Thursday 27 September 2012

Its been FAR too long....

Oh deary me..... It has been far too long since I have blogged. I can only apologise. I won't drag out this apology, as this would be fairly pathetic of me. Instead I will tell you what I have been up to in recent weeks that have kept me away from blogging...

Working hard....

So as you already know I started college in August, and since then I have concentrated on studying an awful lot. If you don't know already I am studying HND Beauty Therapy. It is a degree level qualification and it is pretty heavy going! I've been working hard to keep myself up to speed and on top of all my classes, and keep organised. I have a few assessments coming up and also a report to hand in and I am feeling good about these. I have also made some new pals, and did fit in some time for aa cocktail evening and a lunch! Now that I have settled into college, I should have more time to blog! However.... aw there's always a however....

.....things are not so brilliant health wise. If you have read my blog for any length of time you will know that I have had a bit of a rocky road with my health over the last year. The stomach pain that I have been getting since January is still present and unresolved, although this is controlled with medication and bearable. But a couple of weeks ago something else happened! I have started getting funny dizzy spells, that make me feel roasting hot, faint and sick. I never actually get to the point of passing out and they have been freaking me out a little to say the list. So yet again I have been having blood tests and doctors appointments, new medication etc etc. The doctor not thinks I have Labyrinthitis. This is an inner ear infection, that causes these dizzy spells. The doctor said it can last from 4 to 8 weeks :(

Yummy cocktails at Church on The Hill, Glasgow

I have actually had to take the day off from college today as I have been left feeling so drained and tired, so I am going to do my studying from home. I have plenty of revision to be getting on with and I'm hoping I can get my report finished. I have a couple of blog posts that I want to get up for you as well.... so we will see how I get on.

Anyway, I am sorry that this post has not been at all that interesting, but I always think it best when there has been a lack of blogging for a while to let you know what I have actually been doing, not just sitting around ignoring my duties! I will be back with a much more interesting post soon.... thanks loveables x

Wednesday 29 August 2012

A New Make-Up Experience: CosmeticsINC Boutique and Website

As you guys already know, there is nothing I love more than discovering a new brand, so you can imagine 
how excited I was to find a new make-up boutique in my hometown of Peterborough. Being a huge supporter of new brands and new businesses within my hometown, I got in touch with the owners and creators of this new brand, to bring you a little more information about this exciting new boutique.


The boutique, CosmeticsINC is located at 41 Bridge Street in Peterborough City Centre, and is a beautiful display of all things girly, complete with a pink floor! Now obviously, not all of my readers reside in Peterborough, but all over the country, so you can check out the website here.

First let me tell you a little about the owners, Gary and David. Gary has been working in the beauty industry for nearly a decade, starting out at his local Boots No.7 counter as a consultant, and then becoming a make-up artist. Gary has worked freelance at all types of events, fashion shows, on film sets and photo shoots. On top of his own freelance work, Gary has also worked with all the major top brands, the most recent being Christian Dior. David has also had a lot of experience in the make-up industry, starting out in Theatres as young as 6 years old. He has an amazing creative streak, with plenty of ideas! Together Gary and David have created a brand, that takes David’s artistic streak and Gary’s technique to “create make-up that is effective and high performance as much as any high end brand, but is also as wearable as any high street brand.” Rest assured, these men know what they are doing.

Now let’s talk shop! The boutique as I mentioned earlier is a haven for make-up loving ladies (and guys). I am sure I have mentioned before, as have many other bloggers, that Make-up Counters are now becoming almost unapproachable. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I feel too uncomfortable to go browse, therefore not making purchases that I may have made. Gary and David have picked up on this and have made sure that their boutique is “as quirky as it is beautiful”. I visited the boutique twice before getting in touch with the guys, and I can assure you, you will be able to browse at your leisure, and not be bombarded with sales tactics for products you don’t want or need.  However, if you are someone that prefers a little help, the guys will be more than happy to guide you around the store and help you apply products that they know will work well for you. In their own words, “Making people feel happy and to have fun is our primary aim”.



I wanted to chat a little bit about the website, as I already mentioned, a lot of people reading this, will be living far away from Peterborough, but you should still go and check out the website and see the gorgeous products the guys have to offer. Whether you are looking for mineral eye shadows, primers, or nail varnishes CosmeticsINC have it covered for you. Another product that I have already seen in the store, and definitely plan on purchasing are some of the brushes, the quality is beautiful and they are reasonably priced.

The website...

I really hope that you will go and check out CosmeticsINC boutique/website. Let me know what you think? Have you bought any of the products yet?

This isn’t the last you have heard from me talking about CosmeticsINC either, as soon as I have purchased some of the products, I will of course come back to you with a full review, but I can already tell, you won’t be disappointed. Happy shopping.... xx

Links





Tuesday 28 August 2012

7 Things.... How I got on this month...


So it is about that time of the month, where I let you guy's know how I got on with my 7 Things. I have really enjoyed taking part in the 7 Things post invented by none other than Louise Sprinkle of Glitter... go and check out her blog here.

