Month: Aug 2016

books, reviews

Book Review: Unbecoming-Jenny Downham 

ramblingmads

Katie, the heroine of Jenny Downham’s book is 17 and fed up. Her whole life seems to be falling apart, her parents have split up, her brother has learning disabilities, her mum is taking over her life and now her gran, a woman she doesn’t know, has arrived in her life and needs her help. 
I seem to be reading a lot of family sagas recently and this is one of the better ones. Flicking between Katie’s present and her grandmother Mary’s past, family secrets are coming to life and changing things – perhaps for the better. 

I really liked the writing, the plot’s involving but doesn’t bash you over the head with cleverness or shout “look at me, I’m a plot twist!” like some things I’ve read recently, nor is it overly predictable. 

Katie’s personal story does at times feel a little unnecessary and awkward, I’m also a bit puzzled at times as to when the ‘modern’ part is set as some very old-fashioned opinions seem quite present, or maybe that’s just me. 

beauty, beauty boxes, make up, reviews

Little Known Box – Summer Nights 

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Five new products this month and I’ve only seen one before. 

Glittereyes Pressed Glitter – new to the UK Glitter Eyes is a range of glitter in 30 colours, nontoxic, waterproof and easily removed even though it’s designed to stay put once applied. I am a glitter fiend and must have gone through a hundred pots of the old school Barry M Dazzle Dusts so this is right up my street. 

Amygdala Beauty have a range of single note solid perfumes which can be blended together or worn alone. Solid perfume is such a brilliant idea and I have a dozen kicking around. 

Fairypants Vegan Lip Balm in Peach Bellini bring on the lipbalms! This one is yummy. 

Bardou Immaculate Spray Dry Shampoo. Right confession time, I am on the hunt for the perfect dry shampoo – one that isn’t too scented, doesn’t leave a weird dust and actually makes my hair matte and not in need of a wash. So I will try this and then throw it across a room in fury if it’s not the one. 

PHB Ethical Beauty Natural & Organic Black Eyeliner. I must be in a confessing mood today – I can’t line my eyes to match to save my life. One always looks great and the other just a sad mess. But I persevere. 

Quite happy with the range of items this month, a little bit of everything, and all of it that will get at least one use (I’m looking at you dry shampoo). 

Do you subscribe to Little Known Box? Would you like to? Tell me about your beauty confessions.  

 

fashion, fashion friday, shoes, wardrobe

Fashion Friday – ASOS Lust List

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Here’s some of my current saved items on ASOS – the ones I want to buy when my ship finally comes in. 

This dress is gorgeous and autumnal, perfect for my September birthday.  

Every year I hunt for the best ankle boots, these are pretty close. I don’t know if wide fit will be best as I have weird feet! 

This cocoon cardigan is perfect for those mornings that we don’t yet have but I know are headed our way. 

I have seen this A-mazing jacket all over Instagram and Twitter but my inner magpie still wants it. Unfortunately it’s currently out of stock. Boo. 

I am trying to curb my buying of enormous bags and filling them with junk. This cute little one might just break the habit. 

Only one thing will make this dress better – hanging in my wardrobe! 

Bomber jackets are everywhere and I want this one. The colour is great and it’s perfect for summer to autumn wear.

What’s on your wardrobe update list?  

beauty, beauty boxes, reviews, skincare, vegan kind

TVK Beauty Box 8 

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Inside TVK’s latest box are seven cruelty free beauty products. 

Vitala Spa  Chakra Balancing Compassion Bath and Body Oil – full of natural extracts and essential oils, designed to soothe skin and leave it smooth and supple. My skin doesn’t like oils so passing this on to my mum. 

Figs & Rouge evAcalm Perfect Calm Moisture+ AM PM Cream –  specifically for use on dehydrated and sensitive skin, to reduce redness and calm stressed out skin. Maybe this will help with my rosacea and grumpy hot face. 

Spectrum CollectionsTapered Finishing Brush – these brushes are gorgeous. Hair free but super soft and gentle. 

The Konjac Sponge Company French Pink Clay Facial Puff Sponge – made from biodegradable vegetable material this cleans your skin without needing cleansers. I’ve used a different one of these sponges and wasn’t that enamoured. 

Weleda Almond Sensitive Skin Travel Size Body Wash – almond oil soothes stressed out skin, with shea butter and other skin loving ingredients. This smells pretty nice and as it’s for sensitive skin I’ll pop it on the shower shelf. 

Weleda Almond Sensitive Skin Travel Size Hand Cream – to accompany the body wash this hand cream is perfect to pop in a handbag or overnight bag. 

Sheila’s Natural Products Face Cream Deluxe Sample – this is a bonus item containing ingredients designed to appease eczema and acne. I’m always looking for the best moisturiser so maybe this will be it. 

As always 20p from every box sold is donated to Dr Hadwen Trust, the funder of non-animal research in biomedicine.  

food, healthy, recipes

How to make super easy sauce

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Ok, so here’s the thing, jars of sauce never make their way into my trolley – why? Because it is cheap and easy to make your own, not to mention better for you without all the preservatives. Here’s my super easy tomato sauce, which can be used as the base for pasta dishes, curries, and all sorts of other things as it’s so easy to adapt. 

1 tin or carton of chopped tomatoes

1 onion – red or Spanish, finely chopped

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

Olive oil

Sea salt

Black pepper

Saucepan 

In the pan warm the oil and add the onion and garlic, after a minute or so pour in the tomatoes, stir and allow to simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Now onto how to adapt it for different dishes; 

Add chopped fresh chillies with the onion and garlic.

