Disney Store Designer Collection Limited Edition Jewellery Box

The Disney Store Designer Collection Limited Edition Jewellery Box is £65 and limited to a 1000 pieces worldwide.  The jewellery box is part of Disney's Midnight Masquerade series.  The artwork on the lid consists of sketches of Belle, Rapunzel, Cinderella, Megara and Esmeralda. The box has a dark blue high gloss finish with gold leaf swirls. The drawers are lined with velvet and thee the door closure is magnetic. The gold mask acts as the handle. There is a mirror inside the lid. The box has one open compartment and four drawers. The box measures H:15.5x W:26.5x D10.5cm. 

The box looks and feels luxurious. The drawers are a bit stiff to pull out the first few times I used it but they got easiest to use. The art work is beautiful as is the intricate gold mask.  It has lots of detailing and is well thought out. I can see it on any princesses or princes’ cabinet!

I purchased the item myself and the views expressed in this blog are my own. 

Available Here

Paul & Joe Beaute: Les Vendanges Autumn 2019 Collection (Part 2 )

Paul & Joe Beaute’s autumn 2019 collection - Les Vendanges is based around a dark, spicy, fruity wine colour story. There are 2 Limited Edition blushes (£12.50),  Vin Mature and Le Vignoble and 3 Limited Edition lipsticks (£14), Wine cooler, Bourgogne and Les Vendanges. I chose 009 Le Vignoble blush as it has deeper, warmer autumnal shades and 11 Wine Cooler for the lipstick. This is the paler pinkier shade than the other two which look as though they are deeper, red wine shades. 

The Wine Cooler refill is a pink glossy shade. Infused with Shea oil and macadamia nut oil the lipstick made my lips feel hydrated. The lipstick colour is very wearable but didn’t last as long as I thought it. Would. It started fading gracefully after about 3 hour wear. As it is a refill it will fit into any of Paul & Joe Beaute’s newer cases. 

009 Le Vignoble blush is a powder blush refill which can be popped into any of Paul & Joe’s refillable cases. The two shades can be blended together to create the perfect autumnal shade or worn separately. I used the two shades as eyeshadow and blended the two shades together for my blush. The powder particles are coated in oil to make them blend easily over the skin, which it did.  I liked these shades as both a blush and eyeshadow. 

I purchased these items myself and the views expressed in this blog are my own 

Paul & Joe Beaute Les Vendanges Collection (Part 1)

Paul & Joe Beaute’s Autumn 2019 - Les Vendanges is based around dark, spicy, fruity, autumnal wines. The lipstick and blush/eyeshadow cases range from £10 for the pink flamingo cat lipstick case to £7 each for the matching lipstick and blush cases. Cats, as per usual, feature heavily in this collection, whilst the colour scheme reflects the dark wine colour story of the Limited Edition lipsticks and blush. 

All the cases, lipsticks and blush are interchangeable with past collections whilst at the same time maintaining a cohesiveness that these items are from the same collection. I like this collection of cases, but I love cats! , I just wish they would write their phrases in French rather than English as they are a French brand.  I also found out that the flamingo pink cat lipstick case is sturdy enough to withstand being claimed as my cat’s new favourite toy!! 

I purchased these items myself and the views expressed in this blog are my own.

Tada & Toy: Constellation Ear Cuff

Tada & Toy are a demi fine jewellery line that only design/ make earrings. They are an ethically aware and socially conscious jewellery brand- 5% of all profits and 25% from charity sales are donated to the Aspinall Foundation. The earring designs are delicate yet suited to every day practicalities, blending playful, fun designs with Scandinavian minimalism which are perfect for layering. Over the next few weeks I shall be reviewing each set of earrings or ear cuffs that  I own which I purchased from Tada & Toy. 

The Constellation Cuff  is £42 and has a single strand of crystals which are beautifully cut so that they catch the light and sparkle. The cuff is available in 925 Sterling Silver (£40), 18ct Vermeil Rose Gold Plated on Sterling Silver (£42) and 18ct Gold Plated Vermeil on Sterling Silver (£42). I purchased the 18ct Gold Plated version. 

