My Experience With | Kirstie Allsopp Lavender Bath Bombes Kit

You may not know this but i absolutely love doing little crafty/DIY in my spare time -- unfortunately, I don't have much spare time so it's hobby that I've neglected a lot - I really must change that. I was contacted by a very lovely lady asking if I'd like to try something from the Kirstie Allsop Craft Range from Hobbycraft and as a big fan of bath bombs it only seemed fitting that i opted for the Lavendar Bath Bombes Kit*.





Inside the kit you get everything that you need; 4 moulds, a spray bottle, instructions and all the ingredients to make the lavender bombs which includes: Bicarbonate of Soda, Citric Acid, Cornflour, Lavender Oil and Dried Lavender Flowers. The kit says that you have enough to make 8 bath bombs in total (only 4 can be made at one time) but on my second attempt at the bath bombs i actually halved the remaining amount and managed to get 4 out of those so you can actually make more than the suggested amount.

My first attempt at making the bath bombs was an epic disaster - i followed the instructions perfectly and what should have been happening wasn't so i tried to improvise and ended up with a bubbling mixture that wouldn't not stop growing and this resulted in it being impossible to fit into the mould so it was an all round fail. I was seriously disappointed and was close to giving up hope, however, i hated the idea of the kit defeating me. So i went to the Internet and googled other bloggers reviews of this kit to see if anyone else had encountered the same issue i had and how i resolved it. Cue this lovely blog - she suggested adding 1tbsp of water into the mixture to help it along as the oil on it's own just wasn't enough.

On my second attempt (i actually split the remaining ingredients in half so i would be able to have a third attempt if needed) i decided to follow Fifi McGee's instructions and add the 1tbsp of water to the mixture, on top of that i added a further 1tsp to it and that seemed to work for me, the mixture reached the 'sandcastle' like consistency we needed for the moulds.

Once you've gotten your mixture, this is where you can get a little creative with the placement of the dried flowers (or whatever you choose to use) i copied the images off the box and left them clumped together so you'd see them on the top of the bath bomb. It does require a lot of time to set - 24 hours in the moulds and then it suggests a further 24 hours out of the moulds before using. I've not actually had the chance to try these out in the bath because they only finished setting a few hours ago but I'm thrilled to bits that they've turned out and I'm glad i halved the mixture because i have some left to make more.

The only negative thing i have to say about this kit is that instructions are quite vague and not all that helpful but making these are trial and error and once you've got it - the world is your oyster, so to speak! I'm excited to try create more bath bombs and try lots of different scents and designs - let me know if you'd like to see future posts on any of the bath bombs i might make. I also think these are going to make really lovely gift and stocking fillers for people too.

This Lavender Bath Bombes Kit retails for about £20 but is currently on offer for £15 - i had a lot of fun making these and i adore bath bombs so i know I'll make use out of them and now i know what i need to make them so it's well worth the price just for that. They're are also loads of other craft kits in the range too so if you're like me and enjoy doing crafty things in your spare time these are well worth checking out.

Have you ever made your own bath bombs?
Natalie xx

*This item was either gifted to me or sent for review.

Monthly Favourites | February

I've tried quite a few new products this month as well as rediscovering some old gems that I'd forgotten about in the back of my drawer. I've had quite a hectic month this month and not in a good way either so I've been wearing pretty much wearing the same products most of the month.

Beauty:

Benefit Fine One One
This is one of those products that every time i saw it in my drawer i thought to myself that i really needed to use it more and for the first half of the month i began wearing this on an everyday basis. It's so quick and easy to use - you literally swipe it across the cheekbones and blend it out, the combined highlighter, pink tone and coral tone give you a really effortless sweep of colour across the cheeks and it looks so pretty and subtle on.

Benefit Rollerlash Mascara
This little beauty is taking the blogging world by storm at the moment and it's no surprise why, it's such a good mascara. I absolutely love the results it gives to the lashes - this mascara focuses more on adding volume to the lashes but it does add some length too. The volume and curl it gives, however is amazing - it gives such thick and full looking lashes and it separates them out really well too.

