Little things from my week, red hair and milk alternatives

Some little things from this week.  I discovered these new cold tea bags.  I wasn't sure I would like them but they are actually really refreshing.  You just pop them in a cup of cold water, wait a few minutes, and you have a healthy and refreshing ice tea drink.  I find the Apple and Elderflower one adds just a hint of sweetness to the water.

I received a lovely bunch of flowers for a performance I did last weekend.  They have lasted really well and made me want to have more fresh flowers in the flat.

I re-dyed my hair a couple of weeks ago with L'oreal Casting Colours hair dye and am still loving the red tones even though they have already faded quite a bit ( it was only semi-permanent dye).

I've been trying to go dairy free as much as possible so I bought this rice and coconut milk alternative.  I'd tried various alternative milks already and not got on with them at all.  I just can't stand the taste of them in tea or coffee.  I was hoping this rice version with coconut would be better but in tea or coffee, urgh.  No.  However I've been making chocolate banana smoothies for breakfast all week and using the rice and coconut milk in this tastes great!

  I hope you enjoyed this little peek in to my week!

A Spring/Summer perfume purchase that was a long time coming

I have been wanting the Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh perfume for about two years now.  I got the body cream as a gift a couple of Christmases ago and really loved the sweet yet fresh and light scent, but I could never bring myself to spend the money and purchase the eau de toilette.  At Christmas time this year I fell in love with Prada Candy so purchased that for myself as a Christmas gift.  Candy is the perfect winter scent, sweet, rich and warming but it also made me realise that the Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh would be it's perfect Spring/ Summer counter part.

 When I was in the duty free at the airport I saw it was on sale for £40 for 75 ml so I decided to finally make the purchase.  I love the pretty bottle and finally being able to use what I decided was my favourite scent over two years ago!  I'll probably be wearing this every day until the winter months kick start my cravings for something warmer, but until then I'll be light, fruity and freshly scented.

The top notes are Rasberry, Grapefruit and Pear, with Violet, Wild Rose, and Apple Blossom as the heart notes.  The base notes are Musk, Cederwood and Plum.  How delicious and fruity does that sound?!

Bourjois Rouge Velvet Edition Matte Finish Lipstick in Framboise

This was the second lipstick I picked up as part of the 3 for 2 offer on at Boots.  I was more interested in the Colour Boost Lipstick I wrote about in the previous post but this one was a pleasant surprise.  I love the colour which is a pink that is bright enough to stand out but certainly not overly bright and it really does have staying power.

It has a soft applicator which is quite easy to use and feels quite creamy when you first apply it.  I would recommend wiping off the excess on the brush before applying as it can pick up a little too much.  Despite the creamy texture the finish is matte.  It is slightly drying after a while I feel like I need to apply some balm on top but I feel that I need to do that normally anyway.

Overall I really like this, maybe even better than the Colour Boost lipstick but as that one has SPF in it and this one doesn't this is my favourite night time lipstick at the moment.  It's staying power makes it a good choice for a night out as you don't have to constantly worry about it having worn off whilst you're enjoying your evening.  If I didn't feel like this was the perfect colour for me I would probably pick up other shades but right now I'm love with this one.

Bourjois Colour Boost in Red Sunrise Review

Hello!

How are you?  I recently went shopping in Boots and noticed they had a 3 for 2 offer, plus a pair of free sunglasses.  I've been wanting to try the Colour Boost Lipsticks for ages but with the offer on and needing something with an SPF in it I found the perfect excuse.

The finish is really glossy and bright.  I think the shade is a great bright pinky red that I looks great with sunglasses for summer.  It does last quite well although maybe not the 10 hours claimed on the packaging.  It was definitely needing to be re-applied any time I was eating or drinking.  I didn't mind though as I find these giant crayon type lipsticks quite easy and satisfying to apply.  It's glossy too so it's very comfortable to wear.

I would get this in other shades too if money was no object!  The biggest selling point for me though was the  SPF in it.  Reviews of the other products I got with the 3 for 2 offer to come soon.

till next time :)

Twirlybirdie

John Lewis notebook and Body Shop moisturiser

Dear reader,

hello!  How has life been treating you?  I've been enjoying a few days of rest since my dance project ended.  I've also been picking up a few bits and pieces at the shops as well such as this cute notebook from John Lewis.

It's such a pretty pattern and the perfect size to fit in my handbag.  I have always had a weakness for stationary and need to have a cute notebook permanently on the go.

I also popped in to The Body Shop who currently have a 3 for 2 deal on some of their skin care so I picked up my favourite face moisturiser.  I love that it has SPF 30 in it.  Great for these lovely sunny days we've had recently.

