Monday 30 July 2018

Soph X Revolution Extra Spice Palette

I never buy Revolution palettes not because they are bad but because they just don't live up to my high end palettes so whats the point? 

But youtuber, SophDoesNails is a firm favourite of mine to watch so when she released a palette with Revolution a year ago, I bought it and ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!

Now, she has just released her Extra Spice palette and has yet again exceeded my expectations!

The outer packaging is the exact same as her previous palette but the colours are inverted. So the first palette was a matte pink/nude with metallic writing and this one is metallic with matte pink/nude writing. They do look great when viewed together and I appreciate the idea but this new shiny packaging is constantly covered in finger prints, scratches and bloody dog hair! 

Spoiler Alert: This is the only complaint I can make on this whole palette!

Inside the palette you will find a huge mirror which although, I don't care about, I know a lot of people see this as a huge plus! And 18 pans of eyeshadow, 12 mattes and 6 shimmers. The pans are a good size, I can't see myself hitting pan on any of them any time soon and I think the ratio of mattes to shimmers is really good. It is definitely a plus to have more mattes than shimmers because you can use the mattes to layer in the crease and create more dimension to a look or they can also be worn alone where as you can't really put a shimmer in the crease or wear them alone.


Left is Sophs first palette, she describes the palettes as sister, Extra Spice being the older sister of her originally palette. A sassier, brighter version. On first glance the palettes look quite similar but on closer inspection, I wouldn't say that any of the shades are too similar and all have there own unique properties. Both palettes work really well together though as they are similar in tone so I would say you can't go wrong buying both and using them together! Her first palette has some lovely transition shades that I like to use alongside some of the other shades in Extra Spice. 

Another obvious different is the amount of shadows, her first palette has 24 which is a huge 6 shades extra! This did bother me at first but I think you just have to look at it as quality of quantity. The 18 Extra Spice shades all work perfectly in a palette together so shoving in 6 more seems silly in hindsight. 

Extra Spice also has the shade names on the palette which the first palette did not. Maybe they put less shades in order to be able to fit the names? If so, I'm ok with that.


Lets talk through the shades themselves and swatches! Starting from the very top row, left to right.

Everyday

I really love Everyday. I would say it is one of my most used shades so far, it is a lovely metallic dusky pink. I feel like it works so well as an everyday shade (hence its name!) with just a little bit of Cookie Dough through the crease.

Running Late

I haven't used this one much as I feel it is quite similar to Sweet N Sour which I have used much more. I do however think it swatches so well and will work well to add dimension along with all the other orange shades.

Infinity

Infinity reminds me of Everyday, I feel like they have very similar properties and can be used in similar ways except this shade has a blue undertone apposed to the pink. Its a fave!

Cheesecake

A gorogous brown red, this works so nicely in the outer corner layered with some Cookie Dough. It is a deepening shade for sure, I feel like its main purpose is to deepen and work with the other shades but I also really love it as an all over lid shade!

Cookie Dough

This shade looks boring in the pan, it is just a basic light brown transition shade. But actually, it is probably my favourite shade and my most used! It works perfectly as a crease shade, it seems to pair perfectly with each and every other shade in this palette! It is super buildable which makes it really easy to use and looks awesome with a tan!

Dreams

Dreams to me, is literally a metallic version of Cookie Dough. It isn't a very unique shade but it is a staple. I can imagine myself coming back to this one a lot so I'm glad it is included!


Vitamin C

This was the shade I was most excited for when I saw this palette was being released. I don't own any other true yellow shadows and just felt like it would be so fun to experiment with, I was right! It is 100% a standout in this palette. I can be hard to get yellow right but this one is the perfect summer shade with just enough pigmentation to get a good pay off but still be able to build it up and make it wearable. It works amazingly well with all the oranges in this palette!

Sweet N Sour

Another stand out shade, Sweet N Sour and Vitamin C and like sisters. They bounce off each other incredibly well, I feel like you almost can't use one without the other. Look how pigmented it is! It's beautiful!

Twenty One

Soph herself has consistantly described this shade as a red which I just don't understand at all. It is clearly a hot pink. This is a stand out shade as well but it doesn't really work for me, I feel like its a little too young for me but that doesn't mean it wouldn't work for loads of other people.

Romance 

A metallic sort of pink, red, purple. Quite a complex shade but it is lovely! I haven't used it much yet but I definitely will soon. Swatches so well, very pigmented. 