Mac Eyeshadow Quad
I've had an empty Mac Quad for ages and this month i finally purchased the final three eyeshadows to fill it in and I'm so happy with it. Mac eyeshadows are really good quality; they're pigmented, long lasting and blend together really nicely. I love all shades i have in put together but the one that i have loved the most has been 'Patina' it's been a really beautiful base eyeshadow - I've loved wearing it alone but it's also been great to pair with the other shades to create a lovely eye look too -- i will be doing a full review on my eyeshadow quad soon.

Wilko Retractable Powder Brush
This is the powder brush i like to keep in my handbag because it has a lid i feel like it's a little more hygienic than letting it collect any dirt/bacteria from my bag. The brush is really lovely, it's so soft and feels really pleasant to use and I've actually been reaching for this over my normal powder brush.

Mac Creme Blush in Ladyblush
It's quite ironic that i should be featuring this in my favourites post as i recently included it in my 'Products I Like But Wouldn't Repurchase' post (here) -- writing this post made me want to get it back out and use it. I still stand by what i said in the post, i wouldn't repurchase this but i have been enjoying using it. It's a really subtle pink colour to the cheeks and because it's a creme formula it blends in quite naturally leaving a nice flush to the cheeks.

Rimmel Scandaleyes Eyeshadow Stick in Bootleg Brown
I'm a big fan of eyeshadow sticks; they're so easy to use. Apply them over the lid and blend out and you have an easy eye look. The Rimmel ones are creamy and blend out easily and I've been applying this to the lashes like a liner and smudging it out to get a subtle smokey look which I've really been enjoying.

Image Source

Blogger/Youtube Favourites:
These don't really need much of a shout out but I've really been enjoying the SacconeJoly's vlogs at the moment. They're post daily family vlogs and Eduardo and Emilia are just adorable and make my heart melt every time and I'd genuinely recommend checking them out if you don't already.

Other Favourites:

Joined the Gym
I joined the gym again this month - I'm really sick and tired of feeling really unfit and just generally unhappy with myself so i want to try and get myself healthy.

Caramel Lattes
I've been drinking a heck of a lot of Caramel lattes lately, in particularly the ones from Costa -they are so tasty!

Mamma Mia
Mamma Mia is currently doing a tour round the UK and me and my sister had tickets to go and see it whilst it was on in Liverpool. and it was incredible.

Afterlight App
I paid for this app ages ago and barely used it because theres so many features to it that i just never really bothered to spend the time to play around on it and see how it works. Lately, however - I've been trying to post on instagram more so I've been making more of an effort with this app and it's become one of my favourites to edit my photos on.

Book Favourite: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephenie Perkins
Music Favourite: Black Roses by Clare Bowen and Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran

What are some of your monthly favourites, i'd love to know?
Natalie xx

The Body Shop | Pink Grapefruit Body Sorbet and Eau De Toilette

I really like The Body Shop but i always find myself really overwhelmed by the choice of products they have and more often than not i leave without getting anything because i just can't choose what to try. Saying that though, the few products that i have tried from there I've enjoyed a lot.

The latest products I've been trying out from The Body Shop is their Pink Grapefruit Body Sorbet* and the Pink Grapefruit Eau De Toilette*. Pink Grapefruit is a very unusual scent - I'm not quite sure how to describe it, it's a very fresh, citrusy and fruity scent but its not as sweet as most fruit scents are and it has quite a strong i want to say 'bitter' note to it but i feel that sounds a bit negative. I do like the scent, it's not my favourite and I'm not sure if I'd have picked it out myself but it is light and refreshing.

I had to do a little bit of research into the Pink Grapefruit Body Sorbet* as i thought it looked like a shower gel but the back of the tube said body moisturiser so i wasn't entirely sure - turns out it is in fact a moisturiser. It's a very unusual consistency to what I'm used to but it's actually really nice, it's really refreshing and moisturising and i think i might save this for when i go on holiday in a few months because i think this will feel amazing on the skin as it feels really cooling on the skin. I also really like that it's quite hydrating and it absorbs into the skin really quickly so you don't have to wait around for it to dry into the skin.

