beauty

Beauty is not generally a subject on my blog, but after a good think I thought of a way to squish it in. At the end of each month, I will be a doing ‘The Beauty Reviews’ which include 5-10 products I have been loving or have been sent. This will be the only beauty post I will do, but I think it will be a nice way to keep you beauty lovers reading! So, enjoy the first instalment!

nSPA Jojoba and White Vanilla Body Butter*: I have been trying to find a nice moisturising body butter for a while now, and when I received this I was happy! It is really thin and creamy which I prefer to thick creams. It doesn’t leave your skin feeling sticky or slimy which is a bonus. The one thing I would say is that it doesn’t smell that great… it has a hint of the classic ‘holiday’ scent, but also a hint of deodorant. Rating: 6.5/10

Maybelline Color Tattoo 24hr Cream Eyeshadows in 85 (Light in Purple) and 05 (Eternal Gold): After seeing Ingrid (Miss Glamorazzi) go on and on about these, I finally got my hands on them for my birthday! I got 4 different colours, but these 2 are my favourites! #85 is a very nice grey, purple blue colour and looks great with a tight lined eye. #05 is a shimmery gold colour which looks really nice in the inner corners of your eyes, or all over for a summery look. They are non-scented and are very creamy, with a very long lasting power. Rating: 8.5/10

Amie Spring Clean Cooling Clay Mask £4.95*:  Yes, okay, I look like an idiot in that picture!! You probably know that I am NOT a clay mask person, or in fact a face mask person at all. I decided to try this one out and  I am sorry to say but I still feel the same way. It was super duper refreshing which I loved but I just hate the fact that the clay goes hard! I know that is what clay masks do, but it was really disappointing, but if you do like clay masks then this is definitely good one, just not for me! Rating: 7/10

Amie Skin Shield Daily Moisturiser with SPF15 £5.95*:  I have used this a few times and it is quite light and it does definitely give you moisture and it doesn’t leave your skin feeling sticky either. The one thing which again, I personally don’t like, is the tiny glitter particles in the cream, it made my skin look quite ‘muddy’ like some highlighters can do, but I think it would work well on tanned skin. It’s floral scented which I quite like and it isn’t too strong. Rating: 7/10

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Rendezvous: Just like the Color Tattoos I have been wanting this for ages! I also got this for my birthday and I LOVE it! I swatched this in a shop and was surprised as I never knew that a coral or orange could actually suit me! The colour is quite sheer but can be built up to a vibrant orange. When I got it, it felt so smooth on my lips and I don’t know how, but I have really seen an improvement in them! Again like the body butter, the scent is slightly disappointing. It is minty yet it sort of smells like cabbages… Rating: 8/10

If you don’t know already, I secretly started a new addition to my blog! Welcome in… Posh Pairs! Unique and handcrafted earrings! From £6 incl. P&P! Check them out here! (Blog Review Requests welcome!)

(Products marked with a * were sent for reviewing purposes or were gifted to me. All opinions are 100% honest and are not biased in anyway.)

Whilst you are reading this I am away in Andorre! My brother is going to be there all summer with his biking friends so we decided to stay for a couple of days before they all arrived! I will speak soon, and enjoy the new post!

What I Wore: Green Ruffled Cap Sleeve Top (M&S), White & Grey Daisy Print Dress (Jumble Sale), Red Daps worn as Sandals (Primark) & Floral Alice Band (Primark/DIY)

Last week we had a glorious day! It was the perfect temperature and the sky was clear and blue! #perfection To top it all off we actually found a cherry tree outside my bedroom window (Kinda silly of us not to have noticed, but hey ho!). It had LOADS of cherries on it! They were so sweet and delicious! Can’t wait for it to start growing again! I also got cooking  drink making in the kitchen, and made the BEST – slightly biased there – strawberry milkshake, you will EVER taste (recipe below). It was delicious and the whole family drank it! *pats self on back* After the amazing drink we sat around in the sun enjoying a nice bowl of cherries. It wasn’t quite hot enough for the pool, but it was still a marvellous day.  (BTW, my hair looks way darker than it is in these pictures!!)

