Cruelty free perfume - Pop by Stella McCartney gift set from Fragrance Direct*

I've shopped with Fragrance Direct a few times now. They do makeup, fragrance, skincare and gifts at prices far more affordable than the high street. They got in touch to offer me a fragrance to review and I chose Pop by Stella McCartney as it's cruelty free - it isn't tested on animals. Pop is a light fragrance, perfect for every day wear. Read on to see what I think of it.

Thick winter tights from Big Bloomers Company*

Hello sweet peas!

Recently Laura from Big Bloomers Co sent me two pairs of thick winter tights to try out and share with you. I was kindly sent the All Woman 180 denier tights and the All Woman cotton (woolly feel) tights.

I tried the 180 denier ones first as they were the first ones I grabbed out of the parcel.

Before I start, both pairs of tights look like this before you put them on. The thigh room is magnificent in both pairs of tights. They are so stretchy just where I need it.

As you can see in the photo collage above, the tights are virtually opaque, even taking into account the flash I use to take photos. (I use flash as it slows my camera down and enables me to change poses without blurring the shots.) The upper portion of the tights (the darker section as worn in the photos above) is thicker than the material in the lower legs. This ensures there's very little chance of chub rub wearing the tights thin over time. As you can see in the top right shot you can barely see my knickers on under the tights so they would be totally blush free should your skirt or dress blow up in a wintry gale. The tights are incredibly soft, warm and touchable and have a waistband which is over an inch deep and is very comfortable. I could pull these tights up to just underneath my bra and there was ample room throughout every area as these tights fit hips up to 60". My hips are actually larger than that, but because these tights fit people of 6ft tall or more there's obviously more give in the thighs at my 5ft 5 and a half. The tights didn't fall down on me nor did they move about uncomfortably during wear, probably because you can't feel the seams at all. Rough seams ruin tights for me. These tights are utterly comfortable and are a total winner for me.

Onto the cotton (woolly feel) tights.

As I took the tights out of the packet they resembled the 180 denier ones closely up until the join in the legs, where the fabric changes to cotton ribbed tights. The upper part of the legs to the waistband is again as thick as the first pair, completely opaque and very stretchy. As to fit, these ones were a little lower in the crotch and did need pulling up a little more carefully (and a little more often) but that is to be expected as the ribbed cotton isn't as stretchy as the 180 denier tights. These tights fit up to a 64" hip. I could pull these tights past my waist, but not quite as high as the other pair - but it's a moot point as I don't need to wear them that high. As you can see in the bottom left photo, there's plenty of room left in the thigh. I would say it's entirely possible these tights would fit up to a 70 inch hip if someone were a similar height to me or shorter (I'm 5 ft 5 and a half.) There's the same deep, comfortable waistband and unobtrusive seams as the first pair of tights and again they're supremely warm. These tights do remind me of the ribbed tights I wore to school as a child, which pleases me as up until I started blogging I didn't think I'd ever find ribbed tights in my size.

When it comes to comparisons between the two it's incredibly difficult as they both have their merits. Because of the crotch slipping a little with the cotton feel tights I would say if I was having an active day I would err towards the 180 denier pair (I hate pulling my tights up in public - there's simply no way to do it gracefully!) and if I was looking to warm up at home I'd pick the cotton feel ones. There's no fighting and sweating to get into either pair of tights. In the past I felt like I was undertaking some kind of Krypton Factor challenge to shirk on a pair of tights with rough seams that move, legs that twisted uncomfortably (before I'd even pulled them up!) virtually cutting off my circulation, and the whole experience put me off tights for many years. Now there are choices out there, and this has rekindled my love affair for tights. I love the way they look, the way they feel and the way they keep me warm and toasty.

The 180 denier tights:

£18.95

• Fit hips to 90″ (225cms) in the larger size and 60" in the smaller size
• 180 Denier
• Extra long in the leg
• Extra wide in the thigh
• Made in Italy exclusively for us and available in sizes 22-32 UK (which I'm wearing here) and a size 32-42 UK in black.