Similarly, with the Pink Grapefruit Eau De Toilette* - I'm going to save this for my holiday because it's a good refreshing summery scent not to mention it's a really handy size that will not take up much luggage space. The main flaw with this Eau De Toilette is that it's not very long lasting, the scent disappears quite quickly which is such a shame.

Pink Grapefruit is a perfect summery scent and I'm definitely going to take both products on holiday with me. I'm really impressed with the Body Sorbet and i want to look into some of the other scents they have.

What products would you recommend from The Body Shop?
Natalie xx

*This item was either gifted to me or sent for review.

The Pros and Cons of Blogging

I've been blogging for over three years now so i feel like I've had a quite a good experience of blogging and that I've seen a lot happen and change within that time. Obviously everyone's experience with blogging is different and people take different things from it but i thought I'd share with you some of the pros and cons of blogging - or at least what i consider to be the pros and cons.

Pros:
1. You gain a lot of skills from it: photography, organising, social skills, basic html - they may seem like small things but your learning new skills even if it is only basic.

2. It's a great talking point. Lots of my friends ask me things about my blog, i have people ask me for recommendation or just generally ask me how its going and it amazes me every time that people are interested in it. It's also a great talking point for interviews - even if it has no relevance to the job or position that you're applying for, put it on your CV they could ask you about it.

3. It's really rewarding.

4. There are some really great opportunities. Blogging can bring great opportunities to work with PRs and brands too - it's really flattering to know that brands, especially well known ones want to work with my blog. It doesn't exactly hurt being sent lovely products to review either.

5. There is an amazing community - It's filled with amazing like minded people, who are really supportive and there is nothing nicer than receiving a genuine comment from someone who has enjoyed their post.

6. It helps improve organising skills. Blogging takes a heck of a lot of organising - you have to plan posts, photos, content, promotion etc... and it takes a lot of effort and skill to keep yourself organised. Trust me, I'm a really organised person and i sometimes stray from the plans.

7. One of my favourites - if you like to organise your blog planning and posts etc... it is a brilliant excuse to buy lots of stationary.

Cons:
1. Some people do like to say whats right and whats wrong with blogging and sometimes it can make you feel absolute crap.

2. It can take over your life - i spend the vast majority of my spare time planning, taking photos and writing posts and if not actually doing that then I'm thinking about doing that.

3. It can be quite easy to get a little envious of other bloggers - not in a terrible/ destructive way, id say its more flattering than that but it can be quite easy to be envious of another bloggers photos, writing style or opportunities they may get. Don't get me wrong, I'm very happy for the other blogs they've work bloody hard to get where they are but sometimes i get a bit jealous and wish i was more like that.

4. The last one also links into this one - it can be quite easy to compare yourself to others. On the occasions that this does happen it can be quite disheartening.

5. Along with working with PRs and Brands - come deadlines, they may not give them you directly but i always feel the pressure to try and get them up as soon as possible.

6. If i don't get a post up that i want too when i wanted too - i end up feeling really guilty and i know no-one actually minds because they aren't even aware of what posts going up when but i still end up feeling really guilty.

7. This one isn't relevant to everyone but choosing a blog name that has another name in it - i.e. 'youralmostalice' leads to the assumption that your name is Alice. I'm kind of used to the error now but it can be a little frustrating when i sign everything with my own name.

There is probably a million and one more pros and cons that we could all add to the lists but this is the main few for me personally.
Natalie xx

Review | John Frieda Frizz Ease Miraculous Recovery Shampoo and Conditioner

I'm a massive fan of John Frieda and always find that their hair products especially the shampoos, conditioners and hair masques always gives me really soft and healthy look hair. When i found they were releasing another range and i just knew i had to get my hands on them.

The John Frieda Frizz Ease Miraculous Recovery Shampoo and Conditioner* with a amino repair complex and are designed to 'moisturise and repair dry damaged hair'. The amino repair complex is a powerful formula that helps to reconstruct the structure of the hair with vital nutrients to make it stronger and healthier.

