Lush Cardiff Event

Hi all!

We've been super lucky recently and have been invited to a few events that we've really enjoyed and can't wait to share with you.

The first one was at Lush in Cardiff and it has been such a long time since we've been there it was really lovely to be invited back.

After meeting everyone and having a quick catch up we were separated into groups. There were three separate stations for us to walk to and have a demonstration and also cake and tea at each station from Waterloo Tea Gardens.

Going to tea rooms is something me and M keep meaning to do and after trying this tea and cake we can be sure we will definitely be going to sample some more!

We wandered around upstairs first and were given a quick chat about the scents from Lush. I hadn't smelt them before but i do love the large squirty bottles at the back of the tray that are used for body sprays, so fun and easy to use!

I love that they also have names like Smuggler Soul and a book to detail the journey behind the fragrances. i will have to go back for a full test but the packaging is very appealing!

A product that we came across but hadn't seen before was the Black Stockings solid body tint; a gorgeous bar that melts on contact with skin and gives the skin a lovely sheen and slight tan. It would be great for use on nights out on your legs for a gleam without being glittery.

As promised here's the cake; lemon and poppy seed, followed by a gluten free orange cake, and lastly a super sweet and sticky chocolate and salted caramel cake.

We also had a variety of tea to enjoy and this one was my favourite. Peppermint tea is my fave anyway but brewed with REAL peppermint leaves from Lampeter (a place in Wales) and a bit of brown sugar and it didn't take much more to win me over anyway!

My hair has been feeling awful after so many years of highlights so recently I've dyed it back to my natural colour but it needs a bit of TLC so I picked up this hair treatment. I'm really looking forward to trying it and getting my locks back to their former glory!

M absolutely loved the Knot wraps that Lush now use instead of wrapping paper. We both thought it was a really nice and environmentally friendly way to give a gift, or as M did, pick one up for herself to use in her hair! There are quite a few options for the prints and colours so you're sure to find one you like and for £4.25 they're a bargain!

We were lucky to come home with a goodie bag too so expect some reviews of these products soon. As well as the hair treatment we received a product from their new sun tan range (Sesame Suntan Lotion), a tester pot of their Dream Cream and the choice of one of their new self preserving products. I chose the Ocean Salt scrub and M chose Mask of Magnaminty so there will be reviews soon!

We also got given a bag of tea leaves from Waterloo Tea gardens so me and my mum are waiting for a time when we're both in to make a pot and test it out!

Do you like Lush products? Have you tried out their new natural sun care range or new self preserving products?

It was lovely to catch up with everyone and hear about the new ranges and smell everything as usual.
We can't wait to try them out and get to Waterloo Tea gardens and samples some more cake and tea too!


L & M xxx

Origins Ginzing Face Mask

Hello there!

Everyone who's anyone has heard of Origins and their fabulous Ginzing range. I'm a bit of a fan myself having loved both their eye cream and face cream and have previously posted about them here and here.

When I had a £10 off voucher sent to me for my birthday I umm'd and aah'd about what to get. I could always buy something from them but I wasn't running out of anything and didn't want to go overboard with my spending.

Eventually I settled on picking up Eye Doctor, my favourite eye cream for my sensitive eyes but wait, what a shame, it required a £50 spend to redeem the £10 off and the eye cream wasn't enough. As soon as my eyes fixed on this face mask I knew it would be my latest addition.

The Ginzing range is all about brightening, refreshing and energy boosting.

With this in mind it was only a matter of time before they brought out more in the range which has proved to be very popular.
This refreshing face mask is designed to be used in the morning, for example during your morning shower, where you can apply to skin for 10 minutes or so before removing.

The mask itself is quite a thick gel mask containing coffee beans for an energy boost, cucumber ot help refresh and Hoelen mushroom to soothe skin. This all combines to give your skin the 'get up and glow' that tired and dull skin needs in the morning.