1. Sleep! This is top of my list as I have extremely bad trouble sleeping. I think my worst example in recent weeks was still being awake when Brett got up for work. Bad times. I have medication from the doctor, but it isn't helping any more. So I need to change it maybe, but also I want to find other things that can help. Ie, mobile phone banned from bedroom, no TV an hour before bed, reading, a mattress topper and some fluffy pillows, anything that gives me a slim chance of sleeping! If anyone out there has any advice or ideas, please let me know as I am going out of my mind!

Me and pals!! (Emma and Becca) At Karaoke Peterborough

Well I have not done too bad at this. I didn't get around to getting mattress topper and pillows, but I did go back to England for a staggering three weeks, and was so tired from all the visiting people I slept very well. I was also staying with my very good friend Emma, and we spent most evenings chatting until we felt sleepy. Now I am back at home, I have quite a lot on what with starting college, and I am also quite vigorously looking for a part time job. So all in all the sleeping is getting better. 


2. Getting Organized: The Kitchen Chapter. So I have done the wardrobe and now its the turn of the kitchen. I am pretty sorted in this room, but its not husband proof so I need to come up with a system that works for everyone. 
Well clearly the fact that I was away from home for 3 weeks (unexpectedly I might add, it was meant to be a week!) I haven't managed to achieve this. So the kitchen chapter of organising will be rolling over to next month. However, I would like to say that I have purchased tupperware to organise my freezer, so I have been thinking about this.

3. Lose Some Weight: I know I started this last month, but this is going to be ongoing. I think my plan is do the weekly updates like I did before, give me a bit of a push and reason not to fail. Any support with this is openly welcomed.
People, you need to help me with this. Despite feeling better, and in my opinion looking better, and all my friends/family telling me I've lost weight. The scales say otherwise. Infact, the scales say I have put on weight! How can this be?? There's only one thing for it: I'm going to Slimming World. More news on this in my new 7 Things.
4. Cherish The Memories: I have loads of photos on memories cards, on my pc and prints from years back. I want to get some matching albums, and try and make some order of it all. My Nana and Grandad have a really impressive photo collection, with every moment documented. I love nothing more than looking through them all with my Nana, and I want to be able to do the same with my future children and grand children.
Again, what with being away from home for three weeks, I have not succeeded here wither, and to be honest I think this is a bigger job than I anticipated. And probably more expensive. I'm going to think about this and get back to you.

Me and Emma ready for round two! x
5. Spend Quality Time with Brett: Since we moved to Glasgow, Brett works a lot and I have been ill a lot and we have fallen into a routine. I want us to start going out a bit more and enjoying each others company without the the mundane routine of everyday life. So I think we are going to go to some them parks and nice restaurants and just have some 'us' time.

Well, other than being at home for three weeks, we have done quite well. Brett also came to Peterborough for a weekend and we went to the seaside which was nice. We have also had some nice meals together and nice chats. So all in all doing a lot better at this one.

6. Swimming: I know I already have the 'Lose Weight' but I am making this seperate, as I alwasy think to myself 'I'll go swimming tomorrow' and then don't go. I really love swimming, and the pool is included at my gym, complete with sauna, jacuzzi and steam room. So I really want to go a couple of times a week.
Complete epic fail. Not been once. Whoops. I'm going to go today though...... maybe.

7. Plan a Holiday: Last but by no means least, I want to plan a trip[, it may not be until next year, but I want to know we are going to go and have a nice break away from work, college, the stresses of routine life and just have some fun, relax on a beach or whatever. We want to go somewhere, neither of us have been, so I will have to look far and wide.
We have started thinking about this, but still can't decide on a location. Also its been quite difficult to decide when, seeing as I now have college and Brett does not get paid for taking time off work. So we will have to see where we end up with this one. I fancy Cyprus myself, I know we have both been before. But we loved it oh so much.

So that's I did this month. It's about 50/50 no? I did good in some areas. To be honest having an unplanned trip to England kind of threw me off a little. But I had an amazing time. I spent plenty of time with my pals and went to my favourite ever Karaoke at O'Neill's 3 times!! I have already planned to go home again in October. Going to be immense! Look out for my new 7 Things which will be up in the next few days. Bye for now.... xx


Sunday 5 August 2012

What I am Reading: 50 Shades Trilogy

Ok ok ok I know you will be thinking old news and shouting at the screen about 'about time!'. But I have to be honest, it was not the sort of book I would normally read, not because its erotic, but the romance thing never does grasp me that well. Anyway, eventually even my husband was telling me I should read it, so on the way to out Spa break I picked the first two books up at the service station.

They sat in my bag, then on the bedside table and then on the shelf for a couple of weeks. Despite every woman in the spa reading a copy. I finally got a round to giving it a go when I had a long train journey to go on. I did have to force myself through the first few chapters. But once the story line really got going I was enthralled. However, I do have to mention that I don't find the writing style that great. There is a lot of receptiveness, but the story is so romantic and exciting, I have seen past it.

