New Years Resolutions For 2013!

 

Source

Lose Some Weight!
Ok, so this is such a cliche new years resolution but I'm about 7 stone overweight(Cringe!), so I really feel I need to do something about it. I'd really like to get down to a healthy weight. I know losing 7 stone will take quite a long time so I'm aiming to lose 2-3 stone this year and that will hopefully make me a size 14/16 which would be wonderful instead of my current size 18/20.
I aim to achieve this by...
- Using MyFitnessPal to track calories.
- Going for a 1/2 hour walk, 5 days a week.
-Limiting Takeaways/Meals out to special occasions.
- Meal Planning

 

Limiting Fizzy Drink Consumption
Keeping on the food/health theme, I'll be the first to admit that I am pretty addicted to diet pepsi and I'm also quite partial to lemonade. I know these drinks are full of rubbish but I do really love them! I think they've become a bit of a bad habit and one I'd like to at least limit if I can't break it.
I aim to achieve this by...
- Only buying fizzy drinks to drink at the weekend
- Only allow myself to buy 2 bottles per week(this will be between two people)
- Ban myself from buying diet pepsi at work when I need a caffiene fix.

Source


Save Up For Christmas
Me and my boyfriend both really love Christmas, we love spoiling eachother with lovely presents, we adore the food,the decorations, the socialising and the family time. However Christmas is an expensive time of the year and being skint in Decemeber sucks! So I have decided to save some of my wages each week towards Christmas, this money could be spent on presents, nights out, Christmas food, new decorations or anything else festive!
I aim to achieve this by...
- Saving £5 a week in a tin that will go and live with a trusted friend until December.
- Saving £3 a week towards works Christmas night out(this normally costs £50 or less so I should be in profit!)
- Saving £2 a week in Morrisons saving stamps.

Source

 

To Blog More

I've been pretty rubbish when it comes to blogging recently but I really love it and want to make it a regular part of my life again. I also want to produce some quality posts about topics/products that I really love.

I aim to achieve this by...

- Keep a notepad specifically for blog post ideas.

- Try and blog five times or more per week.

- Enjoying myself whislt doing it!

Source

What are your New Years resolutions?

Happy New Year!

Thanks for reading,
Jess
xxx





November Favourites

Hi everyone!

Long time no see...

I've been a bit rubbish with blogging recently and the lack of decent light isn't helping!

 

But anyway here are my November favourites....

 

 

 

Urban Decay Vice Palette

This is such a beautiful palette! My boyfriend was kind enough to treat me to it at the end of October and I've been loving using it. The shadows are amazing quality and there's a great mixture of neutral, bright and jewel colours.

 

Here are my favourite shades...

 

Burt's Bees Mango Lip Balm

Such a moisturising lip balm, it really feels like it's doing my lips a lot of good when I apply this. I've been using it non stop! Throughout the day and at night time.

 

Soap and Glory Hand Food Hand Cream

As the weather's been so cold recently this hand cream has been a lifesaver! It absorbs really quickly, smells fantastic and is really good for taking care of dried out skin.

 

Revlon Kissable Balm Stain in Honey

For the past couple of weeks I have worn this pretty much everyday! It's so gorgeous but I won't go on about it too much as I'm going to be reviewing it soon. :)

 

Avene Rich Hydrating Cream

Since the weather's got colder my Soap and Glory day cream hasn't been cutting it, my skin's been so dry and needed a richer moisturiser before I put make up on. This has been the answer to my prayers, it works like a dream!

 

No7 Stay Perfect Eyeshadow in Mink

This is a really pretty shadow and perfect for an all over the lid colour for a quick and easy look. The colour is a bit difficult to describe, so here's a swatch...

 

 

Thanks for reading,

Jess

xxx

 

Sunday Night Make Up Shake Up #6

 

Hi everyone,

 

 

I've picked a nice selection of face, cheek, eye and lip products for this week :)

 

Barry M Limited Edition Lip Gloss

This is a lovely pale pink lipgloss with pink glitter running through it, it smells kind of like strawberry sweets and feels really nice on the lips.

 

Collection 2000 Blush in Breathless

This blush was a poundland bargain and I don't think I've ever worn it! It's a peachy blush with gold shimmer, it's probably more suited to being used as a highlighter.

 

17 Eyeshadow in Statuesque

A lovely dark rose gold eyeshadow that I've hardly used :)

 

No7 Stay Perfect Eyeshadow in True Gold

Such a pretty gold colour, perfect for a subtle work make up look.

