Disney Princess Jasmine Collection at Sephora

The big kid in me was so excited when I heard that Sephora has teamed up with Disney for princess-inspired makeup.

Aladdin is one of my favourite Disney films and the fact that they’ve now released a range inspired by Princess Jasmine I had to take a look.

They’ve released limited edition colour pallets and perfumes along with a gorgeous compact mirror. I’m always a sucker for anything Disney and limited edition, I have a box of stuff in my loft that I wont open as I’m sure (I hope) it will be worth loads one day!

The packaging itself is gorgeous without being too 'in-your-face-Disney-princess' and I love the versatile colours in the pallets. There’s so many to chose from, you know that they won’t go to waste. I personally think there's something here for everyone and it's perfect for any Disney fan.

The eyeliner set hints at Jasmine’s darker side where she is under Jafars spell with its dark pink and black packaging so its slightly more sultry looking and the pallets are more like her natural olivy golden tone with some pastel accents.

The story look eyeshadow palette is my favourite, it has 15 sultry eye shadows, a blush, and a bronzer, all customised to match the original colours from the film. There’s everything from the golden-orange tone of Jasmine’s tiar, Rajah’s fur, and desert sands to the a vibrant purples and blues in the magic carpet. Each shade has been matched to the film’s original animation. It also has the cheeky phrase "You’re only in trouble if you get caught"

on the top, which I love!

The compact Magic carpet eyeshadow palette has 4 gorgeous colours inspired by the starry glow, lavender sky, gleaming moon, and Jasmine’s classic turquoise outfit. The names of each colour are taken from the classic song ‘A Whole New World’ -annnd now it's in my head! Carpet is a glittery soft violet,
 Wonder by Wonder is a darker glittery lavender,  Splendid is a girly glittery peachy pink and Diamond Sky is deep turquoise. I love the silhouette of the magic carpet scene on the packaging.

The Whole new world perfume Is available in a compact rollerball and a bottle and has accents of Carnation, Orange Blossom, Mandarin, Gardenia, Mimosa, Musky Accord, Cedarwood, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Amber, Benzoin. Look how gorgeous and princess-y the bottle is!

There is also a perfumed body shimmer which I wouldn’t get much use out of but I want it for the bottle alone as it’s amazing!

They released a Cinderella range a while back but obviously in the UK we don’t get the chance to have a play with it all. I might have to get on to my in laws over in the states….

Barry M Gelly Hi shine Blueberry

As mentioned in this post, I took advantage of the 2 for £6 offer in Superdrug and bought Lychee and Blueberry. Last night I removed the lovely nude Lychee colour which lasted really well -almost a week! It only just started to chip (without a top coat) and I  was eager to try out the Blueberry.

Honestly I'm in love with this range. They're so shiny and long lasting. I don't think they really give a gel effect like they claim but they are really good quality. I'm not really one to compare anyway as I've never had my nails done, I just paint and go! But I think it's a good high street polish all the same!

 I want so many other colours, I just cant decide which to buy next!

Elemis Fresh Skin

Elemis have been clever coming up with a range for young skin, aimed at 16-24 year olds. Opening the door and hoping they will continue using their brand as they get older... cunning!  

It's been made specifically for young skin and they've kept it nice and simple for you by not giving you too much choice and just kept to the basics. It's never nice to get confused by skincare when you're just finding your feet!It's in cute pink packaging, which always makes it more appealing and makes it stand out alongside it's usual white, more mature packaging. 

 There’s no alcohol in any of the formulas. so no stripping away of the skins  natural oils. The ingredients have been selected to cleanse and moisturise and also to prevent future damage. Elemis has a great reputation and you can guaranty you are getting what you pay for.

I tried out a selection from the range. 

Peachy Perfect Face Wash 100ml RRP £12

This has a really fresh scent without it being too overpowering and you only need one of two pumps to clean your face. It's a clear, smooth formula and really light and really gets all the dirt out without being too harsh on your skin. I've been using this for a good few weeks now and it's not even half empty. A little goes a long way so dont be put off by the price.

Softly softly daily moisturiser 50ml £20

This moisturiser has a load of natural ingredients, including english chamomile which is known to calm and tone skin, rosehip seed oil which is high in vitamin A, C and E to promote collagen and elastin. I'm not overly keen on the lavender scent but that's just a personal preference. It's light on the skin but I found it stayed a bit greasy for a little longer than I would have liked. It's fine if you're not planning to put make up on straight afterwards. 

Loving Lips Quenching Lip Balm £8

This has a minty scent that reminds me a bit of carmex. I love that it comes in the squeezy tube as I hate getting my nails covered in lip balm when getting it out of a pot. Instantly it felt like my lips were moisturised and it didn’t feel too greasy when it was on. It has passionflower oil and vitamin E, which will both do wonders for moisturising and softening your lips. This has become a permanent addition to my handbag.

Dreamy sleep night time moisturiser 50ml £22 

This is slightly thicker than the day moisturiser which I liked as you get the feeling it's really sinking in as you sleep. Although it's thicker you dont feel clogged up and covered in it which I do find some night creams have done in the past.  It has a nice tingly feeling on the skin as you apply it which is really refreshing and makes you feel like its doing its job the second it's applied.