So I started reading the first book, 50 Shades of Grey on Sunday evening on the train, and despite an extremely busy week, I am now on the last chapter on the second book, 50 Shades Darker. The second book is in my opinion, a lot less erotic that the first, and frankly a lot more exciting. The book has brought tears to my eyes, made me laugh out loud and jump out of skin! I have been desperate to get to the end. Now I am nearing the end, I can't wait to begin on the third. There is still no obvious end to this exhilarating love story in sight. I have the third book, Fifty Shades Freed ready to go. I will of course let you know when I have gotten to the end.

For those of you who don't know (and I have left it this long to mention, because I will be surprised if many people don't know), the book's are about a young lady called Ana, who through chance meets a very successful billionaire business man. This man, Christian Grey, begins to pursue Ana's affections much to her shock. What unfolds is an unexpected love story, with Ana trying to work out the intricate dark depths of Grey's personality. It really is a great 'page turner'.

Many of my friends have already read all three books, and those that haven't I am encouraging to read them (including male friends, who, ladies tell me if you agree, some would benefit greatly from this book?). So if 't you haven't yet read this book, seriously you are missing out. What with nearly all supermarkets and book retailers doing some form of offer on this read, you have no excuse but to give it a read.

What do you think about this book? Let me know below.... Laters ;)

p.s what do you think Christian Grey looks like?


The photo fit...



Try typing Christian Grey into Google Images, and see what comes up. These were my favourites :)

Monday 30 July 2012

7 Things... A New Month

As you may already know, I have been taking part in the 7 Things post, created by the wonderfully inspiring,  Sprinkle of Glitter, Louise. As we are about to go into August, I thought I would update you all with which 7 Things I am going to be concentrating on for the next few weeks, and maybe even month. And also to let you know how I got on last month.

Last Month.....


My little girly space!
1.) Get Organised - As you probably already know, I am getting a little obsessed with storage solutions, but I still haven't got everything just as I want it so I am going to concentrate on one area a week until it is just how I like it. This week I will be working on my Walk In Wardrobe (it's not as posh as it sounds!).
Hurrah! The wardrobe is now complete. I kidnapped Brett and ventured down to Ikea where I picked up some simple drawers and some of those wonderful drawer organisers. I also grabbed various pots and jars to keep things in and a small simple purple rug. The whole room is now sorted, bar the fact that once the rest of my clothes come from my storage centre I may need some more hanging space. Once I had everything straight I realised that there was plenty of room to have a little sitting area to do my make up and get ready. I also use this little space to read a book or watch a girly film when I feel like some 'me' time.


If you are interested in a full blog post or video on my wardrobe please let me know and I will do it :)

2.) Get Active - Up until around 6 months ago, I was working hard at eating healthier and doing more exercise, but since my illness, I have not really done that much, and the pounds I lost have been creeping back on. So my plan is to workout at least 2-3 times a week and try and get more activity back into my life to try and lose those pounds again!
Well I better be honest and say that while I have been poretty good with doing sit ups and push ups etc, I have been pretty awful at actually doing anything that will actually burn off the calories. In my defence, I am still struggling wiht my joint pain and that doesn't make things easy. However I really do need to get a rocket up my bum and get on with loosing some weight. Help anyone??


3.) Stick to my Diet - In line with the same as the above, I have been doing a bit of YoYo dieting which is never a good move, I really need to stick to the plan, which currently is Rosemary Conley's Inch Loss Plan. I am determined to stick to this, and I will of course report back the results.
I did pretty well with eating, and still am. I have been cutting out snacks and eating healthier meals. However I do still need to find a diet I enjoy and stick to it as currently I haven't found one I enjoy enough to stay at for a long period of time. Answers on a postcard please.


4.) Get Reading - I used to be quite an avid reader! But other time, I have read less and less, especially with all my prised books being tucked away in storage at the moment. However, I have been taking books out of my local library but never actually get around to reading them. I have just taken out My Sisters Keeper, and I am determined to read this book!
So, I didn't really get in to My Sisters Keeper, which is a shame as I have been wanting to read it for some time. However, 50 Shades of Grey on the other hand, is a pretty decent read and I have the 2nd one lined up for when I have finished it. My mum has also suggested I read Rebecca, so I will be looking for that at the library next time I go.


5.) Blogging - This seems like a bit of a cop out, as clearly I already do this regularly, but what I mean is, I want to write more interesting posts and find my individuality within the world of blogging. Any suggestions? Let me know in the comments or drop me an email hattiecc@live.co.uk
Let's be honest. Complete epic fail. My laptop wasn't working, my iPad wouldn't do as I asked, and all around a pretty pathetic effort. I will do better I promise.

