I took the plunge....

A week earlier than I was meant to, but I got a voucher in the post for a free meeting and registration for Weight Watchers and on Wednesday at 9.50am I looked on the site to see when and where my nearest class was for the following week, only to see that there was one starting at 10am at my local leisure centre!
In a fit of spontaneity I leapt up, grabbed my bits and almost flew to the place! Was nervous as heck, but I did it, am all signed up and really, really enjoying being back on the plan. I know it like an old friend and find that it really helps me.

So, *big breath* my starting weight is 16st 8lb. Before Christmas I was 16st 12lb, so not bad little head start!
Each week, hopefully on a Wednesday I shall blog my ups and downs and how I am finding the plan

Here is to me being on track and staying there :)

What do you think of blogging? (amazing new launch inside!)

Clearly I am pretty new to blogging. I did have one 5 years ago, but no-one really new what it was and it fell by the wayside.
Recently I was inspired to start a new one, not just about beauty products but mainly as it is something I love. At first I was kind of embarrassed, only asked people to follow who I knew wouldn't laugh but now I love it and happily get my link out there.

There are a few people who have been doing it for a long time and their blogs have really bought them amazing notoriety, one such personis Zoe from the great http://thelondonlipgloss.blogspot.com/
So influential is her blog that ReeRee Rockette and Zoe have collaborated to make a limited edition lipstick! ReeRee is a massive fan of social media and this lipstick was designed to celebrate that love.

The shade is called ZOMG! A mix of Zozo's name and the widely used OMG! Zozo and ReeRee worked hard to create the perfect colour and the shade chosen will suit most people but will be particularly great for pale skins, I myself cannot wait as I adore blue based pinks!

ZOMG! Will be available on the 31st of January priced £14 exclusively at www.rockalily.com



This is the amazing lipstick on Zozo, model Banbury Cross and ReeRee Rockette, all 3 are sporting the shade ZOMG! and all look amazing!



Zozo and ReeRee, the perfect combination for a collaboration



Zozo with her lipstick, how amazing is that?!



The achingly cool ReeRee, who owns the Rockalily site.

Biting the Bullet....

After my post on my hopes for the new year it is high time I bite the bullet and go back to Weight Watchers. I have been at Slimming World for some time, and as much as I love my leader, and working there, the plan isn't for me. So on the 18th of January (too skint for now!) I shall be going back! Hopefully I will be going from this -



To this! And yes, that does include being a different colour too, when I get to goal I am toying with a totally different hair colour!



I look forward to a day when this doesn't apply to me -



Haha! I used to have a blog about my weight loss when I lost my original weight before falling preegnant with Emmy. So I shall do the same this time around, maybe it will keep me on track and maybe it will inspire others who struggle.

So, here is to the start of a new positive, happy and healthier me.

Do you make resolutions?

Before we start, yes, I am aware that it is the 2nd, but hey, Happy New Year!
So, what type are you? Do you throw out all the leftover Christmas food, raid Sainsbury's fruit and veg aisle and join the gym?
Or do you just carry on as you are, happy with everything you are doing and feel no need to add any pressure on yourself?



Me, personally - well I make resolutions every year. Always negative, well not really negative but always things I want to change about myself, that maybe creates a negativity in my head.
My depression has already swathed me in negative thoughts and if I am to climb from this cloud then I need to be nicer to myself.

So this year instead, this is my list of hopes, dreams and goals.

To be nicer to myself.
I have to stop with the negativity. I need to make more time to be me and find the real me again. Somewhere in the past 5 years I lost her. This is my year to find her and be nice to her.

To be more healthy.
But without beating myself up. First step, I think I will go back to Weight Watchers. It has always been where I am successful. But if I have a slip up I need to accept that, move on and carry on. Again, not beat myself up, be negative and let the feelings of dislike start again.

To be more selective.
Started this already and cancelled my subscriptions to Carmine, GlossyBox, Feel Unique and JolieBox. Sure, they were pretty and exciting, but with that money I could buy myself one or two products that I really love.
This also becomes part of my goal to be nicer to myself. Sometimes I do deserve nice things, my children are fed and clothed. They do not go without so I need to not get mum guilt when I buy myself some stuff.

To get my relationship back.
This is a pretty big admission, but depression has almost destroyed my relationship.
It came to a head in the past month and we have both agreed that while we don't want to split that we are pretty much housemates. I don't want a housemate. I want my husband back and I am going to kick this depression to the kerb and make it happen.

That is pretty much it, I start my voluntary TA position on the 9th of January, hopefully this will give me a confidence boost. Otherwise I want to pass my TA course, socialise with friends more and more importantly I want to smile more!

