Percy and Reed Hair Care Review

 

Travel sizes are great when you want to test a new product aren’t they? Before I had bought these two shampoo and conditioner tubes I had already worked my way through a full sized conditioner by the same brand that I had got as a freebie with a magazine. I had thoroughly enjoyed it.. it had made my hair silky smooth and smelling like I had just come out of the hairdressers.

Lo and behold a couple of weeks later when I was in John Lewis I came across a Percy and Reed travel set, complete with miniatures of volumising oil, finishing polish, bodifying cream and the shampoo and conditioner pictured. I immediately thought what a great idea and at £24 I thought it was reasonable enough to give it a go, after all: I had been impressed with their conditioner and already considered them a high end hair product- I also figured that my hair was in need of some tlc, so in a bid to improve my locks I shoved it in my basket. The illustrations on the packaging are also whimsical and unusual for hair products so I was also admittedly lured in by the originality of it.

This was some months ago now and the products still remain in my bathroom, not totally untouched- but I certainly haven’t been reaching for them daily. I found that when I used the shampoo and conditioner together my hair took on a strange texture once it was dry. Strangely, it seemed greasy- definitely not what you want from clean hair, I was thoroughly disappointed but persevered until I finally concluded it just wasn’t working for me.

The saving grace of this set is the oil which smells beautiful and really adds a finishing gloss to my tresses. I would definitely consider purchasing that again, however the shampoo and the conditioner was sadly a bit of a let down.

 

Winter Look Book

In Winter I live in oversized jumpers and my black skinny jeans. It has to be the simplest ensemble to throw on, and it can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion with heels and jewellery or flats and a scarf.

Left Top: Loft (USA), Trousers: Dorothy Perkins, Shoes: River Island

Right Top: New Look, Trousers: Dorothy Perkins, Boots: Zara

 Left Dress: Primark

Right Top: next, Trousers: Dorothy Perkins, Heels: Zara

Both Jackets: River Island (I couldn’t choose!)

I love this years tartan trend: growing up with Scottish influences from my family tartan clothing was a common occurrence in my wardrobe as a child. I was so happy  to pick up this tartan dress from Primark- luck had it as the last one in store and in my size: that never happens!

I am really happy with my wardrobe this season, I think I have found a good rhythm in the outfits that I have chosen. Looking over these pictures it seems that I have a tendency for black, red and grey clothing (with a dash of pink!). I always seem to lean towards these colours subconsciously, often purple is included in that list too. I guess I like girly colours with a dash of black for a grungier effect. Also loving a red lip at the moment too- all in all I am very satisfied with my wardrobe right now, definitely a rarity for me so I will cherish the feeling!

Winter Nails: Essie & Revlon

Recently I have been on the hunt for Christmassy nail polishes. I didn’t really want to go down the sparkly red route, as much as I love a classic red nail I wanted something a bit more subtle. I absolutely love Essie varnishes- they go on effortlessly and are pretty good in the chip resistant department too. Mine usually last a good 3 days before I have to start thinking of neatening them up.

Also, the subtler the colour the less obvious it is when they do start to chip- meaning less time spent on topping them up or re-doing them- always a tick in my book.

A trip to Boots and a good while later I had selected my array of polishes. I love how they go together- they remind me of snow sparkling in the sunlight- perfect for Christmas and non-Christmas occasions too. Also, Boots have various offers on at the moment- 3 for 2 on selected lines and free gifts when you purchase a certain amount so it’s definitely worth swinging a bargain.

Revlon:340 Stunning, Essie:Pure Pearification, Essie:Ballet Slippers

 

 

LUSH: Karma Bubble Bar

Today was one of those days where I came home in need of a little pick-me-up and a little indulgence to end a long day. My Lush karma bubble bar has been calling out for a good occasion to be used, so tonight I took the opportunity to give it a whirl for the first time.

 

This was my first experience of the ‘Karma’ scent and I will definitely be repurchasing. As I have no expertise in the description of scents the following is a little blurb from the Lush website: ‘Expand your mind with a hippy trippy bath that envelops you in an orange haze of heady scents. it will last all day and is full of smells, daydreams and anticipation of excitement to come.’