I really like this range and it's made me keen to try out a lot more from Elemis.


I've also seen that Cosmopolitan Magazine will be giving away a choice of 3 products  from the range in their next issue, so you'll have a great chance to test them for yourself!

Barry M Gelly Nail Paint Lychee

I saw that these were 2 for £6 at Superdrug and there were so many great colours. After much deliberation I decided on  Lychee, a lovely nude colour and Blueberry which is light blue.

Lychee

They claim to have the sort of Gel nail effect, which I'm not 100% sure about, but they are shiny and the consistency is really good, usually I find a nude colour can seem a bit wishy washy and will need a few coats but that's not the case with this.

I've got the light blue on my toe nails -they rarely match my nails -is this a faux pas? But I won't take a picture as pictures of feet are rarely a nice thing. So when I try it on my fingers I'll be sure to post a picture

I really like these and I'm sure I'll end up buying a few more over the next few months. Pomegranate, Lilac and Greenberry look like lovely colours for spring. Even when thye're not on offer, £3.99 for a good nail polish is amazing!

My Valentines Day

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend. I spent mine with my lovely boyfriend celebrating Valentines Day.

We did say we weren't going to buy much for each other but I couldn't resist buying him this amazing multi coloured rose.

 We didnt do anything on the Thursday as we wanted to wait for the weekend so we didnt have to worry about getting up early the next morning.

I met him when he finished work and we went for a lovely meal at Le Relais de Venise L'Entrecôte in Moorgate. He'd heard good things from his colleagues and had been looking for an excuse to take me, and we were not disappointed. You can't book in advance, you just turn up and usually there's a queue but we didn't have to wait long at all.

There's only one thing on the menu -Steak frites which they cook to your liking. They bring out a green salad to start and then your main is brought in 2 parts so the meat is perfect throughout the whole meal. We obviously washed it down with a couple of glasses of wine too. It was amazing and was really nice to make a point of just talking about ourselves for a change as our lives seem to revolve around everyone else's plans at the moment. It was nice to just be 'Us' -I think that's what Valentines Day is about.

I'd been saying I wanted some bed sheets for a while and I casually showed him a set online but he told me they were too girly so I bought a plain set. He obviously changed his mind as he gave me them as part of my Valentines present. Mason seems to like them at least!

After writing my Valentines wish list I cant complain about the outcome. 

He got me the Illamasqua Speckled nail polish and a bunch of gorgeous lilies.

2 things off the list aint bad...

I really like Valentines day. I know you should show your love for your partner any day of the year but  with how busy everyone is it's nice to have an excuse to make the effort. It's really cute seeing everyone all loved up for a day, it's always nice to see someone walking along with a bunch of flowers with a glint in their eye! 

Hope you all had a nice Valentines Day!

GOSH Long Lasting Lip Marker

I've been lucky to be sent a selection of GOSH Long Lasting Lip Markers to try out. I know they've been out a while but I was yet to try them. There are so many lip stains on the market and I never know which to go for.

I have to say after trying them out I'm hooked! I really love them. They last a really long time and the best thing about a lip stain is that you don't have to keep reapplying it. I love a bright lipstick but I hate having to reapply it all the time on a night out. This stuff lasts when drinking and even when it fades it fades evenly so doesn't go all patchy and you don't have to worry about how your lips look.

The colour is really vibrant, they smell really fruity and it sounds a bit weirds but they... taste quite nice too!

It's easy to apply as it looks just like a felt tip. I outline the lip (carefully) and then fill in the middle, sort of like colouring in! You can also build up the colour if you leave it try dry then apply another coat.

So I tried out 3 colours Red, Pink and Berry.

001 RED is a really gorgeous bright red. Kind of '50's pin up' red. I wore it when I went out for my Valentines meal with my boyfriend and it lasted all night, even when drinking wine!

002 PINK  is a candy pink colour which you can build up to a Barbie-like pink if you like. This is nice for a little bit of colour for day to day wear without seeming too done up.

003 BERRY is my favourite, a deep berry red colour with a hint of magenta. This pic is just one coat but adding another makes it really dark and striking.

I can honestly see me purchasing these again and again. They'll be perfect for the summer by the pool (ahh it seems a life tie away doesnt it?) no reapplying lipstick all day!


They are usually £6.99 but they're on offer for £4.99 at the moment so go and stock up!

Marc B Jen Bag

When I heard that there was a chance to win not only £150 of ASOS vouchers but £75 of Marc b vouchers too I had to give it a go. They are two places I could easily blow a whole pay packet! E-tail PR have asked bloggers to create a look around one of the new season Marc B bags. There were so many nice ones to chose from, they've really outdone themselves this season. 

I have chosen to create my look around the Jen bag in soft tan (it had to be done really!) which I think is a total bargain at £55!

 I've always loved Marc B bags, I've been carrying around the Bianca bag for months now, I love it! The quality is brilliant and they're not too pricy either.

As I chose my name sake, I decided to base the look on me. So this is an idea of my sort of style. 

