Best of 2012 | Part 2...

Ahoy blogerinos!

This is part 2 of my favourite products of 2012, you can find part 1 here.

Here we go...

L'Oreal False Lash Telescopic Mascara

£10.99 - Available Here

Mascara is probably my most purchased make up product, I have a drawer full and yet can't stop buying them! I absolutely love this mascara and have repurchased it 4 times now, that's no mean feat for a mascara addict like myself! I love that it both lengthens and adds volume to my lashes whilst keeping the curl and it lasts all day without needing to be touched up. Can you tell I love this product?!

  

Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter

£10.50 - Available Here

This is another product that has featured in many previous favourite posts. I always have at least one of these knocking around due to the volume of Soap & Glory gift sets I receive at Christmas and I love it! There's nothing like slapping a layer of this on after a hot bath, nothing else leaves my skin feeling as soft and smelling so nice. I couldn't imagine not using it and will continue to use it forever!

Paco Rabanne Lady Million

£33.99+ - Available Here

I'm slightly addicted to perfume and have far too many in my collection. This was a present last Christmas and I'm just coming to the end of it now, sob! i'm rubbish at describing scents but if you haven't already tried this you must give this a whiff next time you're in town. I'm contemplating buying another bottle already!

Soap & Glory Hand Food

£5.00 - Available Here

This is another product that has featured in many of my favourites posts. For the price I really don't think you can beat this hand cream, it leaves my hands feeling baby soft and it smells amazing. I have 3 of these dotted around the house to encourage me to use it, I've even caught the boyfriend having a sneaky go of it when he thinks I'm not looking ;) 

GHD Scarlet Styler

£99.99

My lovely boyfriend bought me this for Christmas last year along with the matching hair dryer. I don't need to say too much about GHD's as I'm sure you've seen everyone who owns them singing their praises. I know they're a tad expensive but they can be used in so many different ways and I know people who have had theirs for years. I struggled to find this particular model online as it was limited edition but there's always a new collection so be sure to check on the GHD website.

So there we have my top 10 products of 2012! Most products mentioned are very popular on the blogging scene and for very good reason. If you haven't tried any of my top 10 I strongly recommend reading full reviews of them and giving them a go.

I'd love to know what your favourite products of 2012 were so be sure to leave a comment and let me know or leave me a link to your post!

Sarah xx

What I Got For Christmas 2012

Ahoy Blogerinos!

I know I'm super late posting this but I got such lovely presents this year & I wanted to show you what I received. This will be our last Christmas without our baby girl so it was really special for the whole family, she even received some presents of her own!

Here is what I received...

 I was a very lucky girl!

 Everyone knows how much I love Soap & glory and I was receive a gift set or 2! 

My mum spoilt me this year & bought me the big Soap & Glory set and my boyfriends Mum got me another set. As you can see I've already started using it, I couldn't resist!

My boyfriend completely surprised me with the Lush Quality Treats tin. I didn't even know he knew what Lush was! It contains so many lovely products that I can't wait to start using, the tin will also now be home to all of my Lush products! My mum knows me too well & bought me the Snow Fairy shower gel & Comforter bath melt. 

 I'd been hinting at Anthony that I wanted a new hairdryer, I never dreamt he'd buy me the GHD air! I was in total shock when I opened it on Christmas day. How does even know what a GHD Air is?! He's received some serious brownie points for this. I've been after a curling wand for ages & was so happy when I opened this one from his Mum & Dad, I've been practising lots!

 I've been running low on some of my favourite perfumes so was over the moon when I saw I'd received Loverdose & 212 VIP from Anthony & his Mum and Dad. Anthony's sister bought me a lovely Mum to be set from The Sanctuary, the products smell beautiful and I can't wait to try them out!

I've recently been obsessed with baking after watching The Great British Bake Off so was delighted when I opened both the books & the hand whisk. I know both will come in VERY handy. I'll share some of my favourite recipes once I've perfected them. 

 Once again Anthony really surprised me with some Benefit goodies, the High Flyin' Glosses set & They're Real mascara. Maybe all this beauty blogging has finally rubbed off on him?!

