What I Got For Christmas (2011)

I have never done one of these posts before and if truth be told it feels really weird doing one as I've never shown the world what I received for Christmas, until now. Obviously I don't mind showing you all as it's great showing you lovely gifts and in a way it gives people ideas about what to ask for next Christmas, or maybe buy with their Christmas money. 

Anyway, enough of the boring rambles. I hope you all had a lovely Christmas, it seems to have flown by! It doesn't seem 2 minutes since it was the first of December (god I sound old), I just hate it when a month goes really quick, especially December because it's my favourite month. I'll be writing my 'What I Got For Christmas - 2012' post before I know it! 

See rambling again...  

I genuinely hope you all had a brilliant Christmas and without further ado, here is what I got for Christmas!...

As you can see, I received a lot of lovely presents and I love each and every one of them. I mainly received lots of makeup and nail bits, including 3 sets from the MAC christmas collection, a YSL Rouge Volupte lipstick, Inglot goodies, a beautiful Chanel powder, No7 nail kit, Nails Inc nail varnishes and Orly nail art varnishes. I also got some new Sigma and MAC brushes, lots of fluffy socks (obviously some polar bear ones), 2 sets of pyjamas, polar bear slippers, the Juicy Couture 'Viva La Juicy' perfume set, a Travalo, Philosophy goodies, a Juicy Couture purse, an ALDO leopard print bag, jewellery including my amazing Tatty Devine name necklace, 2 books, Just Dance 3 and last but not least... a big fat Mr.Bump! I also got money and vouchers but I won't show you those ;)

If you would like closer detail of the presents I received then take a look at my video. If you have any questions about the products I received, please feel free to comment below.

I hope you enjoyed taking a sneak peek at what I got for Christmas. All that is left for me to say is that I am so so grateful and thankful, and I love my family more than anything. They are all so kind and generous and I'm truly grateful for everything I receive. 

Many thanks for reading/watching! 

:)

My Winter Wonderland Nails!

I know a few of you are probably eager to see this weeks Christmas nail tutorial but to be honest I don't know if I'm going to do a tutorial or not as some of you will probably find it difficult to do. I thought I'd show you a picture of my nails first and see how many of you would be willing to have a go at doing it. There's no point showing you all a tutorial that not many people will be able to do.

So without further ado, here are my Winter Wonderland nails...

If you would like me to do a tutorial then please comment below! If not, still comment anyway ;)

Thanks for reading!
:)

Collection 2000 Haul

The only time I ever visit the Collection 2000 counter is when I need to re-buy my beloved lasting perfection concealer. I rarely ever look at other Collection 2000 products because I don't feel the need to as I stick to brands I know I love, for example, MAC and Chanel. 

Last Friday I had to pick up a new concealer but whilst at the counter I decided to look at other Collection 2000 products, to my surprise I found a lot of products that I wanted to try, including the lovely Cream Puff everyone has been raving about. 

Boots had there usual 3 for 2 offer to I picked up 6 things to try, here's what I bought...

Metallic Cream Eyeshadow in '06 - Platinum Bling' - £2.99

Metallic Cream Eyeshadow in '06 - Emerald City' - £2.99

(Swatches can be found at the end of this post)

The metallic cream eyeshadows are amazing, they apply to the eyelids evenly and they dry within a matter of seconds. They claim to last all day without creasing and I have to say that they do just that! These beauties do not budge!

Here's a look I created using 'Platinum Bling'...

Cream Puff Moisturising Lip Cream in 'Cotton Candy' - £2.99 

I love this cream puff, it's such a lovely colour and it feels ever so moisturising! They're a little like MAC kissable lip colours except they're so much better! I'm definitely going to purchase more of cream puffs. I love the applicator too as it allows you to apply the lip cream evenly without making a mess. 

