Revlon - Super Lustrous Lipstick - Black Cherry (Rimmel - Black Cherry Successor? #1)

When I was in Boots the other week  found myself searching for Rimmel's Black Cherry Lipstick. I couldn't find it. I had been hopeful it was still around as I remember seeing it a few years back, although a 'few years' could have been ten. Rimmel's Black Cherry lipstick was a staple of mine as a teenager, not just me, everyone seemed to have it. This is the only lipstick I remember buying where I can still recall the name of the shade. I found myself lusting after this lipstick again so I set out to find out if it was definitely discontinued. I couldn't find it or any real information about when it was last available so I gave up and decided to find similar shades of lipsticks, starting with finding those with the same name and a similar shade, the first one ordered to arrive was Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Black Cherry.

Having rediscovered my love of dark lipsticks recently I've been prompted to start taking care of my lips. I've been scrubbing them for the last couple of weeks but they are still chapped, smooth lips are always best for dark lipsticks so unfortunately they don't look their best right now BUT this is only if you look closely and care, I'm not that bothered, I don't see many people at the moment anyway.

This lipstick really reminds me of the Rimmel lipstick just better quality. The colour is similar, a beautiful dark red, the Revlon lipstick really glides on easily although there are two problems, one I've already mentioned

• Chapped lips, they really stand out under dark lipstick best to scrub up first and apply lip balm first.
• It bleeds. My lips are a bit wonky, it takes me a couple of attempts to get any lipstick applied evenly, I usually layer with multiple coats which isn't really noticeable with lighter shades but with this the more I add the more it spreads. I got around this by using a cotton bud to clean up the spill but in future I think I need to invest in a decent lip liner. 

Close up of the lipstick applied over lip balm

My lips felt soft, not just because of the balm, I had tried it straight on my lips and this lipstick is really moist. The colour is really strong and stands out but is also lasts, after blotting it is even drink proof. If the lipstick seems too dark blotting a few times does take away some of the intensity but your are still left with a gorgeous shade. 

I plan to make use of this lipstick, mainly wearing it with simple make-up, just eyeliner and mascara - like in the last photo. Hopefully in the future I will also have smoother lips. I'm expecting two more colours that I've ordered whilst on my hunt for black cherry lipstick. I will blog about these once they arrive.

The Joys of Comping

Comping (as in compeitions, not improvisational jazz) is relatively new to me, I always knew the competitions were out there but I never had the inclination to take part, I always had the 'It will never be me' attitude. After I won a book on my favourite forum I got he bug, I wanted to win more, as the old adage says, you have to be in it to win it! The other reason I really got in to it was to keep myself busy, for the same reason I started this blog, I have so much time on my hands at the moment as I'm not in work, some days I don't feel like doing anything but other days (usually when the pain meds work) I want to keep busy but I find it hard to concentrate on things I would normally do like read books which is as shame.

I had a very lucky start, after winning a book from the forum I went on to win a Snowdog cuddly toy which I received in time to have with me whilst I watched The Snowman and The Snowdog this Christmas. I also won a handbag from my favourite brand, Matt & Nat this was a surprise win just from liking them on Facebook which I had done over a year before it was weird that it coincided with when I started comping but a pleasant surprise. My first month of comping was very successful I even won something else on the forum I frequent.

December Wins

It then went quiet, I waited three months for the next win, I kept up with entering competitions, I enter magazine sites, ITV, I keep an eye on brands I like and sign up for newsletters. I do have three rules that I stick to though.

1. I only enter for prizes that I actually want to win or would benefit my parents house as they have kindly put myself and my partner up for the last couple of years. I would love to win a washing machine for my Mum, it might seem like a rubbish gift but the current washing machine only works with a gold club wedged to keep the on button on.
2. I tend to stay away from magazines I don't read, same with newspaper competitions. If a newspaper I don't agree with has a fantastic prize I won't enter it. Unfortunately I don't think this has stopped my Mum entering one for me.
3. I never pay to enter. There are so many free competitions out there it seems pointless to pay. ITV offers amazing prizes that can be entered for free online.

Every time I win something it makes me happy, very happy, like a kid at Christmas. In March I won three competitions, like before, all the emails came in one week. This made me feel like every three months I would win three prizes. In the back of my head I know this is nonsense, it's random you could enter a thousand competitions and win nothing or enter a hundred and win half of them. March was a good month though. I won a Primula Lunch Box, Piranha on blu-ray and this Elizabeth Arden Eye Liner. Everything I win is a bonus some items like the Piranha Blu-Ray I would have bought in the future, make-up and toiletries wise I like to try new things, I'm the sort of person that gets excited about free samples. 

