Thursday 31 July 2014

Cardiff's New Primark Store (and haul...!)


Hello there!

Happy weekend lovelies!

I hope you've got some fun things planned. I'm at a close friends wedding today and have been looking forward to it for months! It's a small wedding but a rather large party so I imagine it will be a lot of fun.

I've had a few shopping trips recently, although I'm pretty poor it has been such a long time since I've bought clothes properly that all of them seem to be falling apart. I mean I'm at the stage where some clothes are too big where I've lost weight, some have holes in where I've worn them so much and some just are NOT in fashion any more.

So when Primark opened their brand new absolutely fabulously big store on Queen Street in Cardiff it would have been a travesty for me not to go and check it out wouldn't it?

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This was my first purchase and it was a steal at £12. I cannot believe that this BEAUTY of a top was ONLY £12!!!

Look at the beautiful details and stunning patterns.

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This top might not be silk and it might not be hand sewn but let's face it, with this much elegance who on earth cares?!

Even the bottom hem of the top is edged with the same gorgeous iridescent coral sequins, and I love a bit of coral (read obsessed).

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When I saw this gorgeous jersey maxi skirt next to it for a bargain £10 it was in the basket before I blinked. Even my mum was impressed that as of yet, i hadn't picked up a tshirt nor a black item of clothing.

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A bit further into this new stores 5 floors (FIVE!) and I found this super cool navy and white maxi skirt with huge polka dots and thigh splits. This was the first maxi skirt I ever tried on and the polka dots with the thigh splits just sold it for me.
Spots are my favourite pattern and the splits allow me to move freely with a lovely breeze to cool me down.

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Look at those splits! There's one on either side too so it helps to keep my modesty during a particularly sudden gust of wind.

So eventually the black tshirt related item did make it into the basket! But it must be acceptable when it's this cute right?!

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I love American sports style clothing and this is so comfy and goes with leggings and jeans for a slouchy weekend.

This floral tshirt dress is also a comfy purchase, its very short on me as I'm taller than your average but its a very pretty print and I love the colours.

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Who on earth doesn't love tshirts like these? Paired with jeans, denim shorts or just as a beach cover up I love a tshirt especially when they're as cheap as these.

I'm a huge super hero fan and this Wonder Woman tshirt is a new favourite of mine. It's a lovely baggy tshirt and is great for dress down days at work.

The Coco Cola tshirt is another great one, plain white tee with a simple logo. Simple is always best I think!

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Who doesn't love a pair of sunglasses as happy and summery as these? They remind me of the frames that Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum wear on 22 Jump Street, loads of people had these on at Glastonbury in a myriad of colours. They just seem to go with everything due to the dual colours.

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Lastly, at £3 a pair it would have been REALLY rude not to pick up at least a few of the colours of these pumps. The grey and white are staples every year for me but the floral and pink are new additions. £12 for four pairs of the pumps means that they can be worn to death and thrown out at the end of every summer. Let's face it, they always stink after a few months of wear and although you can put them in the washing machine they never turn out the same!

So what do you think of my buys?


I think the new store has a much better lay out that the previous store and a much wider variety of stock. They have allegedly taken on a total of 600 employees for this store so it's not surprising that it so much better organised.

I am almost certain I will be making many returns and have been on a bit of a shoe haul recently, a new post will be sure to make it onto the blog soon!


L xxx


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Tuesday 29 July 2014

Sense Cosmetics Lip Sense Blu-Red *

Hey All

Feels like it's been ages since I wrote a post. Where is this year going, I can't believe it's almost August. Last week saw me give up alcohol for four weeks. It's one of the things on my 101 things and I figured now was the time to give it up pre tough mudder.

So now it's time to get used to nights out spent on water. I'm already missing the social aspects of it but have been out twice and not drink.

On Sunday I met up with Jenny to go to a Lower than Atlantis gig in Clwb ifor Bach. I've not heard much of LTA but love a gig so jumped at the chance to go.