6.) Chill Out - Probably sounds almost selfish, but to be honest I just don't know how to 'chill'. I allow myself to get very stressed out and tired, which does not help my illness, and don't spend enough time taking time out for myself, so this week I want to take some quiet time, face masks, long baths, meditation and some trips to the Health Spa. 
Well other than things beyond my control, I think I succeeded. We went on a Spa weekend, which was fab and I plan to go again which my mum soon. We had a weekend in Edinburgh. I've also put my little room/wardrobe to use of doing a bit of pampering. So a good effort here!


7.) Get financially sensibles! - Since I had to give up my job due to my illness, I have found it increasingly difficult to getting used to having no pennies of my own! My husband (God Bless Him) is fantastic at supporting us both and works very hard at doing so. However I need to learn that I can not just go on my little willy nilly shopping trips anymore, and need to start planning what to do with my 'allowance' as such! But I am sure you all know how difficult it is to resist the latest lipstick, the drawer of a new nail colour, and even worse I have a swish Mac store down the road! I haven't bought anything yet though so at least I am controlling that!
I am unbelieveably impressed with myself here! I have only been to Primark once! (Haul coming soon to my YouTube channel) And I have been really reserved with shopping. So if I keep on the straight and narrow, I may get a nice holiday or something. :)






So there is how I got on last month.... what shall I concentrate on this month??


My New 7 Things...


1. Sleep! This is top of my list as I have extremely bad trouble sleeping. I think my worst example in recent weeks was still being awake when Brett got up for work. Bad times. I have medication from the doctor, but it isn't helping any more. So I need to change it maybe, but also I want to find other things that can help. Ie, mobile phone banned from bedroom, no TV an hour before bed, reading, a mattress topper and some fluffy pillows, anything that gives me a slim chance of sleeping! If anyone out there has any advice or ideas, please let me know as I am going out of my mind!


2. Getting Organized: The Kitchen Chapter. So I have done the wardrobe and now its the turn of the kitchen. I am pretty sorted in this room, but its not husband proof so I need to come up with a system that works for everyone. 


3. Lose Some Weight: I know I started this last month, but this is going to be ongoing. I think my plan is do the weekly updates like I did before, give me a bit of a push and reason not to fail. Any support with this is openly welcomed.


4. Cherish The Memories: I have loads of photos on memories cards, on my pc and prints from years back. I want to get some matching albums, and try and make some order of it all. My Nana and Grandad have a really impressive photo collection, with every moment documented. I love nothing more than looking through them all with my Nana, and I want to be able to do the same with my future children and grand children.


5. Spend Quality Time with Brett: Since we moved to Glasgow, Brett works a lot and I have been ill a lot and we have fallen into a routine. I want us to start going out a bit more and enjoying each others company without the the mundane routine of everyday life. So I think we are going to go to some them parks and nice restaurants and just have some 'us' time.


6. Swimming: I know I already have the 'Lose Weight' but I am making this seperate, as I alwasy think to myself 'I'll go swimming tomorrow' and then don't go. I really love swimming, and the pool is included at my gym, complete with sauna, jacuzzi and steam room. So I really want to go a couple of times a week.


7. Plan a Holiday: Last but by no means least, I want to plan a trip[, it may not be until next year, but I want to know we are going to go and have a nice break away from work, college, the stresses of routine life and just have some fun, relax on a beach or whatever. We want to go somewhere, neither of us have been, so I will have to look far and wide.


So these are my new 7 Things. What do you think? Any advice or suggestions? Comment down below with the link to your 7 Things if you are involved? I'd love to see what you are up to.


Thanks Lovables xxx

Thursday 26 July 2012

Chit Chat: Lost In Translation and FOMO



Have you ever got into a fight with a friend, a boyfriend or a family member by getting lost in translation? What I mean by this is a text message taken the wrong way? An email taken in the wrong context? A Facebook status 'aimed' at you or them? This is the era of the electronic message and the social networking frenzy.

How many times 10 years ago did you hear people say, 'Well she said on Facebook....'. Never. How many times did you hear, 'Well then they sent me a snobby email....'. Never. And how many time's did you get into a row through text messaging? That's correct, never.

Well things have changed. The internet is full of social networking websites, with Facebook having over 800,000,000 active users. Public rows on twitter are all the more common. Kids as young as 4 or 5 are getting mobile phones for there birthday and email is the new letter. I write to my Nana at least once or twice a week via email. It is the new 'correspondence'. And I have to be honest I really miss the excitement of a letter (a real letter, not a bill) dropping through my door. It's almost somewhat inconvenient. Two week's I applied for a job with a large well known company. I very nearly missed my interview as they sent me an email rather than a letter. I have now learned that nearly all companies now do this.