My Mum buys me a book every year & this year she picked a Sophie Kinsella. Always a winner! Anthony bought me a Pandora bracelet a couple of years ago and ever since he's been slowly filling it with charms every Birthday/Christmas/etc. This Christmas he chose a beautiful pink charm. I'm nearly running out of space now, I'll have to start another bracelet if he isn't careful!

As well as what you can see above me & Anthony's sister bought each other a Robbie Williams tour ticket for June, I can't wait to see him live! So strange to think I'll have an 8 week old baby by then.

I was a very lucky girl this year and love every single present I received.

I love reading these types of posts so if you've done one please post the link in the comments, I'm so nosey!

Sarah xx

Products I've Used Up | Empties #1

Hello everyone, I hope you're all ok.

My favourite type of posts to read recently is definitely empty posts, I personally feel if someone has used the whole product up they can give a better review of a product rather than someone who has used it once or twice.

I've been collecting my empty products over the past couple of weeks & I finally have enough to show you what I've collected!

Soap & Glory Clean On Me | Frizz Ease 3 Day Straight | Aussie 3 Minute Miracle | Primark Deap Facial Cleansing Wipes | 17 Mirror Shine Lipstick 'Belle' | V05 Strong Hold Hairspray | Vaseline Cocoa Radiant Lotion

Aussie Take The Heat 3 Minute Miracle - I have used this product for years & have lost count on how many times I've purchased it! Nothing beats this deep conditioner for the price in my opinion, it leaves my hair silky smooth and really healthy looking! I've got a back up ready to use now that this is empty.

Vaseline Cocoa Radiant Lotion - I bought this for my holiday a few months ago as it was on offer and have finally finished it! I really liked this moisturiser, it left my skin soft and it smells lovely. I'd certainly pick this up again if I saw it on offer.

Frizz Ease 3 Day Straight - I couldn't even tell you how long I've owned this, probably over a year! I used it for ages then it went in the cupboard never to be seen again, I recently dug it out to finish it. I like the results of this, it certainly helped to tame my hair and would consider repurchasing it if it was on offer but probably wouldn't pay the full price!

V05 Strong Hold Hairspray - This is another product I bought AGES ago and it's lasted me ages because the can is huge! This hairspray was ok but it left quite a lot of residue in my hair, I probably wouldn't repurchase it now I've found a better hairspray that is even cheaper!

 Soap & Glory Clean On Me - This came as part of a Soap & Glory gift set I got at Christmas and I've only just finished it. I love Soap & Glory products and this is certainly in my top 3. I love using this shower gel as a shaving lotion and it smells beautiful! Soap & Glory is always on 3 for 2 in Boots and I would certainly like to pick up another bottle.

Primark Deep Cleansing Wipes - I don't really have too much to say about these wipes as I don't use them to remove my make up, I use them to clean my hands after applying make up! These wipes are 2 packs for £1 and they do a great job, I've always got about 6 packets in my cupboard!

17 Mirror Shine Lipstick 'Belle' - I recently found this lipstick in a clutch bag I hadn't used for ages & remembered why I loved it so much. I love the formulation of these lipsticks and used to own a few. I definately want to replace this lipstick along with the shade 'beehive.'

So there we have it! My first empties post! It seemed to take forever to collect these empty products and there's hardly anything there.

i'd love to read your empties post if you've posted one so please leave a link below!

Sarah xx

What's In My Bath/Shower...

Good evening my lovelies, I hope you're all ok =]

I have to admit thay nosey posts like these are some of my favourites, I love seeing what people keep in their bag/shower/etc! I thought I'd show you what I keep in my bathroom and reach for when having a bath or shower...

L-R: Fat Hair Thickening Shampoo & Fat Hair Thickening Conditioner, Dove Intensive Therapy Conditioner, Soap & Glory Pulp Friction, Philip Kingsley Elasticizer, I Love... Strawberries & Milkshake, Lush Snow Fairy, Molton Brown Heavenly Gingerlily, Rituals Yogi Flow, Aussie Take The Heat, Aussie Miracle Moist Shampoo & Miracle Moist Conditioner. Phewwww!