No piercing is needed to wear this cuff. The wearer just slides the cuff on to the ear, gently positions it and then squeezes the edges of the cuff to ensure it is secure. I found it very light and comfortable to wear. It looks great by itself or layered with other earrings. I actually prefer to wear it on its own as it is so sparkly and eye catching I don’t feel any other piece of jewellery is needed. I think it is a great timeless, elegant piece and if you want double the sparkle there is also a Constellation Cluster Cuff. 

The cuff arrived in a timely manner, 2 days after I ordered it via the website. It was well packaged and the parcel itself was easy to track. The cuff was presented in a Tada & Toy branded cardboard gift box so if  the cuff was a gift all you would have to do is tie a bow on it and it would be ready to go. It would also make a great Christmas tree ornament- just tue it to a Christmas tree branch.


I purchased this item myself and the views expressed in this blog are my own.

Chantecaille: Lip Veil In Tamboti & Luminescent Eye Shade In Elephant

Chantecaille recently released their Autumnal collection - a new Lip Veil In Tamboti (£40), 6 Luminescent eyeshadows (£48 each)  and a new shade and sweep eyeshadow brush (£37).

The Lip Veils are a conservation conscious lip line that seeks to raise awareness of the plight of the African elephants and the need to protect their migratory path. The Lip Veils are a revolutionary light lipstick which glide on to the lips and are made from Fairwild and organic Baobab oil which leaves a layer of hydrating colour on the lips. The newest shade is Tamboti- a warm nude colour. It is comfortable to apply and left a nice wash of colour without being patchy or needing another application for a few hours. They aren’t a matte colour but have a sheen to them, making lips look luminous and healthy.

The new Luminescent Eye Shades are another of Chantecaille’s philanthropic initiatives as they launched their African’s Vanishing Species  Collection, designed around 6 species that are suffering a massive decline in numbers due to poaching etc. Each mini compact has a photo of the animal on the front and the colour is also named after it. They are works of art in themselves. Each photograph is taken by a famous photographer. There is an elephant shade (I got this one), giraffe, rhino, cheetah, lion and pangolin. 

The Luminescent Eye Shades are a gel to powder formula that can be used to add just a wash of colour to the eyelid or built up for a more dramatic monochromatic look. The pearlescent nature of the shadow means that the colour glimmers in different lights. They glide on easily, are cruelty free and long lasting. Apart from the price what’s not to like? I found I got little fall out and the eyeshadow did glide on easily. I used the new shade and sweep brush.  The colour looked completely different in the sunlight as it took on a golden tone. It is a great shadow formula and supports a wonderful cause but just like the lip veil line it is in the higher price bracket. I would love to try the lion or the pangolin shadows as they also seen stand out shades. 

The Shade and Sweep brush is £37.   It is vegan friendly and made from synthetic  fibres. It is supposed to deliver smooth and effortless results. I like that the brush is curved and fits precisely over my lid so I can easily and accurately lay down a wash of colour - my go to eye look. The bristles are soft and don’t feel or look synthetic. I do like the brush. I am not sure, however, if it is worth £37. 

I purchased these items myself and the views expressed in this blog are my own. 

Review: Azuni Small Sculptural Ring & Iona Labradorite Studs

I was given these pieces of jewellery as a Christmas present but due to family circumstances have only just got round to wearing and reviewing them. One of my first pieces of expensive posh jewellery was Azuni. I have a picture of the earrings and pendant in an earlier blog post. Azuni wee established in 1996 and their ethos is to create fair trade and ethical jewellery which incorporates different designs and cultures. 

I already blogged about the Athena narrow sculptural cuff which remains one of my favourite pieces of jewellery. The small Thalia sculptural ring is made in the same  style but just has labradorite stones set in it. It measures 15mm and is 18k gold plate. The ring is adjustable and comes in a little Azuni pouch. I find this ring comfortable to wear. The labradorite stones change colour according to the light so can shift from grey to brown to a green which is why I like the stone so much. Like all Azuni pieces the ring is timeless, unusual and eye catching without being contrived or looking over done.