Lasting Colour Lipstick in '02 - Pink Shock' - £2.99

Four words... MAC Candy Yum Yum! This is an excellent dupe for MAC Candy Yum Yum. I know a lot of people wanted the lovely MAC lipstick so if you're one of the millions of people that wanted it, you may as well spend £1.99 on this beauty as there is practically no difference between the two. I'm definitely going to do a comparison post!

This lipstick feels great on the lips, it's not drying whatsoever. I also like how this lipstick fades lightly throughout the day as the majority of rub off completely without fading. I would say that this lipstick lasts around 6 hours before fading which is brilliant!

Eye Definer Lasting Colour in '01 - Black' - £1.99 

I love these types of eyeliners as you don't have to sharpen them which is great for lazy people like myself. You just have to twist and apply! 

It isn't the blackest eyeliner I've ever seen but it's black nevertheless and to be fair, it applies like a dream. 

Lasting Perfection Concealer in '01 - Fair' - £4.19

I cannot praise this product enough, it's absolutely amazing! I will continue to purchase this concealer forever! I have done a full post on this concealer so if you're looking to buy this concealer then I'd check out that post!

Swatches...

From left to right; Lasting Perfection Concealer, Emerald City, Platinum Bling, Cotton Candy, Pink Shock, Eye Definer

I hope you like my new Collection 2000 goodies! If you would like me to do full posts on any of these products then please let me know.

Thanks for reading!

:)

How to create Reindeer Nails!

As you all know I'm going to be doing a series consisting of four christmas nail tutorials. You've probably all seen my Christmas Pudding nail tutorial so today I'm going to show you the second christmas nail tutorial. As you'll have guessed by the title of this post, it's going to be a reindeer nail tutorial.

To create Reindeer Nails you will need:

• White nail varnish
• Red glitter nail varnish
• Dark brown nail varnish
• Light brown nail varnish
• Black nail varnish
• Dotting tools

If you do not own any dotting tools then you could use cocktail sticks or anything that has a point. 

If you would like to create reindeer nails all you have to do is follow my nice and easy steps.

1.) Apply a coat of white nail varnish to your nails. You may need more than one coat, it just depends on the quality of your nail varnish.

2.) Using the light brown nail varnish, create half circles (the reindeer heads) at the tips of your finger nails. 

3.) Using the dark brown nail varnish and a small dotting tool, create the reindeer antlers. For this you will need 2 long brown lines and then you will need to apply 2 smaller lines to the long lines. Do this for each of your nails.

4.) Using the light brown nail varnish and a medium dotting tool, apply a dot (the reindeer ear) to either side of the half circle (the reindeer head)

Using the dark brown nail varnish, create smaller half circles (the reindeer noses) at the tips of your finger nails. For your thumb nails, use red glitter nail varnish instead. 

5.) For the eyes;

Using the white nail varnish and a medium dotting tool, dot two dots onto each reindeer head.

Once dry, use the black nail varnish and a small dotting tool, dot a dot into each of the white dots. 

And we're done!...

I hope you all liked this tutorial! If you have any nail tutorial requests then please feel free to comment below! 

:)

How to create Christmas Pudding Nails!

So it’s the 1^st of December tomorrow meaning it’ll be 25 days until Christmas. I don’t know about any of you, but I’m very excited for Christmas, I just love everything about it! Today I thought I’d create some jazzy Christmassy nails to fit in with the festive period! And as you’ll know by looking at the title of this post, this tutorial is Christmas pudding nails!

During December I’m going to be doing 4 Christmas nail tutorials and this is my very first one.

To create Christmas pudding nails, you will need the following:
-Brown nail varnish
-White nail varnish
-Green nail paint (or nail varnish)
-Red nail paint (or nail varnish)
-Dotting tools

Please do not feel like you have to rush out and buy dotting tools as cocktail sticks work just as well.

If you would like to create Christmas pudding nails, all you have to do is follow my nice and easy steps!

