think about was the animal that it had come from. How something had been slaughtered so that it could be on my plate. I have always had these thoughts, but have managed to squash them down and not think about meat as a living being, and that is not to say I haven't enjoyed meat in the past.  I was quite genuinely upset for a few days, and wasn't able to get these horrible thoughts out of my head. It also made me think that in some foreign countries they eat dog, but not cows. In principle how would I feel if someone was to cook and eat my own dog, Todd? Awful.  Two days later, having abstained from meat I decided that I would be giving it up for good. I took some time to research vegetarianism online, and after reading all the different types of being one, I decided that pescetarianism was the one for me.  To be a pescetarian is to abstain from meat, but eat seafood instead of avoiding meat altogether. You may say "If you don't like the thought of eating meat, why do you not mind eating fish", and there are some reasons why. I only eat fish or seafood that has been caught sustainably. I also did a lot of research into how fish is caught, and there are many rules and regulations regarding how they are caught, or many can be caught and the nets that can be used. Of course, there are cons to eating fish too, and I know that hundreds of dolphins are caught each year by accident and unfortunately die. Since cutting out meat from my diet, I have gone on to lose a stone in weight, which is astounding to me and just goes to show how much saturated fat is hidden away in meat. I have also been able to broaden my horizons when it comes to cooking, having to make a filling meal from mainly just vegetables can be a bit of a challenge, but it is an enjoyable challenge and I am enjoying cooking.  I have tried Quorn substitute chicken and mince, and also Linda Mccartney substitute sausages, but not only did I not really enjoy them I am also of the mind set that if you're giving up meat, why would you want to eat pretend meat? It doesn't make sense to me.  There are of course plenty of cons that come with going meat free. I have become very tired and lethargic, which my doctor told me would be because of the drop in Iron in my blood. However, this is easily treated with iron supplements and other foods high in iron. It can also make meal times challenging, although Chris has been very accommodating and has been more than willing to try my pescetarian recipes. Going out for a meal can be a little difficult too, but for now that's not something that is causing a big issue.  I can't rule out eating meat for the rest of my life, but for now I'm quite enjoying it. Its also a wonderful feeling to have a clear conscious at meal times. Never again will I go past a field full of lambs in the spring and feel guilty.

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The British Tag

The British Tag, in all its glory. Hit play if you want to, there might even be a bit of wacky dancing in here somewhere. Don't judge..

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VIDEO: Nars Sheer Glow Foundation First Impressions

You may have seen in my latest haul that I picked up some goodies from Nars. Well, I was itching to use my new foundation and thought it would be fun to do a 'get ready with me' style video and a first impressions and review of the Sheer Glow foundation! 