The Iona labradorite gemstone earrings are £20, measure approx 7mm in diameter  and are 24k gold plated brass with gold plated Sterling Silver ear posts. They come in an Azuni presentation pouch. The intricate setting makes the earrings stand out from just being stud earrings. The cut of the labradorite stone makes them flash different colours according to the lighting making the gem look vibrant and eye catching. They are easy to put in the ear and comfortable to wear. 

I purchased these items myself and the views expressed in this blog are my own. 

Review: Anna Sui Cosmetics Limited Edition Eye & Lip Colours

Anna Sui Cosmetics recently launched their Limited Edition Eye and Lip Colours. All the colours are presented in mini gold trinket style compacts with embossed butterflies on the lids. The colour of the butterfly relates to the colour of  the lip/eye colour.  All the colours are vibrant autumnal hues and cost £12 (1g) each. I purchased the lip colour in silk red,  eye colours in rusty brown and velvet green.

The silk red limited edition lip colour is a vibrant lip gloss with the distinctive Anna Sui tea rose scent. They are supposed to keep lips hydrated and have a high pigmented shine. I did find the colour to be highly pigmented and gave my lips  a mirror like high shine finish without feeling overly sticky or gloopy. The lipstick can be applied with either a brush  or fingers. I preferred using a brush as I found it to be rather messy and unhygienic to keep putting my fingers in the gloss. The container does loook like a piece of jewellery or a trinket but in real life it felt rather light weight and plasticky. It is still an unusual and beautiful item, it was just a bit surprising as Anna Sui’s compacts etc normally feel weighty and substantial, the compact could also have done with s mirror - I like to re apply my lip product when I am out but there isn’t a mirror in the lid as one would expect there to be.  I do feel the lip glosses (it is also available in orange) are good value with cute packaging and are great colours for autumn/winter, they just lack a mirror. 

The limited edition eye colours are packaged in the same mini gold trinket compacts as the lip glosses. Again the colours are vibrant colours with an autumnal/winter feel. They gave a slurry formula which create a velvety, multi dimensional finish. The eyeshadows can be applied with either the fingers or with a brush. I did enjoy applying and wearing these eyeshadows. They were easy to apply with either a brush or fingers. There was little fall out and they did not look patchy on the lid. I did feel that the rusty brown colour was golden rather than brown. The colours looked great worn by themselves for a monochromatic look or blended together. Again the only disappointment was the lack of a mirror and the light, plasticness of the compact. The overall effect of the compact is beautiful- the detail to the butterfly etc is lovely and eye catching but the overall concept is spoiled by these minor points. I would purchase other colours in the collection especially the teddy brown one as I feel it would pair well with the colours I already own. 

I purchased these items myself and the views expressed in this blog are my own. 

Sicilian Cat Lipsticks v Paul & Joe Cat Lipstick Case 001 & 002

I was checking Amazon to see if they still had the flamingo pink Paul & Joe cat lipstick cases (£10) in stock as I had mislaid mine and the box of Sicilian cat lipsticks and cases (£7.66) popped up. I decided to purchase a set just so I could compare the white and pink version to my P&J lipstick cases.

The pluses: cheaper version comes in a cute box containing 3 cases in white, pink and grey and three lipsticks. The cat lipstick cases are cute and look very similar to the P&J version, they even have the same paw prints on the base of the lipstick case.  Now the negatives. The lipsticks, unlike the Paul & Joe version are not removable and interchangeable. The colours of the Chinese cases are slightly more muted and look cheaper than the P&J design and P&J isn’t embossed on the base. Apart from that the cases feel the same weight, the cats’ features are the same and they appear to be made out of the same material. Lipstick wise the P&J ones have to be purchased separately (£14 each) but they are interchangeable and the quality is much better than the cheaper version. The cheaper version has a paw print embossed on the top of the lipstick which looks cute and they smell nice (fruity) but  consistency of the lipstick itself is waxy, patchy and transferred straight off my hand when I was swatching them. They smell nice but my hand itched and went red after I had swatched and taken photos of them. The P&J lipsticks may be more expensive but they don’t transfer, the consistency is soft and smooth, not waxy and greasy, and the colour retains its pigment when on the lips. I would never put the cheaper lipsticks near my lips as I don’t know what caused the irritation on my hand. 

