Beauty. Fashion. Lifestyle.
Archive for September, 2012
Chocolate Treat Week: Fashion and Accessories
8
6 years
Welcome to my final Chocolate Treat Week post! It’s been a busy week but I’ve enjoyed every minute of it, and I hope you have too. Today’s post will focus on chocolate themed fashion and accessories, including a rather nifty T Shirt, a couple of stunning items of jewellery and a cuter than cute pocket mirror. So, let’s begin…
Cadbury’s Chicken or Creme Egg T Shirt from TruffleShuffle
I was recently sent this amazingly quirky T Shirt by a fab clothing company called TruffleShuffle, and I absolutely love it. Creme Eggs have to be one of my favourite chocolate treats (why oh why do they only sell them at Easter??) and, as my regular readers will know, purple is my favourite colour. As such, this T Shirt really was made for me, especially when you consider my penchant for philosophy! After all, the fun, clever design takes on one of life’s most pressing questions.
The T Shirt itself is extremely comfortable as it is cut well to fit womanly curves, and you can tell that the fabric is fantastic quality. It is very soft and quite thick, and has a good stretch to it, and it’s also a nice length… I’m 5’10” so very often I will get T Shirts which are irritatingly too short for me, but this one is just right due to its slightly longer length.
I love how bold the purple shade of the fabric is, and the logo is equally as bright. The logo is also really well printed, and neither the fabric or the logo have faded since I received the T Shirt. The fading you can see in the photograph is part of the retro design, and the rest of it isn’t going anywhere in a hurry! This T Shirt has already become a treasured part of my wardrobe and, just like the logo, it’s here to stay.
TruffleShuffle’s Cadbury Chicken or Creme Egg T Shirt retails for £14.99, which is incredible value for money for such a high quality product, but you’ll be pleased to know that you can get an even better deal at the minute as it is on sale for £11.99! They have a few other Creme Egg designs in various colours too, for men as well as women. TruffleShuffle specialise in 80s and Retro T Shirts but they also sell jewellery, accessories and gifts. Their customer service is outstanding as if you order before 4pm your items will be posted the same day. I actually received my T Shirt the day after it was sent, and it even contained some sweeties which was a nice extra touch! TruffleShuffe really are ‘Officially Awesome’ and I’ll be going to them from now on for all of my T Shirt needs!
Milk Chocolate Ring from Purple Magpie
This gorgeous statement ring was made by Lynda, an independent jewellery maker who runs a lovely little jewellery company called Purple Magpie. Lynda is a self-employed artist and has been creating jewellery for the past two years, which she sells at Newcastle’s Quayside every Sunday, as well as on Etsy and Folksy. Most of Lynda’s jewellery features food and sweets, and her Milk Chocolate Ring is no exception!
The chocolate fudge-looking ring is handmade using polymer clay and it is very neat. The detail on it is absolutely incredible too… From the teeth marks in the ‘bite’ to the piped chocolate heart on top, it all looks so real! If I didn’t know better I’d want to eat it, but obviously I wouldn’t, that’s just silly. The ring itself measures 18mm in diameter at its smallest, but it is adjustable so it is suitable for just about anyone. It might be chunky and a decent size, but don’t let that fool you. Polymer clay is very light so it doesn’t weigh your hand down at all when wearing it which is a massive bonus.
Purple Magpie’s Milk Chocolate Ring is available on Etsy for just £4, and there are a few other chocolatey items in Lynda’s jewellery range too. It is clear that all of Lynda’s jewellery is carefully made with love, and considering the high quality of her products you are getting an absolute bargain. If you decide to buy, I’m sure you’ll love your chocolate ring as much as I love mine!
Miniature Chocolate Necklace from Sweet n Neat Jewellery
Necklaces are perhaps my most worn accessory, and out of the many that I own this Miniature Chocolate Necklace is one of my favourites. The necklace is handmade by Laura of Sweet n Neat Jewellery, who started making jewellery last November, and has since started making accessories as well. All of Laura’s jewellery is made from Fimo, and she tells me that she likes using Fimo as it is easy to mould and comes in any colour under the sun! She also takes pride in making her jewellery as ‘sweet’ and ‘neat’ as possible, hence the name.
The chocolate pendant is very dainty and cute, but despite its small size it is still detailed and looks wonderfully realistic! It is coated with a glaze which makes the chocolate look shiny and yummy, but unfortunately it isn’t edible (although the missing corner makes it look like someone’s had a nibble!) The pendant also hangs perfectly as it lies flat and at a slight angle, and since it is on an 18″ chain it sits nicely in the centre of my chest. I do believe the chain is sterling silver too, so it doesn’t leave any green marks on the skin.
Laura’s Miniature Chocolate Necklace comes delivered in a gift box and is currently selling on Etsy for only £6. You can even buy matching Miniature Chocolate Hair Grips! If you’d like to follow Laura, her Twitter name is @SweetnNeatJwlry, and she also has a Facebook page.