Enjoy xxx

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The Beauty Blogger Tag

I've seen the "Beauty Blogger Tag" crop up on almost every blog I've ever read and have always wanted to give it a go. For a long time I've waited to be tagged, but then it occurred to me - do I need to be tagged to type out my answers? No, probably not. Without further ado, the Beauty Blogger Tag. 1. Is your hair naturally curly or straight? A little in between, it's not straight or curly. Its a bit wavy with some added frizz. 2. What is your natural hair colour? Quite a dark brown, but it naturally lightens a fair amount in the summer. 3. Do you dye it yourself or go to a salon? I go to a salon. I've had some DIY disasters before, so I find its best to leave it to those in the know now..
4. How often do you wash your hair? I try to not to wash it more than twice a week, relying on dry shampoo if I need to.
5. Do you wear the same style every day or change it? Working in hospitality means that I have to have my hair tied up and out of the way, but on days off I change my hair style a lot.  6. Do you do your own mani/pedi or go to a salon? I go to a salon to have my acrylic nails done, but I'll change the colour of them myself every few days. 7. How often to you change your nail polish? I'm very indecisive when it comes to nail polish, I tend to switch it up every couple of days. 8. Do you polish your toes in the winter, too or just in the summer? I have to have my toes painted the whole year through. They just don't look right without polish!
9. How long does it take to put on your makeup? It really depends on the look I'm going for, how much energy I've got and if I'm focused. On an average day I'd say 45 minutes. 10. What do you do first? Face or eyes? Face! Hats off to the girls who can do their eyes first, but it just baffles me!
11. Do you "collect" makeup or just buy what you need when you need it? Its definitely a collection, and it may be slightly out of control!
12. How often do you wear false eyelashes? I used to wear them every day but now its just as and when I fancy them, but not during the day really.
13. Do you do a full face of makeup every day? If I'm leaving the house I do, I feel much more confident with a full face of makeup on than without.
14. Do you wear makeup when you are home alone (or with family)? Unless I'm filming a YouTube video, or something like that, no.
15. Will you leave the house without makeup? Yes, walking the dog or popping to the shop doesn't need makeup. 16. How many high end products do you have? More than is necessary. High end lipsticks are my weakness and I have a fair collection of them now. 
17. How often do you wash your makeup brushes? I try to do it every two weeks, but sometimes real life gets in the way and I leave them for far longer than I should do..
18. Do you plan your OOTD every night or decide when you are getting dressed? I'm a throw on and moan that I have nothing to wear kind of girl. I don't plan my outfits, but I always have some back up outfits in my head just in case. 19. How often do you change your handbag? I have three or four in constant rotation, whenever I'm bored of lugging one around I'll switch to the other and so on.
20. What time do you get up & go to sleep? I don't have a pattern, working unsociable hours can mean that someday's I don't get home until 2am. If I'm not working, I generally go to bed when Chris does, around the 10:30pm mark. Chris usually wakes me with a cup of tea in the morning at 8am. He's a good'un!
21. How often & when do you workout? Hahaha. I don't workout. I occasionally go for a run. But other than that, I'm an exercise free zone!
22. Left-handed or Right-handed? Right handed.
23. How tall are you? 5"4 ish.
24. Do you speak a foreign language? Enough French to survive if I got lost in Paris, but other than that, no. 25. How many pets do you have? I have Todd, my beautiful cockapoo puppy, Niko a Russian dwarf hamster and Jasper the 17 year old cat.
26. How often are you on Blogger? Not as often as I'd like to be. Unfortunately I just don't get as much free time to blog as I'd like to.
27. Do you read the comments posted blogs? On my own blog, every single one! I do tend to have a browse of other peoples comments on blogs if I'm commenting myself. 28. Do you keep a list of products to try as you see other posts? Oh yes! There's a page in my diary dedicated to things I want to buy!
29. How did you come up with your blog name? Haha! My friend Andrea and I have a running joke that whenever we have a camera pointed at us, we do the "peace and pout". When I was thinking of a blog name, it just seemed to fit and felt like it was a little bit of me stamped on there.
30. What kind of camera do you use for photographs? I'm currently using the camera on my Iphone 5s. The quality is good and its really easy to upload on to Blogger using the app!
31. How often do you clean your house? (Daily, weekly, other) I 'straighten up' everyday, but I clean whenever it needs doing.
32. What is your favourite colour? Nudey pink or sunshine yellow.
33. What is your favorite beauty/fashion magazine? I read cosmo every month, so I guess you could say that that is my favourite.
34. Do you swear? Yes, more around some people. I don't swear at all around my grandparents. 35. What are you doing with the rest of your day? I'm going to walk the dog, do a few more posts ready for the rest of the week and possibly nip to my Granny and Granddads for some lunch!
So there it is, my answers to the Beauty Blogger Tag!  I would like to tag anyone that wants to answer the questions! Let your readers get to know the person behind the blog a little better!

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Gemporia.com - My Five Favorites

As any ordinary girl, I usually have a 'want' list the length of my arm. This is usually made up on the usual bits and pieces; clothes, makeup, skincare and occasionally, jewellery. I'm a big fan of statement necklaces, dainty bracelets and 'cocktail' style rings to liven up even the most boring of outfits. Its very rare that you'll catch me without some form of costume jewellery on.  If you follow me on twitter, you will have seen that recently I've been having a good old trawl through the Gemporia website here, and found so many bits and pieces to add to my 'want' list, so when Charlotte from the social media department contacted my asking if I would be interested in doing a post on my favorite pieces I was delighted! Gemporia is a company set up in 2004 by Steve Bennett and his wife Sarah. They both believe in making beautiful jewellery that doesn't "cost the earth". All of the pieces that the company has to offer are of a limited quantity, responsibly sourced and lovingly crafted so you can be assured that you are doing good in purchasing your beautiful jewels!  Rings If there's one thing I love, its a beautiful ring. I have quite a few of the Pandora stacking style rings, but find now that I've lost a bit of weight, they're slightly too big for me. (Strange right, I never even thought that losing weight could affect your fingers..) One of my favorite things to do is have my nails freshly manicured and wear lots of rings, I just think it looks so good.

This White Chalcedony  sterling silver ring is a firm favorite of mine, and comes in at only £11.00 making it a super affordable, quality piece to add to your collection. I find that rings with white stones go with every outfit and can make an outfit look really put together. I also really love how simple and elegant this ring is, and feel like it could soon be making its way to me!

