MAC Marilyn Monroe Giveaway!

When the MAC Marilyn collection was released in the UK earlier this week I knew I needed the Love Goddess lipstick after looking at swatches online, I'm glad I got it straight away as it  is now sold out online.

I purchased a second one from the MAC website to giveaway to one of my fabulous followers! The pics are of my lippy, the prize one is still in its box waiting to be posted off and adored by the winner!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hey, Sailor! Red Racer Review

MAC have released a limited edition collection called Hey, Sailor! 


Set sail this summer with a colour collection inspired by the glam of vintage pin-up girls.  Go overboard with the never-ending colours of Pro Longwear lip pencils, Zoom Waterfast Lash, Lipglass and more! Limited Edition.

My hubby bought me the Red Racer lipstick (for our wedding anniversary, last week!) which is now sold out everywhere.  The packaging is nautical themed in navy and white stripes, love the red lippy in this themed packaging - it matches perfectly with the image of vintage pin-up girls.

Red Racer is a bright yellow red in a satin finish. I have quite a few reds in my lippy collection and I thought this may be a bit similar to other colours that I already have but after the colour has settled it becomes a gorgeous almost raspberry red on me.  If I'm feeling brave I'll do a lip post to show you!


Did you manage to get your hands on this gorgeous lipstick?  I am so tempted by other products in the collection especially the High-Light powder - looks soooo pretty!

Beauty Box Swaps Meet Up!

Yesterday I meet up with the most lovely group of ladies from the Beauty Box Swapping page on Facebook.


We met up in Chester, which is a beautiful walled city founded by the Romans in AD79 - the city is full of important historic sites but also boasts top class shopping which we took full advantage of! You can read more about Chester here, its definitely worth a visit.

We started off the day at Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet, a huge outlet village about 10-15 minutes in the car from Chester train station.

I picked up this gorgeous coral coloured silk dress/shirt from Warehouse at Cheshire Oaks, bargain at £20 reduced from £70! Perfect for holiday with gold jewellery and sandals.

After a few hours of shopping we made our way back into Chester and had lunch at The Living Room in the town centre.

L-R Emma, Nardine, Nora, Wendy, Nina and Caroline

Having been fed and watered we were ready to hit the shops!

First stop Debenhams - as I said when I walked in it's a BBS heaven!

This lippy was on my wish list, look how pretty and pink it is!

Next stop the Lancome counter.  

I got the Hypnose mascara, which came with 30ml of Bi-Facil and a mini L'absolu rouge lippy, plus Teint Idole Ultra foundation. This is one of the only foundations I have found that is pale enough for my skin, I didn't like the matte finish when I first tried it but I love it now. When I finish this bottle off I am going to try the Estee Launder Double wear as recommended by Emma and Caroline :)

There was a free gift with 2 purchases offer on - look at all the goodies I got!

Can never resist a Lush purchase!

I got my son the Dorothy bubble bar, I get him something different everytime I go.  The products are all natural and don't irritate his skin.  He used to love the bath bombs but now he prefers the bubble bars! As the name suggests they make lots of bubbles and they last for more than one use.  Should get three baths out of this bar.  How cute is the rainbow?!

I got a bath melt called Happy Blooming, again this will last for three baths.  The smell of cherries is gorgeous.  I've not seen or tried this bath melt before, looking forward to a nice relaxing bath to try it out.

Once we were shopped out and had said goodbyes to Caroline and Emma, we made our way over to Chester Cathedral to sit in the sunshine and enjoy the surprise that Nardine and Nina had bought with them....

BBS Cupcakes!!! Sparkly ones!

Made by Laura, she couldn't make the meet up so she sent us some cupcakes.

Yum, yum! 

 Laura sent us three boxes of the most delicious cupcakes, she is super talented and should really think about starting a cupcake business - the girl has talent.

A Beauty Box Swap day wouldn't be complete without a little swap! Thanks Emma for the MAC Lovelorn lippy, this is a perfect daytime pink.  I will be wearing this everyday for work.

I had such a great day, they are a bunch of amazing ladies and I am proud to call them my friends.  We chat all the time on the swapping page but this is the first time we have all met up (I have met Nardine before in February) and it was just like we have known each other all our lives! We laughed so much our sides hurt and we shopped so hard our feet hurt! We will definitely be having more meet ups and I'm sure they will become a regular event :)

Breakfast this morning! Thanks for the cupcake Laura and for the chocolate Nardine!

