My Fave Festive Four: Nail Polishes

I thought I'd do a post on my favourite festive red nail polishes.

I remember a few years ago I only used to stick to bright red polish for nights out, but now I tend to use it more casually, and love to have bright red nails.

These are my top 4 favourite red nail polishes to wear around the festive season. They range from £1.99 to £14.

From L-R:

Seche 'Scorchin' Hot'
Barry M - '150 Red Glitter'
Collection2000 - 'Starlet'
Deborah Lipmann 'Ruby Red Slippers'

From L-R - Lipmann's 'Ruby Red Slippers', Collection2000 'Starlet', BarryM's 'Red Glitter, Seche's 'Scorchin' Hot'

Ignore my non-filed nails! (Its not until you take up close up that you realize how bad it is!)

Seche's 'Scorchin Hot' - I absolutely love how paintbox red this is with a high shine. I've only recently begun using Seche nail polishes and I love them.

Barry M's 'Red Glitter' - I'm a huge Barry M fan, the majority of my collection is from this brand, so there's no surprise that one made it in my top 4. This is a relatively new purchase and I love the effect it gives - once applied, it almost looks like a gel nail, although when dried it has a more matte appearance. I like to put Seche's top coat over this to gloss it back up, but definitely a must for the festive season.

Collection2000 'Starlet' - I've had this for probably about a year, if not longer. Its the cheapest out the bunch but I love it. It has an almost iridescent appearance to it, with a very slight shimmer that sits just under the polish. Top marks for the wide brush too! 2 strokes and I'm done!

Deborah Lipmann's 'Ruby Red Slippers' - I received this in a glossy box possibly last Christmas (if not, the Christmas before!). I remember loving this but thinking it was SUCH a pain to remove. I haven't worn this for a long time but when applying this today, I was a little disappointed with the colour - I can't remember it ever being that dark - its almost a cross between a deep red and a brown. I read a few reviews on this and people state that its red glitter on a transparent black polish, hence the deepness of the colour. Either way, I do still like it, it looks so pretty in the bottle!

I think I'm wearing a red lace skater dress on Christmas Day, so I think red nail polish will be a bit overkill. I might go for a black polish with a bit of red glitter gradient over the top, just to add that sparkle in!

What is your favourite red nail polish?

The couple that have everything...Last Minute Christmas Gift Idea

There's always someone on your gift list that either has everything, or is a boring sole and has no interest in anything. Those kinda people love to make our lives hell around Christmas time.

Up until a few years ago, I used to go hunting round the shops in order for that perfect present, however the last couple of years, I've got a little lazy and settled for the old gift voucher trick. Yes its perfect for them because they can get what they want, and not what YOU want them to have. Its the safe option for the buyer. However lets be honest, for the recipient, it takes the excitement out of things. For the last few years, it has almost become tradition for my boyfriend to get me a £50 gift voucher for Boots to go towards my present. Although I use boots for all my make-up, it did become quite tiresome receiving this after a couple of years. I'm just lucky there were other gifts to go with it!

I've been thinking about couples that live together, who have a gorgeous home, all the latest gizmos and gadgets one could wish for, buying something a little more personal (i.e. jewellery or clothes) maybe a little risky. What else could you possibly buy? A hamper of course!

I personally have never bought anyone a hamper before, but I've been eyeing several up on my travels since Christmas shopping, and there really are lots to choose from to suit all needs. I think its the perfect gift to share - a bottle of wine over Christmas, and some luxury sweet and savoury sweets that aren't normally purchased throughout the year, which makes it even more special. And even when the hamper is finished, pick the right one and you're left with a gorgeous wicker basket, ready to pop a picnic in come the summer!

I was lucky enough to win a Christmas hamper through an advent competition on facebook, so I thought I'd share it with you.

The box isn't my ideal one (I would have gone for the traditional wicker basket with buckle straps, but we can't pick and choose our winnings unfortunately!). I'm sure I'll find some use for it though!

Amethyst Gift Basket

Contents:

Bottle a Merlot Wine 'Aromas of cherries, pepper and cacao. It is an elegant and full-bodied wine, with hints of chocolate and spice.
Demerara Shortbread
Cheese Thins (Mustard & Onion)
Chill Coated Peanuts
1 jar of Orange Marmalade 'with single highland malt scotch whisky'
Chocolate Covered Caramels
Melting Pot Harvest Malt Fudge