The cotton woolly feel tights:

 £19.95

• A very fluffy woolly soft feel
• Fit hips to 64″ (162cms) size 24-34 UK
• Flat seams and gusset
• 60% cotton 32% polyamide and 8% elastin
• Black only (for now)

Yes these tights are a little on the expensive side, but they're worth every bloody penny. The tights by Big Bloomers Co I reviewed last winter were worn over and over again and look as good as new except for a few bobbles on the feet where I've worn socks over the top.

Also check out Caroline Curvy Wordy's post, as she has some full body shots of the tights on and of course, you can see what she thinks about these two pairs of tights too.

Has this post made you excited about tights? Good tights are out there! ;)

Thanks for reading.
Leah xoxo

*Items supplied by Big Bloomers Company. Opinions are honest and my own.

Outfit Post || Plus size fashion at House of Fraser*

Happy Wednesday!

Did you know House of Fraser do plus size clothing? They contacted me to offer me an item and I chose a lovely orange embellished dress from Evans (from the Live Unlimited range.) My dress arrived very quickly and came with the hanger - yes! I never seem to have enough.

It's an interesting fabric - it has a texture on the surface and looks a bit like crepe but it's very stretchy - and I adore the dark orange colour. I had intended to wear it over tights but by the time I'd got to the front door the dress had ridden up, so I wore a skirt over the top. I think if I wore it over leggings it would be better - the shiny tights and smooth dress gave too much slip. I have a yen to buy some velvet leggings, and because of their 'grabby' nature they might keep the dress where it's meant to be.

It has split sleeves and lovely stud embellishments at the neck and hem.

I look mighty peeved in the bottom left photo! It made me giggle.

Once I got back indoors I wore it on its own so you can see the length of it. Click to see larger photo.

As you can see it's quite revealing, so when I wear it again I'll wear shapewear with it.

Jacket, New Look Inspire (last year)
Evans orange tunic dress, House of Fraser
180 denier tights, Big Bloomers Company* (review coming soon)
Skirt & necklace, Primark (last year)
Shoes, from my FB friend Lauren
Black star zip top clutch, New Look
Hair flower, Peacocks (very old)

Thanks for reading.
Leah xoxo

*Item supplied for review. All opinions are honest and my own.

South Hill Designs locket*

Hello lovelies,

Recently a lady called Zoe got in touch to tell me about the company she works for - South Hill Designs. I'd seen the company mentioned briefly on another blog some months ago, so I went to the website to refresh my memory. I love the ethos of the company - set up my two men who wanted to provide a better life for their daughters, and for the thousands of female entrepreneurs who work for them. You can order direct from Zoe, book a jewellery party or even join the company yourself.

Zoe kindly offered to send me a piece to show you, and she sent me a lovely locket with a tree of life screen and some pearls in it.

The choice of lockets, screens and charms is huge.

My locket is silver, but they are also available in gold and rose gold. The locket has a strong magnetic clasp to keep the contents secure. The tree of life screen is so detailed and reflects my love of nature. The blue pearls represent to me the chill of the coming months - in fact silver and blue is a colour combination which reminds me of Christmas. The chain is strong - made of tightly packed links - and has an extension chain. The lockets are completely customisable - you buy the locket, chain, and embellishments like charms or screens separately on the website so the choices are endless.

The locket is incredibly well made, sturdy and strong. When I was photographing the locket in the sun room (with the windows open to soak up the last sun of the day) a strong gust of wind blew it off the table onto the hard tiled floor and I was scared it would break, but it was totally undamaged. The quality and detail of every component is great, and it's weighty item which would make a beautiful Christmas gift for a special lady in your life.

Have you had a look at South Hill Designs?

Thanks for reading.
Leah xoxo

Items provided by Zoe at South Hill Designs. All opinions are honest and my own.

Outfit post || Autumn palette with New Look*

Hiya loves!

Recently the lovely people at New Look got in touch to tell me about their new Autumn Palette (which I absolutely love the colours of) and offered me a couple of items to try out. As I was saying last week, I'm really into wearing the colours of autumn this year - the various shades of greens, mustard, berry shades, brown, etc. All the colours of fallen leaves and the berries which are abundant right now.

With that in mind I picked a lovely green floral dress and a deep purple cardigan to contrast with it.