Strawberry Milkshake Recipe: (4 x Glasses)
– 2 & a half scoops of strawberry ice cream
– Half a glass or strawberry sirop
– Enough milk… not quite sure how much
– A blender

Put all the ingredients in to your mixer, in any order. Turn your blender on  and mix *whurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr* stop when you think it is smooth enough or as chunky as you would like it. Add more sirop or ice cream to your taste, and voila! Add a strawberry on the side and a nice paper straw, and you will be done! *gulp gulp gulp* ‘Very nice Tolly’ Well, thank you!

How would you like me to do recipes on my blog? I know it isn’t to do with fashion, but I believe I am quite good at doing drinks 🙂 Let me know in the comments below! 

(This is a scheduled post. I am currently away so will not be able to reply to any comments!)

Okay. So you may be thinking, ‘Tolly! How dare you talk about boobs on your blog! You have young readers!’ but please, calm yourself. This isn’t some X-Rated post, this is quite important. We need to get rid of Page 3, because boobs are not the news! Sign the No More Page 3 Petition!

Us Brits enjoy reading the newspaper, it’s a fact. Even though the world is all going online, we don’t half enjoy sitting down with a cup of tea reading the latest news in good old paper form, do we? Even I do on the rare occasion, and on that rare occasion, I could possibly be reading The Sun. Now imagine me or someone else my age sat down with a drink in one hand. *Turns front page* *BLINDED FOR LIFE* Yes, that’s right Page Three is there, staring right back at me. Boobs, bum and flesh shining brightly. So, you maybe thinking that I am over exaggerating the fact that someone my age is going to be reading The Sun, and that my parents are ‘irresponsible’, but they aren’t. Apparently, The Sun is meant to be a family newspaper, meaning everyone can sit down and read what is in ‘the news’. I googled the definition of ‘news’ and this is what it said: Newly received or noteworthy information, esp. about recent or important events. Re-read that and see if ‘models standing with their boobs showing and a thong on’ is included. No, exactly.

There are quite a few reasons why Page Three is wrong. One of them being the fact that boys will grow up reading the news paper thinking that this girl is the perfect girl for them. I’m not saying that the models are bad people, but if they aren’t seeing conservative girls as well in the newspaper, surely that will make them think that the model is perfect, as the big publisher is allowing it?

Another point is the way woman are portrayed compared to men. In The Sun, The Star and The Sport woman are exposed like this (boobs, bum and flesh) where as men are not? Although you may see a topless man, they are not in newspapers?! Even if a man was in the newspaper, he would be in a suit or he would be fully clothed. Surely it is unfair to show woman in this ‘light’?

Now you are probably thinking what the point of this is? Well, I’m going to tell you. Lucy Holmes set up a ‘No More Page 3 petition‘ to get Dominic Mohan (The editor of The Sun) to get rid of Page 3. Before I continue, I know some of my older readers may disagree and say, that it is part of the magazine and I shouldn’t be reading it, but surely if all these people below, agree with getting rid of the naked models, then we should try and do something about it?

The way you can help is by simply clicking the button below! I will be keeping the button on my blog for quite a while, so if every single one of you shared it around and signed the No More Page 3 Petition, we could get rid of Page Three! Sounds good yeah? Well get signing! GO GO GO!

Will you be signing the petition? Do you think The Sun should get rid of Page 3? Make sure to tell me in the comments below!

Quick Note: Apparently GFC (Google Friend Connect) is going or something or other, so please feel free to follow me on BlogLovin’ by clicking the link, or clicking the button in my sidebar! I don’t want to see your pretty faces go 🙁 that would make me sad! 

Last month’s advertiser, Sophie, from The Sopho Diaries is here to tell us her blogging secets, and what her fashion style is all about. Take it away Sophie! (Images from The Sopho Diaries)

1. What inspired you to start your Blog?: I’ve been reading blogs for years and have always loved the idea of having a little space on the internet that is entirely your own. My ultimate aim in life is to become a writer and so I began The Sopho Diaries so that I could have a little internet place to write and ultimately a place for people to read my writing. I also like the fact that in years to come I will have a kind of online diary of my life which is lovely.

