Five Things & Five Blogs I Love Friday #40!

Oh gosh, I haven't been very good at keeping up with these five things I love posts weekly. I'm making an early new years resolution to try a little harder with my blog. I've got so many posts in draft form but I guess I'm not really sure where to start, I'll figure it out though and hopefully posts will be a little more frequent and consistent!

One. Baking Gingerbread Cookies.

I've been getting in the festive spirit by baking gingerbread cookies and I'm loving them! Gingerbread is probably one of my favourite sweet treats of all time, I always think back to having gingerbread men as a child and I love how festive they smell when they're baking! Yummy! 

Two. Lily Loves Lola Bracelets.

Fellow blogger and all round creative lady, Victoria from Lily Loves Lola, has a super lovely online shop selling the cutest friendship bracelets! If you have a bunch of close friends who love bracelets like these I think they would such a perfect little Christmas gift because there are so many different charms to choose from and they're super affordable. Victoria is a lovely lady and will package your order so beautifully! I'd love if you were to check out her BigCartel store and her Etsy! ♥

Three. HayDay!  

I'm not exactly sure what first made me download this app but now I have, I'm totally hooked! It's a getting a little silly now, I check it multiple times per day and I just love the cute little animals! I think the sheep are my favourite because they look like little fluffy clouds when they need their wool collecting. Yeah, I told you I was obsessed! 

Four. This Red Stripe Campaign. 

Viral video by ebuzzing

*Sponsored Video*

I'm always a sucker for super creative advertising campaigns! I studied moving image media at College and although I was terrible at actually making clever mini films, I absolutely loved learning about the techniques and seeing what the creative guys in my class managed to think up. I was always jealous of their skills so whenever I see an advert that grabs my attention, I instantly love it! 

Five. The John Lewis Christmas Advert. 

The first time I saw this I got a little teary eyed, these adverts get me every year and to be honest, I pretty much cry at everything! I love this little snow couple and I think the hat, scarf & gloves that mister snowman picked out are very smart indeed!

One. Ferdie's Beauty Finds. Two. The Beauty Milk. Three. Kimtopia.

Four. Our Little Balham Life. Five. Tiny Paint Pot.

I completely adore every single one of these blogs and it would mean a lot to me if you were to pop over and have a little look at each of them! They all make me smile for completely different reasons and I think you will love them too! 

xoxo

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P.S. I'm still accepting sponsors for the month of December, if you'd like a spot send over a quick email, I'd love to hear from you!

Review: Laura Mercier Oil Free Tinted Moisturiser.

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser. (£33)

The Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser is a product that gets raved about all the time in the bloggersphere and for good reason, I think this is worth every penny! For £33 you get 50ml which is definitely pricey but you do get more product than a standard 30ml bottle of foundation. I currently have the oil free version, but I think once I've used it up I'll be tempted to try the regular version, just to see how it compares. It's nice that whatever your skin type, you should be able to find a version of this product that will suit you. I have dry skin and the oil free version doesn't highlight any particularly dry areas on my face, I do still use a hydrating moisturiser underneath, but it leaves quite a matte finish. I'd say that if you have normal/oily skin this would work well for you, leaving a slight dewy finish.

For a tinted moisturiser, I'm very impressed with the coverage this gives. I'd liken it slightly more to a light coverage foundation rather than a super sheer tint; it's very versatile in that you can wear it sheer or you can build it up to gain a little more coverage in the areas you need to. In the above picture I'm just wearing the tinted moisturiser with no concealer and you can see a few blemishes & my awful dark circles, but my skin tone has been evened out quite nicely. Importantly, it never feels heavy on the skin, even when I wore this in the height of summer (those few days the UK actually saw the sunshine!) it still felt comfortable.

I have the lightest shade, porcelain, and it matches my fair NC15 skin pretty well. It doesn't seem to lean too pink or too yellow, it's pretty neutral so should suit the majority of fair skin tones, but I would recommend trying to get a sample before if possible! It has SPF 20, which I think is such a good thing especially as this is a product I would more associate with wearing during the warmer months. I would always recommend wearing a dedicated SPF underneath your foundation all year round, but I still like when base make up products have added SPF.

