B U B B L E G A R M

Email from the imposter....

2012-01-28T02:43:00.009Z

Dear Muhsine,

I do not have the means to purchase beauty products and thought of a way to do so, some will call me an impostor, an opportunist, others, a very clever person.

You have been a blogger since 2008 and never asked these companies for products, which I think is YOUR fault, not mine. They were just waiting for you to ask and offer you anything you wanted but you didn't (so I think we both know deep down who the real idiot is).

Regarding these PR agents, your email address appears on your blog very clearly, and they've looked at your blog before sending me the products, it was their responsability to check that. They didn't do their job properly and would like to hyde their own incompetence and focus on my wrong doings instead, which is fine. But They should really asked themselves "I have been sold a lie" or "Have I BOUGHT a lie".

I must mention to you that I was offered baby products but refused (although I have friends with babies), out of respect for your newborn. So I do have a heart, a soul and certain principles & values. The fact that I'm trying to survive in this corrupted (without hurting anyone) doesn't make have less morals than you. We were all born in different circomstances, you more than me, you have great parents, family, friends, upbringing, education etc. I don't. For example, your baby is born in a very loving family, with both parents, wonderful grandparents and family, educated parents, British nationality, material comfort etc; Another baby somewhere in brazil might be born on the street struggling, suffering, going throught so much, without love. I don't think that the poor child should care much about the jugements of the slightly richer child, regarding his actions to survive. Therefore I do not care much about your opinion of me.

I do not live there so people at the address I gave are victims just like you and will be surprised & shocked just like you.

I have read your post and I would like to present you with my sincere apologies because it was wrong.

Best wishes,

This email was received shortly after I alerted my readers from the pretend email address. I wanted to reply to her on here instead and thought the rest of you should see too!!

OH MY GOD, yes what you did was wrong, and you are certainly not a clever person, you are an idiot. You have the nerve to call me an idiot? My manner does not allow me to respond to you in the way that I truly should. I did not approach those PR companies as I blog because I love blogging and it's an outlet for me, I have never blogged for free products and never will. let's get one thing straight, I do not come from a rich background and I shouldn't have to explain myself, I'm just an average person trying to make the best of things. I think you are extremely ungrateful, a thief and a liar. This country provides for people who are very unfortunate, so be grateful for what you have, it's obviously greed and stupidity that has taken over your mind. Don't preach about people in Brazil and expect me to feel sorry for you or honour the fact you refused baby products. I'm sure you are frightened and consider yourself clever for making up a lie about the address details, but nobody is buying that and it just shows you are incapable of telling the truth. The world wouldn't be as corrupt if it wasn't for people like YOU!

Fraud!

2012-01-27T18:06:00.004Z

I just wanted to make my readers aware that there is someone out there that is pretending to be me to get free products for review. I mean how low can a person be? Then, they have been telling PR companies that their house was burgled while they were away and therefore they cannot review the products. Seriously, like burglars want shampoo and foundation? I tweeted the situation yesterday after one of the PR girls noticed something suspicious when the address provided didn't match the one they had on record. Since yesterday 2 more PR companies have come forward to verify emails.

Bubblegarm@hotmail.co.uk is NOT me!

I only ever use bubblegarm@london.com in conjunction with my blog.

If you are a PR company and have received an email from an impersonator please send me an email to bubblegarm@london.com so I can forward your details to the police. It's so sad that someone would actually do this, but come on, did they seriously think they wouldn't get found out? How clever that they provide address details etc. all I can say is IDIOT and you are not going to get away with stealing my identity.

And a piece of advice to bloggers, make it clear on your blog what email you use and all others should be ignored as I dread to think who else this has happened to, let's stop fraud now!

Update on my hair...

2012-01-17T21:52:00.002Z

While I have a quick minute, and since I was testing my camera I thought I would let you know that I got my highlights redone, this time I had them all over instead of just the t section as the layers at the back just looked too dark and I wanted them to blend in.

For those wondering, I used the Canon 600d with a 5omm on the Auto Focus setting with no flash and captured this image from the mirror. I LOVE my new camera! :)

St Tropez Bronzing Mousse...

2012-01-16T23:50:00.011Z

Yes I fake tan. But, I like it to look natural. I like a 'natural fake tan' and this product gives you exactly that, it will get people asking whether you have been on holiday.

I'm always experimenting with all different types and textures of self tan and have grown to love the St Tropez mousse form. However, I only got to use it a couple of times, as my husband kept stealing it from me as he loved it SO much, he said it's by far the best he has used. It ran out today and it left both of us in a bit of a panic! :)

How I apply: After cooling down from a shower and after exfoliating and shaving. I use a mitt and wait about 5 minutes before I get dressed usually a couple hours before I go to bed.

THE GOOD:

Easy to apply as it's not messy, the mousse doesn't go flying anywhere like a liquid would.
Tinted, you can see exactly where you have applied so you don't get any streaks. The guide colour is pretty good too, you can go about your day still looking normal and naturally tanned.
Beautiful bronze colour that develops nicely by morning, that's not orange or pink toned.
Doesn't smell offensive, infact it smells 'clean'. However, there is a slight fake tan scent which develops after about 8 hours but it's still pretty good for such a strong colour.

THE BAD:

If you sweat while you sleep it transfers on to your bed sheets if you apply just before you go to bed. However, once you have washed the guide colour off, it doesn't.
Not cheap. (Price: £30.64 240ml)

Overall the good points outweigh the bad and it's a fantastic self tanner that I would recommend and will definitely repurchase. My husband informs me that he got about 16 uses out of it which I think is brilliant!

I have also used 'St Moriz' a while back which is the budget option for this, I loved it initially but I much prefer this one, the St Moriz was good for a few uses, but the bottle got SO messy I ended up chucking it in the bin as application really is key.

For more info on the St Tropez bronzing mousse click HERE.

Esra Aaliyah at 3 months...

2012-01-11T21:55:00.006Z

Esra is 13 and a half weeks and she is very squishable, she did some major giggling for me today for the first time ever and I can't tell you how happy I am. Here are a few photos I took of her yesterday...

'Everyday' Make Up Storage...

2012-01-08T21:10:00.011Z

Another storage post!

I was bored of my previous style of storage after going strong for 6 months, now my priorities have changed and when I apply my make up I have to be quick, super quick so I need everything at easy access and don't have time to rummage through baskets looking for a particular product.

I have been sticking to roughly the same products apart from the odd occasion when I decide to be adventurous, so I have decided to just keep my 'everyday' makeup on show.

I have used a rectangular basket to store my shizzle.

I now have space on my shelf for candles, yeyy! (Little things make me happy!) Although I prefer the shelf empty, so I put the candles away once I have stopped burning them. Not that you wanted to know, but I just HAD to tell you! :)

The foundations in the basket are Mac 'Face & Body', 'Studio Sculpt', Bobbi Brown 'Moisture Rich' and 'Extra Repair' which are my current favourites at the moment. A couple of bronzers one blush (Mac 'Well Dressed') and Mac 'Rose Quartz' msf for a highlight. I have included a few brushes and some pencils, concealers etc for good measure.

A few lipsticks my favourites at the moment being 'Hue' and 'Innocence Beware'.

And of course, all of my eyeshadow palettes, I have to have all of my palettes out 'just in case'!

The rest of my makeup is now stored in the acrylic Muji drawers inside my side table so everything is still close by and I can easily get to it if need be. I'm actually preferring this way at the moment as it means I actually get to use up what I have, A few things are almost running out, and normally I would alternate with a different products so I would have half finished pots of everything, now this wont be the case!

Do you have an everyday basket/box for your essential items?

Review: Bioderma Crealine H2O

2012-01-03T19:34:00.011Z

Could it be the best make up remover?

Yes, I think so!

I have had the Bioderma makeup remover on my wish list for AGES ever since Lisa Eldridge mentioned it in her skin care video When my parents told me they were going to Paris for a couple of days, I asked them to bring me back a couple of bottles as it's really hard to get hold of in the UK so that I could put it to the test.

Product Features:

Soothing and emollient, thanks to cucumber extract.
No Perfume
Enables dirt to be emulsified and surface hydrolipidic film to be reconstituted.
Non detergent, non foaming, neutral pH.
Soap free.
Make-up remover and cleansing solution.

In my opinion yes, this IS the best makeup remover, and I have tried plenty! It removes every single trace of makeup without irritating it or leaving any residue. It feels like water on my skin yet it's very effective in removing dirt. My eyes are incredibly sensitive, so I have to be extremely careful about what I use and this perfect as it's very gentle. The Bioderma surprised me in actually how quick it removed eye make up, usually I am there for ages swiping away and using plenty of cotton rounds, with this I only needed 2 and did it in half the time. When I look in the mirror the next morning I have zero eye makeup lurking beneath my eyes, and usually I would detect a little bit. It works out great value for money too as 2 bottles of 500ml are approx £15. So, £7.50 for a bottle is fantastic and a little goes a long way and on that note I give this product a 10/10 and would definitely recommend.

Ingredients: WATER (AQUA), PEG-6 CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC GLYCERIDES, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, CUCUMIS SATIVUS (CUCUMBER) FRUIT EXTRACT, MANNITOL, XYLITOL, RHAMNOSE, FRUCTOOLIGOSACCHARIDES, DISODIUM EDTA, CETRIMONIUM BROMIDE.

FYI: 2x 500ml bottles cost 18Euros from a pharmacy in Paris, I found it online HERE for UK & US customers, I think they ship to Europe too. I have never ordered from their site so cannot vouch for customer service or shipping info.

Have you tried the Bioderma Crealine H2O?

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T22:39:00.009Z

A new year, a new start. I hope 2012 brings everyone happiness and love, and that it is a healthy and good year for all of us around the world.

Yesterday I had some errands to run so left the house in the afternoon with this makeup and didn't have time to touch up and add some glitter *Sigh* but, I thought I would share the look with you anyway as it's still a lot nicer than my everyday look even though it was rushed.

EYES:Mac Constructivist paintpot as a base, (All Mac eye shadows) - 'Vex' on the lid, 'Coppering' in the crease and lower lashline, and 'Carbon' to add a little bit of depth on the outer V, and 'Ricepaper' to highlight. L'oreal super liner 'Black Crystals' on upper lash line, L'oreal Voluminous mascara and Max Factor liquid effect pencil on waterline.

On the brows I used the wax from Sleeks brow kit in Light and a little bit of clear Mac brow gel.

FACE: Bobbi Brown Moisture Rich foundation + creamy concealer. Keromask translucent white powder on t-zone.

CHEEKS: Benefit Hoola to contour, and Nars Super Orgasm illuminator on my cheek bones.

LIPS: Nothing, I hadn't got around to it for the photos, but later on I applied 'Creme Cup' lipstick by Mac.

*Oh how irritating is that piece of hair floating on my face*

I'm yet to use my new camera, I'm still waiting on a few bits and doing some reading! Speak soon! xXx

3 Tomorrow...

2011-12-26T21:51:00.014Z

First, the date above is wrong, blogger is being weird. it should say Wednesday 28/12/2011

Tomorrow is Bubblegarm's birthday, I can't believe it's been 3 years since I first started blogging. I just want to say a HUGE thank you to all of you, I'm still as excited and happy to blog since the first day I started. The past year things have been a bit slow due to pregnancy and having a baby, but I assure you things will be better for Bubblegarm, thank you for sticking with me & for your support. :)

Image of cupcakes - google

To celebrate my blog birthday I have treated myself to a new camera. So expect some amazing shots for the new year.

On a bad note, it was a very bad experience and a case of bad customer service from Jessops.
Here’s what happened...
We went to Jessops (Islington) yesterday and decided on the camera I wanted (Canon 600D + 18-55mm lens) the store price is higher so we reserved online to pick up in store. I obviously needed accessories with it but I had done my research beforehand so I knew price ranges and what to get from where. I informed the sales assistant I didn’t want a tripod from Jessops as I had found one online for £15 from Amazon, he advised me that the tripod was rubbish and spent AGES talking me into buying a Manfrotto carbon fibre tripod as it was on offer for half price for £50, so I agreed to buy it along with a 50mm lens.
Now come to the till and everything was getting put through the team manager informed us that the Manfrotto tripod was NOT on sale for half price and that his colleague had made a mistake and that it had the wrong code on it and that I had to pay full price. I refused and was obviously angry after spending 2 hours in the shop to be convinced to buy something and then be told they can’t do nothing about it. I told them they should honour it as it was their mistake not mine, it’s only £50 instead of losing a customer. After a lot of talking/arguing later the store manager called the area manager and informed us that the area manager refused to honour it. So, we came home empty handed.
This morning we decided to go to another Jessops branch in Wood Green, this time to buy the camera only. We tried to do the same thing by ordering online and collecting in store, we was told the online price had gone up. We said that can’t be, but anyway we still had our reservation at the Islington branch for a cheaper price (they send a text to confirm) which was held until the 30th. The store manager ‘Colvin’ told us he would call them to check, so he did with a attitude problem and then after his telephone conversation informed us that our reservation was wrong and he had cancelled it. By this point we were at boiling point, we had spent over an hour and were still getting nowhere. Colvin insisted we buy the camera at the new higher price, customers were seeing our frustration and curious as to what’s going on, my husband informed them that the customer service was ridiculous and then another member of staff Dina told him to “shut up” and not talk to the customers which was incredibly rude, what kind of a way is that to talk to the customer, haven’t they ever heard of the saying “the customer is always right”? Anyway, we then we almost walked out and asked for a leaflet which explained about a £50 cashback offer exclusive to Canon cameras, we was told they couldn’t give us one without a purchase. Wrong.
Straight after we was on the phone to head office, after the explanation of the situation everything was sorted thanks to Rob the area manager, we got the camera for the price we reserved it for and the tripod for half the price like we was informed and a heap of leaflets. He was apologetic and informed us that infact yesterday he told the store manager in Islington to honour the tripod for the price we was told as it was their mistake. I can’t believe that the store manager in Islington lied to us, she probably felt bad and didn’t want to go back on her word that “head office won’t do anything”. Oh how wrong they were, at the end of it we paid for everything in Wood Green but had to pick up the items from Islington as it was out of stock. You had to see their faces when they saw the receipt. PRICELESS! However, I am extremely upset with the level of customer service, it’s not everyday you get lied to and told to shut up from sales staff, I do hope Jessops train their staff properly from now on and I don’t have to waste my time writing about my experiences.

Moving on....

