Review: The Jewellery People

My jewellery collection has been expanding lately and I'm pleased to add an extra two pieces to it! These lovely necklaces were kindly sent to me from The Jewellery People, an online jewellery store selling a mixture of handcrafted contemporary and classic designs. I spent quite a while looking through the website and eventually settled on two very different pieces.

This Topaz & Silver Heart Pendant* is one of my favourites from the website. I love dainty little necklaces that can be easily worn on a day to day basis. The topaz heart glistens nicely and adds a subtle bit of colour to the necklace. Priced at £17.99, this would make an affordable but beautiful gift for a loved one. Topaz is one of the birthstones for November so even better if you know someone who was born in that month!

The first word that came to mind when I saw this necklace was "BEACH"! This Blue & Silver Leaf Glass Beaded Necklace*, costing £9.99, would be perfect for a day out at the seaside. I actually chose this necklace a few months back when it was pretty dreary so I'm excited that beach season is upon us so I can finally take this lovely piece into the sunshine. This is different to what I'd normally wear but I just think it's looks really funky and it would be a nice way of accessorising when I'm at the beach without looking overdressed or panicking that I've lost an expensive necklace in the sand. No joke, that's actually happened before.  

Do you like the pieces that I've chosen?

New Things #4

Water Bottle - Drinking a lot of water is nothing new to me. I've been doing it for years but I used to drink from pre-filled plastic bottles and then re-fill them. That's supposedly a really bad thing to do as they contain a dangerous chemical called BPA which can be leaked out through wear and tear . So I got myself a BPA-free bottle called Aladdin! It's a lot tougher and I can reuse it as much as I like! Of course, you can just buy lots of pre-filled water bottles and just throw them in the bin once you've drank it all up but that's a lot more expensive. It's much cheaper to buy large bottles and pour them into this bottle. Or you could use tap water, of course.

Lush Lots Of Love Gift Set - I won this from a blog giveaway on Confessions Of A Secret Shopper back in February (which feels like a lifetime ago now!). This is one of Lush's Valentine's gift sets and most of it smelt amazing (I wasn't a fan of the Neon Love Soap). I'm still quite new to Lush so this was the best prize ever. I couldn't stop sniffing the Sex Bomb Bath Ballistic when this box first arrived, it smells amazing!

Graze Snack Box - I rarely order these unless there's a promotion of some kind as I do think they're a little pricey, but they are very healthy snacks! I was really pleased with this box though, loved all 4 punnets. Surprisingly, I quite liked the mango chutney despite not being keen the first time round. The Graze brownie was delicious! That's saying a lot considering I tend to avoid chocolate cake. Plus, it's healthier than normal brownies! If you haven't already signed up, you can get a free box by clicking here, or enter the code LINDAL54U when registering an account at Graze.

Pizza Crisps - Ah more food, and perhaps not so healthy this time! I spotted this in a small Asian grocery store and I knew I had to pick up a bag. I love pizza and I love ridged crisps so it was a no-brainer! I have to say, they do actually taste very pizza-like and they even have little bits of melted cheese on there. Definitely the best crisps I've had in a long time and I wish I'd picked up a few more bags!

Socks - I love buying new socks as they're always so soft and comfortable! These are from Tesco. They're black socks with patterns on the soles, which just about creep up onto the sides so you can kind of see them when I have them on. I love wearing  brand new pairs of fresh cotton socks as they're always so soft! 

The Return Of The Scrunchies

A few years back when I was still in school, I used to always have my hair in a ponytail. I think it was mainly down to the fact that it was a lot more practical and neater to have all of my hair tied back. I also have long, thick hair, so it was easier to tie it tightly in the morning with several hairbands so that I didn't have to do a half-job of it when it came to sports lessons. I used to own so many scrunchies and, because of how thick my hair was, they were usually just for decoration after I'd used a tighter hairband to keep my hair up.

These very pretty looking things are from an online beauty website called Xtras. I have to say, it's been a while since I've got my hands on some brand new scrunchies. I wear my hair down most of the time nowadays and, when I don't, I use a (very) large hair grip/claw to clip all of my hair up. I'd almost forgotten how pretty scrunchies can be, and they seem to have gathered popularity again recently. Xtras kindly sent me a few products to review.

I love this Bright Floral Lime Scrunchie* and how summery it looks. I'm not usually one to go for anything remotely green-coloured but this just stood out to me and I don't own anything lime either so I figured this would add a nice splash of colour into my life. I love how soft and silky this feels, although the material isn't very stretchy so it's best reserved for added hair decoration. It definitely won't hold up my hair in a ponytail on its own. 