This is definitely a product I reach for more in the warmer months but I have worn and loved it a lot this Autumn too. It's one of those reliable products, I know it easily lasts all day on my skin so whenever I feel like I only need a touch of coverage, this is the base product I opt for every time.

Have you ever tried the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser? 

What is your all time favourite foundation? 

xoxo

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Tuesday Wishlist!

There are so many make up items I'm lusting over right now so I thought I'd put some of them in a wish list in the hopes of getting them off my mind! I need to remember that I only have one face and I don't need any more make up!

1. Chanel May Nail polish.

2. NARS Satellite of Love Highlight Powder. 

3. Gingerbread Man Cookie Cutter. 

4. YSL Lingerie Pink lipstick. 

5. Baby Bunny Night Light & Rabbit Night Light. 

6. Dior Rose Diamond Highlight. 

7. Dior Tulip Pink lipstick. 

8. Dior Lip Maximizer. 

9. Stila Positively Pink Cheek Palette & Lip Glaze.

What's on your current wishlist? 

xoxo

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Review: L'Occitane Marvellous Flowers Hand Cream.

L'Occitane Marvellous Flowers Hand Cream♦ (£8)

Christmas is fast approaching and I'm constantly on the lookout for things that will make perfect gifts. There are two main collections from L'Occitane this Christmas; Magical leaves which is a blend of verbena, hazel, citrus & vanilla and Marvellous Flowers which is a lovely & feminine mixture of rose, peony and berries. There are also a whole range of different gift sets, so if someone in your life loves L'Occitane, I would have a little look around the website!

The L'Occitane hand creams are one of those classic, almost cult products and when I think of L'Occitane as a whole brand, it's always the hand creams that come to mind first! Part of one of the main Christmas collections, this Marvellous Flowers Hand Cream smells just as divine as it sounds. L'Occitane are wonderful at blending beautiful notes resulting in scents that are pretty but not too overpowering or too much. This scent is soft, delicate and floral with a touch of sharp fruitness from the berry notes. It's really beautiful and perfect for the cooler months.

As you would expect, this hand cream is wonderfully moisturising, enriched with shea butter and a lovely treat for the hands. I've forgotten my gloves one too many times this winter already and my hands hadn't been looking their best after one too many encounters with the biting wind, but even after one use, my hands felt soothed, nourished and much softer.

I'm putting together a little pamper basket for my Mama and I'll definitely be purchasing a tube of this to go in it! The packaging of these hand creams is my favourite of any hand cream I've tried before, the metal tube is easy to roll up once you start nearing the end, so you can be sure that you're getting every last bit out & you'll want to with a product that is this luxurious! At £8 for 30ml these make lovely little individual gifts & would be perfect as a stocking filler or as part of a larger present!

Are you a L'Occitane fan?

Have you ever tried their hand creams before? 

xoxo

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Review: Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector.

Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfectors are easily my favourite lip products of all time, they even manage to beat my beloved Revlon Cherries in the Snow lipstick! I mean, I liked them so much I bought all three shades even though there's very little difference in colour between them. Clarins describe them as a 'softly textured lip gel that leave your lips looking soft, smooth, shiny and plump' and that's exactly what they are; they're basically the best sheer lipglosses ever. 

The first thing I noticed was the amazing scent, it's the perfect mixture of sweet vanilla and caramel & I don't know about you, but having a lipgloss that tastes like cake works well for me and I like that it's not an overpowering kind of scent. The formula isn't too thick and it's not sticky at all, which means they aren't the most long wearing, but having to reapply every few hours is okay when a product is this nice! They feel really hydrating on the lips, more so than any other lip product I've ever tried, so I'm really impressed. They make my lips look full, super shiny and plump, so I guess they really do what they promise on the box!

Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in 01 Rose Shimmer.

Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in 02 Apricot Shimmer.

Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in 03 Nude Shimmer.

The colours aren't that different, so you definitely don't need all three, but the formulation is completely consistent throughout all the shades so which ever one you go for, I think you'll love! These retail for £16 at Boots but you can find them for £12.80 on Escentual.com, which is a total bargain! These are one of those products that is worth all the hype and so much more, just don't expect too much from it, it is ultimately just a lipgloss afterall! It won't change your life, but it'll make your lips look pretty! 

Have you ever tried the Clarins Lip Perfectors? 

xoxo

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What's on my bedside table?

As much as I try to deny it, I'm a hugely messy person. I put off tiding up until it gets to the point that it's annoying me and I can't do anything else unless things are super tidy. With my bedside table however, although there's a lot on it, I always try to keep it as organised as possible. I like to call it organised clutter. I saw Estée from Essie Button do a post about what's on her bedside table and I thought it was such a good idea! I'm so nosey, so I'd love to know what's on your bedside table too!

My bedside table is actually chest of drawers and I bought it in an antiques auction a long time ago! I haven't been to any auctions in a long time and I really miss going because you can pick up some really nice pieces for reasonable prices if you're in the right place and the right time & if you've got a bit of luck on your side. I think this was around the £40 mark and although it doesn't really fit with my room as there's a lot of light wood, I really love this piece and I wouldn't want to let it go! The lamp isn't anything special, I used to have the pretty Ikea Knubbig Table Lamp but I accidentally knocked it over and it broke, I'm still annoyed with myself about that and I keep forgetting to pick up a replacement!

A big Eeyore mug full of hot chocolate is pretty much a permanent addition to my bedside table, because well, that's what Winter is for right? Drinking lots of hot chocolate! When I'm being good I stick to Options Hot Chocolate (my current favourites are Wicked White & Caribbean Coconut), only 60 calories yadda yadda yadda, but when I'm feeling in a super chocolatey mood you really can't beat Green & Blacks Organic Hot Chocolate. That's the good stuff, but I save it for special occasions mostly!

I only have a couple of beauty bits, I can't be without a lip balm close by at all times. Sometimes there's nothing worse than climbing into a warm & cosy bed and then realising that your lips are super dry and you have to get out to forage around for a balm. That has happened to me more times than I'd like to remember! I currently have the Blistex MedPlus for Lips and I think it's incredible. I really want to try the Nuxe Reve de Miel lip balm but it's super pricey! I also have Soap & Glory Hand Food hand cream because I'm trying to remind myself to use it more often!

It's almost Christmas so I have this little polar bear guy that I got from a local garden centre. They always put on the best Christmas fairs over there and every time I go I have to leave with something! He was only a few pounds and to be honest, he'll probably live on my bedside table all year round because he's so cute!

A bedside table always feel a little incomplete without a candle and I currently have the Neom Luxury Organics Harmonise Candle♦. This is a pricey candle, there's no doubt about that, but it's worth every penny! This is the candle that keeps on giving, I have burned this for so many hours and I still have so much left. It also smells amazing even when it's not burning! These would make the most perfect Christmas gifts & I've bought a couple for some of my nearest and dearest to open on Christmas morning!

My little mirrored jewellery box is from either Home Bargains or The Range. Either way it was super cheap and I really love it. There are lots available online, this one is super similar. I have a little misshapen heart plush decoration which is the first thing I ever sewed all by myself. It's so rubbish & terribly made but I'm so proud of it in a weird way!

I'm a huge photography geek so I always like to have a camera around. This is an Olympus Trip 35 and I bought it from a little camera shop during one of mine and my boyfriends first dates. It'll always have a lot of sentimental value attached to it and I also just really like the way it looks.

My Pandora bracelet is one of my most favourite pieces of jewellery and it doesn't fit in my jewellery box so I have it sitting on top. I always wrap it up in a cloth because for some reason it tarnishes like crazy if it's just left in its box like this. I wear it pretty much every day so it's nice to be able to reach for it quickly.