A closer look at the products...

Body Products:

Soap & Glory Pulp Friction Body Scrub:

I love this body scrub! I'm a big fan of Soap & Glory and this is one of my favourite products of theirs. I use this a couple of times a week and it leaves my skin feeling fresh and clean.

I love... Strawberies & Milkshake Bubble Bath:

I only bought this today so I don't know what it's like but it smells beautiful and I can't wait to have a bath with this later!

Lush Snow Fairy Shower Gel:

This is my favourite Lush product and I buy a couple of bottles of this every Christmas as it's only available then. It smells beautiful and the gel itself is pink & glittery, what more could you want?!

Rituals Yogi Flow Foam Shower Gel:

Another shower gel I hear you ask?! Yes, I like to switch it up! This came in my Glossybox back in December and I've loved it ever since. It feels like a luxury product and it smells gorgeous. I will be picking a few of these up when I've used up my other shower gels!

Molton Brown Heavenly Gingerlily Shower Gel:

The last shower gel I pinky promise! This came in my Harrods glossybox and as you can see I am yet to use it. I always forget about it being a little bottle but I will use it tonight & see how I get on.

Hair Products:

Samy Hair Hair Thickening Shampoo & Conditioner:

I bought this after Zoella recommended it & I'm really impressed. This shampoo & condioner leave my super thin hair feeling clean and they also add oodles of volume! I'm coming to the end of these now & will buy them again when they are on offer.

Aussie Miracle Moist Shampoo & Conditioner:

As you all know I'm a big Aussie Fan. I use these 2 products when my hair is feeling dry or I just want a change from the Fat Hair. These products smell gorgeous and doing a really good job of adding moisture to my hair. I've got my eye on the big bottles now!

Aussie Take The Heat 3 Minute Miracle Conditioner:

This is somewhat of a cult product on the blogsphere and It's easy to see why. This is hands down my favourite deep conditioner and I always have a bottle of this in my bathroom. If I could recommend one Aussie product this would be it.

Dove Intensive Repair Conditioner:

I've had this is my bathroom for ages after I got it as a freebie in a magazine and I've never got around to using it. I will give this a go soon, promise!

Philip Kingsley Elasticizer:

This is another product from Glossybox and I have to say I'm not sure about it. I probably haven't given it a fair trial as I've only used it a couple of times but a pre shampoo treatment is just a hassle for me. I will persevere with it and see how I go.

Wow, I never knew I had so many products in my bathroom! I reallllllyyy need to stop buying shower gel!

If you would like a full review of anything above please just let me know.

As I said before this is one of my favourite kind of post so if you have done one similar please leave me a link in the comments!

Sarah xx

My Top 5: Soap & Glory Products...

Hello my lovelies, I hope you're all ok and having a good week.

Whilst having a clean out in my room I discovered just how many Soap & Glory products I have and I've decided to show you my top 5 products. *drum roll please*

Pulp Friction, Clean On Me, The Righteous Butter, Soap & Glory Perfume, Hand Food.

Pulp Friction:

"Get fresher, smoother and softer skin with fig powder, pumice, peppermint oil, lemonade tree liquid, orange waterjuice and vitamin balls."

This was part of the Hey Big Splendor set I got for Christmas and I have used it ever since! It leaves my skin feeling super smooth after every use and it is perfect for scrubbing off tan. When this runs out I will certainly be repurchasing it.

Clean On Me:

"Soft, smooth, sexy skin whenever you want it. Contains natural mandarin peel extract and bonus built in body lotion."

This is probably my 4th bottle of this showel gel and I still LOVE it. It has the classic Soap & Glory scent and leaves my skin feeling lovely after every use. Because it contains a body lotion built in it really leaves my skin feeling moisturised and soft, the built in pump is also very handy!

The Righteous Butter:

"Award winning body butter with softening shea butter and aloe vera. Smooth on a handful after your shower and you might swear you're wearing velvet."

