ramblingmads

The Procrastinating Beauty Blogger Tag

Dec 8, 2015 ramblingmads

The lovely Laura of Style Breakdown posted this tag post on her blog. As I am a famous procrastinator I thought I’d answer the questions as she suggested. If you like it, please do the same.

1. Name the beauty regiment that you rarely do.

I am always planning to apply a face mask to deep clean my face and rarely do because I am lazy.

2. Is washing your makeup brushes something you rarely do?

Yes, although Sal and Tifa would probably tell me off. I put off doing this all the time.

3. How long will you last with chipped nail polish?

Depends how annoying it is, I have been known to pick at the chips and make it worse, needing to repair the damage sooner.

4. How long will you put off buying/repurchasing a beauty product, even if you need it?

Not long, I tend to have a spare waiting in the wings, but if something really run out then it’s off to Boots I go.

5. What is your worst beauty habit?

I pick and poke any lumps or spots threatening to appear. I know I should leave my face alone but I can’t.

6. Name something non-beauty related that you put off doing all the time?

Taking out the recycling, only when it’s overflowing do I run out to the bins. Just sheer laziness.

7. When going out somewhere do you put off getting ready to the last minute?

Not really, I get anxious about being on time so often rush to get ready but I invariably forget something and have to rush around at the last moment.

8. Can you commit to a spending ban?

As long as nothing essential runs out, sure, but essentials must be repurchased.

9. How organised are your beauty/nail polish collections?

Not as organised as my brain in its analytical obsessiveness would like, but I’m working on getting it so.

I hope some of you lovely people take this tag up and have some fun with it. Thanks for reading.

ramblingmads

beauty, beauty boxes, glossybox, make up, reviews, skincare

Glossybox Let’s Celebrate!

Dec 7, 2015 ramblingmads

The festive Glossybox was waiting for me on the doorstep today, all rose gold and sparkly.

Inside are a selection of products to help polish your festive look.

Etre Belle Golden Skin Caviar Eye Roll On – this cooling gel is designed to leave you looking refreshed and radiant, great if you’re partying and brilliant for insomniacs like me.

So Susan Statement Skin Highlighter Pencil – pretty sure this was in a recent box, but since I like to try and get a little glow in my skin, bound to come in handy.

Cheeky Chat Me Up Nail Paint – wish I had received the polish in the booklet instead of this very pale pink, which I got.

Philosophy Purity Made Simple 3-in-1 Cleanser – definitely had this a while ago. It’s a nice, gentle cleanser, helping to remove your party face.

Essence Liquid Lipstick in Show Off – not a fan of this at all. Runny, gooey. Just no thanks.

Bonus product: Starskin Bio-cellulose Second Skin Mask – I am a bit unsure about sheet masks, but as my skin hates cold weather and cries out for moisture, I think I might just pop one of these on.

Are you a Glossybox subscriber? What did you think about this month’s box?

ramblingmads

blogging, films, life, movie night

Best ever Christmas films, according to me!

Dec 7, 2015Dec 7, 2015 ramblingmads

During the festive season one of my favourite things to do is camp out on the sofa and watch Christmas films. I tend to stick to a few old favourites.

Rent – yes this film is about people dying of AIDS in poverty in early 90s New York, based on an opera (La Boheme) and it’s a musical but it begins and ends at Christmas and I love it. I know all the words to the songs and cry at the sad parts. It’s ultimately a story of redemption and love overcoming all odds.

Muppets’ Christmas Carol – by far the best version of Dickens’ famous festive tale. Michael Caine as the crochety Mr Scrooge being shown the error of his ways by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come, while his employee Bob Cratchit (Kermit the Frog) struggles to provide for his rather large, mixed species family. With songs. And Muppets.

Home Alone – the first one is brilliant, Macauley Culkin may be a much derided child star but this film with its genius level child building a lifesize version of the game Mousetrap to catch two bungling burglars, is every child’s secret dream.

Elf – I’m not the biggest Will Ferrell fan but this is hilarious and silly, Zooey Deschanel is all big eyes and Ferrell as Buddy the Elf is just perfect.

The Grinch – not the rubber faced Jim Carrey one but the original cartoon adaptation of Dr Seuss’ rhyming book about the grumpy Grinch and the good hearted Hoos of Hoosville who change his mind.

Scrooged – Bill Murray was riding high when he made this, a high powered exec who follows in the footsteps of Ebenezer Scrooge by being miserly and mean at Christmas before ghostly visits have him rethinking his life. Murray’s Christmas special is currently on Netflix and is on my festive ‘To Watch’ list as is this very 80s film.

What are your favourite Christmas films? Do you have any traditions you’d like to share? Leave a note below.