I had resigned myself to waiting another three months for a win but I've been lucky. I do keep up my competition entries, about 70 a day! Amazingly I've had another three wins this month so far I've won 

Dirty Works Rose & Glow Moisture Mask, Lords of Salem on DVD which I can't wait to watch, I love Rob Zombies films even his remakes which I'm usually set against and the final prize was a complete surprise, this is the first time something has just turned up in the post and it made my day. This morning in the post I received this:

A Double Set Of Glamglow Youth-Mud And Glamglow Super-Mud Worth £95.00. Apart from my handbag this is the most expensive prize to date. I'm so excited to try it. I have a problem with saving my fancy stuff for best but this sort of product shouldn't be sat on the shelf otherwise I'll find it a couple of years down the line and even though I didn't pay for it I would feel so bad for wasting it. Amazingly today is home spa day for me, my partner will pamper me, do face masks, feet masks, a massage and he will help me in an out of the bath, he does look after me. I don't want to use it just yet though, I've already stocked up on 99p masks which I will make use of today and a good friend of mine bought me some Lush bath stuff at Christmas that I can't wait to use. I think I will save the Glamglow stuff until after I've had my surgery, it will give me something to look forward to.

I don't see myself ever stopping with the competitions, even when I'm back at work I will make sure I make time in the evening to enter them. I would love a big win, I've entered quite a few competitions to win a new telly which would be useful as I've currently stolen one of my parents TVs to use in the bedroom for days when I'm bed-bound. Then there are the competitions for kindles, Nintendo DS, Mobile Phones all those would be great but my dream win would be any of the ITV wins, the money would be really help me out.

OPI - Euro Centrale Collection - OY Another Polish Joke!

My third venture into the fabulous OPI Euro Centrale Collection, I bought all three at the same time and even though I wanted them all, I could only afford three. So I went for three wildly different shades, firstly a striking red/orange shade called My Paprika is Hotter Than Yours! followed by a wildly different pastel purple colour called You're Such a Budapest, now the final shade is a more a gorgeous, glitzy gold called OY Another Polish Joke. 

I'm attracted to shiny things, I do buy them without thinking when will I use them? Instead I convince myself that it will be useful when it comes to Christmas. This year I'm determined to wear it when I'm feeling glum, at the beginning of the week I was going to be wearing pale purple and green bits but the up and down weather has led me to go for this. This is a slightly different gold to what I usually go for, this is more of a yellow gold with sparkle on top. I added four coats as I wanted it to be more intense, another coat would have been better but I didn't have the time, the first coat was very slight so would be perfect over another shade. The varnish dried incredibly quickly, after around 15 minutes I could wash and dry my hands without smudging. A gorgeous shade for anytime of the year.

Even though it is a bit of an Autumnal look I do like the gold nails with dark lips, the photo was taken in daylight so may look a bit pale in comparison.

A Normal, Healthy, Active Lifestyle - Here I Come?

Needless to say the answer is, no, not quite. At least not until I've had my surgery. However instead of wallowing in self-pity (well, not quite) I have decided to be proactive, somewhat. Behold, my Mini Bike:

Ultrasport Mini Bike

This may not look like much, which it isn't, it's a mini bike like it states, but it does open up a world of possibilities for me. At the moment I'm stuck at home which may appeal to some people, it would to me to some extent but not all the time. Half of what I miss is just being out in the world seeing people and contributing to society in a normal way the other half is getting out there, being active. I'm in a bit of a weird place right now, I'm in pain all the time making it hard for me to get about or I am taking painkillers all the time which don't kill all of the pain but they distract me, they also make me a bit buzzy, rather nauseous and VERY light-headed. Some days I can honestly say I understand how this guy feels:

I do sometimes get taken out for walks, like a dog but without a lead or tail, just somebody to hold on to and to catch me if I start to lean too far one way or if I need someone to pass me something from the bottom or top shelf, everything I seem to want is either on the top or bottom shelf. I also take a lot longer than I usually would which can be very frustrating for the other person involved as well as myself - but mainly the other person. I do really like getting out for a bit but even on the medication I feel rough afterwards, it is worth it though. 

Now I don't expect the mini-bike to increase my fitness levels to what they were before but I do hope it will at least raise them from the bottom bar to the nest rung. Up until my surgery I can concentrate on using the bike for 5 minutes an hour for a few hours a day, I can sit on the edge of the bed to do this which is ideal. Hopefully by doing this it won't be harder to spring back to fitness after the operation and using it after as well will  help me regain my strength and give me that urge to get back to my normal routine.