I love the festival vibe that this scent encapsulates and it certainly reminded me of burning incense and a warm summers evening

Additionally the scent really did last all day long, I have been pleased to be catching whiffs of it in my hair throughout the day, so top points for staying power.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with bubble bars you simply crumble them under the running tap and hey presto! you have lots of frothy bubbles. Although it’s not too apparent from the picture below, this bar does turn the water orange too. I love this aspect of Lush products, it may seem a bit child like to be excited by coloured water but I think it makes bath time that bit more exciting and anticipated.

 

There are a whole array of Karma scented products available at Lush- from soap and cream to shampoo and perfume. So, for a touch of Summer during these cold winter months I will be repurchasing this fragrance for a balmy, hazy treat.

My Make up: Mac Lipsticks

I’m a complete Mac Newbie. It’s only really since I started reading beauty blogs that my curiosity for Mac began. Usually the only make up products that I buy over the counter are my holy grail Estee Lauder double wear and Lancome mascaras. My other products all come from humble beginnings at the drug store and I have found some real winners for very little spend- for example my collection 2000 eye liner that I’ve literally repurchased time and time again for what must almost be 10 years.

However, when I heard all the hype about Mac lipsticks I was intrigued. Part of my uniform standards at work is to wear a shade of red or pink lipstick, so it was time to get experimenting. I’ve got to say that I was never really a lipstick fan 6 months ago, however- I am now a convert. I was particularly fond of a lovely red shade by Maxfactor called ruby thursday, so I was gutted when I lost it a month or so again.

I toyed with the idea of replacing it with a new shade but thought I would be brave and branch out in to another brand, which was where Mac came in.

I had done some research and found Ruby Woo to be a popular red, its description was everything i was looking for- classic with a bluey shade to it.. perfect.

So, when I was on a trip to Boston USA I popped in to Saks Fifth Avenue, swatched a ‘Ruby Woo’ and bought it along with ‘Impassioned’ for what was around £8 each, bargain!

I love both shades, they’re definitely a staple red and pink and practically go with every outfit. The red is a matt shade so is a little more drying on the lips- but nothing a layer of lip balm can’t handle.

Impassioned above and below

Bath and Body Works mini haul

Can we gloss over the fact that I’ve not posted for almost a month? It’s been a hectic one full of new places, important decisions and I am currently on the periphery of a rather big career change, but enough of that for now- in my absence I have discovered a new found love for Bath and Body Works. Unfortunately (to the best of my knowledge) if you’re in the UK this brand is not available, it doesn’t appear to ship to the UK and their stores are predominately in the USA… boo!

However i would highly recommend a visit if you’re on holiday or if you have a dear friend/family member is visiting who wouldn’t mind adding some weight to their return suitcase in the form of their AMAZING candles.

I was on a trip to Miami and finally had my first taste of heavenly bath and body scents after hearing much about it on youtube/various blogs. I have to say, I spent at least a good 45 minutes to an hour sniffing my good share of anything and everything in my reach. Add to the fact it was still the weekend of Black Friday and there was many a good deal to be had. I ended up with a nice basket of Christmassy products and vowed to return asap. These are my purchases:

 

The small candles were 3 for $5 I believe and the mid size were 2 for $15. The largest candle ‘sparkling icicles’ took more of a hit at $20, however usually there is a deal where you can buy 2 three wick candles for $22. The hand sanitisers were 5 for $5.

I love, love, love this fresh fragrance. It looks perfect and festive perched next to my TK Maxx star. Its description reads: ‘As sparkling as the ice at the local skating pond, this fragrance features a citrus bouquet, bergamot and a touch of holiday moss’. In my opinion that’s spot-on. It is not as heavy as the other scents and is perfect to leave burning during the day time as a pick me up.

