The Body Shop Birmingham Cocktails and Facials Event

I was lucky enough to be invited along to The Body Shop Birmingham Cocktails and Facials Event which was organised by the Bloggers Parlour.

Having never been to one of their events before and this being more beauty focused I had no idea what to expect!

The night was really well organised by Abbigayle which started off with us finding the person who had the matching Body Shop product on their lanyard and taking a selfie together which was a great ice breaker.

I was paired with the lovely Sassy Fahion Rudy who as you can see from the selfie I took is stunning!

After that we were divided into two teams to play a celebrity version of charades where you had to guess the name of the celeb by being given one word clues! After this we had to match the celebrity to the Body Shop product that they had endorsed which proved much harder than you would think!!

Our next game was to pick spring products and lay them out as you would to take a photo on your blog. I nabbed some products and a prop from one the displays and set to work!

It was then onto cocktail making time!!

I decided to name my cocktail Bloggy McBlog alas my choice of name didn't win!!!

The final part of the evening the Body Shop staff took over and if you wanted you could have a facial or skincare advice, sadly I didn't have time to partake in this as I had to head off home but watching the action the facials looked amazing!

It was a lovely night and a great chance to meet other local Birmingham bloggers. It was also lovely to be able to attend a local event and if like me you are Brum or West Midlands based I would recommend signing up to the Bloggers Parlour as they have more events planned for this year.

It just leaves me to say thank you to The Body Shop and The Bloggers Parlour for a fab evening!

The Body Shop Birmingham Grand Re-Opening

I was lucky enough to be invited to the grand re-opening of The Body Shop on New Street in Birmingham  via The Bloggers Parlour and I was interested to see how the brand had changed since my younger years. If you are a similar age to me it was the place to get white musk (the must have perfume of my teenage years) but the brand has really evolved over the years.

My first impressions of the store was that it was light and airy with plenty of room to manoeuvre so you could browse comfortably. The staff were lovely and very helpful and were on hand to answer any questions. They were also more than happy to offer a skin matching service for their make up.

The displays were beautifully laid out and really made me want to spend but sadly as I am on a very restricted budget at the moment I just bought a few small bits. The collections I wanted to see were the Oils of Life and Drops of Light which look so luxurious and if at sometime money allows I want to try at least one product from the ranges.

I treated myself to some travel size pieces which were on a three for two offer and at the till I was given a tote bag with some goodies in which included my favourite body butter.

I was also really happy to see the lovely Kitty from Adventures of a Riot Grrrl and have a catch up and it was great to meet Abbigayle from The Bloggers Parlour.

All in all it was a fab event and thank you to The Body Shop and The Bloggers Parlour as it was lovely to have a Birmingham based event.

Plus 40 Fabulous April Edition

Hello and welcome to this months edition of Plus 40 Fabulous and the theme for this month is skin care.
Now that I am in my forties I realise how important it is to look after your skin (I should have realised this when I was younger!!). I know that unless I have plastic surgery or botox the wrinkles aren't going to disappear but then I don't think I would want them to as after all they tell the story of my life.

These are my daily cleansing and ex foliating products.

Ever since I discovered it I have been a huge fan of the Garnier Micellar Water, and whilst I know some people advise you should use it with other cleansers I find it gets my skin really clean and my breakouts have almost stopped since I started using it. If I have had a heavy make up day then I also use the Garnier 2 in 1 make- up remover which makes quick work of eye make up removal and doesn't pull at my skin.
The Dermalogica ex-foliant  I don't use everyday as I don't think my skin would stand it but instead I use it a few times a week especially on my nose and my skin feels so soft afterwards. I got this in a goody bag from a event and I am tempted to purchase it once this runs out. It comes as a powder which you mix with water on your hand to make a paste and apply to your face.

For moisturisers I use...

My daily ones are the Witch Overnight Clearing Serum, this is really meant for overnight use but I pop it on under my moisturiser as it helps with any blemishes. I then apply Kiehls Ultra Facial Cream which I got as perk from Klout and I must admit that although it is expensive I would be very tempted to purchase another one once this runs out. I have suffered with a terrible dry patch on my forehead and this has finally sorted it out. I also find it light enough to not give me breakouts and it makes a good base for my make-up.
For night time I have started using a Superdrug Optimum Comforting Night Cream which is recommended for 40+ skin and I do notice a difference in the morning as my skin feels so soft.