Wacky Sunglasses and Charity Shop Finds

I've been spoiled a bit this week, two trips out in to the outside world. Although Wednesday was only a brief nip to the shops I was treated to a shopping trip on Saturday as well, this time my partner took me out and I even walked down to the shops although I was heavily medicated at the time. I got sore quickly and am experiencing a lot of kidney pain today but it is good for my mental health to get out a bit.

What I wanted to do with this trip was have a look around the charity shops as I love finding a bargain. I've been doing this since I was teen, it was very "in" then to buy old clothes from charity shops, unfortunately some shops didn't realise this, when I was 19 I was jobless, I hadn't gone to uni as I was unsure about what I wanted to do with my life, the course I had chosen for the previous two years of education wasn't something I really wanted to do but at that point I knew I had to do something. I had worked a Saturday/holiday job since the age of 13 but had quit my shop job at 18 and hadn't found a real job since. I ended up volunteering in a charity shop for 6 months until I found a permanent job. With donations they were very astute when it came to collectibles and often had them valued but regarded old clothes as pointless. A lot of the time they ended up in the rag bag if I didn't save them. Their rule they had was only save old/retro clothes if it was close to Halloween or New Years otherwise they would go in the rag bag, no matter the quality apart from designer labels. I did convince them that it would be worth while to hang on to the good quality old clothes, I offered to do a window as a sort of trial run and the outfit was bought the same day. I think charity shops in bigger towns and cities put more emphasis on old clothes. I always wonder which town/city has the best charity shops for old clothes.

Why am I going on about vintage clothing and charity shops? Mainly because I picked up an amazing 60's/70's dress/top for £3.95 from a charity shop. I was happy and surprised to find one of the shops had a retro rail. I can't actually fully tell when the dress if from, I say early 70's, my partner says late 60's, the label doesn't have a name but the label is old. The thing is the dress is in mint condition, it doesn't look worn or washed, the white of the collars is spot on and there is no bobbling which is usually a big problem with older clothes. I love the collars on this!

This was the only item of clothing I managed to pick up but I'm pretty pleased with it. Also managed to find some bits of bric-a-brac to satisfy my need for tat, a small plate in the shape of a leaf (not the Wedgewood ones!) and a Squirrel trinket. I also managed to pick up a couple of books, Crash by J.G. Ballard and 100 Bedtime Stories (I am still hopeful that I will have children in the future). 

We also took a trip in to Claire's, I haven't been in for ages and the joyful, loud accessories enticed me. I managed to stay away from my usual obsession of Hello Kitty and instead picked up things of use but also fun. An Owl eye mask to help me sleep when my eyes won't stop moving and 3 pairs of sunglasses, 2 of use and 1 that is just fun, who doesn't love flamingos and palm trees?

I honestly think the pain is worth it for these sunglasses!

Rimmel - 60 Seconds Nail Varnish - Sun Downer

Rimmel 60 Seconds Nail Varnish in Sun Downer

I haven't bought a Rimmel product for many a year, possibly not since I was a teenager. I think each year I've got older I've started to spend more money on more expensive products. I find it quite easy to fall for a nail varnish colour, I like a wide range of colours and I covet them all so the cheaper they are the more I can have which is why I've decided to give Rimmel another shot.

Now I've always been unfortunate with my nails, I'll be trying to apply it carefully and my hand will start to shake and it will end up on my skin, I fidget shortly afterwards and they get smudged, I've always believed that my nails take longer to dry but really can't be possible.

This colour really appealed to me especially as the sun seems to be starting to make an appearance, a bright but dark orange, it looks striking. One of the things I was really impressed with was the fact that it has a flat brush. I find it much easier to apply with a flat brush, easier to get down the sides to get a full and even coat. The varnish may dry in 60 seconds but not to the point that you would be able to get on with everything else you would do, it would still smudge. I left it a good ten minutes, at this point it was fine which is a lot quicker than the usual 30 minute wait. Now the only disappointing thing about this varnish is that without a good clear top coat the nail varnish chipped very easily. I had left my nails and was planning to put a top coat on later on in the day but it was already too late, it had started to chip. Still easy to apply and cheap, great if you like to work your way through a spectrum of colours.

What's in my GLOSSYBOX April 2013

This month the box felt like it would never come, I've been checking my Glossybox account pining for it. I was annoyed, slightly angry (which is a bit silly) but then it came and all is forgiven! 

This is a special box this month, exclusively designed by Pearl Lowe and it is gorgeous! I now need to decide where it will fit in to my stacking order, shall I make it another nail varnish box, I feel like it should be something more special. 

Last months box was my favourite by a long shot but this one comes a close second, possibly even a joint first. The contents, the box design, it makes me want to show it off to others, which I suppose I'm doing here although my Mum was the first to get a glance.