I have finally taken the plunge to start a baby blog called BUBBAGARM, I have accumulated so many things and a whole bunch of knowledge that I need to pass it on. I'm always trying to create and make space so expect baby storage tips, reviews on products and toys, hauls, Baby OOTD and how to be a yummy mummy!
Check out my first review on the blog for Freddie the Firefly.

Hope you are keeping well, my next post will be a new years eve look! x X x

'Me' Time...

2011-12-26T00:58:00.008Z

I decided to treat myself to one of my all time favourite foundations and concealers, those being Bobbi Brown moisture rich foundation and Bobbi Brown creamy concealer which are perfect to use in the cold weather if you have dry skin. I got them both in the shade "natural". I haven't used these in a while, but those who have followed me from the beginning of my blog will remember me going on and on and on about it.

I got myself a wool brown coat and navy suede clutch from Asos as a birthday present to myself. Yep it's my birthday today, (well, yesterday it's past 12am) I'm officially 27!

My husband also surprised me with this wool jacket for my birthday from All Saints which I am in love with. I have been lucky this year with jackets and coats as my dad also said he's getting me a leather jacket (along with a bag) in the middle of January which I can't wait for!! Don't forget dad! :)

I had some lovely gifts and cards, but the best card was this one from Esra, thank you to my hubby for being so thoughtful, and to my mum for still treating me like her little girl by spoiling me with songs, cakes and a whole lot more!

I hope those who celebrate Christmas had a lovely day!!!

I may try to snap myself some bargains tomorrow if I can drag myself out, are you going 'sale' shopping? Actually thinking about it, I might just do it online instead!

December Treat Boxes...

2011-12-21T17:58:00.010Z

This month I received a couple of treat boxes as I like to call them... One was from 'GlossyBox' who had a red glossy box for the festive month and the other from 'JolieBox' who had a matte black which looks much more chic in my opinion.

Moving on, let's take a look inside!

First let's talk about 'GlossyBox'.

Here's what was inside mine:

Blink+Go Hi-Definition mascara
Cargo Cosmetics Classic Lip Gloss
Deborah Lipmann Nail Varnish (Razzle Dazzle) & stripper sachet
MeMeMe Seventh Heaven Moisturising Face Base
Rituals Foaming Shower Gel

Here's what I think:

When I saw the Deborah Lipmann nail polish which is the perfect shade for this time of the year I was overly excited, the lipgloss & showergel are pleasent to use and I am yet to try the mascara. The MeMeMe face base left me a little confused as it isn't high end to be honest I'm not even excited to try it. I can see from the website that some people got eyeshadows, again it would be nice if we either all got the same thing or had a choice.

Now let's talk about 'JolieBox' who has joined forces with Boudoir Prive.

Here's what was inside mine:

OPI Gold Shatter
Mitchell & Peach Shower Gel
Cid - igloss 'Baby Doll'
Jane Iredale 24 Karat Gold Dust
YON-KA Vital Defence Cream
Kusmi Detox Tea
JolieBox Concealer Brush

Here's what I think:

The star of this box is no doubt the OPI gold shatter, the lip gloss is a nice shade and the brush looks good too, the shower gel will get used up as I just love trying new shower gels for some reason. The Jane Iredale Gold Dust is nice but causes a bit of a mess when trying to use it, the Kusmi tea smells great and I like the tin! The sachet of cream will be interesting to try as I have never heard of the brand Yon-Ka.

OVERALL THOUGHTS

Both boxes hold an array of treats for a £10 monthly subscription, however, this months winner for me has to be the JolieBox as I don't really have anything negative to say about it. There are more subscription boxes creeping into the UK market and due to higher levels of competition they are all out there to impress so, we the consumer can highly benefit at the moment as we are getting a good deal for our ££'s! FYI: GlossyBox have even launched a GlossyBox for men!!!
One thing that I am glad both companies picked up on this month is the perfume samples, the ones I got in the past were not very nice to say the least and I am glad they have been excluded this month. I am actually rather excited about JolieBox as they have teamed up with some great French brands and I can't wait to see what will be included next.
These monthly subscriptions can be a hit one month and a miss the next. If you are prepared to take the risk then these treat boxes might be the thing for you.

Learn more about GlossyBox HERE and JolieBox HERE.

Disclaimer: Both boxes were provided for consideration for review, I was not paid for this post and I'm not affiliated with them, this is my honest opinion as always!!

Are you subscribed to a monthly beauty box?

Mac 130 brush and a travel tip!

2011-12-19T20:47:00.004Z

The 130 brush from Mac is one of my most used brushes!!! It's a short duo fibre brush and almost like a mini version of the 187. In my opinion it's best suited for applying cream products including blush, bronzer, concealer and foundation.

Here's what it looks like compared to the 187 so you can see how small the head is.

I mainly use the 130 to apply my cream bronzer!!

My 130 brush is best friends with my Soliel Tan De Chanel, they get on so well together!
The 130 is the perfect size for your cheekbones and temples. It always pick up the right amount of product and hardly ever sheds.

TRAVEL TIP!

My problem with the Chanel bronzer is that it is NOT travel friendly, it's HUGE and would take up so much space. To fix this problem I decanted (scraped) some of the product into a small travel pot that I got as part of a set from Boots which fits the 130 beautifully.

Perfect in my makeup bag on the go!

Do you own the 130 brush? If so, what do you use it for? And, do you have any travel tips when handling make up?

My little cutie pie...

2011-12-15T19:46:00.006Z

Hi girls, hope you are all well! I can't believe December is going so fast, I honestly don't know where the hours in the day fly to. I currently have the flu, like my life isn't hectic enough but am on the mend. A few more hot tea's, chocolate and some warm clothes later I hope to be back in tip top condition!

Enough of me, I look and feel awful. Let's talk about my cutie pie! I thought I would update you on what Esra wore today, she looks like a little cupcake! She is overly girly as we had a 'mevlit' for her and it was beautiful. A mevlit is a tradition Turks/Muslims do when a baby is born or when someone passes away and even for other special moments in life like a new home. Friends and family gathered to make prayer and enjoy some lovely food.

Here's the outfit....

Leggins with tutu/skirt - Baby Gap
Brown onesie - H&M (I added the crochet flowers)
Headband - I made it.
Booties - Baby Gap

Yum, yum I just want to eat her, but I shall resist. She is now 11 weeks! The headband is massive and looks like a cauliflower on her head but I love it like that! :)

Mwaah!

Hope you are having a fabulous evening!

Salon Review - Gielly Green

2011-12-06T20:40:00.006Z

I have been groomed!!

This afternoon we switched roles with the hubby as I set off to get my hair done and review the Gielly Green boutique salon just off Marylebone High Street in London. Now... I have been using their haircare and absolutely love it as mentioned in my November favourites so had high hopes for the hair experience I was about to get. Needles to say I wasn't disappointed!

The boutique salon is absolutely beautiful, it oozes luxury and is very sleek yet welcoming with its muted tones of earthy colours used throughout the decor, it's a one stop shop for all things feminine. They do hair treatments, brows by Shavata, facials, body treatments, tanning, hair removal, manicures and pedicures (they use Essie polish) and they also have their own product line as mentioned before.

On to my experience...

Here's what my hair looked like before! A bit of *cough cough* a mess. I hadn't had a proper colour or cut in months, the home box dyes and DIY trimming obviously doesn't count!

I had a nice conversation with the colourist 'Tanya' and 'Fred Gielly' the art director and one of the owners of the salon about the colour I wanted. We decided on subtle sun kissed highlights along the T-Section with an overall cooler brown base. Tanya also corrected the results of my DIY home dying as the colour wasn't consistent and a bit too warm toned.

The results of the T-section highlights are beautiful and natural, in the past I have always had a half or full head of highlights which has been too overwhelming.

I had a trim and yes Fred actually did what I asked him too, some hairdressers get carried away and chop off more than you bargained for. The results are luscious long layers and I just love it!

The T section highlights cost £65 with Tanya a junior colourist and the wash/cut & blowdry with Fred (artistic director) costs £115. This for me is on the pricy side, but it's worth it if it makes you feel fabulous, and yes ladies I feel fabulous with my new hair!

A much needed treat for a new mummy as I have been feeling far from fabulous the past few weeks, I'm lucky if my hair gets a brushing, but hopefully my new hair will inspire me to make the extra effort in my daily routine! :)

In case you hadn't realised, I didn't pay for this experience as I was lucky enough to review it for the blog, this has NOT affected my opinion, if I hated it and came out crying you still would have known about it!

Apparently December is the busiest month for getting your hair done, Are you getting your hair done for the festive season?

9 Weeks...

2011-12-03T00:27:00.005Z

Esra is becoming more squishable!

Kissy kissy!

November Favourites...

2011-11-28T12:19:00.008Z

Here are a few things I am loving lately...

YSL Touche Eclat - Perfect to brighten under my tired eyes!

YSL Rouge Volupte #2 Lipstick (Sensual Silk) I forgot how much I love this shade, it's perfect with any look and feels so luxurious on the lips.

MAC Snob Lipstick - Just another lovely cool pink shade...

Maybelline Dream Touch Blush-I love this cream blush it's such a beautiful shade, it's either peach or apricot (it doesn't indicate on the tub) it brightens my complexion with a gorgeous creamy but non greasy finish.

Sleek Luminous Pressed Powder - Beautiful! I have only used it a coupe of times and really love the finish it gives, I'm not sure if I could use it everyday as my skin is so sensitive as I'm wary of my skin breaking out. I would rather use my Chanel pressed powder for everyday use (not that I wear powder everyday!)

TRISH MCEVOY Fan Brush - I have been using this to apply the Sleek powder for a light and weightless application and love the results!

Sleek Eyebrow kit (Light) - I love the wax in this kit, I have been using it non stop!

N-SPA Vanilla Creme Brulee Shower Gel - Smells divine and you can't go wrong for £3!
VICTORIA'S SECRET CupQuake Body Mist - I love layering this on after I get out of the shower, it compliments the shower gel beautifully.
XEN TAN Deep Bronze Luxe - A much needed treat for a new mummy, a bit of a natural looking tan makes anyone look healthy. I love this particular one as it doesn't have red or orange undertones, instead it has a green tinge which enhances an olive complexion creating a lovely faux tan!

GIELLY GREEN HAIR CARE - I was sent these at the beginning of the month, and oh my their range is beautiful, my husband has even been stealing my shampoo for his few millimeters of hair, he says it makes his hair feel "soft"! The deep conditioner works wonders but the serum is my favourite, it smells divine, detangles and softens all without weighing it down. I have been using it on damp and dry hair and I have only used about 10% of it, a definite repurchase for sure!

Moving on!

Meet Orly's 'Fowl Play' from their birds of a feather collection...

I love how it looks black from far away, but upon close inspection you can see the tiny flecks of smooth multicoloured glitter. It took 3 coats to achieve the finish below and application wasn't streaky or difficult. I think it looks rather special...

Other polishes I have been loving and will be loving some more include...

American Apparel - Pinto, Barry M - Indigo, OPI - Jade is the new black, Essie - Sew Psyched, OPI Skull and Glossbones, Sephora by OPI - Metro Chic and Revlon - Facets of Fuchsia.

And lastly my Eeyore phone sock! Very professional I know...

What have you been loving this past month?

I'm off to get a much needed hair cut, I shall update on that later! I did want to do a drastic short haircut but hubby keeps persuading me to keep it long!

Bits 'n' Bobs...

2011-11-20T12:57:00.007Z

I didn't walk away empty handed with yesterdays visit to Superdrug, one can't help being a make up addict and as soon as I saw '3 for 2' I was sold.

Here's what bits I got...

I have been wanting to get the Revlon 'Facets of Fuchsia' polish for ages, but it's always been sold out, finally it's mine!

It has a black base with tiny fuchsia glitter particles along with hexagonal glitters. It's totally gorgeous, and I can't wait to wear it.

I have never paid attention to the 'Sleek' powders before, but after 1 swipe of the 'Luminous powder' in shade 2 (perfect for NC35 Skin tones) it had to be mine as the colour match just seemed spot on.

There are teeny tiny finely milled glitter particles in it...

But, once you apply it to the skin it almost disappears. I'll let you know if it performs as nice as it looks in a forthcoming post.

Now, the brow kit is what I intended to get as it's brilliant.

It includes a powder, wax, brushes and tweezers all combined in a compact that includes a mirror.

I was sent the darker shade a while ago and have used it everyday since. However, even though I'm brunette I found the dark wax to be too harsh on my face, so I went out and got myself the lighter shade which I prefer. See swatch comparisons below.

On the subject of 'Sleek, I don't know how I found the time, but I depotted my Sleek eyeshadow palettes to potentially get more use out of them, and now they sit comfortabley with their other brands of eye shadow friends.

Lastly I'm wearing Orly's 'Sweet Peacock' on my nails, it's a shade I was sent from their recent 'Birds of a feather' collection. It's a foiled blue that's shot through with silver and has a matte finish, as much as I like it, it's not my favourite from the collection. Plus, yesterday my friend said it was a smurf blue, which I totally agree with however, I'm not sure if that's a good thing. My favourites from their recent collection has to be 'Fowl Play', 'Nite Owl' and 'Sea Gurl'.

I must say it feels nice to be thinking about the colour of my nails after not painting them for weeks! :)

Do you own any of the 'Bits 'n' bobs' I mentioned? If so, what are your thoughts?

...

2011-11-18T23:18:00.005Z

Hello all, I thought I would check in to explain why I haven't updated in a while. Basically a couple of weeks ago we went to A&E with Esra as she was having problems breathing, she was coughing, grasping for air and turning blue. We stayed at the hospital for 4 days to be diagnosed with 'bronchialitis'. Thankfully she is doing so much better now and is about 90% recovered. They also tested her bilarubin levels for her jaundice and luckily she didn't need photopherapy and it has cleared up on its own. Thank you to all of you who sent me lovely messages on Twitter.

My precious little sweetie pie is 7 weeks today...

Things have almost gone back to normal and I shall speak to you in my next post! I am in desperate need of pampering...

Top 5 Eye Brushes...

2011-10-27T12:52:00.007+01:00

I own SO many brushes and out of the lot these are the ones I use everyday and night for a flawless application of my eye makeup!

Now, don't necessarily look at the brands of the brushes, look at the SHAPE instead.

