My current favourite TV shows!

I don't know about you, but there are times when all I want to do is grab my iPad, put on my lounge pants and a big baggy t-shirt, grab my blanket which my mum spent over 6 months knitting for me, curl up on the sofa, a few candles lit and watch a TV programme.

Over the past few months I have been doing exactly this, attempting to spend some time away from the trials and tribulations of everyday life and finding something to totally help with de-stressing and relaxing.  These are the TV shows I have been loving.

Revenge - I was hooked on this TV show, I couldn't stop watching it and find myself still sitting on the sofa into the early hours watching episode after episode. It is about the daughter (Emily) of a framed executive, who makes it her mission to infiltrate upper Hamptons society and exact revenge on the people who set her father up, namely the Grayson family.  

From start to finish I loved this show, the opening pilot caught me and dragged me into and under the spell of Emily who will stop at nothing to get that revenge she has set her heart on.

Orange is the new Black - Well if you haven't been watching this, then where have you been? I started watching it because everyone I knew seemed to be watching it.  It is based on the memoir of Piper Kerman about her experiences in prison.  The show follows the story of Piper Chapman, a woman in her thirties who is sentenced to fifteen months in prison after being convicted of a decade-old crime of transporting money for her drug-dealing girlfriend.  

For me this programme was laugh out loud funny in places with some amazing characters and I am eagerly awaiting series 3!

Nashville - It follows the lives of Country singers Rayna James and upcoming star Juliette Barnes.  Rayna is the 'Queen of Country Music', with quite a few skeltons in her closet, and her currently album isn't selling, tour venues are empty and rer record label suggests that she open for Juliette Barnes, the young and sexy best selling singer of bubble gum country. However, Juliette, seeing Rayna as privileged, purposefully alienates her. Rayna, who dislikes Juliette's style of music, rejects a joint tour out of hand. The two women come into conflict as each tries to get guitarist Deacon Claybourne, Rayna's bandmate and former lover, to sign on to their tour. Rayna's life is further complicated when her estranged father, millionaire businessman Lamar Wyatt, convinces her husband, Teddy Conrad, to run for Mayor of Nashville.

Again, another American series which I have absolutely loved and am eagerly awaiting series three.

Graceland - A group of undercover agents from various law enforcement agencies in the United States, including the DEA, the FBI, and the ICE, live together in a confiscated Southern California beach house known as "Graceland".  "Graceland" is a place full of secrets, and bad, good, and blurred moments too. The only idyllic thing is its outside look, but the lives of its residents are nothing like it. The lies which are in the base of their undercover work, are formed a web of lies that pervades everything. Coming of a new graduating at the top of his class, FBI rookie, Mike Warren, could make the life of a legendary FBI agent Paul Briggs and the others, more complicated or it could reveal the truth. It is based upon actual events.

I have only just started watching this series and already I am obsessed with it and am sure I will soon be finishing it in search of something new to watch.  Recent TV shows the mister and I have watched entirely are (and ive probably missed a few):

• Hannibal
• Dexter
• House
• The Shield
• The West Wing
• The Sopranos
• The Mentalist
• Blue Bloods
• The Following
• Spooks
• Luther
• Criminal Minds
• CSI - all of them
• The Wire
• Veep

So if there is something you think I should be watching based on those four shows, please let me know in the comments because I am always on the lookout... 

Have you watched anything really good recently? What do you recommend?

Guest Post | Top 5 Summer Products

Hey guys, I am still sunning myself on the beach somewhere in Majorca and today I have the lovely Sonia from Casualyetchic as a guest blogger for me today.  Thank you Sonia.

Before, I get onto the post I thought I should introduce myself. My name's Sonia, I'm 17 from the UK and I write a blog called casualyetchic.blogspot.com (quick plug you can follow it here if you like). The lovely Rachel has kindly let me guest post while she is on holiday, so thanks for that.

Today's post is all about my top 5 summer products which I go to every summer without fail. 

