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Sep

The annual Leeds visit.

(9 votes, average: 2.33 out of 5)

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Ever since 2007 I have made an appearance at Leeds Festival, whether it’s for the weekend or for the day, I have been present. I’ve been through the sunburn, the floods, the exhilarated feeling and been left wanting more, but I’ve always had a good time.

This year I had vowed not to go – simply because the music of last year left me a little underwhelmed – that was, until I saw the headliners of Blink 182 & Paramore on the same day. It was a must. A Saturday ticket was tracked down.

I have to admit we didn’t utilise our time there very well, in terms of music. We only made it into the ‘arena’ for Limp Biskit at 4.30pm, despite getting there at midday. What can I say? Festivals were made for drinking!
We missed their iconic ‘Rollin’ which means we didn’t get to recreate the fabulous dance routine – but all was not lost.

6.45 saw Weezer take to the stage – I only know the famous songs, that being a vague knowledge of ‘Pork & Beans’ and every word to ‘Beverly Hills’ but they took on ‘Teenage Dirtbag’ which I imagine was them being ironic at people thinking it was their track (actually is Wheetus) but I’m not sure everyone understood it!
Lady Gaga & MGMT were thrown in for good measure, so even if – like me – you weren’t all the familiar with the band, they put on a brilliant show & just might have been the favourite of the day.

Next up was Paramore, which are one of my all time favourite bands – I saw them a few years back when they only half filled the field for main stage, this time there was definitely a bigger audience, however I think their scheduling was a bit of a mistake. Putting them between the random, running around act of Weezer and having them followed by the legend that is Blink 182 made them look a little sad. They definitely didn’t ensue the same energy, which was a little disappointing – but Hayley William’s outfit made her look brilliant, more points gained there!

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Cargo pants, exactly what I’m on the lookout for – loving the crosses on the knees as well. Twitter followers of Hayley Williams have been trying to track down where her outfit was from ever since she came on stage!

Finally came Blink 182. People were getting pretty crazy before they even came on, the audience were asked to move back 3 steps as people on the front rows were getting crushed. My boyfriend had lost his friends in the process of making his way to see his childhood heroes, I think it was worth it.

They put on an amazing show, going through all the classics, which made me realise how much I like them. They threw in a lot of banter which made for a great show. They were there with the audience, they didn’t make the same mistake the Red Hot Chili Pepper’s did a few years back, leaving the audience bored with their over indulgent guitar solos, Blink played for the audience and even came on for an encore, which saw Travis Barker absolutely killing it on the drums. I like drummers.

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So, I’d like to say I’ve seen all the bands I need to in my life, and while I love the festival bubble, I stand firm in saying I won’t be attending next year – but let’s see what happens when the line up comes out.

Written by Phoebe

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by Phoebe in Festivals, Summer Insiders Tagged Leeds Festival, music, Peluxe

Aug

The Last Long Weekend

(8 votes, average: 3.00 out of 5)

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I’ve just returned from my last holiday of the year, with University in the offing, it looks like my next trip will be a great one to the US at Easter.
My past weekend was spent in Barcelona, an entirely new territory. I’m gradually expanding on my new places travelled, I only wish this gained me more stamps to fill up my passport!
My mum had been a few years back with a couple of her friends and I was always interested in going. A couple of months back, on a whim I suggested it, and the rest is history!

So, in the early hours of Friday morning, we made our way to the airport, Barcelona bound;

Via Plastic Bullet for the iPhone

We tracked down our hotel, it was on one of the many slim streets that came off the Ramblas, which is a long street housing numerous street artists, including street theatre, painters, caricaturists, jewellers, florists and of course the street sellers stocked with ‘designer’ gear…

After powdering our noses and getting changed for the heat, we explored what the Ramblas had to offer. There were a few pretty amazing acts to see, a few gathered large crowds, each queueing for a photo with this ’spectacular’ street artist, not meaning the ones without crowds weren’t brilliant.

Excuse the random man… He was a smiley one though.

The first evening we didn’t venture too far, but just across the road from where we were staying there was a cool little restaurant tucked out of the way. Chained in with rope lights, the only downside was the child playing in the square. See, in Barcelona the thing for kids to get is a little device you put in your mouth to make squeaking noises, really annoying squeaky noises. Aside from that, it was great! We ate and got merry from their great cocktail menu;

Cosmopolitan and Jager & Orange.

Who would have thought that Jagermeister & Orange juice would be so tasty?!

The following day we took advantage of the City Sightseeing bus, and ventured further out into Barcelona. The heat was pretty excruciating, we were on an open top bus, in full sunlight for the majority of the time. Surprisingly I escaped sunburn somehow, but we needed a break.
We took solitude in a model village, recently built to replicate ancient Spanish towns, it was filled with crafty little shops and cafes and restaurants tucked away in the shade, just what we needed! I also took advantage of one of the many ice cream shops that line the streets of Barcelona – I chose Strawberry Cheesecake and Strawberry sorbet, of course after just having a meal, the majority ended up in a bin, but what I managed to eat was delicious!

On the Saturday we also managed to see some of Gaudi’s work, there is a lot of beautiful buildings in central Barcelona, and his work is nestled among these, as if it were nothing out of the ordinary.

After another refreshment, we made our way back to the hotel – stopping off at the top of the Ramblas to see the fountains and the department store!

On Saturday night, we went to see the Magic Fountains. I was surprised I’d never heard about these as they are beautiful and are apparently not getting as much credit as they deserve.
It’s a twenty minute show of varying displays with colour and music. The streets that you can see it from are packed, as in can hardly walk through some parts. Smaller fountains line the street leading up to a huge display, which is the main feature, overlooked by steps of fountains where the crowds still gather. We managed to get a good view after the first ’show’ (they begin at 9, and are repeated every twenty minutes until 11 with different music) I could have watched it all night, I seem to have developed an obsession for water.

Sunday was another day on the tour bus, although this time we managed to bag a seat in the slightly shaded area at the front of the bus. This was then overshadowed by the trek up a huge hill to get to Gaudi’s park, some beautiful mosaics scatter the area, and without a cloud in the sky, it meant the panoramic view of Barcelona was even better than usual.

With the bus taking us further around the city, we managed to see another of Gaudi’s works, which was the most recognisable to me;

I was surprised to learn that although it has been in construction for over 130 years, it’s only 67% complete, as Gaudi was knocked down by a tram before he could complete his vision himself.
I of course appreciate the time and effort that must go into this, but with the technology available today, I would have thought it could have progressed further. Maybe that’s just showing my naivety at modern culture…

Our final night was spent at the only shopping centre that is open on a Sunday, coming from a family where any of the women love to shop, we are at a bit of a loss when all the shops are shut… This one happens to be open 365 days a year, and has beautiful views across the harbour. We began with Tapas at Tapa Tapa, ending with cocktails once again, walking back through the still packed streets at 11pm.