For a typical look these are the brushes I use in order

MAC 242 - This is a flat synthetic brush which I use to pack colour onto my eyelid, I may even use the tip to add precise crease definition. This is the only type of brush that I can use to reflect the true colour of an eyeshadow, a fluffy e/s brush just doesn't give you the same effect.
SMASHBOX #30 - This is a great pencil brush with just enough softness to blend out the colour in the crease or outer corner. Mac or Sigma's pencil brush doesn't blend out as well in my opinion.
MAC 217 - This is the perfect brush to blend an array of colours into the crease, you can even use it to apply a wash of colour onto the eyelid and as a concealer brush. A must have for sure!
ELF LIP DEFINER - I use this brush to highlight the inner corers of my eyes and under my eyebrow, it's tiny and soft to help achieve a perfect blended look.
SMASHBOX #10 - The most amazing blending brush ever, I don't use this to lay down any colour unless I want subtle colour payoff, I use this to blend blend blend. This is the secret to the blended looks I achieve, no look is complete without a "swish swish" from this brush!!

What are your top 5 eye brushes?

Update...

2011-10-26T21:30:00.019+01:00

Hello girls!

Thank you for all of your kind messages, I am doing well and Esra will be 4 weeks on Friday! I haven't been able to update as things have been hectic anyway but on top of that I caught a cold and unfortunately passed it onto Esra. I have recovered but she hasn't just yet! :( She also has a bit of jaundice, some days we think it's cleared and some days it's still visible, we have an appointment on Friday with the doctor and she may refer her for photopherapy, we shall see! She is feeding well, having lots of wet nappies and still keeping us awake at night so the jaundice hasn't really affected her, it may even just be her complexion?! Breastfeeding is much better now and dare I say I may even be getting used to the sleepless nights? I have learned to apply my makeup in record time (when I actually decide to apply some) and have loved discovering some "shortcut" products along the way.

My little angel is sleeping right now which is why I am able to update! :)

Oh and also, some of you have expressed concern as you know that I am Turkish. My family is well thank you, we are from 'Bursa' which is on the complete opposite side of where the earthquake hit. May god help those families who have lost loved ones!

Speak soon! xXx

Untitled...

2011-10-16T20:28:00.009+01:00

Hey girls!!!

I'm 16 days postpartum and doing well, I have good days and bad days. I still feel drained and exhausted because of sleep deprivation and breastfeeding. I seriously never knew that breastfeeding would take so much energy out of me. Did you know that it burns approx 500 calories a day? I'm constantly eating and trying to keep my eyes open. It has got easier and I'm glad I stuck with it, the first few days were awful and painful no matter what I tried, I couldn't stop crying as it hurt so much but now it almost feels "normal" and me and Esra are very appreciative! :) You never quite understand what a mother goes through to take care of her child until you become a mother yourself!

We went out for a meal last night and I managed to apply some makeup and look half decent!

Esra is changing everyday, she is focusing a lot more and becoming more alert.

My mum finished the blanket she was making for Esra, it's incredibly beautiful. Thank you Annecim!

It's quite large which is fantastic as when she is older, I want to use it as a throw on the edge of her single bed, my mama is also making a decorative cushion to match!

Esra is incredibly lucky as she was also gifted this handmade crochet blanket too! This one is quite small and looks pretty draped over her car seat! :) My Mother-in-law is making Esra one too which will bring the total to 5! Lucky girl! :)

I have plenty of posts prepared but I need a million espressos to keep my eyes open so I can type and update, however even that's a 'no' as caffeine and breastfeeding don't mix! No seriously, I will be updating more frequently, I have so much to share! x X x

Products I'm loving right now...

2011-10-10T16:27:00.006+01:00

I have been enjoying a few products that are proving to work wonders on my sleep deprived exhausted skin, here's what I have been loving and would definitely recommend for new mamas or for cheering yourself up after a night out!

1) THE SANCTUARY YOUTH REVOLUTION - I have particularly been enjoying the skin renewal glycolic peel mask which I use 1-2 times a week. It gives me just the boost I need when my skin is feeling and looking incredibly dull. I can't really go for a facial so I'm trying to take care of my skin at home. It's a 30 day programme that also has a serum and I have used it on and off for about 3 weeks and am enjoying the results. I will do a full review if further miraculous results occur.

I just LOVE masks that you can peel off your face!

2) YSL TOUCHE ECLAT - Perfect for illuminating under the eyes to brighten them and make them look more awake! I honestly can't be without this, I usually apply on top of my concealer for more of a bright eyed look.

3) MAC STROBE CREAM - I haven't been wearing hardly any makeup as I don't have time, the strobe cream adds a pretty glow to my face and makes it look more healthy and not as traumatised. :)

4) CLARISONIC - I mainly use this at night but am really relying on it at the moment as it boosts my dull complexion and is keeping it clear!

5) BEAUTE GIRLINA LIP CREME - On the odd occasion that I have worn makeup I have always opted for 'Girlina' a pretty pink shade, it's moisturising and adds the perfect amount of colour to my face and just brightens it up, I'm almost out of it - boohoo!

6) BURT'S BEES 'MAMA BEE' BELLY BUTTER - I have been applying this all over my body concentrating more so on my belly, my belly has shrunk almost back to my pre-pregnancy size and I couldn't be happier. Breastfeeding really has helped, I haven't done anything extra to speed things up. The linea nigra is fading and I haven't had any stretchmarks on it, some people say you get them when you shrink back down but that hasn't been the case for me, maybe this cream has helped?! However I used Neals Yard 'Mothers balm' during my pregnancy and that is a miracle oil I tell you! I love this cream a whole bunch more as it's natural and 'Esra' doesn't seem to mind it even when smothered on my breasts whilst breastfeeding.

7) BURT'S BEES 'MAMA BEE' LEG & FOOT CREAM - OH MY GOD, this is THE best foot cream EVER! It tingles when you put it on and it just relaxes you, it's unbelievable the difference it makes. The day after I had given birth my feet were swollen and looked like a giant, as soon as I rubbed this on it.. it felt like heaven! Hubby has also tried it and completely agrees with me!! :)

A huge thank you to Tali for gifting me the 'Mama Bee' products along with pressies she got for Esra, I have also been using quite a few Burt's Bees baby products and am in love with them also!

8) LAURA ASHLEY 'PINK PETALS' EU DE PARFUM -This is such a light fresh floral scent that has been perfect for everyday, it smells like fresh delicate flowers and I can't stop sniffing myself! :) Fragrance notes include water fruits, rose, frangipani, muguet, musk, sandalwood and olibanum. This is exactly what I would expect from a Laura Asley scent, the bottle is beautiful as is the delicate designs on the box it comes in.

What products are YOU loving right now? Also, I need a good awakening eye cream that basically de puffs and gets rid of dark circles, does such a thing even exist? I know all eye creams "claim" to but which one REALLY does?! I have a few favourite eye creams but need something MORE, my eyes look terrible!

Disclaimer: The Laura Ashley perfume & Youth Revolution kit was sent for consideration for review, I wasn't paid for this post and I'm not affiliated with them. Honest opinion as always.

Daddy's Little Girl...

2011-10-09T23:10:00.011+01:00

It's been a beautiful and very exhausting 9 days since Esra was born into this world, here are a few photos from the past few days that I wanted to share with you...

I love this one of hubby and Esra, he is such a wonderful Dad!!

Esra is also Mummy's little girl!!

Snapped this one this morning!

How cute is this one of her? Mwaah! (Mashallah)

We can't stop staring at her!

I totally forgot to include this pic in the last post from the hospital, it just makes me so happy. Allah hepimizi nazardan korusun inshallah.

Thank you all for your sweet messages, comments and emails, we are all doing well. It has been a hectic week and we are trying to adjust to our new lifestyle. I am breastfeeding Esra so I feel extra drained and try to make the most of every minute, me and the hubby are very sleep deprived but I think we are getting used to it, well I hope so anyway! :) I didn't expect breastfeeding to be so difficult and painful but it seems to get a little easier each day and I hope I can keep it up. I also didn't expect my stomach to have decreased in size quite dramatically in such a short period of time *yey* I can't wait to be out and about in "normal" clothes and heal completely. I am so grateful to have a wonderful caring husband and a healthy beautiful daughter, I thank god everyday for the life I have been blessed with and pray that the happiness is never taken away from me. I try to express my gratefulness in every way and wish all the happiness in the world to everyone around me.

I have plenty of posts lined up but I just don't get a chance to log on, I haven't replied to emails so I just wanted to also say sorry. I haven't had any time for myself which is normal and I'm not complaining at all. Hopefully we shall speak again soon, and thank you all for your support throughout my pregnancy journey! :) x X x

Meet Esra...

2011-10-02T13:54:00.010+01:00

This is little 'Esra Aaliyah Emin', I gave birth to her naturally in water on Friday the 30th of September at 21.36. She weighed 2.81kg and was 50cm tall. Words cannot describe how me and Hubby feel right now, Esra is so precious and everything seems so unreal.

When I woke up on Friday morning I had mild contractions that were only a tiny bit more uncomfortable than your average braxton hicks. By about midday they got a little stronger and so we went to the hospital/birthing centre as they told me to come in, I was checked at approx 3pm and then sent home as I wasn't dilated at all. We came back home and the contractions were closer together and lasting much longer causing me excruciating pain and penty of screaming so we went back to the hospital and I was checked at approx 7pm and I was 3 cm dilated. At this point I was told I would be checked again after FOUR hours which made me go a little bit crazy and I wanted to kill the nurses. I was begging for them to give me painkillers, cut me and knock me out as I couldn't do it. After about 1hr I was screaming and telling them I need to push and I was checked and at 8cm, I went into the pool and she was out by 9.36pm. A water birth is truly amazing, I did it all by myself whilst only using gas & air and it was crazy and beautiful that she was born into my hands. I'm so thankful that my labour was quite quick even though it was terribly painful, I'm so out of it right now as I haven't slept much the past couple of nights, but it's SO worth it! :)

Esra – Origin: Turkish/Arabic Meaning: Night journey, from the surah ‘Isra’ from the holy quran.

Aaliyah – Origin: Arabic Meaning: High, exalted and gracious.

She looks so much like her Daddy! She's so cute, I want to squish her but can't as she is so tiny! :) Her hair is a dark blonde/light brown colour and her eyes are blue at the moment but I think they will change to green. Babies are such miracles, I can't thank god enough for being blessed with a healthy beautiful baby.

Speak soon and thank you for all the lovely messages on Twitter. x Xx

Blue Eyeliner FOTD!

2011-09-29T23:38:00.006+01:00

No sign of Baby bubbles yet, still waiting! The days are dragging and each day seems longer than the day before.

Today I decided to wear the blue eyeliner that I mentioned here and here's how the look came out...

To be honest I wanted the blue to be much more vivid, it doesn't look as bright on the eyes as it does swatched on the hand which is a real shame but again you get what you pay for. I think it would of worked better if I didn't apply a base, not sure! But nethertheless I still love the way this look turned out, it's a nice 'pop' of colour and it just WORKS!

However, I think I need to invest in a better quality blue eyeliner as this one faded easily, if you have any recommendations do let me know, I think Nars does one and I shall have to look into it.

PRODUCTS USED

FACE: Mac Face & Body Foundation (C3) Mac Sheer Mystery Powder lighty dusted. YSL Touche Eclat.

CHEEKS: Soleil Tan De Chanel and Urban Decay Baked bronzer in 'Gilded' as a blush.

LIPS: Estee Lauder 'Vanilla Truffle' lipstick

EYES: Urban Decay Primer potion, Mac 'Brule' e/s all over, Miss Sporty Neon blue eyeliner on top lash line, Mac 'Omega' and 'Trax' e/s blended into the crease and lightly under lower lashline + mascara on top lashes only.

I'm sure I can come up with a few more ways to wear blue eyeliner, how would YOU wear it?

Pick me ups...

2011-09-29T13:56:00.008+01:00

New nail polish always makes me super happy. My latest 2 additions are Essie 'Super Bossa Nova' and 'Sew Psyched'and I *heart* them both!

I decided I needed an electric blue eyeliner in my life, which I found along with some other random things which I call 'Pick me ups'....

MUA: Eyeliner Bright Orange - I don't know what possessed me to buy this apart from the fact that it was £1 as I don't know if I could rock it on the eyes, but it looked cheerful and I thought it would make an interesting lip colour.
MUA: Black Liquid Eyeliner - This was worth a try just because!! It has a really nice thin tip applicator & creates a nice precise line, (I wore it in yesterdays post) However, you get what you pay for, it doesn't last very long and crumbles away.
Miss Sporty Neon Blue Eyeliner - This was THE reason why I walked into Superdrug as I wanted an electric blue eyeliner and didn't want to get a high end one as I probably wouldn't wear it too often. I swatched every single brand at Superdrug and this was by far the most pigmented and vivid electric blue of them all. I'm so excited to try a look with this!
Barry M 'Candyfloss' Lip Lacquer Crayon - This is a new shade and it caught my eye so had to be mine, it's a nice cool toned pink that has hints of very fine lilac & pink glitter. See my review HERE for the cherry red shade.
Barry M Gold Eyeliner - This just looked very pretty swatched, nothing else to say.
Barry M Lip Paint 53 Coral - Again not much to say, it's a nice muted coral shade that looks teeny tiny bit frosty.
MUA Shade 9 Eyeshadow - I hate powdery eyeshadows which are often associated with "cheap" brands so usually wont even take a glance at them. However, I spotted this shade and it looked like a dupe for Urban Decay's 'Mayhem' which is my favourite purple e/s (See a look I did HERE) and for £1 I had to buy it as my 'Mayhem' got smashed and now rests in peace.

See swatches...

Here's the bright orange on my lips!

I do like bright lips but still don't feel comfortable wearing it but LOVE it on others! :)

Another 'Pick me up' is a good light hearted read, I spotted Sophie Kinsella's 'Mini Shopaholic' and thought 'perfect'!

Uhmmm and yes I made more headbands! But these are more dainty and more suitable for a newborn, whereas the other ones I made are a bit chunkier and more suitable from a few months onwards. I'm bored people what can I say?!

Ahhhhhhh I seriously can't wait to put my baby girl in these, the one with the flowers that go all the way around the head is my favourite, it will be great for pictures!!

Have you purchased a few 'Pick me ups' lately?

Leopard print...

2011-09-28T20:37:00.011+01:00

Here's my outfit for today!