My hair is definitely in need of some TLC, as I'm due a haircut but as always I'm avoiding it for as long as possible which means my hair isn't quite in the best condition and I'm starting to get split ends. Now being realistic no shampoo or conditioner is going to work miracles on my hair but these definitely make my hair feel much healthier which is good news for me as it means i can put off my haircut for a little longer. Since I've been using these my hair feels healthy, soft and i don't seem to have many more split ends.

I wasn't overly keen on the Shampoo as when i was washing it, it left my hair feeling weird and slightly sticky feeling but the condition is lovely and using that gets rid of any of that weird sticky feeling so they work well together. They lather up really well and have a pleasant scent too.

They retail for £5.89 each so they're reasonable priced but you know with John Frieda you are getting a good quality products.

Natalie xx
*This item was either gifted to me or sent for review.

Brand Focus | Rimmel

As a brand i enjoy Rimmel quite a lot; it's quirky, affordable and has a really great range of products. It's quite rare that i find myself disappointed in a product by Rimmel but there are a few products that really stand out to me. So if you would like to know what products I'd personally recommend trying from the brand, then keep reading.

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation
This is one of the only foundations i have ever repurchased. I really like it because it's really good at brightening up the skin and making you look much more awake as it's an illuminating foundation but it's not too over the top. One of the initial things i worried about  was that the illuminating properties in it might be too shimmery but it's actually really subtle and just looks really nice and healthy. The coverage is quite light but it is buildable and it gives the skin a really lovely natural finish.

Rimmel Scandaleyes Kohl Kajal Eyeliner in Nude and Taupe
These are brilliant kohl eyeliners - they are really creamy and glide along the eyes so easily which often isn't the case with cheap eyeliners. They are really pigmented and they actually stay in place with very minimal smudging. Taupe is a lovely light grey toned brown which goes really nice with a subtle smokey eye as it's not too harsh and Nude is possible my favourite one as it's amazing and opening up the eyes and giving the illusion that you look wide awake.

Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick in 107
A cult blogger product that I'm sure most of you already own but what can i say it's such a lovely lip product that i just couldn't not include it in the post. It's a gorgeous berry/ wine red shade and it is so beautiful, its one of those shades that just reminds me of autumn time and i love it. It's a long lasting lipstick, it's creamy to wear and it has a slightly matte finish to it but its not drying.

Rimmel Wonder'full Mascara
I feel like this mascara could be quite a love or hate type product but I personally love the effect it has on my lashes, it adds length and oomph to the lashes but it's very natural and subtle. The brush is really great at separating the lashes and making them look more fuller than they are. The mascara has  argon oil infused into the formula so that it conditions the lashes - i don't notice a massive difference in the conditioning but just as a mascara i really like it.

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer
I've used up my one of this hence why it's not included into the photo but i loved using this concealer under the eyes because it really opened up and brightened up the under eye area as well as covering any dark circles. I even found it worked well at covering blemishes too which i didn't expect when its an illuminating product, i thought it would have highlighted blemishes but it did not.

Natalie xx

Review | Beanies The Flavour Co

Before i delve into this review; i just wanted to let you know that posts may be far and few in between at the moment - I'm going to try and post when i can but a close family member of mine has taken ill so a lot of my time is currently being spent at the hospital.

These days it seems that very few people (especially bloggers) can make it through the day without having a coffee of some sort. Now I'm a little weird with coffee which i shall explain in just a moment but i definitely consider myself to fall under that category. Now the reason I'm weird with coffee is being - I'm very fussy in which i drink, i don't like plain coffee as i find it's way too strong for me but i drink a heck of a lot of flavoured ones - for instance, i love caramel lattes and caramel macciatos.

Now, Beanies The Flavour Co* specialise in flavoured coffee so i figured even though i don't like normal coffee I'd probably enjoy these because i do like coffee when they have flavour to them.








