At home beauty - Pedicure featuring Soap and Glory

I've been really in the mood for pampering the last few weeks. I blame the awful weather but I love staying in and putting on a mask or giving myself a manicure. This week, I though I'd share with you a few tips for getting a great home pedicure.

Pumice available here, orange wood stick and Soap and Glory Heel genius available here

First up, you'll need a large shallow bowl. Simply pop your tootsies into some warm water first to give them a good soak. You can add a foot soak to the water, some of which have a brightening effect on nails.

Next, use a pumice stone to slough the underside of your feet (careful this might tickle!). This one is from Wilkinsons and cost just a pound. You can either do this first on dry skin or on wet skin, it's up to you.  If you have any around, then use a foot scrub too. If you want to save some pennies, you could even make one using sea salt and olive oil for extra moisturising benefits.

Next, push back cuticles using an orange wood stick. This one came in a pack from Bodycare and was less than a pound. One end is also rough which is good for getting into the corners of the nail. Obviously, cut and file your nails next.

Last step! Use a cream such as Soap and Glory Heel Genius to soothe and moisturise. Don't forget to give yourself a little massage too, you deserve it.

If you're doing this at night, pop your feet into a pair of cotton socks and leave overnight for super soft skin the next day.

And you're done!

If you've got any other great tips then please share them in the comments :)

January 2014 shopping collective plus Selfridges Sale Bargains!

As you guys have probably noticed by now, I do love a good Primark spree. I nearly made this another Primark Haul but as I've actually been shopping elsewhere this month, I decided on a collective haul.

Black devore shorts-Primark, black ruffle top - Primark, black metallic thread skirt- Warehouse, nude ballerinas - Office and cream pashmina - Amazon

First up, this little lot. The nude ballet pumps were a sale bargain from Office that I picked up for just £6. OK I admit, I don't really need them but I do think they'll come in handly in summer as I always think black shoes look heavy in the sunshine. The black velour/devore shorts are from Primark at just £5! I really wanted to wear them for work but they're just a little too short sadly but I'm sure I'll wear them out when it gets a bit warmer as I love shorts on a night out. The black ruffled top is again from Primark that will be for work also. The black metallic thread skirt is my favourite part of this haul from Warehouse. I've worn it a lot already with a different Warehouse top and it fits like a dream. Lastyle, the cream pashmina scarf was a ridiculous £1.77 from Amazon. I keep losing my scarves so this is great as I don't need to feel guilty.

Primark dresses

Yes I love wearing black! Now we've got that out the way, just check out this black and peach contrast dress. I know the picture doesn't do it justice but it's a dead ringer for that celebrity favourite Philip Armstrong with its structured nip and flare shape and almost neoprene fabric. This is going to come in handy for my next big evening event. The other black dress is a waffle type fabric with faux leather cap sleeves that also came with a belt. At around £13 each, you can't go wrong.

I've left the best until last with these designer denims from Selfridges. J Brand and Citizens of Humanity jeans retail at around £250. These beauties however were, wait for it, £20 each! As you can imagine, I literally grabbed these when I saw them on the rail. At less than the price of a pair from Topshop, this has got to be the bargain of the century! The J Brand pair is shredded at the knee so I'll be waiting until summer to wear them (brr!) and the Citizens of Humanity pair is a tight fit which will be great for going out. Back to Primark, the white long sleeved top is a wardrobe basic to wear under my gillet, the grey t shirt is perfect with a statement necklace (another of my obsessions) and the contrast zip top is actually from M&S and looks great with black jeans.

Phew! Did you guys get anything in the sales?

Monday Manicure: Barry M Vivid Purple

Rifling thorugh my nail polish collection the other day I came across this colour. I've had it for ages but never thought to do a NOTD, so here goes.

Barry M Vivid Purple available here

Barry M Vivid Purple no 161 is a exactly that, a vivid purple. With a super shiny metallic finish, it only needs two coats for a thick opaque finish and lasts around 4 days before looking worn. It doesn't even need a top coat and the polish itself is thick but not gloopy.

I'm not really a purple polish fan these days but I do think this is a lovely colour and a bargain at £2.99.

