Game Of Thrones Hair Featuring Batiste

Hello everyone,

Today I have made more of an effort with my hair and based the style upon  Daenerys Targaryen, the character from Game Of Thrones, using Batiste's tutorial. The hairstyle is easy to achieve and I love Daenery's hair, she is beautiful. Mine's not quite as long as hers by far and neither is it blonde anymore but this style worked just as well. 

Step 1: Spray hair with Batiste (I used the *dark & deep brown variety) to add texture. Work into your hair by scrunching a little.

Step 2: Roughly part hair in the centre. Split your hair into four equal sections and plait. 

Step 3: Secure your plaits all together at the back of your head using either a bobble , clip or bobby pins/ Kirby grips. (I used Kirby grips as my hair is layered and was too short to fit into a bobble.)

Step 4: Using a large barreled tong add large curls to your hair. 

Step 5: Spritz a little of the Batiste *Strength and Shine and you're good to go.

These are the products I used to create the look altogether. The make-up didn't take me long at all to do- only about five minutes.

I used the Urban Decay eye-shadows in Half Baked for the entire lid and then I blended Twice Baked into the outer corners. I adore Urban Decay as they are pigmented and easy to apply.

I started off with my Benefit Fake-up concealer and applied it under my eyes and blended with my ring finger as the skin is super sensitive here so you need to be delicate. 

I quickly added Avon's Glimmerstick eyeliner in Saturn Grey under my lower lash line. I love these eyeliners so much as they glide on and simply twist up. It's much easier and quicker than sharpening pencils.

I used the peach Maybelline Babylips to add a hint of colour onto my lips for the natural look and the No7 Pop & Glow in Peach Melba on the apples of my cheeks. This was my first time using this and I loved it. It was so easy to apply and blend.

I then finished the look by applying the Desert Metal mascara which I've been enjoying using too.

So there we have my finished Daenerys look.

Love Laura xoxo

*PR items sent kindly for use and review.

Candy Japan Unboxing - Tea Time Edition

Image Credit: Candy Japan

Hi everyone! I hope you're all enjoying your Bank Holiday weekends or had fun this weekend just gone. Today I have a subscription box all the way from Japan called *Candy Japan which specialises in sending out boxes of Japanese sweeties twice monthly for $25 with free delivery worldwide.
This box took around three weeks to arrive as they have set shipment dates which was quite a while but definitely worth the wait.

I love receiving subscription boxes through the post as it's like being sent Birthday presents which can cheer you up and you get to try out and discover new items that you may not have seen before.
As soon as I heard of Candy Japan I knew that I wanted to try out a box. I love Japanese candy and also love their cute, quirky stationery as I am drawn to it.

Communication with the owner of the company was great and whilst you don't receive an insert with information about all of the products in the box, you do receive an e-mail a few weeks after ordering to let you know what is contained and background information on your box. The Candy arrives in a secure carboard box that can fit through your letter box. It is secured with pretty washi tape and inside there's no extra frills, just the candy.

So this specific box has a theme of 'Tea Time' Konnichiwa. Inside the candy box you receive two green tea bags in case you didn't have any already at home to enjoy with your sweets. The background for the box states that if you were to visit a Japan home and had green tea and candy prepared for you then it would be very similar to the contents of this box.

The round sweets are named Momoyama and contain white bean paste. The yellow and white oblong sweeties are named Monaka and contain red bean paste and have wafers inside made from Mochi.

The Momoyama has a cake texture and is sweet. All of these candies would sweeten up the green tea as most Japanese people take it without milk and sweeteners.

The Monaka sweeties have a delicate wafer outer and a sweet paste inner.

I love the surprise element of this box and that I have learnt about something new too which I love doing especially when I find things interesting. I'd love to see what is contained in future boxes too. Thanks very much to Bemu for sending out a box to review. If you would like to find out more or subscribe you can click here.

Do you like the look of this box?

Love Laura xoxo

*PR item kindly sent for review.

