Think I am being edited....

This would be funny if it wasn't so weird! Have just been very brave and taken a photo of my face, sans anything - it ain't purdy. I have tried to upload it to flickr and to photobucket and neither of them will allow me to upload!! Is it really that terrible that some arbiter of taste out there in the ether is preventing me from sharing it with the world? Will find a way round it..... watch this space!

Boots Expert

So far have never been disappointed with anything from this range, well ok a teensy bit with the sensitive skin serum which didn't really do much, although bought it buy one get on free so it was the equivalent of £2 a tube so for a bit of additional moisture cant really complain at that!

Decided that with all this straightening I should be protecting my hair a bit as have noticed the ends are becoming a tad crispy, not a great look!


Got the clarifying shampoo too, as I use SLS free all the time I like a once a week blitz with lather and foam and bubbles piled high and sod the chemicals! Just to make sure its really clean.

Models Own - Red Red Wine

I went red cream in the end but I was under pressure, never shop with a teenage daughter who NEEDS something new for a big night out and who is only pretending that part of the shopping trip is about someone other than her, it isn't, deal with it!

Nice deep red cream. (must remember to clean shite off window ledge before next photo sesh!)


Hope it applies as nicely as this blue, which I love.

Update - it did, thought we were having issues at one coat as its quite jelly like rather than creamy, ended up with 3 and you can still see where the wrapped the tips! Love the colour its very glam. Soz photo is without clean up, top coat or hand cream, yak, but am seriously running out of time now!

Outdoors


Indoors

Amongst other things Em got a lovely necklace from Dorothy Perkins

Isn't that cute?

MAC foundation brush update

It's love. £25 was not a penny too much, I have used this every day since I bought it, which when you consider I am doing my make up at 6.30am every morning is a clear indication that this brush gives incredible results; if the results were less impressive I'd have reverted to slapping my foundation on by hand in 30 seconds flat! I promise that I will take some pics but, as impressive the results I get from the brush, I am having face issues at the moment and don't want to scare the crap out of you. That said given the date I guess a scary faced pic or two this weekend wouldn't hurt!

Also loving Naked Coca de mer, think thats right, shower gel - smells lovely, skin soft and non irritated and lathers well considering lack of nasty stuff in it.

Models Own nail varnish still topping my list too, wore Purple Grey the other day, just love how this looks on.

Purple Grey and Grace Green.

Organic Surge, total obsession with the skin care range and really want to try some of the shower gels, Sweet Almond sounds particularly lovely as does the Spiced Lily bath foam, one for when we move! Bought the First Class face mask last weekend and tend to whack on a slap of it before my night cream and just let it soak in, it smells fantastic and my redness seems to be reducing which is great.


Slight less impressive, bought Dream Cream from lush for Em and Steve. Em has eczema on her leg and Steve's finger tips split really really badly. Both were slapping on aqueous cream til I read that the SLS in it could be making things worse. Did a google and Dream Cream was highly rated for the eczema and I thought would be worth Steve trying on his hands. Em has reverted to Bepanthen (god knows how you spell that!) which is working really well on her leg and Steve is still suffering. As a hand cream the Dream Cream is great, it seems to really soak in well and on my normal to dry hands is fine but I don't think its quite the miracle cure all we were hoping it would be.

Meeting Em in Huds at lunch time for a big of a mooch, am after a red nail varnish, cant decide if am going deep red cream or bright red with some sparkle, will post results of shopping trip later!

Philosophy

Sorry not a post on lush smelling bath stuff! Just a little note for me to refer back to next time things are going pear shaped and I am freaking out!

We are trying to sell our guest house and buy a normal family home, given the housing market here at the moment selling anything is a total nightmare but the buying is at least a bit easier! We were incredibly lucky to find a lovely couple who wanted to buy our guest house only a few of months after we put it on the market. We agreed a price and everyone was happy. Steve and I found a house we both loved, empty and in need of some work but would be fab when finished. So far so good. Then, as is always the way with these things everything went tits up in the course of one phone call. Basically the valuation on the guest house came back at squillions less than the price offered. Without employing insane amounts of hyperbole it would be impossible for me to convey just how much stress, anquish, heart ache and worry this has caused made worse by the fact that we have been in limbo for the last 4 weeks.

