PicStick Magnets Review!*

I’ve just received these magnets in the post from the company PicStick and thought I would share them with you! The pictures don't do them justice, they are pretty good quality.

They were so easy to customise, and at £9.50 for a set of 9 and free worldwide shipping they make a great fun gift, you could even order 9 of the same and give them to family and friends. I love that my fridge is now personalised!

They arrived the next day, which I was shocked about as I didn’t expect them to come so quickly, especially as they are personalised!

You can get your own magnets on their website and the company have very kindly offered a 25% discount to all of my readers when you enter the code CHRIS25 at the checkout. Get creating!

*I was sent these products for the purposes of a review. This post represents my honest opinions.

September 2014 Glossybox

I was looking forward to receiving my September Glossybox, mainly because I had used glossydots to pay for it, so technically it was free. When I opened the outer packaging, I really liked the design on this month’s box which has been designed by Karen Millen. I hadn't seen any spoilers this month so I had no idea what to expect, but I thought this was a pretty good box.

L’Oreal Professionnel Mythic Mask

I’ve only ever tried hair masks when I’ve been to the hairdressers so I was keen to try this out. It's a really nice formula and left my hair really soft. I think I will save this for special occasions!

SkinPep Enzyme and acid Peel and Peeling Gel and Eye Cream

I tried out this acid peel as soon as I opened it. I was curious, I have never used anything like this before. The first thing I noticed is that the smell and texture of this product is like the goo that you used to get in those little alien pots, do you know what I mean? The ones that everyone thought had babies if you put them in the freezer, but they never did. Anyway.. I put this on and didn't really feel much, yet when it was time to rub it off my skin was hot and red. I’m not sure if this is the point of an acid peel, as it supposedly takes off a layer of skin. I was a bit worried but after a few hours my skin calmed down and was so soft to the touch. I couldn't stop feeling my face. I’m a bit worried about using the other sachet, I think I’ll read some other reviews first! I am yet to try the eye cream, but I am looking forward to the results.

ModelCo More Brows Fibre Gel

I love eyebrow products, so I tried this out straight away. The colour is ever so slightly too dark for me so I had to put it on very faintly. I think my eyebrows felt a bit sticky after I applied this product, but maybe that’s because I am not used to using anything other than my HD Brows kit. My eyebrows did stay in place all day, but I couldn't help but think they were a tad too dark, and every time I looked in the mirror, that’s all I could focus on. I think with the right shade, this product would have been really good.

 

Nails Inc – Westminster Bridge Matte Top Coat

This does exactly what it says on the tin, turns any nail polish into a matte one. I tried this out on top of a number of different brands and received the desired effect every time. It paints on shiny so I wasn't convinced it was going to work at first, but it does dry matte. I am not really a huge fan of matte nail varnish so I won’t really use this, but it’s a great product nonetheless.

Vichy – Normaderm Night Detox and Hydrating Care

The only Vichy product I have tried before is the dermablend so it was nice to see a familiar brand in this month’s box. These two cream samples are designed to reduce the appearance of blemishes and balance excess sebum production. I have been using these morning and night since I have got them, and I really like them. I don’t normally use a moisturiser in the evening, but since using this I have been waking up stroking my face, which is really weird.. but it’s so soft. The texture is a bit like PVA glue and smells like a perfumed version but soaks into the skin really well, I was impressed.

I am looking forward to next month’s box. The box design is Andy Warhol inspired and we have been given a spoiler that one of the products is going to be a full size Nuxe Masque – Crème Fraiche de Beauté worth £19.50. I've not actually heard of this before, but will give it a go!

To sign up to Glossybox, click here.

Blaze On Fairy Lights UK - Review*

A couple of weeks ago now, I was lucky enough to receive these gorgeous Cabbage Rose lights from the company Blaze On. 

The lights I received were the Blaze On Cabbage Rose Lights in the colour Country Garden.

The first thing I noticed was how lovely the packaging was. I love the see-through window that these lights came boxed in, and I couldn't wait to open them and try them out.

When I took these out of the box, I couldn’t believe how detailed they were. They look so delicate and intricate and the colours were beautiful. These particular lights are for indoor use only, but I couldn’t help bringing them outside so I could truly appreciate the colours in their true form.

What makes these fairy lights even more special is that they are hand-crafted in Thailand and you can see that a lot of work has gone into making these roses. Blaze On Cabbage Rose petals are actually shaped from the leaf of the Thai rubber tree. Using a paintbrush, the tissue of the leaf is very carefully brushed away leaving the skeleton of the leaf remaining. Aren't they beautiful!

What I love most about these lights is the classic shape. These Blaze On lights are also so versatile, and can be placed in so many ways. I love having them tumbling over a glass vase. The range of colours means these can go in so many rooms and in so many areas of the house. The soft light is so calming and brings a really nice look to the décor of your home. 

I have had fairy lights before, but they have all been battery powered and have ran out and I’ve never replaced the battery as it becomes a chore. My lights came with a mains adapter so I can choose to have them on whenever I like. These lights give up to 100,000 hours of light - that equates to 10 years! All fairy lights come with a 1 year electronic guarantee and UK technical support.