It was surprisingly hot and sunny and I decided to rock a comfy black and white leopard print maxi dress with a khaki crop top. Now, I'm not the biggest fan of leopard print but felt that this look was acceptable and felt pretty good wearing it! :)

Dress: H&M
Crop Top: Topshop
Belt: H&M
Earrings: F21

I teamed with some metal peacock earrings, wooden bangles and leather bracelet.

*BOOM* Here's a side view! I'm 39 weeks + 4 days, I'm due to give birth this Saturday! Soooo, excited!

I had my hair half up, half down...

My make up consisted of winged eyeliner and neutral everything else.

What's the weather like where you are? And, how do you wear leopard print?

DIY - Decor Details...

2011-09-26T19:14:00.006+01:00

For me, it's not just the way I present myself that's important, it's my entire space which is my home. I just can't stop jazzing it up. Some of you have been kind enough to notice and compliment me on my decor skills! *Thank you* :)

I love personalising things as I always like to have something a little bit different to everyone else. I have done a few little DIY jobs around the bedroom, and I wanted to share them with you so that you can do it too!

I put a picture frame up above my bed and instead of framing a "normal" picture, I used a dried flower. Anyone who sees it comments on how interesting and unique it looks. The cost? Nothing, just dry some of your fresh flowers inside a book. (The picture frame is from Ikea)

I added some crochet flowers in the shape of a heart onto a cushion I already had...

Obviously this is a bit hard to do if you can't crochet, but you can always use beads, buttons, fabric and anything else you can think of to embellish cushions to really customise them and make them your own. The cost? £2.20 for the yarn & I already had the pearl beads.

Lastly, I really wanted some interesting candles but had difficulty finding them in the colours I wanted. I managed to find a khaki candle for about £2 and I wrapped around some paper flowers that I joined together like a daisy chain. You can tie ribbons, feathers or whatever else goes with the theme of your room. The cost? Nothing, the paper flowers were from my wedding.

Don't be scared to personalise, but be warned once you start you will not be able to stop!

Are you inspired to any DIY decor details to your bedroom?

NOTD - Disco Nails!

2011-09-25T23:36:00.006+01:00

Nope, no disco or celebration in sight. Yet, I paint my nails like this which is totally inappropriate at the moment but hey I wanted something 'jazzy', and I totally got jazzy disco ball nails!

I used Orly's 'Shine' and Barry M's hologram hexagram glitter polish layered on top.

I can't stop looking at my nails! I go through phases of loving glitter layered over my polishes and then forget about them. I don't have many glitter polishes but I really like this hologram glitter and it works great with cooler colours, another favourite of mine is Maybelline's 'Flash Cosmic'. I also really badly want Milani jewel FX in Gold ever since I saw this post on Ebru's blog.

What are some of your favourite glitter nail polishes?

Closet & girlie organisation for small spaces...

2011-09-24T01:21:00.025+01:00

I live in a small 1 bedroom flat, when I got married I found it REALLY hard to share storage space with my husband. Gone were the days I had 3 wardrobes and all the space I wanted. Now, I have to share a room with baby as well.

Storage and organisation isn't about pretty, it's about functionality and keeping things neat and were they are supposed to be. Here's how I have made it work...

Behind the door I have a wardrobe, On the rail I store jackets, shirts, skirts and scarves. I like to organise by types of clothing and then by colour.

On the shelf I have some jackets folded, a box of all my hair extensions behind, my pyjamas on the right, behind that I have swimwear and socks. I have my vests folded in a box in the middle as I use them most often, I like storing them this way as I can see each colour clearly.
My scarves/shawls are tied onto a 'trouser hanger'.

I have some shoes at the bottom, if you store a pair of shoes with one facing towards you and the other facing away you can fit much more in a row.

On top of the wardrobe I have baskets that house my bags...

I have a chest of drawers, but only the top shelf is mine as the bottom 2 have been dedicated to 'baby bubbles'.

In that drawers I have some of my tops folded into a basket so I can see everything, and some 'feminine' things on the right.

The top drawer has a secret drawer which stores my earrings and rings. I have used acrylic storage from Muji to keep them organised.

My lingerie used to be in the chest of drawers but now I keep them under the bed. I have 2 plastic boxes, one has 'bras' and the other has 'bottoms', behind that is a big box that houses all of my 'sets'.

I also keep this box under the bed which has all of my bracelets, bangles & cuffs.

I also have a built in 'closet', we took the door off to create more space...

Next to my bed I have a side table, "normal" people store books and lamps on this. I store suitcases, the top one holds all of my lotions & potions, the bottom one holds more beauty products and my brushes. Open the door and you will find nail polishes stored inside acrylic Muji drawers with hair products next to them. The shelf in between has a box full of my skincare. Who knew a tiny side table could hold so much?

I didn't have space for a dressing table so I made do with this, these baskets hold my makeup whilst looking clutter free, and I'm all about clutter free.

Oh and "Woopsie" I also have an overflow of makeup in this caddy that also lives under the bed.

Here's what's inside the built in closet... Mainly dresses, again organised by colour.

I have my belts hanging on a belt hanger...

I needed LOTS of space for my necklaces...

I have nails in the wall and I hung them all inside the closet behind my dresses.

On top I have jeans, trousers, leggings and some 'seasonal' things. My wedding dress is in the cream canvas bag on the left, and I have my bed linen on the right which are rolled up. My perfumes sit on the top shelf as I don't wear the items on the bottom that often.

On the bottom I have plenty more things...

I have shoes, I got this shelf from Costco and it works great!

I made use of the sides of the closet by hanging more jewellery, hats and hair tools. Under my hair dryer I have a box for my rollers and hair clips/accessories so it's at easy reach. Furthermore, I have my 'winter' scarves, hats & gloves in a basket.

....And that's how I store my "junk"!

I may change things up a little depending on the season but generally it stays this way. Organisation has to be practical and save you time by being able to find and put back what you need to.

Here are some of my tips:

First things first, I got rid of a lot of clothes over the past couple of years. You need to purge and I purged good and it's something I keep up. Get rid of anything you feel 'crap' in, anything that doesn't fit and anything you haven't worn in the past year, be ruthless!
Decide if you want to organise by 'type' or 'colour'.
Explore new ways of folding or rolling your clothes, you will be surprised how much space you save and how easy it is to find things.
Asses what works for you with your existing storage and keep it that way, decide on what would make life easier, for example if you have to wear black 5 days out of the week put those items at easy reach.
Look into baskets, boxes and shelves! It's amazing how much more stuff you can squish into them. I recommend checking out 'TK Maxx 'for pretty boxes if you want them to be on display.
Don't go crazy spending money on 'organisational' products, make use of what you have at home, like I said it's not about pretty it's about functionality and creating solutions for your storage.

Do you have any tips for organising in small spaces?

Pregnancy Tips / Advice..

2011-09-21T22:19:00.016+01:00

I don't know whether once your pregnant you realise everyone is else is pregnant or it's just me! Try going to Ikea, it's baby bump galore! I wanted to share with you some of my tips as thank god I have had quite a smooth pregnancy and hope that others can benefit from my experience and views. Obviously each and every person and pregnancy is different so you need to cater for yourself. Here are my top tips if you are expecting....

Photo: Me at 28 weeks!

Don’t eat for two and eat only when you are hungry. However, during the 1st trimester you may feel quite nauseous so you may need to force yourself to eat nutritious meals. You actually only need an extra 200 calories towards the very end of your pregnancy, so don’t go stuffing your face and put on too much weight too soon. If you do fancy naughty foods try not to have too much, although it’s almost impossible to restrain yourself during the last month! There are some foods you need to avoid so get googling!

Drink plenty of water and take folic acid and prenatal vitamins if you need to.

Do some kind of exercise, whether it be walking, swimming, yoga etc. My favourite has been walking as it’s the most convenient.

Apply some kind of oil to your bump and breast area every single day to help prevent stretch marks. My favourite has been the Neal’s Yard Mothers balm.

Your bra size is going to change, so constantly get measured, and also note that you will be different sizes in different shops. Make sure you are not wearing underwired bras during your pregnancy as this can obstruct increased blood flow and compress the developing milk ducts. I got a couple nonwired but padded bras from M&S which have been great, but I found Mama’s & Papa’s maternity bras to be the best and most comfortable. Furthermore you NEED to invest in a sleeping bra, because your breasts are getting larger and if they go south they stay south so keep them where they are even when you are sleeping. You could also try pyjama cami tops with built in support which works just as well.

Invest in a body pillow, you are going to need it so the sooner you buy one the more use you will get out of it, I used the ‘Dream Genii’ but any one will do.

Take care of your skin, it’s going to get sensitive and you may need to change your skincare routine. I loved using Avene.

Pregnancy fashion doesn't have to be boring, embrace your bump and rock plenty of accessories! Don’t go crazy splashing out on maternity clothes, do the elastic band trick for as long as you can for your existing jeans. However do invest in some maternity jeans or jean shorts for comfort. I have found H&M to be the most affordable and recommend checking out their range (they also do longer tops which work great with a bump). You will also need some maternity leggings to team with dresses that are going to become shorter as your bump grows or try to buy very low waisted bottoms that sit under the bump which will work too, I had a pair of jeggings and they have been invaluable during my pregnancy. Treat yourself to maxi dresses, kaftan tops, and anything flowy, stretchy or empire line as you can wear these with waist belts after your pregnancy, oh and buy your normal size! Don’t buy things 3 sizes too big.

Organise! I don’t have to say this because the ‘nesting’ instinct will naturally kick in. But, seriously a clutter free house means a clutter free mind and the more you get done before the baby comes the easier life will be. Have your hospital bag ready by 36 weeks at the latest!

Decide on names before someone else declares they have decided for you. You will change your mind a million times (I did) but, it makes life easier once you have decided as you can start to prepare things. If you find out the sex of the baby then you can personalise the nursery or ‘corner of our bedroom’ in my case.

Read plenty of books and do as much research on the Internet as you can, google and You Tube are your best friends. Compare and really think about essential items such as a pram, car seat, cot etc.

Don’t freak out about the ‘exit’ of baby in your last trimester, whatever is going to happen is going to happen. Write a birth plan and get as much sleep as you can, which is damn hard I tell you!

Oh and pamper yourself, just becuase you are having a baby it doesn't mean you neglect yourself! It just means you may have to speed things up a little. Mac Face & Body foundation is perfect for a luminous natural glow, and combined with some Chanel bronzer makes anyone look 10X better.

Here's me today at 38 weeks and 4 days just waiting to go into labour - 9 days until my actual due date! I found out yesterday at my hospital appointment that her head is as engaged as it's going to be before she actually 'arrives', it's marked as 1/5 which means 4/5 of her head is actually engaged, woo! This means I go for a pee every 15mins but oh well! :)

Wow I had so much to say, I even surprised myself! All the best and good luck to all the yummy mummy to be's! x X x

38 Weeks...

2011-09-16T23:12:00.002+01:00

Almost there, just a little more waiting!

Today's finds...

2011-09-14T21:27:00.009+01:00

I just couldn't resist!

All in one bear suit for the little one. (£14.99 H&M) Perfect for Winter!

Body suit (£2.99 H&M) and frilly bottoms (£3.99 H&M) These will be great PJ's!

In case you hadn't noticed, I have a thing for candle holders...

And apparently I needed a 'honey pot', how did anyone survive without one?

Candle holders and honey pot from 'Home & Pantry' boutique. They sold me the lot for £20!

I also got this basket organiser system from 'Butlers' to store baby nappies, creams etc. (£7.99)

Apparently no trip is complete without buying some yarn...

I saw this cushion (image below / Source = Google) and am inspired to make something similar!

What did you buy today?

Theatre of the Nameless...

2011-09-13T19:47:00.008+01:00

The new collection for Autumn/Winter from Illamasqua is 'Theatre of the Nameless', I have tried 3 products and I'm impressed but, one in particular is a standout for me personally.

The collection has a good variety and a lot of things look tempting (too tempting) and wearable apart from the lipstick. I find that sometimes Illamasqua as a brand ignores the 'everyday wearable look' which is great for them as it makes them what they are, but I think it's great that this collection has something for everyone.

The standout product for me is the precision ink in 'Havoc'.

Now, I have tried the precision ink before in 2 different shades in the past and was very unimpressed, it didn't dry quick enough and the texture was just wrong. However, now I think they must have reformulated it or I just had dodgy ones because 'Havoc' is purely amazing. I have worn it everyday for the past 3 days and absolutely LOVE it.

'Havoc' is a deep aubergine shade that almost looks black/brown. It's not as harsh as black and looks great for daytime. It applies smoothly, dries quickly and does NOT smudge or budge all day. Here's how I wore it today...

Mac 'Brule' e/s over the lid, 'Satin Taupe' lightly in the crease, Illamasqua 'Havoc' precision eyeliner on the top lash line and Max Factor false lash effect fusion mascara (I hate this mascara btw).

I will be taking 'Havoc' with me in my hospital bag to jazz me up! :)

The other 2 products I have tried are the cream pigment in 'Androgen' which is a warm pale peachy shade that looks perfect on the lips or as blusher, the powder pigment in 'Zeitgeist' is a black with silver sparkles that's great for creating a smokey eye.

See swatches...

Are you loving anything from this collection?

Disclaimer: Products mentioned were sent for consideration for review, I was not paid for this post and this is my honest opinion as ALWAYS!

Waiting....

2011-09-12T13:38:00.012+01:00

Today I'm 37 weeks and 2 days pregnant. The days seem to be dragging as the suspense to meet the little one builds up. Me and the hubby are both eagerly waiting and nothing else seems important right now apart from the safe delivery of our baby girl.

I'm doing well, and feel so blessed that I have had quite a smooth pregnancy so far. Last week I was given another scan as even though I feel and look HUGE, apparently my belly was measuring small. After the scan it was confirmed that baby was measuring fine and as should be, it's just I'm carrying small probably because my frame was quite petite to begin with. I'm still using the Neal's Yard 'Mother's balm' and I have no stretchmarks to report in case you were interested. Oh and they said it still looks like a girl! *yay* :) Not that it matters as long as the baby is healthy!

We also got our pram/stroller system which was gifted to us from my parents and grandparents. We opted for the Bugaboo Cameleon with a dark grey base and off white top/ tailored fabric set and I am in lurveee with it! :)

I was also initially considering the I candy peach but it's way too heavy and the colour choice isn't great, the Bugaboo Bee was another option but it just looks SO tiny yet it weighs the same as the Cameleon.

Onto the photos!

