Author: ramblingmads

I am a thirtysomething from London, with a cat, a husband, bookshelves which keep threatening to crush me under their load and chronic health conditions. Basically your average over stressed millennial. Welcome.
beauty, beauty boxes, birchbox, haircare, make up, nail polish, reviews, skincare

Birchbox Birthday at Selfridges

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As part of their ongoing birthday celebrations Birchbox have teamed up with Selfridges to offer you the chance to build your own box.

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For those unable to get to Oxford Street before the 27th, Birchbox has put together a special edition box available on their website for £20.

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Featuring 8 fabulous products, including four full size treats, this is a seriously great collaboration.

Cowshed Knackered Cow Relaxing Bath & Shower Gel – with a blend of lavender and eucalyptus this smells heavenly and I like the cheeky name.

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Eyeko Fat Eye Stick in Gilt – use this as shadow or liner, smooth and with a hint of glitter, this will make your smoky eye pop.

Nuxe Crème Fraiche de Beaute Mask – this is a brand beloved by beauty boxes and it’s not hard to see why. With plant proteins and white blossom, this hydrating, moisture-packed mask is quick and easy to use.

Philip Kingsley Body Building Shampoo & Conditioner – travel sized, volume boosting, builds thickness and body, and gets rid of those annoying flyaways.

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Regenerate Enamel Science Advanced Toothpaste – an unusual item in a beauty box, and while I’m happy with my usual toothpaste, if you’re looking to boost your teeth’s whiteness then this could be the one.

Soigne Nail Lacquer in Petale de Rose – this very soft pink polish from French brand Soigne, is very pretty but more spring than autumn.

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Wild About Beauty Lip Pencil Duo in Fiona – this lip liner and lipstick pencil duo are soft and creamy. The colour isn’t quite ‘me’ but would work well on someone a little darker than my vampire-like visage.

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Top - Eyeko crayon in Gilt, middle and bottom - Wild About Beauty lipstick and liner

This is a nice collection of products, and worth over £80 if bought separately.

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films, life, movie night

The Princess Bride aka the best film ever

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I love films, the whole popcorn, blanket, curling up on the sofa routine of movie night. But by far, The Princess Bride, adapted by William Goldman from his own novel, directed by Rob Reiner, starring Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin, Andre the Giant, Peter Falk, and so many other big names (including Billy Crystal – only identifiable by his voice).

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It was made in the ’80s (all the best things were – like me!) but retains its unique charm and humour.

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Hadley Freeman wrote about how brilliant this film is in her book celebrating 80s movies, Life Moves Pretty Fast (well worth a read), and Cary Elwes (who played the hero Westley) wrote a wonderful memoir, As You Wish, about making it (I got it last Christmas).

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It is eminently quotable – my favourites include “inconceivable”, “don’t bother me with trifles”, “I’m not a witch, I’m your wife” and the wonderful speech Inigo Montoya  rehearses for the moment he meets his nemesis, the six-fingered man.

Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die.

It has every thing, love, death, revenge, heroes, villains, sword fights, a princess, pirates, and a real-life giant, former wrestler, Andre the Giant.

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So, put the popcorn on, add marshmallows to your hot chocolate, pile the blankets on the sofa and watch this film – it has something for the whole family, even if you don’t like stories with kissing.

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books, life

Go Set a a Watchman

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Now, unless you live in a cave, you will have seen that sequel to the marvellous To Kill a Mockingbird has just been published. Originally written before TKAM, Go Set a Watchman sees Scout as an adult returning to her home town and her heroic father Atticus Finch.

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Harper Lee apparently didn’t want this story published but is now elderly and frail and no one seems to be able to definitively state whether she’s agreed to it now. Her sister used to be her lawyer and handle all the press and publishers, but a new lawyer has recently been appointed and is causing quite a stir in the book world.

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Every child at some point reads Lee’s only previously published novel, and I’m sure I can’t be the only one to have caught the film, featuring Gregory Peck’s defining performance as Atticus, on a wet Saturday afternoon. It has had a huge impact, and is beloved all over the world.

