May wish list

Duck egg blue blazer from Zara 

Floral kimono style jacket from Zara

Paisley shorts from Zara

Navy skirt with butterfly print from New Look

Gold stuf cage sandals from New Look

April budget beauty favourites

I´m back! And as I´ve been away for a while I´ll keep you updated with my beauty favourites from the last month. First up this lovely candy pastel pink nail varnish from Kiko in shade 376, just 2.50 euros. I´ve got so many bright nail varnishes in coral, mint, turquoise and fuschia that I thought why not try a softer colour. It´s super girly and combines with my spring wardrobe really well. So far I´ve resisted all the Essie hype, the colours look gorgeous but way too pricey for a nail varnish. 

Ya estoy de vuelta! Y como he estado fuera por un tiempo voy a estar al día de mis favoritos belleza del último mes. En primer lugar este dulce encantadora pastel esmalte de uñas de color rosa de Kiko en la sombra 376, a sólo € 2,50. Tengo tantas pinta uñas en colores fuertes como coral, menta, turquesa y fucsia que pensé ¿por qué no intentar un color más suave. Es súper femenina y combina con mi armario de primavera muy bien. Hasta ahora me he resistido a todo el bombo de Essie, los colores se ven preciosas, pero es demasiado caro para un simple pinta uñas...de momento.

I´ve also been loving more budget cosmetics as I had a bit of a haul last month back in the UK. In superdrug I picked up these two cream blushes from Make Up Forever (MUA) for just 2 pounds each! Bargain! They are very easy to blend and pretty colours that give a ´pop´ colour and leave you looking healthy, with dewy cheeks rather than a cakey, powdery look. I chose a bright cool toned pink called Bittersweet, and a corally peach called Dolly. MUA is available at Superdrug.

También he sido amante de más cosméticos presupuesto ya que tenía un poco de un tirón el mes pasado en el Reino Unido. En Superdrug cogí estos dos rubores crema de Make Up Forever (MUA) por sólo 2 libras cada uno! Ganga! Son muy fáciles de mezcla y los colores que dan las mejillas un aspecto jugoso y saludable. Elegí un tono rosa brillante llamado Bittersweet, y un melocotón coral llamado Dolly. MUA está disponible en tiendas de maquillaje online.

Another April favourite is my huge bronzer from Spanish supermarket Mercadona´s Deliplus range. It reminds me of top end bronzers as it is subtle and without shimmer so perfect for contouring, and gives a warm glow without any dreaded orange effect! The staying power isn´t that amazing and it hasn´t toppled my all time favourite Laguna by Nars but at only 7 euros what more can you ask!

Otra abril favorito es mi gigante polvo de sol de la gama Deliplus del supermercado Mercadona. Me recuerdo de otros polvos del sol mas caros ya que es sutil y sin brillo tan perfecto para el contorno, y le da un brillo cálido y sin ningún efecto naranja! La capacidad de resistencia no es tan increíble y no ha derrocado a mi todo el tiempo Laguna favorito Nars pero a sólo 7 euros, ¡qué más se puede pedir!

Review: Dermalogica Gentle Cream Exfoliant

As we are given a week off work when the flamenco fair hits Seville every year, I took the opportunity to go home to the UK to see my family. I also got some chores done like getting my wedding dress fitted and getting some new glasses too. I´d seen this product on a review by Lisa Eldridge of her favourite skincare. She recommends not using a heavy, abrasive ´scrub´ to exfoliate you face, but use products that contain lactic acid and salicylic acid which manage to clean your pores deep down without you having to slough away at your skin. That sounded perfect so I bought this rather pricey product, Dermalogica´s Gentle Cream Exfoliant as I´m always trying to find things which are gentler on my skin whilst cleansing deeply. It´s simple to use, you smooth it onto a clean face in a light layer and wait for it to work for 10-15 minutes. I felt my face tingling at first but apparently this is perfectly normal and it stops soon after. Then you gently remove it with warm water. My face felt so smooth and bright after, so I´m continuing to use it twice a week to replace my scrub exfoliant products. It´s quite a luxurious product but it does the job!

Como tuve la semana libre por de la Feria de Sevilla como todos los años, tuve la oportunidad de volver a casa al Reino Unido para ver a mi familia. También tengo algunas tareas realizadas como conseguir mi vestido de novia y conseguir algunas nuevas gafas también. Había visto este producto en un video por Lisa Eldridge sobre el cuidado de la piel. Se recomienda no utilizar un 'scrub' abrasiva para exfoliar la cara, sino el uso de productos que contienen ácido láctico y ácido salicílico que logran limpiar los poros en el fondo sin tener que mudar lejos en su piel. Eso sonaba perfecta, así que compré este producto (bastante caro), Gentle Cream Exfoliant/ Suave Exfoliante Crema de Dermalogica como siempre estoy tratando de encontrar cosas que son suaves en la piel, mientras que la limpieza profunda. Es muy sencillo de utilizar, extender en una cara limpia en una capa ligera y esperar que funcione durante 10-15 minutos. Me sentí que mi cara pica un poquito al principio, pero al parecer esto es perfectamente normal y se detiene poco después. Luego de quitar suavemente con agua tibia. Mi cara se sentía tan suave y brillante después, así que estoy de continuar usándola dos veces a la semana para reemplazar mis productos exfoliantes matorrales. Es todo un producto de lujo, pero hace el trabajo super bien!

