OOTD - Dorothy Perkins kimono

Hello there,

It's a been a while since I did a proper OOTD - and now there's a whole handful of them coming up on the blog - they're like buses!

First up is this beautiful kimono from Dorothy Perkins. This isn't from their plus size range DP Curve, but something I picked up when browsing through a local store recently. It's in an XL, so looking at the other sizes available instore, I'm guessing that's probably equivalent to a size 20/22.

When I first saw this I dismissed it as I was sure the bottom fringing was beadwork (which I hate - no idea why) but on closer inspection, it's more of a crochet type fringe. That was it, I was sold!

It's also much thicker than your normal summer type kimonos, more of a lightweight wool really. I wore this on a cool wet day with a t-shirt and jeans and I was plenty warm enough.

Now, remembering that it was a wet cool day, I'm hoping you'll excuse the light and mad hair. I was also using the tripod so there's plenty of outtakes of me peering into the lenses while wondering what's going on....

(it was windy and spitting with rain as well...the neighbours must think I'm mad)

I love this kimono, it's versatile enough to wear during these cooler summer days, it's not too short, it doesn't crease and best of all, it's currently reduced on the Dorothy Perkins website.

Thanks for reading

Cathy
xx

Nails of the month - April

Hello there,

Something a bit different for me this time. I love love love nail varnish, and looking at the stash under my bed, I seem to have an awful lot of it! As I've just finished a post on what my favourites were over the last couple of months I thought I'd do a new post about what my favourites were in April.

I'm making a concerted effort to go through what I have instead of buying new and inevitably ending up with a dozen shades of pink (but they're all different though, right?)

I'm sure some new purchases will sneak in, but in the meantime, this is what I've been wearing this month. As you can see, I'm a lover of short nails. Anything too long and I chip them within minutes, plus I just like the contrast of a bright colour and short nail. The top coat I'm using at the moment is Barry M Plumpy Top Coat Gelly Hi-Shine.

Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine in Blueberry.

Essence The Gel nail polish in My Love Diary (Wikinsons) - this was my favourite of the month.

Maybelline Ultra lasting in Rich Ruby (and this really does last).

W7 in Pistachio

I'm going to try and carry on keeping a record of what I use in the hope it will save me the temptation of buying anything new (but I've seen the new Barry M coconut range... so I might be a bit naughty this month...)

Thanks for reading

Cathy
xx

Empties post - March & April

Hello there,

I seem to have been very frugal this last couple of months and didn't think I would have that many empties to start with. So this month is mixture of empties and favourites. I hope this gives you an idea maybe of some new products to try.

Nivea smooth nourishing hand cream with macademia nut oil

I get through a LOT of hand cream. I've noticed over the last few years that my hands are really starting to show my age. And as they're something that's right in front of you for most of the day, it was something that really bugged me.

This hand cream smells gorgeous, doesn't leave that horrible sticky feeling afterwards and most importantly - works! The blurb on the tube promises to deliver a "non-stop moisture supply from within the skin". I don't know about non-stop, but it certainly lasts a few hours. I always keep a tube nearby though to top-up whenever I'm heading outside as this is the one that works best for me. I also have various other brands of hand creams scattered through the house, in my handbag and in the car - prepared at all times!

Cutex Nourishing Nail Varnish Remover - nail whitening formula

I needed a new nail varnish remover and was tempted by the nail whitening formula. I only bought a little bottle as I wasn't sure I would like it (not as cost effective maybe, but better than having a huge bottle I hate).

I realised once I got home that it had acetone in it - damn! I normally try and get removers that are acetone free. And I have to say, at first my nails did feel tight and dry after using this. But...on the plus side, the whitening promise seems to work. So I guess I'll have to weigh up the pros and cons of this. It works with glitter nail polish, so I'm tempted to keep this bottle just for those days when I wear a dark polish.

