April Beauty Favourites 2016

It's that time again, for another beauty favourites post. So I've been thinking about the products I've been loving most this month, to share with you. 

What is with this weather lately? One minute we're enjoying that lovely Spring sunshine and next it's snowing! I don't know about you but I just want to use all my Spring based beauty products!!

Here are the 5 products I've been loving during April...

Soap & Glory Glow Job (£11.00) If you follow my Snapchat [if you don't, you should ;)] you will have seen me raving about this stuff when I was in London this month. It's a tinted moisturiser, a wash off self-tanner for the face and it's lovely! It includes 'micro bronze burst beads' that pop when you massage them into the skin. It also contains youth enhancing raspberry stem cells and vitamin E so I've been happily using this every day since I purchased, and loving the gorgeous glow it gives!

MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Bare Study (£16.00) MAC's Paint Pots are creamy eye shadows that go on creamy and dries to create a second-skin with a vibrant finish. As it blends smoothly without any creasing, leaving a seamless finish, I've been using it as a primer for my eye shadow and it works perfectly. Bare Study is a creamy shade, similar to Painterly, but with a gold pearl shimmer to it, so I've also been using it to highlight my brow bone. It has been sat in my make up drawer for a while now but after reading somewhere how they work great as a primer, I've been using it every day since.

Scott Cornwall Precolour Clarifying Treatment* (£3.99/Boots) You may've seen over my social media that I was invited to London a few weeks ago to feature in some video footage for Scott Cornwall [look out for a blog post soon!] - as I'm a huge fan of Scott's products, I was super excited to be a part of this. Before the shoot, I had to made sure my hair was prepped well, ready for colour so I was using this clarifying treatment to help remove any product residue from my hair and gently lift the cuticle to enable colour pigment to penetrate the hair and leave a longer lasting more even hair colour. It's fantastically priced and I'll definitely be using this before any home hair colours in the future!

Ted Baker Pink Body Spray* (£7.00/Boots) I love sweet smelling fragrances and this body spray is a light, fresh fragrance I've been using regularly as the scent is perfect for Spring time. The fragrance is fruity grapefruit, mandarin and mango, teamed with subtle floral notes of neroli and jasmine, with a base of patchouli, sandalwood and musk to complete the scent. I've been using many products from the Sugar Sweet range and love layering with them as the scent is beautiful! 

MAC Lipstick in Creme d'Nude (£15.50) Creme d'Nude has been my favourite MAC lipstick for years, I can't imagine how many I've been through. I'm yet to find a nude lip as perfect and creamy as this one, I just love it. Creme d'Nude is a 'pale muted peach beige' shade in their Cremesheen formula. It's extremely nude so may not suit some, but I prefer a creamy nude lip to any other lip colour and feel it suits me well. It goes perfect for a day or night makeup look, I'm confident this will still be my all time favourite for years to come!


xxx


* free PR sample sent to me for consideration  or in preparation for hair treatment for video shoot  

Customise your Sunglasses with GlassesShop

The sunshine is slowly making an appearance, Spring is finally here! Yay! 
Shopping for sunglasses is always a nightmare for me, I never know what shape suits me best. 

Fortunately, GlassesShop.com make the experience a little easier.
GlassesShop is owned and run in America by a group of eye doctors. It is their mission to deliver superior eyeglasses at low prices, all over the world.
Their website allows you to purchase glasses online simply and easily, whether you need prescription sunglasses or just high quality eye protection in the sun.

There are pages among pages of frames to choose from, from aviators to big glam frames. Each offering a full product description including information about the frame, shape, size, material and full list of dimensions. There is then the option to select which lens you wish, add the prescription details or just stick to fashion only sunglasses, and finally the choice of lens colour where you are able to choose a coloured tint, polarised or mirrored lens etc. 

I was given the chance to fully customise my own sunglasses. I chose some black cat-eye style frame sunglasses, with a grey tint. These are my second pair of sunglasses from GlassesShop, both are of fantastic quality and come complete with a protective case and lens cleaning cloth. 

If you're on the hunt for cheap glasses or the perfect sunglasses to suit your face and keep you looking fabulous whilst protecting your eyes from the suns harmful rays, GlassesShop is a fantastic website to help you choose and customise glasses tailored for you!