This is a cult classic and has to be one of Soap & Glory's most raved about products. I have had countless tubs of this amazing body butter and I can't imagine not having a tub or 2 of this in the cupboard. I love using this body butter at night before bed, giving it time to sink in & in the morning my skin feels amazing. I don't need to say anymore about this product because I'm sure you all love it just as much as me!

Hand Food:

"Contains shea butter, macadamia oil and marshmallow. The most astonishing hand cream ever? You decide!"

The really is the best hand cream I have EVER tried. It's super moisturising without feeling greasy at all and it smells amazing. I have a tube of this on my desk at work, a tube in my bag & a tube on my dressing table, I love it so much! If you try one product from Soap & Glory this has to be it, the small travel sized tube costs just £2.50, what a bargain!

Soap & Glory Original Pink Perfume:

"A fresh fruity citrus with notes of bergamot, summer rose, peach, strawberry, gardenia blooms, jasmine, patchouli warm amber and lush musks."

This is basically the original Soap & Glory scent bottled. I have to apologise for the state the bottle is in, I keep it in my bag and it seems to have got rather grubby. The lovely Louise over at Sprinkleofglitter is also a fan of this perfume and it's easy to see why. It's a great every day perfume and It's perfect for keeping in your bag because the bottle is made of metal & not glass. I would certainly recommend giving this a whiff next time you're in Boots!

Soap & Glory Pulp Friction is available here & is priced at £8.00 per 250ml

Soap & Glory Clean On Me is available here & is priced at £5.50 per 500ml

Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter is available here & is priced at £10.50 per 300ml

Soap & Glory Hand Food is available here & is priced at  £5.00 per 125ml

Soap & Glory Original Pink Perfume is available here & is priced at £16.50 per 50ml

Soap & Glory have to be one of my favourite brands and one of my favourite things about Christmas has to be the gift sets they bring out each year. The packaging is often adorned with vintage images and it looks lovely in my bathroom.

What are your favourite Soap & Glory products?

Sarah xx

These Are A few Of My Favourite Things... January 2012

Hello my lovelies, I hope you all had a great weekend!

I can't believe it's nearly February already, where did January go?!? Only 330 days until Christmas... =]

Here are a few of the things I have been loving this month...

♥ Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette.
♥ Benefit Bella Bamba.

♥ Soap & Glory Pulp Friction.

♥  Viktor Rolf Flowerbomb.

♥ Soap & Glory Hand Food.

♥ Deborah Lippmann Razzle Dazzle.

♥ Tangle Teezer.

Urban Decay Naked 2:

I can see this being a regular feature on many favourite posts this month & I can see! I have used this practically every day since purchasing it a couple of weeks ago and cannot see that coming to an end any time soon. I'm going to do a full post on this so I won't rattle on but if you were thinking of buying this palette I would strongly recommend it.

Viktor Rolf - Flowerbomb:
I was lucky enough to get this for Christmas & I have been loving it ever since. I don't use this everyday because I know it is rather expensive but I love using it on a special night, my boyfriend loves it too. I'm rubbish at describing perfumes but if you haven't smelt this before I would strongly recommend giving it a whiff next time you're in Boots!

Benefit - Bella Bamba:

This has become my go to blush since I got it for Christmas and I used it every single day during January! I have already posted a full review of this product, if you want to find out more about it read it click here.

Deborah Lippmann - Razzle Dazzle:

This was my favourite product from my December Glossybox. It's a gorgeous plum with chunky glitter throughout. I have used this on many special occasions recently and I'm sad to see it coming to an end. Although I do love it I don't think I'll be paying £16.00 for the full size, I don't think any nail polish is worth that!

Tangle Teezer:

This was another of my lovely Christmas presents and I really don't know how I coped without it! I used to dread brushing my hair after washing it but now I don't even think twice about it. This brush has made such a difference to my hair and I will be posting a full review of this later in the week =]

Soap & Glory - Pulp Friction:

I got this in the 'Hey Big Splendor' set at Christmas & I'm really glad I did! It's a lovely body scrub, gentle enough to be used everyday but it still feels like it's making a difference to my skin. I will definitely be purchasing this again when it runs out. 

