Review of Elizabeth Arden Products from Dave Lackie

elizabetharden01Recently I was especially lucky to win some Elizabeth Arden products all the way from Dave Lackie in Canada. It’s always exciting to get post but more so when there is an airmail sticker on the front!

Inside my package my prizes consisted of a large pink makeup/toiletries bag and two lipsticks. The lipsticks were from the beautiful colour bold liquid lipstick range from Elizabeth Arden New York. I don’t own anything of this brand so I was excited to see the colours and test the items as well.

The bag was of excellent quality and a great size, it is ideal for weekends away where you need a number of toiletries. I like that it’s branded also, I didn’t own anything with Elizabeth Arden on until I won this competition. The bag is bright and is made to a high standard with an inner seem that runs along the base to ensure long lasting uses.

Both lipsticks I won were of a type I hadn’t tried previously, with a flocked tip applicator, which was soft and allowed for an even coverage when the lipstick was applied. Also the texture of this kind of liquid was soft and its colour was of high intensity (more so in the pink). The final look is more of a gloss than a lipstick, and I found that the staying power was greater than a matte kind. Another good thing about the sponge and the click (in order to apply the product), it gave out the perfect amount of liquid in order to coat the lips. I like how the shape of the applicator felt comfortable to use and the way in which the entire lipstick is shaped was complementary to its unique style. This range of Elizabeth Arden lipsticks also contain glycerin and emollients which moisturise the lips adding softness for a more comfortable wear.

lipstick-arden-sw lipstick-arden-2-swI prefer the more nude and brown shade of lipstick, the pinker shade just doesn’t go with my complexion sadly. However the brown compliments both the colour of my skin and lips, and enhances my natural look. See for yourself in my swatch and application on my lips below.

lipstick-swatch-swlipstick-swHere are the two swatches and lipstick shades next to one another, as you can see a complete contrast, one subtle and the other vibrant. They are soft but have great staying power, a lipstick that looks like a gloss.

arden-lipstick-swatches-swI want to thank Dave Lackie for holding such incredible competitions on both Twitter (where I won) and on his blog. If you wish to check them out for yourself the link is below http://davelackie.com/

Thank you for reading this short review today, thanks again Dave, and I wish all of you luck with any competitions that you enter in the future.

✩ Sabrina ✩

Gift Company ‘Memories’ Keepsake Box Review

keepsake-box-titleI am lucky enough to bring you a selection of items from Gift Company throughout October and November. This UK based family run company prides itself on providing unique and quality giftware, homeware and furniture.

After being contacted by Gift Company we arranged for several items for me to review, these are just some of a range of products available online at their website.

Each week I will be bringing you an item, photographed in detail, and then I will give you a variety of information about that product before giving my final review. This is the ideal time of year to start thinking of Christmas presents, so it’s a good idea to look for gifts you may not have seen before. And by purchasing from Gift Company you are also supporting a UK business.

Today I will be showing you this awesome white wooden ‘Memories’ keepsake box, which has a frame built into the lid, to make the present just as unique as the memories you would put inside it.

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An ideal size to hold a variety of trinkets, this box has two silver hinges and is made from sturdy lightweight wood. Because it’s white it can fit into a variety of different places in the home and won’t look out of place.

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The frame section in the lid is a good size, a heart shape where a 5×5″ photograph can be placed. It’s easily accessible from inside the box where three flat photo hinges support the heart shaped area. You can remove the shape in order to cut around the photo of your choice using it as a template before securing it all back into place.

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Another beautiful feature of this box is the three dimensional word ‘Memories’ on the front, and the writing underneath it which reads ‘the best thing about memories is making them’ in a silver font. There is also a three dimensional heart in silver also, that sits just below the writing.

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I feel that this box is an ideal size for the sorts of memories I would use to fill it. Tickets, Photographs, Memories of Days Out such as Maps and Guides, all fit comfortably within the box. As you can see in my next photograph, the space is more than adequate for 6×4″ photographs as well as a variety of different sized papers.

What Makes This A Great Gift

✩ Strong Hinges for durable use.
✩ The base has feet so it won’t slip when placed on flat surfaces.
✩ Easy to Customise with the frame in the lid and you could stick other three dimensional items or stickers to the wooden lid to make it more unique.
✩ An ideal gift for ages of teenagers through to adults, everyone needs something to keep their trinkets and keepsakes inside, this box is an excellent all rounded item.
✩ White colour fits into the majority of home decor without looking out of place.