I love anything with bows on as I think it looks so cute so I was very pleased with these two Chiffon Floral Bow Scrunchies*. I also happen to really like chiffon too so this was even better. I have to say that the "bows" are essentially shoe-lace tie bows that are tied around the main part of the scrunchie, so it's not the neatest looking bow I've ever seen. I kind of see them more as chiffon tails. You can also completely remove the bows/tails if you don't fancy having them on there! 

Do you still use scrunchies?

Oh So Sleek.

Those of you who are into beauty will be no stranger to the name Sleek. I remember this brand from when I was younger but it seems to have grown so much and increased in popularity over the last few years. Here's a peek at some of their products that they recently sent to me. 

I've heard plenty of talk about CC creams before but I've never used one, nor did I understand what they were. For those of you who are just as clueless as I was, CC stands for Complexion Corrector. This Sleek CC Cream* is one of the brand's newer products and it's available in 4 shades. I like the pointy nozzle as it means you won't end up squeezing too much product out. I've never used a BB/CC cream before, nor do I ever use liquid foundation, so this took a bit of getting used to! The texture is really smooth, goes on well, and my skin still feels breathable. Whilst I doubt I will be using this on a daily basis, it'll be great for days when I feel like I want a bit more coverage.

Funnily enough, I was recommended this Face Contour Kit* a month ago by a fellow blogger. This is a duo palette with a matte bronzer and an illuminating highlighter. I find it quite difficult to find matte bronzers, particularly affordable ones but this is definitely up to standard. I'm still getting to grips with the highlighter at the moment. I usually end up putting so much on that I look like I'm glowing (and not in a good way....) or I put too little on and you can't even see it. I love the large mirror that comes with this, and I think that's one of the great things about the Sleek palettes. 

2-in-1 products are great ways to save space in your make-up bag! This is the Eyebrow Stylist*, with an angled eyebrow pencil on one end and a grooming brush on the other. The formula is smooth and matte. Unfortunately, the pencil is a bit too light for me but I've been loving using the grooming brush. It's amazing how much difference neat eyebrows can make to a face. 

What are your favourite Sleek products?

Pen To Paper

Do you remember when we all used to write down notes on actual paper? Those were the days... Lately, most of us jot down notes on our smartphones, tablets, or even just on our laptops. Those virtual sticky notes are pretty useful, I have to say.

I still love being able to put pen to paper though. It's nice to be able to hold something that isn't powered by a battery, and to be able to sit down and just write anything that comes to my head whilst I draw little pictures on the page corners. It allows me to be more creative. There's something about handwriting, with actual real ink, that makes the creative juices flow a little more. 

Notebooks are one of my favourite things to carry around with me so that I can jot stuff down no matter where I am. If I had the room to store hundreds of them then I probably would. I love cute little notebooks and I find it hard to resist when I see them in shops. Do I really need another 5 notebooks? Probably not. Shall I buy them anyway? Sure. 

I don't think I'll ever give up notebooks. How else will I make it acceptable to hoard an extensive collection of pens that I probably don't need?

Pretty Hangers

I always like to have pretty things in my room. Why have a boring wooden shelf when you can have a shiny glass one? I actually have both..... Why put my mini products on the shelf when I can put them on tiny heart shaped ceramic plates?........

I hold this same notion when it comes to hangers. I used to use thin metal hangers but, over the past few years, I've started using colourful plastic ones because they're a lot sturdier and nicer to look at. I've always wanted some padded silk hangers too ever since I saw a clothing store use them on all their luxury items. 

Recently, I was kindly sent some lovely hangers from Hangerworld. Style aside, the hanger that I was most excited about was the Premium Wooden Scarf Hanger*. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love scarves, I'll wear them whatever the weather. The photo above shows only a fraction of my scarf collection so I think I may have to invest in a few more of these! I have previously hung my scarves over normal hangers but this is so much more practical and neat. The wood is smooth and glossy so it won't snag and it won't cause any damage to your scarves. I was surprised that my bigger scarves could still fit through the holes, but you definitely won't be able to fit any chunky Winter scarves in there!

For my suit and black trousers, I've used the White Satin Padded Hanger* and the Ivory Padded Clip Hanger*. Got to coordinate your smart clothes, right? I love the Clip Hanger and I might get some more because they're so much nicer than the ones you get in store when you buy trousers. 

