Spring nails Clouds & Daisy's.......

It's finally feeling like Spring and what better way to celebrate than with some fun on your nails.

I purchased a new Barry M nail varnish today in a gorgeous pastel blue colour decided to have a little play around with it creating some fun clouds and daisy's.

The Barry M nailvarnish did need two coats but dried quite quickly.

Products used:

Nicole by O.P.I - Base Coat
Gelly Hi Shine by Barry M in Blueberry
Avon nailwear pro in Sunshine
Avon nail experts in White
O.P.I Rapid dry Top Coat
Dotting tool

Finally feels like spring....

The sun is shining and it's starting to get warmer!!

I know a lot of places in the UK have had quite a bit of snow lately as I live on the coast luckily we haven't had any!

Finally I can start dusting off my Spring/Summer wardrobe, and I can put my little Evie bear in some of her gorgeous Spring outfits (I was starting to worry she would never be able to wear them).

Hopefully this is a sign of the warmer weather to come, I feel like I've been cooped up for ages!

Herbalife update....

No weight loss this week ( sad face) I stayed the same although I did loose inches yay ( happy face)!

I did have more carbs than usual felt a little ill this week so allowed myself that little extra. As long as I don't gain weight I'm happy.

I know this will be a long journey just looking forward to the end result.

Fingers crossed for more weight loss next week, but if I keep loosing the Inches I will be one happy lady!

E.L.F Baked Blush and Baked Bronzer review......

I have quite a few of E.L.F's (Eyes Lips Face)  products in my make up collection with them being so cheap it would be rude not to.

Now the quality of the products do vary there are a few I would not re-purchase, I think with some of the products it is a case of you get what you pay for.


The same cannot be said for the Baked Bronzer and Baked Blushes I think they are fabulous especially when you take the price into consideration at only £3.75 they are a steal.

Don't be fooled by the packaging which is very basic as the product is no reflection. I will start with the bronzer there are three shades to choose from, I have the lightest shade St Lucia its a nice coffee colour with a gold undertone as I am quite fair and slightly afraid of dark bronzers but this shade is fine for me it would probably be to light for anyone with a medium complexion, It has a shimmery finish perfect for that sun kissed look. This will definitely be my go to blusher for spring and summer.

Onto the blush the packaging is the same as the bronzer but like I said don't be fooled, there are four colours in total I purchased the colour Peachy Cheeky, which is a gorgeous peachy colour with plum and gold undertones and again it has a shimmery finish, tread lightly with this as they are very pigmented and you don't want to walk out looking like a disco ball. Used sparely this colour is beautiful on the face with a light tan it is the perfect colour to see you into the Spring/Summer months.

I would definitely re-purchase both these products although I would maybe go a shade darker on the bronzer for the Summer months just in case the sun wants to make an appearance and I have the chance to get a tan!!


The bronzer can be purchased here. Blush here.

Bargin shower gel....

I had to do a quick mention about the shower gel I'm currently using, I must say the only reason I bought it was because it was on offer at £1.10 I just picked it up when doing my weekly shop in Sainsbury's.

I have used the Original Source products before but the scent on this is amazing its Orange and Cinnamon but it smell like Skittles in a jar with a hint of cinnamon, definitely puts a smile on my face.

It is only a seasonal addition (sad face) so I don't know how long it will be around for, but if you come across it definitely have a whiff!!!

I will most definitely be stocking up.

My weight gain during pregnancy...

I didn't have an issue with my weight until I was around 18, throughout out my childhood and early teens I had always been quite active, but by the time I reached my late teens I had to forfeit my activities for jobs and started to gain weight.

At my heaviest I weighed 13st 9lb and with my small 5"1 frame that was big, I dedicated the next four years to healthy eating and exercise and with a good diet plan and a well used gym membership in four years I had reached my goal weight of 8st 6lb.

So when I fell pregnant I vowed to stick to my healthy ways to keep the weight gain at a minimum however with hormones, cravings and morning sickness I soon gave up my healthy ways and adapted the attitude 'well I'm going to get fat anyway'.

The hardest struggle for me was the morning sickness it did last me until I was around 16 weeks although only a few times did I actually vomit the feeling that I was going to be sick seemed to be around all the time. I was even waking up in the middle of the night being unable to fall back asleep because I felt too sick.

There was a solution to temporarily get rid of this feeling.....Eating!! I don't know why but eating really suppressed the sickness feeling this was my first downfall from then on my food portions got gradually bigger and so on.

Straight after having my daughter I weighed a shocking 12st 6lb. Yes I had gained 4 STONE. I am more than happy to embrace my new figure and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat but I cannot put all the  weight gain down to pregnancy as most of it was definitely down to my poor choices.

Now that my daughter is nearly 6 months old and in a pretty steady routine it does give me a little time to think about myself so I have decided to give Herbalife a go to hopefully get back down to my pre pregnancy weight.

For those of you that aren't familiar with herbalife its a weight management programme tailored to your needs using shake replacements for one or two of your meals a day, if you are interested in finding out more click here. The shakes are surprisingly tasty and come in a good range of flavours not just the conventional strawberry, chocolate and vanilla.