Sunsense - Daily Face SPF 50+ 10g (Full Size: £18.50 for 75g)

To be honest, I hadn't heard of this brand before. At first glance I thought it was actually a Nivea product. I have a few tinted moisturisers before as I'm always optimistic that I'll need them, most of the ones I have are fairly low SPF but I have nothing to protect against real sunshine, all my others are SPF 15 which is pretty useless in sunshine. This Australian brand offers an SPF of 50, fantastic if, like me, you are daydreaming of really warm climates. The oil-free formula makes it perfect for all skin types and offers a matte finish.

Yves Rocher France - So Elixir Purple Eau De Parfum 5ml (Full Size: £44.00 for 50ml)

I love perfume samples, I love perfume samples in tiny bottles even more. Of course if you are unaware of what the perfume smells like it can lead to disappointment, fortunately I'm not disappointed. This perfume offers a rather sexy, floral/woody scent - a mixture of Tuberose, Vetiver and Patchouli. A Perfect for day or evening, depending on your mood. My only problem with this perfume is it doesn't last as long as others, I've worn it for 6 hours and the smell has all but gone. I think I will save it to use when I next go travelling.


Nip + Fab - Dry Skin Fix Body Butter in Pistachio  50ml (Full Size: £9.95 for 200ml although as of typing it is on offer directly for £4.95)

I love a good body butter and I have plenty to work through on my 6 month challenge so this will be put aside, I might need to start a "Save for Travelling" box. I couldn't resist giving it a quick go. A really strong scent to this body butter, reminds me of pistachio ice cream rather than pistachio on its own. My skin is noticeably softer immediately and a little of the product goes a long way.


Essie - Nail Lacquer in Nice is Nice  13.5ml (Full Size: £7.99 for 13.5ml)

My favourite item of the box, I love nail varnish, I love Essie and this product is full size. Another pastel colour to add to my collection, this Essie nail varnish is a perfect I would describe it as periwinkle in colour. Even better this Essie nail varnish contains a square brush, something I much prefer as I'm a bit shaky with applying nail varnish.


ModelCo - Cheek + Lip Tint in Rosy Red 10ml (Full Size: £15.00 for 10ml)

Another full size product and also a product I would buy for myself. I love cheek and lip tint. I've used both MeMeMe Pussycat cheek & lip tint and BeneFit Benetint, I like both products although the one thing I would change is the consistency, both are runny which I don't like. This product is different, the consistency is a lot thicker, the colour comes out a really dark red, like blood. It doesn't go on as strong as it looks, I was concerned at first as I thought the colour might be a bit too bright for me but it is similar to both Pussycat and Benetint. A blob about the size of a petits pois is enough for both the cheeks and lips. The colour is called rosy red but I can't see any hint of pink just red. 

If You Were a Teenager in the 90's is it Acceptable to Revisit The Fashion Now?

I love 90's fashion, I miss 90's fashion, I want to revisit some of the items I used to wear, in fact checked shirts have never left my wardrobe, I also want to wear the things I wanted but never bought back then. I sometimes allow nostalgia to play too much of a role when deciding whether I want something or not but when you go in to a shop and it brings back warm fuzzy memories of your youth it is hard to resist. On the other hand most people that have lived through the fashion of an era don't always want to go back.

Having been there I do know a lot of the fashion was hideous, all eras contain a lot of hideous fashion crimes but the few fantastic ideas override any memory of naffness and the few cool items shine through to become the icons of that era. I was 13 in 1995 and I mainly dressed hideously, I wasn't all to blame, most of my clothes were bought by my Mum, she would listen to me somewhat just not enough. The only things I agree with from my wardrobe back then was my checked shirt, that has been a constant love, and the denim, especially the denim skirts I remember from New Look that buttoned up or down the front, whichever way you prefer to look at it. Another thing I agree with but wouldn't wear again would be the chunky shoes they were great. Everyone wore chunky platform shoes which were easy to walk in, they were never that high, unlike today, the shoes were pretty practical. Although if these weren't leather I would be tempted.

Before I go on I will introduce you to myself 18 years ago.

School Photo 1995 - My least favourite school photo, this hairstyle was a nightmare, my hair just doesn't suit being short and I have an obligatory hair wrap, my one and only.

A Trip to Madame Tussauds in 1995 about a month before my 13th birthday, I was very ill at the time. 

These are the worst photos of me from the 90's. I mainly wore Eclipse tops and random jeans at this age along with some floral dungarees. I also remember having a pair of purple jeans most likely with a belt that had a flower shaped buckle.