The dress is one I've had on my wishlist for a while. The dark green and florals are lovely and very season appropriate. The lace section at the chest is a really pretty touch, and it's high enough up not to flash off my bra. It's made of polyester and is the floaty, lightweight material which a lot of New Look Inspire dresses are made of. I like it because the material doesn't stick to me if I get hot. I prefer a lighter dress so I can layer up with cardigans, coats and scarves in the colder weather which can be taken off when I start to warm up. I'm wearing a size 28 which is more than sufficient. I could probably wear a size 26 in many New Look elasticated waist styles but I err on the side of comfort and prefer items to be slightly too big.

The cardigan! Oh my lord this cardigan is like wearing a hug. I sized up to a 32 as I wanted a really cocoony feel. It's so soft against my skin and has a lovely fleck to it. You can see it in the close up photo below - you can see darker and lighter fibres. It looks black from a distance, but as you get closer you can see the lovely rich aubergine colour. It comes below my bum and has two pockets at the front.

These photos were taken in a hut in our local park

I'm wearing:
Inspire Dark Green Lace Insert Floral Print Dress size 28 £19.99
Inspire Dark Purple Cardigan size 32 £19.99
So Fabulous Cynthia Embellished Ballerina wide fit
So Fabulous leggings
Handbag, from fellow blogger Abi (originally from M&S)

I may have to be crowbarred out of this outfit in the coming weeks. What do you think about green and purple mixed together?

*Post in conjunction with New Look. All opinions are honest and my own. 

Thanks for reading!
Leah xoxo

Ann Harvey Watercolour Check Jersey Maxi Dress*

Hello sweet peas,

I was contacted recently to let me know that Ann Harvey are back and available exclusively at Bonmarche. I was offered an item to review and chose the Watercolour Check Jersey Maxi Dress because I loved the colour scheme and pattern. Ann Harvey do sizes 16-32 which is fantastic.

There are dresses which make you feel good, and then there are dresses which make you feel great, and this is one of the latter. From the moment I tried it on (straight out of my dressing gown!) it made me feel amazing. It's a stretchy, cool viscose blend and is generously cut so that it skims over my body. It has flattering pleats at the front of the dress under the bust. I'm wearing the size 28 but could have sized down comfortably. It's almost floor length on me in bare feet. I'm 5ft 5 and a half for reference and am wearing wedges here to bring the dress off the floor.

You can check out the rest of the range here. 

Hair flower, Off With Her Head Millinery
Watercolour Check Jersey Maxi Dress, past season Ann Harvey
Bag, British Heart Foundation
Necklace, from Rebs
Bracelet, old Debenhams
Shoes, old Evans

Have you had a look at the range? What do you think?

Thanks for reading!
Leah xoxo

*Post in collaboration with Ann Harvey. Opinions are honest and my own.

MeMeMe Cosmetics review part 2*

Hiya loves!

Here's part two of my MeMeMe Cosmetics review. Excuse my almost bare face in these photos - I was packing to go away in between taking the shots. It was about 28 degrees and I was melting!

Flawless Face Powder in Translucent

The face powder is a life saver for hot sticky days. I applied it on a day when I had a serious glow on and it absorbed shine and made me feel far less hot and bothered. In the winter months it may be too dark for me, but it suits my tanned skin perfectly at the moment. It has iron oxides, which are an inorganic sunscreen agent, although it doesn't say what level of SPF it might provide. It's enriched with silk and Vitamin E and comes in a heavyweight mirrored compact.

Long Lasting Gloss Polish in Vivacious

This nail polish dries phenomenally quickly - so much so I couldn't believe it. I love the colour and it has a wide, fan shaped plastic brush which really helps ease of application. I'm wearing 3 thin coats which dried virtually instantaneously. Love!

Long Wear Satin Lip Cream in Persian Pink

Look at that shine! In the bullet, the colour didn't appeal to me at all, but once on I fell in love with this. It's enriched with Vitamin E and Shea butter. Wear time for me is about 2-3 hours, which is average for me as I have quite moist lips.

This lipstick is also great. It has a purplish sheen to it which you can see in the tube in the photo above. The lipsticks smell gorgeous, a bit like vanilla and something else I can't put my finger on - I'll call it baked goods.

I absolutely love the lipsticks and nail polish and would say if you're going to try anything from MeMeMe, make it the lippies, the nail polishes or the baked eyeshadows. It's a thumbs up from me!

