Lust List #1

1. Tall Orange Maxi Skirt - New Look - £14.99

2. Glitter Stud Skull Vest - Miss Selfridge - £24

3. Dress - H&M - £19.99

4. Light Pink Jelly Embellished Sandals - River Island - £12

5. Hawley Suede Espadrille Wedges - ASOS - £48

6. Studded Bowling Bag - Zara - £59.99

I swear the sun has some sort of power which just makes you want to go out and spend lots of money on lovely new nice things. I am trying my best to stay away from the shops, but I guess I can look but just not buy, hence the online browsing. The most excited about product from my above list is the orange maxi skirt. When I was in Westfields with my friend Alex, they only had this in the normal section but it was slightly too short. I'm 5ft 7" so sometimes I have to be picky with what maxi's I choose. Now because it was too short I ended up buying two dip hemmed skirts, one black and the other floral. Now I've worn my black one and I am a little undecided on my floral one as I brought a 16 but I think I need a 14. So I may just end up taking it back and seeing if my local New Look has this orange one in, if not then I'll get it online. 

But yeah, the other goodies are just bits and bobs that I really love at the moment. And I am in need of a new handbag... obviously. Now I'm off to spend the rest of my day seeing my family who are going to be over soon. Then I'm off to work later this afternoon. Fun Fun. I'm hoping the sun will be back out tomorrow. *Fingers Crossed*

My 5 Week Challenge

I'm the biggest non-runner in the world. I hate it so much, I used to walk around cross country at school and refused to run for buses/trains/tubes. However, at the start of 2012, it was the biggest ambition of mine to do the Race For Life. Now like most families theses days, mine has been unfortunately affected by cancer. My Auntie caught her cervical cancer late because she didn't pick up the signs, but luckily after a tough battle she has pulled through. And more recently my other Auntie has sadly been diagnosed with her second bout of breast cancer. This has made me more determined than ever to run and to raise as much money as I can.


From the title of this post, I have 5 weeks until the big day. I'm running at Clapham Common on the 4th July for the 5km race. I know you can walk, jog or run the distance, and I could easily walk it as I walk that distance to and from work somedays. Though I want to push myself and attempt to run it. I also think this will generate more donations from friends and family as they know my relationship with running. 


This means that over the next 5 weeks. I will be keeping you posted on my efforts. Let me know if you have joined the Race for Life 2012 :)

F*ck Monday #14

So for the last super sunny week, I have been working six days on the trot. I have also had some fun in the pub gardens this weekend so I managed to catch some of sun. But still the last thing you want to do when the weather is as beautiful as it has been is going to work in a shop with no windows :(. Saying that today is my first day off and it felt glorious yet most of my friends are working, so I planned a day of doing "productive" things. 


My first task was to smother my hair in a treatment. If you follow me on instagram or twitter (@MissLaceyLoves) you would had seen my nightmare terror of some of my hair falling out. Unfortunately I had an unlucky stint at a new hairdressers, (a mates rates hairdresser) whereby she bleached my hair. My very very very dry hair... and now you can imagine, it just began to break off. My hair which matched the hair on my barbie that I owned when I was 5. So the day after I went to my usual hairdresser who nearly had a heart attack at the condition of it. This means now I am on strict hair nourishing regime. Paul Mitchell... You may soon become my hero. 


The next task was/still is, I'm having a breather because it is taking me hours. But that is to sort out my clothes. And wow... I have millions of them, I don't know how I have accumulated so many. Hopefully over the next two weeks I will slowly be putting them up on ebay. After I have finished I need to sort out all of my room. This is also an attempt to stop me spending money...Hopefully. 


If I get a chance at some point I need to edit my CV, look at some jobs, have an at home mini spa, sort out the blog posts that I am going to write this week, and possible even break on to the YouTube scene. (If I'm brave enough). 


Not really much to moan about, whilst the sun is shining, I'll be smiling.


Happy Mondays.

OOTD #1

Dress: New Look

Jacket: Miss Selfridge

Belt: Primark

Leggings: Select

Flip Flops: Primark

Ahhh so this is my first outfit of the day post ever and if I'm honest I was pretty nervous about doing one. I'm not comfortable with my body or size at all but I am trying to adopt the motto that I should just live with what I have got or do something about it. I have slowly lost half a stone so that's not something to moan about. Anyway... the weather is glorious outside and I've worn to death my maxi dresses. If this post goes down okay then I might do a couple on my recent maxi dress purchases. But yeah so I'm off to work now.

Have a good day :) 

Percy & Reed Moisturising Conditioner from Glamour Magazine April 2012

I'm a magazine junkie I buy Glamour, Cosmopolitan and Marie Claire magazine religiously every month. And the April edition of Glamour I was excited about, I generally do love when my favourite magazine gives out good freebies. Yet I had heard a lot of hype around Percy and Reed hair products. Now with me, if you frequently read my blog you will know that I have the DRYEST hair ever!! It doesn't help the fact that I dye my hair blonde which makes it dryer so I'm always on the hunt for a miracle product. 