L'Occitane Jasmin and Bergamote Shower Gel Review

L'Occitane Jasmin and Bergamote Shower Gel available here

As part of my New Year's resolution to get through my stockpile of products, I decided to take the plunge and use this lovely shower gel that I had deemed too lovely to use.

A birthday present from last year, I had felt it was just too fancy to use everyday. However, 6 months later it's still in the cupboard so I decided to give in and try it out.

Part of the Grasse Collection, it is made with jasmine absolutes from Grasse and Egypt and bergamote essential oil from Italy.

The Jasmin and Bergamote shower gel has a delightful floral fragrance which is balanced by that of the bergamote essential oil. It creates a light to medium foam and glides onto skin, leaving it feeling soft and silky.

For me, the scent is perfection. I adore the scent of jasmine and it is my absolute favourite floral so I'm super tempted to get the Jasmine & Bergamote fragrance, although at £49 I'll have to wait for a birthday!

I really enjoyed using this shower gel and at £11 for 175ml, it is an affordable luxury.

Have you tried any of the L'Occitane shower gels?

Christmas Presents 2013 – a beauty bonanza!

Merry Christmas! I hope you’ve all had a fantastic Christmas, eaten lots and enjoyed a good old rest in front of the TV. I know I’ve had a great day, seen lots of family and watched a few films (The Santa Claus and Hot Tub Time Machine!)

I wanted to share with you some pictures of what I’ve had for Christmas this year. This little lot is from three of my best friends that know me really well as you can see it’s very beauty focused!

REN, L'Occitane, Rodial, Eve Lom. Crabtree & Evelyn Christmas Gifts

The two biggest treats were the Eve Lom Kiss Mix Lip Balm and Rodial Glamstick in Thrill.

The Eve Lom Kiss Mix is a really moisturising lip balm with a minty flavour that can be worn on it’s own for a light sheen or under lipstick. It’s a real luxury gift and a step up from my trusty Carmex!!

Beautiful gifts including the Rodial Glamstick and Eve Lom Kiss Mix

I hadn’t heard of the Rodial Glamstick and had a real surprise when I opened it as I didn’t recognise it. However, here’s the spiel:

“Rodial Glamstick is a nourishing lip butter enriched with vitamin E and coconut butter to hydrate and protect. Infused with a light coconut flavour for beautifully scented lips with an irresistible sheen. Apply as and when needed to smooth lips for instant glamour.”

First up, the packaging is a funky square shaped clear cube, very grown up, with a silver bullet inside. The coconut scent is quite strong and reminds me of holidays. They come in three very neutral colours, thrill, bite and lust and Thrill is a neutral brown. Again, it’s a real luxury product and as a tinted moisturising lipbalm, great for using everyday. I can’t wait to give it a shot!

REN minis

I also had a huge lot of L’Occitane products including the Verbena soap, Verveine body lotion, Precious Cream, Essential Water and Precious Eye Balm from the Immortale range (I’m most excited about this little trio!) and Dry Skin Hand Cream.

Next up was a pile of REN minis including the Vita Mineral Day Cream, Rosa Centifolia Cleansing Gel, Vetiver Hand and Body Cream, Hydra Calm Global Protection Day Cream, Keep Young and Beautiful Anti Ageing Eye Cream and Frankincense Revitalising Night Cream.

Ok I admit, I've already eaten most of these chocolates!

Lastly, I received the Crabtree & Evelyn Rosewater Hand Therapy (love this already!), some handmade orangettes (my favourite chocolates) from my favourite little French chocolate shop in Birmingham and a Lindt bear.

Did you find any beauty products under the tree?!

November Empties feat Soap & Glory, Armani Code, Clinique Chubby Stick and Chanel Le Volume Mascara

Okay so I admit, this isn’t all my empties from one month but actually a collection from the last few as it seems to be taking me ages to finish any of my make up at the moment!

Soap and Glory Off Your Face, Soap and Glory Clean On Me, Armani Code, Per Una Perfume, Clinique Chubby Stick Two Ton Tomato, Carmex, Le Volume De Chanel Mascara, Carmex, L'Occitane Hand Cream and GHD Thermal Protect

Soap & Glory Off Your Face Cleansing Cloths – An absolute must have! Although you should always remove your make up properly, I’ll use these if I’m falling asleep at the sink. At around £5, they’re great for emergencies and sleepovers and I’ve already repurchased them in the new packaging.