🎅🎀🎄⛄🎁

ramblingmads

crafty stuff, life, upcoming

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…

Dec 7, 2015 ramblingmads

I live with Christmas’ number two fan (his mum is no. 1) and this weekend we put the tree up and made our little flat all festive.

We also discovered that rats are scared of the sound of Michael Buble singing (or maybe it’s when trees suddenly grow inside the house). They quite like the sound of Santa Paws and extra treats.

We also wrote cards and wrapped presents to the sound of a gospel choir singing Christmas carols and discussed which films we will watch to get into the spirit.

We’ve started our own little traditions and have ornaments that mean something to us, like the way all the ones on my parents’ tree have meaning and a story.

I apologise in advance to whoever gets the cards I wrote last, my handwriting can only keep it together for so long before becoming unintelligible.

We have a mix of traditional and contemporary decorations. There’s a Nativity scene and a herd of reindeer, Santas and angels. We’ve even got our first few cards up.

Over the last few years I’ve got quite good at snagging cards and wrapping paper in January’s sales so we’re stocked up well in advance, not scrambling about trying to grab the last pack of cards or roll of paper.

I have a weird relationship with Christmas, growing up it was all about the Sunday School presentation and getting a decent looking Christingle orange and not having my hair set alight by my friend’s little brother (small boys and lit candles are not a good mix).

Presents were not ostentatious or in their multitudes, we had nice things but my mum the ex-hippy doesn’t really do commercialization and she’s religious.

My best memories are of Christmas days at my grandparents, with Grandad’s gag gifts while dressed as Santa and my Nan’s mostly sherry trifle. My cousins bickering over the post lunch TV selection, my dad sleeping off the two types of potatoes and the washing up being done in shifts.

ramblingmads

Uncategorized

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…

Dec 7, 2015 ramblingmads

I live with Christmas’ number two fan (his mum is no. 1) and this weekend we put the tree up and made our little flat all festive.

We also discovered that rats are scared of the sound of Michael Buble singing (or maybe it’s when trees suddenly grow inside the house). They quite like the sound of Santa Paws and extra treats.

We also wrote cards and wrapped presents to the sound of a gospel choir singing Christmas carols and discussed which films we will watch to get into the spirit.

We’ve started our own little traditions and have ornaments that mean something to us, like the way all the ones on my parents’ tree have meaning and a story.

I apologise in advance to whoever gets the cards I wrote last, my handwriting can only keep it together for so long before becoming unintelligible.

We have a mix of traditional and contemporary decorations. There’s a Nativity scene and a herd of reindeer, Santas and angels. We’ve even got our first few cards up.

Presents were not ostentatious or in their multitudes, we had nice things but my mum the ex-hippy doesn’t really do commercialization and she’s religious.

ramblingmads

food, healthy, recipes

Winter salad that doesn’t make you sad

Dec 6, 2015 ramblingmads

It doesn’t look like much but this bowl of salad was a-ma-zing!

Based on a Nigella Lawson recipe (#TeamNigella all the way) but altered based on my fridge contents, this tasted so good I might just make it a few more times!

I was aiming for a twist on ceasar salad, but having watched Simply Nigella the other week I was inspired to winterise my food.

The romaine lettuce was cut roughly in half, placed on an oven tray and sprinkled with olive oil and garlic salt (I had no fresh garlic but recently stocked up on Cornish Sea Salt in various flavours), roasted for 25 minutes in the oven at 200°c, till soft and slightly browned.

Meanwhile, I found a few rashers of streaky bacon still in date in the bottom of the fridge. I cut it into little stamps and dry fried (hot pan, no oil) till crispy.

Lettuce went into a bowl, scattered with the bacon, then I dressed it with some delicious hollandaise sauce and a little black pepper.

You could grate some Parmesan or similar over it, add avocado, skip the bacon, add croutons, more garlic, crispy fried onion, anything really. The lettuce stands up well to strong flavours.

Eating healthy in winter can be hard, especially around Christmas, when food seems to specialise in fatty, naughty food. We promise to eat soups and casseroles full of veg but end up eating cake and having cheese and crackers for dinner every day.

It doesn’t help that in the UK fruit and veg is more depressing in the winter – all root veg like swede and turnip, which take some work to make into something tasty and enjoyable. These days you can get most things year round imported but not necessarily the tastiest, and when you’re feeling lazy it can be hard to find the energy in the cold.

So roast your lettuces, play with flavours, raid your fridge and eat delicious, easy peasy food. Yum.

ramblingmads

beauty, beauty boxes, make up, perfume, reviews, skincare, you beauty

You Beauty Discovery Box

Dec 5, 2015 ramblingmads

I have become increasingly disappointed by YBD, this month is no different and I think it might be my last box from them.

I like the idea of picking some of your samples but the selection is often quite poor and you get little bang for your buck.