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Between the spoilers, leaked pages, rumours, gossip and hype, it’s hard to know whether or not to read it. I’ve ordered a copy but am still apprehensive. If the author refused to publish for so long, should we be reading it? If the rumours about Atticus are true, will that noble man in Mockingbird be destroyed?

It’s a conundrum and one I fear will have no easy resolution. Some of my friends have already read it, and the feedback has been mixed. My friend Jack said I really should read it, even if only for academic purposes. But part of me, the part that loves TKAM and doesn’t want to spoil it, is really resistant.

Have any of you read it? What did you think?

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beauty, beauty boxes, haircare, reviews, skincare

Look Fantastic 1st Birthday Edition

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Look Fantastic’s beauty box keeps popping up in my news feed on Facebook – so I thought I’d have a look.

They’re celebrating a birthday and the box is decorated with hundreds of thousands.

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Inside there are eight beauty samples, from a range of brands.

TanWorx Tan Maintainer

Bliss Fabulous Foaming Face Wash

Caudalie Moisturizing Sorbet

Codage Paris Scrubbing Cream

Sebastian Penetraitt Shampoo & Conditioner

Caudalie SOS Serum

Phyto Hair Mask

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There are also lots of discount vouchers for the brands in the box and also partner brands, brilliant if like me you’re a shopaholic and love a bargain!

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The box is £15 and is available now.

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beauty, beauty boxes, birchbox, haircare, make up, reviews, skincare

September Birchbox

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A fellow September birthday, Birchbox is now five!

And to celebrate there’s a box full of birthday treats. All of which hail from the US – where Birchbox was born. Subscribers can also pick their beauty box design.

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Bliss Lemon and Sage Body Butter – this smells quite light and pleasant, contains coconut oil and vitamin E.

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Laqa & Co Cheeky Lip Pencil in Humble Brag – a 2-in-1 item in quite a hot pink, probably more likely to be on my lips than my cheeks.

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John Masters Organics Citrus Neroli Detangler – this smells almost good enough to eat – but teamed with the next item should leave your hair shiny and tangle free.

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The Birchbrush – a handbag sized tangle teezer style brush

Beauty Protector Beauty Wash – this very cute body wash will be useful in my washbag.

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Benefit the Porefessional: License to Blot – one of Benefit’s newest products this little blotting stick promises to keep your complexion shine free for up to 6 hours.

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Birchbox have also launched an app – on Apple and Android, and entered all subscribers in a draw for a trip to New York City. Finally, if you can get to Selfridges in Oxford Street, you can build your own Birchbox for £15 up till the 27th September.

This is a nice selection of items, in the last few months Birchbox has definitely upped its game.

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life

Birthday Wishes

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Today is my birthday. I’m 29. I’m not where I thought I would be when I got to this point, but as my mum likes to remind me

make God laugh, tell Him your

plans.

Now I’m just trying to stay well, to look after my fragile mental health, find a job that doesn’t make me cry and work towards paying off all my debts (financial and otherwise).

Today I’m going out for Sunday lunch with my parents, sister and partner. I decided to have a quiet birthday, no crazy up late party, no huge blowout.

Happy Birthday to me. My wish is…

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beauty, beauty boxes, latest in beauty, make up, reviews, skincare

The Glamour Beauty Power List 2015

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Once again Latest in Beauty has teamed up with Glamour magazine for a beauty box featuring a selection of great skincare and beauty items. And this box is enormous.

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Curated by Glamour’s Beauty Director, Alessandra Steinherr, this box combines a selection of this year’s hottest brands and products.

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Garnier Miracle Sleeping Cream – I had this in another beauty box earlier this year and it’s rich, smells nice and leaves skin soft and hydrated.

Nails Inc Nailkale Super food Base Coat – I have incredibly brittle finger nails, they crack and peel all the time, meaning despite my love of nail polish I am reluctant to paint them too often. Hopefully this new strengthener from one of my favourite brands should help.