Now, these candles are basically Christmas bottled up in a jar. They are both amazing. My particular favourite is ‘Marshmallow Fireside’ which I bought in a bigger size as seen below. I am not a huge fan of sickly sweet scents (think lush snow fairy, or bakery scents: vanilla cupcake- no, no, no). Therefore, ‘Marshmallow Fireside’ provides that slightly rough around the edges, heavy, woody smell. I think mens cologne mixed with the sweeter hints of marshmallow, other than that I LOVE the name of it. It’s description is as follows: ‘A sweet-toasty end to a snowy, fun-filled day – toasted marshmallows and sumptuous vanilla cream blend with the comforting aroma of rich smouldering woods’

‘Fresh Balsam’ is exactly as the title suggests, christmas tree in candle form. Here is its description: ‘The invigorating aroma of evergreen woods on a clear, fall morning features crisp eucalyptus, fir needles and cedarwood musk notes.’

I thought these little candles would be great as stocking fillers- the perfect trial-me size and festive too!

Last but not least are these little pocket-size hand sanitisers. I have got to admit- these were chosen on the merit of the cute little picture on the front and I obviously had to go for the most festive. It’s hard to believe that you can get excited about hand sanitisers, but after seeing them on ebay I had to see what all the hype was about. Well, they beat your bog-standard anti-bac any day of the week and again these are great as stocking fillers.

So, there we have it. I am officially heading to this store each time I visit the US from now on.

 

My Collection of Perfume

Over the years my perfume collection has grown steadily- from christmas presents to little duty free treats; I officially have enough perfumes to wear a different one each day of the week. And they’re pretty to look at so I am happy I have got some kind of display going on now. Also, it wasn’t until I photographed these that I realised the bottles are either gold or purple- either a coincidence or a subconscious lure towards my favourite colours. 

Left to right: Stella McCartney Limited Edition The Print Collection, Guilty by Gucci, J’adore by Dior, See by Chloe

The little one at the font is a fragrance I bought in an Egyptian market called Cleopatra. 

 

From left to right: Daisy by Marc Jacobs (British Airways Limited Edition duty free), Pure Poison by Dior

In the forefront is a unnamed fragrance that i bought in a Souk in Kuwait.

Fragrances carry a lot of nostalgia- whether it is the scent that transports you back to a memory of many years past, or the sentimental value it has as a precious gift from a loved one. The most notable scents for me are ‘Pure Poison’ by Dior because it takes me back to my University days and more specifically whenever I was getting ready for a night out I would always spritz this before heading out the door. ‘See’ by Chloe reminds me of when I was training for my job as cabin crew, with its many connotations of hard work and tiredness!

The scents that I have bought on holiday take me back to that very memory of pondering the many fragrances and finally selecting the one.

It’s funny how other peoples fragrances can also have such an effect. Even just a brief whiff of someones perfume walking down the street can instantly remind you of someone else. 

For me perfume has become an accessory- something that I can match to my mood or to the occasion and yet another thing to spend my pennies on as my collection grows! 

 

 

My Knitwear Staples

I love snuggly knitwear- if it’s a chunky cable number then I’m probably going to love it. I have a fair few said items hanging in my wardrobe, they’re my autumn/winter essentials and so easy to throw on with a pair of black skinny jeans and boots. In our village on a Friday night I quite often dress one up with a pair of heeled boots and some jewellery to head down to the pub. It’s definitely my go to outfit for most of winter- so easy to layer up on those colder days and there are so many styles and patterns to choose from you can really go to town! Here’s a collection of my favourites from my wardrobe

From left to right: Warehouse (last years collection), Miss Selfridge (last years collection), River Island £35, BHS £25

And here’s a typical outfit, I would swap the heels for flats during the day (black jeggings: Dorothy Perkins £20, boots: Zara  £29.99)

Our Overnight Stay in Leeds

Lat night Jon and I drove up to Leeds after work to visit his younger sister who is studying at uni there. We stayed in The Doubletree hotel which is conveniently located a stones throw from the city center and was very good value for money, including a complimentary cookie on arrival!

As it was nearing 8pm when we landed we hurriedly freshened up and headed out to ‘The Alchemist’ for pre dinner drinks. This place is a restaurant come bar combo and quite clearly popular, it was crammed and I could definitely see why, it was amazing. It was quirky in a curious/magical sense and I loved how the drinks were served up in lab flasks, mine had two components which I had to mix together to create my cocktail- the result was very tasty and also very theatrical with smoke being created from the  dry ice.