Another firm favorite of mine is the White Quartz Ring but unfortunately, I can't seem to find a 'G', so perhaps they have sold out. I really enjoy jewelry that can be personal, so an initial ring fits the bill perfectly. I also love that this ring looks so much more expensive than its £7.00 price tag. Style doesn't have to be expensive. This ring is really a timeless piece, which those of any age could enjoy. I'll definitely be looking out for a 'G'! Earrings  Earrings are a staple piece, and I'm never without at least one pair in my ears. (I have my ears pierced four times on both sides, plus a tragus and a cartilage piercing!) I have a really eclectic taste when it comes to earrings, I like plain studs, ornate dangly earrings, subtle & sophisticated earrings.. the lot.

One set that are definitely making it onto my Christmas this year (Yes, I am already thinking about Christmas. There are only eight teen more Fridays..) is this beautiful set. Enter the 1/2ct Certified Diamond Earrings which have bewitched me since I first saw them. They are the most beautiful, glitzy studs that I've ever seen, and I must own them! Timeless, classic and sophisticated, they're a must have for any woman! The next pair of earrings that I'm lusting after are gorgeous, affordaable and so classy. The Asscher Cut White Topaz Earrings grabbed my attention a couple of weeks ago, and I'm waiting for a hefty pay check and they will be mine. I love how simple and classy they are, without looking old fashioned or snooty. 

I've never really thought about a storage for jewellery when traveling, until I spotted the Leather Jewellery Roll. The roll comes in a variety of lovely colours, helping to keep your favourite pieces safe and sound. I love that the jewellery roll isn't bulky and wouldn't take up a ton of room in your suitcase or hand luggage.  Being made out of leather, its both soft and durable whilst still keeping a ton of style. A jewellery storage, possibly as pretty as your jewellery!  Have you ordered any pieces from Gemporia? Or have you got your eye on a few pieces?  Permission was granted for use of the images from the gemporia website.

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Welcome back to blogging haul

You may have noticed I've been AWOL for a period, and while it's been nice to have some time not planning and photographing constantly, I have missed the world of beauty blogging. 

So, what better way to reintroduce myself in to blogging than do what I do best and shop? Exactly. Hope you enjoy this haul guys!

http://youtu.be/qLSTo65DqwA

xo 

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This Week's Beauty Buys..

After last weeks huge naughty spending spree I was determined to put myself on the spending ban until the end of the month. Two days later I found myself ordering more makeup products online.. Oops. You will be happy/disappointed (I'm a bit of both) to know that this week I spent much, much less. But nevertheless there were a few bits I had to pick up. 

No.7 Beautifully Matte Makeup Base 40ml (Exclusively at Boots - £10.50) Another primer. I'm a primer junkie, I just can't say no. The good news is that this one is a bit of a multi talented primer and can be also used to soak up some of that mid-day shine! I was recently in my local boots store and chatting away to the really lovely No. 7 MUA about being an oily skinned gal and about my quest to have an everyday foundation base that matched my tan well and lasted on my slippery skin when she suggested that I get colour matched and then she could recommend a foundation for me. Low and behold, the colour that I was matched in wasn't available in the Beautifully Matte foundation (Waaaaaaah!) but was available in the Stay Perfect Range. I was a a bit undecided being as oily as I am when she suggested that I could take away a sample of the foundation and a sample of the Beautifully Matte Makeup Base. One thing I just want to say is how refreshing it was to actually be offered a sample without having to drop major hints and coming away feeling judged. I don't know if its just me, but I feel that some store assistants just don't want you to have a sample and I find this really sad. The No. 7 lady gave me a generous amount of each, enough to last me five whole days which really was enough time to tell if I liked the products.  This primer is a really thick and creamy feeling liquid that is quite frankly, a magnet for any makeup that you want to put on the top. Seriously, everything sticks like glue. I have had no breakouts whats so ever and this keeps even my super shiny spots matte all day long. You may be expecting a big ol' price tag with such a wonder product, but in reality £10.50 isn't a lot at all, especially for the huge 40ml that you receive. The packaging is fairly simple and plain but I do love that it consists of a squeezy tube which means you're not going to lose a single splodge. Upon dispensing this product onto the back of your hand you may notice it has an almost iridescent sheen to it, but this is no visible at all when you've smoothed it into your face. If you like the sound of this, go ahead and get a sample from your nearest counter - I'll bet my hat they'll be happy enough to give you one.