I decided to go for classic make up so my current favourite red for a night out came. It's the lipsense lip colour in blu - red. These are absolutely amazing for staying all night and this is the perfect classic pillar box red.

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I love a red lip but do hate the maintenance of it and seeing it transferred on glasses and things.  I have tried other lipstains that claim to last 24 hours but found they wore really badly to the lip liner effect which is never a good look.

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It's a great colour for making the teeth look pearly white!

The lipstains are a little sticky when first applied but when topped with the lipgloss have a long lastig non sticky finish. Once the lipgloss wears off the lipstain stays unfaded and non sticky and doesn't dry out or flake on the lips. They come with a classic doe foot applicator which is the perfect size for precise application. The lip colour itself feels light and liquid on the lips. The dude approves though as it saves me covering him in lippie!


The lipstain has been on for over 5 hours here and still looks perfect!




These seriously have amazing lasting power and I always reach for them on a night out. The only place they seem to fade is the corner of the lips. The downside of these. Getting them off!! They usually need a good oil cleanser or lip scrub to budge them properly but they do sell a special remover I think I need to try. You can get a set of the colour, gloss and remover for £45 or the colours themselves are £22. Though they seem expensive they do last all night so you don't need to worry about touch ups and won't use as much product.

have you found any long lasting lip products. I can't wait to try more colours!

Love M

xxx



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Friday 25 July 2014

Boots Botanics Buffers


Morning everyone!

I'm on a day off today, spending it with my mum for a girly day before she goes in for an operation.
I've been loving the thought of having an even and flawless tan, I mean who doesn't want a bit more of a glow over the summer even if it's not a tan that's ten shades darker than your normal skin tone?

In my quest for this I've recently picked up these two from Boots Botanics range; the Loofah and Bamboo Buffer and the Sisal and Bamboo Buffer.

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In store the Loofah buffer felt quite rough and the Sisal buffer less so, so I was interested to see how they fared at buffing my skin to glorious silky smoothness and aiding me in keeping some kind of tan in a flawless stage for as long as possible.

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As I said, in store this one felt the softest so I went for this one first. My skin is weird sometimes and although it isn't classed as 'sensitive' I do feel that it can have odd reactions to things so I played it safe.
Little did i know this one would be rougher than the other when water was involved!

By no means is it abrasive on the skin but it certainly does require a large amount of foam to stop it from dragging on the skin but i do feel like I've been buffed to perfection after using this. My skin feels good as new particularly after application of moisturiser afterwards, it seems to sink in so much faster and my skin feels super soft.

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The Loofah buffer just seemed to melt when water and shower gel was added to it, it is now no longer flat and hard and has puffed up as you would expect a normal loofah to.

I normally use the Sisal buffer once a week and then in between use the Loofah buffer as its a lot softer on the skin and I suppose in comparison is more of a polish than a scrub. 

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These have both definitely helped my skin improve and also have meant that I have been applying a lot more moisturiser as my skin has soaked it up.
Overall these were a bargain purchase and they were on a bogohp offer which was great and as long as you thoroughly rinse them after each use and dry them properly there shouldn't be any reason why they won't last you a while as well.

I do like a loofah and my family have always had one in the bathroom!

Are you a loofah or buffer fan or do you prefer scrub products?
I like the options that they both bring and think a foaming scrub such as Soap and Glory's Pulp Friction would be really good with this....shame I've run out of it!


L xxx



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Thursday 24 July 2014

New Look Wedges


Hi all!

Firstly I'd like to apologise for my shoddy lack of posts. I've had a few dramas in my life and this has resulted in me handing in my notice at work and selling my absolute favourite thing - my car (SOB!). I've made the decision to go travelling with a friend which is very exciting but also scary as I've no idea what I'm going to come back to and what I will end up doing. I've written a bit more in my life update post you can find here if you'd like to know more.

Other than that.....let's get back to SHOES!


