Grace seems to have a charmed life, married to a successful writer, a beautiful daughter, a career of her own, a wonderful house, good looks and great friends.
Her husband’s assistant has left, and she hires a replacement, slowly Grace’s perfect life begins to unravel.
Can she find her happiness again?
I really liked this book, Grace is a Brit in America, much like the author, and has a wry take on Americans.
The book covers a lot more complexities than the cover suggests, which is something that often happens with fiction written by women.
Grace’s story encompasses mental illness, cuckoos in the nest, love, trust, friendship, going home and the quest for real happiness.
I don’t want to give too much away, because I want people to read it, but it’s a really good read, just ignore the girlie, simplified cover and enjoy.
So, thought I’d have a little giveaway. All you have to do to enter is guess how many items are in this bag and then you could win the lot!
The winner will be picked entirely at random, name quite literally out of a hat, on Friday.
The boring bit: this giveaway is not associated with any of the featured items or brands. It is not in relation to Instagram or WordPress. The decision of the winner is up to fate and cannot be bribed. The winner has a week from the draw to get in touch and claim their prize. The results will be posted separately. Only people who follow my blog can enter. Entries on Instagram do not count. You can only enter once. International. Thank you.
So look really hard at this picture (the same one is on Instagram as well). Make a guess and it could be you!
Popped into town to pick up a few bits and post some things. Haven’t been into Superdrug in a while. Having seen lovely ladies like Rachel & Tifa talk about MUA make up on their blogs and IG made me want to check it out and having binned a load of slightly tragic looking eye shadows recently I was keen to pick up some new ones.
Superpdrug has had a bit of a face lift and expanded their selection of make up brands, so I had a quick browse.
MUA is currently on an offer – spend £8 get a free 5th birthday palette so I picked up a couple of things.
I really like this marble effect palette, it jumped out at me on the shelf. It’s not something I’ve picked up before.
I usually go for quite pinky blusher, but this peachy toned one appealed as a summer change, put a bit of sun into my pale skin.
Previous eye palettes have been full of colours I never wear, my attraction to rainbows is a growing problem, so going for a neutral toned palette is very un-me. But probably a lot more practical for every day.
This is the birthday palette, which I think is a nice mix of colours and will probably get used a fair bit.
Annoyingly Superdrug didn’t have the Barry M product I wanted or the Bourjois one either, so I also went to Boots.
Boots have got a 3 for 2 offer on all skincare so I picked up some must-have items.
Boots Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Night Treatment Gel is essentially a miracle worker. Smear it on before bed, it absorbs quickly and stops any spots from sneaking through, especially useful around my period when my skin decides it belongs to a greasy teenage boy.
Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Anti-Aging Smoothing Lotion is a mouthful of a product name but a magic product for less than a fiver. I smooth it on my arms before bed (I am very slippery at night with all my lotions and potions) and it has reduced the existence of those horrid ‘chicken skin’ bumps also known as keratosis pilaris or kp. While it doesn’t treat it completely, my arms are less red, lumpy and smoother than before. I tried it after Sali Hughes recommended it in her column.
Boots did have the Barry M product I wanted – a recent addition to the range. This highlighter crayon, which comes highly recommended and as I’ve not really bothered too much with highlighters in the past, I thought it might be worth a go. There’s an offer on Barry M nail polish, but I managed to resist.
I also grabbed a miniature Palmer’s Original Cocoa Butter for my handbag to dab on those dry patches when out and about.
However I managed to forget conditioner, which is annoying as I’ll have to go back.
The one product nowhere seems to stock is Bourjois Magic Nail Care, a pot you dip your fingers in which contains a nail strengthener and cuticle oil. My nails are very brittle and nothing I’ve tried has stopped them splitting and tearing. If anyone spots this in a high street shop or department store, please let me know. I’ve only found it on Beauty Mart but would rather not have to pay shipping for a £6 item.
I can’t really splurge too much at the moment as I’ve ordered another cheeky beauty box, and bought a made to order skirt. But hopefully I’ll be able to get to the new Lush on Oxford Street to see all their unique items and treat myself at some point in June so stay tuned.