Enchanted

I like this a lot, it's a matte deep pinky purple. It is quite dark so I can't use it loads, its not an everyday shade for me but if you have dark skin it might work well as a transition shade. I love that this palette is so universal.

Lakes

Lakes is a very boring but very necessary shade. Its not interesting to look at but it is very important to have a dark brown in a palette like this is creating dimension and shade. It swatches incredibly well, very matte, very pigmented and very smooth. 


Brownies

Brownies is a slightly lighter variation of Lakes, again, necessary but boring. I find myself using this more than Lakes as I am quite pale and it is lighter so it is really great to have these two options to appeal to different skin tones.

Chocolate Orange

In the pan this one looks like anther brown just with a slight orange tint but actually when swatched, it is very orange toned. I love this shade as an all over lid colour, blended out with some Cookie Dough in the crease. Simple and summery.

Mulled Wine

For me, this is Twenty One's slightly more purple friend. I like this shade more than Twenty One however. I lot more grown up and easier to incorporate, it blends into other shades seamlessly. 

LA Sun

I love this! I haven't had a chance to use it much yet because it is so out there but it's gorgeous! I true yellow gold. Very bright and metallic, super pigmented! 

Aurora

I haven't used this shade yet but it does swatch well and is beautiful. I think this is a winter shade for me, I will definitely give this a go around Christmas time.

Reputation

I personally hate black shadows, I don't use them at all and every palette seems to have one. For me this is a pointless shade but I know that the majority of people don't feel the same as me so it is good for this shade to be there for those people!



And that's Extra Spice, my new baby, the love of my life. It is a truly fantastic palette, I would recommend it to anyone. If you don't already have it, what are you doing with you life? It's only £10 as well so you have no excuse!


Wednesday 25 July 2018

Bath Time with Tranquil Beauty! *


The bath pillow was gifted but all thoughts are my own*


I have never been a bath girl, mainly because I have never had a decent bath anywhere that I have lived. When we got on holiday I often treat myself to a bath bomb and make use of the hotels bath though! 

But recently my very pregnant, very large body has been aching like crazy and I've just needed a bath! I've been having one almost every night so went into Superdrug and treated myself to a few bath products to make it all the more luxury! Despite my tiny, old fashioned green bath. I will talk about those things a little later!

One thing I was missing was a bath pillow, as my bath is so small I often ended up with a sore neck and just couldn't stay in the bath for that long as it was just so uncomfortable. I was considering getting myself one when I was contacted by Tranquil Beauty. 

Tranquil Beauty are an Amazon shop specialising in beauty and spa items. The reviews on their store really do speak for themselves so I had no concerns that I wouldn't like this product! I was not disappointed!

Something that first impressed me was the delivery, you are kept so well updated on the items progress and it came the day after dispatch! I was so shocked when the postman delivered it! Such incredible service so already step one impressed me greatly.

It came in a fancy looking black box as shown above, meaning the product was well protected during delivery and it also means that that this product could make an amazing gift! That was my first thought, I bloody love wrapping presents and this box is the perfect box for wrapping. I feel like this is the sort of product you could gift to such a variety of people due to it's neutral colour and who doesn't love a bath? 

It would be great for an older lady who needs a little support in the bath, an aching pregnant women like me, someone who just loves a bath or even kids!


There are 7 suction cups on the back of the pillow, they are super strong so they ensure than once your pillow is where you want it, that baby is not moving. The pillow itself is made up of two segments so it can be made to fit different shape baths, my bath doesn't have a very large back so it doesn't sit quite the way I'd like it too but it still does the job and stays secure. 

It is waterproof (obviously) and wipeable should you get makeup all over it like it did. It is a sort of memory foam type material on the inside so it moulds to your shape making it super comfy. 

Cost wise, it isn't the cheapest bath pillow out there but it certainly isn't expensive either. I would definitely say that it was worth the money! I can see it lasting me a really long time and getting loads of use.

Purchase your own one here!


As for products to make my bath all the more relaxing, I've mostly turned to trusty Zoella products. I went for Bath Frosting which is a bath powder that turns your water milky white, moisturises your skin and smells amazing! It is from the Jelly and Gelato range which is my favourite of all the Zoella scents.