Soap & Glory - Hand Food:

This is my third tube of this amazing hand cream & I can safely say this is my favourite hand cream ever! It's super moisturising without feeling greasy & it smells gorgeous. A travel size tube of this costs just £2.35 so if you've never tried it before I strongly recommend giving it a go!

Random bits & bobs...

I decided I would start featuring a few random bits & bobs at the end of these posts every month to give you a little more insight into me other than just my favourite products every month. I set myself a challenge of reading a book every month so this should also help me stick to my challenge!

Book:

I Heart Vegas - Lindsey Kelk:

This is the forth book in the 'I heart' series and I have really enjoyed reading them. This is a great book if you want something light to read in the evening & it would make a great holiday read, certainly no thinking required!

Songs:

Lloyd - Dedication To My Ex

Beyonce - Love On Top

Flo Rida - Good Feeling

Phew, long post, gold star if you got this far!

What have been your favourites this month?

Sarah xx

Soap & Glory Bargain Alert!

Good evening my lovelies!

This is just a quick heads up that the Soap & Glory 'Hey Big Splendour' is the next star gift from Boots!

The set will come down in price from £60 to £25, Bargain!

The set contains:

♥ Clean On Me™ Creamy Clarifying Shower Gel - 500ml

♥ The Righteous Butter™ Body Butter - 300ml

♥ Pulp Friction™ Body Scrub - 300ml

♥ Face, Soap & Clarity™ Fresh Facial Wash - 150ml

♥ 25 Off Your Face™ Cleansing Wipes

♥ Heel Genius Foot™ Cream - 125ml

♥ Hand Food Hand™ Cream - 125ml

♥ Mist You Madly™ Fragrant Body Spray - 250ml

♥ Sexy Mother Pucker™ Lip Plumper In Candy Gloss - 7ml

♥ Calm One, Calm All™ Bubble Bath - 500ml.

Available from Boots at the 'star gift' price from Friday 16th December 2011.

I for one cannot wait to pick one up but can see there being pandemonium at my local Boots store so I will be getting for when the store opens!

Will you be picking one up?

Sarah x x  

My Top 10 Products Of 2011 ♥

Hello lovelies, I hope you're all well!

As it's nearly the end of 2011 I decided to post about my favourite products from the past 12 months. I've discovered some of these products in the past year & some are long standing favourites.

Here goes! =]

Aussie - 3 Minute Miracle

I've been using this product for many years & I can't imagine not having a bottle or 2 in my bathroom! This is my favourite deep conditioner, nothing else leaves my hair feeling as soft & nourished and it's a bit of a bargain, winner!

St Ives - Apricot Scrub

This is another product I have used for many years. The packaging may be new but the formula is the same great exfoliant I have used and loved since I was about 14! I use this 1-2 times a week to keep my skin looking & feeling fresh.

Soap & Glory - Hand Food

This is one of my favourite discoveries of 2011, this hand cream is amazing! It leaves my hands feeling uber soft and it smells amazing.

Mac - MSF Natural

Please excuse my grubby MSF! I use my Mac MSF Natural to set my foundation everyday, it makes my make up last all day and gives me the extra coverage I need in winter.

Liz Earle - Cleanse & Polish

I started using this in late 2010 and I haven't stopped since! This has to be my 5th or 6th bottle and I can see myself buying this for years to come. I love using this to remove my make up at night, my skin feels so fresh and clean after I've used it & I love the 'natural' scent.

MUA - Heaven & Earth Palette

I'm sure this product will be on many peoples lists so I'm sorry if you have seen this a billion times! This is a great everyday palette that can be used for both day and night looks. This is actually my second palette as I bought one for back up incase they ever stop selling it! 

Collection 2000 - Lasting Perfection Concealer

Once again you'll have to excuse the rubbish picture, like so many the writing on my Lasting Perfection concealer has started to rub off. This is without a doubt one of the best concealers I have ever tried. So many bloggers have wrote about this & I'm so glad I finally gave in to trying it. If you haven't already picked one up then I cannot recommend it enough!