I was very kindly sent three different flavours to try i got Nutty Hazelnut, Double Chocolate and Amaretto Almond but there is so many different flavours available that you are honestly spoilt for choice - they are also really affordable at £2.50, they are low in calories, 100% sugar free and they are suitable for vegetarians and vegans too. I really like the packaging that comes with these little coffee jars - i know that might sound a bit random but i just think they're really well designed and the colours and design conveys that message of fun which is obviously what the brand is about - having fun with your coffee.

The Nutty Hazelnut is probably my favourite one out of the three as i love nutty flavoured things but i do like them all - they are still a little too strong in coffee taste for me so i put less coffee in my mug than the amount it suggests and i put a little milk in it too which makes it's more suited to my taste.

I feel like this brand has really created something amazing and i would definitely recommend them to any coffee lovers out there. You can buy them online and i believe they are also available in Tescos too.

What flavour would you like to try?
Natalie xx

*This item was either gifted to me or sent for review.

Top 5 | Lip Gloss

It's been absolutely ages since i last did one of my Top 5 posts and i thought it was about time i did another instalment. Today's post is all about my top 5 lipglosses.

Tanya Burr Lipgloss in Afternoon Tea
The shade of this is one of the main reasons why this has made my list. It's a really pretty everyday pink shade - it's one of those colours that is just really easy to wear and the colour pay off is really good it could rival that of a liquid lipstick. The scent is like strawberry laces so as you can imagine they smell incredible and make applying them very pleasant. The formula isn't amazing as i do find them to be a little stick but it's bearable and definitely isn't as bad as some others I've tried.

Barry M Lip Gloss in Toffee
Probably my all time favourite lip gloss ever. I've gone through a couple of tubes of this and it's one that i will always continue to repurchase. The formula of this is amazing - it's so creamy and feels so nice to wear too. The shade toffee is like a nude brown almost caramel type of shade which isn't something I'd normally go for but is really lovely and it looks so nice on - not to mention it smells incredible.

Missguided Lip Splash in Chilli Red
I've had this for so long that it's probably due to be thrown out but this is one of the first lipglosses i ever really loved using so i have difficulty letting go. It gives a very sheer wash of colour to the lips so you only get a hint of red but it's really nice and simple. It has a lovely formula, feels nice to wear and isn't sticky.

Kiko Super Gloss in 109
I really like this lipgloss - it as a bit of an impulse but it's a lovely deep pink shade, it applies quite sheer but still gives a hint of colour to the lips. It has a really creamy formula and feels really pleasant to wear on the lips.

Shaka Full Colour Gloss in Angel Rose
I bought this when i was on holiday in Rome a little while ago - it was actually a happy accident because i had intended to buy a different shade and originally thought I'd picked that up but only realised when i got back to my hotel I'd picked up the wrong one. Thankfully, I'm really happy i made that error because this is a really lovely lip product. It has a lovely creamy formula and the colour pay off is great - it rivals that of a lipstick or liquid lipstick. The shade Angel Rose is a lovely baby pink shade and it actually reminds me a lot of Mac's Snob Lipstick.

What's your favourite lipgloss? Any recommendations?
Natalie xx

Review | Sephora Lip Artist Palette

In my last package of my pen pal she very kindly sent me this Sephora Lip Artist Palette. Normally, I'm not a massive fan of lip products that come in palettes of in pan form because they're usually too big and just not very convenient to carry around and take on the go. As someone who likes to reapply their lip products throughout the day i tend to opt for products that are more handbag friendly and make it easy for me to do so. The Sephora Lip Artist Palette comes with four lipglosses and four liquid lipsticks, it's so compact and practical it can literally fit into one hand.

The four lipglosses are very sheer and only apply a subtle hint of colour but they're really nice. They're quite creamy and don't feel stick to wear which i really like. The four shades you get are; a nude, a bubblegum pink, a peachy coral shade and a nude baby pink shade.

The four liquid lipsticks are also really nice, these also have quite a sheer application but do transfer a lot more colour than the lipglosses do. I think these are more like lip butters than liquid lipsticks but they are really lovely nonetheless. The four shades you get are; a pink, a bubblegum pink, a deep pink and a berry red shade.