Here's what it looks like with the carrycot, I have all the bits and pieces and can't wait to push my little baby girl around in it. Also, in case you were wondering we opted for the Maxi Cosi 'Pebble' car seat which also attaches onto the chassis of the pram.

Me and the hubs are really happy with the colour combination choice we made, the dark grey really compliments the off white/cream colour and if in the future I want to change the off white I can just simply buy a tailored fabric pack and transform it completely. Everything is machine washable and easy to use, I did SO much research on prams so if you have any questions just ask! :)

It matches the crochet blanket I made perfectly! :)

I'm still finding things that I need, some latest purchases are this change mat that I got from 'John Lewis' and a sleeping bag I got from 'TK Maxx'.

Oh and my mum and her friend started a new blanket, here's the first piece, furthermore my mother in law also started one which I'm yet to see! :) Baby bubbles is one lucky girl who's going to have lots of pretty handmade blankets! :)

I'm praying I can meet the little one shortly, my hospital bag is near the door and ready for action! Speak Soon! x X x

Chocolate...

2011-09-11T20:28:00.003+01:00

I dyed my hair a couple of days ago and I love it! I thought going darker would be the most practical and easy to manage being 37 weeks pregnant and about to give birth. It means I have no roots, my hair looks longer and healthier and my face looks more alive.

I used Clairol's Perfect 1o in the shade 'Light chocolate brown' (6WN). I got this because I was aiming for a medium chocolate brown and knew it would turn out darker, I have already washed my hair twice and the shade still looks rich and lovely... *Yay*

Enough typing, onto the photos....

Here's the make up I'm wearing just in case you were wondering....

FACE: Mac Face & Body Foundation, Mac studio finish concealer + YSL Touche Eclat
CHEEKS: Soleil Tan de Chanel, Benefit 'Hoola'
EYES: Benefit 'Hoola' in crease, Mac 'Silver Ring' e/s on lid, Illamasqua 'Havoc' precision liner + Max Factor Fusion FLE mascara.
LIPS: L'oreal Cappuccino lipliner and Mac Viva Glam Gaga lipstick

Hope you had a lovely Sunday!

Are you going darker as we approach the colder months?

Top 10 Mac Eye Shadows...

2011-09-10T17:00:00.003+01:00

I can always trust my Mac palettes and reach for them the most out of my collection. I love the practicality of them all being in a slimline palette and the overall quality of shade and texture.

Here are my favourites....

I chose them based on which 10 I would repurchase immediately if god forbid *panic* my palettes disappeared.

Here they all are swatched:

Top Row: Ricepaper, Naked Lunch, Woodwinked, Romp, Cork

Bottom Row: Vellum, Sumptuous Olive, Humid, Steamy, Club.

Ricepaper - This is my ultimate favourite inner corner highlight, it adds a beautiful pale golden sheen that compliments my complexion perfectly.
Naked Lunch - A gorgeous pink toned champagne colour that works great all over the lid on lazy days and to highlight and illuminate tired eyes,
Woodwinked - An easy everyday all over lid colour that you can blend into the crease for a quick polished look, the bronze/gold sheen adds intensity without much effort for a glowy look.
Romp - A beautiful warm bronze shade that you can never go wrong with, it just looks amazing whenever I wear it combined with ANY colour.
Cork - This is my everyday crease colour, I can layer it for intensity or just blend a tiny bit for a softer day time look.
Vellum - I absolutely love this on the inner corners of my eyes, it's a white with a slight blue/lilac sheen which really brings out the green/hazel in my eyes.
Sumptuous Olive - This is just a beautiful way to wear colour without overdoing it, it's the perfect olive green with hints of gold.
Humid - My favourite green, me and the hubs picked this out together so it makes me feel good when I wear it, it just adds a beautiful green sheen that compliments my complexion and enhances them, I love combining it with darker colours in the crease for a night time smokey look.
Steamy - I like to wear this mainly on my lower lash line with a more neutral colour on top, but I like it on the lid combined with something like 'Carbon' to smoke it out for an evening look.
Club - This is the colour I opt for if I'm in a rush and want a quick smokey look, it has a duo chrome finish with hints of teal and brown, it's definitely one to check out.

What are some of your favourite Mac eye shadows?

Oh btw I dyed my hair darker, my comp has been messing up and I'm behind on everything and no I haven't given birth yet! X

Humid + Contrast = Love

2011-09-04T01:47:00.006+01:00

Yay, a make up post!

This evening me and the hubs went to the cinema to watch 'The rise of the planet of the apes' which was amazing btw. I whipped out my trusty Mac palette and immediately opted for 'Humid' eyeshadow, a striking green as it's one of my favourite colours.

PRODUCTS USED ON EYES:

All Mac eyeshadows: 'Humid' all over the lid, 'Contrast' in the crease & outer corner, 'Vellum' on inner corners, and 'Brule' to highlight.

Nars smudge proof e/s base + Urban Decay 24/7 pencil in 'Zero' on waterline and smudged onto upper lash line + Max Factor false lash effect fusion mascara.

I LOVE the effect, it cheered me up and made a nice difference to some of the more 'boring' colours I wear. I love the green combined with the navy and the beautiful 'sheen' finish it gives off. I need to wear these colours more often!

OTHER PRODUCTS USED:

Christian Dior Skin forever nude foundation
Mac Moisturecover concealer
Soleil Tan de Chanel
Mac Rose Quartz MSF
Estee Lauder 'Crystal Baby lipstick

In case you were wondering how huge I am at 36 weeks.....

All smiles!

Do you wear green eyeshadow often? How do you make it work?

Craft Cupboard...

2011-09-03T16:33:00.005+01:00

First of all, please excuse the lack of posts. Today I am officially 36 weeks / 9 months pregnant. I have also officially organised and re organised anything you can think of. The nesting instinct certainly hit me bad.

Here's the latest project I was working on....

I'm lucky enough to have some built in hidden storage in the living room. Well, hidden storage is a bit of a glamorized version. It's actually an electrical cupboard. :)

I have soooo much junk and I wanted them to be all grouped together and easy to find. A small book shelf, some nails, a hammer and a lot of thinking later, here's the result and how I ended up organising everything. I still had to have access to the electrical cupboard so the only thing I have to move out of the way is the sewing machine.

Here's a closer look...

I'm so proud, I think every girl should have at least a craft box, and if you are a little obsessive like me, a cupboard. Although I do wish I had a craft ROOM which would double up as a make up / dressing room! Ahhhhhhhhh.... :)

Feeling crafty?

Here's a quick DIY tip.

Don't throw away your empty jars, yes really. Instead, clean them off and cover the lids with pretty paper, I used some from Paperchase. You can use them to store whatever you want and they look super cute!

Speak soon! x X x

Eid Mubarak!

2011-08-30T19:41:00.011+01:00

I hope those celebrating Eid had a lovely day, I sure did filling my belly up with plenty of sweets and chocolate! :)

Image: Source

Here's what I wore, nothing exciting really as hardly anything fits anymore! *Smiles* But look at my bump, it's actually massive (PROOF) the black is very flattering I must say! Well, I'm 36 weeks (9 MONTHS) on Saturday so hopefully it's not long before I can try and fit back in to my normal clothes! (Wishful thinking!)

My make up was also "safe", I opted for winged eyeliner and muted pink lips.

I'm thinking if I should do anything to my hair just before I give birth, I think a change would be nice, but I'm not sure what?! I do want to chop it all off or dye it a completely different colour, but then I also like it long, I'm just confused!

I added some volume to my hair with some hair care products that I tried for the first time today, they were all from Lulu's Place. which were thickening and sulfate free. I'm pretty impressed with the results so far as I did zero backcombing but I need to try them again without the rollers to see if it's still as good. I will keep you up to date on that, yes the packaging is tacky but I still like it in a weird way! :)

Oh and I finished the crochet blanket yesterday....

I love it, it's so cute! I'm so happy I attempted to make it and actually accomplished it. It's quite small, but will work great with the pram! I also want to thank you all who left me the sweetest most encouraging comments in my last post about the baby bedding, you are all very kind thank you!

How was your day / Eid? And, what volumising hair care products do you use?

When hard work pays off...

2011-08-26T12:52:00.009+01:00

I finished the baby bedding yesterday, I'm really happy with the way it turned out and wanted to share with you what it looks like...

I have been doing lots of sewing, applique and embroidery for the past few days and I feel like it's finally paid off. I tried to keep it as simple and as fresh looking as possible with accents of feminine colour.

For those wondering I used a tiny £60 sewing machine from Argos which has been brilliant! I hand stitched the applique on to the bedding and then hand embroidered the 'cross stitch' with the brown for extra decoration and to bring it alive.

I knew I wanted a bird Incorporated in the design and here's what the little birdie looks like with it's pretty bow! :)

Here's the heart decoration I gave you a sneak peak of in a previous post...

It ties from the sides with cotton ribbon and I placed it on top of the bumper, I can move it around wherever I want in the future.

I also made an underskirt sheet to cover the bottom bit of the cot so I can use under the bed as storage but keep it looking clutter free.

I even made a rattle to match! Crazy? Me? Yes!

The white cotton fabric I used was recycled from a bed set I no longer used. The white/cream fabric I used for the rattle and main body of the bird is from the 'Cloth House' on Berwick St, London. The rest of the applique fabric is from the 'Cath Kidston' range at John Lewis and the buttons I used were from a market stall.

I'm inspired to make even more things.... Are you inspired?

Pop Fiction...

2011-08-25T18:05:00.003+01:00

I just couldn't resist this shade whilst browsing the aisles of Superdrug yesterday, it was literally screaming at me, and all I could think was "I need this on my nails right now". Nail polish is a great way to get your mind of things (baby things) as you don't have to worry about it fitting and it's particularly pleasing when it's as cheap as chips.

Meet 'Pop Fiction' (No 34 on the bottom) by Miss Sporty - £1.99

It's a perfect electric blue with a cream finish. The brush on this is wide and flat and coats the whole nail. It's dried really quickly with no streaks, and it needed 2 coats. It actually seems pretty good quality for what it's worth!

I feel like the shade is a perfect transition colour between the seasons, it's still summery yet dark enough to go with Autumnal shades too. I also have this on my toes and it looks AMAZING! :)

I have a thing for blue...

This shade fits nicely in between a couple of my 2 favourite hues, Essie's 'Lapis of Luxury' and Barry M's 'Indigo'.

What's your favourite blue?

I have gone bananas...

2011-08-20T14:33:00.011+01:00

Yes, I have indeed. It seems crochet, applique and everything else craft related has taken over my brain. It's been 2 weeks since I last updated and there's so much to fill you in on. I'm 34 weeks pregnant today and I think the panic is kicking in. Overall I'm well, apart from headaches, heartburn, exhaustion and being HUGE!

What have I been doing? I have been crocheting MORE hairbands. I have made about 12, I'm stopping now, I promise! :)

So, since I'm not making anymore hairbands... I have jazzed up a few onesies with crochet embellishment on the centre front and arms. They look SO cute!

I have also almost completed the cot bedding, Here's a sneak peak at some of it, I made the stuffed hearts out of some of the fabric I'm using for the applique...

Enough of the baby stuff, and for some ME updates, I just repurchased a fresh bottle of Mac Face & Body foundation, my ultimate favourite! I also got the new Sleek 'Nude' collection through the post this morning which looks AMAZING, I will update you with swatches and a FOTD very soon. There's so much more to say but I guess I will just elaborate in forthcoming posts!

I checked out the newly opened Forever21 in London, I walked away with some accessories and a top! There was some lovely stuff and some horrible stuff, but it's still a store that is much welcomed by me in London.

What have you been up to? x X x

32 Weeks (8 Months) Pregnant!

2011-08-07T19:40:00.005+01:00

Today I am 32 weeks and 1 day pregnant. This means I have a minimum of 4 weeks and a maximum of 8 weeks to give birth if she is not overdue. It's actually really exciting and I can't quite believe that I am going to be a mummy very soon. :)

Each week my bump is getting bigger and it's becoming harder to move about, I'm still fine but I underestimate my size and frequently bump into things! All is good apart from the occasional heartburn and shortness of breath, I just can't wait to meet the little one!

Hubby: "Why are you huffing and puffing?"

Me: "I'm not, I'm out of breath"

Hubby: "But you didn't do anything"

Me: "I did, I rolled over"

We finally have the cot and it looks beautiful, it makes me smile every time I look at it. My mum came back from Turkey on Friday, and the blanket you see draped over the cot is one that she had made especially for baby bubbles, it's beautiful and I LOVE it!

She also got some lovely bedding but we are going to personalise it and make it even more beautiful, so I will show you at a later date. She also got some other bits and bobs but look how crafty the teddy is in the pic below, you can use it as a changer or sleeping spot - you can tell my mum is so excited to be having her 1st grandchild, my dad is also ecstatic I think he's even trying to give up smoking to set a good example! *Yey*

My wonderful hubby surprised me yesterday with the quilt that I wanted which I thought wouldn't fit, it's a bit big but I have tucked it under, he also got a mobile that plays "hush little baby" Awwww! :) This means I will have 2 sets of bedding which is perfect, the other is a white set so it will be nice to switch it up sometimes. It's all coming together and I can't wait until I hold my precious little one in my arms. :)

Oh did I tell you maternity leave makes you bored. very bored? Well it does, there's only so much you can do before you start getting crafty. I YouTube'd how to make a crochet baby hat and I actually made a hat and matching mittens, I'm actually quite smitten with myself as I didn't think I would be able to manage it. GO ME!

I didn't stop with that I also made a blanket which I will show you soon and I have gone a bit crazy making hair bands. I woke up at 07.30 this morning and I found myself crocheting, you had so see my hubby's sleepy eyes when he caught a glimpse of me.... :) I have made 4 so far to match some of her outfits and I am amazing myself with new techniques that I can do which I never knew I could and am having so much fun doing it.

Anyway, I can go on and on and on....

Until next time, kisses from me and baby bubbles! x X x

Review: Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers!

2011-08-03T19:20:00.005+01:00

Worth the hype?

I don't think so.

Last week my Mac eyelash curlers that I have been happily using for about 2 years broke on me. I declared the situation an emergency and purchased the much talked about Shu Uemura version to see what all the fuss was about.

I came home and did a quick comparison with the Mac curlers and errrrrr they look exactly the same! Some people have mentioned that the curve of the rubber band on the Shu curlers is different but to me it's identical to the Mac one. See photo's below, the Shu curlers are the one's on the right in every picture.

Do I have any complaints? No!

