A Vintage Affair

The Vintage Tea Party Year Waterstones £15.00

I have been in awe of the vintage phenomenon that has been sweeping our nation for the past few years. There is nothing quite like a vintage touch to demonstrate and air of class, originality and creativity.  The fashion, the hair, the lifestyle, there is something quite alluring about the past and I can't quite out my finger on it.

The Vintage Tea Party Book Waterstones £16.00

Well now it could not be easier to allow snippets from the past into your present, if you are looking for something a little retro, a little kitsch than look no further than Miss Angel Adore, author of not one but two amazing books.

The Vintage Tea Party Book burst onto our shelves earlier last year and I have never been so keen to get my hands on a book. A beautifully written exploration of the past in terms of entertaining, food and drink and personal style, Angel Adoree teaches the average novice how to turn her dream tea party into a reality.

make your own butterfly display page 220

Pages filled with charming animal illustrations that could rival Alice in Wonderland, the book is simply beautiful and looks just that amongst all my other plain Jane recipe books. If you are looking for something new to try at home, then flick through and choose at random. One of my favourites is the British Potato recipe. Baked new potatoes with soured cream and chive filling, an everyday recipe with a little something special.

Learn to bake these delicious potatoes page 126

For a sweet tooth try there trifle shots page 173

Not only does this book transform you into a wannabe housewife, but there are also plenty make and do pieces to put your craft skills to the test. Why not try making your own pinny, retro style or even attempt to put together your own bird mobile that would look perfect in any stylish home.

For something a little different that is both beautiful inside and out, pick up one of these books that you can turn to time and time again, in an entertaining emergency or simply to indulge in it's pretty pages.

Don't forget to follow me on twitter girlies need all the help I can get! @Danielle20990

D.x

Soap and Glory The Righteous Butter

I have a little confession to make, up until Christmas day I was a Soap and Glory virgin. I know almost unspeakable as a wannabe blogger but it is true. Alas do not panic as I have now delved into the world of Soap and Glory and I kind of like it.

Soap and Glory mini available at boots priced £2.50

After receiving a couple of their goodies in my Christmas stocking I have grown quite curious as to what this, once little, brand in boots has to offer me. Testing out the miniature Flake away scrub, Clean Girls body wash and The Righteous Butter body butter, I was impressed.

The Righteous Butter Boots £10.50

So impressed that I went straight out and picked up the full size body butter as It was too good to resist, 300ml of good temptations. The thick, creamy butter leaves your skins feeling smoothly nourished without the greasy aftermath. Your skins absorbs the moisture as you rub into your skin and is perfect for dry areas. The butter relieves any dry patches and restores them to their former glory. This product is great to use after jumping out the bath or shower to complete your relaxation routine.

The packing of this brand is to die for. A blend of tongue in cheek humour, retro styling and pink packaging allow for a fun, feminine feel. The black and white imagery makes the range seem vintage and classic as well as being ever so modern with the product names. They make perfect gifts as well as lining your own bathrooms and bedrooms.

I simply cannot wait to try a few more products.

D.x

MAC Fix Spray

I have always wanted to give this product a try. It is one of those products that I am not actually sure what it is supposed to accomplish for your skin and I have often questioned whether it is an essential or in fact glorified water in a spray bottle.

MAC Fix+ Spray 100ml £13.50

After having approximately five minutes at the House of Fraser MAC counter, in the Metro centre three days before Christmas, I walked away with my MAC Skin Finish and this little bottle off obscure clear liquid.

After experiencing problems in the past with my make up, not quite getting the foundation to powder ratio exact, I was often dismayed with the caked on appearance of my skin. That is where MAC Fix spray comes into play.

The finishing mist/ skin refresher is described as a 'soothing moisture mist' that will freshen up your make up during the day whilst adding a finishing touch to your make up. Well I am not sure if finishing touch is quite how I would describe the results of this spray. There is a lot of power behind this little spray and even with the most gentle of touches a lot of product comes out. I find that dabbing the product into your skin with a brush helps set it a bit more and prevents it from being, well, quite as wet.