 

Smashbox Photofinish Luminizing Primer Sample

I do really like this stuff but I've not used it for a while, and it's almost finished.

 

Collection 2000 Extreme 24 Hour Felt Tip Liner in Purple

I do like this product but it does stain my skin a little. Such a pretty colour though!

 

Thanks for reading,

Jess

xxx



Spending Ban Update Week #2

Hi everyone!

I'm so happy the only thing that I bought this week(besides food, rent etc!) was a can of deodorant which was obviously essential!

 

I didn't even have to pay for my weekly mocha, I had enough stamps on my Cafe Nero card to get it for free!

 

The only thing I'm really lusting after at the moment is this Ralph Lauren Big Pony Women 2 gift set...

 

I love this scent, I've sprayed the testers of it so many times, it's just so sweet and delicious smelling! Going on my Christmas list for sure :)

 

What are you lusting after this week?

 

Thanks for reading,

Jess

xxx



The Beauty Bloggers Tag

Hi everyone,

I was tagged to do a tag! I don't think this has ever happened before, so thank you Natalie!

 

 

Why did you start blogging and how long have you been blogging for?

I've been blogging properly since April 2012 and I started because I thought it'd be really fun to review all the beauty products that I love using and also to connect with other people who love the same things that I do.

 

Whose blog did you fall in love with first?

Sprinkle of Glitter :)

 

Most important part of doing a blog?

To have fun with it! Write about products you love and topics you want to talk about, but also be honest, true to yourself and work on your blog to the best of your ability!

Wow that sounds cheesey!

 

What kind of camera do you use?

A Nikon Coolpix.

 

What was the first blogosphere hyped about product that you bought and was it worth the hype?

The Revlon lip butters,I bought the shade Strawberry Shortcake and hated it! It wasn't flattering at all but I decided to try out Berry Smoothie and ended up liking it.

So they didn't live up to the hype really.

 

What are your favourite five things about blogging and being a beauty blogger?

1. How interactive it can be, I've ended up speaking to some lovely people due to having my blog.

2. Learning about beautiful products that I might not have discovered if I hadn't been blogging/reading blogs.

3. Hosting giveaways and being able to send people beautiful presents that I hope they'll love as they share my passion.

4. Having a little space to share my thoughts and ideas.

5. It's a bit of an excuse to go shopping more :P

 

What have you learned from being a beauty blogger?

To try out all kinds of make up and to get myself out of my comfort zone, for example wearing deep berry lipstick, something I wouldn't have done this time last year.

 

Have you changed anything since becoming a beauty blogger?

I now finish my products! I never used to! I used to leave at least a few centimetres of product at the bottom of every bottle of shampoo, conditoner, shower gel etc. Now I'm obsessed with using it all up!

 

What advice would you give to a beauty blogger just starting out?

If you enjoy doing it and are commited to it then get going!

 

Your favourite eyeshadow palette?

The Naked palette!

 

The best beauty deal?

Probably the GOSH Soft n Shine lip balms that I got for 99p each instead of £8.

 

Make Up regrets?

 Revlon lip butter in Strawberry Shortcake

 

Name your top 5 beauty brands!

1. Urban Decay

2. L'oreal

3. MAC

4. Maybelline

5. Bourjois

 

Recommend your top 5 beauty products!

1. Urban Decay Naked Palette, or just their eyeshadows in general

2. L'oreal Caresse Lipsticks

3. MAC MSF in Soft and Gentle

4. Maybelline Colossal Volume Mascara

5. Bourjois 123 Perfect Foundation

 

Tag other beauty bloggers to do this tag!

Mez

Caroline

Sandra

 Jessica

 

And anyone else that would like to!

 

Thank you for reading!

 

Jess

xxx



A Very Late October Empties

Hi everyone,

Please excuse the lateness of this post, I lost my memory card with the pictures on, but it has now been found :)

 

These are the products that I finished in October...

 

 

Soap and Glory Foam Call Shower Gel - £6.50

I love Soap and Glory shower gels and this one is no exception. It smells amazing, kind of fruity, it lathers up really well and is pretty moisturising.

Repurchase? Yes

 

Garnier Intensive 7 Days Body Lotion L-Bifidus and Peach - £4.99

This lotion is described as a gel-cream, and I would agree with this, it is a strange texture, quite light but moisturising and sinks in quickly.

Repurchase? Yes

 

Body Shop Coconut Shower Cream Travel Size - £4 for Full Size

This lathered up really well and was really creamy but the coconut smell was a bit overpowering for me.