M&S Holographic Turquoise Textured Polish

Happy Tuesday everyone. I hope you are all well. Today I have a review for you on M&S' Textured Polish Limited in Turquoise Mix which I won from Ale over at her blog I am a Weapon of Massive Consumption. (Thank you Ale!) Turquoise has got to be one of my favourite all time colours. It's bright, eye-catching and reminds me of the ocean and tropical breezes. Added in with the mix of holographicness, this is a dream combination for me. I love love love anything holographic and you can see that the box that the polish is in has holographic fairies and a deer on it.

The polish was really easy to apply and was even which is highly impressive. It also dried quickly too which is great. I love the colour on application too and I'm only wearing one coat of polish here. You can see a little of my nail on my ring finger in the light so I'm certain that two coats would ensure full opacity. The dried polish leaves a gritty textured effect on your nails too which is not to some peoples' tastes but I don't mind it. I do keep rubbing my fingers across the top of my nails though to feel it!

Unfortunately it's no longer for sale on the M&S website although you may be able to pick it up from E-bay.

Overall- I really love the colour, look and ease of application. It's a great polish.

Love Laura xoxo

Glossybox For Superdrug Edition May

Happy Saturday everyone.

Yesterday my Glossybox was delivered and I wasn't expecting it to arrive so quickly after receiving the dispatch e-mail the other day. 

So first up the box is designed in conjunction with Superdrug's 50th Birthday. Happy Birthday Superdrug! I love these limited edition boxes and this is another keeper. I find that out of them all, this box is made from the greatest quality.

Inside the box it is wrapped beautifully and you are met with a hot pink gorgeous tissue paper with a yellowy orange ribbon and shredding. Lucy Mecklenburgh is the model on front of the magazine and this is very current as she is very popular and now. 

This is what I saw as soon as I opened the tissue paper. I was pleased as there seems to be so much in the box this month and I got it with my Glossydots so this was effectively free yay! The box this month was to show the very best offerings of what the stores have to offer you all over the country.

Here are all the contents, this time spaced out clearer for you to see.

First up is the Rimmel London Scandaleyes Retro Glam Mascara. This has an hourglass brush that gives you a 60's look. I'm pleased with this mascara as I like to try out different ones. This is full size and costs £6.99.

Next up are these 2true Pro 3D Candy Nail Art. I already have caviar beads and put them onto my ring finger for an accent. Although they looked really effective, they didn't last very long. These are £3 and I like the light purple beads but not the dark mix as I love light colours. I would've expected these to be £1 too and to be found inside the Miss Glossy that I used to buy before they stopped it.

Superdrug's Large Doughnut Ring £3.99 - I love hair items or products and even though I own the heart shaped bun I don't have a regular one therefore this will come in really handy. I don't tend to wear my hair in a bun much but this will be good for in between washes with some Batiste.

Solait Illuminating Facial Bronzing Cream - I use bronzer regularly but have never seen a bronzing cream. I'm not sure how I will take to this and how it will apply so I'm interested in trying this out. I'm wondering if it's going to apply evenly. I thought this would be more than the £2.99 price tag.

I Love Cosmetics- Strawberries & Milkshake Shimmer & Shine Lip Gloss- £1.29 Again this is something I would've expected to be in the Miss Glossy box as it seems for younger people but suits my personality. I Love does a wide range of products including candles and I've seen them being sold at The Clothes Show Live one year and also B&M. I do love the shade and the name and even though I'm more of a lipstick crayon user these days, this will come in handy to carry around in my handbag.

Finally, a couple of samples which they have now started to call bonus products. Garnier Body Oil Beauty Lotion will be £4.99 for 250ml and has almond, macademia and rose which sounds scrumptious and is a good price for the lotion. Ghost fragrances- Eclipse £33 for 50ml. I'm not too familiar with Ghost Fragrances but they describe it as a fruity floral fragrance and I love fruity so I'll maybe like this.

So this month again is definitely focused upon high street beauty whereas they used to focus upon high end beauty samples. Glossybox is great if you have extra money and would like beauty surprises per month and ones that you don't mind receiving a variety of. 