For the Christmas Puddings

1.) Apply 2 coats of brown nail varnish to your nails. (Excluding your ring finger nail)

2.) Let’s give our Christmas puddings some icing. To do this you will need to use white nail varnish. All you have to do is create 3 stripes but make sure they are different lengths.

3.) To complete the Christmas puddings you’ll need to add holly. To do this you will need to use green and red nail paint and some dotting tools.

For the Holly

1.) Apply 2 coats of white nail varnish to your ring finger nail.

2.) Let’s draw some holly on our ring finger nail. To do this you will need to use red nail paint and a medium sized dotting tool. For the holly leaves you will need to use green nail paint and a small dotting tool.

And you’re done! :)

I hope you all liked this tutorial! If anyone decides to do Christmas pudding nails then let me know as I'd love to see!

If you have any questions or requests then please feel free to comment below! 

:)

My Skincare Routine

Skincare is very important to me and I live by the rule 'you only get one face so look after it'. When I was younger I didn't really have a skincare routine and relied on facial wipes to clean my skin which if truth be told, ruined my skin. They left me with under the skin spots and pores. It has taken me a couple of years to sort out my skin but now I have a structured morning and night skincare routine. I used to have different products for the morning and night but now I just stick to products that I can use in the morning and night, that way it's cheaper and it kinda makes more sense. 

No7 Cleanse & Care Eye Makeup Remover (All Skin Types) - £7.75 - Boots

I never use this eye makeup remover in the morning as there's no need to, I solely use it for taking off my eye makeup at the end of the day.

I initially switched to the No7 eye makeup remover because I found that Clarins was getting a little too expensive. And I have to say that I'm so glad I switched, there's literally no difference between Clarins and No7!

All you have to do with this eye makeup remover is apply a bit to a cotton wool pad, hold on your eyes for a couple of minutes, then wipe away. It's as simple as that!

This eye makeup remover really does remove everything, from cream eyeshadows to waterproof mascara, I also use it for taking off long wear lipsticks. 

The good thing with the No7 eye makeup remover is that you can mix it with water meaning you don't use a lot of the product, I think one bottle would easily last around 1-2 months depending on how heavy your eye makeup is. 

I think it's great how the remover comes with a pump too because it means you won't waste a lot of the product, you can just pump the amount you need. 

No7 Soft & Soothed Gentle Cleanser (Normal/Dry Skin) - £8.00 - Boots

I use this for cleaning my face in the morning and also taking off my makeup at night. 

All you have to do is pump a small amount of cleanser onto a cotton wool pad and then wipe away at your face. You may need to repeat this step if you're wearing makeup. 

No7 Soft & Soothed Gentle Toner (Normal/Dry Skin) - £8.00 - Boots

I use this toner in the morning and also at night. 

Again like the cleanser, pump a small amount of toner onto a cotton wool pad and then wipe away at your face. 

It leaves skin feeling fresh, revived and hydrated, perfect for those of you who suffer with dry skin.

I've also been using this toner for a week and it doesn't look like I've even touched the bottle. You honestly do not need to use a lot, a couple of squirts should do the trick. 

Clarins Gentle Refiner Exfoliating Cream (All Skin Types) - £24.00 - Boots

This has to be one of the best exfoliators that I've ever used. The microbeads are just the right size, not too big or small, they're perfect for getting into every nook and cranny. This exfoliator removes pores, dirt and dead skin so it's great for every skin type.

I recommend using this 2-3 times a week and preferably after taking off your makeup as you'll give your skin a real deep clean. I wouldn't recommend using this exfoliator over 3 times a week as your skin may become dry and painful. 

At £24.00 it is considered a little pricey so you may want to find a cheaper alternative. I would recommend the No7 exfoliators as they're just as good as Clarins, the only difference is the price tag.

Clarins Daily Energizer Cream (All Skin Types) - £19.50 - Boots

I used this in the morning and also at night. 

It smells so divine, it's literally like applying oranges to your face. Some of you may not be fond of the orangey smell but I personally think it's lovely. 