For my not-so-formal clothing, I have a Pink Satin Padded Hanger* and a Floral Padded Top Hanger*. The floral one isn't as soft as the others but it adds a nice splash of pattern to my wardrobe and it's a very wide hanger which keeps the shape of my jackets. With normal hangers, I often find that my jackets slip off them and get crumpled on my wardrobe floor.

I'm thinking that the next time I have a wardrobe overhaul, I'm going to get some more of these hangers to hang all of my new clothes on and replace all of my plastic hangers. I like everything to match.....

What hangers do you use?

Easter Bunny

I'll start off by saying that I'm not really a candle person. I've never lit a candle in my bedroom, ever. I've developed a love of all things bunny-related recently, though, so I was very excited to find this Easter Bunny Tealight Holder from Yankee Candle. It just looks so adorable in my bedroom and it's definitely not just for Easter.

Of course, I needed some tealights to go in too so I opted for the Vanilla Cupcake Tealights because I love baking, so anything cake-related gets a big thumbs-up from me!

Funnily enough, I still haven't lit any candles yet. I didn't want to leave my tealight holder empty but, at the same time, I am super paranoid about causing a house fire. So for now, it'll just be for decoration, and I still get small whiffs of vanilla when I walk past it.

I hope you're all enjoying this gorgeous weather today. The sun always seems to be shining bright on Good Friday. I've got a lovely weekend planned and I hope you all do too. 

Happy Easter Weekend!

Review: Baker Days Letterbox Cake

As someone who loves cakes and baking, this cute little package was warmly welcomed through my letterbox. Who knew it could be this easy to get your hands on some cake? This Letterbox Cake* was kindly sent to me by Baker Days and it's small enough to be delivered with the rest of your post so you don't even need to be in the house! 

Baker Days offers a selection of creative cakes from small Letterbox Cakes to Large Cakes that are suitable for big parties of corporate events. There are many designs to choose from and you can even come up with some ideas of your own. 

For my cake, I choose the design that says "Keep Calm The Best Is Yet To Come". I just thought that this was such an uplifting message and it's perfect for giving someone a little pick-me-up. It arrived in a reusable tin to keep the cake fresh, and it's great for storing little bits and pieces in once you've devoured the cake!

The cake itself was surprisingly fresh despite the fact that it had been transported all this way. The sponge was firm and I loved the thin buttercream layer between the fondant icing and the sponge. I'm not the biggest fan of fondant icing but I quite liked this and it's quite tasty in moderation. 

Although I prefer doing the baking myself, this is a great alternative when you want to give a cake to someone who doesn't live nearby. A Letterbox Cake will be so much better than sending someone a card or flowers. They also won't be expecting it so it'll be a fantastic surprise! You can also order a cake for yourself just because you're craving cake....

Have you ordered from Baker Days before?

Relax, Take It Easy.

It's no secret that I love taking trips to various cities. There's always plenty to do and lots of shops to go crazy in! The other day, though, I decided to head to a small market town instead as it was the last chance to see one of my friends before he moves away. 

As much as I love large cities, market towns usually have a charm about them and you can almost guarantee that there'll be lots of independent boutiques and quirky cafes lined along the high street. Perfect for a relaxing day out.

One of the first things we did was get food. We found a cute little tea room on the high street. Funnily enough, I didn't opt for Afternoon Tea as I wanted to eat something that would fill me up a bit more as I was so hungry! I chose Eggs Benedict, which I've never had before. It's basically muffins, poached eggs, and crispy bacon, topped off with a delicious Hollandaise sauce. It was scrumptious!

Afterwards, we had a look around some of the shops. There was a lovely sweet shop selling a delicious selection of sweet treats. They even had marshmallow sandwiches and marshmallow pizzas! 

When I saw this Alice in Wonderland themed sign outside a shop, I knew I had to go in. I wish there was an Alice in Wonderland themed tea room there, that would have been amazing!

I didn't buy anything in there but I love the look of these bottles with the tab on. I'm not entirely sure what they were, possibly tea or herbs...

Overall, it was a great day out and I'm so glad I took some time out to see my friend before he leaves. It was also nice to just go somewhere different. Cities are exciting, but quirky little towns are much more calming and there are so many hidden treasures to be found.

Review: Healthy Nails - Crystal Nail File

I used to collect so many nail files when I was younger, I had a variety of colours and patterns and I have to admit that they were more for display than anything else. They were all emery boards and I find that they aren't all that effective, and sometimes they caused my nails to weaken. 