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I've been quite poor for a while. Add to that my stint working at Boots which obviously didn't help my bank account much (hello discount!). I've been living in the same tan wedges and black wedges for a while now with no other heels in sight. Long story short my black wedges are no more and I just HAD to get a new pair to get me through. Cue a trip to New Look with M and low and behold........I came out with a new black pair...and a coral pair. M is dangerous!

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These beautiful wedges came in at £20 and are extremely similar to a pair of Kurt Geigers I used to have and had to sell. Getting these were the perfect replacement for my previous wedges and a nice little nod to my beloved KG's that I do quite miss a lot (even if I did only look at them in my wardrobe).

They are quite high but hey, it's a wedge and its a fully enclosed shoe with a wraparound design over the main part of the foot. The zips at the back look cute and help to get the shoes on and off easily, and the platform at the front makes them a whole lot comfier for those long wedding days and even longer evenings over the summer!

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I knew they'd be perfect for so many evenings I just couldn't leave without them...especially when they were not only the only size 6 in the shop but the only shoe in the whole shop! MINE.

In my search for black wedges I cam across a super cute pair of coral wedges too. I mean it would have been rude not to try them on wouldn't it?

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The colour is gorgeous, and one that suits my pale skin and dark hair. I love the adjustable straps on the ankles as I have skinny ankles (the only part that is skinny!) and need these to be able to wear heels more comfortably.

The platform with the wedge allows me to wear heels without actually killing my feet.

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They're a very cute and feminine pair of shoes and I will look forward to wearing this at many an afternoon at the pub and evening with the girls.
This colour seems to go with everything too, it can be a pop of colour with a black or white dress and complement my many beige, coral and patterned items of clothing that are hiding away in my wardrobe. (stay tuned for a gorgeous maxi dress that fits this bill!)

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I have only worn the black wedges so far and that was on my recent trip to Edinburgh and involved a lot of karaoke! See below for a cheeky snapshot of me belting out Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody with a friend!

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As a tall lady I often look at heels and wonder a) why on earth I wear them and b) if they make me look stupid.

In wedges I feel comfortable, not clumpy and actually....quite elegant!
I do love the ability to run around in the chunky heels without fear of flying and going flat on my face or bum.

How much do you love wedges? Are you a fan or are you a sky scraper stiletto kind of girl?

L xxx



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Tuesday 22 July 2014

Tangle Teezer

Hey All

A few weeks back it was my birthday and I was spoiled with some lovely gifts. When my brother's wife asked me what I wanted I instantly thought of the tangle teezer. It's something I've been meaning to get for ages but just never got around to buying! L got one for Christmas and you can read her review here.

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I got the purple and pink one. I wasn't fussed on colour so didn't ask for one in particular. I'd heard so much about them but I'm someone who doesn't usually brush there hair much in between washes. I know I'm lush ha!

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As soon as I got it I couldn't wait to rip it out of the packet to try it out and started brushing my hair straight away. Since dying it lots it's really dry but the tangle teezer just smoothed through my hair with ease. The biggest difference I've noticed over the past few weeks of using it is that I actually brush my hair a lot now. The tangle teezer feels good against the scalp and I can't stop brushing it.

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It says you can also use them on wet hair. Again I was intrigued. I was always told you should only ever comb wet hair. When my housemate was struggling to de knot her hair after the shower she tested it out and it breezed through her hair too. It's like a little de tangling wizard.

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The two lengths of teeth seem to just smooth all hair. I also tested it out on my nieces at the weekend. It de tangled their hair without hurting them and made brushing their hair easier.

I also find it makes my hair softer, smoother and makes it look healthier!!

I'm a total hair brush convert already and can't imagine not having one! The only downside it the sound it makes! When I brush my hair it does almost sound like it's ripping through it!

Are you a tangle teezer fan?

Love M

xxx


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Sunday 20 July 2014

Life Update

Hi all!