I've been using the mask a few times a week for the last couple of weeks to see its effects. In the morning i love nothing more than a bit of citrus; things like Original source lemon or lime shower gels are amazing. i absolutely love this wash for the same reasons, citrus scents just wake you up and get you feeling happy! 

Applying this to my face did seem to make my skin feel a bit brighter, whether this was temporary i don't know as i do always put make up on afterwards but my complexion was definitely brighter on a number of occasions after using this mask.

I also think it helped my complexion by keeping it nice and clear; this could be because of leaving it on for 10 minutes at a time and allowing it to fully penetrate the skin but it had a positive effect on my skin.

The tube of Ginzing Face Mask comes in at £23 for 100ml which is quite pricey but if you're only using it a few times a week you shouldn't run out of it too fast. It's a lovely treat and I think particularly over the spring and summer months it's been lovely to use this in the mornings as an extra boost when the weather is occasionally sunny!

For me it hasn't been a necessary part of my skincare routine as I'm already obsessed with Checks and Balances cleanser, Modern Friction and the whole Make a Difference range, plus Night-a-Mins and pretty much all the other masks and eye creams. I'm sure Origins won't mind if I only buy this one when I'm feeling flush, right?

L xxx

Lidl Goodies

Good morning!

Today's post is about some bargain treats that I picked up from everyone's favourite cheap food store....Lidl. Their beaut stock is always a hit and miss, shambles of an area but I've been seeking out some hidden gems in the hair products and felt I needed to share these.



I picked up the Oz Botanics Deep Conditioner and the Macadamia Oil Extract Conditioner both of which were £1 each, absolute bargain.

First up under scrutiny was there Oz Botanics deep conditioner:



First off you can't go wrong with a huge post of what is essentially a hair mask. I dived right in with this one as my hair has been looking a bit nasty recently; highlights, a bit of sun and general wear and tear on my long locks have begun to take their toll.

I jumped in the shower and scooped a load of this onto my head, left it for a few minutes whilst showering and scrubbing before rinsing it out.



It sounded so promising; 'manage dry and damaged hair by smoothing split ends and roughened cuticles'

Sadly this was not the case. After applying this to my hair and rinsing it out the product felt quite thick and sticky on my hands, and my hair just felt coated rather than hydrated.

Even after extra rinsing and drying my hair as usual it felt coated and so I can't say I'll be rushing to use it again! It was worth a try for £1 but this would be a miss from me.



My second pound purchase was the Macadamia Oil Extract conditioner, and I tackled this one with a little less enthusiasm than the first but was pleasantly surprised.





The packaging on this one was a little more inventive and decorative but definitely cheap, the wording was hard to photograph as it was so shiny and the writing was stretched but never mind eh!



After using this a few times my hair has felt nourished and revitalised somewhat and feels considerably better than when I used the deep treatment. I've been using this every time I've washed my hair for the last few weeks and haven't experienced any build up so this was the obvious winner of the two for me.

For £1 for each it's worth buying a few things to try even if they're hit and miss! I've not seen these products in my local Lidl since so they were probably the last few palettes in a job lot, not surprising really!

I think Aldi have a more steady product range in the beauty department and having tried out their skincare before I will have to venture into their hair care too as Lidl seems to be a bit of a gamble......but who doesn't like a bit of risk eh??

Have you tried either of these products? Do you have any recommendations for bargain products from Lidl or Aldi? Or anywhere else for that matter!


L xxx

10 Forever Wardrobe Pieces

Hi there!

I've been browsing websites and magazines for the last 2 weeks whilst off and have been loving catching up with celeb gossip and changing fashions. It's got to the point when I read them and think 'who on earth is this?!' My celeb radar has clearly been off for a while!

Whilst browsing though i have come across an interesting article on Cosmopolitan called '10 Forever Pieces you need in your Wardrobe' It's pretty self explanatory but I wasn't sure about some of their choices.....so decided to make my own list.