I’d definitely recommend it for a long weekend, unless your one to stand in line for all the attractions, you’ll manage all the necessary sites in a weekend.
And, although you may initially turn your nose up at the street sellers – if the weather was anything like my weekend, you will cave in to buying a fan.

Money well spent.

Written by Phoebe

1 Comment

by Phoebe in Other Tagged holiday, Peluxe

Aug

Home Comforts

(13 votes, average: 2.54 out of 5)

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I don’t have the most exotic of diets, I don’t like Indian, or seafood, I draw a line at even the subtlest of spices and I can’t stand raw tomatoes. I am a seasoned fussy eater and anyone who knows me, knows this. I’m all for trying new things, which is a change from a few years ago – but I have to want to try these things, I won’t do it for anyone else.

So when Superdrug asked us to share some exciting recipes, I was at a bit of a loss. I have cooked some more unusual stuff for my mum and my brother before (I really fancy myself as a chef, no matter how stressful it gets in the kitchen – I somehow enjoy it) but when it comes to eating it myself, I’ll stick with the usual thanks.
With that in mind, I’m going to share two of my favourite things with you. Not essentially summer based, but I never did stick to seasons anyway.

First up, for the main, is good old lasagna. For those of you recoiling, stifling your yawns, there are numerous ways to add a bit extra to this dish if you don’t fancy just bolognese and pasta. Add a bit of curry paste, some chili powder, even some more flavoursome vegetables if you like.
Here’s how I do mine – ingredients are done by eye, so I can’t give any specific measurements, if you haven’t made lasagne before (it’s pretty simple) then trial and error will have to be your method!

Heat the mince in a pan until it begins sizzling, at this point, add about a tablespoon of water and beef stock. Mix in, then add in blended vegetables. My fool proofs are carrots, onions, tomatoes & peppers – but this is a dish that you can chuck any left over veg in and it will still taste great! Granted that the veg is in date of course… carrots were left out of this particular edition because the entire bag was mouldy when I got to them… Yuck!
Stir together, and leave to simmer while you get on with something else.

While simmering, add a large knob of butter to a separate pan, and leave to melt. Once it begins to sizzle, add a spoonful of flour, so it’s sticky lumps, with a little bit of melted butter left, to create a roux. Immediately add milk – in stages, better to add too little than too much – and keep stirring/adding milk until you’re left with a creamy white sauce.

Now to form the lasagna! Get an oven proof dish, and begin layering. First, create a layer of the bolognese, making it smooth and even.

Next up, start layering the pasta sheets. I prefer the green ones, they have a slightly different taste and are apparently better for you, but that’s entirely personal preference. Try and get it to cover all the bolagnaise, so it’ll create an even tower when cooked.
Over the pasta, pour on the white sauce, this has to cover all the pasta, so it has some liquid substance to cook in (this is why we added water into the bolognese!).

Repeat the last steps until the dish is full, or until you run out of sauce/bolognese. I always have the top layer being white sauce.
The last, and optional step is to add cheese. You can also add cheese into the white sauce if you want. I add grated cheese over the top as well as it makes it a little crispy. I like to have a crispy edge to contrast with the soft pasta!

Then, stick it in the oven, covered with tin foil. It’ll need about 20 minutes, on 200degrees (I have a fan assisted oven & this works for me, obviously you might need to moderate it for your own oven!)
After 20 minutes, take off the foil and put it back in, foil less. Keep checking on it, it’s personal taste how much longer you want to leave it in, 5 – 10 minutes is generally enough for me, so it’s got a crispy edge, but isn’t burnt!

Then serve it up! I added peas (and a side of dough balls – yums), but a salad or garlic bread would be the perfect partner.

But what about dessert?!
Well, this is more of a great snack or party favour – but this is something I’ve been making since I was little, bringing out the oldest ‘cookie cutters’ I could find to throw some shapes in, I absolutely love these. I always double the amounts in the recipe book, and the two trays full of biscuits it makes, are generally gone by the end of the following day.

The recipe, taken from the vintage 1984 Sainbury’s Children’s Party Cooking
This makes about 15, but I double up these measurements, it depends how big you cut the biscuits as to how many you can get.

Sift 50g of flour into a bowl, and rub in 25g of butter in, until it resembles bread crumbs. Stir in 25g of caster sugar, then gradually add beaten egg, until it creates a firm dough. Do this in tiny amounts, and use your hands to create the dough.
Flour a surface, and a rolling pin, begin rolling out the pastry, remembering to keep turning/flipping so it doesn’t stick. Roll it quite thinly, but be careful as the thinner it gets the easier it is to burn when in the oven.
You can then have your imagination run wild with what kinds of shapes to create, I went for some topical shapes;

Bake for 12 – 15 minutes, until golden at 180degrees, gas mark 4. Then leave to cool.

Then comes the icing (always my favourite bit). I took my time trying to make the perfect Superdrug pink;

I added a drop of Cochineal colouring to my icing sugar mix…

The before;

The finished product;

They tasted even better than they look

So, not all that exciting to most, but definitely something that will be missed when I make the move to University in September! At least I have mastered how to recreate it if I ever get homesick.

Written by Phoebe

5 Comments

by Phoebe in Food Tagged Peluxe, summer insider

Aug

In a World of Fashionistas

(12 votes, average: 2.92 out of 5)

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When I returned from Amsterdam, nestled among the junk email that seems to populate my inbox of recent, was a £60 voucher, generously provided by Superdrug, to relish in on the Miss Guided website.

I’ve seen the website before, advertised in some top weekly glossies, and featured on a few of the more fashionable blogs that I follow – so I knew I was in good hands.
I browsed the site with ease, navigating my way through different pieces of clothing, current trends and the different ways I could style each piece. After much deliberation I decided on 5 pieces to get me through my voucher money plus a little extra.

Delivery is a reasonable £3.95, which is well worth it with the service you get. After my ‘confirmation of order’ email, I received the date on which I should expect my delivery, followed the day before arrival, with an hour time slot in which it should arrive. It came promptly, 2 minutes after the opening time of the specified delivery time

I began trying on my new items, mentally planning an occasion to give them their first outing, when, disaster struck. My favourite item of the order was too small! This was my own fault, perhaps being a little optimistic about which size I should get. I immediately took myself back to the Miss Guided site to see what my next step was in returning the dream short.
All went quick an easy, it was parcelled up and labelled with the address label attached to the order form, through the wonder that is Twitter, I was contacted by a Miss Guided representative, who kindly told me instructions on how I could get a free returns label, so I didn’t even need to pay postage back!
I’m currently awaiting the replacement arrival, which hopefully should be the perfect fit, and look just like this;

Tailored Suede Style Shorts £16.99

So, back to the other items. My eye was immediately drawn to the next piece, the only difficulty coming from choosing which colour and pattern to order. I went with classic black, goes with everything and to me was the most ’stylish’ of the ones on offer.