My best friend and I have been evil twins since we were 11 year olds just starting secondary school.
We took our first girlie holiday last year, it was well overdue, we went to Venice.
We are so in sync that we once bought each other the exact same thing for Christmas, and frequently get very similar things for each other for birthdays.
My addiction & a dedication to my evil twin
I am very lucky in my friends, bunch of weirdos that they are. Most of them have been my friends since we were kids, builds a hell of a connection between you.
Who's in your gang?
Most of my friends have been part of my life (and family) since we were kids. Those deep, lifelong friendships are so satisfying. Built on a history of in jokes and ‘remember the time…’ stories.
It can be hard for new friends and partners to break into the group, but those that do, can never leave!
Those friends, who’ve known you for years, those are the ones that you can lean on when things get tough, and vice versa.
So go find them!
I have been so lucky in my friends, the ones that are like family, my brother from another mother, the ones that are always at the end of the phone. The ones that even if you haven’t spoken for a while, you pick straight up the conversation like there wasn’t a gap.
Remember to tell your friends how awesome they are and how much you appreciate them.
Snackly is a monthly gluten free snack box, £7.95 a month.
I’ve had Graze boxes on and off for the last few years, but my friend Rehana was telling me that selecting a gluten & wheat free box from them left you mostly with raisins.
Snackly works a little differently from Graze. They curate a range of Free-From snacks from different producers across the UK. Whereas Graze manufacturer all their own treats.
I actually think this is really useful, it lets people know where they can order more suitable treats from.
This month’s box contains a mixture of mostly sweet things, previous boxes have contained more savoury snacks.
I ordered this through Etsy as international subscriptions are not currently available. It cost £20 but contents comes to approx £60.
I wanted April’s Goddess Yoga box but sadly so many of the items were out of stock so I got May’s instead.
– Sweat house Brands yoga towel and saucha spray – keeps your yoga mat fresh.
– Frisky Fish essential oil blend with lemon & lavender. Smells amazing.
– Below the Oak solid perfume in Vixen. I do like solid perfume and this one is subtle and warm.
– Lasting Smiles Peppermint Creme lip balm. I can’t get the lid off! But an organic, cruelty free lip balm is a win in my book.
– Poppy & Elle set of 3 headbands.
– Amazing Grass shake mix – super healthy blend of fruit, veg, greens and plant proteins.
– Go Macro cashew caramel snack bar – gluten free, vegan, macrobiotic. Not 90% dates ( which is brilliant as I’m sick of all the dates in health bars).
– Yokibics four AM meditation downloads.
– Recipe card – date and almond chocolates
– yoga pose card – bird of paradise
– inspirational quote card
I also got the toe socks from the April box as an apology for not being able to send me the box I asked for, which is very sweet and unexpected.
I do think this box is very good value for money, and you don’t have to be a yoga bunny to appreciate it. I just hope they start offering international subscriptions soon and then I won’t miss out.
On Sunday my friend Janet and I undertook the #boldisbeautiful walk in Central London in support of Refuge and Look Good, Feel Better sponsored by Benefit Cosmetics.
Refuge is a charity I have a lot of time for, having spent the last few years working for a charity that supports victims of crime, and Look Good, Feel Better helps women fighting cancer to learn how to use skincare and make up to boost their confidence despite the changes to their bodies and skin.
This is the first year Benefit have run this, and it shows.
Our route
We were told to wear minimal make up as we would get a makeover en route. This meant a spot of lip gloss and some blusher, which wasn’t quite up to Benefit’s claim.
We were given freebies of sample sized items at each checkpoint and offered others to buy (all proceeds to the charities). As well as a make up bag to keep them in.
There was branded water bottle available, which was definitely needed in the hot sun. Everyone was given a canvas bag to keep their treats in, a pair of comedy glasses, a cape, cookie and T-shirt. We also received a medal at the finish line.
However there were some serious issues.
My friend is a wheelchair user, and parts of the route were so badly planned as to be completely inaccessible. There was a info box on the sign up sheet stating wheelchair users should speak to an organizer, so we did and were told it would be fine. It was not.