 Topshop cream blusher - head over heels - £7.00 - here

Cream blush is my favourite thing to add into my make-up routine in the summer as it make my face look a lot more brighter and healthier. I prefer to use a cream product over a powder because it prevents my make-up from looking cakey as in the summer I love a dewy look. This cream blush is a lovely coral colour which I think looks perfect in the summer because it is not too pink or rosy just the perfect shade.

Rimmel stay matte powder - translucent - £3.99 - here

Even though, I don't use a powder blush I do need a face powder in the summer as I don't really like looking shiny. I use a translucent powder as it doesn't add any colour to my face, I let my bronzer do that but it just sets everything perfectly. This is a great powder from Rimmel as it is really cheap and matte but it doesn't cover your foundation so you lose the dewy look. My tip for using this is a little goes a long way. 

Models own - bubblegum - here

Neon nail polish is a must for me in the summer as it makes my (little) tan stand out that bit more. I love this shade from models own as it is a really vibrant pink. I also love to use the gelly nails paints from Barry M as they last a lot longer and don't chip as much as I hate having to repaint my nails all the time in the summer.

Dove summer glow - normally £4.99 - here

Speaking of tans I normally fake tan in the summer as I hate having to sit in the garden waiting for a tan which is never even. So, to keep my tan topped up (fake or real) I use the Dove summer glow lotion as this is a gradual tanner, I put this on every time I have had a shower as it adds a glow to my skin, keeps my tan topped up and leaves my skin feeling soft. If you are like me an don't like to sit in the garden then you should definitely pick this up.

ELF setting spray - £3.95 - here

Even though I set my make up with the powder, in the summer I want some extra make-up falling off face protection so I use a setting spray. I have been wanting the Mac fix plus for a while but for now I am using a much cheaper option from ELF. This does help my make-up last all day and when I spray this on my face it feels very refreshing and hydrating. Sometimes if it's a really hot day and I am going out I will just pop this in my bag because it's small enough and cool myself down with it.

I hope you enjoyed this post and I would like to thank Rachel again for letting me guest post.

Here is where you can find me:-
Blog - casualyetchic.blogspot.com
Bloglovin - follow here
Google+ - here
Twitter - @casualyetchic
Instagram - @casualyetchic

Konjac Puff Sponge

The Konjac sponge is one of those products that I have had for a long time in my bathroom but until now it has never featured on my blog. I got in my abw beauty box quite some time ago and have only recently got round to using it.

There is more than one sponge I recently discovered, quite a few in fact such as face sponge, baby sponge, bath sponge, man sponge and even travel versions! The one I have is the Pink Clay Sponge which can found in the face sponges section right HERE.

The sponge is described as being: 

"The ideal Konjac Sponge for those suffering from the weather extremes of air conditioning, excess sun exposure and central heating. Pure French Pink Clay gently purifies even the most sensitive skin and has a softening and plumping effect to improve elasticity and refresh your skin’s appearance".

It is a sort of sponge ball cut in half shape which fits perfectly into the palm of my hand. It is a 100% natural vegetable fibre sponge with nourishing rich french pink clay and is designed for those of us with tired or devitalized skin. Reputed for its health giving properties it has been and it has been used in Japan for over 1500 years. 

So why do you need a Konjac sponge? Well the list of benefits for one, they include:

• Ideal for easily irritated, sensitive and dehydrated skin
• pH balancing
• Gently Exfoliates
• Deeply Cleanses
• Cleanses and Exfoliates the Delicate Eye Area
• Refines Pores
• Use With or Without Cleanser
• Suitable for Sensitive Skin
• 100% Natural, Colouring & Additive Free
• Silky Soft When Wet

The natural alkalinity within the sponge is said to balance the acidity of the skins oil and because of its unique structure, when used on the skin it gently massages to stimulate blood flow and the growth of new skin cells. When I first used my sponge, I was surprised at how soft it was, for some reason I was convinced it was going to be a little bit rough so that when I used it, I would be able to feel some sort of exfoliation process taking place - wrong! It does however leave your skin feeling soft, smooth and incredibly clean after using it. It is said that you can use the sponge to remove make-up, not something I have tried, I use mine whilst in the shower after using a face wash/exfoliator to ensure I have removed every possibly trace of any lotion or potion that I have had on my skin, even if it was a facemask.