This specific hamper retails for £31.21. All foods were hand selected and 'sourced from 'local and international suppliers'. What I love about this hamper is how some of the products packaging feel like they've come from a proper traditional handmade farm shop. I've had a sneak bite of the fudge and although I'm not one to buy fudge often, this is absolutely divine. The quality is amazing and it really is a 'melt in your mouth' moment. The cheese thins are more of an oat biscuit which instantly crumbles in your mouth. The flavor is not apparent for the first few seconds but soon kicks in to leave a gorgeous taste. The chocolate caramels aren't what I thought, but better than my expectations! I'm not a fan of marmalade in general (I haven't tried it in years so I may well just have to test my tastebuds again to see if they've altered with age now I have this cute little jar! I will have to say though - Im intrigued with the fact that it has malt whisky in it!). The wine - the one thing people will probably pop open first - I'm not a huge alcohol drinker, in fact I barely drink at all, and I'm assuming this is red wine, something that I never normally opt for, but again, I'm willing to give it a go! The shortbread looks and sounds delish - its not often you'll hear me complain about my shortbread!

This hamper can be purchased from Spicers of Hythe, which are based in Kent. They do a huge selection of hampers, from chocolate to wine, to cheese and family hampers. They make hampers for all occasions and all appear reasonably priced.

So, if you're still pulling your hair out with what to buy 'that couple' - or maybe even your Nanna & Grandad, a hamper is the perfect treat. You're probably too late to purchase online now but a mad rush to the shops maybe in order instead!

Birchbox: A Winter Wonderland.

One beauty box that I am always excited to receive is the Christmas box.. I just expect wonderful and sparkly things but unfortunately Birchbox didn't meet my expectations this year...

Contents (From L-R)

Sin-Care Party Girl Serum. This retails at £46.50 so pretty pricey for a serum, and something I'm definitely not prepared to spend that much money on! I mentioned in a previous post that skincare really doesn't float my boat, so for me, this is just 'meh'. Yet another serum that is added to my ever-growing drawer.

Lamilou Body Milk (Cocoa Butter and Rose Water) . You may have seen my growing stash of body lotions from a few months ago (if you wanted to see my ha-uge collection, click here). I don't need another body cream, simple as. But Birchbox aren't to know that. However the smell of this is very faint. I'm not a fan of rose flavoured products (they remind me of old ladies!). The consistency of this is horrible as well, being very thin and almost watery. Definitely one that I'll be glad to get rid of.

Alima Pure Luminous Shimmer Eyeshadow. Retailing at £12.50 I can see why. This is really pretty and would look fab on those festive party nights out. Its very light but buildable, so could be worn in the day or at night. The colour is a gorgeous golden brown with an almost rose gold tint to it.. very pretty but again, a very repetitive product that I often see cropping up in Birchbox every few months. I'm getting a small stash of these mineral eyeshadows now, sadly all untouched because I love my Urban Decay too much!

Number 4 Non-Aerosol Hairspray. I got super excited when I saw this bottle, then when I realized what it was, I was let down. I only received a hairspray a few months ago, and I very rarely wear hairspray (and I mean rarely, we're talking probably 6 applications a year!). However I am intrigued to this new concept of 'non aerosol'. I love it for the bottle if nothing else!

Nail Rock Nail Glitter. This has got to be my favourite product this month. Never tried any Nail Rock products so this one should be interesting. I've got many dark navy nail polishes, but look at the electric blue pure glitter. So sparkly I can't wait to try this out!

And last but not least.. a twistband. Another one. Probably the 3rd one I've received now. Yes, the concept is fab - no snags and pulls in the hair.. but really, who would wear some of these awful colours out in public? Certainly not me. So sadly they'll be left to be used around the home..

Were you pleased with your December Birchbox?

My Perfect Christmas Day

My perfect Christmas day wouldn't consist of the usual gathering around the dining table pulling crackers. Neither would it consist of a cosy afternoon near a roaring fire playing games and stuffing ourselves with chocolate. It would however still be filled with heaps of festive magic and definitely one to remember, because that's right... we're off to Disneyworld!

We'd leave a very festive looking airport on Christmas Eve, armed with our suitcases, flying 1st class to Orlando. Whilst on the flight we'd enjoy a few Christmas movies and indulge in a few glasses of mulled wine before landing in Florida.

 

We'd check into our Disney hotel, admiring the ginormous glittering Christmas trees in the lobby, before resorting to our room. Out would come the few Christmas trimmings and stockings we brought with us, in order to give our room some festive cheer.

 

We would then have an early night in order to shake off any jet-lag, and in hope that Santa had been by the time we woke!

The big day has arrived! Scurrying out of bed, we all dive into our stockings to see what surprises we may have. After a fun filled hour of admiring our new gifts, we head to a nearby restaurant for a traditional American breakfast...pancakes!

After filling our tummies, we jump on the boat and head over to Disneyland. Upon approaching, we can hear the festive music playing and know we're going to experience an unforgettable day! 