I'll be doing a couple of proper looks using some of these items in the next few days.

Do you like anything you've seen here?

Thanks for reading.
Leah xoxo

MeMeMe Cosmetics Swatches and review*

Hello lovelies!

Recently MeMeMe Cosmetics contacted me and sent me some items to try out. There are 8 items in total so I'm splitting it over 2 posts, one now and one this afternoon.

MeMeMe are based in Wiltshire and have a female team. They say: We formulate premium quality products that will always be as gorgeous as possible whilst performing at a standard you would find from only the best & most renowned cosmetic houses.

First impressions are that the packaging is absolutely gorgeous. It fills the gap between high end and high street, using simple but quality packaging with bit of artistic flair.

Blush Me in Pink

The blush is a very finely milled powder which comes in a box with a mirrored lid and brush. It's very similar in colour to my rosy cheeks so it might work better on someone without my very high colouring and freckles. The swatches you see here is the result of heavy swipes of product. The powder is so finely milled it floats off the brush, but if you persevere you won't find it highlights your pores as it's so fine. This would be best suited to very fair complexions and those wanting a very minimal look.

Lip and Cheek Tint in Cupids Kiss

The lip and cheek tint is a very subtle moisturising liquid which also can be used as a stain. It leaves a juicy look on my lips and a very subtle colour on my cheeks. Again, due to my colouring it's too light for me, but will suit very fair people.

Dew Pots in Coral Blossom

The dew pot is a cream eyeshadow which is very similar to my skin colour, as you probably can tell by the swatches above. It evens out any redness and it can also be used as a base for eyeshadow, (it doesn't crease) but my favourite way to use it is as a highlight. It's absolutely fantastic at giving a subtle, dewy glow. If you click to enlarge the photo below you can see the subtle sheen on my nose and swatched on my hand.

Eye Inspire Quad Baked Eyeshadow in Fire Eyes

I'm really impressed with these baked eyeshadows. The pigment speaks for itself and I'd buy these in other colourways. I'm going to do a pink and orange eyeshadow look using this quad soon.

My favourite items out of these four are the cream eyeshadow and the baked eyeshadows. I'm really happy to have discovered another make up brand who don't test on animals and look forward to discovering more things from MeMeMe.

Part 2 will be up this afternoon.

Have you tried anything by MeMeMe before?

Thanks for reading!
Leah xoxo

Aldi plus size items review*

Hello lovelies,

In this post recently I spoke about how Aldi are selling a small collection of plus size basics from size 16 upwards on a specialbuy in store from May 8th. Please read my initial post for size details and all the items available. 

I was sent 3 pairs of underwear, 2 kinds of bras and a top to try.

Firstly the undies. 3 pairs for £3.99.

I really like the knickers. They're sturdy, well made and they don't roll down at all, even when I bend over. Having knickers which disappear under the overhang is not my favourite thing, so I'm pleased these pants stay put. They have wide elastic at the waist to hold them up and a wide gusset. I hate plus size knickers which have a tiny little gusset, because if you're in the slightest bit active, your knickers end up where the sun doesn't shine. These are a size 28 and are a snug fit but feel very comfortable and don't cause me any discomfort at all. If you like your knickers a bit loose, size up if you can. 100% cotton. Heartily recommend! I might buy a few packs and dye them funky colours.

Unpadded bra two pack.

The unpadded bra is a twin pack (one black, one white) and the material is really soft and touchable. There is a 3 hook closure at the back, and although the straps themselves are rather narrow, there is a wider area at the shoulders to help bear some of the load. Although this bra is comfortable on, looks well made and feels glorious to the touch, my boobs are too heavy for the unstructured cups. They've spread outwards and downwards to give me a look I'm not enthused about. Also the side straps aren't wide enough to accommodate my overhang of flesh out of the sides.

However, at £8.99 for two bras, they are a good buy for those with less overspill to deal with. Be aware as they aren't padded they can expose your nipples a bit. To make this bra perfect for the higher end of the size scale slightly wider straps over all, wider side support and some side boning to push the boobs back towards the centre would be a good addition. I'm wearing a 42E, their largest size. I normally take a 44E but the bra has a fair amount of stretch so bear that in mind. For smaller ladies with less boob/flesh to squeeze in I think this twin pack will be a good basic addition to the bra arsenal.