Priya One Shoulder Dress £23.99

The final two items are things that I’ve already worn a lot since receiving them, both can be worn with a casual outfit or have an air of dress up about them if you want to pair them with something for a night out.

Lace Insert Jersey Cardigan £14.99 & Skull Printed Scarf £8.99

And so my fashion status in life continues, with my semi new wardrobe from Miss Guided!

Thanks go to Superdrug and Miss Guided!

Written by Phoebe

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by Phoebe in Fashion, Reviews, Summer Insiders Tagged Clothes, Miss Guided, Peluxe

Aug

Can’t Rain On My Parade

(15 votes, average: 2.60 out of 5)

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Good Tuesday readers! I have just returned from a fleeting trip to Amsterdam over the weekend. My motive for going was for the Gay Pride festivities taking place from the 6th to the 8th and introducing another friend to the brilliant atmosphere that goes hand in hand with the festival.

I’ve been to Gay Pride before, I was probably about 13 and it was a gloriously sunny weekend, where we used trees to shelter from the heat while watching the amazing procession of decorated boats, blaring out music and involving the audience in simple, but oh so affective dance routines. Crowds literally line the main river of the ’show’, if you get there late, you’re not going to see anything but peoples heads, unless you have the advantage of a riverside flat.

This weekend, that was the plan. However, with the one week back in June greedily hogging all the sunshine, this weekend turned out to be a very rainy one.
Nevertheless, we made our way to the river – successfully navigating our little map – on Saturday afternoon, to be greeted with crowds upon crowds. We found a nook under a tree, nestled in between bikes that line the streets we stood our ground and watched between others’ heads as the parade began.
If you’ve never been before, I can’t begin to describe the atmosphere and effort that goes into the boats with enough flair, this is an annual event, and they go all out. If the weather is nice it’s an amazing day, and while the rain didn’t hold the procession back, I have to admit that it did have more of a vibe when the sun was shining. Here are a few of my favourites;

I would make a point to go next year if you haven’t been before. Whether you’re gay or straight, whether it’s glorious whether or chucking it down – you’re going to have a good time. There is something going on somewhere every day of the weekend, it’s just up to you to track it down.

Another highlight of the weekend was the House of Bols. Bols is a flavoured liqueur that is served and sold in the UK, but is a little rare and probably unheard of by most (I only know it because we serve it in my club). From a well placed sponsor on the map, we tracked it down and ventured inside. For just 10euros you get a trip to the Bols museum, to learn as many facts about Bols as you can squeeze in (admittedly the museum section is rather short. I think there is 3 rooms total) plus sample each flavour by scent.

We were presented with a corridor lined with bottles, all attached to a vaporizer, you’re meant to guess the flavour, then lift the corresponding flap to learn what it actually is! We sniffed each one and chose our favourites. Then made our way into a night club esque room, by which I mean, a sofa, with ceiling to floor television screens of people dancing and sipping cocktails. It was rather surreal, and at the same time completely mesmerizing.

To finish off the ‘tour’ you get a complimentary cocktail, which you can chose via a computer and print the recipe to take home, you also get two ‘tastes’ which are shots of whichever flavour takes your fancy, then a further discounted cocktail if you want it. That’s the limit though… My Amsterdam cousin had previously said that her friends had taken advantage of the ‘all you can drink’ offer when it first opened, but it turned out that was, just an offer. Too much of a good thing it would seem.

There was also the pleasure of seeing my pregnant cousin! Just 10 weeks to go until she welcomes her first born into the world! It’s a shame she’s in Amsterdam or I’d spend every second of the day with the newbie! There are of course numerous travelling plans for the tot, I’m sure within the first few months she’ll have done more travelling than me with the relatives that are spread all over the world.

The rain tried and failed to dampen everyones spirits, even getting lost among the winding streets of Amsterdam in pouring rain didn’t wipe the smiles of our faces!

Still, nice weather for ducks!

Written by Phoebe

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by Phoebe in Events, Festivals Tagged Amsterdam, Gay Pride, holiday, Peluxe

Jul

Getting The Inside Scoop

(16 votes, average: 3.13 out of 5)

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Todays weather, complete with competing for pavement space with umbrella wielding shoppers, was pretty stressful. I found sanctuary in the newest branch of Superdrug in Leeds, shelves stocked to the brim, purse filled customers scouting the latest deals. I became one of them as I scoped the store before going to the head.
The store manager wasn’t available today – instead I got to speak to Sarah, the assistant manager, she was so friendly! She took me around the store pointing out various products & deals, showing off her product knowledge.

The Albion Street Superdrug has been there a little over two years, it is currently outdoing the other two branches in Leeds centre, with sales up by 29% just for this month. I personally believe this is from the look, location & design of the store. It is nestled in right next to Urban Outfitters, across from a Starbucks and next door to a designer salon, all pretty upmarket places to bring in more customers to the fashion conscious Superdrug brand.
So, Sarah and I got on to discussing the top sellers in this Superdrug branch. All of which are from the Superdrug brand.

First up is Superdrug’s brand of Bio Oil – i’m sure you’ve all heard of Bio Oil, but for those who use it (me included – it’s great for acne scarring) it can get quite pricey. Superdrug’s Restore Oil is currently on offer for just £4.99 (normally £6.49) compared with Bio Oil’s £8.55 for less product. Sarah said that ever since this product came in, it has been flying off the shelves, and I can see why, with such a great price.

Another product she brought to my attention was the previously unheard of Superdrug Colour Radiance hair dye range. Another best seller, it competes with the likes of the Live XXL range, and does quite well! It works in 10 minutes and has apparently sold so well because it doesn’t damage the hair like other top selling brands can do.
This is another offer to grab while it’s hot! It’s currently 2 for £7, perfect for maintaining your at home hair colour.

The final product that has been ‘flying off the shelves’ (her words!) is the Bronzing range from Solait. Especially as it’s holiday season, the self tanning range has proved more popular than first thought. It competes with the likes of L’Oreal and Rimmel but manages to hold it’s own among the more well known brands.

Onto the layout of the store -Offers are placed in the queue area, so that customers are tempted to buy them while waiting to be served – I’m guilty of this, pulls me in every time! – the current product being Gilette razors, not having the space for a full display in the Albion Street store, they instead place them in full view of the customer, but without the bombarding signs. This encourages the customers to pick up something they might have previously overlooked. The same goes for the beginning of the store. The ‘Stunning Deals’ stand is in pride of place at the front of the store, laden with ‘must have’ products at Superdrug’s great prices.