These can also be placed around mirrors, paintings or photos on the wall.

Overall, I was really impressed with Blaze On and their fairy lights, and the ones I received were amazing and a great addition to my home. I urge you to check out Blaze On as they have so many different lights perfect for any room and occasion. You can find their links below.

Website

Pinterest

Facebook

*This product was provided to me free of charge from the company in order to review it. However the opinions expressed in this review are independent and my own.

Your Dreamcatcher Clothing Review*

I was recently contacted by a company in the name of Your dreamcatcher to see if I wanted to review one of their clothing items, and I jumped at the chance. Just looking on their website I could see that this was a brand I would love. 

The clothing range has plenty of options for those of us who love to lounge in comfort, and of course style.

Delivery was really fast and my item was packaged beautifully and included a little business card with a nice quote inside which relates to the brand and how they encourage you to capture and follow your dreams.

 

 

I received the white fitted vest which I thought looked really good on the website and had a multiple range of uses. I planned to wear this for working out, and generally lounging around the house but I thought this vest was also nice enough to wear with some jeans too. That's what I love about this brand, you can wear their clothing for any scenario.

The website stated for a looser fit to buy 1-2 sizes bigger so this is what I did so that it wasn’t too tight/ but I wanted quite a slim fit so that it didn’t irritate me when working out. The length is perfect, and sits just beneath my waistband.

This vest is 95% cotton and is really soft and feels really luxurious. It is so comfy, I was happy to wear this around the house and whilst doing daily chores.  The logo is a dreamcatcher with the company name around it which I think is really stylish and funky. It is also of a good quality, I love that it’s so prominent as well! 

They also have a range of really beautiful handmade jewellery featuring dreamcatcher charms and it’s very reasonably priced. I have my eye on the anklet! I also think some of my friends would love the jewellery range, and Christmas isn’t far away now! 

Overall, I am really impressed by this brand and urge you to check them out! The website and links can be found below :).

*I was sent these products for the purposes of a review. This post represents my honest opinions.

Photography by JimmyScribble

Day out in Holt

Recently me and my boyfriend James decided to visit Holt one Sunday afternoon for something to do. Holt is a small market town in Norfolk and is about a half an hour drive from where I live. Little did we know, most of the shops in Holt are closed on a Sunday, as well as the fact that Cromer Carnival was on nearby, Holt was totally dead. We still had a nice time though.

Whenever I visit Holt, I HAVE to go to Byfords. Byfords is thought to be the oldest building in Holt, with their cellar dating back to the 15th century. It used to be a hardware shop back in the early 1900's and is now a café and B&B. The one thing that brings me there is the cake. Their cake is amazing, I try and have something different every time, and I am yet to find a cake that I don't like! Their Fridge cake is THE BEST. As it was lunch time, I also decided to have some chips as well as a slice of coffee sponge and a teapot full of green tea. They were all delicious.

After lunch, we decided to walk to Holt Country Park, as many of the shops were closed. This area is abundant with nature, we even saw some cows grazing in the distance! After getting lost, we finally found our way and went on a nice 5 mile walk along a few of the routes. There are quite a few routes to choose from and you can pick up a trail map in the visitor centre.

I had a lovely day in Holt, and think it will be nice to go back on a Saturday or during the week and have a look around all the lovely shops that they have in the area, and of course, stop off for another piece of cake!

Rose Cupcakes - Icing Tutorial

One of my favourite things to do on a day off is to make cupcakes! I've had a lot of people ask me recently how I do my rose cupcakes so I thought I would attempt a tutorial on them. I just bought a new icing nozzle and trust me when I say it’s all about the nozzle! The best thing about rose icing is that it takes no time at all, in fact it's probably quicker than regular piped icing, but looks a lot more neat and professional.

I use a standard cupcake recipe which involves weighing out my eggs and then matching the quantities of butter/flour and sugar. I have posted the recipe that I used below, but this can be changed/adapted and by no means am I a cooking expert!

I decided to test my new Wilton 1M Flower nozzle for these cakes. Cupcakes are super easy to make, even for a beginner in the kitchen. I think they look pretty good, I really want to experiment with different nozzles and designs. Suggestions welcome!

Ingredients

2 x Eggs

120g Flour

120g Sugar

120g Butter

For the Icing

75g Butter

150g Icing Sugar

Cocoa Powder (for chocolate icing)

Recipe:

Cream together the butter and sugar until smooth.

Add the eggs one at a time and mix thoroughly.

Slowly add the flour and mix until smooth.

Add Vanilla Essence to taste (for Vanilla Cupcakes of course!)

Add to cake cases and bake in the oven at 180 Degrees for 15-20 Minutes or until Golden

Whilst my cupcakes were in the oven, I mixed my icing ingredients and left the icing in the fridge to chill so that it was easier to pipe.

I have filmed a super quick video below so you can see how easy these are to create, I think the finished product looks yum!

  Thanks to my boyfriend James for helping me take these photos and film my first video! You can check out his photography page on Facebook here (go on, give him a like!).

Stay tuned for a future post where I attempt a giant cupcake with mini roses piped on top. Thanks for reading, and I hope this helps you out.