To Be Aware Of

✩ The white painted surface might get dirty over time, but this can add to the look of the box, well used and filled with happy memories of days gone by.
✩ The writing on the box that I received wasn’t set straight, however this doesn’t matter to me because I’m going to customise the box, but if you’re a perfectionist it’s something to be aware of, all boxes won’t be exactly the same, but that adds to their charm in my opinion.

Dimensions and Product Information

Colour: White and Silver
Box Materials: Wooden with Metal Hinges
Closed Box: Length 24cm Depth 16cm Height 7cm
Inside Box: Length 22.4cm Depth 14.4cm Height (Deep) 4.5cm
Photo Area: 5×5 Photo in a Heart Shape
Product Made By: Flame Homeware

inside-keepsake-box-dimensionsI have already begun to place items into the box, it can be something used to cheer you up on a bad day, to look back at fun things you did and places you visited. And it makes you realise just how lucky you are to be able to put these things safely inside a box such as this…

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Final Review

My final review for this gift company item is 5/5. I have found the product to be made to a high standard, and care has been taken in its design to ensure a well thought out piece. As a gift it can be easily customised to ensure uniqueness and its sizes have been well determined for its uses. A good quality item that I am sure many people would like in their homes, or will know of someone who could benefit from having one to store their memories inside.
The keepsake box is also good value for money with a retail price often around £15-£20 but Gift Company sell their version for just £10, another reason to consider this as a gift this Christmas.

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Thank you for reading this review today, I hope that you have been inspired, and if you want to visit the Gift Company website to see this item or any others you will find the links below.

✩ Sabrina ✩

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Find Gift Company on a variety of Social Media by searching for ‘Gift Company’.
Memories Keepsake Box http://www.giftcompany.com/p/17480/Memories-Keepsake-Box

Chanel Perfume Samples Review

coco-and-tendre-swRecently I was sent some Chanel samples, and I was so impressed with both of these scents that I have decided to review them and explain what goes into making each of the fragrances.

The first sample was Chanel Chance ‘Eau Tendre’ and the second was Chanel ‘Coco Mademoiselle’.

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Chanel Chance ‘Eau Tendre’ is a floral and fruity perfume that features notes of Jasmine, White Musk and Grapefruit. The unique round bottle is what you would normally discover this fragrance in. This particular perfume is designed with happiness in mind and I loved its unusual and unique scent.
chanel-chance-eau-tendre-swChanel ‘Coco Mademoiselle’ is a more bold perfume designed for the confident woman. This scent features notes of Jasmine, Rose and Orange. An oriental and fresh smell that is meant to be worn by those who are strong and independent. The inspirations behind the fragrance stem from the personality of Gabrielle Chanel, and the vibrant and sensual notes of it make this perfume unique. I loved that it smells like nothing that I own already.

coco-1-swchanel-tendre-2-sw Both of these perfumes are rather different in taste but I enjoyed wearing both of them. I feel that the Chance Eau Tendre is more of a scent that I would wear for shopping and time spent with loved ones, where as I am more likely to wear Coco Mademoiselle on a ‘date’ night.

Over all I prefer the Eau Tendre scent on my skin, and I think it’s a wonderful gift for a woman who likes these notes in her perfumes. I hope to one day own a full sized version but until then I shall enjoy the 3ml bottle I was sent. Thank you Chanel!

img_3057Thank you for reading this review today, I hope you have enjoyed my opinion on these two scents. And remember that perfume smells different on everybody’s skin, so make sure you try before you buy by visiting your local perfume shop or cosmetics store. And don’t forget to #TakeYourChance on perfume to find one that suits you 🙂

Sabrina

Limited Edition Urban Decay Eyeshadow Vault Review

urban-decay-01I was extremely lucky recently when I won another bloggers competition where she was giving away a Limited Edition Urban Decay Eyeshadow Vault. I didn’t own anything like this so I was amazed at the quality and the amount that I received in this prize.

urbandecay-sw The vault was rather heavy when I unpacked it, and it was displayed in such a professional manner, with a sleeve covering the box. I was pleased to find inside 20 individual eyeshadow pots and the vault itself decorated in a unique way. The lid even stays up by itself! I will list the pots and names with colour variants later on in this post, but for now I want to review the box as a whole.

Inside this special vault there were 20 eyeshadow pots, each of these contain 1.5 grams of eyeshadow inside. 10 pots are Original shades and 10 are Moondust collection shades. As a whole this assortment of colours is a staggering ensemble of some of the best Urban Decay has to offer. Many are of a darker base tone but I prefer this look when creating eye makeup anyway.