Yes, it’s possibly the cheapest beauty box out there but does that mean it should be lacking?

From the shortlist I picked;

Philosophy renewed hope in a jar eye cream – or rather a tiny tube. My under eye shadows are rather dark and tired looking at the moment, insomnia does that, and I thought I might road test an eye cream or two. I’ve heard good things about this one. Just a shame it’s such a teeny sample.

Not the best swatching but hopefully you can see the golden shimmer

Kilo Long Lasting Stick 8 Hour No-Transfer Eye shadow in 05 – a gold shimmer eye shadow crayon, and you know I love an easy to apply make up item.

The extra samples they threw into the box are a tiny sachet of Studio 10 Miracle Effect Priming Serum and Narciso Rodriguez Narciso Eau de Toilette spritz sample bottle.

I dont think there’s enough primer in the sachet for one human sized face, except if you were for some insane reason, making up a baby (they have little faces mostly) but not for an adult.

I have a problem with sending out perfume samples – scent is highly selective, what one person loves and smells amazing on their skin, may not work with anyone else. This mostly smells of alcohol to me. Not nice.

Overall a bit underwhelming. Time to bid adios to this box I think and move on.

Anyone else cancelling beauty boxes they’ve been disappointed by?

ramblingmads

adventures in post, happy mail, lifestyle boxes, reviews

Happy Mail – Beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Dec 4, 2015Dec 3, 2015 ramblingmads

Technically this is November’s box but PayPal had a wobble so it was dispatched a little late. But still in plenty of time for this weekend’s Christmas decorating of the flat.

The box is full of fab little festive touches for the home and for presents. I can’t wait to get all these lovely bits up and Christmas up the house, making it all festive and cosy.

From funky ribbon to wrap around your gifts, cute decorations for the tree, a candy cane (I love candy canes) and even little signs to hang up or give as gifts for friends to decorate their homes with. Here’s some more photos.

Have you got your tree up yet? Do you celebrate Christmas? Tell me about your festivities in the comments.

🎄🎁🎅🎊🎉🎀🍬🍭⛄

ramblingmads

life, ratties, rip

The Death of Rats

Dec 3, 2015Dec 2, 2015 ramblingmads

In one of his masterful Discworld books, Terry Pratchett created the Death of Rats, and now he comes to lead little Peaches on her way over the rainbow bridge.

A few weeks ago Peaches had a stroke, resulting in left side paralysis and weakening. Since then, sadly she’s declined, struggling to move around and not eating or drinking. There have been a few tumbles and a case of lose bladder while having a cuddle.

Her sisters know something’s wrong, cuddling her and washing her face, while the boys are being a lot more gentle.

We’ve made the sad decision to aid her on her way at the vets’, wanting to put her beyond pain and suffering, rather than dragging it out.

I know this will be the best thing to do, but it is very sad. If you’d told me a year ago I’d care this much about small rodents, i’d have laughed. At least I know The Death of Rats will be there to gently take her little paw and lead her to her rest. SQUEAK.

ramblingmads

beauty, beauty boxes, haircare, love me beauty, nail polish, nails inc, reviews, skincare

Love Me Beauty – those bonus points…

Dec 2, 2015 ramblingmads

So as you know, LMB has been revamping their site, store and packaging. One of the things they’ve changed is the boutique points – you get 60 a month, the problem being most things are 20 points, meaning you might only get three products, which is a lot less than most beauty boxes, and they’re not all full size.

To compensate for this, LMB offers bonus points you can buy to add on. This month I decided to splurge a little and get some extra goodies in my box.

As it’s cold and miserable outside I picked a range of products to give my skin, hair and look a boost in the winter.

Top row L-R:

Roques O’Neil Therapie Boost Hair & Body Wash – aromatherapy shampoo that can also be used as a body wash.

Nails Inc Gel Effect in Old Burlington Street and Porchester Square – gorgeous pairing for winter nails.

Percy & Reed Dry Instant Volumising Spray – the winter weather seems to just leave my hair completely flat, this should give it a boost.

Bottom row, L-R:

Monu Spa Fiji Facial Treatment Oil – formulated for sensitive skin, this oil might just be the one to change my mind about facial oils.

Nuxe Gentle Exfoliating Gel for Sensitive Skin – winter seems to leave my skin dry and flaky, this should shift that and boost my skin’s health.

Dr Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips – my lips are very prone to drying and cracking, and you guessed it, it gets worse in winter. I’ve heard good things about this, so despite my concerns about lanolin (my skin reacts poorly to it), I thought I’d see if this helps heal up my dry, cracked, sad smile.

Any of you LMB subscribers? What are your thoughts of the changes to the box? Let me know in the comments.

ramblingmads

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