Cocoa Cookie Pocket Mirror and Comb from eBay
My final chocolate themed accessory is this cute pocket mirror which I picked up on eBay for 99p. The mirror says ‘Cocoa Cookies I Like’, which isn’t fantastic English but that doesn’t really matter I suppose. The mirror is made to look like an Oreo cookie, and is quite a decent size. It might have been cheap, but the quality is pretty good and I think it looks absolutely adorable! Probably the most exciting thing about this mirror, however, is what’s inside…
That’s right – the cream inside the cookie is actually a little comb! How innovative is that?
If you’d like one for yourself, you can order your Cocoa Pocket Mirror here.
The Last Rolo…
The Last Rolo is where I hand over the last few words of each Chocolate Treat Week blog post to another blogger. In the run up to Chocolate Treat Week I asked five of my favourite bloggers a couple of questions about their favourite chocolate treats, and today’s answers come from Nonfashionista.
Can you recommend any chocolate scented, flavoured or themed beauty/fashion products?
Well I like the chocomania products from body shop. I’ve tried the lip butter and it’s nice!!!
I’m a fan of their body butters but I haven’t tried the chocomania one..i’m sure it’s as nice as their coconut one!
One of my friends really likes the chocolate shampoo from carol’s daughter.. I think they talked about it at Oprah’s.
What is your favourite chocolate treat to eat, and why?
My favorite chocolate treat..that’s a thought one..I love chocolate!!! I love anything chocolate..I would probably have to say a good slice of my mother’s chocolate cake, that’s really moist and creamy inside! Also I make a mean chocolate mousse 
and.. ben’s cookies: any chocolate or other 😛
So, that’s it! The end of my first ever themed blog week – Chocolate Treat Week. I really hope you’ve enjoyed all of my posts, and if you have then please share them with your friends and fellow bloggers! If you haven’t already seen my other chocolate posts, you can do so here:
Skin, Bath and Body
Hair
Makeup
Nails
Thank you so much for reading, and a big thank you to all of those who took part in The Last Rolo!
Naomi x
*The Chicken or Creme Egg T Shirt, Milk Chocolate Ring and Miniature Chocolate Necklace featured in this post were kindly gifted to me by their respective companies, for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed are honest and my own*
Chocolate Treat Week: Nails
5
6 years
In this penultimate Chocolate Treat Week post I will be talking about all things nail related. I will be sharing my favourite chocolate coloured nail varnish, by Barry M, as well as some new nail art featuring five of my favourite chocolate treats! See if you can guess what they are. Oh, and of course there’ll be a few words at the end of the post from one of my favourite bloggers, in The Last Rolo.
Nail Varnish… Barry M Nail Paint in ‘Chocolate Brown’
Since first discovering them many moons ago, I have always loved Barry M’s Nail Paints, so it seemed only natural to include their ‘Chocolate Brown’ shade in this post. Like all of their paints, this one has a fantastic formula. It applies effortlessly easily and leaves no brush strokes or streaking behind, and opaque, even coverage can be achieved in just two coats. The paint dries impressively quickly too so there’s no hanging around for hours waiting for it to dry, and as you’d expect of Barry M it is very long-lasting.
‘Chocolate Brown’ is a really stunning shade, and it has a high shine, creme finish which gives it a true look of chocolate! The brown colour is highly pigmented with an undertone of orange so it isn’t too dark. As such, even indoors in dim light it looks rich brown rather than dull black. I’m sure you’d all agree that ‘Chocolate Brown’ is perfect for Autumn/Winter 2012 as deep, earthy nail shades are bang on-trend right now.
Barry M Nail Paints are available in Superdrug and Boots for £2.99 each, but as far as I know they aren’t currently stocking this shade. However, you can get it even cheaper on a great website I discovered recently called Scentsational. They are selling ‘Chocolate Brown’ for £2.95 with free delivery, but if you ‘Like’ their Facebook page you can get £1 off your order! That’s how I got hold of this shade, so you can definitely trust the website and discount code!
Nail Art… Chocolate Wrappers
After much deliberation about what I would do for a chocolate themed nail art design, I came up with this – the wrappers and logos of five of my favourite chocolate treats! Can you guess what they are?
If you said (from left to right) Cadbury’s Creme Egg, Terry’s Chocolate Orange, Cadbury Twirl, Milky Bar and Maltesers then you are correct! I had a LOT of fun creating this look and I’m very pleased with the results… Especially the Milky Bar nail! I surprised myself with how neat and accurate I got the font on that one. As usual, I used nail dotting tools to draw this design, and the colours I used were:
- Avon Nailwear Pro ‘Real Red’
- Saffron ‘Shade 16′ (Purple)
- Rimmel 60 Seconds ‘Blue My Mind’
- Barry M ‘Yellow’
- Barry M ‘Chocolate Brown’
- Laval Crystal Finish ‘White’
- Primark ‘Black’
- NYC In A Minute ‘High Line Green’
- Avon Nailwear Pro ‘Coral Beat’
- Leichner Nail Gloss ‘Blueberry’
What do you think? Which five chocolate bars would you include in this design?
The Last Rolo…
The Last Rolo is where I hand over the last few words of each Chocolate Treat Week blog post to another blogger. In the run up to Chocolate Treat Week I asked five of my favourite bloggers a couple of questions about their favourite chocolate treats, and today’s answers come from Ra of RaRa Reid.