This Percy and Reed conditioner isn't a miracle product but it is pretty good. When I first used it, I wasn't impressed at all. I kinda put it to the back of my bathroom cupboard. The first attempt, I used it as a normal conditioner, as in I put it on and massaged it on the ends and just rinsed it off. About a month later I found the product again as I love the packaging which immediately draws me in. So I planned on using this for the second time, but I used it as a quick mask. I washed my hair before getting into the bath and then just popped this on whilst I sat in the bath. Then I washed it out and my hair felt beautiful, I was so impressed with this. I'm definitely going to repurchase and I hadn't even used the mask so if anyone knows what that feels like then I would love to know.

Everyday Make Up #1

Face

Clinique Perfectly Real Foundation in Shade 10; 

The Body Shop Tinted Glow Enhancer; 

Soap & Glory Trick and Treatment Eye Concealer; 

The Body Shop Matte It Face and Lip Primer;

Collection 2000 Concealer Stick in Medium 3;

Collection 2000 Shine Away Compact Powder in Medium 2.

 Cheeks

Lancome Star Bronzer Intense in 02 (see post);

Bed Head Tigi Radiant Player Blush;

Me Me Me Blush Me Bronze.

Eyebrows

Bourjois Ombre Stretch in 04 Flexi Brown;

GOSH Long Lasting Brown Pen in 004 Wheat;

Benefit Speed Brow Gel.

Eyes

Rimmel Glam Eyes Mono Eyeshadow in 214 Jet Black;

Bed Head 4-Play Eyeshadow Palette;

Max Factor Kohl Pencil in 020 Black;

Lancome Hypnose Mascara in Black.

Lips

Revlon Lip Butter in Tutti Frutti.

This is my first everyday make up post, but when I say everyday I obviously don't mean I smoother my face with all of this on days when i'm bumming about the house or going to the gym. It is my staple 'face' look. It has been pretty much the same for about a month, I tend to go through phases of using liquid eyeliner and a kohl pencil. Also the orange lip look has been a new trend of mine for the last couple of weeks since I have brought this lip butter - it is my favourite and gives the best colour that I could find on the market. 

Clinque Perfectly Real Foundation

Clinique Perfectly Real Foundation - £16 (30ml)

Excuse the weird doll like expression in the above photo. I struggle to find a foundation which I LOVE, there are so many that I want to try and my skin goes through phases. This makes it hard to find one without spending too much money. And like I have been saying in many of my f*ck monday post is that I want to try and save money. I have 8 foundations at the moment, which to some of you will sound like hardly any and others it will sound like loads. This means that I'm trying to stick to these foundations without straying or being tempted by the beauty counters in Boots (damn it). The ones in my collection that I'm not keen on I tend use on days where I'm not doing anything special.

This Clinique Perfectly Real Foundation is a great day foundation. I say day because I don't find it as a full enough coverage that I would want for an evening foundation. I tend to just stick to Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation for nights out. This Clinique foundation is good for the winter as it is very moisturising and it blends with my natural tone of the skin. I wear shade 10 which also sits great on my untanned skin. In the UK at the moment we have barely seen an ounce of sunshine or a glimmer of summer, so my skin has been pasty for a little too long. I'm near to finishing up the tube and will be cutting the top off to use the scrapes which are left in the awkward packaging. 

The Positives: 

• It gives a great natural coverage 
• It's moisturising 
• Gives a glow and the 'no makeup' makeup effect.

The Negatives:

• The packaging, makes it hard to get the product out. 
• It needs shaking before use but the packaging makes it hard to do this. 

Has anyone tried this product?

F*ck Monday #13

I wished I could feel my room with quotes without looking like a crazy lady, I frigging love them. :). So what's new with me this week? I've been working loads, I've been sick and I've been in a weird mood. That's it in short.


There is so much I NEED to do at the moment but I have such little motivation, if I'm honest. Whilst finishing off my dissertation I thought that I would have so much time do stuff but I've had my head up in the clouds and spent too much time doing nothing but thinking loads. This causes me to take the bull by the horns this week and create a to do list which shall be completed. (I hope).


I need to start saving sharpish/ getting rid of some of my student overdraft. It was my boyfriends birthday this week so I did splash out a little and with the Stratford Westfield's adventure too, I'm a little out of pocket. Ooops. I also had a puncture which is going to set me back about £70. Ouch. 


I've been to the gym twice this week which is better than nothing :). I have also walked to work five times, so it all should be helping somehow. I've lost two pounds this week, and hoping to see it slowly coming down. 


And mainly my biggest problem at the moment is that, I need to STOP worrying about everything. I am the biggest worrier in the world and that isn't an exaggeration. I sometimes worry myself so much to the point where I'm physically sick over silly things. I'm trying to figure things out in my head over things which have been bothering me and programming myself to be less stressed.


Other than that the world is great and the person below is helping massively. 