GlassesShop.com are offering readers of The Brunette Says, a fantastic 50% off eyeglasses and sunglasses with free lens, simply enter the code GSHOT50 at checkout, and enjoy!


xxx






* Glasses sent to me for the purpose of the post All words are my own & is my honest opinion Thank you for supporting the brands I work with

Easy Sensory Small World Play for Toddlers

Working in Early Years, I'm always thinking of new things to do with Taylor to keep him busy and build on his skills. But it's super easy for anyone to throw things together to create a quick, fun activity on a rainy day. 
When the children are bored of their toys or rain has put a stop to your planned activities, grab a few things from around the house and create a new activity to keep them busy! 
I put together this Easy Sensory Small World Play using dry food [porridge oats and pasta], a few toys [people, animals, cars] in a small tray on a messy floor mat [we use a shower curtain].
I love observing Taylor with new activities, simply setting up the tray and sitting back to see what he does! He began by moving the small world toys around the oats and then he obviously enjoyed the feel of the dry food as he began exploring with his fingers, sprinkling the oats over his trousers and then he decided he wanted his socks off and to feel the oats with his feet! I thought this was fantastic!
It takes just a few minutes to set up and there is minimum mess, any dry food can simply be hoovered up from the floor afterwards. The tray can be put away in a cupboard for future use and you can add different toys or objects.
A simple rainy day activity using nothing other than toys and dry food from your kitchen cupboards, perfect for building on sensory skills and imagination. 

What quick and easy activities do you do with your little ones?
xxx


Linked up to: PoCoLo  //  Let's Learn  //  Toddler Fun Friday  //  Happy Days  //  Fart Glitter  //  Twinkly Tuesday

OOTD : Pastel Pink for Spring

Trench Coat - Damart*

Jeans - Dorothy Perkins

Ankle Boots - Aldo

Phone Case - Go Customized*

Sunglasses - glassesshop.com*

The weather can't quite make up it's mind lately can it? Bit of sunshine fighting through one day, then it'll rain all day the next. Typical April showers I guess! Although I was looking on Timehop this morning and this time last year I was having picnics in the park and Taylor was in his little baby shorts and sun hat! What a difference a year makes!

But I thought I'd throw a little OOTD together on the one and only sunny day we had this week! 

I love this powder pink trench coat, it's a light weight mac perfect for bringing a little colour as we move into Spring, here I teamed it with a casual pair of blue jeans and ankle boots.

The sunglasses were cat-eye frames with grey tint lens' from glassesshop and the cute phone case is a custom design personalised hard case from GoCustomized, they do some fantastic phone and tablet cases that you can personalised with your own images or their own catalogue of designs.

What have you been wearing to feel a little more Spring like?

xxx




*sent to me for consideration

March Beauty Favourites 2016

Hey guys!

Hope you've had a fantastic month! I wish the weather would make it's mind up! I'm constantly moving between beauty products for the colder weather and milder weather! 

Here are my top picks for last month!

Rimmel Soft Khol Eyeliner in white (£2.99/Boots)

I've always preferred black lined eyes but now and then I'll use a white and just recently I've been reaching for the white liner a lot more. I love the way it makes my eyes look fresher and brighter.

Sanctuary Spa Intensive Heel Balm (£7.50/Boots)

I regularly use a foot cream but it's time to get the tootsies looking and feeling fab, and this moisture rich, super intensive rescue balm is designed to tackle very dry skin. I love the fact that it sinks into the skin really quickly, which I find many foot creams lack, and leave a greasy feel for a while afterwards. My feet are feeling smooth and any dry patches have disappeared. 

Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Mascara (£24.00)

Another mascara this month, I'm still loving my Soap & Glory Thick & Fast, but when I'm going out or wanting bigger, fuller lashes, this stuff is ah-mazing!!!

GelMoment Gel Polish in Lavender Ice (£19.50*)

If you read my recent post, I've been reviewing a new at-home one step gel polish kit, and loving it! It is so quick and easy to use and this colour is beautiful. 

NSpa Skin Glow Mud Mask (£6.00/Asda)

I've been using this for a few months now after hearing amazing reviews. A deep cleansing mud treatment inc clay and charcoal to draw out impurities and reduce pores. My skin feels lovely after use! I've been off work recently so I've had evenings to myself so managed to treat myself to some candle lit baths with this mask, bliss!!

What beauty products have you been loving lately?

xxx




*Product sent to me for review