To use the sponge, all you need to do is, run it under running water and gently squeeze out any excess but do not wring out your sponge! Then all you do is massage the skin in circular movements with the damp sponge. Once finishing, simply rinse the sponge thoroughly and again gently squeeze out the excess water.  As you can see with my sponge there is a white string in the middle, this is so that you can hang your sponge somewhere to allow it to dry, you are told not to leave it in your shower.

The shelf life of these Konjac sponges is around 1-3 months, it obviously depends on how often you use it and how you look after it.  Once you start to notice changes such as the colour fading or it not doing as good a job on your skin anymore, then it is time to change it. 

Have you got, used or owned a Konjac sponge?

Guest Post | My Recent MAC Purchase!

Hiya sweet peas, 

It's Siobhan here from the beauty baker and I'm lucky enough to be able to guest post for the lovely Rachel.

Mac lipsticks are my favourite as many of you might know and I'm pretty sure that they're most of your guys favourite lipsticks too. Recently I bought the famous Creme Cup lipstick from Mac which seems to be a bloggers favourite. I don't really know anyone who doesn't own this lipstick so obviously I needed to be a little sheep and follow the heard no matter how late I am.

Creme Cup is a Cremesheen finish lipstick and has a vanilla smell like all the Mac lipsticks have, as I always mention the scent of the lipsticks is one of my favourite things and whenever I smell vanilla now it reminds me of Mac and sometimes it even makes me feel a bit fancy. The lipstick itself is a nude lipstick with a pink undertone plus since it's a cremesheen finish it isn't drying in the slightest and feels so nice and hydrating on my lips. When on my lips I say it looks cute natural as if I'm wearing just a tinted lip balm or gloss on my lips, it makes my lips look quite glossy but not too much like a gloss does so it's suitable for a day look while you can also wear it for more of an evening look.

I also find with this lipstick is that it makes me look like I have a real good tan and brings out the olive tone in my skin a lot more which lets be honest I don't think is every a bad thing! But I find compared to other lipsticks it does make my teeth a bit yellow, not so much that it's a problem but compared to other where my teeth look like super pearly whites it's a bit disappointment, plus the staying power isn't as long as other Mac lipsticks I have so you'll need to keep reapplying this throughout the day!

What's your favourite Mac lipstick?

*Guestpost

You Beauty Discovery Box - August Edition

For the past few months I have been getting the You Beauty Discovery Box which you can see February,  March,  April,  May,  June and July with previous box contents.  This month my sixth box has arrived and I have said I am just as impressed.

Whenever it is time to pick the contents of your box, there is always one item that goes really quickly, no matter how early I find myself logging in to select the products I would like to try, I miss the one I want to try most.  That said, I like this months box and this is it.

This months box is themed "Summer Essentials" and it is designed to give me an insight into what the team at YBD thought should be on the shortlist for the Summer essentials and it became a mixture of protection, recovery, hydration, nourishment and camouflage! As I have said before, I love is how the box fits through my letterbox, it is packed really delicately and the box really study and it has never looked disheveled.

Within the magazine which comes with the box we given the opportunity to try some of the following products, the idea being you choose two and there will also be two little extra treats, so this month there are not two, but four and they included:

So we have two samples of Jimmy Choo perfume, one for him and one for her.  Eau De Parfam which is for her is described as:

"Jimmy Choo Eau de Parfum expresses an aura of strength and beauty. Glamorous in attitude, confident, intelligent and with a sense of fashion and fun, the fragrance is a modern Fruity Chypre with warm, rich, woody depths".