A Superdrug Insider look at a Superdrug store, wouldn’t be complete without mentioning some of the Superdrug exclusive brands. These include Sleek & Gosh – which are among my favourite brands. The Gosh brushes inparticular are amazing, along with the somewhat ‘cult’ product of Sleek eyeshadow palettes. At under £5 for some incredibly pigmented and long lasting eye shadows you can’t really go wrong.

And so concludes my day out at Superdrug! So, with my £20 gift card, kindly gifted by Superdrug – I went around all the isles once more, and began filling my basket.
Here is what I managed to come out with;

The essentials;

Garnier Pure Cleansing Pads – probably the one product I will continue to buy until they stop making it.
Clean & Clear Moisturiser – to revitalise my almost finished Simple Spotless Skin moisturiser.

The treats;

Rimmel ‘fruities’ nail varnish in ‘Lemon Drop’ – purely for the novelty of a scented nail varnish.
Rimmel 60 seconds polish, this one is for my mum! I thought she deserved something out of it too.
Sleek Kajal eyeliner – I’ve been looking for this in every Superdrug I’ve been in! I nabbed the last ‘Nocturnal’ shade.
Samy Fun Fiber hairspray – completely fell in love with this brand after trying the Thickening Cream, i’m gradually working my way through the entire product range.

The holiday necessities;

I’m going to Amsterdam next weekend for the annual Gay Pride weekend, it is a great, weekend long celebration. Me and the bestie are going Friday night and coming back Sunday night, so I stocked up on cute holiday minis from Superdrug’s great range. After being sent the Go Blonder range from John Freida, I was happy it was in a mini version because I love what it does to my hair!

Thanks go to Superdrug for treating me to a £20 spend in store, although I saw quite a few items I previously didn’t know about after milling around the store for so long – I’m going to have to go into Superdrug more often to keep up with their ever increasing range of products!

Written by Phoebe

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by Phoebe in Other

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Jul

Toy Story 3 Is For The Adults

(11 votes, average: 2.73 out of 5)

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I don’t know about the rest of you, but I am a Toy Story fanatic. Loved the first one, those fifteen years ago, in my naive 5 year old self (can you believe it was fifteen years ago?!). I won tickets to a premier in glitzy.. Bradford for Toy Story 2 & got a free keyring of the cute aliens, which is still in my possession.

Then the news came, Toy Story 3 was becoming a reality. I remember seeing a mock up of the film poster on Tumblr & couldn’t contain my excitement (I also recently saw one for Monsters Inc 2 – hoping that is fake as it should be left where it is).

I saw it last week, and it is AMAZING! Even better than I could have expected. I just think the script is so witty and the majority of it will probably go over childrens’ heads. Their was a little boy (about 7) two rows in front with a Woody doll sat on the arm rest, it was the cutest thing, but I was a bit jealous I didn’t have one for myself.
The ‘premiere’ seats were filled up with 15-20 year olds, and after a group being created on Facebook – ‘Move out of the way children I’ve been waiting 11 years to see Toy Story 3′ – I think we know who the real target audience are!

So, with all that in mind, I really wanted to get into the swing of things! Using my beauty know how I put this masterpiece together;

Now, I know it isn’t up to some of the amazing standards of nail art that I’ve seen out there. But I, personally, am pretty proud of it! It would have worked better with a different shade of green, but that is just about the only colour missing from my nail varnish collection!
If you want more details of what I did, then you can go over to my blog, but it’s pretty basic! Just use an orange stick for precision!

This is how I showed my pride at the Toy Story 3 showing. Whether you have seen the other two or not (which you really should!) then the third is still going to be great, there are some references to the previous two, but nothing that is going to keep you of the loop of the storyline.
It gets a little emotional at the end, I kept it to a lump in my throat and my eyes welling up, but the tears didn’t overflow!
Although a fourth installment would most likely enjoyed, I’m hoping this is the end of the Toy Story saga, it ended beautifully, which is how it should remain.

I’m sure there are still great things to come from Pixar in the future.

Written by Phoebe

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by Phoebe in Make Up, Nails

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Jul

When The Eyes Have It All

(9 votes, average: 2.89 out of 5)

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For the look to be created with Rimmel, I went a little out of my comfort zone. My staples for the eyes are a flick of eyeliner, pretty much daily, and neutral browns/golds or blacks/greys.
The goody bag from Rimmel hit me with a vivid blue eyeshadow and a highly pigmented bronze. With fewer products for the face, I decided to create a look solely on the eyes.

After brainstorming as hard as I could, I came up with the following looks. While they might be a little further out than i’d normally go – I could honestly see me wearing these looks out. Which is how I used my ‘creative’ side, something I would actually be able to use in the future!

After getting some inspiration from the Superdrug Looks page and the make up artist’s video I set my make up to work!

My first looks are flip versions of each other, I prefer the Spicy Bronze all over the lid, as I think small amount of blue brings out my natural eye colour, with the brown enhancing it as it’s at the other end of the spectrum.

For this look I used the Spicy Bronze shadow all over the lid, building the colour up in the outer corners and shaping it into a wing. As the eyeshadows are so easily blended, it meant I could fade the bronze into the inner corner without it being too daunting. The Posh Peacock shade was then traced along my lower lashes, finished with the Aqua Sparkle Exaggerate liner on the waterline. I also added the liner under the Posh Peacock eyeshadow, to give it something to grip to. The entire look was then finished off with the number 3 setting on the 3 look mascara, to compliment the dramatic look!

Pretty self explanatory what happened here! I used Posh Peacock for the lid, I piled it on the outer corner and blended some of it inwards, adding a little more to the eyelid crease when I’d finished.
I think the Posh Peacock shade, blended out would be great for a subtle addition of colour in the day, then you could always add more to take it into the night.
I added a small amount of Spicy Bronze to the outer half of the lower lashes, instead of creating a wing, this time I traced the colours next to each other, to really show the contrast, then again, it was finished with the number 3 setting on the 3 look mascara.

Finally is a more wearable look, something that wouldn’t be completely out of the ordinary for me to pull out in the day time.

After swatching the bronzer on my hand, I found it looked simliar to a lot of the brown shadows already I collection, this of course prompted me to use it as a shadow! With a light hand I applied it all over the lid, and blended it out to a ‘barely there’ finish, then added a little more into the crease to deepen it up a little.
The Aqua Sparkle Exaggerate liner was then traced along the lower lash line, smudged out then topped up with a tiny amount of Posh Peacock shadow. I finished the look with the number 1 setting, to tone down the volume a little.

I loved using the eye shadows, they were so creamy and easy to blend, it makes me want to look into the rest of the colour range. I could imagine the black being great when used as a liner affect.
I can’t say I really saw a difference between the different ’settings’ on the mascara, when twisting to a certain ’setting’ I found it often twisted itself back when I began opening the tube, meaning I had to start all over again. I thought the brush was great to get into the corners and for the lower lash line, but to cover the whole eye took some effort because of the somewhat small size of the brush.

