Pinterest Picks #1

Hello, my name is Sarah and I'm a Pinterest-aholic.  Most evenings I can lose at least an hour of my life by browsing, pinning and liking; it's very addictive.  I love looking through other people's boards to see what they've pinned, and maybe repin some things onto my own boards.  Two of my favourite categories to look through are quotes; for a bit of inspiration or motivation, and humour; for a good old giggle.  As my blog is lacking in the 'Lifestyle' posts of late (I can't wait for nicer weather so I can blog about fun days out!) I thought it might be a good idea to share a pin or two from these sections and perhaps give my thoughts on them.  I'm not sure how often, just every now and again when I come across pins that really strike a chord with me.  I'm not saying it's a unique idea, I've seen similar things on a couple of other blogs and have always enjoyed reading them; I just want to give it a go myself!

 

First up is once I can most certainly relate to.  Pretty much everybody has had one of those nights where you're worried about something and instead of sleeping, you spend the night tossing and turning, with the same problem going through your mind and you just can't switch off.   During the day you can busy yourself with work, or uni, or seeing friends or whatever, and you can easily put your worries to the back of your mind and not give them a second thought.  Yes they're still there, but they're small and not too much of a big deal, or maybe they're a bit more significant but you have a clear idea of how you're going to deal with it, or what the outcomes going to be, or you just know that it'll be okay.  But once your tucked up in bed, those problems suddenly seem HUGE.  With out the distractions of day to day life, your imagination runs wild and you're playing out different scenarios in your mind, each getting a bit more exaggerated, resulting in you getting even more freaked out and restless and getting zero sleep.  

I'm a firm believer that everything seems worse at night.  When you're laid in bed, in the dark, in the silence, with no distractions, even the smallest problem can seem like a huge drama.  And any noise is almost certainly a mouse, or a ghost, or somebody trying to get in, when reality it's probably coming from outside, or maybe nextdoor's TV or even just those random creaking noises that older houses can sometimes make.    

It's pretty much a guarantee that once you manage to drop off to sleep, when you wake up, that problem will seem much more manageable, it may have even gone completely.  So next time you're laid at wake at night, worrying yourself silly just try and relax and tell yourself that things will be better in the morning...

Phew! That was all a bit deep and serious wasn't it? Here's one of my favourite funnies of the week to lighten the mood a little...

 

 Teehee!

Hope you liked this post. Should I make it a regular thing? Let me know in the comments below!

 

Bathtime on a Budget

There's nothing I enjoy more than getting into a nice, hot bubble bath at the end of a long day at work.  I'm definitely a bath person, and would prefer a long soak than a quick shower any day.  I always have a stash of Lush bath bombs and bubble bars on the go, love the giant glass jars of Champeys bath soaks, and have gone through more bottles of Soap and Glory's Calm One, Calm All than I care to remember.  But the thing is, they're all a little on the pricey side.  At £6, even Soap and Glory's bath time offering isn't exactly cheap when you go through it as much as I do.  Plus, I don't know if this is just me but, sometimes I don't want colour changing water, bits of confetti floating about, or a load of oil that makes the bathtub turn into an ice rink.  All I want is a good old bubble bath; just bubbles. Plain and simple.  A "no frills" bath if you like. Especially if I'm going to be shaving, exfoliating, and doing all that girlie stuff; I don't want to "waste" my good bath things on that. This is why I always have a bottle of bog-standard bubble bath on the go. My latest find is Morrisons own-brand bath soak, which bares more than a bit of a resemblance to the Radox bottles it was next to on the shelves. 

I opted for two bottles from the "Exotic" range, Moroccan Fusion with Argan Oil, and Oriental Fusion with Orchid and Lychee Extracts.  They also had their own versions of the Relax, Soothe, De-stress bath soaks, but I'm personally not keen on how these smell.  I used the Moroccan Fusion last night, and was impressed with the amount of rich, creamy bubbles I got, even though I didn't use that much product.  That's what's good about these though; at 89p a bottle you can pour in as much as you like (maybe not the whole bottle though, that'd just be crazy...) as it's not breaking the bank if you go through it in a week or two.  Obviously it depends on what type of bath you need; if I've had a super crappy day, I'm not going to mess about with this stuff; I'd want at least one whole bubble bar, candles, a bottle glass of wine and a book.  But if I'm in a bit of rush, doing the above mentioned "maintenance" or just don't want all the faff on of a proper bath, this stuff is ideal.  It's cheap, smells good, gives decent bubbles and isn't too harsh on my skin.

Morrisons bath soak is only 89p and is currently on offer at 2 for £1.50... bargain!