Can you recommend any chocolate scented, flavoured or themed beauty/fashion products?
I would recommend the Soft Coeur masage bar from Lush. It smells incredible and is amazing for your skin. Like most Lush products! It’s also heart-shaped which I love. Lush also have a lip tint called Double Choc. I haven’t actually tried this as brown shades don’t suit me, but it just smells wonderful! As for fashion, I am a huge fan of kitsch jewellery, especially necklaces. I got a Jammie Dodger necklace a while back from Diamond Lil’s and they have a lovely Bourbon Biscuit necklace which I’d also love to add to my jewellery collection. This is their website. There are plenty of other sites that have similar necklaces to this too.
What is your favourite chocolate treat to eat, and why?
Choosing a favourite chocolate treat is really quite difficult, I love all chocolate! My absolute favourite has to be a Kit Kat Chunky Peanut Butter, I haven’t actually had one for over 2 years now though as Teddi is allergic to nuts. Other than that, I love all the chocolates that I used to have as a child. Like Freddos and Curly Wurlys.
Once again, thank you so much for reading my latest Chocolate Treat Week post. Please come back tomorrow to read the final chocolate themed post which will focus on fashion and accessories.
Naomi x
Chocolate Treat Week: Makeup
8
6 years
My third Chocolate Treat Week post is all about make up. Believe it or not, I had to search high and low for chocolate scented and coloured make up products, but I found a couple of great ones in the end. I’ve also created a yummy eyeshadow look to share with you, which uses three different shades of chocolate brown. Enjoy!
For Lips… Palmer’s Dark Chocolate & Peppermint Lip Butter
In my high and low search for chocolate lip products I discovered a myriad of chocolate lip balms, but none of them seemed to cut the mustard as a gloss, rather than just a protective balm. In all honesty I was close to giving up, but then I found this… Palmer’s Dark Chocolate & Peppermint Lip Butter.
The Lip Butter has a lovely creamy formula which feels amazing on the lips. You can tell from how it feels that it is intensely enriching, and because it’s a butter and not a gloss it feels smooth and moisturising rather than sticky. It is also light in colour so doesn’t leave a tint on the lips, but as the packaging states it adds a ‘subtle gloss’, which is what makes it makeup in my eyes. The glossy shine it adds lasts for a long time, and can be worn over lipstick as well as directly on the lips.
The minty chocolate scent of the Lip Butter is absolutely divine. The fact that it is dark chocolate means that it isn’t too sickly sweet, and the freshness of the peppermint gives it a sharp edge. The mint also feels wonderful on the lips as it gives the lip butter a pleasant tingle. Though it doesn’t claim to be a plumping product I think it does have a slight, natural-looking plumping effect, but without the pain that some plumping glosses can cause!
Palmer’s Dark Chocolate & Peppermint Lip Butter definitely does what it says on the tin. It ‘softens & soothes lips’ almost instantly and leaves them feeling protected, but it has a big advantage over most lip balms by adding that ‘subtle gloss’. The Lip Butter is available in lots of high street shops (there’s a list here), and usually retails for about £2.75, which is an excellent price considering it is a gloss AND a protective balm in one.
For Eyes… MUA Malt Chocolate Intense Glitter Eyeliner
MUA’s Malt Chocolate Intense Glitter Eyeliner is another quality MUA product. Like all of their glitter liners it costs just £1, which is outstanding value as there’s even a pencil sharpener incorporated into the lid! The eyeliner is very creamy so it applies like a dream to both your waterlines and your upper and lower lash lines without pulling the skin at all. The glitter is very fine too, so it adds a lovely shimmer without causing any irritation or heaviness on the eye.
Malt Chocolate is a pretty, highly pigmented shade with a bronze tinge to it, which gives it that ‘intense colour finish’ – far from the dull, uninspiring look of most brown eyeliners! What I like about this liner is that, once it dries, it doesn’t smudge and it lasts a good long while before it comes off, keeping its bold colour for the duration of wear.
The eyeliner is also impressively versatile. MUA state that it can be worn all over the eyelid, as a lip liner or as an all-over lip colour as well as an eyeliner, and due to its creaminess I think it would make a great lip product as it wouldn’t be drying at all. What a fab thing to throw into your suitcase for a holiday or into your clutch on a night out!
If you’d like to try any of MUA’s Glitter Intense Eyeliners they are available in Superdrug stores or online here.
Create the Look… Triple Chocolate Eyes
The above look was created using three different shades of chocolate coloured eyeshadow. MUA’s Chocolate Box Trio Eyeshadow would be perfect for this, but I actually used their Immaculate Collection Palette. All you need to use to copy this look is a white chocolate shade as a highlighter, a milk chocolate shade as your main colour, and a dark chocolate shade for shadows and creases. The shades I used from the Immaculate Collection were these…
- White Chocolate: Shade 12
- Milk Chocolate: Shade 23
- Dark Chocolate: Shade 21
And here’s how you get the look:
- Prepare your eyelids right up to the brow bone with your preferred eye primer.
- Apply your milk chocolate shade to your eyelid using a flat eyeshadow brush, from corner to corner and up to the crease.
