Beauty | Budget Skincare Saviours

I've never been overly kind to my skin, as a teen I had acne, as a 20-something I layered the foundation on with a trowel and now in my thirties I think it's time to take stock and plead to the skincare gods for mercy on my poor complexion.

I had a mua shout at me a few months ago as my skin was so dehydrated.  I'm terrible at drinking water throughout the day and in the past I wouldn't even say I had a skincare regime.  So I've been actively trying to find products to help put the hydration back into my skin and up my water intake.

Recently I've been trying out a few bits and bobs and I think I have found some great purse friendly items that are helping to bring my dull, tired skin back to the land of the living.

Lifestyle | Wednesday Wishlist: Dunelm Mill

I cannot believe it's almost been a year since my OH and I bought our first home together.  It's been a crazy journey of knocking down walls, installing new bathrooms, chopping down trees and painting every square inch of the house.

Lifestyle | How I waste away my life: NETFLIX

My name is Gillian and I have a confession; I am terribly addicted to NETFLIX.

Fashion | What I would have bought: TOPSHOP

Don't you just love finding that perfect dress!!

 

Then realising you can't fit your arse in it?!  #Ilikecake.

 

Here's what I would've bought if TopShop went up to my size.

 

My size varies, obviously depending on where I shop.  I can go between a 18 or 20. 

All the items below only go up to a size 16/ L. 

Lifestyle | My Weekly View #3

This week has been super busy..ARGH!!!

But I actually like that..  I'm one of these people who just can't seem to sit still for longer than an hour at a time.

Getting Down and Dirty with The Library Of Fragrance

Don't you just love something a bit....unusual?!

There are a few things in life I find hard work;

Beauty | Unboxing April 2015 Glossybox

Don't you just love when you forget about a subscription?  As a gift last year my lovely other half signed me up for a subscription to GlossyBox.  I was convinced I'd had all the boxes but low and behold, I arrived to the office today to find a pretty package on my desk.

Join me as I unbox the April 2015 HOLLYWOOD GLOSSYBOX.

The theme for this months' box is "Iconic Hollywood Glamour" and as you can see from the box itself, the packaging this month is just beautiful.

I'm a total vintage style girl.  Years ago I was all about the black on black clothing, too much eyeliner and studded belts but I've found in my thirties I just can't quite pull all of that off anymore so these days I'm all about the Pin Up style.  Polka dots, red lipstick and a seamed stocking....oooerr.

So when I opened the outer to this months' box, I was super excited about the prospect of some lovely glamorous and bold items that may be hiding within.

Hiding inside the pretty package this month.....

 

IDC - Body Lotion in Lavender
Astral Original - Face and Body Moisturiser 50ml Sample
Color Club - Full Size Barely There Nail Polish (full size)
Lord & Berry - Full Size Lipstick Pencil in Kiss (full size)
Pop Beauty -  Full Size Kajal Eyeliner Pen in Sooty Black  (full size)

All for £10.00 + P&P

Now there is one thing I am happy about this month and that's the fact I didn't receive a mascara.  As I mentioned in my unboxing last month; I feel like I've received a mascara in everyone of my glossyboxes for the last 4/5 months.  Seriously guys, I could be some sort of mascara pimp with the amount I have in my drawers.

So, that's 2 skincare, 2 make up and 1 nail product.  Not bad, GlossyBox, a good bit of variety there.

Of the 5 items, I've only  heard of 2 of the brands; Lord & Berry and Astral.  So 3 new brands in this box.  Something I really like about subscription boxes.

 

As I mentioned, I'm a lover of vintage style and my go-to is always a red lipstick so I am very happy with this Lord & Berry lipstck pencil.  It seems to have good pigmentation and although it seems to have slightly smudged on the swatch on my hand as I type this, I'm willing to give it a go.  It'll probably have it's first outing this evening.

The "kajal pen"....huh?  Looks more like a pencil to me, let's not try and confuse things here, Pop Beauty!!  It's a black pencil with a smudger on the end.  Perfect for me.  I've yet to grow out of the black eyeliner phase and being a messy girl, a smudger is ideal.  I'm happy with this addition.