No.7 Stay Perfect Foundation in shade Warm Sand (Exclusively at Boots - £14.50) And of course, being so happy with my samples I had to pick up the foundation too. I think I have a serious problem with foundations at the moment. Even being as sneaky as I am at hiding them away, Chris has noticed how many I now own, and when this one arrived his exact words were "Another foundation, come on Gem no one needs this many". But seriously. If you haven't tried this foundation, you need to. I would say its in the same league as Mac Studio Fix Fluid; It has the same medium/buildable coverage, around about the same wear time, the same feel on the skin, very similar shades and the only differences that I can see are the bottle and the price. Mac's offering comes in at a whopping seven pounds dearer - and that's before you've bought a pump! How does one judge a new foundation I hear you cry, well I judge it on this - does it stand the test of time? A 12 hour work day will do perfectly. It does? Check! Does the colour match my skin tone correctly? It does? Check! Does my skin seem to agree with it? Yep? Ding ding ding, we have a winner! The Stay Perfect foundation is completely hypo-allergenic which means that its bloody unlikely you'll have a bad reaction to it, and even contains an SPF 15 for good measure. Again, my only gripe is that the packaging is very plain, but it does the job and considering I always thought No. 7 was for older ladies, I've been pretty impressed so far!

No.7 BB Lips Beauty Balm in Blush Coral 11ml (Exclusively at Boots - £9.00) One thing you have to say about me, if I find a brand I like I give it a fair trial on all categories. Enter BB Lips Beauty Balm. I love a lipgloss with good pigmentation and this seemed to fit the bill for me. I'd heard about these little babies a while ago somewhere and thought they sounded brilliant. Of course, when you're reading blogs you do tend to forget one or two products while you're mentally adding things to your shopping list and that's exactly what happened with these, they just fell off my radar. These lipgloss/lipbalm hybrids cater a whole host of benefits from beautiful colour, soothing nourishment and UV protection. Well, that kind of ticks all my boxes when I'm looking for a lipgloss. I picked up the shade Blush Coral because, as I mentioned in last weeks beauty buys post, pastel orange is having a bit of  a moment with me - I just can't get enough. This feels amazing on the lips, not sticky or gloopy and has a pretty good wear time of about 3 hours until its totally disappeared and you need another slick, quite impressive for a lip gloss huh? Also, I've heard tell that these are a supposed dupe for the Clarins Colour Quench Lip Balm, but I myself haven't tried one of these so I couldn't confirm. The packaging of the No.7 BB Lips is rather cute, with a squeezable tube and molded plastic applicator, which reminds me of the Lancome Juicy Tubes!

No. 7 Set for Summer (Purchase two or more No.7 products and receive this free gift worth £22.00) Another cheeky one guys but I had to include this. How amazing is this for a free gift?! Included is a sample sized BB Lips in Blink Pink, a full sized Nail Colour in Duck Egg Blue, A sample/travel sized Extreme Length Waterproof Mascara in Black and a Stay Perfect Eye Shadow In 'Middle Shade' from Good Earth Trio. I know some people love free gifts like this and I know some hate them. Hey, even if you only get one thing you think you'll use for free surely you're onto a good thing?! I asked and apparently this offer should be on for another few weeks - so if you've had your eye on some No.7 products, now's a good time to go and get them!

Real Techniques Sam's Picks Gift Set (Escentual - Reduced to £25.40) Even though I really didn't need them, I ended up getting some more makeup brushes and you may find it utterly ridiculous that I bought this set just for the Multi Purpose Brush which I have been lusting after for so long now. But I know I'll find a use for all of them anyway, even the ones that are duplicates of ones already in my collection. There are six brushes in this set; Multi Purpose Brush, Buffing Brush, Essential Crease Brush, Setting Brush, Pointed Foundation Brush and Fine Liner Brush which works out at just £4.23 a brush - which ever way you look at it, that's absurdly good value! This brush kit would make a great gift for someone that's new to makeup, or to any beauty love (as well as a brilliant treat to yourself!).

Garnier Micellear Water (Boots - £4.99) A repurchase! And a must have in my cleansing routine. I use this water after using a cleansing lotion/balm/butter to 'double cleanse' which is essentially just making sure everything is off my skin. I find this micellear water to be soothing and cooling, perfect on those warm summer nights. (Yes, I did just have a little sing of Grease - Summer Nights to myself.. Don't judge).

Bare Minerals Quick Change Brush Cleaner (Feel Unique - £8.75 110ml) A makeup lovers essential! This is just the perfect lazy girls cleanser. If you haven't got time for a deep shampoo or are too lazy for it (beauty sinner here) a quick spritz of this will remove colour and bacteria from you brushes while leaving them smelling divine and dry in a couple of minutes! So that's it for beauty buys from my this week guys. Even though I feel guilty, I didn't spend too much did I?! I think I need someone to take away my bank account! What have you been buying this week?

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