The shakes are a wonderful replacement if you have a busy schedule they are quick and easy to make and you can just take them on the go.

I'm only on my second week but on my first week I lost 6lb and 2% body fat. Happy so far.

It will be a long journey to get back to my pre pregnancy weight a challange I am willing to accept. I will post on my progress and if anyone has been in this position before or is doing Herbalife please comment I would love to know your stories or any tips you may have to help me along.

Rimmel's Apocalips review and swatches....

I recently purchased 7 colours in Rimmel's Apocalips range and firstly I must compliment the packaging it gives the product a nice sleek look.

Onto the colours I believe there are 8 in the range, unfortunately I could only get my hands on 7 of them.

The colour range is fantastic there is definitely a colour in there for everyone, I had not previously used a Lip Lacquer before so I was keen to see what the consistency of the product was like.

I decided to test the colour Big Bang which is a gorgeous red colour, on first application you cant help but notice how absolutely beautiful this colour is.

I noticed a slight scent which reminded me of watermelon however the product glided on beautifully, one thing I will say is take as off as much product as possible from the applicator it will make it easier to apply, they are so pigmented a little really does go a long way.

After an hour of wear I started to notice the colour had bled from my lips, so would advise anyone who has the same problem to apply some sort of a lip liner to create a barrier.

I had the product on for around 4 hours in total during this time I had numerous cups of coffee and lunch, I had noticed a fair amount of transfer onto my coffee cup so I wasn't expecting much product to be left on my lips as it is so lightweight I found myself forgetting I had anything on at all but I was really pleasantly surprised with the lasting power I had hardly lost any of the colour, only on a closer look could you see it had started to fade on the inner of my lip.

Overall I would highly recommend any of the colours in this range with them only being £5.99 each definitely a must have for the make up bag!!

Boots are currently doing a 3 for 2 offer if you are interested just click here .

Today's Make up Look......

Today I went for a natural look with a very slight pop of colour on the lips, the products used today have been my go to every day look for a while now.

I would usually go for a brighter more vivid look for the lips but as I was only going out for lunch decided to keep it simple.

I have gone off using foundations as part of my daily routine since the introduction of BB creams, I think they are fantastic with slightly more coverage than a tinted moisturiser but not as heavy as a foundation.

I had tried using tinted moisturiser in the past but they didn't provide the level of coverage I needed. My absolute favourite BB cream is Lioelle's triple solution with SPF 30. Lioelle is a Korean brand which can be found online, I would be a bit cautious with Ebay as they may be fake products.

On the eyes I just did a nice natural eye using Urban Decays Naked palette. I love this palette it has been my go to for most of my eye looks for a few years now and I have only touched pan on two of the eye shadows. Definitely worth a purchase.

I do love a winged eyeliner, using Rimmel's Exaggerate liquid eyeliner. I have repurchased this liner so many times I cant really fault it.

On the lashes I used ELF's (Eyes Lips Face) volumising mascara. Now when I purchased this mascara I wasn't expecting great things as it was only £3, it was one of those situations where if you spend over a certain amount you get free postage, so I ordered it for that reason and that reason alone! Well I was pleasantly surprised how it separated my lashes and particularly looked good on my bottom lashes only needing 2 coats. I was more impressed how it separated than volumised but for £3 I cant complain.

On the Cheek I used ELF's mineral blush and contoured using ELF's Baked bronzer, same with both these products, I was very pleasantly surprised at how pigmented and easy to apply they were.

I finished off the lips with Marks and Spencer's Lipstick in Grape, Marks and Spencer's arn't usually my go to for make up but picked this up a few years ago on a whim and LOVED it. Its very pigmented with a nice finish. It feels great on the lips and has a great lasting power.

SkinCeuticals product review and Current Skincare routine...

I received a full skincare routine off a family member for Christmas and have been using it twice daily for the past three months, so I thought now would be a good time to tell you all about it!

The range I have been using is called Skinceuticals, now I believe this brand is owned by L'oreal (correct me if I'm wrong). the range specialises in protecting the skin from sun and pollution damage which I'm all for. 

I have found out since receiving these products that they may be quite expensive to repurchase, which could be a struggle for me as I don't think my budget will stretch far enough. Its a shame because so far I do like them.

You start off by using the SkinCeuticals simply clean pore refining gel cleanser for combination or oily skin.

Massage onto wet face and rinse off. Follow this with the SkinCeuticals Equilizing Toner for all skin types, spray onto a cotton ball and wipe over face and neck. I do find this toner does dry your face out quite quickly so I try not to waste any time before continuing I then use the Firming eye cream, apply only under the eye. With this a little goes a long way.  

If I'm venturing out that day I apply the SkinCeuticals Ultra facial defense which has an SPF 50, I'm all about anything with a high SPF. 


 Finally the SkinCeuticals Face Balm just use this like any other moisturiser the type I use is for extremely dry skin as I suffer with patches around my nose and cheek area, but again a good thing with this is a little goes along way!!

Over all I do really like all the products, since using them my skin has been so clear. I have never really suffered too badly with blemishes but I do find every few months or so I get spot that could sink a ship!!! Luckily none this year so far. However I do find the price tag on each product a little high which will probably make it difficult for me to repurchase (the only downside to getting these as gifts).