Repurchase? No, not in the coconut scent but I loved the formula

 

The Sanctuary Spa Therapies Comforting Night Body Butter Travel Size - £10.25 for Full Size

This is a gorgeous nourishing body butter, it takes a while to sink in to the skin but feels amazing when absorbed. It has a slight cocoa butter scent.

Repurchase? No, it was nice but a bit expensive for me.

 

 

 

Simple Kind To Skin Soothing Facial Toner - £2.99

I love this toner, it made my skin feel really clean and was very gentle.

Repurchase? Yes!

 

Soap and Glory Scrub Your Nose In It Face Scrub and Mask - £7.50

I really like this face scrub, it's got a lovely minty scent which makes my skin feel lovely and fresh. It's also great as a mask.

Repurchase? Yes, already have.

No7 Soft and Soothed Gentle Cleanser Travel Size - £8 for Full Size

There was only enough product left for one use when I rediscovered I had this product. It was ok, did the job, got my make up off. Nothing special, well at least from what I could tell after one use.

Repurchase? No, probably not.

 

Spa Deep Cleansing Facial Wipes - 59p

I really like these cleansing wipes, they smell great and get my make up off. Oh and they're cheap :)

Repurchase? Yes

 

John Frieda Full Repair Conditioner - £5.89

I really like this connditioner, it smells amazing. See my full review here.

 

Classics Nail Polish Remover - 69p

This stuff is great, dirt cheap and gets my polish off :)

Repurchase? Yes

 

Marks and Spencers Butterfly Perfume - £6

This reminds me of DKNY's Blossom perfume, it's gorgeous! Fruity, floral and light.

Repurchase? Yes

 

Boots Moisturising Nail Polish Remover Pads - £1.50

I bought these for when I went camping, they were ok, left a bit of a greasy residue on my nails thought.

Repurchase? No

 

MUA Mascara Shade 1 - £1

This isn't empty but it's really gross so I'm getting rid of it. It's a great brow gel and really cheap!

Repurchase? Yes, already have.

 

Thanks for reading,

Jess

xxx

Monday Meal Planning #9

Hi everyone,
 

 Last week went pretty well apart from having a Chinese takeaway on Friday night... Oops!

BLT Pitta with red onion and mayo, that I had for lunch today :)

 

Monday

Morrisons Three Cheese Pasta Melt with Homemade Coleslaw and Salad

 

Tuesday

Gammon and Vegetable Soup with Cheese Toasties

 

Wednesday
Tomato and Mascapone Soup with Sausage Sandwiches

Thursday
Baked Lemon and Garlic Salmon with Roasted Potato and Sweet Potato Cubes and Salad/Vegetables

Friday
Lidl Frozen Pizza with Salad

Saturday
Homemade Chilli Con Carne, Rice, Salad, Wraps

Sunday
BBQ Smothered Chicken with Salad and Crispy Potato Cubes

What are you eating this week?

Thanks for reading!
Jess
xxx



Sunday Night Make Up Shake Up #5

Hi everyone,

 

I've not done one of these posts for ages! I have still been trying to mix up make make up choices fairly frequently though.

 

Here are my picks for this week...

 

 

 

Technic "Prime It" Illuminating Face Primer

This is a bit of a cheapie primer, it has a nice glow to it but I've not used it much, so I'm going to try using it everyday this week.

 

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey

I bought this aages ago and just havn't got round to wearing it that much so I'm going to make an effort with it this week!

 

L'oreal Color Riche Lipstick in Berry Blush

This is another neglected lip product, it's a really pretty pinkish berry colour. I think I'm going to wear it mixed with a bit of lipbalm for a sheer berry lip colour.

It also smells lovely, like roses and fruit.

 

Revlon Golden Affair Blusher in Berry Daring

This blusher is perfect for autumn/winter for giving the cheeks a pretty rosey glow. I think I'll enjoying rediscovering this blush.

 

No7 Stay Perfect Eyeshadow in Mink

I have a few single No7 eyeshadows but I never reach for them over my palettes, but I'm going to pull a different one out every week and get some use out of them.

This week I've chosen Mink as it's so beautiful! It's a cool toned taupe/pale brown with a satiny sheen to it. I think I'll wear it over my Maybelline color tattoo in Permanant Taupe.

 

Writing this post has made me really look forward to my make up choices this week!

 

Thank you for reading,

Jess

xxx

 



Product Review - Maybelline Color Tattoo in Pink Gold

Hi everyone,

 

I'm sure you've all heard of the Maybelline Color Tattoos and have probably read loads of reviews about them but here are my thoughts on the newest shade that's been released in the UK.