After our drinks we made the short walk to The Blackhouse Grill where we had a reservation for dinner. The facade of the restaurant was covered in sparkling fairy lights creating an elegant first impression. Once inside we ordered almost immediately- each of us choosing steak with a peppercorn sauce and a few sides to share, alongside a bottle of merlot, all of which was fantastic. Besides the yummy food there was also such a relaxed and sophisticated atmosphere, made particularly special by a pianist who played beautiful music as we ate and chatted away.

After our meal, and whilst the night was still relatively young we decided to stop in on a Bierkeller. This is basically a pub decorated in a german style and selling beers in ridiculously large tankards. Jon and I had experienced one in our fresher days and I have fond memories of swigging beer and dancing on the tables whilst bellowing out german songs and this one didn’t disappoint either. 

After a good old dance and a satisfying dose of cheesy 80’s music we headed off in the direction of call lane where there is plenty of bars to choose from. We settled down in busy corner of one and ordered some drinks to round of our night.

On returning to the hotel we decided to have a nosy at their sky lounge on the top floor. With the twinkling lights of Leeds the views didn’t fail to disappoint and we sipped our night caps completely contentedly after a lovely night out in the town.

The next morning we awoke after a comfortable nights sleep. Once we were up, ready and our things packed away in the car we headed into town once more to do a spot of shopping. I’ve got my eye on couple of fedora hats but didn’t end up buying one- I’m being indecisive and can’t choose what colour I want!

We stopped in on yet another very quirky restaurant called the Botanist. Similarly to the Alchemist it has the same magical decor and atmosphere; with drinks being served in jugs and the staff wearing braces. We had some non alcoholic cocktails and they were delicious!

Our final stop was the Handmade Burger co. There aren’t that many of these in the UK, the closest to us is their Birmingham branch and that is a good 1 hour 15 minutes away. Therefore we were eager to try these much talked about burgers. After our steak the following night we were having a full on meat feast, but my American cheese was very tasty and the peri peri chips were definitely something to write home about.

We had a fantastic time in Leeds. It’s such a dynamic, vibrant city with plenty to do and see whatever your interests. I hope we will get the chance to go back for another visit in the near future.

 

A Spot of Shopping

I’m home sweet home 🙂 I arrived back from Kuwait at lunch time yesterday, more on that later. First of all I’ve got to showcase this amazing cat t-shirt that I picked up from River island today. Cats are without a doubt my favourite animals, unlike dogs they’re quite happy in their own company- I couldn’t be doing with needy pets, so in that respect cats tick that box. Besides that they are just utterly graceful, cool and collected. Sadly we cant have pets at our flat otherwise I would most certainly be a cat lady. I’ve already decided what breed/colour cat I want when we move to our next abode (which- top priority here- will allow pets!)

On this shopping trip of mine I also indulged in some lip balms. Being indecisive and also a bit greedy, lets face it- I’ve ended up with 3 lip balms. Initially I bought the Blistex raspberry lemonade (which tastes and smells delicious) but then remembered that Maybelline have a new range of lip care titled ‘Baby lips’ that needed my attention too. I ended up purchasing the mint and intensive care variations, so I am now fully stocked. 

The reason behind this lip balm splurge is because I have been encountering sore, dry lips during my flights. As cabin crew I am often left feeling dehydrated and this has a direct effect on my lips (which are prone to drying out anyway). I purchased Balmi a couple of months ago as an alternative to eos as we can’t purchase them in the UK.

I’ve got to say Im left feeling a bit disappointed. The actual balm was fantastic, I opted for mint flavour which left a tingle on my lips and tasted fantastic. However, the major and quite unforgiveable downside is that the little pot kept undoing in my handbag and smearing its contents all over anything it came across. My iphone, purse, and sunglasses have all had a good old layer of balmi goodness, unlike my lips it didn’t do them much good. Balmi, please sort this defect out! Once you do I will be repurchasing but until then i need a balm that will stay where its meant to!

So far I like these balms, they’re all soothing on the lips- and although they haven’t completely combatted my dryness I’m sure that with more time and use they will.