Anyway, my main subject of this post is the one of the drama caused by this new technology. In fact I was quite surprised that when doing some research for this post, when I typed 'Divorce caused...' the search engine's first option to finish my sentence was in fact 'Divorce caused by Facebook'! It is claimed that Facebook is now involved in a massive one third of divorces. You can read plenty of stories about this on a website created especially for the cause, http://facebookcheating.com/

With social networking taking over what seems like the world, then there is the new obsession with mobile phones. I have lost count of the amount of times I have had issues relating to mobile phones, text messaging, etc. The new 'Smart Phone' Era is a upon us and with it comes 'FOMO', (Fear of Missing Out). With access to Facebook, Twitter, SMS, What's App and goodness knows what else, people have there phones permanently glued to their hands. At work I was constantly telling people to put their phones away. And on more than one occasion people that had called in sick were caught out by updating there Facebook status. I have also had to deal with squabbles of 'Well they put on Facebook blah blah blah'. To be honest, its just a pain in the neck.

As for texting, well that can be one hell of a dangerous thing. I have to be honest, I am one of the millions of people under the SMS Spell. I find it so much easier to send a text than to make a phone call. But more often that not, a text can be miss read. An argument started just because something wasn't read right. Then there are the texts that get sent to the wrong person. Ever done that before? I'm sure you have. Oh and then there's that temptation to have a look at your partners phone, which by the way if you are having that thought, you are probably in the wrong relationship.

We all know it't true. We all know that it's gone beyond the healthy level. The will things ever be like they used to be now. No, of course not. We are all just going to have to learn to deal with the new social networking era, over come the need to look at our phones every few minutes.



Have you ever had a bad experience caused by electronic communications?
Comment below and let me know your thoughts. xxx





Thursday 19 July 2012

Chit Chat: I'm Back and So Sorry!

Oh my goodness how long has it been! I am so sorry! My laptop charger packed up and its taken forever for the replacement to arrive! I was hoping I was still going to be able to blog using my iPad but that didn't work out. So I am really sorry that I have been gone so long.

Anyway, this is just a little post to say I am back and normal service will be resumed, both here and on my youtube channel!! I've got lots to talk about. Me and Brett have been away on a little spa break where we had a wonderful time. It's also been my birthday so I have a 'Birthday Haul' to show you. Also I have reverted back to my original (well nearly) hair colour of blonde, which has been a long and painful experience! So perhaps it has been a blessing in disguise that I have not been on camera lol!

Anyway, like I said I will be back as normal from now. How is everyone? Hope you are all well! Thanks loveables xx


Thursday 5 July 2012

My Review of: Benefit 'That Gal' Primer

I got this little Sample free with Glamour magazine, and had I known what a bargain I was getting I would of bought several copies and stocked up! Not only that, I would of picked up the other gifts also, POREfessional and That Gal Mascara. I have wanted to try Benefit products for a while, but not got around to it. There is so much out there that I want to try, it is sort of lucky dip to what gets chosen.

Anyway, I grabbed this when I saw it and the sample is a pretty hefty size, 7g. The full size product is 11g for £21.50. So I am furious with myself that I didn't grab a whole host of these when I could. As I am sure you all know by now, the magazines flew off the shelves (as I suspect will be the case with this months Elle, free St Tropez!!) and you couldn't find them anywhere!

I have been using this product almost daily since I got this, and I think I have only used about two thirds, so well worth buying if you are looking for a decent primer. While £21.50 seems pretty steep, this is undoubtedly the best primer I have ever used. As you can imagine, I have tried a lot! The primer smooths on with a lovely refreshing smell, leave to sink in for a few moments, and this provides an amazing base for any foundation.
I have used this with my high end foundations, to my bargain ones, and each it time it has improved the wear of my make-up. I highly recommend this product. You know me, I'm more of a high-street kind of girl, but for this I would push the boat out and spend the pennies.

Wednesday 4 July 2012

Chit Chat | New 'Chit Chat' video's & A Weekend at Home

After a lovely weekend at home (well, home town, Peterborough) seeing my mum and my friendlies, I am now back in Glasgow recovering. By recovering I mean from doing lots of things I shouldn't really do at the weekend, and making myself iller than usual! Bad Hattie! Never the less, we had a great time and we picked up my brum brum Big Mac (named by my brother, the previous owner, he told me I am not allowed to change the name lol).

Getting there was horrendous, and you'll know this if you follow the news. There were awful train delays from Edinburgh down to Newcastle, due to severe flooding and landslides. Myself and Brett weren't getting stressed about it as we knew it was out of everyone's hands. However we did get stressed with the some useless members of staff who clearly knew less about was happening than we did, but never mind. It took us 11 hours to get to Peterborough, but we made it in the end.

L2R Coral, Ivan, Me, Jason This is not from this weekend. But it was Ivan's Bday! This pic is from Jason's Bday.
Coral, Ivan and Jason are brothers and sister, and they are like family to me xx
We went to a great Birthday BBQ on Saturday and had a wonderful time! Plenty of drinks flowing and lots of gorgeous food. Afterwards we were heading into town, and this is where I should of stopped, but I was having such a great time with my friends and letting my hair down for the first time in months (if you are regular reader of my blog you will know I have been unwell for a while). We partied into the night, and although I didn't really feel drunk, just merry, over the course of the whole day I know I drank a lot. Add into the mixture I had been wearing heals all night and you can imagine how I felt when I woke up. Awful. My legs were so painful and I felt awfully sick. No normal hangover. I won't moan on for ages as this was self inflicted, but it is just another example of not being able to live a normal life just now. Anyway, I am still feeling crappy, and that was 4 days ago now!