Recent Treats

I've definitely been treating myself far too much lately, naughty I know. There has been so many new releases in the last month or so, that I've just had to get my hands on.  First up is the Naked 3 palette from Urban Decay. You'd think that owning the previous two Naked palettes that I didn't need this one.  And that's what I thought too, until I saw it swatched here, there and everywhere. It had to be mine.  Unfortunately my local Debenhams had sold out when I went to buy it.  Instead of rushing home and hastily buying it online, I opted to put my name and number down in store to be contacted as soon as they were back in stock, and they would keep one for me. At least then, I can have another think about whether I really wanted it.  Of course I did, and I was so excited when they called to say my palette was in stock, and waiting to be collected.  I've not had a great deal of time to play around with it yet, as I don't wear a lot of makeup for work, but I've seem some gorgeous looks online that I can't wait to recreate.  Another highly anticipated release for me was the new lip and cheek stain from Benefit; Lollitint.  I've used Benetint on and off for years, and I'm also a big fan of Cha Cha tint and Posietint.  With my Posietint all but ran out, I knew this was a sign to invest in the latest tint release. I absolutely love the colour of this and I think it'll make a gorgeous accompaniment to the shades in my Naked 3 palette.

I've been wanting some decent eyelash curlers for ages and ages.  I've bought cheaper ones in the past and had never been overly impressed.  I'd heard great things about the Shu Uemura and Shiseido curlers online, but could never bring myself to shell out that much on an eyelash curler. However, last week on a  trip to Newcastle (while shopping for a wedding outfit. Oops.) I spotted the Shiseido range in Boots.  I quickly grabbed the curlers, and dashed to the tills before I could change my mind.  I'd actually gone into Boots to pick up a new mascara.  After deciding to revert back to my beloved False Lash Effect, the lady on the Max Factor counter showed me their newest release; the Excess Volume, Extreme Impact mascara.  It's a double ended mascara, featuring False Lash Effect at one end, and a dark lacquer 'top coat' on the other, to give our lashes a jet black, glossy finish.  As it was on offer for £10, I decided to give it a whirl.  I've not used it yet, but I'm excited to try it out and will let you know my thoughts.  There was also a promotion on where you received a free lip liner with any purchase. This pink one was the best of the bunch so in my basket it went. Last up is the latest addition to the Body Shop's Vitamin E range.  This serum-in-oil is a new concept to me at least, and is supposed to have the benefits of a serum and a facial oil all in one.  I've really been enjoying using this each evening after cleansing and my skin is definitely feeling softer because of it.

 Have you tried any of these products? What did you think?

Most Wanted: Pretty in Pastels

Green Top - £16 - Topshop

Pink Tee - £16 - Topshop

Pink Coat - £54.99 - New Look

Brogues - £27.99 - New Look

Bag - £40 - River Island

Jumper - £38 - Topshop

It may still be cold, wet, windy and miserable out there, but slowly but surely spring/summer clothes are creeping into the shops.  Now that January is over and done with, the warmer weather will be here before we know it.  Topshop's basic vests and tees are always a winner, and I really love the scalloped detail on this mint green tee.  The pattern on the pink tee is super pretty too, and both of these will look great with a chunky knit cardigan until the weather's warm enough to go without.  The detail on the shoulders of this lemon jumper is a lovely touch, and I think this teamed simply with jeans and pumps will make for a comfy, casual outfit for lazy days.  I wasn't a big fan of this style of coat originally, I was always worried that the over-sizedness off them would just swamp me as I'm short, but I really do like this one from New Look and am temped to at least try it on in store.  On a sunny-but-cold day like today, I don't really want to wear a dark winter coat, although one still is needed! Something like this would be perfect; it looks a bit more summery yet will still keep you warm.  I always prefer to carry a light coloured handbag in the warmer month and I currently have my eyes on this one from River Island.  I've had bags from there in the past and they've always lasted well.  This one looks more than big enough to hold all my bits and bobs and looks more expensive than it actually is.  I'm definitely going to invest in some brogues this year; I live in my boots throughout the winter, but think brogues are a great transitional item that will keep my feet dry yet not look out of place as the weather starts to improve.  Lastly, I cannot wait to start painting my nails in more summer-like shades.  I've yet to try any Ciaté nail polishes but I really want to.  I've lusted after them for so long. They look so pretty with their little bows tied around the bottles. I love how these aren't too light;  The pink shade, Empress, is part of the Dragonfly collection; a gorgeous pinky nude with a slight pearl finish.  The green, Apple and Custard, has been around for a while.  I'm not a fan of the likes of Barry M's infamous mint green polish, and much prefer a slightly darker finish like this.  

What are you lusting after this spring?