Rimmel London 60 Seconds Super Shine Nail Polish – you get 1 of 3 colours, which annoyingly, you can’t choose yourself. I got a pinky-red called Glaston-berry from the Rita Ora range.

Philip Kingsley Geranium & Neroli Elasticizer – I’ve used the original, which is unperfumed, this one smells yum. This pre-shampoo mask was originally created for Audrey Hepburn and leaves your hair soft and shiny.

Kiko Velvet Touch Creamy Stick Blush – I like Kiko’s eye pencils, and while I usually use powder blush, this is very light and soft. Again you can’t select the shade you’re sent, and I have a peachy tone, which I quite like as anything too pink doesn’t suit me.

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Top - Revlon lipstick. Bottom - Kiko blush

Eyeko Mascara – I’m really fussy about mascara and haven’t tried this one before. It’s in a squeezy tube, which is a bit different, and comes in two shades (you can’t select!)

Vita Liberata Self Tanning Moisture Mask – as summer draws to a soggy close the pale and interesting among us (including me) heave a sigh of relief at the end of the golden bronzed tanned Instagram snaps. This facial tanner could help you extend the glow you picked up on your summer hols or in the park, but probably won’t make a difference for me.

Revlon Ultra HD Lipstick – I’m not a massive lipstick fan, the colours never quite look the same on, or last long, but this is a very red shade, (one of three you could receive) which I quite like. Might hold onto it for party season.

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fashion, fashion friday, jewellery, trend on trial

Trend on trial: midi rings

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A few months ago I lost some weight, and as always it went first in my hands. I already have weird fingers, long and bony with the protruding knuckles all women on my mum’s side have (and one day the joy of arthritis). So the lost weight created a conundrum in my jewellery armoury, my rings were too big.

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I have worn the same rings on my fingers on and off for years – including my great-great-aunt Bess’ ring, which only ever fitted on my thumb.

I like to dress up and the rings I wear are part of my defense against the world.

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So now I’m looking for rings that fit my new, scrawnier fingers. And a trend that caught my eye was the recent one for midi rings, that sit between your fingers joints. EBay and Etsy are excellent places to hunt for things like that. Ring size matters less as these rings are often adjustable or can be moved to a different finger if they aren’t quite right (that and they’re cheap and cheerful).  

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ramblingmads

beauty, beauty boxes, reviews, skincare

September You Beauty Discovery

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This month is the skincare edition and all of the items are skin friendly.

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As always you can select two items for your box and this month they’re full size.

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I picked AA Skincare Professionals Seaweed & Aloe Refreshing Eye Gel. This multi use product is suitable for all skin types, removes make up, soothes and cools tired eyes. I rarely buy eye cream or gel as I’ve had some bad reactions but my recent bout of insomnia has left me looking like a sad panda so hopefully this will help make me look less like I have black eyes.

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The other item I picked is Urban Veda Sandalwood + Botanics Soothing Day Cream. I’ve been trying different moisturisers on the days when I’m going make up free – my favourites are still currently Lush’s Celestial and Garnier’s Rose Water day cream, but I like the sound of this one and it smells nice.

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Also included in the box is a sample of Linwoods Milled Chia Seed, a soft make up sponge and a sample of Body Shop’s new Oils of Life facial oil. There is also a Body Shop Love Your Body Club membership card and as always discounts on all the brands available to select from. All this for £6.95.

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This is a better box than some have been in the last few months so I’m quite impressed. It’s nice to see full size items and a focus on a particular theme.

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life

Suicide Prevention Week

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This week is Suicide Prevention Week, today is World Suicide Prevention Day and as a supporter of non-profit organisation To Write Love On Her Arms (TWLOHA) which supports people dealing with addiction, self-harm, depression, other mental health issues and suicide ideation, I’ve got involved.

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This year’s message is “We’ll see you tomorrow” –  a pretty powerful statement. TWLOHA is asking people to post on social media in support. Life is worth living. Hope is real. #stayalive

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