For primers I use..

The N-Spa Instant Blur Primer I first became aware of when I got it in a goody bag from an event and I was so taken with it that when it ran out I bought another one. A little goes along way but my skin feels like silk when I use this. I also use the Me Me Me Seventh Heaven facebase as a primer, it has the most heavenly smell of oranges and again a little goes a long way. It is only in the last year or so that I have started using Primers and they do make a difference.

So there you have it that, my skin care routine which I realise I now need to add something with SPF in it as well for sun protection so that is next on my list!!

Not bad for a nearly 41 year old!!


Don't forget to check out the other ladies to see what they use.


Cathy: http://southernyacht.blogspot.co.uk/
Christy: http://www.sprintingwithscissors.blogspot.co.uk/
Daisy: http://daisysays.co.uk/

Kate: https://wearingmywardrobein2016.wordpress.com/
Kath: https://fatheffalump.wordpress.com/

Kaye: http://www.polishedcurves.com/

Kellie: http://www.bigfashionista.co.uk/

Leah: http://www.justmeleah.co.uk
Lee: http://www.pinkybellesshed.co.uk/
Lisa: http://www.kitandkoboodle75.blogspot.co.uk/
Marged: http://www.divadellecurve.com/?m=0
Mookie: http://www.mookieslife.com/

Perelandra: http://www.pamperandcurves.com/

Sarah: http://www.plussizeproud.co.uk
Steph: http://misskittenheel.com/

Vicky: http://www.therandomnessoftwee.blogspot.co.uk
Yvonne: http://woosangwashere.blogspot.co.uk/

Make Up Revolution Salvation Lip Lacquer

I make no secret of the fact that I love Make Up Revolution so when I was in Superdrug the other week of course I had to look and see what they had!! I decided to try one of the Salvation Lip Lacquers as I have been experimenting with different lipsticks just lately and I liked the look of these.

At £3 these don't break the bank and come in an array of delicious colours, I opted to try the Velvet Vamp as I fancied a darker colour. It goes on like a lipgloss but then dries to a matte finish, which at first I found strange but after a while I got used to it. As it dries so matte I found it was far longer lasting than I am normally used to and the only thing that really budged it was when I ate a jam doughnut!! My only slight quibble was that when it started to wear off it left me with a line of colour on the outer edges of my lips so I either needed to re-apply or take it off!

You can see from this photo that my application could have been better! I think in future I will add some balm to my lips before applying and it may be worth me investing in a lip scrub as well.

Having tried one I think I may invest in some of the other colours as I there are times when I want a more dramatic look and at £3 a time I can treat myself without breaking the bank!

Have you tried the Lip Lacquer?

Make Up Revolution Sale Haul

I may have indulged a little bit in the Make Up Revolution sale because well it would be rude not to!!! I decided to film a little YouTube video of what I got so if you want to grab a cuppa and take a look that would be most appreciated!!

Blog Everyday in June Day 15

So we are on day 15 of blog everyday in June which also marks the halfway point of this challenge and hopefully you are all still with me!!

The theme for today is a day in my life and I have to admit I am cheating slightly with this one as I recently did a vlog where I shared a week in my life.

Rather than film yet more footage I am going to re-share my previous blog, so if you haven't already seen it please sit back and enjoy!

Blog Everyday in June Day Ten

Hello and welcome to Day 10 of blog everyday in June and theme today is to share five beauty secrets.

Now I am the first to admit that when it comes to beauty and make up I am far from an expert in these matters but I do have some tips!!

1. Moisturiser
So we all know that moisturiser is good for our skin but what I didn't realise until a few years ago is that it is recommended to not apply your foundation too soon after putting on your moisturiser. I have now developed a routine in the morning which means I clean and moisturise my face and then dry and straighten my hair before applying my foundation.

2. Primer
OK so for years I thought primer was something you put on underneath paint I had no idea such a thing existed for your face! I came across the  fabulous Nspa Instant Blur Primer when it came in a goody bag from a blogging event last year and I was sold!! It makes my skin feel all silky smooth and make up then glides on. It took me ages before I discovered it was sold in ASDA so when the one I had ran out I dashed out and got me some more!!!