Tired, fed up super woman
Then there was the frankly offensive sizing issue with the t-shirts. A medium fitted a four year old girl there with her mum but not any adult women. One girl I spoke too said she was a size 8 but needed a large. The XXL tees ran out incredibly quickly as they were the only ones that fitted anyone comfortably.
XL - are you kidding me??
The average size woman in the UK is a 16, so why order t-shirts for a charity event supporting women that fat shames?? I couldn’t even get the supposed XL over my rugby player shoulders, let alone my boobs. Because of this I felt like I wasn’t really part of anything and seeing the same five generically pretty girls being photographed for all the promotional material was quite frustrating.
Women come in all shapes and sizes and can be victims of domestic abuse or contract cancer regardless. Disabled women are four times more likely to be victimized, their abusers are usually intimate partners or family members who take on caring roles.
There was almost no promotion done, I only knew about it as I’m on Refuge’s mailing list. Janet went into a Benefit store on Saturday and the staff didn’t know it was happening.
Finally. At the end of the walk, a party atmosphere was being encouraged so imagine our horror when Blurred Lines came on over the PA system. At an event supporting Refuge is a song about date rape appropriate?? Is that song ever appropriate?
When I mentioned this on Instagram, Benefit had the cheek to claim it was a public playlist. Clearly it didn’t occur to anyone to vet the playlist and check there wasn’t anything inappropriate on it.
Everything I lugged home
I personally think it was a good idea but just executed a little poorly. Hopefully lessons will be learned and adjustments made to make it feel more inclusive.
My energies are now focused on the 10k London Bridges walk in September for Refuge. Look out for my sponsorship requests. :):)
This month’s theme is Free Your Mind and so Birchbox have sent out a colour-it-yourself box.
Personally I think they’re just jumping on the adult colouring book fad, which I do as part of treating my anxiety but isn’t for everyone. This box feels both try-hard and lazy at the same time.
On to the contents.
As well as your booklet on the items this month’s cloth bag features;
– Mirenesse Mattfinity Lip Rouge in a deep pink. Weirdly it seems to have dried up despite never having been opened so I’m not really impressed.
– Lumiere d’hiver reconstructing face masque in a sachet. It says it’s 100% vegan but worryingly for me the second ingredient is a form of alcohol, which I try to avoid in skin products as it has drying properties that inflame eczema and sensitive skin.
– Parlor Moisturizing Sea Salt Spray – this has been discussed on a lot of blogs and there seems to be a concern about whether this will wreck your hair or give you the tousled surfer babe waves it promises. Sea water is not your hair’s best friend and neither is salt so I totally get the questions. I have to quite naturally wavy hair so it’s hard to tell if it had any effect. My furry assistants thought the noise it made was interesting but less so than their dinner. So the jury’s still out.
-RMK Point Make Up Remover. This is a Japanese brand and helpfully no one translated the information on the bottle and my kanji reading skills are non-existent. It’s an oil remover, which have become increasingly popular but I’m still not sure about. The last one I tried made no difference to my skin and still needed a cream cleanser to actually take my make up off! However after the hand incident (see next product) I used this to remove the make up with just a tissue so maybe oils need another go round!
– Caudalie Vinoperfect Tinted Moisturiser SPF20 in 01 Light. I am very pale and this is way too dark for me. As you can see in the below photo of my hand. I squeezed a blob out that could coat my entire hand but be way too obvious, not something I want for a product designed to be subtle.
This month’s ‘choose your own’ product was from a line up of WAH nails items. I chose a nail art pen as I have so many polishes and don’t wear stick on nails. I haven’t had a chance to play with it yet but it is a very deep blue so I’m not 100% sure which nail polishes it would work well with.
– Finally the lifestyle item. A pack of 6 mini colouring pencils to decorate your box with. Needless to say I think that’s pretty pants. None of the decorated boxes on their Instagram were done using just the six colours and some were done with pens and paints. Pencils cost pennies. It would have been nice to have something that spoke a little more to the theme.
Do you subscribe to Birchbox? What did you think of this month’s products?