So, we had such a good night, we thought it would be a bad idea to drive Big Mac back up to Glasgow at 5pm as planned, and decided to sleep off any remaining booze, and drive through the night. We spent the day at Brett's Mums feeling sorry for ourselves (I'm going to put in yet another apology here to people who text me, I get no signal at Brett's mums, I was not being ignorant!!!) and then headed back to my mums for the most yummy tea she made us. Brett headed up to bed and I stayed awake to get sorted for the journey!

At 00.45am I woke Brett and we got on the road, where I finally went to sleep! Hurrah! Only for 3 hours total though. I cannot tell you what a relief it was to get into bed the next evening, I slept for 12 hours.

Anyway, enough about that! I want to let you know, that I am now doing 'Chit Chat's' on my YouTube channel! I thought some people may interested and sometimes, it is just nice to chat away. I am not going to have two separate channels for this, so if you are only interested in hauls and beauty related videos, don't watch any that start 'Chit Chat'. So you can watch the first one here.

I think I may have rambled on for a little bit too long today, so I am going to leave it there. Look out for my June Favourites video and blog post coming up soon. I also have an Avon Haul video coming up, to be followed by my monthly Avon Review blog post.

Just one last little thing, if you have been having problems seeing all your Subscriptions videos since YouTube made their changes, go and check out this video by GossMakeUpArtist, which explains what is going wrong. While your there, subscribe to his videos! He has two channels, both about beauty. I think one is for like Hauls and Tutorials and one is more for chatty reviews. Either way, both worth a look.

As always any suggestions or questions, comment down below, or drop me an email hattiecc@live.co.uk.

Thanks Loveables xx

Thursday 28 June 2012

Chit Chat | BB Creams

If your anything like me, you have been a little confused by this product. B.B Creams seems to be all the range at the moment, all the top retailers are bringing one out. But when I go to investigate this product on a whole, there isn't that much information about them.


Wikipedia's explanation is as follows: "BB cream, also known as Blemish BalmBlemish Base or Beblesh Balm (due to an apparent copyright on the word "Blemish"[1]), is a cosmetic item sold mainly in East and Southeast Asia, although larger beauty brands are increasingly introducing BB creams to Western markets as well. Originally formulated in Germany by dermatologist Dr. Christine Schrammek in the 1950s,[note 1] the cream was initially used to protect skin after laser procedures and surgery, while also providing light coverage.[2][3] Introduced to South Korea and Japan in the 1980s,[4][1][note 2] BB cream has been named "the secret of Korean actresses" and has been heavily endorsed by Korean celebrities,[5] which gained it large exposure in these Asian markets....." You can find the full explanation here


A better explanation is given by Cosmo: "This wonder cream is meant to be all-singing and all-dancing. It will give you a good base for makeup like a primer, even out complexion like a tinted moisturiser, cover minor imperfections and redness like a concealer, hydrate your skin like your day cream, brighten and perk-up a dull complexion and some will even protect with SPF. Some also promise healing, soothing and anti-ageing properties." Here


However, the proof lies in the pudding surely? So I picked up 2 BB Creams a round about a month ago to try out. The two I picked up are MUA Professional's, in Medium Shade 2 at the bargain price of £4.00 and Superdrug's own brand, again in Medium for £6.99 (normally £8.99).


I'll begin with the MUA one, which states on the packaging "A Multi-functional formula that works wonders to prime and protect whilst conceals to even out skin tone, for a brighter smoother complexion". Sounds good right? And I have to say it is good. I like the consistency of the product which is slightly thicker than a foundation, but does by no means behave like a foundation. When  used, the cream melts into the skin and gives a great base to work on.

The Superdrugs interpretation boasts "5 in 1 Skin Perfecting Day Cream. Conceals imperfections, 24 hour hydration, antioxidant protection, UVA/UVB filters, SPF 15". Again sounds like a miracle cream doesn't it. So the first obvious thing that it does have that MUA doesn't, is the SPF 15 and UV filters. However, most decent foundations already offer this, so if you are going to use this as a base, you could argue not absolutely necessary, but a very good bonus, if you are wanting to wear this cream alone. And that is what I would use this cream for. I would use it if I wanted a light coverage. The consistency of this cream is a bit runnier than the MUA one, and I didn't like it as much as the MUA one. However that doesn't mean I don't like the Superdrug one because I do.

I do plan on getting a few more of these creams to try out, because I do like the concept. I can tell you that what I have learnt so far. The creams, do act as a great make-up base, whitest it would be completely personal preference whether you eliminate your primer from your routine or not, I don't mind using the MUA one as my primer. In terms of concealment, I do think they offer a bit of coverage, however I wouldn't be ready to eliminate my concealer just yet. They both act as a great moisturiser.