The moisturiser also has such a nice consistency, it doesn't feel heavy or thick and it absorbs well into the skin.

Overall it's a great moisturiser but it began to give me spots which is a little weird as I've used it for over 2 months. Looks like this little pot of gorgeousness is going to be replaced with the No7 moisturiser. 

ASDA Skin System Cleansing Facial Wipes (Sensitive Skin) - 46p 

I never use facial wipes for taking off my makeup off, if I did then I'd feel like I'd have committed the biggest crime ever. It's a well known fact that facial wipes aren't good for your skin and it's recommended that you only use them once a week, and that's only if you've been out for a long time and cannot be bothered to clean your skin properly.

The only reason why I use facial wipes is to remove fall out when applying eyeshadow. I have come up with a new name for the wipes, they're known as my 'fallout-y-away wipes'

I used to buy the Johnsons wipes as they seemed to constantly be on offer but since ASDA have launched their own cheap and cheerful wipes, I've just been buying those.

I cannot really say if these wipes are amazing or not as I don't take my makeup off with them, but with regards to removing fallout, they're fab!

Montagne Jeunesse Hot Chocolate Mask (All Skin Types) - £1.09 - Montagne Jeunesse

I was recently sent this face mask and I have to say that I was a bit dubious about it at first. It seemed fun and colourful but I doubted whether it would do exactly what it said on the packet, luckily it did. 

This mask smelt like melted Terry's chocolate orange which was a massive bonus for me because I love the smell of chocolate orange! 

It was a pleasure applying it to my face because it smelt so fab and I especially loved how the mask was self heating. I thought that the mask would have dried but it remained wet whilst on the face which I thought was bizarre. 

It was a bit of a pain when removing the mask and in the end I had to remove it using a flannel (handy tip if you buy this mask). The sink also turned a lovely brown colour when I removed the mask so be prepared to clean if you buy this mask. 

Once I removed the mask I noticed that my skin felt so so soft and it had removed quite a large amount of pores on my nose. I think these masks are great for using once a week as they're considered to be quite fun but they are pretty messy so I doubt many people would want to use them daily. I'm not sure what other masks are available but I'll definitely be trying more. 

So to round this up, here's my routines:

Morning:

-Cleanser 

-Toner

-Moisturiser

Night:

-Eye Makeup Remover

-Cleanser

-Toner

-Moisturiser

Occasionally:

-Exfoliator

-Mask

If you have any questions, please feel free to comment below!

:)

How to create Children In Need Nails!

As many of you will know, it's Children In Need on Friday so I thought I would create Children In Need inspired nails. Not only did I create these nails because Pudsy bear is a little cutie, but it's a fun design and it's supporting a good cause.

To create C.I.N nails you will need the following:

• White nail varnish
• Black nail varnish
• Yellow nail varnish
• Blue nail varnish
• Green nail varnish
• Red nail varnish
• Orange nail varnish (Optional)
• Dotting tools

Please do not feel like you have to rush out and buy dotting tools for your nail art as cocktail sticks work as great dotting tools. 

If you would like to create C.I.N nails all you have to do is follow my nice and easy steps.

1.) Apply the white nail varnish to your finger nails. You may need 2 coats depending on what your nail varnish is like as some white nail varnishes tend to have a thin consistency. 

2.) Excluding your thumb nails, apply big and small blue dots to the rest of your finger nails. This can be done using blue nail varnish and different sized dotting tools (preferably medium and large sized dotting tools).

3.) Excluding your thumb nails, apply big and small green dots to the rest of your finger nails. This can be done using green nail varnish and different sized dotting tools. 

4.) Excluding your thumb nails, apply big and small red dots to the rest of your finger nails. This can be done using red nail varnish and different sized dotting tools. 

5.) Excluding your thumb nails, apply big and small yellow dots to the rest of your finger nails. This can be done using yellow nail varnish and different sized dotting tools.