The staying power on the lip products isn't amazing, id say they last about 2-3 hours max but there is a really good mix of shades in the palette; although it is slightly more pink orientated the variety of shades means that there is something to suit everyone. I love to keep this in my handbag so that i always have it on me, it's great and practical for when I'm on the go - sometimes last minute plans can crop up and if you want to alter your make up, i have the option to do so already and I've not had to carry a million and one different lip products around with me either.
Natalie xx

First Impressions | Benefit Roller Lash Mascara

Benefit's newest release is their Roller Lash Super Curling and Lifting Mascara (due out on the 26th February 2015) i was lucky enough to get my hands on Elle Magazine this month which is giving Benefit Roller Lash away as this months freebie - such a generous and genius idea if you ask me. I'm not normally someone who buys Elle Magazine and if it wasn't for this being the free gift, i wouldn't have bothered either - magazines like this drive me crazy and personally aren't my cup of tea because you pay an absolutely fortune for what is essentially a magazine of adverts. Onto the review...

I was quite surprised to hear that Benefit were releasing a new mascara after the big success of They're Real Mascara. They're Real is one of my all time favourite mascara, the results it gives me is phenomenal and i just love it - so it was going to take a lot to make me think otherwise.

However, were They're Real focuses on length, Roller Lash focuses more on volumising the lashes. It's said to lift lashes and give a long lasting curl. It has what Benefit describes as a 'Hook 'n' Roll' brush, designed and positioned to catch, lift and curl the lashes - the brush is also curved so it fits against the lashes really well, so that the product is distributed evenly amongst the lashes.

Now usually when a product like this has just been released a million and one posts fly around all hyping it up and it becomes quite difficult to establish what reviews are genuine and which have just gotten a bit carried away with the hype but i can quite honestly say (hand on heart) that this mascara is pretty damn good.

It adds some length to the lashes but the volume and curl it gives is amazing - it gives you such thick and full looking lashes and it separates them out quite well too, which I'm assuming is down to the 'Hook 'n' Roll' brush. To be honest, the results surprised me a little because I'd already assumed it wouldn't be any better than my beloved They're Real mascara but its definitely on par and i absolutely loved how it made my lashes look.

It's not replaced They're Real as my favourite but that's because they are both equally amazing but for different reasons. They're Real is incredible at giving me length to my lashes, whereas Roller Lash is the one I'd turn too for voluminous and full looking lashes. So far I'm very impressed with Roller Lash and i think anyone who likes a volumising mascara that can really curl the lashes, you should try and get your hands on Elle Magazine to try this out.

Have you tried Roller Lash? What are your thoughts?
Which do you prefer They're Real or Roller Lash, I'd love to know? 
Natalie xx

My Skin Saviour | Origins Out Of Trouble 10 Minute Mask

Don't you just love it when you try a product and you just know that you're going to love it, well this is pretty much what happened here. I got this mask in the Origins Mask Marvels Set and i had a few hours going spare before i was heading out so i decided to give this one a go.

I applied it onto my face avoiding the eyes, nostrils and mouth and the first thing i noticed was the scent, it's quite powerful and reminded me of Vicks Vapour Rub - it's not a scent everyone will like but i personally found it quite relaxing. The mask itself is a white almost paste consistency, it's much thicker than the other masks in the set but its still really easy to apply and work around the face. You only need to leave this on for about 10 mins and like most masks it does start to stiffen when it dries but its not as uncomfortable as some can be, it didn't find it to be too restricting.

Once removed my skin felt incredible; it was insanely smooth, it looked healthier and revitalised and i found my make up went on really well after using it too. I was literally amazing by the results that i spent the entire evening asking everyone to feel how soft my face was.

I don't know if it's down to the Origins products or not but since I've been using them I've noticed a big improvement in my skin - it's more hydrated, it looks much healthier and i seem to have fewer blemishes too. Out of the three masks in the set this is definitely my favourite one as i love that it works so fast and you get instant results. Its perfect for when you don't have much time but your skin needs a quick fix.

I seriously love this stuff and i can finally understand the hype around Origins.
Do you have any recommendations of what i should try next from Origins?
Natalie xx