My Filofax

Meet my new love - my filofax.  

The world of the filofax grabbed my attention after seeing several blog posts a few months ago but after looking at the prices of so many I just couldn't justify it. Recently I've had so many dates, shift hours, appointments running around in my head I needed somewhere to be able to write them all down. Originally I was after just a basic diary to keep in my bag but my forever wandering eyes of course couldn't miss the big 'filofax' display standing in the middle of the shop. Can you believe I picked this gorgeous hot pink leather look filofax up for just £20? The pink filofax also represents the 'Breast Cancer Campaign' so not only did I find the perfect filofax for me but I did my good deed for the day too. When you purchase this organiser £2.20 is donated to 'Breast Cancer Campaign.'

I've had people ask 'Why don't you just use your iphone to write everything down in? But there's just something so much more satisfying in hand writing it and having it there infront of you, isnt there?!

- Hannah Kimberley

XXX

Review - Good Things 'Miracle Mattifier'

After being on holiday and recently using Panoxyl (which does not seem to agree with my skin at all) i have been dealing with a skin nightmare. Think horror scene nightmare repeating itself over and over again!

 I usually have normal to combination skin but at the moment it's taking the term combination to an extreme! My chin is as dry as the Sahara desert yet my forehead resembles an oil slick, mmm any girls dream. After throwing my Nivea 'Daily essentials' moisturiser quite literally out the window in a rage of pain from it stinging my dry skin so badly a new moisturiser was in desperate need. This is where Good Things 'Miracle Mattifier' moisturiser comes in. Originally I was looking for a couple of products from the Superdrug 'Vitamin E' range but then this caught my eye. Having only every heard good things from friends, blogs& YouTube videos AND it being on special offer it had to be worth a try right?

The 'Miracle Mattifier' is from the 'Anti blemish' range of the Good Things products. Alice Hart-Davis a British beauty journalist and author developed the products with the help of a technical side to make the most out of young skin. She described the 'Anti blemish' range as "When puberty hits, your hormones go haywire and you need extra help from your skincare to keep oiliness and spots under control. The anti-blemish range gently helps clear excess oil without stripping your skin of all moisture, while anti-bacterial superfruit extracts reduce inflammation and tackle spots head-on".

What really stood out to me about this moisturiser apart from being aimed at young skin is that its free from all bad chemicals, parabens, animal ingredients and artificial oils. Having never tried a product without all the rubbish they put in most products I wanted to see if I'd be able to see a noticeable difference whether it be in texture or appearance. I wouldn't say theres a noticeable difference in appearance since Ive been using it but it defiantly feels a lot more soft so must be doing some good. The most noticeable difference it has made to me is balancing my skin goodbye combination and hello normal. Being a matte moisturiser it unsurprisingly leaves a matte finish on the skin perfect for using underneath my foundation as a base. Especially on days I fancy wearing my Estee Laudee 'Double Wear' which as many of you who use it will know is not the easiest of foundations to blend.

The moisturiser comes in a pretty simple flip-open lid and squeezey tube bottle holding 100ml. The tube itself its looks white at first glance but is more an extremely pale bluey purple. I like the simple brand logo which although its aimed at young skin isn't overly young looking which none of us really want lets be honest. It sits subtly in my bathroom without looking garish& in your face like some product packages.

I much prefer the smell of this to any moisturisers I have previously tried. It's not over powering like some but it defiantly has a scent which personally I don't think lingers for very long especially if your putting make up over the top which I prefer. I don't particularly like my face smelling of anything, I like to leave that to my hair! The moisturiser contains 'Blackcurrant' and 'Goji Berry' and having never heard of goji berry I couldn't tell you if it smelt like it but blackcurrant I have smelt and that is defiantly a noticeable note. Fresh and fruity sums this up well.

You can pick Good Things products up here at their website or from most drugstores.
'Miracle Mattifier' retails for £7.99 but I picked mine up on special off at Superdrug recently so have a look out for any offers!

-Hannah Kimberley

XXX

Expanding shoe collection


I've never been a shoes type of girl and thinking about it Ive never been a bags or jewellery type of girl either. I know what some of you are thinking! Clothes and make up was where most of money seems to have been spent but recently things seem to have changed. Four pairs of shoes in two weeks, FOUR- what has happened to me?! It wasn't long ago I owned just four pairs of shoes in total. This new love affair for anything that fit on my feet has hit me (and my bank balance!) hard.