All my adult life I have believed that everything happens for a reason, really truly believed it. And when things were at their very worst I was desperately trying to find some reason for everything that was happening. The biggest issue for us was that our purchase could only go ahead if we sold at the offer price, not the valuation figure. Then last week we found a house we like that is priced so that we could afford it even at the lower figure - its not the house we loved but it is in the same area and sometimes you just have to let your head take charge (this is an absolute first for me, heart all the way usually!) and IF, great bit huge IF we did get the higher of the two figures we could actually have this house and pretty small mortgage, which would mean a home and a life!! And then it dawned on me - at no point in the proceeding 4 weeks had I been ready to let my head rule my heart, I wanted the house I wanted and nothing else and this whole horrible process had to take as long as it did for me to start to think rationally. It is reassuring to know that even if you doubt it, when the dust settles it is clear that everything really does happen for a reason!

On the downside the new house, offer in and accepted btw and hoping to be in before Christmas!, doesn't have a bath and if you read my rant about not having a bath here for the last 9 years you'll know thats pretty key for me. Have insisted that we have a little stash called "Debbies Bathroom fund" put to one side so that asap after we move in the existing shower can be ripped out and replaced with a bath and then I might actually do another post titled Philosophy and this one may well be about bubble bath!

BTW trying out a larger font as that small font is hard to read on a black background, if you hate it let me know!

Barry M Crackle

Wasn't sure how I would feel about this, never embraced matt nails as I just think they look better glossy, hate scratty nail polish and was wondering if the fact that this is matt and cracked that I might just hate it. I so don't!!



I have put it on top of a green/gold duochrome'ish polish and it looks like snake skin. Am thinking nails done in a nice rich copper with some shimmer with a thin strip of sparkly gold up the middle then topped with this - python nails!



First couple of nails looked a bit pants, the black was too thick where I had gone back over the nail to try and cover all of it. In the end did up one side first, it dries really really fast, then went back and did up the other side of the nail which avoids overload and a nasty gunky mess!



Indoors with flash - hence shrek coloured skin!

I used Nails Inc base and did add Nails Inc top coat too, although the matt finish on top of the shimmery green gold was really effective, looked a bit like flock wall paper!, the black looked like it might peel if it wasn't sealed, was concerned top coat would drag it but it applied no probs.




Whilst it's not exactly classy I think you can have a lot of fun with this - I spent a while just putting on different base coats and applying the crackle to see how it looked and whilst doing my nails is never a chore I don't remember when it was last really good fun!

People of Huddersfield - I salute you.

Spotted this on the Models Own website:

Models Own is coming to a Boots near you!

Our full range of products in over 150 different colours will soon be available in more than 200 of the larger Boots stores across the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Having made our premiere appearance at Huddersfield in March, Models Own is scheduled to start arriving in Boots everywhere from late-April through to September, 2010.

Who knows what demographic we fit to be the very first Boots with a Models Own stand but I am pleased that we did, oh and the rest of you Models Own fans, you owe us - big, if we hadn't purchased like women possessed who knows, you might still be languishing in Models Own free stores!

Trafford Centre Haul!!

Had a FANTASTIC time with Em at the Trafford Centre, although it is like shopping in hell - I have never shopped anywhere that is hotter, its bloody ridiculous.

Warning - photo heavy post! Got the "grown up" camera out, had great fun and took millions!



Got suede boots - Next microfibre stretchy, giant calf accommodation ones with a wedge heel, MAC Lillicent Blushcreme, having wavered on the Uncommon and than let the SA loose with Lillicent and her foundation/creme blush brush. Loved the colour and the application so I bought the brush too - fck me £25, oops! Does make my very old face look flawless though so it could be worth its weight in gold! But you are all sworn to secrecy, Steve must never know!