Apologies for the serious lack of posts from myself recently; not only have I been living it up at Glastonbury and hen partying it in Edinburgh I have also had a lot going on at home as my mum is ill and my job isn't working for me so I'm having to look for another .

It's extremely frustrating and heartbreaking to admit defeat and give up on everything you worked so hard for but I cannot continue to work for a company who promised me so much and yet have given me so little. It takes up a lot of my time, energy and finances to even get there and my lack of training combined with minimal financial gain, no chance of this changing in the near future and no real career development I'm absolutely gutted to think I might have to call it a day. 

I'm still trying to make my decision as after telling them I was going to leave a month ago they promised me that things would change if I gave them a few weeks to prove it but unfortunately not enough has changed.

I'm trying to stay positive and tell myself that it's giving me a new start and that everything happens for a reason but it's extremely hard to think like that sometimes. I feel like my job was all I really had going for me and without that I'm not really left with much.

That aside I've been so busy with social events that I've barely had time to breathe! My friend had her hen weekend in Edinburgh and it was amazing, I've always wanted to go there having never been to Scotland and it didn't disappoint. 



We managed to fit in a trip to the dungeons, karaoke, food, dancing and the zoo, though we missed a time slot for the pandas so we couldn't see them! I definitely want to revisit and wander the cobbled streets for hours and hours, its so beautiful.



This weekend I have had another hen party to attend for the same group of friends but for a different bride to be, this one involved GoApe, Ann Summers party and lots of games so was a lot of fun but unfortunately not many photos were taken! Next weekend is her wedding so she's keeping everything really close together which is a nice change from those that are planned so far in advance; though I can't say I wasn't worried when she was swinging in the trees! We had to dress up as animals so a few of us clubbed together to buy face paint to make us into zebras:

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Me and M have also been out a few times recently. We went out a few weeks ago for food to catch up after Glastonbury and just have a quiet evening after the madness of the festival. We went to a place in Cardiff called Got Beef which was amazing, mostly selling different types of burgers but they also have beef brisket and loads of other things. My brother is a big fan and told me to go just so that I could have the Heisenburger: any Breaking Bad fan would be crazy NOT to order it, so of course i did!

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I mean blue onions?! how amazing. Definitely a fun kind of place and I'll be going back again to try more!
We also went out for drinks for her birthday and managed an impressive 6 cocktails in 3 hours before getting the last bus home, we know how to live...!

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Hopefully this week will be a little quieter and I will have some time to catch up with myself and write some posts. A lot are overdue but unfortunately there's only so much that one person can do at one time!
I could do with Hermione's time turner right now...


L xxx


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Monday 14 July 2014

H and M Scuba Skirt

Hey All

Sorry for the lack of posts from us. It's been a busy few weeks for L and I. This Friday was my birthday so my weekend has been a busy one. I celebrated with my parents on Friday night and went out for dinner then saw the dude and some of the girls for drinks on Sunday for cocktails! It was such a lush night!

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As I'm skint I had originally decided I didn't need a new outfit but then thought birthday's require new clothes.

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changing room photo to get friends approval!

I can't say I've been overly fussed on this scuba material trend. I thought the fabric was a little weird to have in a dress or skirt. When I was browsing H and M this amazing green/yellow one caught my eye. I had planned to pick up one of the long A Line skirts but loved the colour on this one more. As the skirt was so bright I thought classic make up would be best. I borrowed my friends studio fix foundation and I had forgotten how beautiful it makes the skin look.

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It sits high up on the waist meaning it'll look great with crop tops as well as vest without having to worry about the dreaded belly pooch! The skirt was £34.99 which is a lot for what it is but the colour had caught my eye and I was instantly sold! I can't find it online but my store did have lots of it.

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I felt so comfortable in it and girly without being OTT! I'm hoping I can dress it down with flats and actually get some wear out of it other than nights out. It was short on me. I am tall but due to the style it's not too short!

Are you a fan of bright colours? Have you embraced the Scuba trend?

Love M

xxx


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