If anyone is interested in finding out more about these products or possibly purchasing them click on the link below. 

http://www.skinceuticals.co.uk/United-Kingdom-and-Ireland/SkinCeuticals/h.aspx

Again comments always welcome 

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Polka Dot spring Nails!!

I have rediscovered my dotting tools, you can create so many looks with these cheap and easy to use design tools.

I've had so much fun over the last few weeks experimenting with different looks. You can create stand out nails with minimal effort.

It such a cost effective way to create unique nail art with out having to fork out for a manicure.


I always start with a good base coat my current favourite has to be Nicole by OPI Base coat plus

Follow with the base colour of your choice I have been very into pastel colours lately. I personally find it easier to apply the polka dots when the base colour is still tacky but I understand that is just down to personal preference.

choose the colour you want your polka dots to be apply a dab of nail varnish onto a non stick surface, I use regular kitchen foil you don't want to use anything that could absorb the varnish. Grab the size dotting tool you want and dot away it really is that simple. 

I have been creating this look for years you don't need a dotting tool to do this look, up until this recently I had always used tooth picks. Does the job you just don't get the option of different size polka dots using this method.

It is also very easy to create flower and leopard print designs using these tools.

I always finish with a generous top coat my current favourite being OPI's Rapidry.

I don't have a great range of top coats but this is by far the best one I have ever used it dries really fast and keeps the look with minimal chipping, the last use of this kept my nail varnish on for around a week before I noticed any chipping, and with a young baby there is NO rest so it has really impressed me so far.

Please excuse the claw hand in each picture.

Feel free to leave comments I would love to read your feed back.

Becoming Mum, My Journey....

I had just come back from holiday and was heading to the gym before work, during my workout I had started to feel a strange tightening feeling in my stomach. Initially I thought this was a good thing, it then dawned on me I was a week late. I had put this down to travelling and jet lag.

During my working day I realised there could be a possibility I was pregnant.

When I arrived home I couldn't get out of the car, instead I phoned my sister who told me to just go and get a pregnancy test. So I did and it was positive.

I phoned my sister straight away who was elated, I had yet to tell my partner as he was working overtime and cannot have his phone on him while in work (also I wanted to tell him in person so I could see his reaction).

After what felt like an eternity he arrived home! He stepped into the living room and the first thing I said was 'I have something to tell you' his reply 'your pregnant'! I was gobsmacked we had not talked about the possibility it had only dawned on me that morning. Oh yeah by the way it was also Valentines Day!

We were both over the moon. I honestly couldn't hold my excitement although the excitement was short lived as the worry started to set in. I'm sure most women on their first pregnancy experience this feeling of worry and dread that something at some point may go wrong, but there was a reason for us as we had experienced a failed pregnancy a few years previous.

I woke up early the next morning and went straight to Tesco to get all the relevant vitamins etc, we had decided not to tell anyone (other than my sister who already knew) until I was further along. At this point I was 3 weeks along.

By the time I reached 10 weeks I was finding it hard to disguise my morning sickness (which by the way lasted most of the day and throughout the night). My family had started asking questions so we decided to tell them, they were ecstatic.

The rest of my pregnancy was pretty great I loved seeing my bump grow and started to feel my baby kick at 15 weeks this was the most incredible feeling.

At 20 weeks we had the gender scan we hadn't really decided whether we were going to find out the sex but when faced with the question 'would you like to know the sex of the baby?' neither of us could contain the excitement of finding out whether our little miracle was a boy or girl.

IT'S A GIRL!! This was the most wonderful news. I didn't have a preference just as long as baby was healthy and developing well.

The rest was fantastic. Thankfully we had a very easy pregnancy with no complications which meant I could have the water birth I had very much wanted.

I didn't find the labour too bad the contractions were painful but manageable. I am extremely lucky as my partner was incredible throughout the entire labour, he helped me breath through each of my contractions offering me the much needed love and support, as we were having a water birth I could not have any pain relief although the gas and air was very welcomed when I reached 5cm this helped me cope.

The water birth was the most amazing experience and I would definitely recommend to anyone contemplating this birthing method.

On the 11th October 2012 at 2:09am we welcomed our gorgeous little girl.

She was the picture of perfection and my little angel. Who ever thought it was possible to have so much love for someone. Truly an amazing experience.

I realised this isn't extremely in depth I just wanted to give you an overview of my experience, please feel free to comment should you have any questions. Also If you have a blog sharing your experience please leave the link I would love to read it.

Hello Everyone

Hello Everyone,

Just wanted to say a massive hello and welcome to my blog.

I am writing this blog to basically share my interests and daily life with you all!!

I am a first time mum and a beauty enthusiast.

I love everything beauty related from hair to make up, skin care and so on. My plan for this blog is to share with you my personal opinions on different products and daily life as a first time mum.

Becoming a mum, from finding out I was pregnant to giving birth has been the most wonderful experience and I would love to share it with you all.

Just wanted to keep this first message short and sweet and give anyone who may read this an extremely warm welcome.

Please keep following as I intend to blog regularly.