(embarrassed cough! - thats the brush, right there! shhhhh!)


business end








Em got a fab handbag, although there was a moment when she thought they hadn't got them and the bottom lip was coming out! Luckily I asked the SA on the MAC counter and she pointed us in the right direction, Em was so relieved she hugged her!





and a lush lip gloss, although secretly think she was happier with the huge yellow Selfridges bag than anything that was in it!






Nice top from Next too that I hadn't planned, Barry M Nail Art crackle from Superdrug and 2 new MUA eyeshadows, a pale green for me and a vivid purple for Em. She bought us tapas for lunch - lush!


I mean please, for a quid, how fab is this?











And then we hit Boots; an hygienic nose and ear trimmer (for Steve, honest injun!) and decided that as a straighten my hair every day now I needed a heat protecting spray, rather than spend a fortune (kept remembering that MAC brush lurking in my bag and breaking out in a cold sweat!) I opted for the Boots Expert heat protection spray and got one of their clarifying shampoos too as once a week I like to lather my hair in something containing masses of SLS and other toxic crap just to make sure its really clean! And with my £5 voucher I got myself the Boots No 7 eye shadow brush, having read this just before I left, great recommendation Fee, thanks!



Em spotted a stand with Britney Spears Circus on it for £10 instead of £20 with one bottle left, not for long though ...... yoink....!



I love spending time with my baby girl, how lucky am I that she is a shopping maniac who is more into make up than me, bless her!

Trafford Centre wish list

Off to the Trafford Centre with Em, she got a years worth of back pay yesterday - pay roll doing her saving for her! - so she is going to spend 10% and save the rest. She has promised me lunch, isn't she a huny!

Here is my wish list:
Barry M crackle polish









MAC Blushcreme in Uncommon (weird beige!)
























La Roche Posay Rosaliac Fortifying anti-redness moisturiser (redness on cheeks is doing my head in so want to have a look at this range if its in Boots)












Black suede boots, have the calves of a full back and usually struggle so fingers crossed!

Oh and one last, rather weird thing! Have got a hankering for Estee Lauder White Linen perfume. For some reason the smell has been haunting me for the last 2 days, yesterday it was driving me mad, kept getting a whiff of it and although it triggered a feeling that the smell created a memory, are you still with me?, I couldn't put my finger on what the smell was or the associated memory. This morning it was happening again and then all of a sudden it came to me, the smell was White Linen. I am a little concerned that yearning for an Estee Lauder perfume is the clearest indication yet that I am officially old?? Anyway am going to have a squirt on Saturday and see what happens. Fran, I apologise in advance and promise not to wear this if I am with you as I know you HATE it!

Actually I'd be interested to hear about your "scent memories". As everyone knows fragrance is very evocative - for Em Thierry Mugler's Alien is instantly the Emerald Hotel, Perth WA as it is what I wore every day we were in Australia, she only has to walk past some one wearing it and she says "Emerald Hotel, Perth" which I think is lovely. Do you have a scent memory? If so what is the perfume or smell, if its not a perfume, that triggers it and where are you the instant you smell it? I think my most powerful is honeysuckle, I am instantly 6 in bed, in the bungalow in St Keverne and its a warm summers evening and still light (being little I was in bed early!), the honeysuckle ran up past my bedroom window and on a warm evening, with the window open my bedroom was full of the smell of it. If you have a scent memory please share as I'd love to hear about it.

Models Own - Purple Grey

Going to have to have another go at photos of this, it looks so purple in these and it really isn't. Much more of a taupe, with purple leanings than anything this purple. Will probably add a couple more later if I can get something that looks more like it. Both of these were taken outdoors, top in shade, bottom in light. I really love this, usual fab brush and application and works well with the Nails Inc base and top coats.

UNE - Khaki eye shadow

Getting into this whole eye shadow thing now! Decided to dig out the UNE Khaki that I bought ages ago to see how that would work as a subtle day look. Very pleased, it's enough to look made up without looking over done. That said having seen the photos not sure that matt eye shadow is the way to go on aged crepe'y eye lids!