I’m currently rocking the Coral Crush 60 Seconds polish on my toes and Grey Matter 60 Seconds Polish on my fingers, these are some seriously easy to work with polishes, plus the grey is a great match for the colour of the English clouds!

Written by Phoebe

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by Phoebe in Eyes, Make Up, Summer Insiders, Superdrug Insiders Tagged Eye Look, Peluxe, Rimmel

Jul

24 Hours With Bourjois

(8 votes, average: 3.00 out of 5)

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Obviously impressed with the recent goody bag of Bourjois make up, I wanted an opportunity to brag – so took it along to a recent night with a friend, and immediately got to trying out different looks with her.

It was here that I came up with the idea to spend ‘24 Hours With Bourjois‘. I would create a look for the day, seeing how it fared for a day shopping and then bring the look into the night to challenge it with a shift at a nightclub, created soley with the products Superdrug so kindly sent my way.

So of course I started with a blank canvas;

Not the most natural of beauties, but hopefully not too bad! A few blemishes around the chin, as always and I’ll always add extra coverage under my eyes just to brighten them up a little bit.
While I was looking forward to trying the Healthy Mix foundation, I was unsure how it would fair against my blemishes. I’d heard it was quite a light foundation, which left me worried to venture out without concealer.

My initial worries were put to rest when I started applying. I used a flat foundation brush, and only needed a little over one pump to cover my entire face adequately. This was one of my favourite products of the bunch. I loved the pump, much easier than having to pour it out, ending up with too much or spilling it everywhere, and the fruity scent really was enjoyed! I find there is a subtle scent to all of the Bourjois products, but this one I really liked!
The Healthy Mix is a light foundation, as in it doesn’t feel too heavy when it’s applied, but it offers really good coverage and blends easily to a seamless finish. In the future I’d opt for a lighter shade, but it’s definitely going to be added to my list of top products.

To finish of my ‘day face’, I added the blusher (35 Lune D’or), applying it lightly to the apples of my cheeks, a couple of coats of Mascara Elastic, focusing on the upper lashes and a slick of the Effet 3D gloss (46 Rose Lyric) to bring in a bit of colour. The gloss is already a firm favourite of mine, I’ve gone through quite a few of these in my time! I love the brush applicator, and the taste isn’t a hassle to have to live with. I think it has a good colour range among the rest of the shades as well, whether it’s something shimmery or something natural you’re after – Bourjois can provide in the lip gloss department!

The final result?

Bourjois Day Face

I love the glowing affect the blush added to my cheeks, it looked beautiful when it caught the sun. The foundation managed to last a good 4 hours walking around, going through changing rooms and crowded sales racks. I was impressed with how long the lip gloss lasted, but found that it gradually wore off and left me with a lip liner affect, but without eating, I didn’t need to reapply all that frequently.

Next up was the ‘night face’, I was looking forward to trying the Ombre Stretch eyeshadow and loved the proper brush that came with it, instead of a sponge applicator which always goes unused.
I kept on the Healthy Mix foundation, simply touching up where there were blemishes and around my mouth. I then lightly swept the Delice de Poudre (52 Peaux mates) over my face, focussing where the sun would naturally hit, followed by the blusher (35 Lune D’or), only used as highlight along the cheek bones and around the corners of my eyes.
For the eyes, I used the Ombre Stretch eyeshadow (02 maxi blanc) all over the lid, I then used the Delice de Poudre (52 Peaux mates) as an eyeshadow, adding a little bit to contour the eye, with a thin line of the Liner Feutre (11 Noir), slightly winged out along the upper lashes, a little tip – if you store the liner upside down in a pot, it allows the product to flow into the nib, making it easier to apply. Followed by lips, using the Rouge a Levres lipstick (07 Framboise Exquise) topped up with the Effet 3D gloss (46 Rose Lyric).

The results…

Bourjois Night Look

The lipstick was definitely a favourite for this look. I would never have chosen the colour, but I like the raspberry tone it adds to my lips, it wasn’t drying in the slightest and wore off nicely. The packaging was another bonus, it’s a gadget in it’s self, something to entertain me while I apply my lippie!
The majority of foundation was still there when I took it off at the end of my shift, the blush as a highlight looked great, I like to use it for a highlight more than the blush, the pink isn’t overpowering which makes it versatile for anywhere on the face.

So concludes my 24 hour stint with the delights of Bourjois! Keep your eyes peeled for the Rimmel eyes, coming to a blog post near you!

Written by Phoebe

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by Phoebe in Eyes, Lips, Make Up, New Products, Reviews, Summer Insiders, Superdrug Insiders, Tips Tagged Bourjois, Make Up, Peluxe, review

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Jul

Superdrug Know How To Do It!

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A post dedicated to the overwhelming generosity of Superdrug is a necessity.

I can’t wait to play with the oodles of make up that managed to fill a pretty sizable box by themselves, this was only padded out by my wonderful new Nokia phone!

THANKYOU TO THE SUPERDRUG TEAM!!

I appreciate it all so much!
Now to get my creative hat on to get some beautiful looks with all my new make up!

Phoebe

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Jul

Settled on the Light Side

(7 votes, average: 3.00 out of 5)

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Hi everyone, it’s Phoebe here – the ultimate blonde haired girl.

This weeks challenge is to justify why blondes or brunettes have more fun. Well, having spent the majority of my nineteen years in a blonde state, I think we know which one I like better.

Yes, I have braved it on ‘the dark side’, accidentally going with black hair, getting acquainted with brunette locks and experimenting with some purple streaks (that’s as far as my experimenting goes I’m afraid…)
In my opinion blonde is the way forward, you can flirt with other colours, but I, personally will always be blonde girl at heart.

Being the happy go lucky person that I am, I can’t say my life was especially boring during those dark haired months, but having the blonde for life my ‘crazier’ days have definitely been in with the blonde helmet.
The sad days come when the hair colour begins to fade, when it goes to the in between colour that I just can’t handle. With products like the John Frieda ‘Go Blonder’ range, I’m hoping this difficulty can be put to rest, and I can live my blonde hair to its fullest!

I’m not sure the crazier moments of my life are blog worthy to be frank, which might hold me back slightly in this weeks Superdrug Summer Insiders challenge.
All I can say is that blondes most certainly do have more fun, why else would I have kept it on my head for so long?!

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Jun

Simple Skincare!

(6 votes, average: 4.17 out of 5)

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A while back Superdrug sent me the new Simple Spotless Skin range, I wanted to give the products a good trial, so after just under a month of using them, here’s what I think!I have to admit being a bit lazy with my skincare the majority of the time. Late nights & late mornings from night shifts mean I just want to get into bed or out of the house as soon as I can.
A nice treat for my skin was the Simple Spotless Skin range, I generally have clear skin, but get quite bad breakouts on my chin, that last a substantial amount of time. I’ve noticed some of the longer lasting breakouts fading a bit quicker while i’ve been using this. I’ve tried to at least use the wipes and moisturiser every single day, with the scrub at least every other day. My skin has been loving it!