Here are my latest purchase in my rapidly expanding shoe collection. I brought a similar pair from the online store 'CHOCKERS' a few months back but returned them so have been meaning to pick some up like this for a while. Has any one ordered from 'CHOCKERS'? If you haven't and are thinking about ordering from there I would seriously think again. I had possibly the worst, most infuriating experience with them from them not getting back to emails, no free return shipping and waiting so long for delivery.

I stuck to the much more simple and easy 'go into a shop, try on and buy' to pick up these at the weekend. They are from New Look and cost £24.99. I love the choice New Look offer for such reasonable prices the only problem is everyone else seems to think the same so you can't be sure the girl next to you when your out won't be wearing the same! The pictures don't do these justice but you can see they are pretty simple - a black swede texture, wedge heel and peep toe.

Happy Monday everyone!

- Hannah Kimberley ♥

XXX

Turkey Holiday Snaps

After finally getting round to uploading my pictures from Turkey I wanted to share a few of my favourites with you. I had such a great ten days relaxing and enjoying the sunshine with my family looking at the pictures is giving me serious holiday nostalgia!

I hope you are all well! ♥

-Hannah Kimberley

XXX

'Minx' Nail Foils

Yuk - how do you make feet look pretty?!

Just a quick post whilst I take a break from packing as I'm off away tomorrow to Turkey for 11 days. When I say packing I'm mostly being distracted my Celebrity Big Brother - I can't get enough of trash TV!

I thought id just give you a little insight into my trip to the Salon. My Mum kindly booked us in to have 'Minx' nail foils in preparation for the beach! Many salons offer the 'Minx' nail foils now if you have a look around you should be able to find one near you.

How do they apply the 'Minx' foils?

Firstly I started by choosing the foils I wanted and I opted for a gold and black pyramid pattern which I think will look gorgeous with a tan. There weren't too many to choose from from the salon I went to but the choices they did have were great.

The nail technician then heated the foils so they would stick to my nails and filed the foils to fit.

And it's that easy...usually...

However my nails are apparently very tiny so a little glue was needed to secure them!  

How long will they last?

I was assured the foils will last 6 weeks -at least which seems like a long time so we shall see! As I'm off away tomorrow she did suggest to apply a topcoat of varnish to help last on the beach.

How much did they cost?

They cost £24.00.

How long did they take to apply?

They took 20 -30mins to apply but can differ on the Nail Technician.

Overall I was really impressed with the final result and fingers crossed they stand the wear of the beach! (I'll be sure to let you all know how they fared don't worry!)

Have any of you tried the 'Minx' nail foils? How long did they last for you?

- Hannah Kimberley ♥

XXX

Review - The Body Shop 'Vitamin C Skin Reviver'

First of all let me start by saying i've been having an absolute nightmare over the past week with my posts. It has honestly been driving me insane with frustration. Every time I post anything it fails to show on mine (or anyone else's dashboard) for days or even not at all - urggh. So I wonder if this is even going to publish...hmm fingers crossed.

 

Please excuse my rather well used and loved tube!

What The Body Shop say: "'Our favourite Vitamin C product. Instant smoothing radiance with a silky smooth finish; an ideal skin pick-me-up to enhance your glow. With Amazonian camu camu berry, known to have one of the highest contents of vitamin C in nature, and Community Trade brazil nut oil. For dull skin."

What I say: The saying 'Mums know best' in this case defiantly applies here! I was first introduced to this product around 2 years ago whilst having a snoop through her products and here I am many tubes later having never strayed.

When I first started using the 'Vitamin C Skin Reviver' it was packaged in a quality looking glass bottle yet after a revamp of the Vitamin C products it is now packaged in a slightly less expensive looking plastic tube! However this slightly disappointing looking tube does have its advantages - being changed to plastic makes it a lot more practical when travelling its far lighter in terms of weight and far less likely to be smash or be damaged (which is great for someone as clumsy as myself!) For any of you familiar with the Bourjois 'Healthy Mix' Foundation the tube is very similar to that which as you know is great for getting out every last inch of product (unlike the glass bottle which proved a great struggle towards the end) resulting in more product and better value for money!

The gel formula feels so soft almost like liquid silk and releases a gorgeous orange citrus scent perfect to awaken your senses first thing in the morning. The Body Shop advise you use after your moisturiser which is how I use it and before my foundation offering as they say 'the perfect base for your make up application.' This works perfectly for me as I have dry to normal skin however if you have oily skin I do suggest using instead of a moisturiser and moisturising at night instead. This non greasy gel means my make up glides on effortlessly with no irritation, redness or breakouts.