It preforms great, but so does the Mac one. It curls my eyelashes really nicely but did I need to spend £20? No, not really. If these break on me, then I will probably repurchase the Mac curlers as it's almost half the price.

Have you tried the Shu Uemura eyelash curlers?

Little Treats...

2011-07-29T18:19:00.007+01:00

Today I shopped a little.

Earrings: Accessorize

I really couldn't resist these Ottoman'esque earrings, they are just stunning and I can't wait to wear them!

Top: H&M

This looks great with my bump, it's really feminine and flattering! I may wear it tomorrow and snap some pics!

Hair clips/bands: H&M

One can never have too many of these...

Mothers Balm: Neal's Yard
Body Butters and Shower Gels: The Body Shop

This is my 3rd and probably final tub of the mothers balm, I just LOVE it! The body shop body butters are a great all round body moisturiser and the satsuma and grapefruit scents just make me happy! :)

What have you treated yourself to today?

Indigo...

2011-07-28T19:21:00.004+01:00

This isn't a colour I would particularly pick for summer, but it works! I decided to treat myself a couple of days ago to this 'Indigo' shade by Barry M.

It's a sophisticated pop of colour, a little unusual twist to a classic dark blue and I love it. I have applied 2 coats and the Barry M top coat.

BABY BUBBLES UPDATE

Oh my, I'm 30 weeks and 5 days pregnant now and I feel huge, it's like the past week I have ballooned and I quickly feel out of breath as my uterus is really pushing against my diaphragm, but all is good, I can't complain. I made the most of the tiny little bit of sunshine we had today and whipped out my yellow maxi dress which clashes nicely with my nails!

Have you tried this shade of nail polish?

GlossyBox...

2011-07-25T18:26:00.011+01:00

GlossyBox is a UK subscription programme that sends you 5 miniature (sometimes full size) products each month for you to test at home for £10.00 + £2.95 shipping. If you live in the states you may have already heard of Birchbox, GlossyBox is the UK's alternative.

Here's July's box...

Here's what's inside...

Blink false eyelashes - Tease
Ciate Nail Polish - Mojito (13.5ml - Full size)
Perfume Samples - Archives 69 & 'Like This' Tilda Swinton
Illamasqua Pure Pigment - Twinkle (1.3g - Full size)
Weleda Pomegranate Regenerating body oil (100ml - Full size)

Check out prices and what else could have been included in July's box HERE.

Click the image below to enlarge for clearer swatches.

My thoughts on July's GlossyBox: It's amazing that there are full size products with this month, the Weleda body oil is the standout product for me. I would have loved a more neutral nail polish as the green just isn't that wearable. The eyelashes look great, I hated both perfume samples and the pigment from Illamasqua is "OK" nothing breathtaking.

My thoughts on GlossyBox overall: I think it's a fantastic concept and great value for money, especially if you are a product junkie like I am, I get to try new products each month without breaking the bank. I like not knowing what's in the box each month as it's a nice surprise, but it would also be great if we could select shades to suit us rather than end up with something we don't like. But I suppose it's a lucky dip, you win some you lose some. It also bothers me that my July GlossyBox can be different from your July GlossyBox. I know that a few people got different items, it would be fantastic if we could preview the box from a month before so we can choose what we would prefer.

For more info visit: www.glossybox.co.uk

Disclaimer: This box was sent for consideration for review, I was not paid for this post and I am not affiliated with them. HONEST opinion as ALWAYS!

30 Weeks Pregnant.. CHIT CHAT!

2011-07-23T13:59:00.012+01:00

The baby now measures approx 39cm and weighs 1.3kg. I feel her movements getting stronger each day! There are 69 more days to go, here are a few photos from today...

I love my bump! It's amazing that in 6 weeks I will be full term and I will be that much closer to holding my precious little angel. :)

The days are getting closer and I still feel like I have so much to do. The past week I have been going totally bananas with options for cot bedding. Yesterday, I picked up some fabric samples from 'Cloth House' thinking that I may perhaps design and make my own. But, to be honest I would rather find a gorgeous ready made one from the shops and save myself time.

I showed you the fabric letters I picked up from Mamas & Papas a while back, and want to pick out the creamy colours for the bedding and have accents of brighter colours in the accessories.

I also picked up this chicken shaped pillow from the same range (Made with love) at Mama's & Papa's, it's just so cute!

I have these postcards that I purchased from Paperchase when I was only roughly 8 weeks into my pregnancy, I thought IF I have a girl they will look perfect in frames on the wall. The illustrations are so adorable...

Back to bedding, I really do like this quilt from Mama's & Papa's but it doesn't fit the Ikea cot that I want, I may buy the bigger option and cut it down, ahh so confused! My dad also said he might have one made for me in Turkey, so I'm just waiting for confirmation and then I have to REALLY decide.

I started crocheting some flowers, I might make a pillow, or even a cot mobile, a headband or decorations for something else out of them.

I saw this blanket on the Internet whilst browsing and fell in love, I'm going to have to ask my mum or her friend to make it for me, isn't it beautiful! I would make it myself but I would take forever, I need a pro! :)

Lastly here are a couple of inspirational tranquil nursery photographs. I wonder what my little corner of the bedroom will look like, it's proving difficult but not impossible to have the nursery in our bedroom. Don't worry I will show you pictures once it's finished. I can't wait to see what it will end up as myself! :)

I love the little details in both of these photos, isn't the nappy stacker so cute!

Enjoy your weekend, if you have any tips on saving money and space, and even nice places to buy baby bedding PLEASE leave me a comment! :)

Lots of love from me and baby bubbles! x X x

The winner of the peshtemal is...

2011-07-22T17:53:00.004+01:00

Laura from Essex, CONGRATULATIONS! Please email me your full name and address to bubblegarm@london.com and I will forward your details and hopefully your lovely blue peshtemal will be sent to you pronto!

Thank you to everyone who entered! x X x

Beach Bag Essentials!

2011-07-15T19:11:00.007+01:00

What's in your beach bag? Here's my essentials in my gorgeous straw beach bag from Accessorize..

BIKINI - H&M
SHELL NECKLACE - My own design.
HAT - Accessorize
SUNGLASSES - H&M
ICED WATER - Put a bottle of water in your freezer the night before to keep it chilled all day long!
MP3 PLAYER

SPF - Avene 'Hydrance Optimale' SPF20 for face, Avene 'very high protection spray' SPF50 and Garnier 'Golden Protect' SPF15.

Reading material

Hair band and clips

Waterproof makeup bag - H&M

Waterproof Mascara - Urban Decay Cannonball

Lip Balm - Softlips SPF20

Colour Awakening Lip Balm - Dior Addict Lip Glow SPF 10

And then you need something else...

Peshtemal - Etsy

What is a 'Peshtemal'?

A 'Peshtemal' is a traditional Turkish towel, used in the Turkish baths/hamams for centuries. It exists since the Ottoman Empire and was an essential for all the Sultans. It absorbs water as fast as towels yet weighs much less, it dries quickly and holds less space in your bag. The Peshtemal provides a practical, cost-effective and eco-friendly solution. It is made of %100 cotton yarn and hand woven.

It comes in many colours and sizes, you can use it like a normal beach towel and even as a cover up!

WIN THIS...

My cousin is the owner of the Etsy shop BeautyAndSpa and she has agreed to do a giveaway for my readers! *YAY* For your chance to win this beautiful 'Ocean blue peshtamal', For your chance to win just leave a comment below and make sure you are a follower of my blog. I will pick somebody at random and will announce the winner after 7 days.

GOOD LUCK... What's your beach bag essentials?

Disclaimer: I was sent the pink peshtemal as a gift from my cousin and loved it so much that I wanted to share it with you, I wasn't paid for this post and I'm not affiliated with her.

Vintage E/S Everyday FOTD...

2011-07-14T23:22:00.012+01:00

I keep doing the same makeup look lately, it's quick, easy and looks very natural.

FACE - Mac Face & Body Foundation
CHEEKS - Soleil Tan De Chanel, Mac 'Rose Quartz' Mineralised Skin Finish.
EYES - Jemma Kidd 'Vintage' e/s, Jemma Kidd 'Earth' pencil eyeliner (upper outer lash line), Mac 'Zoom Fast Lash' mascara.
LIPS - L'oreal Cappuccino lipliner, Mac 'On The Scene' Creme Sheen Glass.

I LOVE this 'Vintage' shade by Jemma Kidd, it's perfect for an everyday look particularly when in a rush as I apply it with my finger all over the lid and blend it out and that's it. The shade is a cool toned golden champagne which has a beautiful sheen. I was sent it a few months ago and I have got so much use out of it that I had to share it with you. This shade is everything that I wanted Mac 'All that glitters' to be.

The texture is very soft, smooth, buttery and highly pigmented, it's almost the same colour as my skin but with the added 'glow' factor. It lasts all day, doesn't crease even without a base and I can't really fault it, I even prefer the texture to Urban Decay eyeshadows.

I dropped my e/s on the floor some time ago and it cracked which is why it's in the state that it is, but that hasn't stopped me using it!

An added bonus, here's an everyday outfit! I'm wearing my maternity jean shorts from H&M, a baby blue top also from H&M, a knit cardigan, a very cool belt from 'Sisley' my 'Fat Face' bag, brown flip flops and dark wooden jewellery.

What's your everyday eyeshadow that's your skin colour but with the 'glow' factor?

Disclaimer: The 'Jemma Kidd' products were sent for consideration for review, I was not paid for this post and I am not affiliated with the brand. Honest opinion as ALWAYS!!!

Lime Green OOTN + FOTN...

2011-07-14T11:53:00.006+01:00

It was my hubby's birthday yesterday, here's the fruit "cake" I made him minus the actual cake because he's so damn healthy! :)

In the evening we went to one of our favourite Turkish restaurants, "Gallipoli" in Upper St, Angel. The atmosphere, food and service was top notch as usual.

I wore a lime green dress, well it was a dress when I purchased it a few months ago, thanks to my 28 week pregnant belly it transformed into a top! :)

Dress: H&M
Leggins: Topshop
Belt: Reiss
Shoes: Miss Selfridge
Scarf: H&M
Bag: Vintage

My jewellery is from the old bazaar in Bursa, Turkey.

I used my GHD's to curl the ends of my hair very loosely...

THE MAKEUP!

FACE: Mac Face & Body Foundation.
CHEEKS: Soleil Tan De Chanel, Mac 'Rose Quartz' MSF
EYES: Mac 'Smoked Ruby' mineralised e/s, Mac 'Ricepaper' e/s, Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner 'Espresso Ink', Mac 'Zoom Fast Lash' mascara and Mac clear brow gel.
LIPS: L'oreal 'Cappuccino' lipliner, Nars 'Turkish Delight' lipgloss.

Can I just say how much I am loving the 'Rose Quartz' msf from the 'Semi Precious' collection? Just did. It gives such a pretty glow to my cheekbones, here's a pic in natural light...

and with flash!

Have you worn lime green this summer?

Cutie Pie Peanut...

2011-07-10T13:46:00.006+01:00

He's the best!

Enjoy your Sunday!

28 Weeks - 7 Months Pregnant!

2011-07-09T18:02:00.006+01:00

Today I'm officially in my 3rd, and last trimester of pregnancy! Woo :)

The baby now weighs over 1kg, and can measure up to 38cm. She can open her eyes and turn her head in my womb. She is getting used to blinking and now hopefully has eyelashes. Her fat layers are forming and her bones are almost developed. Apparently I will gain 5kg in the last trimester.

Here's the baby bump, my lovely little lump..

I have 12 weeks until my due date and I can't wait, I feel like time is dragging but then I stop and freak out and think "I'M NOT READY"! I still need to organise and get so much stuff. I'm going crazy nesting and thinking about layouts, colour combinations, and space saving. The good thing is we have decided on the buggy we want which is the 'Bugaboo Cameleon', it's lightweight and does everything I want it to do. I think I want a dark base and a cream top. I realise cream may sound crazy but I have stopped and questioned so many people on the street and nobody is complaining. Plus everything is washable so all is good.

Overall I'm feeling good and don't have any complaints, with regards to symptoms, I'm peeing A LOT more and I am experiencing some heartburn which is supposed to mean a full set of hair. But, I doubt that will be the case, I was bald and so was my husband so I'm not expecting much, but time will tell! :)

Baby Bubbles is kicking a lot more and each time I'm happier and can't stop smiling!

I did a quick trip to the Monsoon kids section yesterday and found these...

Seriously who can resist? Even more reason to buy them when they are on sale!

I love the detailing on these white linen trousers, I have been buying all these pretty things in 6-12 months as I want her to be comfortable in them for next summer. ROLL ON NEXT SUMMER! :)

Oh and the hubby got her a little Arsenal kit with her name on it on the back, it's SO adorable!

I'm loving reading 'Pregnancy & Birth' magazine and 'Babies - The mumsnet guide' which has some great tips and advice! I totally recommend reading as much as you can, you can never have too much information.

Kisses from me and baby bubbles, thank you for all of your support with my pregnancy posts! x X x

Mac Semi Precious Haul...

2011-07-07T19:29:00.007+01:00

I checked out the new collection 'Semi Precious' by Mac this morning as it launched in UK stores today.

I got 3 things!

Here we go...

SMOKED RUBY (Mineralised Eye Shadow - Melange of burgundy and black) This eyeshadow has a blackened deep brown base with veining of a darkened red which when swirled altogether creates a rich brown shade that's shot through with red and black. It's smooth, buttery and incredibly pigmented even when used dry and without a base. I applied this in the store to my entire eyelid with my fingers and it looked beautiful, perfect for creating a quick and interesting sultry eye. I own nothing like this as it's not the sort of shade I typically go for, but once I had swatched and applied it, it just had to be mine!

GOLDEN GAZE (Mineralised Eye Shadow - Melange of gold and black) This is a beautiful golden bronze shade that has a black base. When swirled and applied it has a vivid golden sheen that's shot through with black. It's smooth in texture, buttery and incredibly pigmented even when used dry and without a base. This eye shadow was the standout of the collection for me personally, it's simply divine and will be great for summer with plenty of gold and bronze jewellery!

Swatches...

SEMI PRECIOUS ROSE QUARTZ (Mineralised Skin Finish - Rosy pink base with inner circle of silver, lime, white-pink, and copper) The outer side of this msf is a peachy pink which applies with a slight sheen, the centre part is a cool pink toned beige and has some glitter and I love the colour when it's swirled together. It can be used as a blush or highlighter depending on your skin tone. It's pigmented and what you see is what you get, however I wish the centre part was a little smoother in texture, but nevertheless it's still a fab product.