- Using another flat eyeshadow brush sweep your white chocolate shade above the milk chocolate shade, up to the brown bone.
- Using a shading brush, apply the dark chocolate shade along the crease of your eye, thickening the line at the outer corner and taking it down to the corner of your lashes.
- Blend the dark chocolate shade into the edge of the milk chocolate shade with a clean eyeshadow brush.
- Using a fine brush, apply a small amount of the white chocolate shade to the inside corner of your eye and a third of the way under your lower lash line. Fill in the rest of your lower lash line with the dark chocolate shade.
- Brush any loose eyeshadow from your face using a clean brush and finish with a generous coat of your favourite mascara, preferably brown.
The Last Rolo…
The Last Rolo is where I hand over the last few words of each Chocolate Treat Week blog post to another blogger. In the run up to Chocolate Treat Week I asked five of my favourite bloggers a couple of questions about their favourite chocolate treats, and today’s answers come from Claire of Nocturnal Beauty.
Can you recommend any chocolate scented, flavoured or themed beauty/fashion products?
I can definitely recommend the Whipstick lip balm from Lush. It’s my by far my favourite chocolate scented product that I’ve tried. It smells just like chocolate orange, and it isn’t overly sickly or too sweet, it smells absolutely divine. I do catch myself smelling the tin quite a lot! It feels lovely too and leaves a bit of a brown tint to the lips. It’s perfect for anybody who loves chocolate!
What is your favourite chocolate treat to eat, and why?
My favourite chocolate treat to eat is probably chocolate cake. I eat far too much cake and it’s a wonder I have any teeth left. I also make some seriously good chocolate fudge!
Thanks for reading today’s Chocolate Treat Week installment! Please check back tomorrow for a post all about chocolate themed nails, featuring some new nail art!
Naomi x
Chocolate Treat Week: Hair
1
6 years
Hello everyone! Today’s Chocolate Treat Week post will focus on chocolate coloured and scented hair care products. I have spent a lot of time recently trying to improve the look and feel of my hair, as it tends to switch between being dull and dry or lank and greasy depending on the weather and how often I wash it. In my search for products suited to my hair I happened to discover two fantastic ones which are also chocolatey, and as such are perfect for this post. Allow me to share them with you…
Wash with… Toni & Guy Chocolate Brown Colour Reviver Shampoo
I’ve always been somewhat thrifty when it comes to shampoo, but when I found this Colour Reviver Shampoo by Toni & Guy I decided to invest as it looked and sounded too good not to. This particular Colour Reviver, in ‘Chocolate Brown’, is intended for use on natural or dyed brown hair, and claims to ‘extend the richness and depth of tone’. As a proud brunette, I like to accentuate the colour of my hair as much as possible without the use of hair dye, so I was keen to try it out.
The shampoo itself has a very thick consistency, and is speckled with bronze and golden glittery deposits, which cling to the hair to give it that ‘depth of tone’. Unfortunately, it doesn’t smell like chocolate (it has a fairly standard shampoo scent) but I suppose that makes it suitable for those who dislike strongly scented hair products.
Due to the thickness of the shampoo, it is slightly difficult to work into the hair at first, but with a bit of persistence a nice lather can be built up. The bottle says to rinse the shampoo out thoroughly to avoid staining, and that it can be used for every wash on natural hair and every other wash on dyed hair.
I use Colour Reviver with my usual Avon conditioner, and then blow dry my hair as normal. After using the Colour Reviver, my hair always has a rich, intense colour to it, is fantastically soft and shiny and moves fluidly… Almost like melted chocolate! I couldn’t get a photograph that shows just how nice this shampoo makes my hair look, but you can clearly see how shiny it makes it! It really is quite impressive. The results are hardy too… I washed my hair before going swimming today, and even after getting it wet in the pool it still looked great after it dried.
The only thing I don’t like about this product is the packaging, but that’s personal choice… I’m just not that keen on the flip lid design!
Toni & Guy’s Chocolate Brown Colour Reviver Shampoo retails at £5.80 for a 250ml bottle, but is currently on offer on Amazon for £4.06. It’s hard to find this shampoo in shops these days so the internet is probably your best bet if you want to try it for yourself!
Freshen Up with… Superdrug Chocolate Brownie Dry Shampoo
I usually wash my hair every day, but sometimes I don’t have the time or I just can’t be bothered, and that’s when dry shampoo becomes an essential. In the past I have used Batiste dry shampoo, but to be honest I never really got on with it… It didn’t seem to make much difference to my hair, other than leaving behind a white residue. So, when I picked up some of Superdrug’s Chocolate Brownie Dry Shampoo instead, I was very happy.
Like Toni & Guy’s Chocolate Brown, Superdrug’s Chocolate Brownie is for use on brunette hair as it is lightly coloured, and as such doesn’t make your hair look powdery and white! The spray has a very strong chocolate scent which doesn’t smell at all artificial – it literally smells like warm chocolate brownies in the oven! Delicious.