Olly & I: 

May's Beauty Haul

 Garnier Ambre Solaire Self-tanning Mousse - £6

Garnier Ambra Solaire Self-tanning Dry Body Mist - £10

Philip Kingsley Pure Silver Jet Set Hair Care Kit - £19.99

 Lush No Drought Dry Shampoo  - £6.50

 Estee Lauder Even Skintone Trio - £41

 Jemma Kid Light As Air Foundation in 05 Medium Biege  - £25

  Rimmel Vinyl Gloss in 705 Summer Sparkle - £2.99

The Body Shop Lip and Cheek Stain in 02 - £10 (I got mine free from June's Marie Claire)

 GOSH Velvet Touch Lipstick in 153 Flirty Orange - £6.49

Revlon Lip Butter in 015 Tutti Frutti - £7.99

Revlon Lip Butter in 095 Crème Brûlée - £7.99

Soap & Glory A Great Kisser Lip Moisture Balm in Juicy Peach - £4.99

  Rimmel Match Perfection Bronzer in 001 Light - £5.99

Accessorize Illusion Merged Eyeshadow in Shade 8 Molten Copper - £4.50

GOSH Long Lasting Brow Pen in 004 Wheat - £6.49

L'oréal Mega Volume Collagene 24hr in Extra Black - £10.99

This is a mixed haul of the products that I have purchased this month. I have been a little naughty because I am meant to be using up all my current products up, so I know you will all be highly impressed with my empties post which I'm hoping to complete by the end of next week. In this post I'm not going to particularly go into every item and their pros and cons because then this would become MASSIVE. 

Though I will be doing my current tanning routine which'll include the Garnier Ambre Solarie products. These were recently purchased after a debate with a couple of girls at work over fake tanning vs using sun beds. 

The Philip Kingsley Pure Silver range was brought after my hair has started going a little yellowy, so I'm going to be hoping that this sorts it out. I will keep you posted. 

No Drought Lush, dry shampoo possibly my favourite product for my hair at the moment. I will be doing a full review on it but what I will say is that I wouldn't recommend it for anyone who doesn't have blonde hair. 

Jemma Kid Light As Air Foundation, great product but the colour variety isn't great and mine is way too dark. (I'm hoping it will be good for the summer though. Fingers crossed). 

The Estee Lauder trio is obviously amazing and will feature in my current skincare routine, so keep your eyes peeled. 

In my usual style, I was on the hunt for an orange lipstick and a nude/gold shimmer lipstick. This obviously meant that I purchased more than one of each... oops! And the Soap & Glory Balm just won me over with the smell! 

I'm a huge fan of L'oréal Millionize Mascara so as I ran out I thought I would repurchase the new Mega Volume Collagene Mascara. The eyeshadow and bronzer were spontaneous purchases.

The GOSH brow pen has been hyped among the blogger world and I thought I would love it and I do... literally I don't know how I ever did my eyebrows before I had this. I would urge everyone to have one. :D

Lancome Intense Star Bronzer in 02

(My left eye has had an allergic reaction to my new make up remover hence the big lumpy thing underneath it :( boo.)

(I know I look as though i haven't blended on my neck... but it doesn't look that way in real life. Odd)

Lancome Star Bronzer Intense 02 - £32

Lancome Powder Brush 01 - £27

About a month and half back I was in desperate need of a new bronzer, so after work I popped into Boots to see what I could find. Now I must admit I am the perfect customer for a really good sales person, because I fall for all of their waffle. This purchase was no different. 

Lancome Star Bronzer Intense retails at £32, which is really overpriced I think for the product. From the name you expect it to be a really deep and dark shade which gives you great definition. When in fact, you have to apply so much to begin to build up the shade. The colour I brought was 02 Intense, and there is a darker shade, but as I'm not overly tanned I think this would be too dark for my skin tone. 

The problem is that despite the price and the effort it takes to put on, I really like the contouring that it gives. It gives a matte finish and there is a subtle hint of shimmer in the compact but this doesn't transcend onto your cheeks. The brush I used, I've had for a long time now and I really like the way it is angled to make it easier to apply bronzer/blusher.

I have hit pan of my compact and I am just using up the little product of what is left. I probably won't be repurchasing because I don't like products which make things harder work than they need to be, especially for that price. 

Soap & Glory Flake Away Vs Breakfast Scrub

VS.

This is a post that I have been wanting to do for a long while now. Meg and I were having a discussion on the difference between the two products. I am currently scrapping through the bottom of both pots at the moment, so they have been used on a frequent basis. 


The Stats:


The Breakfast Scrub


* It cost £9.50 for 300ml
* It contains oats, honey, almond, bananas and shea butter
* It is a sugar body smoother
* It has a more coarse texture




Flake Away 

* It cost £7 for 300ml

* It contains almond oil, peach seed powder, shea butter

* It is a sugar body polish

* It is a finer scrub that contains sea salt and sugar granules 

I personally prefer The Breakfast Scrub overall, I like the 'foodie' smell that it has and I think that Flake Away is too perfumed for me. I tend to go for natural smelling products. Flake Away is a smoother formula and it kinda of leaves an oily texture, I think it is great for legs but I don't like it on the rest of my body as I find if quite slimy (not sure if that is the right word). Whereas The Breakfast Scrub thicker and more coarse so feel that it gets into the nitty gritty of my pores and cleanses them. Plus afterwards I don't feel that there is a residue that Flake Away leaves.