 

Pink Gold

 

 

I've had this product for a few weeks and have been wearing it a lot! It's a beautiful rose gold cream eyeshadow which is nicely pigmented and has a pretty metallic finish.

 

This cream shadow can be worn a few ways;

- A light sweep of colour all over the lid

- The colour can be built up with a couple of coats for a stunning metallic eye make up look

- Pink Gold can be used as an eyeshadow base :)

 

I've been wearing this a lot as an all over lid colour for an everyday work make up look but I've also been using it as a base for warm toned golden eyeshadows(mainly from the Sleek Sunset palette), which looks beautiful with lots of mascara and a touch of liquid liner!

 

You can purchase this from Boots, Superdrug and some supermarkets for £4.99! Bargain!

 

Pros

- This product lasted all day on my eyelids without creasing or colour fading.

- Easy to apply(I generally use my ring finger)

- A very wearable colour.

- Costs less than £5.

 

Cons

- None really, apart from the writing on the pot has started to rub off already :(

 

Overall, I'm really impressed with this product and I'm glad that Maybelline has released a color tattoo in a pale, fairly neutral colour. Hopefully they'll bring Barely Beige to the UK!

 

Thanks for reading,

Jess

xxx



Spending Ban Update Week #1

 

Hi everyone :)

 

I was meant to write this post yesterday but I was having some computer issues! So sick of technology!

In my first week I did really well!

- I only had one Cafe Nero coffee!

- I only bought one beauty product, which was for a giveaway, which I forgot to mention in my original post that I am allowed to buy!

 

I am still lusting after some things though, I think I'll stick them on my Christmas list though!

 

 

Nivea Lip Butter in Caramel Cream - £1.49

This sounds amazing! I love anything caramel scented or flavoured and I really want to get my hands on this! Sounds like it'd be perfect for the cold weather!

 

Stila In The Light Palette with Free Lip Glaze! - £25

I don't exactly need another neutrals palette but this one looks beautiful! It comes with a smudge stick which I'd love to try out as I'm enjoying experimenting with eyeliner at the moment :)

 

 

China Glaze Ruby Pumps - £5.95(Amazon)

My sister in law has this polish and it is sooo beautiful! I'd love to wear it in the lead up to Christmas...I suppose I could just borrow hers to stop me buying it! :D

 

I hope you're all doing well and I hope to get some more posts up soon as I've hopfully fixed my computer problems!(Fingers crossed!)

 

Thanks for reading,

Jess

xxx

Monday Meal Planning #8

Hi everyone,

 

It's Monday again! So time for some meal planning :)

 

I did fairly well this week and made the designated meals for 4 out of the 7 days. The other three days I just cooked other things and we weren't silly by getting a takeaway or eating out.

 

Monday

Chorizo, Onion, Garlic and Tomato Pasta with Chickpea, Carrot, Onion, Cucumber Salad

 

Tuesday

Chicken Enchiladas - Tortillas filled with shredded chicken, sweetcorn, sauteed red onion, red chilli and grated cheese. Topped with either a tomato sauce or bechamel sauce, topped with cheese and baked. Served with salad.

 

Wednesday

Pork, Chorizo and Cannelini Bean Casserole with Potato Balls and Greens(not sure what kind yet!)

 

Thursday

 Gnocchi, Sausage and Spinach Soup - Recipe here

Friday
Chicken Korma with Rice, Poppadums, Naan etc

Saturday
Grilled Chicken, Smoked Bacon and Avocado Burgers with Sweet Potato Chips

Sunday
Toad In The Hole, Bisto Gravy, Peas, Broccoli, White Cabbage

Thanks for reading,
Jess
xxx

6 Week Spending Ban....

Hi everyone,

A bit of a rubbish post here today :( I've decided to put myself on a six week spending ban, due to the fact that I keep finding it far to easy to treat myself to stuff all the time and I was stupid enough to not save up for Christmas this year and I really need the monies for that! 

My ban will last from 1/11/12 til 13/12/12

The Rules!

 - No more make up

- No more nail polish(I counted how many I had the other day, it came to over 100 bottles, I can't even wear nail polish to work - ridiculous!)

- No more bath and body products, I have enough to last me months!

- No more skincare, unless it's skincare that I've run out of.

- No more than one Mocha from Cafe Nero a week!

Wish me luck! 