6.) Excluding your thumb nails, apply big and small orange dots to the rest of your finger nails. This can be done using orange nail varnish and different sized dotting tools. This step is optional so you don't necessarily have to add orange dots, I did just to give my nails a little more colour. 

7.) It's time to draw Pudsy. First we need to do his outline and to do this you will need to use a large dotting tool and yellow nail varnish. I also went around the yellow outline with a bit of black nail varnish.

8.) It's time to give him some features.

For the eye, nose and mouth you will need to use a small dotting tool and black nail varnish.

For the eye patch you will need to use a medium dotting tool and white nail varnish.

For the spots on the eye patch you will need to use a small dotting tool and green, blue, yellow and red nail varnish.

And we're done!...

I hope you all like my C.I.N nails! If anyone re-creates this design then you'll have to let me know as I'd love to see!

If anyone has any questions or requests then please feel free to comment below!

:)

Ring, Ring.... Hello?!

I haven't written a jewellery post in a while so today I thought I'd share some of the lovely items that I'm going to be selling in my shop. All new items are rings as my shop needed a few more rings in its life! But I'm going to be selling new bracelets and necklaces very shortly.

I also have a new ring that is ideal for the Christmas period and I only have 3 available so if you want one, grab it while you can! I only made 3 as I wanted to see how many of you lovely people were interested in it.

So without further ado, here are my new rings...

Peacock Print Ring - £2.25

Rose & Pearl Ring - £2.25

Owl Ring - £2.25

Bird Ring - £2.25

Gold Double Finger Cross Ring - £3.25

Christmas Pudding Ring - £4.25

I also have a burger and chips ring to show you but the photograph was incredibly blurry so I'm going to have to take another photograph tomorrow. I would have re-taken one today but my camera kindly died so I had to wait for it to charge by which time it was dark outside so I couldn't have taken another photograph. I hate how it goes dark early, it's just so very inconvenient ;) 

I'm also thinking about doing christmas themed jewellery, for example, charm bracelets, christmassy earrings etc. I just wondered what your thoughts were on this? 

Thank you so much for reading, if you have any questions then please feel free to comment below. It'd also be great if you could give me feedback about the christmas themed jewellery! 

:D

Cher Lloyd 'With Ur Love' Look

I have grown to love Cher Lloyd's new song so I thought I'd re-create the look that she wore in her video. It's such a smokey yet subtle look and I have to say that I love it. 

Here's the look...

Products used to create this look:

• Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion
• Urban Decay Naked Palette (Eyeshadows used were 'Virgin' and 'Buck')
• MAC Eyeshadow in 'Groundcover'
• MAC Eyeshadow in 'Short Shorts'
• Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eyeliner Pencil in 'Zero' 
• Chanel Inimitable Intense Mascara
• False Eyelashes (Bought in a pack of 60 from eBay)

If you would like to create this look all you have to do is follow my nice and easy steps.

1. Apply Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion to your eyelids. Blend using your finger.
2. Apply 'Buck' to your eyelids using a flat eyeshadow brush. I find that patting the eyeshadow onto the eyelids works best. 
3. Blend a small amount of 'Groundcover' into the crease using a tapered eyeshadow brush. I blended the 'Groundcover' slightly up to the browbone just to create a more smokey look. 
4. Apply 'Short Shorts' to the browbone using the tapered eyeshadow brush previously used. Also blend into the crease colour.
5. Apply 'Virgin' to the very edge of the browbone using a small eyeshadow brush. 
6. It's time to apply the eyeliner to your bottom and top lash line. Make sure you apply a thick layer as this adds to the smokiness.
7. Apply mascara to your eyelashes and then add on a pair of false eyelashes. It isn't necessary to apply false eyelashes but I did for the purpose of this tutorial. 

I hope you all liked this makeup tutorial, if you have any requests please feel free to comment below. 

:)