I decided to do a different kind of post today. The reason I decided to write this post is because of the wacky idea my dad had to hang our old shoes on the tree in the garden (Don’t worry, we are NOT drug dealers, I repeat, we are NOT drug dealers!)*, and other than me posing next to the now, bleached out shoes, I thought I would make something of it! So what am I making of it, I hear you say? Well, I’m telling YOU to be grateful for those things that get taken around, thousands and thousands of steps.

When I was in Year 2 at school (Around the age of 7), I had to do an assembly presentation with my friend, and we chose the subject of shoes. I’m really annoyed I don’t have a video of it, but I’ll try my best to explain. We talked about Imelda Marcos who had over 3,000 pairs of shoes (Sadly destroyed due to floods!), which I believed was utterly REDONKULOUS, but now looking back I would love to have that many shoes! Imagine having a pair of shoes for every outfit!? No, Tolly, that’s being silly, the amount of shoes you have is enough. This is where the meaning of this post comes into play. Do we really need more than one pair of shoes?

First of all let’s think about what shoes really are: They’re pieces of fabric sewn together to protect our feet? Right? Or are they pieces of fabric sewn together to make our feet look pretty? Let’s roll with the first one. If this is right, how come over 3 MILLION children and 1.5 BILLION adults, still do not own shoes? Now let’s think of the second one. If shoes are meant to make our feet look pretty, how come those 1 billion, five hundred and three million people have ugly feet? It sounds ridiculous that, that amount of people are walking around with nothing on their feet. Some of those people walk a good few kilometers with no shoes just to get a sip of dirty water.

Now onto our own shoes – How many pairs do you own?: How many pairs do you actually wear? Personally, I own about…. 15 pairs? Not too many compared to some, but honestly I don’t wear half of them! At the moment I am usually wearing my Dr Martens, Flip Flops, or my Converse style trainers. Just 3 pairs?! That could leave 12 pairs to give to somebody who still doesn’t own a pair. There is a really clever way to do this actually! I blogged about this yonks ago, but I thought I would include it again. TOMS (The cute little canvas shoes) have a charity in which every pair of TOMS you buy, gives a pair of shoes to a child in need! So go buy a pair! You get a cute pair of shoes, and so does a child in need! Voila!

Image from TOMS

Last but not least, do you need them?: In my personal opinion, I would say yes, but in another way no. Naturally our feet could survive without shoes, because that’s what our ancestors used to do, it’s only modern times which have made us wear them. I reckon I could probably just about go round our local food shop without shoes, I may just have to have an extra foot clean! For somebody who works in an office, I reckon they could go without shoes, just let those bad boys air out under your desk! (ew) For somebody working in Fashion, I guess it would be quite hard to say goodbye to the little gems, but it would be possible. Although it would be odd at first, I think we would all get a long just fine!

My point is, we really should be more grateful for our shoes. It maybe an odd thing to be thankful for, but think about those billions of people who don’t have any? If shoes were to grow on trees we’d be laughing, so seeing as they don’t, the next time you want a pair of shoes, take a step back and realise that what you have is really all you need. (Unless their a bargain, then perhaps I’ll let you off!)

Boohoo was one of the first online shops which I came across when I started blogging, so when I knew they were doing a DIY Campaign, I had to be on it! Boohoo asked me whether I would like to take part in the #boohooDIY Festival Campaign, which is where anyone and everyone can show their creative minds off to celebrate the launch of the new Festival Collection! I received a kit which was full of bits and bobs that I could use to re-vamp a Boohoo product, and here’s what I did!

I was able to choose the Boohoo top I wanted, so I went with the pre-‘tassled’ top, in fluro coral. (Buy it here) It is super duper bright, which means it is perfect for summer and going to festivals! Also, your friends will definitely not lose you amongst the crowds! Haha In the set was a Boohoo Lookbook (It had a poster on the back which is now in my room!), Puffy Paints, Studs, Gems and Tacky Glue.

I decided to just stick with the Puffy Paints and Gems for a simple DIY. I went for a plain pattern, (above). It wasn’t inspired by anything, I just thought of it on the spot! I used all the colours of the paints, along with 2 blue gems, and a silver one.