I also got Scooper Dooper which is a bubble bath in the original Zoella scent, another one of my fave scents. I use a huge scoop of this too create the most perfect bubbles!

My favourite thing though is this Imperial Leather Cherry Bakewell bubble bath, it literally costs 90p, smells incredible and creates the most bubbles! Scooper Dooper is a little pricey so I find myself being really sparing with how much I use meaning less bubbles but as this one is only 90p I pour it in until my whole bath is a pink bubbly masterpiece and don't feel bad about it! 

These can all be bought from Superdrug!


Baths have been revolutionised for me! I am hoping to still get the time for them once baby arrives which is probably wishful thinking but I am sure as hell going to try! 

Check out Tranquil Beauty on Amazon and Instagram for updates!

Thursday 19 July 2018

Baby Boy Nursery Tour!


Decorating the nursery has been the most exciting thing but also the most stressful! We live in a really small one bed house so have had to do a total over haul of the whole house to make room for our impending little one! We have thrown away everything that isn't a necessity, painted all the walls, bought loads of new furniture that works better for our space but most importantly; given up over half our bedroom for the nursery.

My partner and I now have a bed, two thirds of a built in wardrobe and a small dressing table and thats it. Its been really hard to downsize but I am so glad we did it. Apparently I'm a hoarder so its been really nice to be brutal and only keep what we need.  Everything is so much tidier for it! 


Our bedroom is an L shape and the nursery takes up the larger half of the L. Starting from the right hand side of the room, up against the built in wardrobe we have a tall black lamp, washing basket and nappy bin. This part of the wardrobe is hard to access which is why it is the babies, we store things that aren't everyday in here. Such as spare nappies, wipes and clothes that won't fit for a while. The washing basket was an IKEA bargain, as was the lamp and the nappy bin is a Tommee Tippee Sangenic Tec


Next to that is the cot, he won't be sleeping in here for a while as we have a moses basket which will live next to the bed but isn't this the cutest! It is the Mini Cot from Mokee, it is slightly smaller than your average cot but is still a really good size and turns into a bed when he's bigger. Such incredible quality and so cheap!

Underneath the cot we are currently keeping the swing, bouncer and play mat. These won't stay here once baby arrives but makes a decent storage space in the meantime!


 Hanging on the side we have a gorgeous quilt my mum made, it has Peter Rabbit on which is lovely for a little boy but is also in neutral shades so matches our grown up space nicely.


This mobile is from John Lewis, we are huge animal lovers so this was right up our street. So cute and hopefully will keep babies attention but not to garish to look at. We also have Ewan The Dream Sheep, he is a sleep aid and I can't wait to use him! He lives in the cot at the moment but will probably get put on the moses basket when baby comes! 


We didn't have room for an actual changing table but I did want somewhere dedicated for changing so this cot top changer was the perfect option. Also from Mokee, it secures on the top for safety and can also be hung from the side of the cot if need be. It is super spongy and the raised edges make it feel so safe and comfortable!


Next to the cot we have the Malm four drawn chest of draws from IKEA, it was the perfect option as it has loads of room and the sleek design worked perfectly in our bedroom. It looks grown up enough to match our things but also the babies. 


On top of the drawers we have a GroEgg which is a room thermometer, this is a must. It will help so much in knowing what to dress baby in at night, as first time parents I feel like we will need the help! We also have an Amazon Echo Dot, it will be handy for when we need hands free help like the time, some music while feeding or whatever else. 

Then we have this hamper with changing essentials in, it is within easy reaching distance of the changing mat. Inside we just have the basics, nappies and a packet of wipes. 


Next to the small hamper we have this jumbo one! This currently holds all his toys and books. He won't be using these for a while so we don't have much but we have collected a few books, some soft toys and some comforters to start him off with. 


Next to the drawers and right at the end of the room and against the wall is the nursing chair. We didn't want a proper nursing chair as once we are done using it this one can be used elsewhere in the house and won't go to waste like a dedicated nursing chair would. I have added a super soft grey blanket for chilly late night feeds and a cushion. It also has a handy footstool just out of shot. It is from Argos.


Now for the drawers which I can't stop looking through! 

The top drawer has practical things such as nappy bags, cotton balls, creams and bath stuff and hygiene things. Again, within perfect reaching distance of the changing mat should I need nappy bags or bum creams!