Buy it here from Lookfantastic

Review: Cleansing Oil

This is a star product that I´m annoyed I hadn´t discovered earlier. I had been using gentle cleansing milk or cleansing lotion for years til I read up online about what really does melt away make up and grime on your skin whilst being gentle and keeping it silky soft, oils! Oils are big news recently, and it appears they dont just moisturise but also cleanse, in fact some people say they are the new superhero of cleansers! So, a lot of the cleansing oils on the market are high end (Shu Uemura, SK II, Origins, Philosophy) products but Mercadona´s Deliplus range have brought out theirs, 24K Gold Progress Aceite Desmaquillante, and it costs around 5 euros for a nice big 240ml bottle.  I apologise if you don´t live in Spain and can´t get hold of this particular product but I bet there are some decent drug-store cleansing oils that do the same job as this one. You slather it on to your face at the end of the day and gently massage it in with fingertips and it will sofly melt away your full face of make up. Then you rinse it off with warm water and follow up with a toner or a micellar water product like Dioderma´s Sensibio H20. These two steps will leave your skin squeaky clean, deep cleansed and fresh without blocking pores. Have you tried cleansing oils? Please share your experiences, which product have you tried?

Este es un producto estrella que estoy molesta que no habia descubierto antes. Yo había estado utilizando leche limpiadora suave o una loción limpiadora durante años hasta que leí online de lo que realmente se quita maquillaje y la suciedad en la piel, al mismo tiempo cuida  y mantenerla suave la piel como la seda, pues... aceites! Los aceites son una gran noticia últimamente  y parece que no lo hacen sólo hidrata, sino también limpiar, de hecho, algunas personas dicen que son el nuevo superhéroe de productos de limpieza! Por lo tanto, muchos de los aceites de limpieza en el mercado son productos de gama alta (Shu Uemura, SK II, Origins, Philosophy) pero la gama Deliplus de Mercadona han sacado su version, 24K Gold Progress Aceite Desmaquillante, y cuesta unos 5 euros. Pido disculpas si usted no vive en España y no pueden apoderarse de este producto en particular, pero apuesto a que hay algunas tiendas decentes drogas aceites de limpieza que hacen el mismo trabajo como éste. Lo masaje en la cara al final del día y extenderlo suavemente con los dedos para que se derretirá todo el maquillaje en tu cara. A continuación, lávela con agua tibia y un seguimiento con un producto como agua micelar Sensibio Dioderma de H20. Estos dos pasos dejará su piel reluciente de limpio, limpio profundo y fresco sin engrasar. ¿Has probado los aceites de limpieza? Por favor, comparta sus experiencias, qué producto ha intentado?

(image from www.aquila-style.com)

April lust list

What a surprise, there are some lovely spring clothes in the shops at the moment. My favourite is this lovely sky blue jacket from Zara TRF. I´ve already bought the beige suede jacket from Mango recently so I´m definitely not allowed another, maybe I will be lucky in the summer sales though. Here are a few more picks. What do you think?

Pues que sorpresa, hay tanta ropa bonita en las tiendas en esto momento. Mi favorito es este chaqueta en azul claro estampado de Zara TRF. Como acabo de comprarme la chaqueta de ante de Mango no me puedo permitir otro... del momento. Aqui pongo unas cosas que me han llamado la atención en los principios de este mes. ¿Que opináis?

jacket from Zara

dress from Berksha

shoes from Blanco

bag from Asos

Gentle Cream Exfoliant from Dermalogica

Kate Moss Lipsticks from Rimmel at Boots

Zara´s pelican top

Easter has been a fun week despite the mixed weather here in southern Spain. Apart from the tapas and easter processions, I got to go shopping with my sister, which is a big treat for both of us as live in different countries, we get on so well, oh and we both love a  bit of retail therapy, the type where you end up loaded with bags, a happy half-guilty smile and a lighter purse. I´ve still got a soft spot for wearing animal print on clothes, it´s something I´m wondering when I´ll grow out of! This sheer top from Zara TRF is my latest. It´s very cute for spring and looks great with a little white strappy cami under. It costs 19,90 euros. 