But the big question being are they as amazing as they are cracked up to be? Again I think that is all down to personal preference, for me the answer would be, I like them, but they are not the be all and end all. My preferred one out of the two I have tried so far is the MUA Pro one. If you are looking to try one out I would defiantly recommend it, and at  just £4.00 if you didn't like it that much it wouldn't be the end of the world.



Anyway I think I have waffled on about these enough now, what do you think? Have you tried BB creams yet? Drop your comments below and let me know your thoughts.

xx

Tuesday 26 June 2012

7 Things... Progress Report!

Hey Guys,


So last week I decided to get involved in 7 Things created by Louise from Sprinkle of Glitter. You can see the post here. I thought I would update you guys, on how I am getting on.


So here are the seven things I listed, and how I am getting on with them...

1.) Get Organised - As you probably already know, I am getting a little obsessed with storage solutions, but I still haven't got everything just as I want it so I am going to concentrate on one area a week until it is just how I like it. This week I will be working on my Walk In Wardrobe (it's not as posh as it sounds!).
So I have been trying to get this how I want this, but it is stressing me out a little! This is because I know what I want to do in there, but I can't do it yet, I want to get a dressing table that will fit in there, and then I want to get some acrylic boxes from muji to store my make-up in. But obviously that costs money, which I am trying not to spend at the moment! So this is still an ongoing task, but when its finished I will film it :)


2.) Get Active - Up until around 6 months ago, I was working hard at eating healthier and doing more exercise, but since my illness, I have not really done that much, and the pounds I lost have been creeping back on. So my plan is to workout at least 2-3 times a week and try and get more activity back into my life to try and lose those pounds again!
So I think I have done quite well here, I have been eating healthier than usual and I worked out 3 times, I went to the gym once, and went for a long walk another day, and I also did an aerobics DVD. I don't know if I have actually lost weight, I should probably check that out! But I do feel better in myself, that I am actually working towards a healthier me! 


3.) Stick to my Diet - In line with the same as the above, I have been doing a bit of YoYo dieting which is never a good move, I really need to stick to the plan, which currently is Rosemary Conley's Inch Loss Plan. I am determined to stick to this, and I will of course report back the results.Like I said above I am doing ok at this. I have been following the diet, but I didn't follow it exactly over the weekend as we went to Nandos Gignics and there was a lot of free food and booze on offer! But I still think I did good!

4.) Get Reading - I used to be quite an avid reader! But other time, I have read less and less, especially with all my prised books being tucked away in storage at the moment. However, I have been taking books out of my local library but never actually get around to reading them. I have just taken out My Sisters Keeper, and I am determined to read this book!So I have started reading this book, and I have been mostly reading while travelling on the bus or train. So while I am reading, I really want to be able to read in my free time at home. So I am going to work on that this week, light some candles and just read.

5.) Blogging - This seems like a bit of a cop out, as clearly I already do this regularly, but what I mean is, I want to write more interesting posts and find my individuality within the world of blogging. Any suggestions? Let me know in the comments or drop me an email hattiecc@live.co.uk
I suppose I can't really judge this one, so please feel free to leave your comments about how you think I am doing here!

6.) Chill Out - Probably sounds almost selfish, but to be honest I just don't know how to 'chill'. I allow myself to get very stressed out and tired, which does not help my illness, and don't spend enough time taking time out for myself, so this week I want to take some quiet time, face masks, long baths, meditation and some trips to the Health Spa. 
I'm not going to lie, I think I completely failed at this! I did chill out in the sense I had some 'bed' days but that was through having bad days from my illness. Me and Brett chilled on Sunday and did literally nothing, but I still need to get down to the health spa and have a jacuzzi and a sauna!


7.) Get financially sensibles! - Since I had to give up my job due to my illness, I have found it increasingly difficult to getting used to having no pennies of my own! My husband (God Bless Him) is fantastic at supporting us both and works very hard at doing so. However I need to learn that I can not just go on my little willy nilly shopping trips anymore, and need to start planning what to do with my 'allowance' as such! But I am sure you all know how difficult it is to resist the latest lipstick, the drawer of a new nail colour, and even worse I have a swish Mac store down the road! I haven't bought anything yet though so at least I am controlling that!
I have really made an effort at this, and although I am only a week in, I think I have done good. This week I have a bigger incentive, as we have a problem with Brett's car which is not going to be a quick fix, so we need to return to Peterborough to pick up mine. I am so excited about this, as once my car is here, I will be able to start having lessons, and going home means I can see my friends and most importantly my mum. So I am looking forward to that, and I will definitely be careful with pennies so we can have a fun time!




So far I think I have done ok, but I could put in a bit more effort, what do you think? Do you think I could do a better job? Let me know your thoughts.... xx 

Sunday 24 June 2012

My Review of: Collection 2000 Shimmering Mosaic Glow



So this review is on one of my most favourite products of all time! This bronzer has been one of my most repurchased items ever. I have been buying it for about 3 years and I LOVE it

The bronzer is made up of several different shades, with a hint of glitter for a nice shimmer. The product is build-able so you can wear it subtly, or build it up for a full on bronzed shimmer on the cheeks.