Puffy Paints dry 3D, so you do have to use quite a lot for it to really stand out. I glued down the gems with the tacky glue, and let it dry for 6 HOURS. Yes, it took 6 hours!! The Puffy Paints took forever to dry, but it was worth it in the end! The colours come out darker once they have set, which I really like, as before they were quite pale. I also attempted to plait the tassels, but they ended up getting all tangled up when I put on the top, so I had to un do them – this is why some of the tassels are shorter, below! The cut offs meant I was able to create a bracelet! A happy accident!

What I Wore: Roxy Tassel Hem Basic Tee in Neon-Coral (Boohoo) £10.00*, Black & Blue Laser Cut Dip Hem Skirt (ASOS) & Mint Green Trainers £7.99 (H&M).

Overall I am quite happy with my DIY skills! I think the pictures make the wobbly Puffy Paint look worse… ‘Excuses Excuses Tolly‘. I think I will be wearing this by the pool when it warms up (It was 10 degrees the other day. 10 DEGREES!), and hopefully I will be wearing shorts! I really enjoyed doing this DIY for Boohoo!

Get YOUR DIY on! Instagram (@BoohooOfficial) or Tweet (@Boohoo) using the hashtag: #boohooDIY with your creative DIY projects! You never know, you may just see your project getting loads of likes & favourites on the Boohoo social media accounts!

(This post is sponsored by Boohoo for their #boohooDIY Campaign)

If you know me, I love sunglasses. I have a notice board where you are meant to slip pictures in, designated to them. So when Zoobug children’s eyewear contacted me I just couldn’t resist saying yes to receiving some of their gorgeous goodies in the post. *Adds 2 more pairs to the collection* Warning: Picture heavy post!

AV Orange €55.00 (ZooBug)* & Limited Edition Frames (Zoobug)*

The pairs I received are gorgeous! When I was told I was going to receive some, I actually looked at these Aviators, and by chance, I got them! I never wear these styles, but I think they are actually okay! My favourite have got to be the AVs, as they are bright and perfect for summer! I also LOVE the pop of blue on the ears! The purple pair have got silk in them apparently?! How cool is that?! I really like the print, and with the jacket I wore to the Style Blogger Awards, they go perfectly!

The lenses in both of the pairs are really good quality. I usually wear cheap bargain pairs from Primark, and I can sort of see the difference, but I would have to say they aren’t quite as good as, say, Ray Ban lenses. They are both polarised, with 100% UV protection just like adult sunglasses, so I’m safe from the sun! I like the colour of the lenses though, they are a nice grey/purple colour, so it doesn’t make anything too dark. The purple pair are probably most comfortable, but that may just be on me, as I do tend to find AVs quite uncomfortable. I was surprised by the sizing, as to me ‘Children’s’ sunglasses, sound too small for the used-to-adult-sized Tolly, so that’s a plus! After using them on an odd couple of hot days last week, I found they got more comfortable and they didn’t look so weird on me!

As you can see the packaging is very nice! I like how sleek it is, and how sturdy it feels. I am definitely going to be able to keep them safe! The cases are also very light weight so for any of you mummies, you don’t have to worry about any extra weight when carrying around little Benny’s glasses! I have no idea who Benny is! You also get a nice wipe which means you don’t have to fear scratches from wiping them with the edge of a t-shirt!

What I Wore: White Jacket €1.00 (Jumble Sale – DIY), Floral Tie Up Top €1.00 (Jumble Sale), Floral Broach (Vintage), Grey ZARA Shorts €1.00 (Jumble Sale), Floral Keds (ASOS) & AV Orange €55.00 (ZooBug)*

May we just applaud my editing skills? I said in my latest OOTD that I am really enjoying editing, and it may seem vain, but I am really proud of myself! As a blogger, not having a fancy camera can be quite annoying, but I think I am making it work quite well!

If you don’t know already, the nominating has OPENED for the Posh Fashion Awards! Click this link for more information, or click here to get nominating! Good Luck!

Last weekend, the last day of me being 12 to be precise, me and the family (excluding 3), went out to celebrate my birthday as the next day Papa Posh was off to work! We decided to go to a pretty little village and a have a bite to eat with a ‘brisk’ walk.

