Christmas Party Outfit

Party time is upon us - yay!

This season I'm going all glitz and glam.

The little black dress (LBD) is always a firm favourite, however me being me I couldn't help but be attracted to this sparkly number!

Perfect for hiding any hint of 'mummy tummy' yet super glam. Worn with nude colour heels and teamed with an eye-catching red lipstick, you'll be ready to party.

Merry Christmas

xx

The items featured are available at the following stores;

Dress - Lipsy

Heels - Christian Louboutin 

Bag - Lauren Merkin

Ring (part of a set) - Top Shop

Lipstick - YSL 

Serie Nature

 Recently I was given some samples from the  L'Oreal Professionel Serie Nature range. The ones I have been trying out are the 

Abondance De Cacao and Masque Cacao which are developed to invigorate fine hair (pictured below)

This is the first time I have used any of the Serie Nature range, and they didn't disappoint. 

As with all L'Oreal Professionel products, you don't need alot to get results. The shampoo lathers up extremely well, and the masque is so good I didn't need to use my wide-tooth comb to detangle my hair! 

After drying my hair I was left with super soft and very glossy hair, which even my husband commented on (which shows how good it is).

Oh and lets not forget the fragrance....... 

This particular one has a soft chocolate orange scent to it, which reminds me a little of Cadbury Quality Street Orange Cremes. It's so subtle that you can't really smell it on your hair after you have dried and styled it, which I personally prefer.

So has anyone else tried the Serie Nature Range?

(Available in L'Oreal Professionel Salons Nationwide)

CUTEY Charm Bracelets

Alot of you will recognise this style of charm bracelet. I can think of three companies who sell something similar.

These ones by Cutey are, well I can only say one thing......"cute"

Each of Cutey's Charm bracelets has a mix of around 8 beads/charms on, each with its own theme. When browsing the website I discovered some of their range also comes in not only the 18cm bracelet but also 20cm too. These also have a good weight to them; you know its on your arm, however its not heavy like some bracelets.

The plus for me is that if you own more then one bracelet (which at £12.99 you can), you have the option to mix and match your charms/beads. Making them more individual and unique to you.

OIZYS Charm Bracelet £12.99

TYPHON Charm Bracelet £12.99

I think these charm bracelets are very well priced and would make a perfect birthday or Christmas present.

www.cutey.co.uk

Sent by Cutey 

Clinique October Bonus

I'm a little late writing about the Clinique Bonus gift that was out in October. This was free when you bought 2 or more products from their skincare range. The thing is, although the offer has ended there are some great products in this set that I wanted to tell you about!

This 'gift' included my all time favourite - the Chubby Stick. This one is in 04 Mega Melon (which I don't have already, yay). Also the High Impact Mascara; I have yet to try this but have heard good things. And the Blushing Blush Powder Blush in shade 07 Sunset Glow. This blush has a slight shimmer to it, so it may not be suitable for the winter months.

The skincare set in the 'gift' is fabulous, and I will use every last drop of all three products. They include Take the day off - Makeup remover for lids, lashes & lips, Liquid Facial Soap - mild cleanser for dry/combination skin, and All about Eyes - eye cream for reducing circles and puffiness.

And to top it all off they came in this gorgeous cosmetic bag!

Did anyone else get this 'gift' from Clinique?

xx

Winter Warmers 2012

Winter is on its way.......its cold and grey. 

The snow in Zurich will soon be here again and what better way to keep warm then this fabulous jacket.

These are the 'must have' item that all the Swiss wear, and us expats are no different.

I love the brown/bronze colour of this one by Mango. It's well worth the 120chf (approx £80) to keep warm and dry.

What sort of jacket will you be wearing this winter?

xx

The items featured are from the following stores;

Jacket - Mango

Jumper - River Island

Jeans - Dorothy Perkins

Boots - Clarks (at John Lewis)

Watch - Marc by Marc Jacobs

Bag - Moschino

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Sweet Potato Chips

These make perfect finger food for toddlers and are also great for family meal times. 

Now I don't know about you, but get bored of the same old potato dish being served up. These chips make a great alterative!

To make Sweet Potato Chips you will need;

• Olive Oil 
• Sweet Potatos* (peeled and sliced into strips)
• Paprika 
• Grease-proof paper
• Baking tray

Step 1 - Preheat your oven to 200c (fan assisted oven). Line your baking tray with grease-proof paper and set aside.

Step 2 - Peel your Sweet Potatoes and slice into half inch strips.

Step 2

Step 3 - Once you've done this, place them into a bowl and sprinkle with Paprika & Olive Oil. Give them a stir to coat them.

Step 3

Step 4 - Carefully put your sweet potato chips on your lined baking tray. Place on the middle shelf of the oven and cook for 25 minutes. 

Make sure you keep an eye on them as they can cook quicker 

(depending on how thick your chips are).