This product retails at just £2.99 so a complete steal! I would highly recommend this product to anyone looking for a versatile bronzer. I am a true fan of Collection 2000 in general, brilliant products at a reasonable price. There is not a lot more for me to say than go out and get it, you won't regret it.

I know this a short review and I hope you won't mind. But I really enjoy using this product and thought you might as well. xx


Friday 22 June 2012

Giveaway Update...

So as you may or may not already know, I will be opening a Giveaway when I reach 500 Subscribers on my YouTube channel  HERE.

I listed the products I would be giving away (so far) a little while ago, but there are now some additions, and I have also posted some pics. So if you are interested in winning this prize when the giveaway opens, go and subscribe to my channel, and when I reach 500 subbies, I will do a Giveaway Open video, with the details of how to enter.

I will be buying continually while I am waiting to hit 500 subs, so each time there are additions, I will post them here.


Whats in this bag of gifts so far....?
FACE: Almay Pure Blends Loose Powder, Collection 2000 Shimmer and Shade, MUA Blush.

NAILS: Primark Nail Polished set of 4, MUA Polish

EYES: Rimmel Glam Eyes, Collection 2000 Dazzle Eye Dustx,
Collection 2000 Glam Metallics Eyeliner, Collection 2000 Glam Glitter Wand

LIPS: Revlon Lip Glide, MUA Lipstick

Exciting stuff.... more to come!!


Thanks Lovables! xxx

Thursday 21 June 2012

Glossy Box: June 2012

Well it has arrived! My first ever Glossy Box! Excitement bubbled within me as I tore open the packaging to find out what my first 5 items are. So here it is.... June 2012's Glossy Box.





The Products


Summer Warmth Bronzer by BM Beauty


Product Description
"A medium, golden mineral bronzer which flatters most skin tones. Sweep over the face for a Summer glow, use as an eyeshadow, or even mix with body lotion to create a shimmering bronzing cream." Glossy Box
I love a good bronzer, so was so please with this, the product is great, not too 'glittery' like a lot of bronzers. I would happily buy this product at the normal price of £8.00 (4g)

Serie Exclusiv Pro Beauty Brush by Glossy Box


Product Description
"This timeless and classic series in matt black comes in a noble and elegant design. Made with best quality goat hair with natural tips from Asian mountain goats. The supersoft hair is collected when the cost is trimmed, then sanitised and bundled by hand to make these smooth and resilient cosmetic brushes. With lots of volume, these brushes can absorb large amounts of powder and apply your make-up in a soft way." Glossy Box


Being honest, while I think the brush is good, I personally wouldn't pay the usual price of £15.00. But this is just personal preference.

 Sexy Pulp Mascara by Yves Rocher France


Product Description
"For an even more glamorous look!
Its generously curved brush perfectly hugs your lashes for lash-by-lash volume without clumping. Its creamy texture thickens and coats lashes without weighing them down for even more volume." Glossy Box

I really love this product, it has similarities to my fave mascara Rimmel Scandel Eyes, although the brush is a different shape. At £16.90 for 9ml, I need to use this a bit more to think whether I would buy it.



Dermablend™ Ultra-Corrective Foundation Cream Stick by Vichy Dermablend

Product Description
"Dermablend Corrective Foundation is ideal for camouflage of skin concerns such as dark circles, acne marks, redness, dark spots, vitiligo, and the masking of tattoos. Product benefits: 40% pigment concentration- Twice the coverage of a traditional foundation.
Fragrance-free and hypoallergenic.
Sweat resistant & water resistant.
SPF 30.
Long lasting-14Hr hold.
Natural finish, with no mask effect.
Available in 7 shades"

This product absolutely does what it says it is going to. However for me personally I don't feel I would have the use for this as I don't want this much coverage. But if you are someone that wants a lot of coverage, or you have something you want to cover up, then this is definitely for you. At £19 for a full sized product of 12g, I think that is a pretty reasonable price.

Eau Provocateur by Agent Provocateur

Product Description
"Agent Provocateur ‘Eau Provocateur’, a new collection of three new feminine, sensual and tantalizing day fragrances.
These 3 new ‘Eau Provocateur’ scents are individually unique but when brought together offer an array of sensuality and a variety of permutations for the imagination. The spirit of Agent Provocateur is not purely for night time pleasures as this stunning new collection of lighter fragrances epitomizes the playful side of modern femininity and celebrates irreverence, confidence and female empowerment."

By far by favourite product in this edition! These perfumes are gorgeous! My most liked is the red bottle. I have worn it twice already! Gorgeous. I would definitely splurge the £39.00 on 50ml of this beauty.



So there we have it, my first Glossy Box. I am over the moon with the first lot of products, and would definitely recommend Glossy Box to anyone who asked. Hope you enjoyed... xx