 La Semana Santa ha sido una semana muy divertido a pesar del tiempo mixto aquí en el sur de España. Además de las tapas y procesiones de Semana Santa, tuve oportunidad de ir de  compras con mi hermana, que es un gran placer para nosotros ya que vivimos en países diferentes, nos llevamos tan bien, ah, y los dos nos encanta un poco de terapia de compras, el tipo donde terminan cargados con bolsas, una sonrisa feliz-culpable y la cartera más ligera. Todavía tengo un cariño especial por llevar el estampado animal en la ropa, es algo que me pregunto cuando voy superar! Esta blusita de Zara TRF es el ultimo prenda que compre. Es muy lindo para la primavera y su precio es de 19,90 euros.

Leibster Blog Award

A big thank you to the lovely Dannielle from D is for... who tagged/ nominated my blog for a Leibster Blog Award, such a nice surprise especially after a week´s break from my updating my blog for my Easter holiday. This blogging malarky is pretty fun! Apparently Leibster is German for ´beloved´ and the idea of it is to promote awareness and recognition of new bloggers. So everyone is a winner really, yay!

So, here are the rules that I will dutifully abide by:
1. Share 11 things about yourself.
2. Answer the 11 questions that the person who tagged you asked.
3. Choose 11 blogs to nominate - they must have less than 200 Google Friend Connect Followers and tell them via comment on their blog.
4. Ask their 11 questions.
5. Thank the person who nominated you and link back to their blog.

Ok let´s see... 11 things about me. 

1. I´m a big fan of Wigan Rugby League.
2. I´m getting married this year on......Friday 13th September. Yes really, superstition is being thrown outta the window.
3. I used to work in Monsoon and I´m getting most of my family´s wedding clothes from there including my dress.
4. I have a BA in English Literature and I love reading
5. I learnt how to practise TM (Transcendental Meditation)
6. I am very allergic to avocados. They make me vomit and writhe around on the floor in agony. Avoid.
7. My guilty pleasure is Girls Aloud. I love them, especially Kimberley.
8. I cycle to work and never drive although I have a legal licence. Luckily the city I live in has cycle paths all over it.
9. My favourite newspaper is the Guardian, although I should spent more time reading it rather than online shopping/ browsing.
10. I love doing cross stitch as its very relaxing.
11. My friends and workmates don´t know that I blog!


Here are my answers to Dannielle´s questions:


What is your biggest fear? Something bad happening to one of my family. I don´t live in the UK anymore and sometimes feel too far away.
If you had to be a character from any film for a day, who would it be and why? That´s difficult, hmmm... what about Marie Antoinette in Sofia Coppola´s film, big frilly frocks, macarons, flouncing around the gardens. It would have to be a day before all it all kicked off in France though obviously!
Do you know exactly where you want to be in 5 years time? More relaxed, happily married, and with a few kiddies!
Would you rather go shopping for lots of cheaper things or a few expensive things? That´s difficult as I love bargains, but sometimes expensive treats are worth it! If its clothes then lots of cheaper things, if its cosmetics or make up then expensive things.
Have you got any nicknames? Not really, maybe some that out of context would sound odd so I won´t bother writing them! 
If you had to create your own business what would it be? A coffee shop with a reading and creative writing corner by day which becomes a  wine bar with stand up comedy and bands in the evening.
What did you dress up as for Halloween last year? (And if you didn't dress up, what wouldyou have dressed up as?) I was a vampiress. I wanted to go as Lady Macbeth but I left it to the last minute and couldn´t sort it out. Maybe next time...
Are you going on holiday this summer? Yes, for my honeymoon, Im not sure where we´re going yet, maybe the Greek Islands, or maybe Thailand. 
What's top of your bucket list? I must be completely out of touch as I had to google that, OK, things to do before I die...well I could say write a book, see the Taj Mahal,  etc but I don´t really like to set those types of goals, I´d just like to be wonderfully happy, make the right decisions and not have any regrets when it ends. 
Do you prefer nights in or nights out? Nights out, especially in the summer and especially the unplanned ones you just go along with which end up being the most fun. Nights in when you are tired and have a good film and some decent wine are great too though.
What never fails to make you smile? Being tickled.

My turn to make questions for my nominees:

1. What was your first word?

2. What would be your ideal job?

3. What literary character do you most identify with?

4. If a big bag of money to spend on only one clothes item what would you buy?

5. What language would you speak if you could learn any others?

6. What´s your earliest memory?

7. What´s your guiltiest pleasure?

8. Do you belive in karma?

9. What´s your favourite expression or saying?

10. If you could live anywhere in the world where would you live?

11. Why did you start blogging?

And finally here are my nominees:

gardenofeden

kittyhannon

barberella

beuniquelybeautiful

beautytricks1

notoriouseyes

fiveminutestyle

helenrambleson

indiebyheart