 Padded bra. £5.99 (mistakenly quoted as being a twin pack in my first post.)

The padded bra is pretty, with its added embroidery and bows. There is some padding and uplift with this bra so it gives my girls support and I like the way my boobs look in it. (FYI, it's not the that's bra lopsided in the top photo, I'm standing on my good leg.) There has clearly been some thought put into this bra, as it has side boning (highlighted in the photo above with 2 black lines) but for me it's too close to the underwire itself and not far enough around the side of my body. Because my boobs jut out so far forwards, the boning is in the side of my breast itself, rather than further round my torso where I need extra support to stop the sides of the bra being swallowed up by my fat overspill.

Again this bra has a 3 hook closure and narrow straps. For me, if the straps and sides of the bra were fractionally wider and the boning was about another inch or so closer to my armpit it would be ideal. Just because it doesn't work for me it doesn't mean it might not work for you. For ladies with a little less side boob than I, this is a perfectly good bra and again the quality seems very good. I'm wearing a 42E and there is stretch in the bra so it may fit larger.

Top £4.99, available in red, blue and mocha.

available in red, blue and mocha

available in red, blue and mocha

Pardon me for not getting fully dressed, but all the whipping on and off of clothes was making me hot. ;) I love this top. It's 95% cotton and 5% Lycra and it feels like a hug. I was sent a 20 and obviously I'm a lot bigger than that, but as you can see there's a lot of stretch. It feels like a really well made garment and is so comfortable. It has a cute little pocket over the left breast. I really like this, a lot more than I thought I would, because it feels so nice to wear.

Overall this is a promising micro collection from Aldi and they've obviously put some thought into making items for bigger bodies - they haven't just scaled up patterns. I think if they take customer feedback on board and make a few small changes here and there the signs are good. It's a positive step that Aldi are doing plus size basics - especially at such bargain prices - and the ability to pick up a few items while doing the weekly shop is a definite bonus. If the range goes well it would be great for the next plus size specialbuy to have a more inclusive size range - up to a 30-32 - even if this inflates the prices. If this were to happen I volunteer my services as a fit model. ;)

It's outstanding to think you could in theory have an entire outfit from Aldi for £27.95 - a £5.99 bra, £2.99 knickers, £4.99 top, £4.99 leggings and £8.99 shoes.

The specialbuy starts on May 8th and is going into ALL Aldi stores in the UK. I will be heading down to our nearest Aldi soon afterwards to pick up some leggings before they all go (and stock up on their wonderful facial serum while I'm there!) and check out the pyjamas. Specialbuys are for a limited time only - when they're gone they're gone - but there will be more lines coming in the autumn.

Does any of this appeal to you?

Thanks for reading!

Lovedrobe dress review*

Hiya lovelies!

I don't know about you but I have a couple of big engagements coming up this summer - one of my oldest friends is getting married in July and we also have a christening to go to in 2 weeks. When Lovedrobe got in touch to ask me if I wanted to review an item, I had occasion wear in mind, and I found a lovely dress which is smart enough to wear to chic events, and also versatile enough to pop on over some skinny jeans for a more casual vibe. There's something about summer events that calls for a bit more oomph in my outfits. Maybe it's because I'm so much happier and full of life when the sun shines, but I always want to look summery as well as feel it.

The dress I picked is perfect with shades of cream, navy, pink and a vibrant green - and it has an exposed functional zip at the back (see photo at end of post.) It's made of polyester chiffon and feels light and floaty on. It's lined in a cream fabric underneath.


Also check out the end of the post for a discount code for 20% off for my readers. NOW EXPIRED.

Blossom in my hair.

It has a semi elasticated waist - it's elasticated at the sides.

It has a really cute ruffled sleeve detail as well.

For reference I'm wearing a size 26 and am 5 ft 5 tall. The dress fits well in the waist and below but is tight over my boobs. I normally take a 28 in more fitted clothes so it's expected and it's not so tight I can't move in it. I can move around in it well enough so I'm happy! The length is good on me both at the front and the back and it makes me feel pretty and feminine.

Here are some other lovely things on the Lovedrobe site currently.