It seems to me it’s well worth the money if you’re into high end makeup and want a set that will last you a long time. The quality in each of the pots is incredible, each professionally finished with the logo, and they are sturdy too, ideal if you wanted to keep them outside of the vault box.

urban-decay-03I won this incredible looking vault as a prize, which was a collaboration between Urban Decay and the blogger Michelle at her blog Thou Shalt Not Covet (link at the end of this post) but this Limited Edition vault is worth approximately £195!

I know you’re desperate to know what shades the eyeshadows are and what kinds too so I will now show you the 20 full sized pots and their names.

The first 10 pots are from the Urban Decay Original range of Eyeshadows, these are;

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Blackout – Black matte shade very dark
Lounge – Sea Green with hints of Purple
Mildew – Moss Green with hints of Gold shimmer
Mushroom – Grey matte shade with a hint of Purple shimmer
Rockstar – Purple base shimmer shade almost an Aubergine colour

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Last Call – a deep Pink / Purple shade in shimmer
Scratch – a stunning Rose Gold mix of pink and subtle Grey and Gold shades
Busted – a mixture of Brown and Purple shades and shimmer
Sellout – almost pale Pink, not dusky but not pink pink, and a hint of Gold shimmer
X – a lovely Peach colour with a hint of Gold shimmer

The next 10 pots consist of Glittery Eyeshadow from the Moondust collection, these shades are;

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Scorpio – Black base with a Gold sparkle
Zodiac – Black base with a Dark Green shade with hint of Blue
Vortex – Black base with hints of Green and Gold
Moonspoon – Dark Grey base with light Silver glitter
Shockwave – Deep Berry shade with Pinks and Purples with a hint of Blue

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Solstice – Deep Red base with hints of Pink and Green glitters
Space Cowboy – Peach with a light Silver glitter
Dark Force – Brown base and bright Gold glitters
Interstellar – Gold base with hints of subtle Pink glitters
Cosmic – Dusky Pink and White Glittery Shimmer

All of the shades are lovely, some are rather dark and others have a very pink orientated shading. I personally prefer the darker tones because I like to create smokey eyes. So many are grey or black based which is ideal for making this look, and with the variety of sparkles it easy to create stand out looks that last all day.

urbandecayswatchesMy two favourite shades out of this whole collection are Solstice and Rockstar (swatches above). I love how deep and vibrant these two colours are, one red based and one purple based.

swatch-02-swHere is an example of the size of the pots in my hand.

urban-decay-02These pots are great for taking away with you if you plan to wear one shade of eyeshadow for a weekend for example. The convenient sizes and shapes make for easy transportation in makeup bags, then you can store the whole vault together in the mean time. Though I now need to get a bigger makeup drawer after getting mine!

I have done a short video showing the size of the vault and the pots while giving my opinions, check it out on my YouTube channel here https://youtu.be/DOqJNeGN__Q

urbandecay2-swThank you so much for reading this review, I have been impressed by the quality of the Urban Decay Eyeshadows, and I want to thank Urban Decay and blogger Michelle for the opportunity I had to win this great prize. You can find the links to the websites below.

Urban Decay website http://www.urbandecay.co.uk/
Thou Shalt Not Covet blog http://thoushaltnotcovet.net/

Until next time, thanks for reading.

Sabrina

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Dorothy Perkins Summer Sale Haul – Review and Styling

dp-summer-sale-haul-swOn my most recent store visit to Dorothy Perkins I picked up a few items in the summer sale. Three bargain vest tops in three floral colours and designs. Two pairs of capri ultra soft jeggings, and a floral bomber jacket.

bomber-jacket-dorothy-perkins-sw(It had to be a changing room selfie because I was so pleased with my finds).

Bomber Jacket Styling; Capri Skinny Jeans in Peach to match the sleeves of the jacket, black vest with floral design to match the flowers on the jacket front. You can pair this with flats or sandals or a nice pair of summer shoes. The bomber jacket is a staple piece of fashion for your wardrobe and I wanted to invest in one while they were on trend. I adore floral patterns so this was perfect for me.

bomber-jacket-dp-swBomber Jacket styling; Black skinny jeans and a blue floral vest, a casual look to be worn with flats or trainers. This is ideal for a cooler summer evening and ideal for Autumn layering as well. The jacket is great to brighten up plain clothing if you’re after a feature piece. Bomber jackets are all the rage right now and many on the high street have a floral design, if you want to stay on trend I can recommend you buy one. They circle around in fashion as well, so try and get a good quality item that you can revisit in a few years time.

