benefit giveaway winner.

A huge thanks to everyone who entered the Benefit skincare giveaway!

Picked at random using the random.org generator, the winner is...

Hannah G!

Congratulations!

the london carriage works.

As my poor mum will be spending her Mother's Day helping me build Ikea furniture for my new London pad, I decided to treat her to an early celebration at The London Carriage Works in Liverpool.

As soon as you walk through the doors, it's obvious that this is an award-winning restaurant. With smart-looking, attentive staff and a sleek and modern interior, the whole place oozes style without feeling snobby and prentious. 

Along with complementary tea and coffee, we were given a variety of finger sandwiches and homemade cakes. From freshly baked scones with blackberry jam and clotted cream and rich chocolate brownies to slices of Battenberg and mini meringue nests filled with whipped cream and fresh raspberries, you'll end up waddling out and in danger of a sugar coma. And it's so worth it. 

If you're looking to treat your mum to something special that won't burn a hole in your bank balance, afternoon tea at The London Carriage Works is perfect. The afternoon tea will set you back £20 if you go on Mother's Day, but if you go any other day it'll only cost you £13.50. And if you're after an indulgent lunch-time treat, a glass of Prosecco will only cost you £1.75 extra!

You can book your table here from 3.00 - 5.00.

What are you doing for Mother's Day? 

Don't forget to enter my Benefit giveaway here!

benefit giveaway.

You could win...

Triple performing facial emulsion SPF 15 (8.9ml)
You may not know you're dehydrated, but your skin does. Triple performing facial emulsion SPF 15 PA++ hydrates, protects & comforts the skin with an oil-free, lightweight formula.


Foamingly clean facial wash (8.9g)
There's clean & there's really clean. This 1-step facial wash effectively cleanses the skin & removes makeup & impurities with a soft, gentle lather. Formulated for all skin types.


It's potent! Eye Cream (3g)
Your eyes can't keep a secret...they're the first to show signs of age & stress. It's potent! eye cream fades dark circles & helps smooth fine lines for brighter, younger-looking eyes.



 To be in with a chance of winning, all you have to do is...

1) Be a follower of this blog
2) Follow this blog on bloglovin'
3) Leave a comment on this post, including your email address so I can contact you if you win!


This giveaway is open internationally for one month and closes at 11:59 (GMT) on March 23rd.


Good luck!



This is not a sponsored post.

glossybox february.

The Products

DuWop Venom Gloss

I'm really not a lip gloss kind of girl, so I wasn't particularly excited about this product. I was sent a lovely peach shade called 'Buttercup' that would suit most skin tones, and although I haven't tried it out on my lips yet I'm guessing the 'venom' in the title means that it contains some form of lip-plumping ingredient. And who doesn't want lips like Angelina Jolie?  

 

Impress Press-On Manicure

I love the idea of being able to apply false nails without the added hassle of getting nail glue everywhere, so I'll definitely be trying these out! The product promises for an easy application and removal, which is always a bonus for me, and although the leopard print design is a bit too Bet Lynch for my taste I know other women would love it.

Paul Mitchell Quick Strip

Taming my hair is a constant battle, so I'm looking forward to trying out this product! The texture is smooth, lightweight and doesn't feel greasy at all, and it smells lovely. The bottle is also perfect for travelling, and the fact that it has UV protection means I'll be throwing this baby in my suitcase when I start flying!

BM Beauty Pure Mineral Eyeshadow

This mineral eyeshadow is ridiculously pigmented. The colour doesn't look anything special in the pot, but when it's swatched it transforms into a gorgeous soft pink with shimmering golden undertones. My only criticism is that it's not an eyeshadow colour that I'd normally consider wearing at all, so a more natural shade might have been better suited for more people. However, it looks like it'd be gorgeous as a blush if it was used sparingly, so I might be experimenting with this one!

Como Shambhala Invigorate Shower Gel

Unless I'm imagining things, I'm sure this shower gel has made an appearance in a past Glossybox - and I wasn't particularly blown away by it then, either! It does smell lovely, but if you're not a fan of strong-smelling essential oils like lavender and geranium then this probably isn't for you. The fact that it's pricey at £20 for a full-sized version does make this seem like a luxury product, and almost makes up for the fact that it is just a shower gel.

The Verdict

Unlike the Valentine's Day version of last month's Glossybox (which I loved), this month's box felt like a bit of an anti-climax. Even though I liked most of the products that were featured, nothing jumped out at me as a truly special, luxury product, and I was left feeling a bit 'blah' and disinterested once I'd finished trying things out. 

However, this is just my personal opinion, and please bear in mind that I'm a fussy bugger when it comes to beauty products! For people who love false nails, lipgloss and shower gels, this month's box is perfect for them!

There's definitely more of an equal balance between beauty products and skin/hair/body products these days, so it seems like the people behind Glossybox are really listening to their customers' feedback and are constantly working on improving each month's new box.

 

What did you think of this month's Glossybox?

ten years of topshop.

Topshop is enabling my fashion girl-crush on Karlie Kloss with a fashion film from the legendary Nick Knight. The film features looks from the past and present collaborations from the last 10 years, which include fashion giants Mary Katrantzou and Marios Schwab to Christopher Kane.

If you haven't seen it yet, you can watch it here on the Topshop website. 

What's your favourite Topshop collaboration?

mary katrantzou for topshop.

Multi-coloured satin dress

£350

Jersey dress

£180

Blouse

£180

 

With Mary Katrantzou's long awaited collection for Topshop hitting stores across the UK tomorrow, I thought I'd pick my favourites from the range - although these pieces are staying quite firmly on the lust list rather than the must-have list!

 

Ranging from an £40 to £350, the capsule collection features Kantrantzou's iconic silhouettes and bold, clashing prints that have made her a firm favourite amongst the style elite. And although £350 does seem a little extravagent to us regular folk, bear in mind that an original dress would set you back an eye-watering £8,000!

cleaning my stash: lip products.

After reading ViviannaDoesMakeup's post on clearing out her make up collection, I was inspired to brave the depths of my make up drawers and tackle my hefty collection of lip products. And like Vivianna, I stuck to one golden rule: if it hadn't been used in the past 6 months, it was a goner!

MAC Ruby Woo, Please Me, Lovelorn, (and two new additions) A Perfect Day and Creme In Your Coffee

Sleek Barely There, Candy Cane, Fuschia, Papaya Punch, Coral Reef, O.M.G!, Peaches & Cream

17 Belle and Bee Hive

MUA Shade 1 and 11

Revlon Pink in the Afternoon

Topshop Beguiled

All for Eve Eve Red

Clinique Currant and Sorbet de Cerise

 What's your favourite lipstick?