The next drawer is clothes. This drawer melts my heart, we got drawer separators from IKEA which work so well to organise the tiny clothes! I've folded and stored everything side ways so we can see exactly what we have, I have become very protective over this draw and it will break my heart when it gets messed up which I'm sure it will the moment baby gets home!



The third drawer has a few more clothing bits in more drawer dividers. Smaller bits like hats, socks, bibs and mittens. They are all so tiny and adorable, ahh!

Then the rest of the drawer holds towels and wash cloths. I cannot wait to wrap him up in these towels and take loads of photos and have lots of cuddles after his baths!


The bottom drawer is sleep stuff, cellular blankets, thicker blankets, sleeping bags, swaddles and extra cot/moses basket sheets. We definitely have more than we need in here but who can resist buying a soft blanket! 


So thats everything! Little boys nursery is all organised and ready for his arrival. The only thing we are missing is something like a canvas or print to go on the wall above the cot but we just haven't found the perfect thing yet! We don't want to rush and put something rubbish up there so we are just leaving it bare until we find just the right thing. 

I am so happy with how everything looks and so proud at how we have made it all work in such a small space and with a small budget. One of my main worries when we found out I was pregnant was how we would fit a baby into our tiny house along with two adults, a dog, two guineapigs and a rat but we have done it and I am in love!

Friday 13 July 2018

Urban Decay Beached Bronzer Review


We all know I'm a huge Urban Decay fan and I have been really enjoying using the bronzer from the Urban Decay Jean-Michel Basquiat blush palette for the past few summers. It is a deep warm bronzer that just works so well on my skin once ive got a bit of a summer glow. 

Although I love that bronzer, it is apart of a palette which can be annoying to take with you on your summer travels so when I saw this new release I though, I need it. 

The packaging is in a thin plastic compact with a good secure closure and the most summery worthy palm design on top. It is very sleek and compact but actually holds 9g of product which is a really nice amount! Especially when compared to my previous everyday bronzer which only has 2g. I don't feel like this will run out/hit pan anytime soon! The packaging also feels very sturdy, I don't feel worried that it'll break when I pack it away for a holiday. 


It comes in two shades, I went for Beached which is the darker shade. I am quite a pale girl so I don't know how well this would work for someone darker than me which is a let down as there isn't a darker option!  

Beached is a deep warm shade that I personally love,  it is also matte which makes it a good shade to contour and bronze with. I like to use it with a big fluffy brush but place it more precisely in place of contour. This gives a lovely summery, healthy look to the skin. 


As you can see, my skin tone is quite pale so it is a shame that there isn't a dark shade available. There will be many people this just won't work for which is such a shame as the product is great! So buttery and long lasting. 

I am really happy with this bronzer and if you're skin tone is similar to mine or lighter, give it a go! If not, sadly this isn't the one for you!

Tuesday 10 July 2018

Baby Things We Already Have And Can't Wait To Use!


One               Two              Three               Four


If you have a baby or are expecting one I'm sure you've been doing the same as me and randomly going into the babies space and looking in every draw. Touching all the little clothes, smelling all the clean blankets and stroking the teddy bears, just generally looking forward to when little one finally arrives and uses all these adorable things! 

We have been incredibly blessed to have been gifted so many lovely things from family and friends, we did buy the majority of little boys things ourselves though. The nursery space takes up about half of our bedroom which we have fully redecorated to make it a neutral space that is suitable for both ourselves and for a baby, we didn't want the space to look too childish so a lot of the items we have bought are in white and grey. I'll be uploading a nursery tour soon!

I thought I'd talk you through just a few of the many things we have for baby that I am desperate to use! The next 3 weeks can't go quick enough!


One

Firstly is Ewan The Dream Sheep, it feels like everyone in the world has recommended Ewan and it helps that he is bloody adorable. So when my baby shower rolled around and people started asking what we wanted, I had to add Ewan to the list. Ewan is a sleep aid essentially, he is both a nightlight but also has a button in each foot that each makes a different soothing sound to help baby sleep. It did seem like faddy crap to me originally, like how can a few noises help a baby sleep? But the hype surrounding it is insane so I am now convinced it will help me raise a sleeping angel. Fingers crossed!