Reviews of all items purchased in the sale;
Floral Bomber Jacket / Floral Vest Tops / Skinny Capri Jeggings

Quality 4/5 – 5/5 – 4/5
Value for Money 4/5 – 5/5 – 5/5
Wash and Wear 4/5 – 5/5 – 4/5
Appearance 5/5 – 4/5 – 4/5

Overall the materials that Dorothy Perkins use wash and wear well, though I find that after a few wears the jeggings colour can fade a little. Being the top end of petite I can wear the capri jeggings and find they are not too short, which means I can still wear them in the winter with boots, which means I’m getting a year round use out of them. Something to consider if you’re tall and buying capri, you may only be able to wear them in warmer months.
The vest tops wear the best, they don’t adjust in size either which shows good manufacturing. They are soft against the skin and comfortable to wear too. Vests are great as statement tee’s and also great for layering as the cooler months set in.
The bomber jacket material is a little more delicate but it’s so stunning when worn that I don’t mind taking the extra care with it. It’s comfortable to wear and it’s an ideal length for my torso. I found the arm length to also be satisfactory and the jackets zip was good quality too.
The items I purchased in the sale were good value for money when reduced and I would definitely look again at the sales because I nearly always go home with some bargains like these.

Thank you very much for reading this review today. As most of you will know DP’s is my favourite high street store, so if you like reading these posts then look out for more fashion reviews coming soon.

Sabrina

Link to clothing on Dorothy Perkins site http://www.dorothyperkins.com/en/dpuk/category/clothing-203535/view-all-clothing-5952052/N-1zadZc1y?No=0&Nrpp=20&siteId=%2F12552&cat1=208600&cat2=3418033

Graduated Lobe Piercings – Styles and Jewellery

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Graduated Lobe Piercings

I made the decision many years ago to have more than one piercing in my ear lobes. And nowadays I’m rather glad because it’s on trend, and also grateful of the choice of jewellery that is available for me to wear.

Examples of the styles that I have come across more recently include a variety of shapes and also varying metals. I always prefer to purchase 925 sterling silver jewellery due to my sensitive skin, and that is what kind of jewellery will feature in my post today.

I will make a list of all the items shown within my blog post, so that if you wish to purchase any yourself you will find the links at the end of the page.

Graduated lobe piercings have been becoming more and more popular within the last five years or so. With both celebrities and regular people alike making the choice to adorn a variety of jewellery on their ears. Graduated piercings are now common on other parts of the ears now as well, such as cartilage.

So how do I wear mine? Well I normally take one particular symbol or style and wear it in all three of my piercings. I have more recently branched out into wearing various symbols all together, and I think this look can make you seem more individual, even pretty unique depending upon the jewellery, the possibilities for earring combinations are endless.

Styles and Jewellery

Any earrings can be included to make your lobes a graduated style, but usually they are earrings of the same type but in different sizes or metals. It can also be symbols that are similar and can be worn specifically in that combination, such as a space theme with a sun, moon and star, for example.

I don’t think you can go wrong with stars, and I wear them regularly. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like stars and I often get compliments about mine.

These cute ones in the image below range in size from 3mm, 4mm and 5mm. They are available on Amazon UK from Heather Needham Silver.

dsc00438procswThis seller also sells a set of a sun, moon and star, as well as just a star and moon. I like the pieces in my next picture because it means you can add a further earring of your choice if you have a third piercing, or that you can just wear the two stud types if you only have two piercings in your ears.

stars-and-moons-swMore earring stud styles available from this amazon uk seller include Hearts, Stars, Moons, Circles, Triangles, Round with Silver or Cubic Zirconia and other symbols and shapes (such as the feathers/leaves in my image below). You can see the full range by visiting the sellers amazon page (links at the end of the post).

lobe-jewellery-pic-swHere are some images of the earrings in my own ears to show sample sizes, I do have quite small ears, you can normally find specific sizes on the sites that you purchase jewellery from.

earrings-four-sw earrings-one-sw earrings-two-swAnother site that I have previously purchased earrings from is Cherry Diva. They have a variety of sterling silver items for sale. These arrow earrings are fabulous, unique and highly detailed, I like that these kind of earrings can make your ears seem unusual because of the shape and orientation. You can wear them at whatever angle you please to suit your lobe shape.

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When it comes to body jewellery and piercings I usually get my labret studs online from sites such as Body Jewellery Shop and Piercing Mania. You can see my recent review from the latter site by searching in my category for Jewellery or Piercings.

The final place I regularly buy my earrings from is Argos. They have a wide range of sterling silver products including ones that are coloured cubic zirconia and also plain shapes.