First stop off is to buy some Minnie Mouse festive ears.. of course! Spending the morning experiencing the rides, we stop for a light lunch. We then spend a few hours doing meet and greets, meeting up with the characters themselves, who too are dressed from head to toe in the most festive outfits one ever did see. We'd have our photos taken with every last one of them, with the most magical Christmas backdrops, ready to be framed at home.

We'd then take a moment out to just appreciate our surroundings and where we were, realizing how lucky we were to be there.

We'd stop for a mid afternoon break and watch the 'Dream Come True' parade where all the Disney characters gather together and dance around to Christmas music like its one big party.

After catching a festive show and doing a spot of shopping in Disney's famous Christmas shop, we'd all resort back to our hotel room and get ready for the Christmas buffet. But oh no, this isn't your average Christmas dinner. Everything is Disney themed! We'd munch our way through some delicious food before cutting into the biggest Disney cake you ever did see. Who needs Christmas pudding?!

 

Resorting back to our hotel room, we'd let our poor bellies settle whilst we watched a Christmas movie (Santa Claus: The Movie, in case you were wondering...).

After building up a little more energy, we'd make our way back to Disneyland to eagerly await the 'Wishes' firework display. Fireworks dancing to Christmas songs whilst a glass of champagne is slowly being sipped. Cinderella's castle all lit up and twinkling lights all around, a warm breeze in the air as the clock nears midnight. Could you really think of a more magical way to end Christmas day?

You can have a traditional Christmas Day any year... be adventurous and create the most magical Christmas of them all!

 

Merry Christmas! This post is my entry into the Tots100/Argos 12 Days of Christmas competition.

Christmas Gift Ideas: Marvel Lovers

My boyfriend is a huge Marvel/DC fan, so each birthday and Christmas I try and include at least one marvel item in with his presents. However as the years go on, it gets more difficult as his collection gets bigger and bigger (and I refuse to buy another Marvel T shirt, I'm sick of seeing them!). I've been browsing the internet to get some more ideas so I thought I'd create a moodboard to share with you that might have a male relation that is also into their boys toys!

 

 

Fun in Florida! St Petesburg, Sarasota and Kayaking!

After 6 days in Florida, we took a trip up to St Petesburg, which is just past Tampa. We used to stay here when we were kids, so the visit was for more of a nostalgic thing than anything else.

Our apartments were just a walk across the road from the gorgeous beach, which definitely hasn't changed. I always remember the pure white sands and the turquoise sea.. a place me and my brother used to spend hours in, playing in our little rubber boat! Although unfortunately this time we were minus the rubber boat! The apartments themselves were pretty impressive too.. they had everything you needed, plus more. I really would recommend to stay here should you ever find yourself in St Petes!

We found a nice restaurant that was on the beach that was called Sloppy Joes. We deliberately picked to sit outside on the lower terrace (that was practically on the sand). We purposely timed it so we could watch the sunset whilst we ate, which was gorgeous. The sky full of pretty shades of pink and orange.

We drove to another town called Sarasota whilst we were there to do some kayaking. I shared a kayak with Mike, and safe to say, he definitely will not be getting in another kayak with me as long as we both shall live. I.was.a.nightmare. I could not 'drive' the kayak to save my life. I drove us into bushes and god knows what else. He lost his temper with me on several occasions because he needed a rest but couldn't because of my driving skills, so I (yes, me!) gave him a bad back, and he sure made me know about it! I'm glad we can laugh about it now but at the time he really didn't find it funny!

We also had a day shopping which was a nice breather from all the theme parks, and gave me the opportunity to stock up on some American goodies!

We took a trip to an historic site were old canons were, although I didn't take any photos of this as I wasn't feeling too clever on the day.

We had many evening strolls along the shoreline with the waves gently lapping at our feet, and just generally used the time to eat, relax, and catch up on some much needed sleep that we had lost in the first week through the theme park early starts! It was a pleasant change.

Festive Christmas Jumpers

Christmas jumpers seem to be getting more and more popular as the years tick by. I remember only a couple of years ago, you'd struggle to find one, and now you get slapped in the face by them every time you go shopping around Christmas.

I'm not sure of my opinions on these jumpers, I don't love them, and yet I don't hate them either. I just feel like too many people have jumped on the Christmas Jumper bandwagon, (mainly for attention seeking purposes) and therefore I think I'm secretly refusing to buy one because I don't want to be one of those clones! My boyfriend cannot stand them and would most definitely disown me if he ever caught me wearing one!

Either way, I know many of you love them, so here are a few of my favourites.

 

 

 

 

Which are your favourites?