And Jimmy Choo Man which has just launched is descirbed as:

"Jimmy Choo MAN has a powerful freshness set amongst a woody, aromatic fougère. The fragrance opens with crisp vivacity complemented with calming lavender notes. Mandarin essence tempers the citrus notes and blends with the subtle sweetness of fruity notes from honeydew melon".

Then we have FaceD 3-Luronics instant effect cream serum which is desgined to visible reduce wrinkles and expression lines from the first application - BIG CLAIM!! It then goes on to say:

Formulated with super lightweight molecules of hyaluronic acid that act in depth, obtaining an improvement of skin hydration over time:

• Hydration increase of 9% after 14 days.
• Elasticity increase of 9% after 14 days.

So I am looking forward to seeing how good this actually is, though I only have a sachet which contains 2ml.

The final free product is a 4 way nail buffer to file, smooth, buff and polish your nails, something you can never have too many of in my opinion.

So now to my choices, this month there was a choice of nine products which included: 

• ROSE & CO.
• CHERRY KISS LIP BALM, PEGGY SAGE
• NAIL POLISH (Nude COLLECTION), MARSK
• RICH LIST, MINERAL EYESHADOW, LOUISE GALVIN
• SACRED LOCKS TREATMENT MASQUE, JUSTBE BOTANICALS
• HYDRATING SERUM, GAZELLI
• TRIPLE YOUTH WITH WHITE OIL DUO, EUCERIN
• SUN FLUID MATTIFYING SPF50, EUCERIN
• SUN FLUID MATTIFYING SPF30, DANIEL SANDLER
• LONG LASTING WATERPROOF EYELINER (AQUA)

This is what I selected:

Peggy Sage Nail Polish Nude Selection.  I am always on the look out for a nice nude shade, not one which is cream or pearly white, they annoy me, I want nude.  This one is described as follows:

Natural-looking nails with a Nude Attitude!

Discover the very trendy natural and sensual Nude collection, perfect for discreet beauties and fans of elegant nude colours! A very fluid texture for easy application - and quick drying time. Hold lasts for up to 6 days and the colour retains its shine for up to 4 days.

The Louise Galvin Sacred Locks Moisture Masque which is described as follows:

The masque contains a naturally modified form of honey combined with wheat proteins and natural conditioning agents to immediately hydrate the hair, leaving it nourished, shiny and full of body.

Ximenia oil, also known as Seaside Plum acts as natural ‘silicone’ to smooth and treat hair without creating build up. The masque is a twice-weekly intensive treatment for hair but can also be used as a daily conditioner for moisture depleted hair.

It contains no SLS, Parabens, silicones, petrochemicals, polymers or synthetic fragrances and smells really fruity.

So for a £6.95 subscription, my box has a value of around £15 which is more than double the value for money and not a bad box.

What do you think to do this? Do you subscribe to these boxes?  What would you have chosen? If you subscribe, link your post below so I can see what you got.

Amie Morning Light Hydrating Daily Moisturiser

I am a big fan of the brand Amie and their skincare products, infact many of them have appeared on Beautyqueenuk over the last year.  I like them because they are purse friendly, easy to find on the highstreet and the entire range is suitable for vegetarians and vegans because there contain:

• No parabens 
• No mineral-oils 
• No petrochemicals 
• No sodium laureth sulphate or sodium lauryl sulphate 
• No ingredients of Genetically Modified Origin 
• No animal testing 
• No animal ingredients 
• 
  

Fiona Parkhouse, the lady behind the brand used to work for Estee Lauder and she had an idea about making skincare products for her daughter and says the reason she decided to do this was because she wanted something that would "respect her still child-perfect skin but deal with the changes that puberty was starting to bring, such as increased oiliness and breakouts. But I didn't want her using harsh, aggressive chemicals or medicated products. I wanted a natural range that would be gentle yet effective, appealing and affordable". Meaning 'Friend' in French, Amie was born.

The product I have been using for the last month is the Morning Light Hydrating Daily Moisturiser which is said to contain a perfect blend of high-quality plant extracts and skin-friendly natural ingredients all designed to keep your skin soft and moisturised, all day long.  Designed for skin which is prone to dryness and in need of gentle, yet effective nourishment, this cream which is really lightweight, absorbs itself into your skin with no problems.