 It also has quite a zingy scent which I quite like.

I hope you're enjoying the sun!

Till next time :)

Caffeine and Alcohol, my latest eczema triggers

Dear Reader,

hello!  I hope you are well.  I have been working quite a bit more intensely than usual and if you have been reading my blog previously you will know that I suffer on and off from bouts of eczema.  I usually get it under control and then don't suffer badly for years until suddenly my body develops a new sensitivity to something and I have to painstakingly work out what it is!  A heavy work load certainly increases the chance of my body becoming sensitive to some new chemical or other and it was a couple of weeks in to a hectic schedule that I went out for dinner with friends and downed a couple of cocktails.  In normal circumstances this would be fine for me but in my body's stressed out state the next day my skin was red and flared up terribly in the creases in my elbow.  I knew it was probably from the alcohol so decided not drink for the rest of the project. 

Unfortunately not drinking wasn't enough to make the flare ups go away once they had started and I battled with them constantly for the next few weeks.  I tried changing my washing powder, diet, moisturising constantly, using steroid cream and taking supplements.  The steroid cream would work but then as soon as I'd stop using it the eczema would come back.  It even spread to my back which has never happened to me before so I couldn't even comfortably lie down in the bath.  It was only in the last few days of last week that I began to suspect that my morning coffee might be causing my flare ups as they were calm when I first woke up and then bright red later in the morning.  I have drunk coffee in the morning for a couple of years but travelling in to a new work location and routine had meant I was buying one on the journey in to work which I suspect was a lot stronger than what I'd usually drink at home.

The change was almost instant.  I switched to buying a decaf coffee and after two days my skin was so much better.  It wasn't as dry and the skin was no where near as inflamed.  My back calmed down loads too.  I had a massive headache for the whole of the first day I stopped drinking coffee but after that day I adjusted fine and even felt that I was sleeping more deeply.  I was really self conscious of my arms and had been hiding them but now I felt fine having them exposed which was a relief as I had a week of performances coming up.
I know everyone's triggers are different but you never know, it might be worth trying to go without caffeine for a bit and seeing if it helps.  I'm just so glad I figured out my latest trigger!

Till next time :)
Twirlybirdie

Wedding Dress Shopping

Dear reader,

hello!  Long time no speak.  I'm very sorry but I have been away working on an intensive dance project for which I have been without time or a computer to allow me to blog.  If you have stuck with me over this period of time I thank you very much!  We have been working extremely hard and the performances will be the 2nd till the 5th of July in the Peacock Theatre in Holborn and the 9th-10th July at the Lanterns Studio Theatre.  If you're in London this summer please come check it out!

Whilst I have been busy something I have been doing with the one day I have had free each week is hunting for a wedding dress.  Wedding dress shopping has taken me by surprise.  I thought it would take months of searching and trying on dresses and that I would love every second of it.  In reality after trying on a few dresses on the high street I found that it was hard to visualise myself in these dresses when they didn't have my size to try on.  I felt quite stressed going from store to store to look with what I felt were sales assistants desperate for me to buy.

Quite early on one of my bridesmaids took me to see the bridal selection at one of her favourite shops House Of Vintage.  The atmosphere there was completely different and relaxed compared to the other places I had been and the unique selection of vintage dresses were staggeringly beautiful.  I tried on quite a few during the one and a half hour appointment and eventually settled on one that felt as though it was the right style for me.    I ended up not being able to stop thinking about that dress so went back a second time with my sister and my friend to try it on.  This time there was another dress from the same era but it was more bridal and fitted me perfectly!  Wearing it I felt unsure that perhaps I looked quite grown up and as if I was about to do something serious.  'Well maybe that is that right feeling for your wedding' someone said to me.  It was true that until that point I had been looking at my wedding like I was just planning to throw a big party and maybe there was something right about remembering that it was quite an important ceremony I was going to as well!

I had another think about it and when I went back to try it a second time it was in even better condition than the first time I saw it and looked to me like it was my dress.  So that was that.  It was less expensive than some of the high street wedding dresses I had tried on which as I'm on quite a tight budget made a lot of sense for me!  My friends have also chipped in as a wedding gift which was a lovely idea.  I wish I could show it to you now but as I'm not getting married until next summer you will have to wait a while!  If you are looking for a vintage wedding dress though you should definitely make an appointment to see the House of Vintage Bridal showroom!

Unfortunately I don't have my camera with me at the moment so you will have to make do with photos from my ipod I'm afraid!  Thanks for sticking with me.  I'm sure I will have lots more wedding related things to write about soon :)

Till next time xxx