The main big prints I remember from the 1990's were sunflowers, daisies and also sun, moon and stars. This floral print was everywhere I either large sunflower/daisy print t-shirts spaced out well or over the top ditzy floral dresses. I had stackable tins with sun, moon and stars on and a sun pendant on black waxed cord. 10 years later it seemed so naff but fast forwards to 2 years ago and I am desperate for some Moon earrings as it reminds me of being a teenager. Crosses, ankhs, dolphins, yin-yang and peace signs were all staples in terms of jewellery. I want all this again and in my head I can't clarify whether I'm being over nostalgic or if I will feel the same in a years time?

Going back to the 90's there were a few things that escaped me that did seem to be staples of every teenagers wardrobe. 

• The Sweater Shop Sweater - Everyone seemed to have one but even then I never understood the point of wearing something with the shop name on, isn't it the equivalent of wearing a shopping bag?
• A Naf Naf puffa jacket. This jacket was both hugely popular but also hugely expensive.
• Naff Co. 54 - the cheap version of Naf Naf. Everyone has something with Naff Co. 54 on it.
• Sock Shop socks - This I find unfair, I love a good pair of socks and the Sock Shop was amazing but I never had anything from there. 

As a teenager I spent many a weekend travelling to the bigger town to hang around the shops, I did more shopping back then than I do now. Clock House at C&A, Snob and Tammy Girl, I loved and miss them all along with the still standing Miss Selfridge and Topshop. I wouldn't go anywhere without my black mini patent backpack which I bought from Miss Selfridge in Selfridges on the very trip to London you see in the photo above, I believe it was £9.99. 

But at the grand old age of 31 I just don't know whether I'm too old to revisit? I should start by saying I'm not a big fan of fashion but I love clothes, I'm not looking to fit in. It isn't important to me what is in style I just buy clothes that make me feel good and that I like to look at. I'm nostalgic, so I like lots of vintage and anything green I just can't resist. I do welcome some revivals especially if it means I can buy something that looks vintage for less in a variety of sizes, I'm tall (well, 5'10") so the farther back in time we go fashion wise the shorter the lengths. I'm still wearing checked shirts and sloppy jumpers, grunge has never left me but the music plays a bigger part for me anyway.

I've started a board on pintrest with my picks for 90's-esque fashion pieces which I will keep adding to, find the board here.

I think the important thing for me to remember is when reliving an era I should concentrate on the clothes being in the essence of that era rather than a carbon copy.

Another place for me to look is the Pop Boutique website, I spent as much money as I could there when visiting Manchester to shop in the 90's either one of their bargain vintage t-shirts or choosing which colour to opt for from their stunning range of cord flares. On the same road I would also stop by Vinyl Exchange to flick through records or purchase one of their bags of mystery CDs before an obligatory trip in to Affleck's Palace also a very important place in the terms of 90's fashion as well as culture. If memory serves me correctly Lewis's in Manchester had a fantastic floor devoted to small labels, a lot of them featured what would be considered iconic 90's clothing, I just wish I could remember some of the labels they had. I also loved heading to the Royal Exchange to visit Red or Dead which I never purchased anything from as I was usually with my Mum and she used to always pull a face she was happy to go down there to visit Long Tall Sally so there were no complaints in some ways she was worse than me I recall a very traumatic 3 hour shop in Debenhams.

I think as long as I keep it more My So Called Life and less Clarissa Explains It All I'll be okay.

*Update*

I couldn't resist this shirt, I love my checked shirt and I also love bright colours, I've been after one like this for a while but hadn't made any real effort to find one but stumbled across this on the ASOS Marketplace from the seller Mad Elizabeth along with a floral dress that I will showcase at a later point.

Excuse the mad expression, the pain meds usually give me the drive to get about a bit more and do stuff, they also lead to weird expressions, teeth grinding and frantic blinking.

My First and Most Likely Penultimate, If Not Final, Spring/Summer Wardrobe Update!

Today I had another hospital appointment, after which I needed to pick up a prescription. Instead of going to my usual pharmacy I decided to pop in to town and pick it up from Boots along with a few other items which I will go in to later. I live in a town with very little places to shop for clothes, one great independent shop and a few chains, M&S, Dorothy Perkins, Next and New Look. I do most of my shopping online, not just because I can't get about much but also because there is more choice. I decided to pop in to New Look as I had been wanting to have a look for a while and ended up getting a few basic bits.

New Look - Bralets - £4.99 each

I don't have the stomach to bare it freely, I haven't for years but I love crop tops and wear the under tops and dresses. I also have an aversion to bras. I lived in bras, would even sleep in them until I had my embolisation in December 2011. After that I was having help getting changed and in bed most of the day, it was then I realised how uncomfortable they were to wear all the time. So I got in to crop tops and haven't stopped wearing them.