Soap and Glory Clean On Me – Probably my favourite shower gel, I can’t get enough of this scent. A bottle lasts me so long that I literally only need to buy a few of these a year. At the moment I’ve got loads of miniatures to use of though so I won’t be repurchasing this for a while.

GHD Thermal Protector – It’s so important to protect your hair before using heat products such as hairdryers and straighteners and this is one I’ve been using for years. However, it’s getting harder and harder to find and I really want to try a new one. Does anyone have any suggestions for good heat protecting products to try out?

Per Una Perfume – As you can see from the 2 empty bottles of this, I adore this fruity and sweet perfume! I get so many compliments when I wear this even though it’s a high street perfume. I love buying the purse sized sprays because they’re small enough to carry with you but big enough so that they don’t run out too quickly. I’m steadily going through my stockpile and I’m onto my last full sized bottle before I can use a Dior perfume that I’ve still got from last year.

Clinique Chubby Stick in Two Ton Tomato – Chubby sticks are ridiculously easy to use. You don’t even need to use a mirror to put these on so I always have one in my handbag ready for a touch up after work. I love this ripe red shade and the finish is shiny and sheer enough to be easy to use but saturated enough to make a statement. The only downside with these is that they don’t last long and at nearly £20, I wish they lasted longer. That doesn’t put me off them though and I’ve already repurchased.

Armani Code – I think I got this in a boxset a few years ago and I’ve only just got round to using it as I’ve got a bit of a perfume backlog to get through. This is a really sweet vanilla tinged scent and although I like it, I don’t think I’ll be in a hurry to repurchase it as there’s so many other perfumes I want to try.

L’Occitane Rose Petals Hand Cream – I think this scent is now discontinued as it’s not only and I saw them in Bicester Village recently which is a shame because I love roses! I’m always using L’Occitane hand creams as they’re so rich and nourishing, perfect for wearing just before bedtime. I’ve got a few more waiting to be used already. 

Carmex Lip Balm – Not much to say here besides I’m always using Carmex! I am trying out a few different lip balms at the moment but I think Carmex is a classic and a staple in a lot of make up bags!

Chanel Le Volume De Chanel Mascara – This might only be a sample size but I love this mascara! It’s great for thickening lashes and giving them a very dramatic look and I’d be tempted to buy the full sized version as a splurge. 

Bicester Village Cath Kidston Haul!

I realised a few weeks ago that it’s been months since I’d been to Bicester Village. I usually go a few times a year, so I decided a visit was long overdue.

Cath Kidston Overload! - Cath Kidston cowboy mug, towels and cowboy notebook

Heading out on the train to Bicester North, we took a taxi from the station and started off in Dior in search of a designer discount. 3 hours later we’d been into almost every shop there! With stores including Prada, Gucci, Fendi, Ralph Lauren and Jimmy Choo, you could literally spend the whole day there and come back with some heavy bags and a light wallet.

I’m sure you’ve all heard the stories from lucky people who have nabbed shoes for £50 or a bargain T Shirt for a tenner, but sadly I didn’t manage to join them.  Despite my determination to take home a designer bag or pair of shoes, in the end I only splurged in Cath Kidston.

Although there were some beautiful purses in Mulberry, Dior and Burberry, all with huge discounts, I decided I didn’t need anything just yet as I’m still using my Michael Kors set. So instead I got everything in the picture from Cath Kidston for £20!

I wanted some new towels for my bedroom and the hand towel and face cloth were just £9 and £2.50. My favourite Cath Kidston print is the Cowboy so I had to get the mug for £3.50 and notebook for just £5!

We stopped off for lunch at Villandry and treated ourselves to a lovely meal as we wouldn’t be home till late. It was so nice to just relax and enjoy a leisurely lunch and we decided to push the boat out as we’d been so good and resisted the urge to splurge!

Even though we didn’t buy much, I still had a great day and really enjoyed some mother daughter bonding whilst eyeing up some seriously gorgeous bags, shoes and clothes!

What was the last thing you bought at Bicester?