To use the dry shampoo you just need to spray it onto dry hair from about 30cm away, then gently brush it through, et voila! Freshened hair. A word of warning with this one though… The spray is VERY strong. I have asthma and used this in my bedroom last week with the windows closed and could barely breathe afterwards, so make sure you use it in a well ventilated area!
Superdrug’s Dry Shampoo makes unwashed hair look less greasy and gives it a bit of volume, and the results last a good few hours before you need to tse the spray again. I actually bought this on offer recently at three cans for £2.99, which is an absolute bargain as one 150ml can lasts for ages. If you’re quick, you can take advantage of this offer too as it’s still running, but even at £1.99 full-price it’s amazing value for money. Chocolate Brownie Dry Shampoo can be found in Superdrug stores, or online here.
The Last Rolo…
The Last Rolo is where I hand over the last few words of each Chocolate Treat Week blog post to another blogger. In the run up to Chocolate Treat Week I asked five of my favourite bloggers a couple of questions about their favourite chocolate treats, and today’s answers come from Tianna of Storybook Apothecary.
Can you recommend any chocolate scented, flavoured or themed beauty/fashion products?
Intrinsic Organics has a chocolate mint lip balm that is lovely! I also love using cocoa powder and honey as a face mask to get glowing skin, does that count? Lol. I’ve posted about the lip balm on my blog here.
What is your favourite chocolate treat to eat, and why?
My favorite chocolate is Godiva dark chocolate with raspberry sauce filling. It is sooo good. The rich bitter flavor of the dark chocolate with sweetness of the raspberry is to die for!
I hope you have enjoyed today’s post, and thanks for reading! Do you use any chocolate scented or coloured hair products?
Naomi x
PS. Please don’t forget to check back tomorrow for my next Chocolate Treat Week post, which will focus on makeup!
Chocolate Treat Week: Skin, Bath and Body
24
6 years
In my first Chocolate Treat Week post I will be sharing with you the very best chocolate scented skin care, bath and body products that I have been using lately. Whenever I have the house to myself of an evening I like nothing better than to run myself a relaxing bath and treat myself with an indulgent beauty regime, and the following four items are the perfect products for a chocolate themed pamper session.
Bathe with… Handmade Soaps Chocolate Bath Treats
I recently discovered a fab little company called Handmade Soaps, who stock and sell a large range of soaps, bath bombs, bath melts and gift sets, all of which are very appealing to the eye as well as the nose. Among their range they have quite a few wonderful chocolate scented bombs, melts and sets. The chocolate products pictured above are (clockwise from the top): Chocoholics Gift Set, Fruity Creamy Bath Bar, Chocolate Bath Meltz, Sink the Pink Bath Bomb, Very Berry Bath Creamer, Love Cloud Bath Creamer and Chocolate Ballotin Gift Set.
I have a lot of bath products from Handmade Soaps so I haven’t tried all of them yet, but my favourite so far has to be the Chocolate Bath Meltz, which costs £2 for one melt. As you can see, it looks absolutely lovely – almost like a fancy chocolate truffle, especially with the cute little chocolate heart sitting on top! The melt combines Cocoa and Arabica Coffee to give it its rich chocolatey aroma and colour, and also contains Lavender and Ylang Ylang essential oils for added relaxation. I used this melt over the weekend and it really is glorious. I popped it into the water just before the bath was full and then got straight in. I recommend doing this as it’s when the melt fizzes that you are met with its beautiful scent. Unlike some bath products that I’ve tried, this one doesn’t fizz too violently so you don’t get bombarded by the bomb whilst you’re trying to relax. In fact, I actually found it quite therapeutic watching it spin in the water! My favourite thing about the Chocolate Bath Meltz is how intensely moisturising it is. I really wasn’t expecting such a dainty melt to have much effect on my skin, but it made my skin feel creamy and smooth even when I was still in the water, which resulted in long-lasting softness – impressive!
Handmade Soaps pride themselves on their customer service so if you decide to order anything from them you won’t be disappointed! They deliver their items quickly and they even have a ‘remarkable wrapping’ policy so everything you receive will be as beautifully wrapped as possible. Everything they sell is already reasonably priced, but Handmade Soaps have been kind enough to give me a special discount code to share with you so that you can get 10% off everything you order! The code is ‘bewitchery10‘ – just enter it at the checkout to get your 10% discount.
Exfoliate with… Betty Buff ‘Scrummy Choco’ Sugar Scrub
As I’ve mentioned in several of my previous posts, Betty Buff‘s Sugar Scrubs are my absolute favourite go-to exfoliators. All of Betty Buff’s scrubs are high-quality and handmade to vintage recipes. They contain no parabens or artificial colours and fragrances either, so are excellent for use on sensitive skin like mine.
As well as containing granulated sugar, Evening Primrose Oil, honey and glycerine, ‘Scrummy Choco‘ is made with 100% cocoa which gives it an incredible scent. As Betty Buff says, it really does smell ‘good enough to eat’ (but please don’t!), almost like a chocolate brownie or uncooked cake mix… It honestly made my mouth water when I first smelt it!