Most well know for offering tired, dull skin sought after radiance it needs is no exaggeration here.  It leaves your skin bright, refreshed, lifted and illuminated. This is achieved by the gel itself containing small highlighting parts.
If your looking for something to improve the look and feel of your skin, look no further and head to The Body Shop!

Vitamin E Skin Reviver £13.00

The Body Shop do a whole range of Vitamin C products so next time I'm in there I'm going to pick up the 'Daily Moisturiser SPF 30'  have any of you tried any of the Vitamin C range?

-Hannah Kimberley ♥

XXX

Review - Nivea 'Tinted moisturising day cream'

 I've always been a foundation kinda girl so my love for this product surprises no one more than myself!

Nivea say: Nivea Visage Daily Essentials Tinted Moisturising Day Cream enriched with Light reflecting pigments and vitamin E, provides the skin with essential intensive moisture and enhances your natural skin tone all day long.

 - With a special blend of light-reflecting and colour pigments this light daily moisturiser brightens up your complexion.

- With UVA/UVB filters and Vitamin E, it helps to protect from environmental influences that result in premature ageing.

I say: I know there are very mixed opinions out there on this product - a Marmite product if ever there was one! You either love it or hate it.  

As I mentioned above I have always been a foundation kinda girl. This time last year I wouldn't have even considered a tinted moisturiser however the older I get the more my confidence seems to grow and I finally feel comfortable enough to wear less coverage. This seems to be the perfect product for me in terms of coverage as it's lighter than a foundation but still overs good build able coverage which disguises redness and pores. It's a thick consistency but still feels very light on my skin and perfectly evens out my complexion.

It comes in two shades 'Natural' and 'Bronze.' I picked up Natural which is still fairly dark so if you are lighter than id say a NC25 I doubt this will match your skin tone - here's hoping they take note and release a lighter shade! I know some people say it leaves them with an orange tinge but I can honestly say it transfers onto my skin without even a tint of orange. Like all Nivea products it smells just like the signature Nivea scent which I don't particularly mind, its not a strong smell but it does last on the skin.

Before applying I usually cleanse and prime my face then apply with my fingers just like I would with a normal moisturiser and then conceal any blemishes and set with a powder. My only slight frustration with the application is it dries very fast so if you don't work quickly with it, it becomes extremely difficult to blend. A quick tip here is to apply it to your face in sections and then you shouldn't come across any problems!

A few of you may know from previous posts I recently returned from my holiday so have a slight tan which this tined moisturiser enhances better than any I have previously tried. I actually find myself looking forward to apply this in the mornings which Ive not experienced before!

For a fraction of the price of a foundation at £4.50 from Boots I urge you to try this before the end of Summer you may just save yourself some money!

Have any of you tried this before? Are you a lover or hater?! 

-Hannah Kimberley ♥

XXX

Review - Nivea 'Tinted moisturising day cream'

 

I've always been a foundation kinda girl so my love for this product surprises no one more than myself!

Nivea say: Nivea Visage Daily Essentials Tinted Moisturising Day Cream enriched with Light reflecting pigments and vitamin E, provides the skin with essential intensive moisture and enhances your natural skin tone all day long.

 - With a special blend of light-reflecting and colour pigments this light daily moisturiser brightens up your complexion.

- With UVA/UVB filters and Vitamin E, it helps to protect from environmental influences that result in premature ageing.

I say: I know there are very mixed opinions out there on this product - a Marmite product if ever there was one! You either love it or hate it.  

As I mentioned above I have always been a foundation kinda girl. This time last year I wouldn't have even considered a tinted moisturiser however the older I get the more my confidence seems to grow and I finally feel comfortable enough to wear less coverage. This seems to be the perfect product for me in terms of coverage as it's lighter than a foundation but still overs good build able coverage which disguises redness and pores. It's a thick consistency but still feels very light on my skin and perfectly evens out my complexion.

It comes in two shades 'Natural' and 'Bronze.' I picked up Natural which is still fairly dark so if you are lighter than id say a NC25 I doubt this will match your skin tone - here's hoping they take note and release a lighter shade! I know some people say it leaves them with an orange tinge but I can honestly say it transfers onto my skin without even a tint of orange. Like all Nivea products it smells just like the signature Nivea scent which I don't particularly mind, its not a strong smell but it does last on the skin.