Two

One thing Liam was adamant on was that he hated standard Moses baskets and wanted something a little different. I told him that he could choose anything he wanted as long as it didn't cost the earth like most of the fancier ones do! He researched like crazy and came across a brand called Mokee, they are super affordable and we decided to go for a sleep bundle which included the Moses basket, cot and both mattresses for £229. I mean, thats such an insanely good price! I will say that the delivery took almost 7 weeks which is hard when you are as excited as we were but it did all come in perfect condition and the quality exceeded our expectations. 

The Wool Nest (shown) is the thing I am most excited about,  it is the softest, cosiest thing on earth and I am so excited for the first time we lay our little bundle down in it and most likely stare at him all night long! 


Three

First of all, babies name is not Jamie. That is still a closely guarded secret that only a few people know and are sworn to secrecy! Something we desperately wanted was a personalised blanket with little ones names on it. It just felt so special to open the box and see his name for the first time beautifully embroidered on this gorgeously soft white cellular blanket from MyFirstYears. This was a a baby shower present from Liam's mum (one of the lucky ones who knows the name) and is currently hanging on the side of the cot, it feels so surreal to see his name taking pride of place. It really brought it home how close we are to having a real baby here!


Four

Lastly, one of the first things we bought for baby was this Jellycat Lion. It has been with us since the very beginning of this pregnancy so it feels only fitting that it is one the things I am most excited about! I know he won't play with it at first but he will look so cute snuggled up next to it in photographs! Like all Jellycat toys, it is the softest thing. Our poor dog has been desperate the get his teeth around it for months, it's heartbreaking watching him lust after it! 


In all honesty, I'm excited for everything. Even plain white socks get me all excited. Even nappies get me excited! I'm crazy, I know but these are the few things I find myself staring at the most. 

What are you guys loving for your little ones? 



Wednesday 4 July 2018

36 Week Pregnancy Update


The past few weeks have been busy to say the least! We went on holiday to Devon for 5 days, had a baby shower and Liam graduated university for the last time!

It is so lovely to have the photos and memories of Baby Fish at these events but my god did he make himself known!

Things have really ramped up recently, let talk about it!

1. Officially nothing fits, nothing. I have been shoe horning myself into maxi dresses and hoping they don't burst at the seems. 

2. It's not only clothes that doesn't fit, now neither do my shoes or my jewellery! I noticed while on holiday that my ankles had really swollen up and I could barely get my shoes on, I wore a Thomas Sabo anklet on the first day of holiday and by the last, I couldn't get it on. I did have a ring snuggie on my engagement ring which I no longer need and I live in flip flops. 

3. A whole week of walking along beaches and non stop activity really took its toll, I have never felt more tired in my life but also never felt better in my own skin! It was so nice getting my bump out in a bikini and taking gorgeous beach bump pics! 

4. I had the best time at my baby shower and am so grateful to everyone that made the day special and got lovely presents for Baby Fish. 

5. Washing baby clothes is a bloody nightmare, the whole time a wash is on I find myself constantly worrying that everything will come out misshapen or the wrong colour. It hasn't happened yet but I'm a washing disaster so I'm waiting for it!

6. I think I have a stretch mark, it is faint and pink but I feel like its getting darker. I'm not too sad about it as I expected it to happen but with only 4 weeks left! How annoying!

7. I am still being sick, I think it is safe to assume now that it isn't going away. I'm fairly certain I will throw up during birth/labour. 

8. His movements are so strong now that they are quite often really unpleasant. His rolls make me feel physically sick but at the same time, if I don't feel like every 5mins I panic like crazy.  

9. I think I have carpel tunnel, my fingers are constantly tingling/numb. Midwife says it's nothing to worry about but it really is driving me mad! 

10. We have had our 36week scan which was a horror from start to finish, the lady who did my blood test and blood pressure I swear was trying to kill me. She did my blood pressure repeatedly until my whole arm went purple and I couldn't move it then she tried to take blood from that arm which obviously didn't have any as it was dead! So she proceeded to wiggle the needle around and stab at me for ages before moving to the other arm. Then the lady doing the scan was so rough that she bruised my stomach but the overall outcome was that baby is fine and not quite as large as they originally thought so thats good at least!



I honestly can't get my head around the fact that he is due to be here in 4 weeks! We are completely prepared though, everything is washed, folded, put away, built and stocked up! The only thing left to do is get a mirror and window shades for the car, so I'm just using my time to sleep and relax my aching body now! 

Please don't be late little boy! I can't wait any longer to meet you!