My phone acts as my alarm clock and I always put it as far away as possible so I actually have to get out of bed to turn it off. I'm terrible for just turning off an alarm and going back to sleep, I'm definitely not a morning person in any way! I also have my Paperchase organiser & if I didn't have that I'd forget what I need to do, where I need to be and who I need to see on a daily basis. I've got into the habit of checking what I need to do the next day before I go to sleep so I don't forget anything. It's also there because it has a notes section so I can scribble down any blog post ideas/lists/anything else before I forget them!

Lastly I have a copy of The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter. Totally normal for a 23 year old, right? I just bought this because it's the 110th anniversary edition and I thought it would be a nice thing to have to one day pass on to my future child. I'm a huge fan of children's literature, I could happily read children's books all the time, not because I don't love other books too, but because they're always so magically written. This was my absolute favourite story as a little girl and it's lovely to be able to feel the same excitement about a book now as I did 20 years ago!

What's on your bedside table? 

I'd love to know! 

xoxo 

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Pandora 2012 A/W Christmas Collection.

Crown Charm♦ (£25) // Grand Pearl Stud Earrings♦ (£45)

When John Greed Jewellery gave me the chance to pick out a couple of things from the new Pandora Christmas collection, I'm not going to lie, I did a little happy squeal and I felt so lucky and grateful and thankful all at the same time. My wonderful boyfriend got me a Pandora bracelet & my first charm earlier this year and I fell in love with it instantly. I have a more traditional charm bracelet and I never wear it, although it's one of my favourite pieces of jewellery, because the charms get caught on everything and I'd hate to damage it. Pandora bracelets are just so much more wearable in that respect, there are dangle charms but I love the simple bead charms that fit perfectly on to the bracelet.

I had always admired the earrings every time I went into a Pandora boutique and these Grand Pearl Studs particularly caught my eye. Pearls will always have a certain class and elegance about them and these blue freshwater cultured pearls are no different. The almost grey, silvery blue colour is beautiful, making these especially perfect for the Autumn and Winter seasons but I think they'll look wonderful all year round. When the light catches them, they shimmer and almost sparkle but in an understated way so I think they'd look fabulous with a super pretty sequined party dress, or even just to add a little touch of prettiness to a simple jeans & a tee outfit for everyday wear. I love versatile pieces like this & they are silver, so perfect even if you have sensitive ears like I do.  

This year has been one of the most wonderful years for Great Britain, with the Olympic games & the Queen's Jubilee and this Crown Charm manages to embody and represent those good things so perfectly. On a more personal level, although this year hasn't been perfect for me, it's been a good one in so many different ways. It's sometimes very easy to forget about all those happy moments when everything seems to be going wrong, but it'll be lovely to look at this charm and remember that there are so many reasons to smile and although things won't ever be perfect, that's okay because the good times make everything worth it! I'm always amazed by the detail that Pandora manage to put into their charms, even though they're so small & this charm has all the detail you'd expect in something so truly royal. At £25 this is one of the most affordable Pandora charms but you certainly don't lose any detail or quality.

Star Pavé Clip. // Christmas Stocking Charm. // Grand Pearl Ring. // Big Star Pavé Clip. // Polar Bear Charm.

There are lots of other beautiful charms that make up the 2012 Christmas collection, so if you're looking for that perfect gift for a loved one this Christmas, I'd definitely recommend looking at Pandora. There truly is something for everyone! A bracelet and a charm would be such a beautiful and thoughtful gift to open and something that can be added to on special occasions or life milestones. And if charms & bracelets aren't your thing, their rings, necklaces and earrings are also beautiful, simple and truly elegant. I'm a huge fan of Pandora & the personal aspect that surrounds their jewellery.

Do you like Pandora jewellery?

What do you think of their Christmas collection?

xoxo

P.S. If you're buying online make sure you purchase from an official Pandora retailer, like John Greed because there are a lot of fakes around!