Necklace Extenders at JewelleryBox.co.uk

Ever had that necklace or bracelet which is just too short to sit comfortably around your neck or wrist? Have you thought about necklace or bracelet extenders. These can extend a chain from between 2" and 4" and can either add a new dimension to your necklace it make your chain more comfortable to wear. You just clip them to your existing chain's clasp. Making a chain longer can also make it easier to fasten as there is more chain to grip. 

I have a spinal injury, fused neck and neuropathic pain which means that my neck is slightly wider than it used to be and I cannot stand anything that feels right around my neck. I found some necklace extenders at JewelleryBox.co.uk (they also sell them via AmazonUK which is where I purchased mine) and I can now wear my necklaces comfortably. The extenders are available in 2", 3" and 4" length, are available in sterling silver, gold dipped sterling silver and rose gold dipped sterling silver. Prices are from £4.05.

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

Available  from:

AmazonUK 

JewelleryBox.co.uk

Bare Minerals: Quickie Shadow Stick in Pewter

Bare Mineral Quickie Shadow Sticks are a cream eyeshadow packaged in to a convenient compact travel friendly stick form.  Infused with night jasmine and optical pearls, this cream eyeshadow is easy to apply - just one swipe across the eyelid then blend with your finger and makes you look awake and your eyes pop. Pewter is an illuminating almond satin shade that makes the wearer look bright eyed and awake.

I have shown the eyeshadow worn with and without glasses as I have found that sometimes when I put them on it can change the look and intensity of my eyeshadow.  I found that the BM quickie shade still looked good and didn't affect the colour etc. My eyelids looked brighter and less discoloured. My eyelids are hooded and the cream shadow didn't transfer or come off as it sometimes does when I wear cream based products. 

 

I purchased the quickie stick as part of a QVC  UK TILI bag several months ago and I cannot find     single  quickie sticks available anywhere apart from Ebay UK. The pewter stick can be purchased as part of the Bare minerals Decadant MakeupCollection available at QVC UK. 

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

Anna Sui Mini Brightening Powder & Powder Case

About this time last year Anna Sui Cosmetics brought out a sea shell embossed brightening face powder (2.5g and RRP £20) and a peacock powder case (£13). I didn't buy them as I was busy working through my stack of powders and although the powder case is pretty I only have so much room on my vanity! Recently they have brought out mini sizes,  the sea shell embossed mini brightening powder  is £10 for 9g and mini powder case is £8. The powder case comes with a puff and any mini Anna Sui pressed powder will fit in it.  I love the design of the case but wonder why they didn't go with an under the sea theme to match the beautiful seashell embossed powder.  They did a LE compact a few years ago (magical aquarium palette ).   As the items are mini they are great for on the go touch ups or to take on holiday.i

 

The brightening face powder is a finely milled weightless translucent powder designed to set foundation, use to touch up during the day, combat and remove excess oils, shine, and leave the skin looking fresh and bright with a glowing and radiant finish.  The powder does have a very faint tea rose fragrance, but it so disappears. The powder did reduce shine and set my foundation. I also used it without foundation and it did combat the excess oil, helped fill in the fine lines and left my skin looking velvety.   I only used one layer of foundation so I could show how the powder help conceal redness around the nose.I like the powder and think it's great that  Anna Sui has brought out minis.

I purchased the items from beautyBay.com. The items arrived in a timely manner and were well packaged.

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

Book Review: The Tycoon's Scandalous Proposition (M&B) by Miranda Lee

The Tycoon's Scandalous Proposition is part of Mills and Boon Modern series and is written by Miranda Lee.  Billionaire film producer Blake Randall meets Kate Holiday, a struggling actress, at her sister's Maddie, wedding. Maddie has always been the golden child and Kate has always had a massive crush on Maddie's new husband, Lachlan. He sees that Kate looks upset at the wedding and makes it his mission to cheer her up. They have a one night stand and he offers her an acting job in his new film. She travels to Hollywood and moves in with him straight away. Will the relationship last?

This story could have so easily slipped into a casting couch/ uneven power relations novel. It doesn't m, and instead it focuses on their relationship - she won't just sleep with him in exchange for an acting job.  Kate makes Blake grow up and consider marriage and babies whilst he makes her realise she is not the second best sister. This book is a love at first sight romance even if the characters didn't realise it.