New Look - Green Curved Hem Jumper - £9.99

I also picked up a thin green jumper. I have a similar blue one from Matalan but I'm a sucker for anything green. I plan to wear this jumper mainly over dresses but also on top of shirts.

New Look - Dip Hem and Peplum White T-shirt - £5.00

Last but not least a white t-shirt, not the usual plain white t-shirt this one, as you can see, is a dip hem and peplum white t-shirt. I just wanted something different, it is thin but I plan to wear a vest underneath it. There were a few other colours also £5.00, I might invest in 1 more if they are still only a fiver.

Now I say this was my penultimate update if not final. I'm not sure that I will see much of summer so it seems a bit pointless to get any more little bits so this will do for now. In total, a not so terrible £24.97.

Now, about my Boots shop although the 6 month challenge is still in full swing there are a couple of items I easily run out of nail varnish remover, foundation sponges, Nail whitening pencil (a Very Important Pencil) there were also a couple of lust haves that I have needed for a while, of course none of this I truly need but what is life without a little shopping treat? There were some Revlon products I had been wanting to try and at Boots were on a 3 for 2 offer. Unfortunately nowhere in town seems to have what I really want, the Revlon Nail Art Moon Candy, hopefully my little town will be blessed by their presence pretty soon. The items I bought from Boots were:

• Revlon ColorStay Ultimate Suede in Socialite
• Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Candy Apple
• Revlon Baby Stick in Tahitian - there was a 3 for 2 make-up offer so this item was free
• Rimmel Brit Manicure Nail Tip Colour in Porcelain
• Rimmel Nail White Pencil
• Rimmel 60 Seconds Nail Varnish in Sun Downer
• Rimmel Volume Flash Scandal Eyes in Black - this was free when spending £10 or more on Rimmel products
• OPI Corrector Pen
• Boots Cosmetic Wedges
• Boots essentials Nail Polish Remover

So quite a few bits, half essentials, half fun. I don't have many lipsticks, in the past they have been nothing more than a pain in the proverbial. I have the odd red, a beautiful Stila lip gloss set and the odd random glosses so I wanted an every day colour, see top photo and a brighter colour, see bottom photo, I wanted this to be more of an everyday red on the side of orange, something summery.

nails inc - Wellington Square

nails inc in Wellington Square

Another gorgeous spring shade which will look even better once summer has arrived. For a shade that is rather an opaque looking in the bottle the peach shade is really vibrant when applied. A perfect shade for toe nails once/if we are blessed with sandal weather - if not, a great one to take to more tropical climates. Alternatively this would make a great alternative for the office, if you tend to wear paler shades to work.

Korres Almond & Linseed Hair Mask For Dry/Damaged Hair

Korres Almond & Linseed Hair Mask for Dry/Damaged Hair*

Once in a while a product comes along that works wonders beyond your imagination. So many products promise the world but deliver less than satisfactory results. I'd received the Korres Hair Mask as a stocking filler from my boyfriend, it had been on my wishlist for a while though. I use a lot of deep treatment conditioning products, they're usually good for one day but by the next wash the results are gone.

I am one of the unfortunates that has what is known as "greasy hair", I have to wash it daily to avoid looking gross. Not only do I have to wash it daily but it is impossible to style, I'm working on that. I have rather long hair though and my ends get very dry, in fact it is only my roots that get greasy - this also leads to lack of volume, my hair is also unruly, I thought I should get all my complaints out of the way in this paragraph.

Now, back to the product. This mask works wonders. My hair was left looking glossy, feeling soft and smelling gorgeous. Unlike some products my hair didn't feel coated afterwards nor weighted by product. On top of this I noticed a lasting effect, the next two days of washing alone, without using any more of the mask, my hair was still soft, glossy and with a gorgeous smell, just like the first day. Without a doubt, the best hair treatment I've used.

*At the time of typing the Korres website was acting up, if still being iffy this product can be found to buy from numerous sites, Amazon, Asos to name a couple.

The Wonderful World of IKEA

Oh the joys of Spring cleaning! Really I shouldn't complain, I'm getting a lot of assistance at the moment. Being sat around in my room for hours on end, I can't hide the fact that my collections have grown out of control. Games, DVDs, CDs, Books & Magazines are all left in piles rather than being neatly tucked away. I need more boxes!

My Mum and my partner have both been on the lookout for DVD boxes similar to what I already have. Argos, WHSmith & Rymans have all been browsed several times with no joy. I've always purchased the odd box at a time, I suppose I didn't really think about it but at £5 a box they aren't cheap, they're okay if you will only need one or two but I should have known I would always need more. Nevertheless I was desperate so if they could find a couple of DVD boxes then I wouldn't have minded paying £10 to clear some space.