1) Leather Jacket

There really is nothing better than a leather jacket. I would absolutely die and go crazy if I got my hands on a 100% soft buttery leather jacket in a timeless style from somewhere like All Saints. I'd love one, although I'd be wary that my long body would not allow one from there to fit me....sigh.
If I could pick though, it would be something like this:

Unfortunately I don't have £358 lying around tho. Sob.

2) Jeans

You absolutely cannot go wrong with some well fitting dark indigo jeans. I've found a perfect pair for me recently, having started my gym life a few years ago my glutes have suitably increased in size (Kardashian level not quite reached yet though). My current faves are therefore Levi's curve ID jeans in Demi curve which fit my derriere quite nicely.
I think in future a few more colours will be necessary but currently the dark indigo colour is perfect.

3) LBD
A Little Black Dress is a staple that no one would deny. Whatever your shape there's one to suit you, in fact there's probably 10 to suit you and that's the best part. I have a few faithful ones but it's going to be time for me to get a new one soon. A lot of dresses recently have been quite high neck so I think it's time to show a bit more cleavage, though I do really like a shift dress for simplicity and comfort!

4) LCD

Sometimes you just get fed up of wearing black. I've worn black dresses for about 10 years and I'm trying to add a bit more colour to my wardrobe, not least because it's boring to wear the same thing all the time but also because coloured dresses look awesome! not only that but as well as colour blocking which was what got me into wearing colour again, there are some amazing patterns to get your hands on.

The three above are all from Warehouse, would suit most shapes and are all under £50. Might have already picked up the bottom one....

5) Blazer

I'm in love with my blazer; a beautiful black Ralph Lauren military style blazer with emblem and gold buttons on the sleeves and the front. I couldn't be without it and it goes with so many things and gets me so many compliments - because it's so beautiful not because I'm wearing it. If it's good enough for Kate Middleton....

6) Handbag

The handbag is a tough choice for me. Having been a black leather lover all my life I've recently found myself branching out and had a dusky pink one for my birthday that has shown me the lighter side. Regardless, you need a fairly sizeable bag for daily life and here's a few on my wishlist:

 

You cannot beat simplicity.

7) Heels/Wedges
I could gaze at heels for hours, but as a lady of 5'9 and a very short patience span they just don't work for me. I found wedges about 2 years ago and haven't looked back. They allow me to gain some good looking leg muscles plus some extra chic points without crippling my feet (once they've been broken in obviously). They're like magic shoes!

 

Oh come on, who on earth wouldn't go for Louboutins by choice??

8) Flats
Following on from above it means I also clearly wear a lot of flats. I have an amazing pair of black brogues from Clarks that are so perfect for work and after a year still look new without any polishing whatsoever and I could cry with happiness at finding them. That aside, I love trainers too and am very much lusting over some new 'kicks' with some bright colours, or something that comes up with a high top like these:

I just need another spare £100 to snap them up!

9) Shirt/Blouse
Cosmo have a white shirt on their list. Whilst I love them....they don't love me. My boobs tend to get in the way of that and I can never find ones to fit, not that they're even that big which is why it's so frustrating. I've been wearing my black sheer loose fitting blouse for years and its so perfect for work, interviews and the pub with jeans. Sheer shirts like this are my haven, they skim over everything and flatter and hide in all the right places. Winning.

This ones from Zara for £30.


10) The coat.
I'm quite a fan of a coat. There are so many styles that part of me thought maybe this also included blazers and leather jackets but lets not include it for now.... I always think that nobody of any age or body shape can go wrong with a trench coat style or any style where the coat is above knee length and belted at the waist.This year I'm on the hunt for an emerald green coat so hopefully one will appear in the next few weeks. I've spied this one from Nina Ricci:

Stunning green and a leather belt at the waist.
But let's face it; if I can't afford the £100 for some trainers the £1880 price tag for this beauty certainly isn't happening. But if I win the lottery......? First on my list!!!


So what do you think? Are your top 10 classics similar to mine?
The only category I'm doubtful on is the trainers.....but even those will come back around again in the vintage category!

If you make your own lists let me know, I love reading them!

L xxx