If, like me, you are a fan of rose scented products, you will love this cream. By rose scented I mean a proper rose fragrance and not a chemical smelling one.  As it is dermatologically tested and pH balanced, my skin reacts really well to this cream.  A slight dryness on both cheeks is something I suffer from around certain times of the month, so I need something that is going to add moisture all day long.

The cream itself, which is inside this really pretty pastel pink coloured tube contains:

• Rosa Canina Fruit Oil – the pressed seed oil extracted from the hips of the rose bush which grows wild in the Southern Andes. Rosehip oil contains a list of active ingredients which are beneficial to skin, as well as a high level of essential fatty acids which help the skin hold moisture and reduce dryness.
• Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract – an extract from the flowers of the Cabbage Rose, Rosa Centifolia has skin-conditioning and toning effects on the skin.
• Malva Sylvestris Extract – the flowers of the mallow plant are well-known for their soothing and softening effect on the skin.

I have been absolutely loving this cream and whilst my tube is nowhere near empty, it lasts a really long time, I would defintiely purchase it especially when it costs just £4.95 for a 100ml tube

You can fine Amie products in places like Waitrose or from their own website which you can find HERE

Have you tried these products? have you tried any Amie products?

Blogging Essentials for being on the go!

I have a full time job which is often more than 9am-5pm and it is one which is quite challenging, so at times making some time for blogging becomes quite difficult, I can often be travelling on the tube for hours on end and when I am, I like to make the most of that time and use it constructively.  

So when I am out and about, I tend to ensure I have a few essentials with me that should an idea pop into my head, I have something to write it down on or in and should a photo opportunity arise, even better.

These are the things you are always likely to find in my bag.

My Filofax - I love the design of my Filofax, there is something about the birdcages which I really love and because of its size, it is perfect for every handbag I own.  Everything I do and every place I have to be is written down within this Filofax from meetings, dates with friends and blog events, if I lose it I will be well and truly up the spout.  I bought it to try and get out of the habit of using my iPhone as my calender as it drove me insane when alerts didn't go off, so instead I use it alongside and inside at the back is a jotting pad.

Pens - I tend to have a few pens in my bag, I love pens of all varieties especially gel pens as I find them really easy to write with.  I also always have a highlighter, usually green and a coloured pen which I use to underline.

A notepad - I am obsessed with notebooks and have made reference to their importance in my life on this blog so many times.  It is so nice to sit down with a proper pen rather than a keypad or keyboard and write things, quite old school I know, but I do it quite a lot.  I can be on the train, at work, in bed, down the park, on a bus, on the tube and even in the bath and there is always a notepad to hand.  The one shown above is where I write all my blog posts ideas and actually where this post originates from.  But for many years I have always kept a notepad and pen by the bed because you know when you wake up, usually in the middle of the night with a fab idea only to wake up in the morning to forget it, well not anymore - ta-da!

Sticky notes - Something else I am obsessed with.  I have and use so many post-it notes in all different shapes and sizes.  They are mainly used for referencing things I have written down when it comes to blogging and each colour denotes something different (I am that organised) such as:

Blue - Blog post ideas to finish
Green - Photos I need to take
Yellow - Lists I need to finish
Pink - Ideas list
Orange - Reminders

Camera - I have recently invested in a Canon E0S1000D camera which I use more and more frequently to take shots for my blog.  I am still currently learning what all the functions do, so until I am confident on how to use it, I stick with my trusty faithful Fujifilm Finepix which isn't the best camera but it does take pretty decent pictures and when I am out and about it can come in really handy when I need to take some photos, rather than rely on my iPhone, which I am still doing.

So those are the things I always have in my bag just incase I am stranded somewhere on public transport, have a spare few minutes, come up with an idea for my blog, have opportunities to take impromptu pictures, need distracting and so on.

What are your blogging essentials for being on the go?