A great alternative to emery boards are crystal nail files, and they are a lot better for your nails too. The one I have to show you today is the Healthy Nails Crystal Nail File* which was very kindly sent to me. 

It arrived in a sleek silver case, perfect for carrying around and storing in your drawer. You need to be a lot more careful with a crystal nail file than you do with an emery board. I did own a crystal nail file a couple of years ago and, in the midst of clearing up my desk, I moved the nail file onto my chair.... and then I sat on it.... oops! It snapped in half and that was the end of that, I'd only had it for a few weeks as well! So this is my second crystal nail file, which I trust will last a lot longer!

Although the case will prevent any accidents when you sit on it, I would still be careful with it as it rattles a lot inside the case. It could potentially break if you drop it somewhere.

This is available in 3 different colours: pink, black, and purple. As with all crystal nail files, it turns your nails into dust when you file them, allowing for a clean finish. My nails feel so smooth after using this and I don't have to deal with a massive sandy mess that you get with an emery board. It's also a lot more gentle despite it being heavier and chunkier. Gentleness means less force is applied to the nails, leading to less breakages. 

Providing that you don't drop it (or sit on it!), this file supposedly lasts forever! How amazing is that? One crystal nail file for the rest of your life. Produced in Czech Republic using high quality glass, the structure and production of the Healthy Nails Crystal File means it will keep on working for years and years.

However, the main standout of this crystal file compared to others is the pointy tip. Most crystal files have rounded tips and I did wonder why this one had such a sharp one but it soon became clear. The sharp tip allows for more intricate filing, especially along the sides of your nails, or if you just need to touch up a tiny part of your nail.

This is definitely an investment product because if you take good care of it, you're never going to need another nail file! Check out the Healthy Nails website and make a purchase from Amazon for £12.99. 

P.S: If you're interested, click here for a fun little video on the history of the nail file!

Do you use a crystal nail file?

Let It Go, Let It Go...

For those of you who don't instantly recognise the title of this post, you're probably thinking, "let what go?". In that case, you need to watch Frozen. Pronto. 

I love Disney films and I love musicals, so I've wanted to see Frozen for ages but I missed out on going to the cinema when it was out. Luckily, I was surprised last week with Frozen on DVD! I didn't even know it had been released on DVD already. I was also bought three bags of gourmet popcorn from Joe & Seph's. Needless to say, there was still a lot left over by the end of the movie. The caramel & hazelnut one was my favourite, closely followed by the french goats cheese popcorn. I wasn't particularly fond of the lemon & poppy seed popcorn!

It's been so long since I've sat down to watch a DVD by myself let alone with anyone else! That's partly down to the fact that I hate sitting still, and partly down to the fact that my mind has been doing anything but relaxing lately. 

I'm pleased to say that I LOVED Frozen! In fact, it's probably the only Disney movie that I've seen where I've got no idea what's going to happen and it's full of surprises. It's definitely not your average clichéd Disney film nor is it a girls-only movie. Most guys who have watched this seem to really like it, from what I've heard anyway! The songs were amazing too and I've been singing them to myself all week!

You are never too old for Disney.

Have you watched Frozen?

Review: Niteo Jewellery

This is my current favourite bracelet and it's been on my wrist most days for the last few weeks. I think I make a habit of using/wearing my favourite things over and over again until I move onto the next thing. If I buy a new jacket, it's almost guaranteed that all my other jackets won't even leave the wardrobe for a good month or two. 

This Pink Swarovski Luxe Celebratio Bracelet* comes from Niteo Jewellery, an online jewellery store selling handmade Swarovski jewellery. If you've seen my previous posts, you'll know that I love Swarovski crystals so I was really pleased when Niteo Jewellery very kindly sent me this bracelet.

Made with high quality pink pearls, silver encrusted beads, and finished off with crystals in between them, this is a super pretty bracelet to wear. Another great thing about this is the price. This looks much more expensive than the £16 that it costs so I highly recommend them if you're looking for great looking low-cost jewellery.

Each product is packaged in a clean and crisp white box with the company name on the front. I always think that gift boxes are quite important because it just finishes of the presentation. They're also even more important if you're planning on giving the piece of jewellery as a gift to someone else.

With such affordable prices, I'll definitely be stopping by the website again soon and I've already got my eye on something from the Crystal Hearts collection.... 

Niteo Jewellery are kindly offering my readers 15% off when you spend more than £10. 
Use the code LINDERELLA15 at checkout.