After another fruitless shopping trip I decided to go on the IKEA website to browse longingly at products I couldn't have. IKEA is cheap enough, that isn't the problem, but I don't live anywhere near one. I was aware that they now deliver but whenever I browsed the site in the past I didn't come across many items that could be ordered online and when I did the delivery charge was extortionate. Still, I decided to play fantasy shopping trip and added a set of DVD boxes to my basket, checked the shipping charge, £5, not actually as bad as I thought. You see the DVD boxes that I couldn't even get in town would be £10 for 2 but via IKEA I could get a set of 2 DVD boxes for £1.90 + £5.00 = cheaper. Needless to say I was over the moon, a very dull thing to be excited about but it would take me one step closer to a tidier living space. I decided while I was ordering I might as well get a couple of sets even if it was going to be £5 delivery per item, I always think the worst so when I discovered the shipping cost would still be £5 for more than one item I went box mad, well up to a point. I was able to get 3 x 2 KASSETT DVD boxes, 2 x 2 KASSETT CD boxes, 1 x 2 KASSETT Magazine boxes, an VANDRING Knob rack (Owl Hanger sounds nicer) and a set of energy efficient light bulbs. I did have a pack of hooks too but that took the delivery to £10, they must charge by weight up to a point, I have no explored the option of replacing my broken wardrobes and the delivery charge would be £15. The total of cost of my order was £28.10, which I consider to be a bargain. The only downfall was the waiting, it was a week until they could deliver but it was worth it.

Being Ikea they are of course self-assembly boxes. They actually come with an instruction booklet. A bit pointless, maybe, but if you don't have experience assembling Kinder Surprise toys you could struggle. They even supplied me with a free dead fly in one of the packets of nuts and bolts.

I couldn't shop at Ikea without purchasing something I didn't really need but liked the look of. I got the gorgeous Owl hanger officially called VANDRING knob rack. I'm not sure where it will go yet, it may even be saved for my first child but it was £4 and I really love owls.

Good job I went overboard with the DVD boxes as even though I walk past the piles everyday I seem to have blocked the fact that I have a load of games and DVDs in the bedroom.

All assembled - Suspiria poster from elsewhere, of course.

£28 is not a lot, compared to what I would have spent in store this is a bargain. Whenever I visit an IKEA I see it as a big shop as there isn't one close by. At the checkout I usually have at least a dozen items I don't really need but the great thing about IKEA is that although they are cheap the goods are high quality and will last a lifetime, if assembled correctly, so I never feel duped.

Dejunk the Trunk: Part 1

I believe as a youth I was even more interested in keeping my belongings organised, mainly when it comes to make-up. As I've grown older I've been swayed by pretty looking make-up bags rather than practicality. I have 5 Make-Up bags that account for my current make-up, it should be 1. I try and keep on top of what is where but it's pretty impossible. These 5 bags don't account for all my make-up, there are more, lurking behind mirrors, hidden in drawers, I finds one that I have forgotten about. When I was younger I used large boxes, I had a couple of trunks, I was smart. Fortunately I did keep one of these trunks as it was still full of make-up, I couldn't bring myself to sort through it and I didn't want to lose my Universal Monsters stickers. I was even going to get someone to put it in the attic and forget about it for now. Luckily it has been sat outside my bedroom waiting for someone to do this and I've changed my mind. I'm still feeling positive about my six month challenge, I've worked my way through a couple of items already and I feel good, almost thrifty. I have decided to sort out this box, clean it out and more importantly, make use of it. I plan to use this  as my eye make-up box, it will make it easier to see my eye pencils, mascaras and especially my eyeshadows. I think it's a neater way to store it, plus I find when my eyeshadow is in a bag it risks being knocked about too much resulting in loose powder which then goes everywhere.

It may not look like there is too much to sort through but I find it rather stressful that I have multiples of the same item. 2 Revlon Colorstay Lipcolors in Cherry, 3 Body Shop lipsticks in "70", a rather dark red/plum colour, 2 Revlon Day to Night Shadow sticks in Timeless Teal, 3 Revlon Waterproof Creme Eyemarkers in Aqua and 2 Max Factor Colorfast Powder Eyeshadow in a dark green - to name a few. I've been clinging on to these items, I'm not sure whether it is safe for me to keep even the sealed items as they will be so old by now, anything that has been opened definitely has to go. The sad thing is I still love these colours and would still use them, I'm always attracted to anything green. The lesson here is don't bother to overstock on items like this just because you see them cheap, they may never be used, even if it is just a £1 it can be put to better use.