Barry M - Nail Paint

I know this is cheating slightly but I couldn't just pick one Barry M nail polish! This is my favourite brand of nail polish hands down. It's cheap, the selection of colours available are amazing and the finish is brilliant. These are just a few of my favourites, my collection is getting out of hand!

Soap & Glory - The Righteous Butter

I know I've blogged about this many times before & I'm really sorry I keep banging on about it but it's amazing! I love applying a thick layer of this after a bath, when I wake up my skin is baby soft & it smells gorgeous! If you have already tried this then I cannot recommend it enough.

VO5 - Miracle Concentrate

I only discovered this product in the latter part of this year & It's already become a firm favourite. My hair is without a doubt in alot better condition now I have started using this & it helps to combat the awful frizzy hair I always seem to get at this time of year.

So there we have it! My favourite products of 2011.

I can't believe it's going to be 2012 in a couple of weeks, the years are going far too fast now I'm all grown up =[

What have been your favourite products this year?

Sarah x x 

My Christmas Wishlist 2011

Good evening ladies, I hope you all had a great weekend.

As it's exactly 3 weeks today until Christmas I thought I'd show you what's on my Christmas wishlist this year, take note Santa!

Top L-R: GHD Hair Straighteners, Soap & Glory Big Spleador, Benefit Bella Bamba.

Middle L-R: LE Viktor Rolf Flowerbomb, Macbook Air, Mac Soft & Gentle MSF.

Bottom L-R: Hermes Birkin, Harry Potter DVD set, Nars Laguna.

I know alot of it is uber expensive & I don't expect to get any of the things above but this is my dream wishlist!

These are one of my favourite types of post to read so if you have posted one please leave the link below =]

What is on your wishlist this year?

Sarah xx

My Winter Essentials...

Ahoy bloggerinos, I hope you're all well =]

With the dark nights drawing in & Christmas fast approaching I thought I'd show you some of my essential winter products. I use most of these products year round but find them most effective in the winter, my skin seems to feel alot drier in the winter and don't even get me started on chapped lips!

Haircare:

v05 Miracle Concentrate - I use this both as aa serum & leave in conditioner and it leaves my hair feeling unbelievable soft & healthy looking. Full review coming this week so keep your eyes peeled! 

Aussie Take The Heat - A beauty blogger cult classic and for a very good reason. My favourite deep conditioner ever, nothing else leaves my hair feeling and looking so healthy & nourished. A must have!

Moisturisers:

Jergens Naturals Ultra Hydrating Lotion - This is my favourite everyday moisturising lotion. It absorbs quickly enough to be used in the morning when I'm in a rush but still leaves my skin feeling uber soft. 

Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter - I've sung this products praises many times before, this has to be hands down my favourite body butter. This can take a little longer to absorb than most lotions but leaves my skin feeling baby soft and it smells amazing!

Lips:

Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub: I get very bad chapped lips in the winter and this product sorts them out a treat. It gets rid of all dead skin, a must for me before applying lipstick.

Carmex: I'm sure you all know about Carmex so I won't bang on about it but this has to be my favourite lip balm ever! 

Exfoliation: 

Radox Shower Smoothie - I love exfoliating and this product makes the job such a treat. This shower gel smells gorgeous and has tiny exfoliating beads that scrub away dead skin. I also love that they have to state 'don't drink me' on the bottle!

St Ives Apricot Scrub - I have used & loved this product for many years, it leaves my face looking really fresh & dewy and feeling super soft.

Face products:

Superdrug Vitamin E Skin Oil - I have only recently discovered this product but it has already made a big impact on my skin. I use it a couple of times a week as a deep moisturiser leaving it overnight and it leaves my skin feeling super soft and looking radiant.

Superdrug Vitamin E Day Cream - This is a great everyday moisturiser. It contains SPF 15 which is important even in the winter months and it does a great job at keeping my skin in good condition without breaking the bank.

Face Masks - These are just a couple of the face masks in my collection. Once a week I treat myself to a mini at home facial starting with a face mask, Montagne Jeunesse being one of my favourite brands to use. They help to remove excess oil and draw out impurities, they smell lovely too!

What are your must have winter essentials?

Sarah xx