April Beauty Budget Challenge - Week 4

At last the final week of the challenge!  I had £10.90 left over from week 3 plus £10.00 budget for week 4 and I made £33.50 on eBay so did quite well in the week until I got told about an amazing bargain on Glossybox!

Firstly Glossybox currently have an offer on their 12 month subscription to get two boxes free, making the subscription £100 plus postage and packaging.

But, then TopCashBack have £50.50 cashback on a 12 month subscription! If you are not yet signed up to TopCashBack here is my referral link

Go through TopCashBack to Glossybox, click on the 12 month subscription then enter the code WELCUM30OFF, reducing the cost by 30%! Meaning free postage and packing.

Pay the one off fee of £100 then sit back and wait for your cashback to appear :)

 

Could not resist this bargain so totally blew the budget this week! Worth it though I think!

I have realised from doing this budget that I have so much stuff that I buy and don't use, I will be cancelling all my beauty boxes except Glossybox and one other lucky box - haven't decided which one yet.....

 I have a skincare regime that my skin is happy with and it does get unhappy and spotty now when I use anything else, I have enough shampoo, conditioner, body lotion and shower gel to last me easily until Christmas and the boxes tend to not include many make up items - or shades that I wouldn't really wear so I am going to put the money towards make up that I do want.  Or to put it another way, every box cancelled is a pink MAC lippy.....

UPDATE!!!! I can't add up! I didn't blow the budget = £10.90 from week 3, £10 from week 4, £33.50 from eBay spent £100 but got £50.50 cashback.  Which means I have £4.90 left. Hardly going to pay off my credit card though.....

Surprise (AMAZING) Swap!

Hi All, hope you are all having a good weekend.  I'm having a great weekend, got lots of blog posts to do but I'm starting with the most amazing secret swap box that I received today from the lovely Nardine over at lipsticknhandbags.

As you know I am part of the beauty box swapping group over on Facebook, every month or so Nardine and I send each other a box full of surprises that we think the other person will like.  We started off with glossyboxes filled with goodies but last month ended up with big cardboard boxes full of stuff and well this month Nardine has truly outdone herself, I am truly amazed, overwhelmed and touched by how much thought and effort she puts into getting together goodies that she knews I will love. I must apologise for the awful photos - the light is bad, my camera is rubbish - I really need to save for a new one.

So first up I opened the huge cardboard box to find these fantastic goodies for my doggie Henry, hes a naughty dalmatian and I am going to take the book to work and read it in my lunch times.  She has also sent him a harness which is brilliant as he is a very strong doggie.

Henry says "woof, thanks for the treats, woof!" 

She also packed these goodies into the main box;

Full size shampoo and conditioner, great for my coloured brunette hair

I had no idea what this plastic shaker was when I opened that box, but its a facemask! How cool! Can't wait to try it :)

Body wash and lotion, cherry blossom, peach and white jasmine scented, they smell gorgeous.

Wowzers! Cannot wait to have a play with this.

I'm off on my hols soon and these will be coming with me

This book will be coming too :)

 Next in the box was this bag from River Island - I love it!

Will be using this from tomorrow morning.  She filled the bag with the following goodies!

Naughty Nardine! My WW leader will not be pleased with you, I however am pleased! There was another egg but sadly it never made the photo......

Necklace and lipgloss

Hairclips and bracelets

Bottle stopper - how pretty!

Booklight - this is so handy, I read in bed all the time so now I don't have to annoy hubby with the side lamp!

A black clutch/purse with white feather detail - she knows I love bird print and I love this!

And as if that wasn't enough!! A glossybox decorated with 3d doggie stickers!!

Look theres Henry!

  

Shampoo, Conditioner and Volume Mousse - great sizes for my hols.

Perfume

I'm a sucker for lip balms, I keep them on my desk in work and use them throughout the day.  Can't wait to try these two.

Bath salts, smell lovely.

ELF Blusher in tickled pink

Ojon hair serum

Andrea Fulerton nail polish

Versace perfume

Urban Decay tinted moisturiser

Love this lip crayon! Bright pink, been wearing it this afternoon :)

MAC Eyeshadow mousse, the colour is perfect for me

My first Kleancolour nail polish!

Will be painting my nails this colour tomorrow!

A lovely card and a lovely keepsake

Right back at ya Nardine!

I honestly am overwhelmed by this amazing box, I will use every single thing thats in it! There is one thing I'm not happy about though..............this has ruined it for every single beauty box I'm subscribed to! They could never in a million years beat this box!! ;)

I just want to say a huge thank you to my friend Nardine and I hope you love the box I am sending to you, even if its half as much as I love this box I know I'll have done a good job :)