I did find that once the product was dabbed onto dry areas, the make up underneath blended and took away the harsh bumps created by foundation in dry skin.

The product is practically unscented and doesn't irritate the skin. Avoiding those pesky leaks, the bottle comes with a turning nozzle to lock and unlock the spray, perfect for throwing into your bag when on the go.
It comes in two sizes, the 30ml and 100ml but you can only get the smaller online or in stand alone stores. I picked this up for £13.50 on a whim and wanted to see what the fuss is about.

This is a nice product to use as apart of your make up application process but in no way does it stand out. I am still undecided as to whether this is a product of just a bottle of liquid. The product is handy to have lying around in case of emergencies or if you want to add a little freshness during the day. It would be perfect for those who suffer from dry skins who wish to freshen up their foundation to a dewy more natural finish.

What did you think of the MAC fix it spray? A must have or a better left on the shelf?

D.x

MAC Skin finish

After toying with MAC products in the past such as their Studio Fix foundation and their Select Sheer Pressed powder and being more 'oh ok' this is alright rather than the praising the heaven's that I have finally found my holy grail product that I simply cannot live without. I decided to try a few more products that MAC have to offer.

MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Light £21

After my friend spent a fortune on MAC goodies in an airport in America and vowed that MAC had changed her life, I decided to jump on the bandwagon. Picking myself up the MAC Mineralize Natural Skin Finish powder on a pre-Christmas shopping trip, I was pleasantly surprised.

Opting for 'Light' shade, it matched my skin colour perfectly and offered a light dusting over my YSL foundation of choice, Touche Eclat anyone? i have found that dusting a light layer of powder over the nose, cheeks and chin offers a delicate matte finish that does not dry out the skin or make your complexion dull. One dust is all you need to take a dewy finish to a slightly mattified look. You can add more if you wish to have an all over matte finish without ending up with the all too familiar 'caked on' look.

The product comes in an array of shades too suit all skin shades and can be used just as well on it's own for a quick make up touch up. The packaging is typical MAC. Black plastic casing, simple and straight to the point. It stays clean in the bottom of your make up bag and that is good enough for me.

This product cost me £21, but in my opinion was worth the money. After using a MAC powder in the past, I have learnt that they last a long time and don't crack under pressure. Perfect for a girl on the go.

I apply my powder with the Real Techniques Powder brush, over my foundation before my highlighter and blush. I top up over the day to erase any unwanted shine and still remain un-caked.

If you are looking for a long lasting, light powder than I would give this a try and very much doubt you will be disappointed with results. This product is perfect for someone who needs that little something extra to finish off their look without being too 'made up'.

D.x

A Happy New Year to You

Happy 2013 everyone! Last year absolutely flew over and what a year it was, full of highs and lows, good things and bad things, beginnings and ends. But now 2013 has finally arrived it is time to forget the past and get on with the present!

This new years eve was spent being a little less wild than last year. After finally making plans to go out and have fun, my body decided that it was not to be and I got sick! Perfect way to end the year! The next day after feeling a little more cheery and a little less dreary, me and the boyfriend's family spent the day eating a lovely new years dinner, watching films and eating a few chocolates.

This red dress was a present from Michael and I love it! Thinking red would get me into the festive spirit, I wore this to dinner. I was thinking the dress would look perfect with seamed tights and some cute little pumps and perhaps a trench. What do you think?

Now for the fun to start! To announce my first ever giveaway winner! As promised the winner has been chosen at random using a very random number generator! The lucky winner will receive a pair of Linea polka dot tights and a pair of Jonathon Aston ankle socks and a bar of their favourite chocolate!

A drum roll please...and the winner is... Sunny from Things which make me smile, number seven on the entry list! Congratulations an email is being sent your way!

I cannot wait to start my next giveaway at the end of January, keep your eyes peeled!

D.x