I have been using this for a while now and the effects are very noticeable. The cocoa makes the scrub delicately moisturising, and always leaves my skin feeling silky smooth, and my dry patches caused by the drying summer weather have all vanished! Due to the rich colour of the scrub it also leaves a light brown sheen on the skin, which sounds odd but actually looks great, especially if you already have a tan you want to accentuate.
Betty Buff ‘Scrummy Choco’ Sugar Scrub comes in three different sizes. The size pictured is the 150ml version, which costs £6.50, but there’s also a 250ml tub available for £8.00 and a 100ml sampler for £4.00. A little goes a long way with Betty’s scrubs so each size is fantastic value for money. If you’d like to try it for yourself, which I highly recommend you do, you can purchase it here.
Moisturise with… Vaseline Cocoa Radiant Rich Feeling Lotion
Vaseline’s Cocoa Radiant Rich Feeling Lotion is ideal for those who aren’t too keen on beauty products with a strong chocolatey aroma or appearance. The lotion is pale in colour and delicately scented with cocoa beans so it isn’t overpowering, and it also has a very delicate formula.
Cocoa Radiant is rich like a body butter, but also lovely and light so it doesn’t feel heavy on the skin. It absorbs quickly without being greasy, rather, it leaves behind a soft creaminess which makes skin feel healthy and supple. I like to use this after exfoliating and also after shaving as it is protective so prevents any drying or soreness. What I love most about this lotion is how long the scent lingers… After a day of wear I can always still smell a sweet tinge of cocoa on my skin which is nicely comforting.
Vaseline’s Cocoa Radiant is currently on offer for £2.63 in Superdrug for a 400ml bottle, which is a massive bargain for such a quality product so grab it cheap while you still can!
Cleanse with… Montagne Jeunesse Hot Chocolate Self Heating Face Mask
After a relaxing bath and moisturising session, a face mask is the perfect way to finish an evening of pampering. Now that Autumn is here and the weather is getting colder, it’s time to step away from the cooling masks and use something a bit more seasonal… So, what’s better than a self heating mask? Montagne Jeunesse’s Hot Chocolate Self Heating Face Mask is currently top of my face mask list as everything about it is luscious and screams ‘me time’!
I used this mask last night and couldn’t get enough of it. The formula is fairly thick, basically like melted chocolate, so it is a little bit difficult to apply but it is well worth the effort. As soon as it touches your skin it heats up to a comfortable temperature which feels incredible and helps to soothe tired skin and muscles.
The mask is scented with cocoa and orange – a winning combination in my eyes (and nose). The orange cuts through the sweetness of the chocolate to give a decadent scent which makes for a delicious fifteen minutes of wear, and a good few hours of gorgeous smelling skin.
The mask stays wet and doesn’t dry like a conventional clay mask so it is quite easy to wash off, but its deep colour can make a mess so make sure you use an old towel! Like all of Montagne Jeunesse’s products, their Hot Chocolate mask is vegetarian and natural, and it contains orange oil which is refreshingly moisturising. As such, the mask is extremely nourishing to the point that you don’t need to use any moisturiser after wearing it.
Montagne Jeunesse’s Hot Chocolate Self Heating Mask is available on their website for £1.09 per sachet, but I’ve also seen it in Wilkinson, Asda, Superdrug and Boots. I only used half a sachet for one application so you could get two uses out of it if you’re lucky, which is always a bonus.
The Last Rolo…
The Last Rolo is where I hand over the last few words of each Chocolate Treat Week blog post to another blogger. In the run up to Chocolate Treat Week I asked five of my favourite bloggers a couple of questions about their favourite chocolate treats, and today’s answers come from Donah of Sweetjellybean.
Can you recommend any chocolate scented, flavoured or themed beauty/fashion products?
Although I try to not use any products that are chocolate scented (as I’ve had enough of Palmer’s Cocoa Butter when I was pregnant!), these days, I’ve been indulging myself with Leor’s Chocolate Truffle Body Lotion. Surprisingly, this doesn’t smell as strong as Palmer’s but still has that lovely chocolate aroma that isn’t distracting. so yes, I definitely would recommend this to anyone, who can’t stand Palmers’ but still love to indulge themselves in a chocolate-flavoured product.
What is your favourite chocolate treat to eat, and why?
Toffee Crisp! Can’t get enough of this when I was pregnant (a hush-hush since I was not supposed to eat this, so this is my guilty pleasure haha) But I definitely don’t mind having one bar or two every week.
Thanks for reading my first Chocolate Treat Week post – I hope you enjoyed it! If you did, please come back tomorrow to read all about chocolate hair products.
Naomi x
*I was kindly gifted the Handmade Soap Bath products and the Betty Buff ‘Scrummy Choco’ Sugar Scrub by their respective companies for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed are honest and my own.*
Introducing Chocolate Treat Week!
6
6 years
For the past few weeks I have been planning something a little bit different for my blog that I hope you will all enjoy. Starting tomorrow and ending on Friday I will be running a chocolate themed week, called Chocolate Treat Week, and will be sharing my favourite chocolate scented, flavoured, coloured and themed beauty and fashion products. Each post will cover a different area of fashion and beauty, including skin care, bath and body, hair, make up, nails and clothing and accessories. I don’t know about you, but I think chocolate is the best kind of treat, so the aim of my posts will be to show you that there are plenty of ways to carry a love of chocolate through to your beauty regime and relax and pamper yourself with a chocolate treat that isn’t the edible kind.