In conclusion the set of three lipsticks and cases is great value and the cases are cute, but they are a cheap imitation of the P&J lipstick cases. Although the colour of the lipsticks looks great in the bullet, they will not be going anywhere near my lips or hands again. 

I purchased this item myself and the views expressed in this blog are my own.

Review: Paul & Joe LE Makeup Palette Z 300

I found this Paul and Joe Limited Edition makeup palette (£32) whilst browsing Amazon.  It consists of four eye shadows and a blush (which could also be used as an eyeshadow. The eyeshadows include a gold (can be used for an inner highlight, 2 browns and a burgundy. There is also a mini blush brush and dual ended eyeshadow brush. The blush is a light peachy pink which lifts the face, making the skin seem brighter rather than imparting a bright pink blush. The case is plastic and includes a useable mirror so great for travelling.

 As always one of Sophie’s cats is included - this is Gypsy. I like this palette as the eyeshadows are more interesting on the eye than they look in the palette and the blush really brightens up the complexion. I just wish a lip product had been included in the palette. 

I purchased this item myself and views expressed in this blog are my own.

Competition: Disney x Coach Minnie Floral Coin Purse

I purchased 2 of these Disney x Coach Minnie Floral Coin Purse. One for me and one to use as this months Competition prize. I shall use mine as a travel jewellery case as it is quite compact yet roomy, measuring H13.5xW10xD2 cm. made from calf leather it is soft, has a zip closure, accordion sides, so it is easy to get coins etc in and out and a chain strap with clip for extra security. The floral print is gorgeous and has Disney x Coach embossed on the front of the purse. It would also make a great tiny clutch vag for a night out. I purchased  it from Disney Store UK and they are now out of stock.

Enter here:  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rules:

Must complete the Rafflecopter follow my blog requirements, all other Rafflecopter elements are optional.

Competition is open worldwide
Starts 06 October 12.01 AM GMT

Closing date: 02 Nov 12 AM GMT

Competition is not affiliated in any way with Disney Store or Coach

#AD Book Review: The Greek’s Billion Dollar Baby (M&B) by Clare Connelly

The Greek’s Billion Dollar Baby is published by Mills & Boon Modern,  written by Clare Connelly and is the first novel in her Crazy Rich Greek Weddings series. .  Hannah May caught her fiancé in bed with her cousin. She flew to Chrysa Varchia in Greece to escape her controlling Uncle, Aunt and cousin,  met Leonidas Stakathis who had been making a pilgrimage to the island for the last 4 years in memory of his late wife, Amy, and their toddler son who were murdered due to Leonidas’ father’s criminal activities. They have a one night stand, Leonidas regrets it, leaves Hannah a note and departs. She moves to London  whereupon she realises she is pregnant with his child. 

She goes to Capri and tells Leonidas he is to become father in a few months time. He insists that they marry and that she move to his private island where he can protect them both.  Slowly they fall in love but will their pasts prevent a HEA? 

Leonidas and Hannah are lost souls. Hannah lost her parents at a young age, thought she had found love with Angus, only for him to extract her by falling into bed with her cousin. Leonidas blames himself for the death I his wife and baby son. He feels that he should have done more to protect them. He has remained celibate for 4 years and feels that he doesn’t deserve to be happy ever again. The author makes this book a romantic rollercoaster, it is the unborn baby. And the need to protect her, not love that brings the couple back together but slowly i develops from their initial attraction.    

I received this book via Netgalley and Mills and Boon in exchange for a honest review. I am a #MillsAndBoonInsider #netgalley