There has been two stand out products though;

Simple Spotless Skin Blackhead Eliminating Face Scrub

I used this anywhere up to 4 times a week, I tried not to use this everday as the exfoliating particles in it can feel a bit abrasive. This left my skin amazingly soft and it felt toned. I also suffer from blackheads on and around my nose. I noticed the ones around the edges almost completley dissapear, and while the main bulk of them didn’t remove themselves from my life, they definitely faded and were kept at bay while I used this product.
It helped my spots remain calm, no flare ups with this! When I noticed a breakout starting, i’d concentrate the product on that area, which seemed to help it fade faster.
I’ll definitely be going back for this product, it leaves my skin in great condition & doesn’t irritate the sensative spots that sometimes crop up.

Another great product was…

Simple Spotless Skin Anti Blemish Moisturiser

Admittedly I am quite a sucker for moisturisers, I love trying out as many as I can use at one period of time. This one was a great one to use in the morning, it sinks into the skin really quickly, making it a great base for my make up. Again, this seemed to keep my spots at bay, when I preceded it with the face scrub.
It’s not greasy in the slightest & you only need a tiny amount to suffice the entire face. It sets to a dewy finish, so for those lucky enough to have clear skin, it would be easy enough to just wear this alone, without suffering a shiny face.
This is another product i’ll be adding to my shopping list in the future.

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Jun

Festival Flashback

(11 votes, average: 2.82 out of 5)

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As a seasoned ‘Festivaller’ I thought it was a great idea that Superdrug asked me to share my experiences! I have been to a festival every year for the last 3 years, this year being my fourth, so I think at this stage i’ll have learnt a few tips to share with all you festival novices.

My guide to getting through the festivals…

1) There are no rules, so take the opportunity to do whatever you want.
Festivals generally create their own little bubble. For the weekend you are there, that’s all you know and the life you lead may be very different to what you know. Anything goes at a festival.

You can be covered in writing and no one will bat an eyelid.

2) The weather will rule your weekend. Whether it’s rain or shine, it will determine how you spend your time at a festival. Rain won’t necessarily ruin you, but I would suggest camping atop a hill or incline to avoid the flood risk. Sunshine will be your best friend, my first festival, I came home more tanned than I had ever been, simply because you never go inside.

At least if it pours down, you can play in the mud for the rest of the weekend.

V Festival 2008 - Rained 80% of the weekend.

3) The bigger the tent the better. Ideally you want a huge tent, with the suggested amount of people. No more (too hot & clammy), no less (pointlessly takes up too much space). Even with just two people, tiny tents are too tiny, and with those, I spent most of the time not in it, even if the weather was awful.

Utilise your space.

4) Fashion is not your best friend. Linking to anything goes, you’ll most likely be wearing things you wouldn’t even glance at in the ‘real world’. Whether you’re being practical or just a little bit silly, you’re not going to be judged for your outfit.
Fearne Cotton & Pixie Lott seem to have the festival look nailed, but in all honesty, they probably aren’t roughing it in a tent, so I don’t even attempt to keep up with their standards!

5)Cleanliness may not be as important, but I’m one who will try and keep on top of things. That’s why Superdrug provides such great miniatures! Stock up on everything you will need, face wipes, toothpaste, mouthwash, dry shampoo & maybe most importantly hand sanitizer. You will get mud over everything, raining or not & as there are so many people there, you’re going to want to sanitize as much as possible!

Leave the welly cleaning until hometime!

6)Everyone knows everyone. At festivals it is completely acceptable to strike up a conversation with anybody who happens to walk past you. You’ll meet some great people, maybe not life long companions, but they’ll definitely entertain you while you’re there.

Dance offs are a great way to strike up a friendship.

I have to stay partial to Leeds Festival, comparing it with others, it always comes top, for the Southerners, you’ll have to put up with Reading festival, but everyone has to start somewhere…

This year will be another trip to Leeds festival, but i’m limiting myself to one day. I’ll get to see the great Blink 182 play, which I have amazingly high hopes for, so I hope they don’t disappoint like Arctic Monkeys… And of course, Paramore will be making another appearance, they were one of my favourite performers from back in 2007, but I just didn’t know them well enough. Now that they are at the top of my favourite bands, I’m sure I’ll rate them even higher!

I hope you take on some of these tips! Let me know if you have any more, and I can add them to future festival experiences!

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May

The ‘Millionizer’

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Adding another mascara to my collection, means i’ve got a few to compare to.
The new innovation from L’Oreal sets itself in a different league. Firstly we have the packaging, a gold chrome which is instantly recognisable, with the title strewn across the front. No need to pack the tiny tube full of info, it is what it is, a mascara.

The unique point for this mascara is the ‘anti clump wiper’ a build in mechanism to the top of the tube, which claims to scrape the brush of excess product, to avoid clumping on the lash. Comparing this to it’s similar counterpart, the L’Oreal Collogene mascara, you see the difference. While the Collogene brush comes out caked in product, leading to over application on the lashes, the Million Lash brings out a brush complete with the right amount of product to evenly coat your lashes.
The brush itself is plastic, with varying levels of bristle length, aiming to grab every lash to ‘millionize’ your look. The tip of the brush has tiny bristles, supposedly so you can reduce the difficulty of coating those inner corner lashes.
For me, this is where it falls short. The brush design doesn’t fit to the eye, which makes any where other than the centre a pretty hard task to evenly coat. While the inner corners are left lacking in product, the outer ones become coated, leading to a few clumps occurring where the most attention is going to be focused.

In terms of the ‘millionizer’ impact, I’m not sure it’s anything to shout about. I love the look it gives my lashes, they are fanned out, lengthened and with enough work, they can be evenly coated. The only thing i’m not sure of is the thickening. Thickening mascaras are generally where it’s at for me, I have enough natural length, I’m not bothered about a curled affect, I just want a bit of thickness, without having spidery tips.
The name suggests thickening, to provide you with the look of more lashes, i.e ‘millionizing’ them, should provide you with the look of thicker lashes, but because of the brush and the lack of product where it needs to be, it ends up seperating the lashes and coating them thicker at the base, so they become spidery at the tips.

Bare lashes

Coated with L’Oreal Volume Million Lashes

Being among the higher priced products in Superdrug, it’s great that they’re introducing it to the market at a reasonable £7.99. While I might not pay the full £10.99, it’s defintely a great chance to try it on the cheap, so much won’t be lost if it doesn’t ‘millionize’ your opinion of the mascara.