I'll be posting weekly updates :) 

Thanks for reading,

Jess

xxx

Mini Home Bargains Haul!

Hi everyone,

Do you ever look in Home Bargains for some great deals on bath and shower products? I love going in there for a nosey at what they have in stock(it changes very quickly!) and I've had some great bargains from there!

I found myself wandering around the bath and shower isle today after work and picked up a few goodies...

Original Source Mint and Tea Tree Shower Gel
This is a repurchase and one that cost me only £1. I love this shower gel, it's especially great in summer time as it's so refreshing and cooling, so maybe not the best choice for the upcoming cold weather but I love it all the same. :)

Possibility Peppermint Ice Cream Ultra Rich Shower Gel, Shampoo and Bubble Bath
This 525ml bottle cost me only 89p! I think this will be great and it gets closer to christmas as the peppermint smell is quite sweet and sugary, which reminds me of yummy candy canes! I hope that this product will be nice to use, i'll let you know if it is! Could be a great stocking filler for christmas!

St Ives Invigorating Apricot Scrub
I've heard such good things about this scrub and when I saw it for £1.99(retails for £3.99 normally) I thought I'd pick it up and give it a try. I've just used it before writing this post and on first impressions it's lovely! It has a light, fruity smell and left my skin feeling really smooth and soft. I'm looking forward to using this regularly! 

Have you picked up any bargains recently?

Thanks for reading,
Jess
xxx

FOTD - Cherry Lips

Hi everyone,

Here's a FOTD that I created a week or so ago...

Face

- Bourjois 123 Perfect Foundation in Shade 52

 - YSL Teint Touche Eclat Foundation in B50

- Urban Decay 24/7 Concealer in FBI

- MAC MSF in Soft and Gentle

Eyes

- Maybelline Color Tattoo in Pink Gold

- Maybelline Collossal Volume Mascara in Black

 

Lips

- Barry M Ultra Moisturising Lip Paint in Black Cherry

Thanks for reading,

Jess

xxx

October Favourites

Hi everyone,

Here are the products that I've been loving this month :)

 Soap & Glory Fab Pore Hot Cloth Cleanser

I've got to be honest here, this product has totally changed cleansing for me. Before I bought this I would use a face wipe to remove most of my make up and then wash my face with a face wash, and I don't know about you but washing my face with tepid/warm water before going to bed just woke me up when I wanted to chill and go to sleep. So I adore this as the hot muslim cloth(that comes with it) is so soothing and theraputic! This cleanser removes make up so effectively and makes my skin feel like it's had a really deep clean, the slight lavender scent is also so relaxing and calming!

Cacharel Amor Amor Perfume

I adore this perfume! It's one that I've been wearing for years , I'm not really sure how to describe the scent but it's beautiful! I'd been meaning to repurchase this for a while and a few weeks ago I got round to spending my Boots points on it.

Barry M Diamond Glitter Nail Polish

Seriously, if you like glitter polishes, just go and buy this one! It's so beautiful! It's so glittery and sparkley, it really catches the light beautifully. I'll have to do a NOTD using it soon.

MAC Plumful Lustre Lipstick

This is quite a recent purchase, its such a perfect colour for autumn. I've been loving wearing this with a fairly neutral eye and lots of mascara!

Barry M Limited Edition Lipgloss

 This is such a great nude gloss, I've had it for a while and I've used it loads. Unfortunately it was a limited edition shade and I wish I'd bought a back up! This gloss is smooth and not at all sticky, I've been loving wearing it when I'm wearing quite a heavy smokey eye. It also smells like caramel!

(L-R Plumful, Barry M Gloss)

Thanks for reading,

Jess

xxx

 

Monday Meal Planning #7

Hi everyone,

I've not done one of these posts for a few weeks but I have still been planning most of our meals, with quite a lot of sucess. :)

Homemade Minestrone Soup with Homemade Cheese and Herb Bread

We have quite a lot of leftover cheeses and cured meats from having people over the other night, so I'll be trying to incorporate them into this weeks meals :D

 Monday
Ham Pizza with Salad
 
Tuesday
  BBQ Glazed Chicken Burgers with Potato Wedges and Salad

Wednesday
Chicken Goujon Wraps with Salad

Thursday
Chorizo, Pepperoni, Pepper and Tomato Pasta Bake

Friday
Chicken Korma with Rice and Poppadoms

Saturday
Lasagne, Salad and Garlic Bread

Sunday
Sausages, Mash, Vegetables, Gravy

What are you eating this week?

Thanks for reading,
Jess
xxx