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

Available from:

Amazon UK

Mills & Boon

Review of the New Benefit Hello Happy Soft Blur Foundation Mini

This is a review of the Benefit Cosmetics Hello Happy Soft Blur Foundation in 01 Fair Cool (mini). The new Hello Happy Foundation was launched earlier this year and claims to be a light weight liquid foundation which gives light to medium coverage and contains SPF 15 PA+++. The mini version, 6ml and RRP £8.50, is an exact miniature of the larger 30ml version which costs £25.50.  Just looking at the cute little purse size bottle makes me smile as normally if you seen one foundation bottle you have seen them all as they are generic, similar, bland and boring. The new Hello Happy one is fun yet elegant with its smiley face and rose gold lid, but what does it claim to do and does it work on my greasy skin. 

The new foundation claims to "even out skin tone and blur imperfections with soft-focus optical blurring spheres. With a natural-matte finish and light-to-medium coverage, it looks like skin and feels like nothing at all".  

To use give the foundation a good shake and to start with use one drop and blend into the face. Apply more drops to build up coverage.  I felt that the Happy foundation feels like and  looks on the skin like a serum foundation. I found that it does blurs my pores, minor imperfections, fine lines and redness around the nose giving a natural rather than a heavy, cakey coverage. It does feel weightless on the skin, allowing the skin to breathe.   The foundation gave a natural tint to the skin so it looks like your skin but better.  As the foundation contains  SPF15 PA+++ it does smell sunscreenish, but this soon dissipates.  I wear glasses and the foundations didn't transfer or rub off onto the nose pads.   The foundation lasted around 7 hours on my very greasy skin without needing a touch up (I didn't use a primer).  I wouldn't really solely on this as my only facial SPF in the Spring/Summer but would use the foundation without extra sunscreen in the winter months.

If you like full coverage, Instagram ready foundation you will hate this, or maybe you won't. Maybe it will convert you to a lighter more natural soft matte foundation, at least for the hotter summer months.

I think the minis are a great way to try out the new foundation, are travel and purse friendly and are also great to use as a shade mixer if you tan in the summer or lose colour in the colder months as you can buy a shade to mix with foundations you already own to create custom shades. I would have liked to have more choice in the mini version. There are 6 in the mini and 12 in the 30 ml version.

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

Available from all Benefit stockists.
Information can be found here: Benefit Cosmetics (UK)

2 x Amethyst & Dragon Vein Agate Gemstone Hair Bobbles

Sometimes when I am in a lot of pain I want to feel pretty, but don't want to put the effort into putting makeup on or getting dressed up. I find putting some hair accessories in my hair is quick and easy (for someone else to do for me) to do. I found this set of 2 hair bobbles on Etsy UK and they are made and sold by GracefulbyCharley. She makes reasonably priced hair clips and bobbles. My amethyst and dragon vein agate bobbles cost £4.50 for the pair plus £1 P&P. 

The stones are not mixed - the dark purple bobble is amethyst the other dragon vein agate. As I have skinny 5" wrists I can also wear the bobbles as bracelets.  The bobble elastic feels quite strong and doesn't feel as if it will snap as it is twined around my hair.  The bobbles are a reasonably priced, unusual hair accessory. I have already purchased 2 more sets in rose quartz and blue sapphire to match with other outfits.

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

Book Review: Total Control by Jackie Ashenden

Total Control is written by Jackie Ashenden and is the second book in the 11th Hour series.  Kellan Blake is a helicopter pilot who is discharged from the army for insubordination. Surprisingly he then signs up to the elite private 11th Hour Squad. His first mission is to infiltrate his own family to find out if his father, a high ranking military veteran, is actually part of a gun running plot, Kellan persuades Sabrina, another member of the Squad to pose as his fiancée for the duration of the investigation.  Sabrina is a tech analyst and her life is put on the line as they are drawn into their investigations. Will Kellan rescue her in time and realise that he does love her?


Total Control combines suspense, romance and family drama into one novel. Kellan does come across as manipulative, using everything he can, including sex, to get Sabrina to do what he wants.  As the daughter of the hired help Sabrina has never been deemed suitable as a possible partner for Kellan and I feel more could have been made about this in the book. I enjoyed the book and will read the rest of the series.


I received this book via Netgalley and Kensington  in exchange for a  honest review