As an amazing new mascara you must add to your collection, it still has a while to go.
As a mascara without the frills it’s good. It will offer great length, the potential for great separation and great staying power, without being a chore to take it off. While you might not want to immediately run out and buy it, it’s definitely not one to be cast aside. Try it out as your next potential ‘classic’, who knows, it might just earn that title.

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Apr

Maybelline The Falsies mascara – an alternative to glueing your eyelids together

(4 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)

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This review maybe slightly biased, as over the years I’ve developed a substantial liking for Maybelline mascaras. I have yet to find one I really don’t like. Up until now, the ‘Define a lash’ & ‘Pulse Perfection’ have lagged in favour, but they are still up there with the best.

On behalf of Superdrug, I was sent Maybelline’s new The Falsies mascara and I have to say – I was quite pleased. I was considering parting with the cash for it, despite still having a drawer full of unused mascaras.

So, the unique selling point for this product is the ’spoon’ brush. It’s slightly curved, in order to get each lash and fan them out, giving a similar effect to false lashes. While I’ve always loved the idea of false eyelashes, I’ve yet to have a good experience with them. I just can’t seem to work them. The only lash experience I enjoyed was having a make up artist do all the work – thenthey were great!

I’m quite impressed with it to be honest. The shape fits perfectly to my eye and manages to coat all the lashes in one swoop. The downside, I don’t really understand how or why, but somehow this brush causes the product to go onto the eye rim just under the lashes. For most this wouldn’t be problem, but if you apply colour to the rim, then you’ll have to contend with leftover mascara.

With this shaped brush, it also seems more likely to get into your eye. To me this isn’t too much of a problem, but it can get a little annoying when you have to blink some residue out.

With careful application you can overcome these problems, and if you’re one to avoid colour on your eye rim, in a way, the residue is a good thing as it creates thicker looking lashes from the black line.

In terms of the effect it gives, I like the amount of thickness it can create. I think this is down to the brush – it gets a good amount of product and seems to deposit a lot on the lower part of the lashes, so they look a lot healthier.

While I didn’t experience any clumping, it’s not a mascara for those who want lash separation. There are mascaras that really can pull out each individual lash and this one generally just coats your eyelashes as they are, so be sure to comb through them before or after to really separate (something I neglected to do in the following pictures).

One thing I really saw with this, was how much my eyelashes curved. I very rarely curl my eyelashes – to me I just don’t see much difference by including that step. I’m also lucky enough to have a substantial length to my eyelashes, so I’m never sure how much the mascara helps. But the curve that this product adds alone, would be worth it to those who love curling, but could live without it.

It’s the curling and the thickness that I love about this mascara and it is a top contender with their ‘Colossal Lash’ as my favourite.
Another plus for Maybelline’s mascara in general, is their packaging. For some, the bright array of coloured packaging they offer may seem a bit garish, but to me, it’s another plus. Easy to find and it definitely sets them apart from the rest, leading me to pick them more often.

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Mar

The month in pictures.

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I’ve been noticeably absent from the blogging world recently – as you might know, it was because i was in Australia! I got back just over a fortnight ago, still wishing i was there.
The entire trip was amazing as usual, we squeezed in a lot to our 3 week trip. This includes trips to Cairns, the Mornington Peninsula & Lorne, gigs from Phoenix & Tom Jones! We saw Cats & Mamma Mia, and of course managed to fit adequate shopping time in as well.

I absolutely love Melbourne, everyone is so nice, there’s definitely a noticeable difference in the customer service and while the constant trills of “Hey How you going?” from the shop assistants may begin to ring in your ears, it’s certainly better than being ignored or getting rude replies.

The weather was perfect for the whole time, it began a little chilly – by which i mean 18 degrees Celsius – but by the end it was 25plus every day, sometimes making it too hot to go out in the afternoon. The one weekend there was a freak hail storm in Melbourne, we were away! Good timing or what?! This resulted in people’s sky lights being smashed, cars left with dints in them, and leaves strewn all over the pavements. By the time we got back these were the only signs of a storm, lucky escape there! Although, quite honestly, i would have liked to have seen it!

We’re quite literally already planning our next trip there, hoping to go to Perth for a weekend. We’re gradually doing the whole of Australia!
My other travel plans have been put on hold. I was planning to go to America over the summer, to meet up with my brother who is studying at the University of Texas, but his life seems to have taken a hectic turn, so placing a date is proving too difficult.
Instead, it looks like a trip to Spain, Amsterdam & possibly Paris will have to do! Oh and of course, a day trip to sunny Leeds Festival to catch Paramore & Blink 182. I wasn’t interested in going for the weekend this year, but couldn’t miss out on those 2 acts.

I’ll leave with a few pictures of my time in Oz, with 3 cameras we took more than a few…

St Kilda beach ‘BeachComber’

Lorne Beach

St Kilda Beach

Family friends house, thinks it looks like a ThunderBirds house – so had F.A.B on the balcony & garage.

Portsea beach

Barron Falls, Cairns.

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Feb

Barry M Event

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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I had pretty high hopes for this night, Barry M is one of my all time favourite brands, namely because of their range of colours within each product, but also for their nail paints. Such great quality, at such a low price!

Me and a friend made our way into Leeds on the afternoon of the 11th, to squeeze in some shopping before the event kicked off. We got given a flyer while moseying past the store, covered with everything they had to offer.
At 5pm prompt we made our way up to Superdrug, not really sure what to expect, i have to say, i was a little underwhelmed. My store didn’t seem to have much going on in the way of an ‘event’, offering only a couple of the thing advertised, we tentatively made our way around the store, hoping for something to appear around each corner.

For the event, they had staff by the Barry M section ready and waiting to do makeovers, while already made up, i did take the oppertunity of getting my eye make up topped up. She created a look with 3 of the dazzle dusts, one i was considering buying. While it may have been a little much to be walking around the centre of Leeds in, I asked her to tone it down slightly, and ended up with a gorgeous shimmery blue eye, which gave me inspiration on how to work with the colour when i got it home.
Also on offer, was the opportunity to get rhinestones fixed to your face – in collaboration with the new Impulse ‘Into Glamour’ scent – which, i did skip on, but one of the staff members seemed to enjoy it!

There weren’t too many people there, and those that did attend were left looking a little lost as there wasn’t an official welcome to come into. Unfortunately, mine was one of the stores that didn’t get a shipment of the goody bags (for reasons unknown) which they apologised profusely for, admitting they would have wanted one themselves!

I tried my best to think of things i could get with the 10% discount throughout the store, but only managed to pick up a few things… All of which weren’t actually needed. But who actually needs things?!
I got a couple of things to add to my ever expanding make up collection, and a couple of things for my impending trip to Australia! I couldn’t get over the cuteness of all the mini products, i restrained myself there though.