Modesl Own - Grace Green

It's love folks. Pure unadulterated love. With a bit of lust mixed in for good measure. I was worried I'd get boiled beef hands but its greyed enough that it doesn't do that. Please bear in mind that last night I was so desperate to try this I peeled off my Boots No 7 Stay Perfect in Teal (perfect polish and will def post pics next time I wear it - clearly the speed dry ones are the issue, this one has a fab brush, great application and is a gorgeous colour, cant fault it) but still peeled it off and slapped on 2 coats of Grace Green whilst sat in bed. No base coat, no top coat, no prep of any sort.




Sludgy green lovelyness



All of these were taken indoors in shade - still struggling with taking pictures of my nails.


And a sneak peak of Purple Grey - same basis no base, no top, no prep and 2 coats. Proper post soon.


And the one nail I didn't peel with No 7 Stay Perfect in Teal.
Both of these taken indoors but in sun through the window.


And one of No 7 Stay Perfect in Teal before I peeled it off! It is incredibly glossy, this is a proper mani with base and top coat, that said not sure the No 7 polishes love Nails Inc base coat, had some dragging issues with this and it was looking like it might refuse to dry until I put the top coat on, the Nails Inc top coat is fab for that.

Yay! Models Own Grace's Green and Purple Grey are mine!!

Photographing a conference in Leeds today, which just happened to coincide with the launch in Boots of the must talked about Car Key collection and Purple Grey being available in store. I decided to forego lunch (that desperate for Grace's Green!) and hit Boots instead. Think the other shoppers pretended not to notice the 44 year old dancing with glee in front of the Models Own stand! Having had a good look I decided I like Becca's Brown and might purchase in the future, wasn't sure if the Pinky one would make my hands look like boiled beef, have needed Purple Grey since I first saw it and Grace's Green was a no brainer! Happy or what! No photos yet as after taking 200 odd today at the conference I am frankly photo'ed out. Oh and the free Models Own lip gloss - bleurch. Really just vile, you know if you get anti p on your hands and then accidentally stick your finger in your mouth all your spit dries out? Tell me you've done that? No? Oh ok, well its pretty vile and this lip gloss has the exact same affect if you lick your lips! Like I said bleurch! Right must go need to have a glass of wine asap!

MUA in shade 10

Just a quicky before what could be a very important, house related, meeting. Fingers crossed.

Took some pics on Sunday before I left of MUA colour no 10 - purple eye shadow, seeing as I virtually NEVER wear colour and Modesty Brown recommended giving it a whirl, as we were going to a music concert I thought some attempt to look less ancient was in order.

Brace yourselves.










Yikes! Max Faxtor flawless foundation earning its keep, Rimmel Vinyl Gloss in Lovesick too.

Somethings in life are non-negotiable.

I rest my case.

My old ones just upped and died Saturday morning so I have been using Em's hossing great ones, but they dont really work. Didn't bother this morning as knew these were en route - more on that in a mo - Steve eventually said to me "what have you done to your hair, is it those straighteners that have made it look like that?" when I explained that that was my hair sans straighteners and without a £95 emergency purchase Saturday morning this is how I'd always look he looked at me in horror and said "money well spent".

Lookfantastic.com - am I ever impressed, ordered Saturday morning, email last night to say en route, email this morning to confirm en route, email a bit later to say they will be delivered between 9.31 and 10.31am - they arrived at 10am!! Well done Lookfantastic.com!

Boots No 7 Speed Dry Nail Polish in Blackberry

Here's the review I put on the Boots website:

Lovely colour; applies like a dog.
Loved the colour of this but its the last No 7 Speed dry polish I will be buying. Basically it dries on the brush as you are applying it, unless the brush is so full of polish it swamps your cuticles and makes an unholy mess, but bizarrely takes an age to dry on the nail - probably because 2 coats of this is the equivalent of 5 of a decent polish. The brush, by the way is rubbish - no matter how good the formula of a polish its only as good as its brush. Save your money - buy Models Own.

I think that about covers it! Although guessing it never appears on the Boots website it made me feel better. Am so disappointed, it really is a lovely colour - berry with a subtle shimmer, very vampy.

Outdoors with flash - not really how it looks but love how it looks in these pics!


Outdoors without flash, more how it actually looks, dark and almost a cream.


Outdoors and flash again, because I can!