I'm wearing:
 

Dress Lovedrobe

Cover up, Asda

Leggings, Very

Shoes, old Evans

Necklace, eBay

Bag, Primark

Bracelets, old/gift

Do you have a big occasion coming up in the next few months? Have you got an outfit planned?

Thanks for reading!

*Dress c/o Lovedrobe. Opinions my own. 

2 good films and a dud

Howdy!

Hub face and I have seen a few films recently.

Captain Phillips was excellent. I'd heard good reviews of this film but even taking into account my expectations, I was blown away. I had wondered how it was possible to tell the story of a container ship being taken over by Somalian pirates and make it taut and thrilling throughout, but they managed it.

The film starts with Captain Phillips getting ready to go to work - packing a bag and driving to the airport with his wife, who drives the car back after he catches his flight to his ship. We see he's a fastidious man - he wipes his feet when he gets onto the ship, runs security checks as he goes about his walk around the deck and keeps a firm eye on his crew's coffee breaks. We go back and forth to Somalia, where a bunch of impoverished looking men are urged to hijack a large boat by their bosses. A crew is picked, weapons are chosen and off they go into the blue in two small boats with outboard engines. We know before we watch the film that pirates are going to successfully board the ship, and when they do the helplessness and fear of the captain and crew is palpable. The captain and crew indulge in some skullduggery to hamper the pirates' progress throughout the ship, during which two of the invaders become injured. Captain Phillips eventually becomes separated from his crew and ship. He's despatched into a large lifeboat with his armed captors, who are heading for Somalia. The action plays out with a terrified Captain Phillips and a crew who are unravelling mentally and physically. It's fair to say the tension remains high throughout. Of course I'm not going to give away the ending, but just before the credits roll there is a piece of acting so fine and so utterly heartbreaking both myself and my husband were in floods of tears. It sounds like a spoiler, but isn't. You'll see what I mean if you watch it. And I urge you do. It's the best film I've seen in a long time.

-------

American Hustle is well acted, but totally pointless. The most interesting part of the whole film is in the opening scenes when Christian Bale is gluing on a hair piece and artfully combing his thinning hair into place. I have no idea why this film has been nominated for a ton of awards. It's a temporary relief from the burden of boredom, but somewhat like eating rice cakes - it gives you something to do but you soon realise you feel entirely empty. Watch it out of curiosity if you must, but don't expect much. All filler, no killer.

-------

Last Vegas is bloody hilarious. Douglas' character Billy is an old man who's marrying a woman half his age. Freeman's character Archie is being mollycoddled to death by his worried son. De Niro's character Paddy is wasting away in a dressing gown after the death of his wife. Kline's character Sam is in a long, but excitement and lust free marriage. When Douglas announces he's getting married, they come up with the idea of throwing him a bucks night in Las Vegas. The actors' chemistry is wonderful and there's a love interest in the form of Mary Steenburgen, but who will get the girl? Expect plenty of jokes about old age and some of the wittiest one-liners I've heard in years, as well as some hilarious 'old men in Vegas' nightclub shenanigans. Hubby and I were crying with laughter at several points. I'd watch it again in a heartbeat.

What have you seen recently?

Goddess Kayla bra review & about the oversexualisation of bodies

Hiya all.

I've been promising a bra review for a couple of weeks but have held back. In being body positive and visible it's become apparent that a tiny percentage of people who read my blog and follow me on Twitter/Tumblr do so for reasons which differ from my intent.

If I post photos of my back fat, it's because I want other people who have back fat to feel less alienated. If I post a series of photos of me with nothing on my bottom half but tights and some bangin' shoes, I do it as a big middle finger to a society which values thinness over all, and because a little bit of vanity is good for your sanity. Hey, I need to copyright that. ;)

I don't post photos like the aforementioned to titillate. They're for me and for other people like me. If someone finds my form aesthetically pleasing, that's OK but if they choose to sexualise it I don't need to know about it. When a man comments on my blog saying 'I'd love to see you with your kit off' it's not on. When a man tweets me and tells me my back fat is 'hot' and they want to see more of me/it, it weirds me out. When some skeevy blog on Tumblr (male) follows me and amongst the porn photos there are women just like me who are simply sharing their outfit photos, it makes me angry. When someone on Twitter follows me who retweet nothing but photos of gaping wide vaginas it makes hit block quicker than you can say 'hand sanitiser'.