Creighton's Beautiful Brunette conditioner with argan and chestnut

Now I admit, I bought this on a whim from Poundland. But wow! It makes my hair feel so so soft. Unlike a lot of conditioners, the consistency is quite thin, and I had to double check I wasn't using the shampoo by mistake. But no, it's a light conditioner and for someone with fine frizzy hair, it worked a treat. It's quite dark and I think I'd have to be careful using it around pristine white towels... I don't think it makes any difference to the colour, but that's ok. It feels good enough to ignore that. If you don't have a Poundland nearby, Tescos also sells it for a £1.

Lidl cotton wool pads

These are 75p a pack and are so good for removing glitter nail varnish - need I say more? They're hard wearing but soft enough for using on my face too. I always buy a few packs when in Lidl. No picture (it went awol sorry) but hopefully you get the idea!

Balance Me Tinted Wonder Eye Cream

This was a freebie with the April issue of Glamour. Now I'm a sucker for magazine giveaways. It's a great way to try something new without the financial outlay of buying the full product. Plus I can save the magazines to read when I'm on long journeys, stuck in waiting rooms etc.

I wasn't convinced this cream would work though, it looked far too dark. But it blends beautifully and doesn't leave my under eyes feeling dry, which has happened before. It's good enough for me to be tempted to buy the full size product when I finish this sample.

NSPA Radiant Flash Serum

I think I have yet to buy anything from the NSPA range which I don't like. It seems to be exclusive to Asda and I picked this up when there was a 2 for £8 offer. It feels like a moisturising serum, but I still used a bit of face cream afterwards. It's something I tend to use on those days when you've had no sleep and know you have a long day ahead! (most days then...).

Soap and Glory Whipped Clean

I originally received a tube of this as a Christmas present a couple of years, but I've repurchased so many since then. I read a review which said it's so moisturising, you won't need to moisturise afterwards - and on the whole, that's pretty accurate for me. Mostly I use it when shaving as it gives the perfect finish and smells gorgeous. It's not the cheapest though, so I always stock up when there's a 3 for 2 offer in Boots.

Lidl Suddenly Madame Glamour perfume

Another bargain from Lidl - this is a perfume that's supposed to be a dupe for Chanel's Coco Mademoiselle. I bought this originally last year when I was on holiday in Devon and realised I'd arrived without any perfume (great packing there). So I bought a bottle from the local Lidl in Okehampton reasoning that £3.99 wasn't too much too risk. I think I'm now on my 3rd or 4th bottle! It's a scent that really works for me. It seems to last all day (despite some reviews saying it doesn't) and unusually, it's one of the only perfumes I've bought that the other half has noticed and liked. So a winner all round (I wish they'd drop the Madame Glamour bit in the name though - makes me feel old!)

And that's it for March and April, I just can't believe the year is going so fast!

Thanks for reading

Cathy
xx

Shoe haul - TU and Primark

Hello there,

I've been quite ruthless lately and had a major clear out of old shoes, shoes that I'm never going to wear again, shoes that don't fit and those shoes that me wonder 'what the hell was I thinking when I bought them' shoes.

So of course, that left gaps in my wardrobe. But instead of being good, I went shoe hunting. Now in my defence, Sainsburys had a double up promotion on their Nectar Points, so technically I didn't really spend anything...

Anyway, here's what I found from TU at Sainsburys. I really like the shoe range here. I find their sizing true to size and they often seem to have 25% off or a Nectar point promotion.

Now if only I had a beach holiday to wear these on! I don't think they're going to be any good for hiking through the Belgian countryside. But even so, they were so sparkly.

These next shoes are whole lot more suitable for everyday wear. I think they're going to look great with jeans in the spring summer months. But...my goodness they leave glitter everywhere!

And finally - I popped into Primark and spotted these. They're supposed to be beach shoes, but I plan to use them around the house and in the garden. For £4 they're cheap and cheerful for just ambling around.

So that's it - no more shoe purchases this summer - or is that famous last words?

Thanks for reading

Cathy
xx