What I Wore: Coat (John Lewis), Embellished Lace Top €3.00 (Jumble Sale), Blue Floral Dress €2.00 (Jumble Sale), Stripey Top (St James), White Trousers, Pop Band* – on my wrist (Miss GlossyBox), Mint Green Trainers £7.99 (H&M) & Barry M Greenberry £3.99 (ASOS)
– on my nails

As you can probably tell by my blog banner, I LOVE mixing prints. I just think it is so fun and cute! I really like this dress as it’s very floaty, yet the neck line and sleeveless arms make it quite fitted. I also love this ‘Chanel-esque’ embellished top which was an absolute bargain. I knew it had to be mine, and I even got €2.00 off for haggling, oh yes. My coat is probably one of my favourites I own, as it is nice and snug, but also has cute little details like the collar, and the bow on the back. It was a little chilly that day so we had to wrap up a bit more 😉 I don’t usually like wearing trousers with dresses, but somehow this looks okay (I think) as the dress is quite floaty, and doesn’t have a plain hem.

Papa Posh making his first appereance…. well his back…. Can we just admire the beauty of these pictures. I am really enjoying my editing at the moment, and I feel like I should stick with this look. It just looks so darn pretty!

As I said we had some lunch (in the place above) which was quite yummy, but the portions were like, HUGE. The french just seem to eat, and eat and eat, but somehow never gain weight. After walking around (below pictures) we then went to a Chateaux where we shown around by the Great Grandson of the owner! He had a rather strange wart on his nose which did make me and my brother laugh though…. hehehe. After that we drove back home, stopping on the way to grab a few things and search down our surname amongst the Coca-Cola’s. Unfortunately only names like Cyril and Celine were left. 🙁

Such a pretty village! It’s called Saint-Cirq Lapopie if you’re wondering!

I had quite a nice day but sadly, as I said, we had to say bye bye to Papa Posh for a while, and celebrate my birthday via Skype! It was quite hilarious really, we had two computers set up, one with my sister and one with my dad on it. Sounds simple, but it really isn’t!

On Wednesday 29th (tomorrow – click the link!), I am off to the Style Blogger Awards, and quite literally, it is all because of YOU! The funds in which you donated was exactly £500.00 on the spot! I am really excited to meet most of the bloggers which I chat to daily, and of course see who wins the award I am up for! *fingers crossed* I come back with a win! I am sure you will know by Twitter! Of course I will be blogging all about it! The posts will be in 4 or 5 parts, starting with packing, and ending with the awards! I hope you enjoy it all!

If you missed the first part to this post, make sure to check it out here!
To get a feel for The Sponsors of the Posh Fashion Awards 2013, here are a few words about the brands and what they will be providing as a prize!

Piper PR will be sponsoring: Best Newcomer

Piper PR are a new PR brand based in London. They offer great packages to brands and bloggers looking to gain exposure, gain contacts and get some tips! Sophie Piper & the team will be providing a PR Package for the winner which will include:
A Press Release designed around the blogger about their successes.
A bespoked Media List of contacts who will be interested in the winner’s blog.
Follow Up calls & emails appropriate.
A Strategy Skype Call.
Answers to Questions/Enquiries regards to the Press Release.

Sister Vintage will be sponsoring: Best Fashion Vlog

Sister Vintage is an online store which provides fashion forward and trendy accessories to budding fashionistas on a budget. Their pieces are cute and quirky and will never break your bank! You can find one off pieces in their store, or even a surprise bag of items tailored to your choice. Sister Vintage will be providing (….)

Pop Band™ will be sponsoring: Best Teen Blog

Pop Band™ are a new and funky brand supplying ‘hair friendly’ and cute hair bands! In an array of colours, you are sure to find a cute Pop Band™ for you! The bands are stretchy and comfortable and look cute in your hair or on your wrist. ”Kind on your hair, cute on your wrist!” Pop Band™ will be providing a Surprise Bag of Pop Bands for the lucky winner!

Yan To will be sponsoring: Best Fashion Blog

Yan To is a fashion designer who brings quirky and chic designs together for the fashion forward lady. With a new collection of bright and unique designs, you won’t find anything like it, anywhere else! Yan To will be giving the extremely luck winner a bespoke dress worth around £780! AND, the winner will be able to pick their own dress out from the collection!