I'm really loving this months' nail polish.  Last month GlossyBox sent me the strangest colour of green but this month it's a beautiful soft nude shade.  Usually I'd stick to red or purple nails but recently I've been feeling those a little too bold for spring.  This shade just screams Springtime Wedding.  It's lovely.  I've never heard of the brand "ColorClub" so I'm hoping it has good staying power

The last 2 items made me do a little sigh.  

Lavender body lotion and Astral moisturiser.  

Both of these items make me think of my grandmother and brown slippers.  Sorry GlossyBox, these additions are poop.  I've never been a fan of lavender scented products and yes, Astral is a favourite from the 1950's, according the to blurb on the product guide inside the box but it just doesn't "wow" me.

So 3 out of 5 products impressed me this month and to be honest, I LOVED the packaging too.  The box is just beautiful but this is the last box of my subscription and I think I'll take some time off now.  I've found the products in my last few GlossyBoxes a bit hit and miss and not quite the exciting brands I was hoping for.  Perhaps I'll come back again in future but for now I think I'll look elsewhere for my surprise desk deliveries.

Do you subscribe to GlossyBox?  Or any other subscription boxes you would recommend?

Beauty | A Lazy Girl's Best Friend

I'll admit it, I'm a lazy, lazy girl.  I'm terrible at beauty regimes.  How do all the lovelies find time to keep their nails chip free, skin fresh and make up on point 24/7?  I can barely find time once a fortnight to touch up my hair colour.

With that in mind, I thought I'd share my top "Lazy Girl" products. 

Dry Shampoo.

I think most of us know now how awesome dry shampoo is for adding volume and sprucing up tired hair.  I honestly have the flattest hair ever and when I was a young'un, I used to wash my hair each day.  Since I died my hair red over 7 years ago, I've had to retrain my hair to last a few extra days between washes, otherwise I would be topping up my haircolour every week....and as I said, who has time for that shizz?

I've tried many different brands of dry shampoo, with a surprisingly high fluctuating price difference too.  From £1 bargains to £11 for a higher end high street brand and I still go back to what seems to be the most popular brand in the UK; Batiste.

This stuff is just great for my bright red locks, it means I can make a wash last 2 or even 3 days and that in my opinion makes it a saviour.  Plus, it comes in a gazillion different smells.  Sweet.

Micellar Water.

I know, I'm late to the party but this stuff really does live up to the hype, doesn't it?!

When I get home from work, the first thing I want to do is get rid of my make up.  I wear quiet heavy Estée Lauder foundation so it's nice to get it all off as soon as I get in the door and then it feels like I can relax, let my skin breathe and let it all hang out, so to speak.

This Garnier one is the first Micellar Water I've tried and to be honest, I can't see me switching away from it any time soon.  It always seems to be on offer in either Superdrug or Boots too, bonus!  In the past it's been rare for me to get all my foundation off without a cleanser and a wash but this stuff does the job and makes my face feel super fresh in the process.  +10 Lazy girl points.

Moisturiser.

Seriously, who has the time to full body moisturise?  When I get out of the shower, I want to get my clothes on quickly, especially the past few months when the temperature in my dressing room has been lower than outside (we've been decorating).  I certainly don't want to spend 10/15 minutes applying a layer of slip n slide-esque coating and wandering around the house like a penguin.  I want to get warm and cosy.

So when I picked up this Vaseline Spray & Go on sale in Superdrug on a whim I wasn't convinced I would actually use it.  (Do you do that too?  buy stuff you're not sure you'll actually use?)  But I did!!   And I still do.  A wee spray after my shower, a quick run over with my hands and I'm good to go.  Puuurfect.  I'm also loving the slight coco-butter/ vanilla scent on my skin too.

I'm sure you've probably tried at least 2 of these products but do you have any other lazy girl product suggestions?

The Fragrance Shop: Discovery Club Spring 2015

Who doesn't love a pretty box arriving in the mail now and then?!  I just adore it.

Usually I get my mail delivered to my office as I hate having to pop to the sorting office to collect parcels that weren't able to be delivered, but for my latest subscription box, The Discovery Club from The Fragrance Shop, I was excited to read that the box design has been reworked in order to be posted through a standard front door mail slot.

Lifestyle | My Weekly View #2

 

Morning everyone.  A bit of a quick one from me this week, nothing too exciting this week but since I'm trying to stay on track, off we go;

My Weekly View;