Bare Minerals - FOTD

This whole face is courtesy of Bare Minerals since the sets I got for Xmas included a hightlighter *does a happy dance*
It is safe to say that I LOVE this brand. Truly love it! Shall list products used at the end.

So, it was really hard to get a good picture. It was 2pm and bucketing down when I took these and light was not great!



As this natural light shot shoes, it was grey and dark-ish outside so I have a blue hue, but you see the colurs slightly better than in artificial light.



This is a close up of the eye. Totally forgot to do an open eye one to show the mascara but will review that soon.

This pic here, well I added it because THIS is the kind of picture I have to sift through to try and get good shots, man, I pull some weird faces!

This look was created using the following *deep breath* All bareMinerals.

Bisque Multi tasking concealer.
Fairly Light Original SPF Foundation.
Azalea blush
Glee all over face colour
Turn On Multi tasking highlighter
Polished High Shine eyecolour
Black Flawless Definition Curling mascara
Flair Pretty Amazing lip colour

Bare Escentuals is available from department stores, QVC, Amazon and www.bareescentuals.co.uk

Frontcover Style Queen - picture heavy

This was a wonderful present from my mum. Got it 2 days ago as she found it hidden away in her caravan.

this is the inside that shows the make-up artist tips.

Layer one has 7 baked dome shadows, 6 satin shadows, 6 glosses, shadowline, cheekdomes, 2 pigment shadows and a mascara

The bottom layer has 6 brushes, a sharpener (for the vast numbers of pencils included, oh no wait, none!) and a mini eyelash curler - none of these have been tested yet.

This is a closer view of the shadows and glosses. Swatches will be from left to right following the box.

These are the baked shadows. I have these from some sets I got last Christmas, which are much better than these ones, these seem really pale in comparison. I will use these wet to intensify them or they just won't do it for me.

These are the satin swatches, much more depth of colour, but just basic shadows really.

The glosses helpfully came with a sticky tape type cover, which for now I am leaving on. Nowt worse with pallets and boxes like these than powder getting in the glosses! The glosses are a good consistency, but nothing really stands out colour wise.

These are the cheek domes, not quite a blush, not quite a bronzer, not quite a highlighter...

These are quite heavy swatches of the domes, I would use more of the reddish one and use the other more as a highlighter as otherwise you could risk looking like a robot!

Ah, the pigments, now these I like. Especially coal hoal!

These swatches show the pigments first dry and then used over the shadowline. Personally I would not dip shadowline in the pigments, I would draw my line and then go over with a thin brush with the loose pigment.

This picture is the pigments after I wiped my hand with a dry tissue, the dry has come right off but the pigment with the shadowline was harder to budge and I had to wash my hands with soap to get it off!

Finally we come to the brushes, this is where the value for money really comes in, the brushes are fabulous quality and I would use most of them. Minimal shedding, soft and nicely made.

Frontcover is one of Boots fastest selling make-up brands, now companies say that a lot, but honestly when this was Boots gift of the week they were flying off, empty shelves in 3 stores I visited within that week! Plus lots of the other sets were often sold out. They do have a range in larger Boots stores that have an empty pallet to which you add the single bits you want and sets are currently half price in Boots stores but be quick!

How was your Christmas? Update and a review inside!

Hope you all got spoilt and had a wonderful time!

I got mostly beauty gifts, of course! Including 3 BareMinerals sets, Soap and Glory's Hey Big Splendour, Stila Blockbuster colour palette, some funky kitchen tins, a make-up bag and mirror, slippers, a dress, a new charm for my bracelet, a cupcake shaped cookie jar, a Willow Tree trinket box, a photo canvas, and a Mandara Spa ultimate getaway pamper bag which I will be part reviewing today.

Now this I was looking forward to getting! I haven't had a bath in about 6 months, I just prefer the speed of showers! But today I had a nice bath using my Amber Heaven products from my Mandara spa collection, which I love so much I have just bought more stuff in the sales on Sainsbury's! Anyhoo, back to the review!
I used the Amber Heaven Indulging bath and the shower cream and the smell is divine! Quite strong but very relaxing, and the shower cream is delicious feeling, soft and very foamy even though it is free from SLS, SLES, parabens, mineral oil and DEA.
The smell didn't last particularly long on the skin, but am getting the body lotion soon to layer it up.

Mandara Spa products are a sister brand to Elemis, but more affordable and the quality, naturalness and environmental goodness shows through.
Available at larger Sainsbury's store and from www.timetospa.co.uk