Swatches...

Here are some closer swatches, I have compared 'Rose Quartz' to 'Stereo Rose' msf and 'Daft Pink' mineralised blush.

The OUTER portion of 'Rose Quartz' is reminiscent of 'Stereo Rose' but a pinker version. The swatches speak for themselves so I'll stop typing!

I also grabbed a mini fix+ for my handbag, how cute!

OVERALL THOUGHTS ON SEMI PRECIOUS:

EYE SHADOWS - There were 12 and not all of them were pigmented and smooth, they looked pretty in the pot but were mainly disappointing when swatched. In my opinion the two I grabbed were the best of the bunch!
BLUSHERS - BORING!
MSF's - The design of these are a little weird but I don't mind them. The lighter 2 looked almost identical and too much like a highlighter, the darker one which was bronze was pretty but too glittery to use as a bronzer. 'Rose Quartz' was the most pigmented of the bunch but I would have loved if the texture was a tiny bit smoother but it's still beautiful.
BRUSHES - What the hell were they thinking!?!
LIPTICKS / GLOSSES - Some were pretty but dupable and nothing special.

FYI: Fashion Flower launched today too, but I totally skipped that, it's pretty but boring.

What are your thoughts on 'Semi Precious'?

Nars Dogon Eyeshadow Duo...

2011-07-06T20:16:00.011+01:00

I ignored the Summer collection from Nars this Summer until last Friday. I simply couldn't resist this duo once I had seen the colours swatched for myself, particularly the gorgeous taupe shade.

Meet 'Dogon'!

The lighter shade is a shimmery taupe that has a duo chrome finish that has a subtle hint of a green tinge with no glitter. The darker shade is a very dark navy that has a matte charcoal feel to it.

See swatches below! Seriously, how beautiful?! *ahhhh*

The lighter shade from the 'Dogon' duo reminds me of a much paler/muted e/s which is 'club' by Mac. Once you layer the lighter shade on top of the darker shade it creates a beautiful charcoal/navy with hints of taupe and a subtle green shimmer through it which then looks more like 'Club' but without the brown. 'Vex' e/s by Mac is a veluxe pearl e/s which will work well together with this duo for a more toned down daytime look when combined with the lighter shade.

See comparison swatches...

I have been wearing the 'Dogon' duo for daytime and nigh time looks. I have tried it a few different ways with alternating crease and lid colours but here's my favourite way to wear it.

Cue EOTD! (Eyes of the day)

The taupe shade all over the lid, the darker colour as a liner and blended into the crease.

I also used a brown pencil eyeliner from Jemma Kidd, Mac Zoom fast lash mascara, and Mac 'Brule' e/s as a highlight. In my brows I have Mac clear brow gel and I slightly filled them in with Rimmel eyebrow pencil in 'Hazel'.

For a more daytime look I use less of the darker shade and if I want to intensify it for the evening I add more of the darker shade in the crease and smoke it out on the lower lash line.

VERDICT = Totally wearable, I say this is a perfect duo to throw in your makeup bag and it's far more interesting than most shades. I have also just used the taupe shade on it's own and it looks amazing blended out into the crease and looks like you put more effort into your look than you actually did. Also, technically you get 3 colours when you layer both colours from the duo together. Well worth the money!

Are you feeling 'Dogon' or anything else from the Nars Summer collection?

Clutter free makeup storage...

2011-06-30T18:56:00.006+01:00

I'm a happy bunny today, I found another way to store my makeup!

I found these little baskets from Butlers that were reduced to £2.99 each, so I grabbed 5! (Yes they come in different colours.)

Here's a before and after shot. I loved the way my makeup was stored before but no matter how I positioned things it looked cluttered and I wasn't happy with it and constantly kept swapping from acrylic storage to pretty boxes. Now it's clutter free and adds a more airy feel to the room!

I Absolutely love it, the hubs was impressed too! :)

Here's how I organised things...

Lipsticks
Lipglosses and bases
Blushers
Bronzers and some Sleek palettes
Pencils, eye stuff and Mac palettes

How are you storing your makeup?

Check out my previous STORAGE posts for more organisational ideas.

June Favourites

2011-06-28T13:24:00.012+01:00

My favourites mostly stay the same all year round, but here are my loves from the past month...

Bumble & Bumble Gel The multi talented sculpting medium - I always use gel, mousse or hairspray to smooth my hair back when I put it up. The past month I have been loving Bb's gel to sculpt my hair when it's up or down. I have been curling my hair then running a blob of this all over and brushing it out which gives a lovely non sticky finish.

Garnier Body Tonic Sugar Scrub - I have always LOVED this to exfoliate my legs and rediscovered it again, It's fresh, gritty and lathers up well revealing radiant skin.

Avene Hydrance Optimale light hydrating cream SPF 20 - As I mentioned in my 'Pregnancy Skincare' post, I have been using mainly Avene products on my face due to the sensitivity. This cream is ultra light, non greasy, quickly absorbed, hydrating and gives a matte finish all with an SPF of 20. Perfect summer product if you ask me!

RE9 Arbonne Cellular Renewal Masque - This IS a wonder product! I was sent this along with a range of other skincare as I'm a judge for the UK Beauty Awards and wow am I glad, I have been using it once a week for the past few months and my skin has improved so much. It contains AHA's, Gycolic acid and lots of natural oils. It's only advised to be used at night as it makes your skin go RED. The first time I used it I was actually REALLY scared as it looked like really bad sunburn, but it faded after an hour or so. The day after I use it I wake up to the most beautiful soft and clear skin, after a few uses my scars from previous spots have almost diminished. Cellular renewal it is, I actually feel comfortable going out without makeup now.

On to the makeup!

Soleil Tan de Chanel & Mac 131 Brush - These two are best friends, I love that I get no hairs in my product with the 131 and pick up the right amount to bronze my face. PERFECT!

Mac 'Hue' Lipstick & Smashbox 'Pout' Lipgloss - I just can't get enough of these shades, 'Hue' is a pale pinky nude that compliments any eye makeup and 'Pout' is a blue toned pink that refreshes my complexion. I sometimes wear them together and sometimes alone.

Urban Decay Cannonball waterproof mascara - I have been loving using this in the humid weather, it doesn't budge, transfer or clump. It holds a great curl and I don't have to worry about panda eyes!

Maybelline Dream Touch Blush (16H13R) - This is a peachy apricot cream blush, it has a smooth consistency and I have either been applying it with my fingers or the 131 brush to give my cheeks a warm glow. LOVE IT!

Sleek Monaco Palette - Yes, I have still been loving this palette from the Mediterranean collection and here are a few looks I did with it that I managed to take pictures of. For some this palette looks unwearable but for me it's fantastic as I love pops of colour and I feel like it just depends on what other colours you combine it with.

Using 'Summer breeze' a matte pale mint green...

Using 'Sunset' the shimmery copper..

Using 'Midnight Garden' the matte navy...

What are your June favourites?

OMP!

2011-06-28T11:21:00.006+01:00

I'm a little late on this one but everyone has been commenting and asking tons of questions about what's been on my nails the past week, so I thought I would clarify.

It's a shade called 'OMP' which stands for 'Oh my Pink' by Nails inc. I would describe the colour as a pink toned (blue based) red which sometimes looks a little coral but with no orange undertones. Confused? Think Mac 'Impassioned' or 'Toxic Tale' lipstick. It's currently a personal favourite for summer due to the unique undertones!

The colour is a little hard to photograph but you get the gist! (2 Coats - it was opaque in 1, no base and top coat.)

Unfortunately the shade 'OMP' is part of a limited edition set for 'Fabulous Magazine', so you can't just buy it from a Nails inc salon. The other shade in the set is called 'Atomic' and is a vivid orange which I haven't tried yet.

To get your hands on this set you will have needed to collect three tokens printed over four weeks in Fabulous magazine in 'News of the world' paper, which started on Sunday 19th June which you can redeem from Tesco stores from 3rd July.

LIST YOUR DUPES BELOW... Or dig out your Newspapers!

Keep up to date with beauty deals in the UK with Money Saving Expert!

Sunday...

2011-06-26T16:25:00.004+01:00

Today is incredibly hot, the weather in London is as unpredictable as the lottery. I have been chilling with Peanut and the family, here are a few pictures....

When it's hot I don't bother with that much makeup, today I opted for sunscreen in my moisturiser and then slapped some Mac Face & body foundation on, Chanel cream bronzer, some eyeliner, mascara and I did have Mac 'Hue' lipstick on that's faded.

I'm still loving maxi skirts and pops of colour, I'm loving statement jewellery like always and dug out this bronze necklace that I got from H&M years ago... Still loving it!

Hope you are well, I am now on leave from work and things will get back to normal on the blog, I have SO many posts planned! Thanks for supporting me all the way! :)

Peanut, and baby Bubbles send their kisses!! xXx

What are you wearing in the heat?

25 Weeks..

2011-06-18T21:32:00.007+01:00

My mind at the moment can't really focus on anything but the baby hence the lack of posts lately. I'm still working, but next week is my last week so I can't wait to put my feet up and relax! I still feel good but tired and have a little back pain, but it's nothing serious.

Here's what the belly looks like today, I'm exactly 25 weeks pregnant (6 months + 1 week) and I feel her moving constantly. They feel like mini kicks and punches which sometimes keep me awake at night, but I love it! :)

I went a little crazy in the 'Baby Gap' sale, I would show you but there's far too much! Ooops! :) We have decided on what cot we are getting which is a small one from Ikea, and the style of bedding I want. We fortunately got a feeding chair from Ikea already and I love it. However, I am so undecided on a pram. I want one that is suitable from birth and will last her until she grows out of it. It needs to be lightweight as I live on the 2nd floor and we have no lift so I need to think about how I will manage when I'm alone. So far, we are thinking of either the Icandy 'Peach' or 'Strawberry', or Bugaboo 'Cameleon'. But, then there's always the one's from Mama's & Papas and then I have to decide on a colour! Oh decisions decisions.... Any advice and suggestions would be great! By the time I have this baby I'm going to be an expert in pregnancy I tell you! :)

So far, I am loving my bump and dressing for it, all is good and I hope to update again soon!

Kisses from me and baby bubbles! x X x

New Cushions for the bedroom..

2011-06-12T00:08:00.004+01:00

I felt like I needed to lighten things up so I purchased these cream cushion covers from H&M and I LOVE them!

I want to hang something big and white on the wall too just to break up the print and switch a couple more cushions. I might even change the wallpaper completely, or paint the wall white, I haven't decided yet!

As you know I'm pregnant and we only have 1 bedroom so I have to incorporate the nursery into our bedroom and I want it to look as serene as possible! HELP!!!! :)

I also recently got this pendant light from 'Laura Ashley' which is beautiful and really adds a cosy touch to the bedroom. Now I need a small lamp...

Any space saving tips on incorporating the main bedroom with a newborn baby will be much appreciated!

So far, I know I want to have some kind of pullout storage for under the crib, I want to put a little shelf above the crib with cute baby toys on it, with the fabric letters that spell her name above. I want everything to be clutter free which is going to prove difficult but I need to make it work somehow....

Lust...

2011-06-08T23:58:00.003+01:00

If you have hazel, green or brown eyes you need this pencil in your life.

The pencil I am on about is Urban Decay's 24/7 glide on eye pencil in 'Lust' which is an intense slightly metallic purple. I use mine a lot, probably just as much as I use 'Zero' the black version. In fact my pencil is tiny now, but today I realised just how much I love it.

The pencil itself is creamy, non scratchy on my sensitive eyes and lasts all day.

On my face I am wearing:

FACE - Urban Decay Tinted moisturiser (Shade: Bulletproof) Mac studio finish concealer and moisture cover concealer under the eyes.

CHEEKS - 'Soleil Tan De Chanel' bronzer and Msybelline mousse bronzer in Apricot.

LIPS - Mac 'Hue' lipstick

EYES - UDPP, 'Lotus Flower', 'Bamboo' and 'Sand Walker' e/s from Sleek Monaco palette. Urban Decay 24/7 liner 'Lust' on upper lash and waterline. Maybelline Falsies mascara.

Voila... Impact without much effort!

What colour are your eyes, and what colour do you like best to enhance them?

23 Week Pregnancy Update!

2011-06-06T19:13:00.005+01:00

I'm 23 weeks and 2 days pregnant and I feel great!

The baby is now a little more than 500gms and measures about 29cm. Her hearing is established and can make out a distorted version of my voice and my heart beating along with my stomach rumblings.

The biggest part of my belly now measures almost 35". My tiny waist which used to be 24" now measures 30". I started off my pregnancy at 59kg and dropped to 57kg due to morning sickness. I now weigh 62kg which is quite good, I thought I would of put on a lot more weight at this point but thankfully I haven't.

I can now feel her moving a lot more frequently, it feels like soft taps which are sometimes quite hard. I can also see my belly move slightly when she pokes me! :) I'm still using the Body Shops body butters all over my body and an extra layer of 'Neal's Yard - Mother's balm' on my bump and breasts and I have no stretch marks to report yet!

Sleeping in a comfortable position had become quite impossible so I purchased the Dream Genii pillow. I have to say it's brilliant, it supports my back and my bump and I wish I got it sooner!

I spotted a potential hospital bag at a bargain price and snapped it up!

I got it for £19.90 from Butlers, it's huge, sturdy and brown. I heart it! Also, my husband wont have to feel funny carrying it, I could never give him a girly floral bag to hold. :)

I also got this little blue bag to store bits and pieces which will also go inside the hospital bag. It's rather large and is from H&M for £4.99.

I got a few things for 0-3 months for the hospital....

I have been making notes of EVERYTHING I have to do as I am a listaholic. How cute is my notebook? It's from WH Smith by the way.

Here's my list for the hospital bag - click to enlarge and tell me if I need to add anything! :D

I told you we had already decided on her name, and we have stuck with it (not revealing it yet). I got some gorgeous fabric letters from Mama's & Papa's that I will hang on the wall above her cot. Awww :)

I also couldn't resist this patchwork dress... obviously! But it's SO cute, I want to wear it hehe!

Also, I found a picture of my hubby when he was little and doesn't he look so cute? He actually looks like a little girl! :)

How are you feeling today? I can't believe I will be exactly 6 months pregnant in a few days, I honestly can't wait to meet her, hurry up 1st of October!