I got an SPF Vaseline, a baby Batiste, a beautiful petrol blue dazzle dust and a -new to me – Sleek eyeliner.
I wish i could have thought of something more worthwhile…

In addition to this i received a goody bag from Superdrug, pre event, but i didn’t manage to get my hands on it until after the event, so the £20 gift card was left unused, leaving me to ponder over something worthwhile to spend it on… I also got my hands on some Barry M make up, bonus there – I’d seen the goody bag advertised in the ‘Fabulous’ supplement, but as i don’t get the magazine, didn’t manage to get the goody bag.

All essentials i’m sure you’ll agree, although i’m still only dipping my toe in the water when it comes to red nails, i don’t know why. I’m working on creating a great smoky eye with what i got, but can never get it looking perfect which always manages to annoy me!

While it might not have been as i expected, thanks must still be given to Superdrug for the event and the things i received of course!
Now onto thinking what to spend the gift card on… Should it really be this hard?

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Feb

N.Y.C Products

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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I can’t say my make up drawers are currently lacking in content – not that i’m complaining. This past week i received even more to top them up!

N.Y.C is a brand i’ve never really used before. But receiving these products means i might have to look further into the brand, as there are two items i can see becoming permanent additions to my collection.

After some quick research, they are cheaper than i thought, which is brilliatnt considering the quality of the products.

Allow me to run through what i received…

Liquid Eyeliner; Jet Black:
I used to be useless with liquid liner, and avoided it at all costs. Over the years I’ve progressed, but i still need the right sort of brush to make it that little bit easier for me.
This is the type of brush i like, it’s long and thin, and I’ve yet to go wrong when using it. It gives a great sleek line, i like to use this when i want a subtle black line, instead of using it to build up a thick, winged line.
It wears really well, lasting throughout the day without smudging or flaking.

Metro Quartet; South Street Seaport:
Similar to the Maybelline quads, this has instructions on how and where to apply each colour on the back, which is a great help to those that are just starting out. I also love the applicator that is supplied. On one end comes a regular sponge tip, but the other is a fine, precision brush, the same that is supplied with the Benefit palettes. I love to use these brushes, they’re great for lining the eyes with the shadows.
In terms of pigmentation, it’s pretty hit and miss. The pink champagne colour is my favourite, and I’ve used this alone as a base shadow for different eyes. Then, while the darker brown is an intense pay off, the others fall short, leaving me with a very sheer eye.

Here is what i created with these colours;

Like i said, not very intense, but i like it for a sheer wash of colour.
I also used the N.Y.C eyeliner here finished with Rimmel Sexy Curves Mascara.

Color Wheel; Pink Cheek Glow:
I love the look of this blush, maybe it would be better as a display product?! It’s a really girly pink colour when applied, it gives a very summer like glow to your cheeks which i really like. It goes on quite sheer, but once the colour is built up it’s a gorgeous colour.
This is one of my favourite of what i was sent, as it brightens up the face, with a very natural like blush.

Lip Sliders Tinted Lip Balm; Sugar Fairy:
As suggested by the ‘tinted’ you’re not going for the colour pay off here, which is a shame because it looks so good in the tin!
This is my favourite thing! It gives a really sheer gloss to the lips, with just a hint of pink. It lasts for a substantial amount of time – which i have to admit, did shock me a little – and doesn’t have much of a taste to it, which i like.
I like to wear this when I’ve made a big deal of the eye make up, it adds a little extra, but isn’t going to clash.

Sparkle Eye Dust; Champagne:
I love the colour of this, a bronzed champagne. It’s great for an all over eye colour, but i’ve been using it in the inner corners and along the lower lash line for a bit of sparkle!
It has great pay off too, and applys really smoothly.

I would definitely recommend the blusher & lip balm, and of course, to look into the rest!
Thanks for keeping my make – up up to date!

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Jan

A Longer Christmas

(5 votes, average: 4.20 out of 5)

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Having Superdrug being delivered to the office means I only get them when I’m in the office… This is why a parcel sent on the 28th of December was only received a week ago. But, in a way this is good – it lengthens Christmas and who doesn’t love a surprise gift?
I obviously ripped into the package, happy with anything i got – I then found the luminous green false eyelashes, when am i going to where these? Coincidentally we have just announced a UV party at the club i work in for next week, could there be anywhere better for their debut?

The Elite make up was another plus, i’ve never been able to pull off red lips. I’ve tried millions of shades and they all have something wrong. I was sent the Repump gloss in ‘gorgeous red’ not only did i love the fact it comes with a brush applicator, i loved that the red actually suits me. It’s not too over the top, which means i can wear it whenever!
I’m going to have to track down the Elite brand for a top up soon.

Yet another favourite was the Revlon nail varnish, in ‘Plum Night’. My Christmas polish was immediately ripped off in its prime, swiftly covered by this beauty.
I can’t help but describe it as the colour of an aubergine. To me it’s identical. It wears well and adds a little sophistication to my nails, which is only enhanced by the matching red lips.

I’m still working my way through some of the products – but this is a great Christmas present, which i’m happy to have received late!
Thanks again Superdrug!

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Dec

It’s a happy time

(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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Long time no post eh?

Well i can tell you that my friends are beginning to filter back from uni, which i am unbelievably happy about. We already have a few outings planned, plus, i’m lucky enough to have enough people willing to cover me at work if any appointments clash. Winner!
First up will be a night in with plenty of drinks and christmas dvds. We always manage to rip them to shreds, criticising their believability etc… But since when has anything believable been fun?
S6301727 Plus, a lovely Christmas lunch awaits next Sunday – I think this is where the present swap will be going on. I’ve already wrapped a couple of the goodies that Superdrug sent me, to pass onto other lucky girls! Of course, i indulged myself a little with this set of presents as well… It is Christmas after all!
But I selflessly set some aside for friends, and for the winner of a separate blog contest I’m planning to hold on my own blog.

It’s my work Christmas outing tomorrow – we’re going all the way to Xscape! If you don’t already know, it’s like a snow centre -completely not the right term – aka indoor skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing, that sort of thing. I’m not sure what activities we’re getting up to though, the boss said no skiing to avoid us all standing their with our skis crossed… Then a meal at Pizza Express all courtesy of my work! Hoping i can survive the cold in a stylish hoody rather than having to rent some waterproofs… We shall see.

I’m well underway with writing for Superdrug’s DARE magazine, i’ve just finished my first review on the Vidal Sassoon Hot Air Styler – a must for hard to curl hair.
Look out for me in the Jan/Feb Issue!

So many festivities planned for the week ahead. By next Friday it will all be over! Except the sales; I’m lucky enough to be paid just before Christmas so I’ll have plenty to fritter away, before being topped up again on the first of January.
Fortnightly payments really are the way forward.

I hope you all have your Santa hats poised and are being blinded by the twinkling lights.

Phoebe x

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by Phoebe in Other

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