I'm not against people letting me know that they find me attractive so long as they don't make me feel like a piece of meat. I got a lovely email from a chap last week who told me my husband is a lucky man. Isn't that nice? It's flattering but it doesn't make me feel cheap. It comes down to there being ways of saying things. 'You're pretty' or 'You look really nice in that dress' are perfectly acceptable ways of letting someone know they please your eyeballs. You don't have to give the impression you're typing with one hand and your dick in the other to get the point across. I know 99.99% of you reading this will know how to act appropriately and would never dream of saying something to freak me (or anyone else) out, but nevertheless I've been avoiding doing this review in case some dozy bloke thinks I'm doing it for his benefit. Entitlement issues, yanno?

Body parts aren't necessarily sexual, and when someone chooses to sexualise my body it makes me uncomfortable. Even if I was buck naked, it doesn't give anyone the right to sexualise my body, unless I'm legs at a quarter to three with a carrot shoved where the sun don't shine and a 'come hither' look on my face. Lord knows how the younger and more physically appealing bloggers deal with it, because they must get this crap alll the time.

So yes, there are boobs in this post. If you think they're there for you, then they're most definitely not.

I have two bras by Goddess now, the Keira and the Kayla. I've chosen to review the Kayla as it's a bit prettier than the Keira. I bought the Goddess Kayla from Simply Be. It's £32 but I had a 20% off voucher. I consider it worth every pound.

It has lovely wide side straps which hold in side boob/side fat and give me a smoother silhouette.

It has wide straps which distribute the weight of my boobs and don't cut into my shoulders.

The top of the cups come quite high up on my chest, but because it's mesh, I think it looks quite sexy and I don't mind it peeking out of tops in the slightest.

It's comfortable to wear and makes my E cup boobs look grand, well supported and perky. (Damn, I should have done a sideways on photo.) When I got the first Goddess bra (this one) hubs asked me if I'd been professionally fitted as the fit was perfect. I hadn't, I just guessed. I'd been wearing DD cup bras forever, but the side of my boobs weren't encompassed by them so I knew I needed to go up a cup size. The difference not having bits of flesh spilling out all over has made such a difference to my silhouette. I'd been a bra cheapskate for all my life, but now I've made the plunge into proper bras, there's no going back. Because these bras are expensive I'm hand washing them as I want them to last a long time.

Oh, a note about the wires. They're thicker and sturdier than in any bra I've ever had. This bra is a proper bit of boobie engineering.

If you're like me and have been getting through cheap bras every few months, or have boobs on the back and the front and bits poking over the sides of your bra, I suggest moving over to the more expensive side. Go for a proper fitting, or try a bra from a catalogue so if it doesn't fit, you can send it back (just be sure not to take the tags off and to keep all the original packaging.) You could try a few sizes and send back the ones which don't work.

What's your favourite brand of bra?

Thanks for reading.

Organic Surge gentle cleanser rave review

Hello lovelies!

I've used this whole bottle of Organic Surge cleanser now so feel qualified to give it a balanced review. (Edit, does not exist as of 2016).

I bought this in the summer when there was a massive discount on selected Organic Surge products. I'd been keen to buy more products which are definitely not tested on animals (rather than a murky grey area as is the case with a lot of brands who won't fess up one way or the other - grrr!)

It smells....herbal? ...as you'd expect from an organic company. I would say the scent is mild rather than overbearing, and it grew on me as time went on (I was used to fake scents beforehand.) By the time I was halfway through the bottle I really enjoyed the scent, probably because I associated it with a lovely, gentle product which didn't dry out or inflame my sensitive skin at all. It's a quite runny white liquid which doesn't sting my sensitive eyes one bit. It's a massive plus point to be able to get make up off my eyes without ending up with stinging, red eyeballs. It does a wonderful job of cleaning away dirt and make up - even mascara (I don't wear waterproof mascara so can't speak about that) and leaves my skin glowing with health.

It's £5.99 for 200ml (correct at time of posting), has a flip top lid (so handy!) and I would definitely repurchase. 

Have you tried this, or anything else by Organic Surge? What do you cleanse with?

Cruelty free. 

Thanks for reading.

Benefit They're Real mascara review

Hiya!

I've been meaning to talk about this mascara for a while now.