Monaco Palette FOTD and OOTD..

2011-06-04T19:13:00.006+01:00

I blogged about the new Sleek Mediterranean Collection this morning, and this afternoon I obviously wore it out!

Smiles all round!

First here's my summery outfit shot taken during our walk by the canal. I'm still loving maxi dresses and skirts as they are really comfortable with my 23 week pregnant belly! Look how much I have grown. :)

Coral Cotton Maxi Skirt - H&M
Vest Top - Primark
Denim Shirt - H&M
Belt - Nicole Farhi
Sandals - Topshop
Bag - Warehouse

Anyway onto the makeup!

I kept it quite natural as it was a daytime look but I could easily of transformed it with some black eyeliner and lipgloss.

Here's what I am wearing:

FACE - Mac Face and Body foundation and Mac 'Moisture Cover' concealer under the eyes.
CHEEKS - Soleil Tan De Chanel bronzer
LIPS - Mac 'Hue' lipstick

And finally on the eyes I am wearing 4 shades from the gorgeous Sleek Monaco palette. Here are the steps I took:

I Applied Nars smudgeproof e/s base all over the lid.
'Washed Ashore' e/s on the entire eyelid.
'Bamboo' e/s to highlight browbone and inner corners.
'Moors Treasure' on the outer half of the eyelid and blended into the crease.
'Sand Walker' to blend everything out in the crease.
I then applied Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner in 'Lucky' on upper lash and waterline.
Maybelline Falsies mascara.

I love how earthy this look turned out, 'Washed Ashore' looks so pretty on eyelid, and 'Moors Treasure' really added an element of smokeyness whilst keeping it wearable for during the day. I'm looking forward to doing some more looks with it, it's definitely a summer must have for 2011!

x X x

Sleek Mediterranean Collection..

2011-06-04T12:01:00.004+01:00

Guess what I got through the post this morning? Yep, Sleeks new 'Mediterranean' collection which includes the Santorini blush, Monte Carlo lip conditioner and Monaco palette.

I was discussing the collection with my sleepy eyed husband at the breakfast table and clearly he didn't appreciate my enthusiasm for colours and textures. So I had to share swatches and my initial reaction with you right away as I needed to let it all out! The collection hits Superdrug stores on the 8th of June.

Here's the Santorini blush (£4.29) and the Monte Carlo lip conditioner (£4.29).

'Santorini' is a matte cool toned bold pink shade which is incredibly pigmented. Personally it's way too bright for me and not something I'm that excited about for now. 'Monte Carlo' is a sheer cool toned pink lip conditioner, it's a nice shade to have but not something I'm crazy about and I'm also not a fan of the scent.

However, something I am crazy about is the 'Monaco' eyeshadow palette. (£6.49)

The colours scream "Mediterranean" with coppers, browns, blues, greens and sandy browns. The best thing about this palette is that there is a range of highlighting, base and crease colours with a mixture of matte and shimmer textures which don't contain glitter. Clearly a perfect product to travel with for a holiday as these colours will compliment a sandy beach, clear blue seas and a golden tan all for an afforadble price and in compact packaging.

Mmmm yummy! I love every colour apart from maybe the green shade, which is weird because green is my favourite colour. Here are some swatches in natural light...

The matte dark navy blue will be stunning for a smokey look, and the matte turquoise will look great on the lower lash line... Ahhhh I want to decorate my eyes with these colours right now! I will be sure to post a fotd when I do!

Here are the swatches again with names and in direct sunlight. Look how pigmented they are, I applied them on the back of my hand with no base using my fingers. (Click image below to enlarge for a clearer view.)

I couldn't help but associate some of the colours to some from my Mac palette, 'Sunset' is a very close dupe for 'Coppering' e/s by Mac. 'Bamboo' is a matte cream colour that is a tad more creamy looking as opposed to white like 'Brule' from Mac. 'Humming Bird' is similar in tone to 'Steamy' from mac down to the slight golden shimmer but just brighter in tone. 'Sand Walker' is a shade lighter in tone than 'Omega' from Mac.

What's your favourite from this collection?

Disclaimer: Products mentioned were sent for review, I was not paid for this post and I am not affiliated with the brand. Honest opinion as always.

Nail Polish Rolls..

2011-05-28T16:23:00.013+01:00

Yes rolls! A new way to store my nail polishes.

I stored my nail polish like THIS before which was working great apart from the fact that I couldn't see all of my nail polishes at a glance, and now I have rolls, 3 rolls from Roo. I was actually sent these for consideration for review, but as soon as I saw 'storage' in the sentence I had to try them out being the organisational freak that I am.

The rolls are made from faux leather and come in a variety of colours. Each roll fits 14 nail polishes. If 14 is as far as your collection stretches then great, but I have much more. I decided to organise mine by colour. Storing them by brand would have been a good idea too, but I own too many different ones.

The compartments are made up of elastic and mesh. I fit every brand of nail polish apart from the chunky square Estee Lauder ones. The fastening for the roll is made from velcro making it quick and easy to use. The roll itself is durable and practical to use, I know that I will have these for a long time.

The colours I picked were the black, pink and zebra print.

Overall I love the practicality of these, if I want to paint my nails pink, I just grab the pink roll and I have all of my variations. I do wish there was a larger version though, that fit say 5 rows of 10 polishes, this way it would be magical in my opinion to see 50 different nail polishes all spread out without making a mess! :) I also wish it looked a bit prettier from the outside, maybe something floral... maybe I should do a DIY project, hmmm. However 1 roll that fits 14 is fantastic for travelling!

The Roo rolls are available HERE for £14.99 each or any 3 for £30.

How do you like the 'Roll' idea for storing your nail polishes?

Disclaimer: The rolls were sent for consideration for review, I was not paid to write this post and I am not affiliated with the brand. Honest opinion as always!

It's a GIRL!

2011-05-26T20:02:00.007+01:00

Today I had my 2nd scan, and oh my god yes it's a girl!

About 90% of the people I know tried to convince me it was a boy, but they were wrong! Me and the hubby secretly wanted a girl so badly so we thought I would probably have a boy, and was kind of preparing for one. However, We are over the moon it's a girl! Wooohoooo!!!

Here she is with her cute little nose and lips! :)

She weighs 416g, and everything measured perfectly. (Click image to enlarge)

I am 21 weeks and 5 days pregnant, so 5 1/2 months! Here's the bump..

Uhmmm, baby bubbles already has a wardrobe! :) Oh and baby bubbles does have a name but you will all have to wait until she is born to find out!

I actually got a few things after my 1st scan all of which were girls things from Next. They were all half price, so I figured if I didn't have a girl I would give it to a friend. But, yey that I get to keep them!

Today me and the hubby popped into H&M, and got a few things for our little girl...

We also had a look in baby Gap and found these!

Me and the hubby love animals, particularly dogs, chickens and ducks so we couldn't resist this! How cute..

I'm also going to be making her some stuff as I love sewing, and yayyy I can make her pretty beads too! Awwww, and I just want to say thank you to all of you on Twitter for your sweet messages! *heart* you all! x X x

Revlon - Blue Lagoon

2011-05-21T19:04:00.003+01:00

'Blue Lagoon' is such a lovely name for a nail polish isn't it? I mean even without seeing the shade I would want it. It's one of the new shades that Revlon has released for the summer and I heart it!

On close inspection it's a baby blue with tiny flecks of a silver shimmer, the shimmer doesn't really translate on the nails but I know it's there.

Application was a little streaky even with a base coat, it needed 3 coats for a full opaque finish. Even though it required some effort I didn't mind as the end result was worth it.

I'm in love with baby blue at the moment, I don't know why...

Are you liking 'Blue Lagoon'?

Underwater Love..

2011-05-20T20:26:00.006+01:00

After the rain comes Sun! And after the sun comes rain again...

I love summer and I love shopping for swimwear!

This week I picked up some gems from H&M.

How gorgeous is this swimming costume, it's truly a steal at £9.99.

I love all the sets that I got and can't wait to wear them with my big pregnant belly! :)

I love the banana print bikini and all I can think of is Pheobe from friends when she changed her name to 'Princess Consweala Banana Hammock'.

The pineapples on the end of the ties are so cute!

Check out the whole range HERE!

All I need now is a holiday. *Sigh*

Pregnancy Skincare!

2011-05-20T19:15:00.004+01:00

This is such a tricky subject to cover in one post. Skin care is hard enough to figure out for anybody and when you are pregnant everything becomes 10x more confusing.

The first few months of my pregnancy my skin became very oily and quite spotty due to the hormones racing through my body. Did you know that a pregnant woman produces as much hormones as a non pregnant woman would produce in 150 years? Crazy, I know!

I will be 21 weeks pregnant tomorrow and for the past month my skin has been VERY dry, not just average dry but flaky and disgusting dry, so much so that any makeup I put on it made it look worse. FYI: The dryness was not due to the Clinique toner because I wasn't even using it. It's just the hormones going bananas. Pregnant women's skin becomes incredibly sensitive! Anyway, after discovering some Avene products I purchased last week, my skin looks AMAZING, in fact I haven't seen it look better in years.

KISSES TO AVENE!

My skin is super smooth, and all of the spots have cleared up completely. In the picture below I am wearing a thin layer of the Mac Studio Sculpt foundation applied with my fingers. The past few days I have only been applying foundation to the centre of my face like I would concealer.

The key to pregnancy skin care is to buy products with as little ingredients as possible!

CLEANSING - Pregnant women should look for products suitable for sensitive skin, hypoallergenic and non comedogenic. Here's what I use...

Avene Cold Cream Soap Free Cleansing Bar: I use this to wash my face, it's great for sensitive skin and balances the PH level of your skin.

Avene Extremely Gentle Cleanser: I use this at night to take my make up off, I apply with a cotton pad and wipe away. It's a non rinse off formula so great for when you need to be quick.

Avene Gentle Gel Cleanser: I use this every other night with my Clarisonic to give my skin a deep clean.

TONING - Personally I don't think toning is essential as long as you have cleansed properly, but it's a nice treat for your skin! I use..

Avene Thermal Spring Water - I sometimes use this just before I apply my moisturiser and to freshen up and keep cool during the day.

Lush Eau Roma Water - This contains lavender and rose water and is ideal for sensitive skin. I like to use this at night time as I feel my skin really soaks it up. I also carry it in my hand bag and whip it out when I'm feeling hot and irritated.

MOISTURISING - This is my favourite part of any skin care routine as I just love a freshly moisturised face.

Avene Rich Skin Recovery cream - This is a life saver, after one application my skin looked miles better. It's amazing for sensitive and irritated skin that's prone to redness, it helps to restore the hydrolipidic film and is specially developed with a minimum of ingredients. I use it morning and night. FYI: If the foundation or TM I will be wearing during the day doesn't contain SPF when I will use a different moisturiser that does.

Avene Soothing Moisture Mask - I sometimes use this as a night time moisturiser if my skin is feeling extra dry, when I wake up in the morning my face is soft, supple and glowing. I also use it as a mask right after a shower to soothe and calm my skin. After 3 applications, the disgusting dry flakes on my face were restored to a smooth surface , a big thumbs up!

CARING FOR YOUR BODY DURING PREGNANCY

I am still vigorously using the Body Shop body butters, every time I walk past a store I pick up a new scent. My current favourite is the satsuma option, I apply this all over my body every single day after my shower.

On my bump, thighs and breast area I then apply the Neal's Yard Mother's Balm every day. I have almost finished my 1st tub, and will be picking up a 2nd tub soon! So far, so good with no stretchmarks to report, but I'm not that far stretched yet, my belly button is still an 'innie'! :)

Have you had to change your skin care when pregnant or are you one of the lucky ones that have stayed 'normal'? Also, have you tried any Avene products?

Electric Teal..

2011-05-15T18:51:00.003+01:00

Just painted my nails with 'Electric Teal' one of the free Nails Inc polishes from InStyle magazine...

Love it!

It needed two coats, and I didn't use a base or top coat.

Are you rocking teal nails?

No Surfing Baby!

2011-05-12T15:49:00.002+01:00

Today I went to check out the 'Surf Baby' collection which is the new collection from Mac that was released in the UK today. I was SO excited about the collection that I even blogged about it a while ago. However, I was totally disappointed and even after swatching EVERYTHING twice I wasn't even tempted to buy anything. The 'My Paradise' blush was such a dark shade of orange/coral and I basically hated it. The bronzing sticks were nice but nothings going to beat the Chanel cream bronzer. The eye shadows were not in my comfort zone, the lipglosses were nice but they didn't wow me and don't even get me started on the lipsticks. I basically ended up dismissing the collection. *Sigh*

I did however, get a few things from the permanent line...

Cremeblend blush 'So Sweet So Easy'
130 brush
Studio Sculpt Foundation NC25 (The MA took off all my makeup and I'm apparently a NC25 at the moment *shiver* I need a tan.)
Moisturecover concealer NW20
Pencil sharpener

Here's a swatch of the blush, it's a cream formula but not greasy. It's a soft baby pink and I'm thinking (hoping) it will be my go to blush for the summer.

I also got this beautiful yellow linen kaftan from Zara. It will work with my bump and I can be 'IN' with such a bright colour. I'm really loving yellows and lime greens right now!

Here's a look at everything I got *horror* I spent way too much, the rest of the clothes were from H&M, I'll show you them in outfit posts. If you see all the hair stuff it's because I got my hair highlighted, click HERE to see some twitpics.

Oh I love 'Twirl' chocolate! :)

Did you pick up anything from 'Surf Baby'?

UK Mags do it again!

2011-05-11T14:50:00.003+01:00

Uhmmmmm, well I don't know what to say...

UK magazines are the best, they just keep the freebies coming.

I go and do a nail polish post in the morning, then take a trip to Tesco's to fulfill my cravings and can't help but take a peak at the magazine aisle and I find this.

The June 2011 issue of InStyle magazine is giving away a free Nails Inc polish. 3 shades to be exact, I frantically looked through all of them until I found all 3 as I am a bit of a freak, plus I do love Nails Inc and these shades really jumped out.

The 3 shades are:

Electric Teal - A darkened teal which kind of reminds me of 'Plumage' e/s by Mac.
Candy Orange - A true orange colour.
Fashion Fawn - A muted taupe brown colour.

All colours are glossy creme finishes. The magazine costs £3.70 and a Nails Inc polish retails for £11.

What's your favourite, and will you be buying the magazine for the freebie?