My favourite items this month are definitely the mascara as I'm excited to see what effect it gives and also the facial bronzing cream.

The contents total £18.26 minus the little samples which is good for the price that you pay (£10+P+P) but not necessarily what you might spend your money on.

Do you get Glossybox? What did you receive in yours? 

Love Laura xoxo

New Pixie Lott Batiste - Fun & Floral

 I have the whole selection of Batiste's products and can't rate them highly enough. I always use them between washes as they add a refreshing just-washed scent and texturised volume to my hair. Even though my hair is brunette at the moment I still use all of the different varieties and not just the specific brunette one. I find that if I scrunch my hair, (as it's curly) the dry shampoo is blended in and works its magic.

I recently got sent the new collaboration with Pixie Lott which is the *fun & floral variety. What a fabulous pairing as it's relevant to the here and now.

Packaging: I love the colouring of the can as it reflects the style that Pixie wears and reminds me of Summer festivals too. All of the art work for the collaboration was shot by Rankin and Pixie chose the design and the scent herself. This design stands out and looks great in the bathroom / dressing table (where I have mine.)

Fragrance: Fun & Floral has top notes of Bergamot and fruity lemon, middle notes of Cedarwood and floralness with a base of musk, milk and sandalwood.  

I used this today and the floralness was apparent so if you like the scent of florals then this is the one for you.

Price & Availability: The RRP is £2.99 for 200ml and is available from Boots, Superdrug (Only £1.47 at the moment) , ASOS, Asda and Sainsbury's.

Performance: As with the other varieties, Batiste is perfect for use on hair that need a refresh in between washes. It's great for hair that can get a little greasy at the roots and adds a just-washed scent. When waking up in the morning, a spritz of this can make my bed-head look presentable to face the day.

How to use: Shake the can well, then hold a good distance away from your hair. 

I lift sections and quickly spray, scrunch (massage) and then brush through and style. I can then wear my hair down as I did when it was freshly washed. I also like how hair is perfumed too as hair that smells good makes me feel all fresh and clean.

Have you tried Fun & Floral yet?

Love Laura xoxo

*PR item kindly sent for review.

Mini May Primark Haul And A Blog Win #BEDM

I won these gorgeous good from Ale whose blog I follow over at I am a Weapon Of Massive Consumption. I adore the holographic turquoise glitter nail polish so much an need to try this out very soon. I prefer the coloured Babylips to the plain so this peach one is great. I needed a new blush too and I love the idea of it being in a stick for ease of application. The Body Shop Ginger Sprinkles hand cream smells so yummy! Thank you so much Ale! 

Here are some pressies that my mum had bought me the last time that I went down to see my family. The Barbie tops are so much fun and I have a growing collection of these now. I'm wearing one today with a pair of black disco pants that are really versatile too. I love the jelly Juju silver glitter sandals and have worn them without socks and they were actually pretty comfortable. I remember jelly sandals as a child hurting after a while. I'm going to team them with my Topshop frilly ankle socks for a cute look too. I love Disney, especially the princesses, so this sweetie case will double up as a makeup holder afterwards too.

 I love reading magazines so much and always have. I always read New! magazine, subscribe to Glamour and get others if they have freebies with them. I used to love More magazine and was gutted when they stopped publishing it. I love looking at the new high street fashion that's available, beauty edits and the celebrity news. Glamour is £1 this month but for subscribers it still has the £2 label on it. The Elle has the Benefit Porefessional freebie with it which feels so soft and I already own this but it's good to have replacements. The InStyle magazine is not one I usually read as to me there's not that much inside but this month it came with a Nails Inc polish so I got the prettiest pink. Also they are only £2.50 in Tesco which is a bargain.

This has kick started my want for an arrange of coloured sandals now in mainly pink and pastels.

Love Laura xoxo

Sandwich Ideas #BEDM

Image Credit:Wearychef

 So this week it is British sandwich week and this was the topic for Sunday for #BEDM . I'm eating very healthily this week and including lots more fruit and vegetables into my diet. At first I wanted to find some healthy packed lunch ideas and then I came across these delicious looking sandwiches on Pinterest which I could just eat right now. I love food so much and gaining inspiration to make tasty recipes. Even though most of these are not strictly British they look delicious so here they are.