There seems to be a divide when it comes to chocolate beauty products, so everything I recommend has been thoroughly tried and tested and only the best will be featured! I will talk about a variety of products, some for the hardcore chocoholics among us, and others for those that like to keep it subtle, but I can almost guarantee that there will be something suitable for everyone – even the haters!
I’ll also be including a tutorial or two along the way, and a few chocolatey words from some of my favourite bloggers at the end of each post.
Now that you know what it’s about, I hope you’re all looking forward to Chocolate Treat Week as much as I am!
See you tomorrow,
Naomi x
Avon Liquid Freeze Quick Dry Nail Spray
8
6 years
by Naomi in Nails
I’m sure you’ll all agree that the most annoying part of painting your nails is waiting for them to dry. Sometimes I get so bored I adopt a “that’ll do” attitude whilst they’re still tacky and give up waiting, which usually results in smudged and marked nails! But that has all changed now that I have discovered one little product that makes a big, big difference… Avon’s Liquid Freeze Quick Dry Nail Spray.
Despite having been an Avon Representative for almost two years, I only recently tried this spray and I’m so glad that I did – I just wish I had bought it sooner! The Liquid Freeze Spray comes in a 50ml bottle and retails for £6.00. For the price I was expecting a bigger bottle, but you really don’t need to use much each time you paint your nails so it should last for ages.
The product applies with a simple pump spray so it’s very easy to use, and application is simple. After painting your nails you just hold the bottle about 20-30cm away from your nails and press the pump down to apply one spray per hand. Any closer and it won’t cover each nail, and any more sprays is just a waste and will make your hands rather wet!
Before using the spray for the first time it’s a good idea to get the pump working by pressing it a few times. I made the mistake of spraying it straight onto my nails the first time I used it and the spray came out as a stream, which made a big wet mess of my nails. Luckily, after that initial spray the pump is fine.
The spray leaves a fine wet mist over your nails (and also your fingers but that’s unavoidable). At first I didn’t think it was going to work, but sure enough it did! After about a minute, and much to my surprise, my nails were completely dry to the touch – this spray really is a little miracle worker! However, it doesn’t dry on your skin so it needs to be washed or wiped off your hands once your nails are dry.
I find the Liquid Freeze is most useful for nail art. I usually find nail art very time-consuming, what with all the drying time, but this cuts it down massively. I used the spray today whilst doing some nail art which had five or six layers in some parts, a few rather thick, and I was able to paint each layer within a couple of minutes of each other. Usually I have to wait almost half an hour between layers!
There’s one thing I don’t like about the spray though… its smell. For some reason I was expecting it to have a fruity scent, so I was slightly disappointed when I was met with a strong smell of chemicals, almost like hairspray. Thankfully, the smell fades fairly quickly so it isn’t a big problem, you just have to put up with it for a bit.
Avon’s Liquid Freeze Quick Dry Spray is a definite must-have for all impatient nail painters, and an essential for anyone who does a lot of nail art! I, for one, will never be without it now. If you want to try some for yourself, it can be found on Page 186 of the current Avon brochure and costs £6.00. There’s also a special offer running alongside it, so you can get Avon’s Gold Strength nail strengthener for only 99p if you order any Nail Experts product.
Naomi x
Illamasqua Sheer Lipgloss in ‘Tantrum’
2
6 years
by Naomi in Lips
I bought this lipgloss from Illamasqua’s summer sale back in July, and promised in my unboxing post that I would review it. So, after almost two months, I thought I would share my thoughts on it. In all honestly I haven’t worn it very many times yet as I have been saving it for best, but I have used it enough to be qualified to talk about it!
On first impressions the lipgloss is pleasing to the eye as it comes in Illamasqua’s signature black packaging, which I always think looks very classy and luxurious. The lipgloss tube itself is rounded at the application end and tapered at the other, which is also quite appealing. The lid clicks on, rather than screws on, and the gloss applies by squeezing the tube, rather than with a brush.
I have to say, I’m not too keen on this type of applicator as Illamasqua’s gloss tubes are quite stiff, so it can be difficult to get much product out of the hole. Also, I find that squeezy application can be a lot messier than using a brush as it’s harder to get even coverage and neat edges.
The formula of the gloss is fairly good, however. It’s a little bit sticky, but luckily not too thick so it doesn’t feel heavy or cloying on the lips. It has a light fruity scent and flavour, almost like raspberry sweets, which reminds me of the colourful ice pole lollipops I used to eat as a child. I know some people don’t appreciate being able to smell and taste their make up, but this is so delicate I actually really like it.
I don’t own many higher-end lipglosses so I don’t have much to compare Illamasqua’s to, but Tantrum lasts a surprisingly long time on the lips. I applied it earlier today before having a drink and a snack and it looked exactly the same after as it did before, and continued to do so for a couple of hours. The same can’t be said of some of my cheaper glosses! Although, it is still outdone by my favourite gloss of all time – Avon’s Glazewear Lip Gloss.