Step 4

Once golden brown take out of the oven and they are ready to serve. 

Try them with Mayonnaise or a Sour Cream dip.

xx

Denman Baby 'D' Brush

The hairdresser in me just can't resist telling you about these super cute brushes by Denman.

Denman says the D86 (Baby 'D') has super-soft bristles and a luxury velvet-touch handle, making this brush perfect for gently grooming and 

caring for infant hair. 

Created especially for that special little baby Girl or Boy, its suitable from newborn upwards. 

Available in Blue or Pink making them a perfect 'New Baby' gift.

RRP £5.80

www.denmanbrush.com

Autumn Eye Makeup

This is the first of my goodies that were sent to me by IsaDora Cosmetics. I was contacted to see if I would be interested in trying some of their eyeshadow palettes, and to send them images of the makeup looks I had created.

Eye Shadow Quartet - 65 Khaki Bronze

Essie Autumn Collection

Essie fans will be aware of the *Autumn Collection of polishes that are now in store.

Dynamic Lash - Update

As some of you will know, I recently took part in a product test for Isa Dora Cosmetics (LINK).

I continued to use the Dynamic Lash Growth Serum every night, and decided it would be nice to do an update post.

This is what my lashes looked like after a month of using both products for the trial.

After the product test ended.

Another 4 weeks later and they look like this....

Without Mascara on.

And this is how my lashes look with the Dynamic Lash Growth Mascara on

With Dynamic Lash Growth Mascara on.

I don't think I have gained any extra length or thickness from 4 weeks earlier. What I would say is I feel as though using the Serum every evening has maintained them. I'm interested to see what happens when I stop using it!

Has anyone else tried these IsaDora products yet? 
If so what do you think of them?

 RRP 24.90CHF
(approx £17)

www.idsdora.com/blog/hannah

Essence Peel Off Base Coat

I have found the answer to my Glitter Nail Polish prayers!

Now I don't know about you, but I have a real soft spot for glitter polishes, although I hate it when its time to take it off. You know how it is....it goes all over your cuticles, finger tips......no matter how much remover you use, it spreads everywhere.

Well this little beauty is the answer!

{Warning - I'm about to bore you with hundreds of photos}

This is how you will find this in the shops...

 The Essence Peel Off Base allows you to take off your nail polish without removers and cotton wool. It's fast and easy, in just 3 simple steps.......

 Step 1 - On clean nails, apply a generous layer of Peel Off Base. This is white to start with but will dry transparant. Allow to dry for at least 10 minutes before doing step 2.

Step 1 - My nails with Peel Off Base - waiting for it to dry.....

 Step 2 - Paint your nails with desired colour. I've used my four favourite glitter polshes. This will demonstrate how well this product works with a variety of brands.

Left to Right
(Models Own, OPI, OPI, Essence)

Step 3 - Peel off to remove.

Time to take it off

Hhmmm, I found peeling it off with my fingers to be not so easy, so I opted for a cuticle pusher/Orange stick. This made removing my nail polish very simple. 

 As you can see above, it came off with no problems or damage to my nails.

My nail polish....

The Verdict:
 The easiest polish to come off was Models Own, the hardest was OPI. All came off well but the OPI ones just took a little bit more pushing. 

I really liked using the Essence Peel Off Base and its definitely one to keep!

Available from Muller stores in Switzerland and online at Essence

3.75CHF

Purity Organic Skincare

Here is my new skincare routine that was sent to me by 

Purity Organic Skincare. Below is the full set of products that I will be reviewing over the coming weeks. The first I am going to tell you about is the Facial Wash.

 

Purity Facial Wash is a fragrance free cleanser developed to soften, moisturise and condition the skin. This has a blend of Sweet Almond Oil, Aloe Vera and Glycerine. Combined within a Coconut and sugar-based foam to cleanse, soothe and protect skin. As well as Citric acid that helps control the skins natural PH levels.

I must confess the first time I used this it ended up down the plughole! The facial wash is rather more runny than gel-like, hence it slipped off the palm of my hand. Trying again though I found this was superb. It lathered up really well, removed all signs of makeup, and left my skin feeling super soft and fresh. This is fragrance free, but it does have a scent which is due to the natural ingredients, not perfume!

I was very impressed, and feel its perfect for anyone with sensitive skin.

RRP £4.99

Available online (click here) or in Superdrug stores.

PR Samples sent by Purity Organic Skincare

Keungzai A/W Collection 2012

Keungzai.

Styling bump and beyond

Recently I was invited down to Camden, London to view the new Autumn - Winter line from Keungzai. 

Keungzai (pronounced 'Kung Zia') is an online boutique that was founded by Michelle Lee in 2011. Finding a gap in the market during her own pregnancy in 2009, Michelle has taken the leap and created a versatile women's line of luxury clothes. They are not only affordable but each item is 'Made in England' from locally sourced Micro-Modal luxury jersey.