As you can see application is far from perfect and with nails as short and small as mine I NEED thin polish and a crash hot brush, the bendy, flouncy broom in this bottle was seriously not up to the task. And what is it with fast dry polishes that it is impossible to apply a thin coat, seriously unless the brush was so loaded it was dripping off the stem - I have it all over my hands and the table and the bloody bottle - it was drying on the brush and becoming a brush strokey horror on my nails? Not doing anything this eve and wanted nails done for fab out in Leeds tomorrow so in the morning after I have washed my hair I will do the cuticle tidy up with an orange stick in the shower. (Leeds - off to see Clare Maguire and a band called Hurts at ....damn forgotten name and want to type Cockroach club and just KNOW that cant be right.....The Cockpit that's it! Few drinks and something to eat first and then, if you tube is anything to go by, some seriously good music. The friends we are going with saw Hurts at V Fest and thought they were fab - sort of Kraftwerk/Depeche Mode fusion (you lot might need to use wikepdia to find out who those two bands are as you are all sooooo young!) cant wait.)

It also isn't exactly glossy, this has got a coat of Nails Inc top coat on it to a) make it dry and b) make it shine. Frankly all I need now is for it to chip like a bitch and its on a fast track to the bin!

PS beloved daughter reneged on her promise to lip model my glosses on the basis that she has a hot date so had to spend 4 hrs getting ready, honestly I kid you not - she's the one that should be blogging here she spends £60 a month on mac foundation alone! last time I treat her to anything in duty free!

Models Own - Car Key Collection

My wish list has 3 new entries the Models Own Car Key collection, so glad I read Modesty Brown's blog or I wouldn't have known about these beauties. I want, I want, I want! And whoever came up with the name deserves a gold star, love it! Modesty Brown is having a give away, btw, in case you hadn't spotted it and Becca's Brown, from the car key collection is one of the things she is giving away, lovely person that she is.

Little bit of weekend cheer!

No 7 Speed dry in Blackberry, Rimmel Vinyl (sad but true; I prefer these to my new Chanel) in Lovesick and freebie L'Occitane shea butter hand cream, could be me but has a bit of a baby poo niff to it. Yea, your right it probably is me. Gave up trying to upload the rotated image from Photobucket, cba trying any more.


Post update - that photo was the other way round yesterday evening. Not the right way up but horizontal to the left, now its horizontal to the right. Or was that wine stronger than I thought??!

Because I need something to look forward to....

Think we are facing yet another weekend with no idea about anything; is the guest house sold, if so how much for, will it be enough to buy the house I desperately want, how much longer is this going to go on for, can my nerves stand it, is it wise to drink a bottle of wine a night to cope. Ok, I know the answer to that last one and I don't care!

In my new house there will be a bath. I have lived in the guest house for 9 years and there is only one bath here and its in one of the guest rooms. In addition running a guest house means you are on call pretty much all the time, coming home, pouring a huge glass of wine, diving into a hot bath and reappearing to sit on the sofa watching crap in your pj's with a face mask on is just not happening. My idea of utter bliss will be sitting in my lounge without having to worry about a guest appearing wanting an ironing board (it's 10pm, you got in at 4.30pm, your couldn't have ironed your freaking shirt 3 hours ago?) or directions to somewhere I have never been or just to talk all over the end of the film I was watching, in my pj's reeking of the most indulgent bathing product I can lay my hands on.

And I need your help. To give me something to look forward to I would love to hear what you would buy to pour into your perfect bath and then if all this crap ends and I get to move house I might treat myself to something that has been recommended! If it is a product you have tried tell me all about it, packaging and smell are key! If it is something that has been on your wish list but you haven't purchased because you just cant justify spending all that money when a dollop of radox would do please share!

In the meantime I am off to Boots to see if I can track down No 7 nail varnish in Blackberry - saw it in a chemist in Carlow in Ireland for 9 Euro odd - they have to pay 21% VAT there so I decided to hold off and buy it here, fingers crossed I can find it this pm!

ps thought this might give you a laugh - the bathroom at the house that I desperately want, as it looks now!
Old lady chic at its best!