My Review of the items that I have purchased from Heather Needham jewellery via Amazon are;
Quality 4/5
Value for Money 4/5
Delivery 5/5
Appearance 4/5

I found the quality of the earrings to be very good and the prices I paid for the sterling silver was also very reasonable. I gave the delivery a score of 5 because the earrings all came in individual sets and boxed, with professional postage and packaging so as nothing could be damaged.

Overview

Thank you very much for reading this review, I hope I have given you some purchasing inspiration, and with a certain festive holiday creeping up on us, you may have seen something you could get as a gift for someone who has multiple ear piercings.

Until next time, I hope you have enjoyed this post. If you have any questions please feel free to leave me a comment. I shall leave you the links at the bottom of this page.

Sabrina

Links to Jewellery featured in this post

Stars Set of Earrings https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gift-Boxed-Sterling-Silver-Earrings/dp/B0089XHLLQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1475354132&sr=8-2&keywords=heather+needham+silver+stud+earrings
Ball Earrings Set https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gift-Boxed-Silver-Stud-Earrings/dp/B00ODVJNPK/ref=sr_1_21?ie=UTF8&qid=1475354397&sr=8-21&keywords=heather+needham+silver+stud+earrings
Cherry Diva Sterling Silver Earrings https://www.cherrydiva.co.uk/collections/bohemian-earrings/925-sterling-silver

October Treat Box Reveal

Happy 1st of October to each and every one of you! A new month means a new treatbox!

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It’s treatbox delivery day today and I am lucky to have received my box on the 1st of the month this time around, so you get my review even earlier, hurrah!

The nights are getting darker and colder, and I’m hoping there might be some tempting Autumnal related treats inside this box. The label reads handle with care so I am presuming there will be something breakable inside this time.

treatboxoctober1sw‘October Treatbox’ is designed to make you happy and make you smile this month. The French quote card in this box made me smile broadly because it is very appropriate for my month of October because I will be taking a trip to Paris in a few weeks time. It reads ‘beauty has no age’ when translated and is something I completely agree with. (Thank you Treatbox for testing my French language skills before my trip!)

treatboxoctober3-swSo what else are we expecting? The nights are drawing in and getting colder, so we need comfort and happy items, let us see what Zoe has planned for us. So let us open the box and reveal October’s contents…

treatboxoctober4-swtreatboxoctober6-swtreatboxoctober7-swtreatboxoctober5-swI have recorded the initial unboxing of the treatbox this month as well, and details of it will be available at the end of this post.

I’m very excited (as usual) to show you all what’s included so let’s get to the contents list and my more detailed photographs of Octobers box.

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The contents this month include, the French Quote card ‘La Beaute N’a Pas D’age’ translated to ‘Beauty has no age’, a Home Sweet Home plaque, A pretty Silver Bracelet by Lisa Angel, a pretty flower design Note Pad which reads ‘To Do List’, a Fabric Organiser with rope so you can hang it anywhere you please, October Calendar card, a ‘Don’t Forget’ Magnet, and a Bonny Marshmallow Melt (mine was Madagascan Vanilla).

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to-do-list-swMy favourite items in this months box are the Lisa Angel Heart Tassle Bracelet, the Notepad, the French Quote card and the Magnet, all these items are well made or useful and/or pretty. I especially like the uniqueness of the bracelet and the note pad is perfect for someone like myself who lives by lists and organising.

Here is the bracelet on my wrist, I love that it’s so easily adjustable, it’s simple and elegant, one of the nicest items in all the months that I have had treatbox so far.

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If you would like to order a TreatBox for yourself or for a gift then you can find Treatbox at their website https://treatboxuk.com/

The beauty of subscribing to TreatBox is that there are a range of subs to choose from, then each month your box gets sent to your door. Inside it could be a range of gifts from homeware to accessories, edible items and other useful things, as well as trinkets, jewellery and inspirational quotes too!

If you aren’t sure on whether to try a TreatBox for yourself or not I would say order a one off box, and then if you’re happy with it you can always subscribe afterwards. Check out my previous posts on the Treat Boxes I have received so far, in this unique category of my website called ‘Treatbox’ which is just for these reviews and reveals http://severnwishes.co.uk/category/treatbox/

treatboxoctober9-swI hope you have enjoyed the October Treatbox reveal, there may well be more of them in the future. If you do decide to subscribe to a Treatbox then please leave me a comment on one of my posts, I would love to know what you think of your own TreatBox when you get it.

You can also find my video reveals on my YouTube channel, you can watch as I open the box for the first time and discover all it’s contents. Click on this link to watch the unboxing https://youtu.be/J_iBE-QDNh4

Thanks for reading this review and reveal, and I hope you have a great month of October!

Sabrina

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