On Illamasqua’s website Tantrum is described as ‘a deep berry pink’ colour, and looks dark purple in their photographs. However, as you can see above, it is a lot pinker in reality. I am a fan of pink so I don’t mind, but I was quite surprised by the difference in colour when I first received it. However, the glittery particles in the gloss have a silvery blue hue which is what gives the gloss its purple shine.
Since the gloss is sheer, the colour doesn’t translate as boldly onto the lips as it looks in the tube, but it is there subtly and it has a nice shimmer finish. It can easily be built up to achieve a more striking look, and it makes a nice top layer over matte lipstick for a strong shine.
Tantrum was £7.50 for a 7ml tube in Illamasqua’s sale when I bought it, which is a decent price, but at £14.00 full price I’m not sure I would pay it. I do like this gloss and it is a good quality product, but it isn’t especially outstanding. I’ve used countless glosses in the past which were worse than this one, but I’ve also used many better ones, which were also cheaper. I’m glad I have it in my collection though, and I’d still like to try Illamasqua’s lipsticks out for size.
What are your thoughts on Illamasqua’s Lipglosses? If you want to try them for yourself, you can find them here.
Naomi x
Naughty Kitty Cupcakes
13
6 years
This morning I received a fun little package in the post from Naughty Kitty, who sells ‘Cupcakes with a twist’. The package contained a cupcake, but not just any cupcake… A naughty cupcake!
I must apologise for the quality of my photographs at this point… I was so excited about getting into my cupcake (excuse the pun) that I was rather hasty with my photography and failed to realise that the cupcake clashed with the background, but you can still see how wonderfully the cupcakes are presented. Mine came wrapped in clear cellophane with a red ribbon around the top, but some of Naughty Kitty’s cupcakes are presented in gift boxes or wrapped in tissue paper.
After excitedly unwrapping the cellophane, this is what I found…
As you can see, the cupcake itself is absolutely adorable, and the presentation is lovely! The luxurious-looking base is made from sturdy card and the ‘cupcake’ is actually a sexy pair of undies. I really love the attention to detail put into the cupcake, with the frilly edge of the undies layered to look like icing, and the little silk flower on top really is the cherry on the cake.
I couldn’t wait to see what the undies in my cupcake looked like, and I was pleasantly surprised by the quality! I received a frilly pink pair from Next, still with tags on, and they are very, very pretty.
As well as lingerie cupcakes, Naughty Kitty also makes cupcakes using babywear, and all the lingerie and babywear comes in a variety of sizes, so there’s something for everyone!. As such, they would make brilliant gifts or treats for different occasions. They would all be ideal for birthdays or christmas, the lingerie cupcakes for Hen nights and Valentine’s Day, and the babywear ones would be perfect for Christenings, or as presents for new mums.
All of Naughty Kitty’s cupcakes cost £5.95 each, plus postage and packaging. The online shop is still under construction, but if you would like to buy one then visit the Naughty Kitty blog, Facebook Page or Twitter account.
Aren’t they fab?
Naomi x
*I was kindly gifted this lingerie cupcake by Naughty Kitty for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed are honest and my own.*
NOTD: Rimmel 60 Seconds in ‘Blue My Mind’
7
6 years
by Naomi in Nails
Earlier this week I received a lovely little package in the post from RaRa Reid. I was lucky enough to win her first giveaway and the prize was a pink nail art pen, a set of nail wraps and this nail varnish – Rimmel 60 Seconds in shade ‘810 Blue My Mind’. Thanks Ra!
I have always rather liked Rimmel’s range of 60 Seconds nail varnishes as they tick so many boxes, and ‘Blue My Mind’ is no exception. As you can see from the sticker on the lid, the varnish has an ‘Xpress Brush’, which is wide so covers each nail completely with the right amount of pressure. Though it takes more than ‘1 Sec’ to achieve even coverage, the wide brush means application is very quick and takes very few strokes of the brush. It only takes two coats of the varnish for fully opaque coverage as well, which in my eyes is all it should take – any more is too many!
As you would expect, the varnish dries in ’60 Seconds’. I only had to leave a minute between applying each coat, so by the time I had painted the nails on both hands, the first hand was ready straight away for its second coat. As such, the whole mani took less than five minutes which is extremely speedy! Perfect for a quick fix before an impromptu night out, or even before leaving for work of a morning.
The coverage in the photo above may look slightly blotchy, and though I was left with some fabric imprints in the top coat when I woke up, most of the ‘blotchiness’ is actually just reflections of the clouds and trees! That’s just how shiny the finish of this varnish is.
‘Blue My Mind’ is a really stunning shade of royal blue. I’ve really taken to blue varnishes this year and this has to be the most beautiful blue that I own. In unnatural light it looks very deep and almost black, but in natural sunlight the azure hues really pop, which reminds me a lot of the ocean on a sunny day.
The only thing that disappoints me about this varnish is that, after less than 24 hours, there are already signs of wear at the tips of my nails (which is visible in the photo above), but luckily there’s been no chipping.
Overall, another fine example of an excellent nail varnish from the Rimmel 60 Seconds range!
Naomi x
Next »