This pesto pizza grilled cheese sandwich by the Weary Chef look simple yet delicious. It's made with pepperoni, pesto, tomatoes and cheese and then popped into the oven to bake.

Image credit:Six Sisters

 For this low fat turkey bacon wrap from Six Sisters all you need is a wholegrain wrap, Romaine lettuce, sliced tomato, 2 tablespoons of ranch dressing, 3 slices of turkey bacon and 2 slices of bacon. This would be great to take  in a packed lunch.

Image credit

 Cheese Sprinkles and Rocket ships are fun, inspirational sandwich ideas and can be found on the Etsy blog.

Image credit:Fitnessmagazine.com

 I could eat this Philly Cheese Steak sandwich right now. This has thin sliced steak, peppers, mushrooms, onions and Provolone cheese. Looking at photos of food makes me so hungry. Have you ever done that though when you're really full and then you see an advert for food on the television and it puts you right off? It makes you feel even more full!

Image credit: Emily Bites

 For this grilled chicken pesto wrap you use fresh basil pesto, ripe plum tomatoes, chicken and wraps and serve warm.

I think I have saved the best for last here. The Sweet mornings banana breakfast sandwich was found on Sugar and Charm  blog. I follow this after seeing the amazing recipes and photography. The french bread, banana and syrup look absolutely scrumptious and I have all of the ingredients to make this right now apart from the French bread! I'm making a note to get some so I can try this out.

I could have gone on all day finding yummy looking sandwich recipes but I had better stop and make fajitas for tea.

What are your favourite sandwich recipes?

Love Laura xoxo

What's In My Rimmel Rita Ora Make Up Tote Bag?

Happy Saturday and I'm back to what I love- BEAUTY! Here I have a Rimmel London beauty tote bag filled with make up and I can't wait to try it all out. 

The only time I've ever really had Rimmel makeup is when I've picked up a goody bag at the Clothes Show Live and you get a really good deal on the products there.

I have quite a range of products to try out and find out what they are like which is fun as I like discovering new products.

I have the liquid stay blushed in 004 sunkissed cherry and I actually haven't got a blush in this colour. It's really pigmented and I only needed to use a little bit to get the desired result. A lot of people had received these in their beauty box subscriptions one time but I got another product instead. I needed another blusher so this will come in very handy. I love the look of the Pop of Pink one they have too.

On the right is the Lasting Finish Colour Rush in the shade 500 The Redder The Better. I love twist up lip crayons and already have a few in a red shade. I need some pink shades next. I love how creamy this one is and it glides on. It also smells absolutely gorgeous as it has a sweet sugary, candy scent to it mmm mmmm.

Here is one of the new Rita Ora nail polishes in 513 Let's Get Nude which is a lovely nude shade. I don't own many nude shades at all but they exude classiness and go with so many outfits. This has a wide flat brush so your nails are coated after a few swipes. You need to build up the colour with this to make it opaque. 

I love sparkly top coats and this Rimmel Finishing Touch one reminds me of sugar coated fairies. I will pair this with pastel candy shades.

Finally for the nail products I have the Nail Nurse- Nail Rescue which I'm go to try out and see if it does strengthen my nails. My nails break easily after a certain length so this will be great to see if it provides strength.

I'm intrigued with the Lash Accelerator Endless as it is a grow lash complex and fibres mascara so I'll be interested to see if it makes lashes longer.

I have the Wake Me Up foundation in the shade 200 soft beige to try and I'm hoping that the Wake Me Up concealer which has an anti- fatigue effect and radiant glow effect is good as I need a concealer most days now.

I then have two eye-liners in 012 Bronze and 005 Nude. I tested these and they feel soft and glide on easily which is great as I sorted out and gave away lots of eye liners as they were too hard for me. I don't like when you have to press on hard, especially on the delicate eye area.

Have you tried any of these Rimmel products before?

Love Laura xoxo