Over the next week I'm going to try and sort through this trunk, clean it up and then locate every single make-up bag I own and clean them all out. Believe me this task is bigger than it sounds.

Half Moon Nails Nude

Half moon nails, a great spring trend which should be simple to execute, as long as you don't have trembling hands. I wanted to get this bang on but have the inability to draw free hand and with the trembling, pretty much impossible. For my attempt I used Barry M Gelly Hi Shine Nail Paint Lychee and Nails Inc Special Effects Mirror Metallic Stratford.

Lack of masking tape or any other smart ideas has led me to just go for it. It's turned out a bit of a mess so until I find the right too to help out I'm going to leave this and stick to painting the tips like I did back in March.

Barry M - Textured Nail Paint - Atlantic Road, Kingsland Road & Ridley Road

Curses! Why are there so many pretty nail varnishes out at the moment? The easy answer it's spring, pastels always crop up. I could stay away from them if I wanted. I could avoid the shops, not look online and not pick up a magazine but that won't happen. Thankfully these Barry M nail varnishes are a bargain at £2.66 each, naturally I then bought three of the colours out of four. I did order them a few weeks back so before the start of my 6 month challenge - I haven't broke the rules yet.

Barry M has always been a fantastic brand. When I was younger I used to aspire to have Barry M make-up, compared to other brands it actually looked fun and they still are. They always have a fantastic range of colours whether it nail varnish or eyeshadow, along with being very affordable and decent quality.

The textured range is similar to concrete effect varnishes. I was really impressed with how easily and evenly it went on, it also dried rather quickly although I wouldn't go flicking through records straight away as I always find effect varnishes that are bulky move easily.

No more than two coats is needed, one coat would look okay with a good base. Because the varnish is textured it's easy to touch up any smudges or chips without it looking too obvious. A great, affordable way to update your varnish.

The 6 Month Challenge

Without the painkillers I'm taking I would be in agony, with them I'm in a strange place. I switch between co-codamol and Tramadol, they don't exactly kill the pain but they take me to a weird fuzzy place. The co-codamol zones me out, I'm relaxed but I don't feel like doing much whereas the Tramadol has a different effect, I'm fidgety a bit zoned out still but talkative, I stare a lot, I want to do stuff I also repeat myself. I learnt early on that although I felt like doing stuff it was in no way good for me, I would end up in a lot of pain afterwards. The ability to move about freely with no repercussions was only in my Tramadol addled mind. Both tablets make me light-headed, off-balance, the Tramadol also makes me hallucinate - I don't think my partner will forget me trying to peel off the devil mask he was supposedly wearing while he was sleeping.

This waffling description of my current state is leading to the challenge. The Tramadol makes me want to do things, I want to tidy and organise. Physically I can't without hurting myself, moving items or just the process of getting up and down is a worry with my wobble, thanks to my Mum I have managed to tidy and sort a corner of my living space, another bonus of living at home, again, thanks Mum. I sorted and she did the moving and lifting. I still feel shattered from the event even without doing much myself but as you'll see the results are amazing.

Before

As you can see, I have a lot of stuff, possibly too much stuff and I'm not too great at keeping it tidy. I don't like to use excuses but over the last year it has been pretty impossible to keep tidy. My partner has been the one to do this but as I've mentioned previously he is useless at putting things in a logical place so I haven't allowed him to really get into my bits and bobs.

Now this is where we get around to my 6 month challenge. Whilst sorting through these mounds of half used creams, perfumes, make-up, cleansers, toners, moisturisers, exfoliators and so on I couldn't help feel that things were going to waste. This isn't news to me, I know I'm like this which is why I took up a Glossybox subscription, I figured that if I had trial size versions of fancy products I would stop buying so many new things. I'm a sucker for a bargain so when a product is launched I usually buy. The Glossybox subscription has helped, a little bit, but sorting out this corner has only highlighted how much stuff I really need to make use of. This is where the 6 month challenge comes into play. For the next 6 months, apart from my Glossybox subscription, I will not purchase more toiletries or make-up apart from the odd nail varnish, I have a couple of orders on there way but after that nothing else. If I run out of things before the end date then fine, this is highly unlikely though. If I manage to do this I will have a clear corner, including the top of my chest of drawers and a large shelf. I will also aim to empty the three drawers I have in the bathroom, I must have two years worth of conditioner. This might seem like an easy challenge, especially for someone stuck at home but being stuck at home I find myself browsing online for bargains. On top of making use of the products I have and making room it will also save me money.

But to tackle this challenge properly I needed to know fully what I've got, organise it and put it all back in a tidy manner, the glossybox subscription is not only good for trying new products but the boxes they arrive in are handy to organise bits and bobs.

After