Before applying I usually cleanse and prime my face then apply with my fingers just like I would with a normal moisturiser and then conceal any blemishes and set with a powder. My only slight frustration with the application is it dries very fast so if you don't work quickly with it, it becomes extremely difficult to blend. A quick tip here is to apply it to your face in sections and then you shouldn't come across any problems!

A few of you may know from previous posts I recently returned from my holiday so have a slight tan which this tined moisturiser enhances better than any I have previously tried. I actually find myself looking forward to apply this in the mornings which Ive not experienced before!

For a fraction of the price of a foundation at £4.50 from Boots I urge you to try this before the end of Summer you may just save yourself some money!

Have any of you tried this before? Are you a lover or hater?! 

-Hannah Kimberley ♥

XXX

Review - Pearl drops Teeth Whitening

I don't usually tend to venture into Poundland but my brother had asked me to pick him up some blank Cd's so I thought whilst I was in there I would have a little look around as ya do. With prices no more than (as the name suggests!) a pound you can't really go wrong in my opinion.

A couple of items did grab my attention whilst rummaging through, one being the Pearl Drops 'Teeth whitening' products. I'd looked at them before in Sainsburys but the price had always put me off. Although Ive heard good things I tend to be very sceptical about products and must see things for myself before fully believing in a product. I assume this comes from all the rubbish I've tried which doesn't live up to its claims!  At £1 a product with the claim to brighten my teeth I just thought 'why not?' and threw them in my basket. I picked up the 'Party sparkle'  'Daily whitening toothpolish' and the new 'Advanced whitening toothpolish   '.

My thinking behind this is if they work I've saved myself hundreds of pounds on professional teeth whitening and if they don't hopefully ill be able to save you a few pounds on buying this product yourself!

I'll be using these products for the next few weeks and then ill be sure to let you know how I got on.

Have any of you used the Pearl Drops products before? How did you rate them?

- Hannah Kimberley ♥

XXX

Review - Dove 'Nourishing oil care' Shampoo and Conditioner

I'm slightly too excited to share this post with you I don't even know where to begin!

First things first I should confess to my terrible hair habit...

 I am an obsessive compulsive hair washer! 

There's little I can stand more than my hair being dirty, greasy, oily - whatever you'd like to call it! Even washing it at night doesn't suffice for me I need it clean clean clean!

I've never had a 'go to' shampoo or conditioner. I usually just find myself browsing the aisle of my local Superdrug, Boots or Sainsburys until something grabs my attention and that does until it runs out. My V05 big bottles had just ran out so once again I found myself wandering up and down debating which to buy. To be quite honest with you I can't even remember the reason this stood out to me - most probably it was on offer (and not one to resist an offer!) I thought I'd give it a go.

What Dove say  - "Dove's unique nourishing care system containing weightless natural almond and coconut oils, made of molecules so fine they are rapidly absorbed to deeply nourish and replenish essential nutrients."

What I say - I was skeptical an 'oil care' product may cause my hair to become more oily quicker but it has seemed to have had the opposite effect.
 I've been using the shampoo and conditioner together for 2 weeks now and can go two days without having to wash it! I wake up to clean, fresh hair, ready to be styled (you wouldn't believe how much extra time I seem to have in the mornings!) The main difference I have found from using this is the texture of my hair. I can't state enough just how soft and silky it leaves my hair feeling.
If you have read previous posts of mine you'll know I recently went to Spain where my best friend also nabbed this in the shower and she was just as stunned at the results. There both of us were at dinner constantly running our hands through our hair!
 If your after incredibly soft, frizz free locks then look no further. In my opinion id think it would work best for medium to thick hair. However if it's volume your after - this isn't for you, stick with the original Dove shampoo.
 As far as the packaging goes it's sleek, elegant and classic - a great combination to fit perfectly into any bathroom. It smells clean and fresh which lasts in your hair through out the day -I just have no negatives to say about this product!

I can't state enough how truly soft and silky this makes your hair - even my boyfriend commented how amazing it felt! Go pick this up for an introductory offer of £1.25 at Sainsburys now!

I've also heard they have an 'Express Treatment Conditioner' out which I can't wait to get my hands on and see how it compares to the Aussie '3 Minute miracle.'

Have any of you tried the Dove haircare range?

-Hannah Kimberley ♥

XXX