I’m so excited, are you? The awards open in less than a week! Make sure to get your readers ready to start nominating, because as you can see there are some great prizes up for grabs! Good Luck, and keep on blogging! Read more info about the awards right here!

I have always been interested in monthly subscription boxes since blogging, but have never actually thought about buying one because I thought just going out and buying things individually would be better. I’ve also always thought that the boxes would have products more suitable for older age groups, until very recently when GlossyBox released the all new Miss GlossyBox for teens and young adults!

Inside Miss GlossyBox #1*: Eye Rock in Black Lace*, Molly Mabel Pop Band*, So…? Dry Shampoo in Va Va Volume*, Amie Spring Clean Clay Mask*, Beauty UK Eye Pencil in Black*, 2True Glitterati Nail Polish in Shade 6* & Stripey Nail Kit*

The ‘Box’:Instead of a box like the other GlossyBoxes, Miss GlossyBox comes in a funky bag! I think it is actually more handy than having a box, as you can use it as a make-up or wash bag, and if you collect them, you could get multiple colours!
Eye Rock in Black Lace*: I have always been interested in Eye Rock, but have never been brave enough to give it a go. After my not so good experience with Nail Rock, I steered away from the other types, but having it in the ‘box’ has made me even more interested in trying it out. I may even where it to the Style Blogger Awards next week!
Molly Mabel Pop Band*: I think Pop Bands are a great way to keep your hair strong and healthy, as they don’t kink, AND they don’t split hair. They also look cute on your wrist, and you only have tie them twice around your ponytail! Easy! Pop Band are also sponsors of the Posh Fashion Awards, FYI.
So…? Dry Shampoo in Va Va Volume*: Again, I have always been interested in Dry Shampoos, but never felt I needed them. I have tried it out a few times so far, and it seems to make my hair feel slightly fresher, but a full review is to come!
Amie Spring Clean Clay Mask*: Quite recently I have been on a hunt to find a good mask, that non girly-girl-spa-day Tolly, will like! I recently saw a review of Amie products, and it got me thinking into whether this will be as good! It is best for young skin, so it should work a treat!
Beauty UK Eyeliner in Black*: Eyeliner is one of my must haves. I think if you are my age and you want to wear make-up, it’s one of those things you should try out first. It can make your eyes open up and also just add a bit more definition and shape to your ‘peepers’. I have used Beauty UK before, and it was quite good.
2True Glitterati Nail Polish in Shade 6*: I was literally going to buy a similar polish to this the other day before the Miss GlossyBox was popped in my post box! It is much cheaper than the one I was going for, and after trying it as soon as I got it, I fell in love with it!
Stripey Nail Kit*: Also along with the ‘box’, was a small pack of clippers and a nail file. Essentials when you like looking after your nails!

My first impressions of the box were that it has lots of things in it which I may not always use, but it would give me a chance to try them out before I buy them in full size. It also means that you save money because you get some nice products for cheaper than buying them all at once. From a blogger’s point of view I think it is great because it gives me lots of things to review, for you (yes, you reading this now), to see before you spend out on anything. For a young teen (Sadly, that now includes me!), this box is great because it gives room for experimenting, and means you don’t have to spend all your pocket money on seperate items.

Overall I think it is a really good idea, and it is full of really cute things which are suitable for my age group. I am really excited to start experimenting and finding new products I love! I think if you want a present for you next birthday girls, this is the one for you!

SUBSCRIBE TO MISS GLOSSYBOX HERE!
Miss GlossyBox is available bi-monthly (Every 2 months), and is available only in the UK (including Northern Ireland). It only costs £7.00?! + P&P, and you can cancel any time!

Side Note: Full reviews of most of these products will be posted within June & July. After July, I will be setting my blog to mostly fashion, and beauty will not be included, other than reviews of products I have *really* been loving, and ones like these! Sorry! I’ve decided that this blog needs to be set to what it really is!

Have you tried the ‘Miss Glossybox?’ Are you subscribed to any beauty boxes? What do you think of a teen beauty box? Let me know in the comments!

(I am very grateful to have received the first Miss GlossyBox from Glossy Box & Scoop PR. All views are 100% honest, and are not biased. I would never swing a review in a good way for money or reviewing purposes.)