3. Purple Shampoo
I have been dyeing my hair blonde for quite some time now (I am naturally blonde but it has started to go darker as I have gotten older) but I have always suffered with brassiness in my hair. I can't remember how I discovered it but I found Bleach London Purple Shampoo to be my saviour. It really does take a lot of the yellow tones out and makes my hair whiter. There is also a Touch of Silver which is a more budget friendly option and you can pick it up quite cheaply in Home Bargains.

4. Lip Liner
I had steered clear of lip liner for many years, I think I was still scarred from the Jodie Marsh trend of dark lip liner and light lipstick but I have been persuaded to try it! The lovely Leah from Leah XL mentioned it was a good way to get lipstick to last, so I tried a cheap one from MUA and wore it under a similar colour lipstick and it did indeed give me a longer lasting lip colour!

5. Budget make up
I would be lying if I said I didn't drool over things like the Urban Decay Naked Palettes but too often they are out of my price range. With brands like Make Up Revolution and MUA (especially their Luxe Range) I don't think there has ever been a better time to try more budget friendly brands. When I was younger some of the budget brands were truly awful so I often felt forced to spend more money but there so many affordable dupes on the market now I no longer feel the need to spend what I can't afford. I think I now own more make up than I have ever done so before due to the availability of good affordable cosmetics!

What are your beauty secrets?

Blog Everday in June Day Nine

Hello and welcome to Day 9 of blog everyday in June and the theme for today is Summer Essentials.

Now living in the UK it sometimes feels like the Summer will never start especially this year but we have been blessed with a few warm days already which means the start of chub rub season!

Oh yes chub rub something I deal with every year when the temperature rises and I free my legs from tights and leggings. I have tried various things to combat it, I have a pair of anti-chafe shorts from the Big Bloomers company- you can read my blog post about them here and I have invested in some easy breeze shorts from Taking Shape as well.

I do like both of these especially at the moment when it is still chilly in the morning as it gives me some warmth but when it gets really hot I want as few layers as possible. There is a product that I discovered about two years ago I think via a blog post and I have stuck with it as it I find it really works.

I am talking about Silky Underwear from Lush which is a dusting powder that not only smells divine but one application in the morning sees me through a busy day at work and keeps me comfortable.

I must have had this bottle for about two years and I still have loads left as a little goes a long way, much better than talc and my skin feels lovely after using it.

So if you suffer from the dreaded chub rub then give this a try I can't get through summer without it!!

Blog EveryDay in June Day Three

Hello and welcome to Day Three of Blog Everday in June and the theme for today is Beauty Essentials.

Until I started blogging I had lost some of my interest in make up but over the last two years I have fallen in love with beauty products and now wear more make up than I ever did before.

I have decided to go with the things that I use everyday as these are my essential items.

Foundation

These are the three foundations that I tend to use the most at the moment and I shall be very sad when the MeMeMe runs out (which it nearly is) as I have loved this one but it is on the pricier side. For budget friendly ones I like the Essence mousse which I have just started using but I think will eventually become my main foundation.

Masacara

These are three that I currently use and I think my favourite is the Make Up Revolution Viper as I liked the curved brush and it doesn't clump. The W7 was a cheap purchase from B&M bargains but it can be clumpy and has a tendency to end up on my eyelids!

Blusher

I never used to use blusher as I had no clue how to apply it! It was only when my husband commented one day that I should try it that I took the plunge and bought the MUA mosaic blusher and I loved it. (The one pictured is my second one). I still adore the Make Up Revolution blusher palette and also my recent MUA Luxe purchase!

Brushes

OK so I never owned a single brush until a few months ago shocking I know! I know realise the importance of them and I am slowly building my collection!

Cleanser

With wearing make up also comes the need to take it off before going to bed! I discovered Garnier Micellar water last year and this is now my second bottle. I am a total fan and having tried other ones I always come back to this one. My skin has been much clearer since I started using it and it always feels really clean. I also love their eye make up remover as it gets even the most stubborn stuff off without rubbing and it is super cheap.

Moisturiser

Last but by no means least moisturiser. I have tried loads over the years but at the moment I love this Garnier one I found in Poundland! It smells lovely and a little goes a long way. I also won the Witch serum from the lovely Laura over at Laura loves and I have been enjoying using it under my make up.

What are your beauty essentials?