Throw in some ginger or paprika to add depth. 

Basil, oregano and rosemary chopped finely, make a pungent base. 

You can use fresh, dried or frozen herbs and spices. 

It works out cheaper than jars of sauce and you can freeze it. Magic. 

happy mail, lifestyle boxes, reviews

Ihearthomes #happymail Beach box 

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My bathroom has benefited a lot from this box. I have a sort of theme going on, with a blue floor, green and white tiles (nother my choice as we rent) but I have tried to make it a nice place to be. 

There is a huge seascape on the wall outside, a canvas selected by the Mr who grew up by the sea and I’ve decorated the bathroom with shells and little wooden boats, much like these. 

Those pink shrimps (a pick’n’mix fave) lasted about two seconds. 

I’m very into colour schemes (blame it on the wedding planning) and my dream bathroom would be nautical blue and white, like this box. 

If you’re looking for cute ways to liven up your home, join me browsing ihearthomes for ideas and homeward treats. 

crafty stuff, lifestyle boxes, reviews, stationery

Boxcitement ‘Under the Sea’ 

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Because it’s summer all the lifestyle/stationery boxes seem to be off to the beach. 

Boxcitement has gone a little further and is exploring what’s beneath the waves. 

🐋fluro coral pendant 

🐳anchor notebook with pen

🐬photographic print in mount 

🐟note cards and envelopes 

🐠Dead Sea salt pamper kit

🐡nautical badges 

🐙mylar stencil to decorate with 

🐚starfish confetti 

🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀

the box’s contents are rather lovely and I can definitely see them getting some use. Here’s some close ups. 

I’ve already put the shell print up on the wall and the notebook has slipped into my bag for notes on the go. The badges will go on one of my bags, perhaps the beach bag that never gets a day out. 

beauty, blogging, make up, tag posts

Seven Deadly Sins Tag 

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The lovely Karen of Confetti and Curls shared this tag post and I thought ‘why not’. Feel free to join in on your blog too.

GREED: What is your most inexpensive beauty item? What is your most expensive?

Cheapest – my MUA blusher in Cupcake – it’s only a squid! 

Most expensive – my current Lush moisturiser – over thirty quid but it is gorgeous. 

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WRATH: What beauty products do you have a love/hate relationship with? What product has been the hardest to get?

Eye liner – it never looks even, just utterly awful. 

I have pale, fussy skin and getting the right foundation is hard, too many are orange or too dark. I found a perfect one, it’s no longer produced. 

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GLUTTONY: What are your most delicious beauty products?

Lush Cupcake facemask or Bubblegum lip scrub. 

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SLOTH: What beauty product do you neglect, due to laziness?

Toner – I can’t work out if it’s still a thing or if I need it. 

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PRIDE: What beauty product gives you the most self confidence?

A good highlighter that makes me look all glowy and healthy. 

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LUST: What attributes do you find most attractive in the opposite sex?

Relevance to make up? Anyway, humour, a good smile and excellent personal hygiene. 

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ENVY: What items would you most like to receive as a gift?

One of those slightly too pricey Urban Decay palettes – I won’t buy them for myself. 

books, reviews

Book Review – The Graces by Laure Eve

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This was one of the books in my recent Illumicrate and the first one I read. 

Laure Eve wrote a letter included in each box that explained some of her influences – including the film The Craft (so good) but I also get a sense of The Heathers (also very good – I like my teen movies dark). 

The Graces seem to lead a charmed life and attract many devoted followers, but rumours still dog the family. Rumours about curses and terrible events. 

New girl in town, and our narrator, who calls herself River but never reveals her real name, is drawn to the three Graces – Summer and her older siblings’ twins Thalia and Fenrin. But she has secrets too and hers could ruin everything.

I really liked the writing and the clever narrative structure, hinting at things but keeping the big reveal till the end.  

I often say that YA writing is some of the most interesting, freer than adult literature to explore ideas and stories. And this is a great example of that. 

A sequel will be released in 2017, and I will be looking out for it.

beauty boxes, look fantastic, reviews, skincare

#LFBestofBritish

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This month’s Look Fantastic box is all about celebrating British brands, pretty timely with the Olympics going on. 

There are samples from a range of brands, all for face and hair. 

Ren Flash Defence Anti-Pollution Mist – formulated with zinc and amino acids to protect skin from the stress caused by pollution in cities. Chucking this in my bag for commuting – it’s definitely starting to wear my skin out. 
Renu Lip and Eye Active Lift – the thin skin around your eyes and lips can be the first places to show signs of aging. It also apprently helps get rid of dark circles – which sometimes resemble black eyes if you’re me. 

Bloom and Blossom Rejuvenating Facial Spritz – I don’t know why they went with two facial sprays but there you go. This one is designed to refresh tired skin. So pretty much the same as the other one.

 
Percy & Reed Wonder Balm – I’ve tried this before, it’s essentially a flyaway tamer and product primer. 

Balance Me Congested Skin Serum – with various natural ingredients to target pesky spots without harsh chemicals. Non-greasy and suitable for all skin types – hope it’s tough on hormonal lumps and bumps. 

Bee Good Vanilla and Honey Lip Balm – with beeswax from British bees, this rather yummy lip balm softens and moisturises dry and damaged lips. 
Also included is a copy of September’s Elle magazine and the box booklet which has a recipe for strawberry and rose creme fraiche ice cream and recommendations for afternoon tea.