Benefit They're Real mascara is apparently the UK's best selling mascara - but does it live up to the hype?

I got my sample sized 'They're Real' from a Latest in Beauty collection a couple of months ago and have been chewing over my thoughts on it since.

It has a silicon brush with a little spiky 'orb' on the end to enable you to get those little hairs in the corner of our eyes which otherwise get missed.

Benefit say:

They're real! is the UK's No.1 best-selling mascara!*

They're real! lengthens, curls, volumizes, lifts & separates. Our jet black, long-wearing formula won’t smudge or dry out. A specially designed brush reveals lashes you never knew you had!

My eyelashes are long, sparse and spindly with very little natural curl. Curling them makes virtually no difference at all, as seen in the photos below. If I'm to get any curl help at all, it's from mascara.

I applied three coats of They're Real mascara in all.

I didn't use a lash comb between coats so you can see how the mascara clumps. I really like the look of one coat of this mascara. I normally only wear one coat of mascara, two at a push if I'm going for a night out. Two coats as you can see above still looks quite good, and would be grand when gone through with a lash comb. Three coats and we're going into scary spider lashes territory with clumping from hell. I couldn't stand the look or feel of my lashes with three coats on. Having my eyelashes feel crispy and weighed down with product isn't at all enjoyable for me.

Now, to the removal. This mascara is renowned for it's lengthy wear and that means removal HELL! It isn't described as a waterproof mascara per se, but it removes like one. My normal eye makeup remover doesn't touch it. The only thing which removes it (without much eye rubbing and soreness) is micellar water. If you've never heard of micellar waters, they are cleansing solutions with tiny particles of oil in them which make make up removal a walk in the park. They aren't greasy at all and are safe for use all over the face, as well as the delicate eye area. They tend to be a little more expensive than normal make up removers, but they usually do a better job so fair 'nuff.

(In another post I have coming up in a couple of days I'm going to talk about the use of micellar waters to remove stubborn make up. I'll also be comparing a high end VS high street micellar, and showing you some photos of before and after removal.)

The verdict:

This mascara costs £19.50 from the Benefit website, department stores and other selected beauty websites. I think currently when you buy the full size mascara you get a free sample size (the same size I have.)

Would I repurchase? No. It's a good mascara, but in my opinion it isn't a great one. I hate the uber dry 'crispy' feeling my lashes have while wearing this, and having to use micellar water to remove it is a bit of a ball ache, too. Also, Benefit aren't cruelty free (they sell in China, where testing on animals is mandatory by law.) On the plus side, it doesn't make my terribly sensitive eyes sore.

I recently reviewed MUA's Extreme Curl mascara which is a much better fit for me, and it only costs £2 (it's also cruelty free.) I think it makes my lashes look longer and more separated than the Benefit one, (and it feels moisturising rather than drying) but here's a comparison photo so you can see for yourself.

Have you tried They're Real? If so, what do you think of it?

What's your favourite mascara?

Thanks for reading!

Sleek Acid eyeshadow palette swatches, review & EOTD

Hiya lovelies,

This week is Sleek MakeUP week on the blog as I collate 2 Sleek orders I've made and also a birthday gift from a friend and bring you swatches and reviews.

Lip4 lipstick palette in Mardi Gras.
i-Divine eyeshadow palette Ultra Matte v2 Darks.

Today I have the Sleek MakeUP Acid i-Divine eyeshadow palette to show you.

Please click on photos to see larger images.

The Acid palette is a couple of years old so has no shade names and the familiar old 'waffle' stamped in each pan.

The stand out shades for me are the 4 neons in the centre of the palette - the neon yellow, orange, pink and green, although the blues and grey are pretty lush too.

I was impressed with just how loud these shades are. They are actually a little brighter than they appear here as due to the hour of day, I had to use flash and it's subdued the brightness somewhat. Hubby said I looked like a funky peacock with this make up look. I used neon pink, green and yellow, and white just under my brows. The white is a little weedy but the other shades I used apply easily and blend well. This is a look I love and will be sure to repeat. Neons are SO right now so I'm really happy to be able to reflect that in my make up. I'm surprised just how wearable these shades are. It's another winner for me!

Do you like neons? Have you tried neon make up?

Thanks for reading!