I practically live in a good fitting pair of jeans and my leather jacket and I style it up depending on the occasion. And naturally I have picked a few pairs of shoes as I can never decide what shoes to wear!

This look is day-to-day wear, perfect for coffee, lunch, cinema etc. I've kept it really simple and it's easy to dress up for an evening of cocktails with the girls or a nice meal. 

I keep the make up minimum, just a bit of a nude/pink gloss and a hint of bronzer. Then it's always easy to glam up with a brighter lipstick or some big eyelashes. 

The accesories are kept simple too, with a flash of rose gold from my Michael Kors watch and a hint of gold hoop earings just poking through my hair which more often than not has a pair of sunglasses holding it back until I need them when the sun decides to make an appearance!

The more I look at this bag the more I want it! 
Fingers crossed the voucher comes my way otherwise I may have to ask my boyfriend nicely if he wants to treat me...

My Worst Valentine's Day...

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Valentines is coming up, I thought I'd share with you my worst Valenitnes Day...

I was about 20 (wow, YEARS ago! I feel old now!) And my closest friends were away at uni, I'd met a guy through a friend of mine and somehow we turned seeing each other into a relationship. Looking back I think I was just bored and wanted something to do with my weekends!
He is possibly the ugliest guy you will ever meet, I don't know what I saw in him, I really don't. Really skinny, toothy, and a total chav! He was into cars, VERY into cars, he liked going to 'the cruise' -which I later learnt was a meet up in a car park where petrol heads look at each others pimped-up Ford Fiestas. I will call him Chav Dave... cos that is his name.

At the time I was working at a builders merchants as a temp receptionist, it was incredibly dull but it paid the bills. I always looked forward to the end of the day and this day more-so as good old Chav Dave had arranged to take me to an Italian restaurant in the evening.

 So I spent the day clock watching, I saw a couple of girls get flowers delivered. In my boredom I had gone through an old email account  and discovered one of the bosses was having an affair with a married secretary! That kept me entertained throughout the day when everyone was asking her who her flowers were from and she was lying through her teeth to them all.

Chav Dave had picked me up from work a few times before and he usually called to say he was outside and I'd come down. But 20mins after I'd finished work and pretty much most of the office had gone home, I was still waiting.

 Naturally I tried his phone but it wasn’t connecting. After another 10minutes passed I called his home phone to see if he was there but his mum said he'd left a while ago. Naturally I was a bit pissed off and I wasn't going to sit there all night so I ended up leaving, planning to just go home, put on a film, eat some chocolate and wear in some new shoes -it always cheers me up!

 I got outside and I saw he was sitting in his car in the carpark. I walked over and saw he was on the phone to his mate, chatting about some car show thing he 'had to miss tonight for this valentines thing'. He leans over (still talking on the phone) and unlocks my door, I get in and while he's still on the phone he hands me some manky flowers in some cheap cellophane, obviously bought from a petrol station on his way over. He carries on his conversation as he starts the engine and drives us to the restaurant, loudly telling his mate that he wishes he could come tonight and he'd try and  get there later.

 I wasn't in the best of moods by this point. But I bit my tongue, it would only ruin the night more if I started an argument.

So we get to the restaurant, it starts to get better, cute place, nice food... We order our drinks, mains and deserts which were all part of a set menu....then he sees the price on the menu and moans about how expensive it is and how cheeky it is that they put the price up on Valentines day. This is a guy who works unsociable hours so gets paid a fair bit, never mind the fact that at 23 he still lived at home and only ever spent his money on his cars.

 I said I knew it would be a bit more as it was Valentines Day -that’s what restaurants do! He was clearly annoyed. He muttered to himself that he'd 'missed a car show tonight for this!' At one point he was looking around counting people, I asked what he was doing and he said he was working out how much the restaurant must be making that night! 

We finished and he begrudgingly handed over his card to pay (making a point of not tipping because 'they don’t need it!'). As we were going to the car he said we were now going to catch the rest of the car show. I just wanted to go home but of course there wasn’t time to drop me off so I had to come too.

On the way there we stopped at a petrol station. As he finished putting the petrol in  he made a comment about 'spending MORE money' and walked off to pay. After biting my tongue all night I finally flipped. I went to the cashpoint and got out £70, planning to give it to him to stop the moaning. I got back in the car before he returned and I had a change of heart 

'Why should I have to pay for all this? you've ruined my Valentines Day'.

So we drive to the car thing, it's worse than I imagined, half a dozen cars in a big pub car park with a few chavs standing around having a chat! 

Was going out for dinner with me that much worse than this?! 

More comments are made because we've missed a lot of it and 'there must have been more people here earlier'. We go in and get a drink from the pub. Another comment is made about money and I loose it! I scream and shout and him throwing £70 at him and telling him to stop going on about it coz now I've paid. I made a complete scene. The mood was well and truly ruined now. We finished our drinks, barely talking and he dropped me home. I got in, threw the cheap flowers at the wall and cried. More through frustration than anything else. I can't believe I gave him the money!

He had these mood swings a lot and I guess I was just young and naive so I didn’t realise I should have just left him, but you don’t see these things at the time do you? 

It just makes me appreciate what I have now so much more!


Can anyone top that?