Lee Stafford Chopstick Styler Review

Today I am bringing you my review on the latest Lee Stafford Chopstick Styler. I have naturally curly hair, but it is not curly all over, more curly at the ends. I treated myself to this styler before Christmas when I saw it on sale, and thought I would give it a go.

As someone who adores having naturally curly hair, I’m always on the look out for products and tools to make my look better. With that being said, I can be quite lazy some days, and don’t do a lot with my hair, for anyone who has curly hair, you will know it needs a lot of maintaining. So I’ve decided that in 2017 that will all change, I don’t want to take my curls for granted, I want to look after them, and on ‘bad hair days’ I will style them appropriately.

I use all manner of curly haired products, and I have a wonderful Remington Pearl Wand Curler from around five years ago that I still absolutely love. But the curls I add with that tool just compliment my already unique curls, and I was looking for a bit of a change.

What do we get with the Lee Stafford Chopstick Styler? How easy is it to use? And, Is it worth the money?
First you need to ask yourself if the look you want, is what this tool will give you. Tight curls and defined spirals, and quite a bold look. When I did mine the first time I then took twenty minutes trying to tame them because it looked like I had had a perm, or a mild electric shock 😉
The great thing about this styler is its versatility, for both short and long hair, because the barrel is skinny and easy to manipulate through the hair. One thing to watch out for though, I found you needed to unravel the hair once you had placed the curl on the tong, it won’t just pop off once you let go. Be aware of how long you’re holding the hair in place. My thin hair only needed 5 seconds before I started to unravel it, and medium hair I would recommend no longer than between 7 and 10 seconds.
The chopstick heats up to 200’c which is salon temperature, but for me I would’ve liked a way to alter it. On previous stylers like my pearl wand, it has an adjustable heat, and I normally don’t use over 160’c for my hair type. Make sure you’re using a heat protective spray no matter what the temperature!
The barrel might be skinny, which allows for more defined curls, but that also means you have to separate more hair strands, use less per curl, and therefore it’s more time consuming to use this tool. Bear this in mind if you only have a short time window to get ready.
I was happy with the price that I paid, in a sale, under £18, but you have to ask yourself if you’ll be using this product or will it just be for parties a couple of times a year…
(Retail Price is often around £19.99).

Here is a photograph of me once I had curled my hair with the chopstick. I chose to take the first 4 strands either side of my head and pull them back out of my face, and have their defined curls falling at the back of my head. It took me around 50 minutes to curl all of the hair on my head.
I was happy with my look but not sure about how much length I lost doing such tight spirals. I think with practice and some teasing out of the more spiraled curls, it would look a little better. This styler is long so I was able to curl far up on my head without doing strands in two parts, this was a thumbs up moment for my long hair.

Facts about the Lee Stafford Chopstick Styler
Ceramic Coated with unique Rectangular Barrel
On and Off Switch with LED Light Indicator
(Almost) Instant Heat Up – Salon Heat to 200’c
Swivel Cord and Hanging Loop
Chopstick has a Cooling Tip and Safety Stand at base
(When Registered) 2 Year Guarantee with Lee Stafford Electricals

My Thoughts
I loved the skinniness of the barrel of this tong, for small defined curls
I liked that it was almost instantly ready for use
But I didn’t like that there is only one heat setting at 200’c
I really liked the length of the barrel, long enough to curl my long hair
I wasn’t keen on having to ravel and unravel every curl, very time consuming
What is great is the 2 year guarantee with Lee Stafford
What could be improved would be the colour, because not everyone likes pink
I would love to see changeable heat settings and a smoother barrel in the future

There are pro’s and con’s to this tool, and only with trying one will you know if it’s right for you or not. I am glad that I bought this styler and I will be using it in the future. It isn’t the best styler that I have purchased, however it will get used, I do like the looks that can be created, but practice is needed to perfect the best look for yourself.

Thank you for reading this review today, I know my thoughts won’t be the same as other peoples but that is the nature of a review, and honesty is the best policy.
I hope that if you have had any stylers over the Christmas holiday that you will be testing them and creating unique looks for yourselves.

If I have inspired you to get a Chopstick styler then you can find Lee Stafford products at most retail stores and larger supermarkets, or search the keywords to find the best prices online.

Sabrina

Tanya Burr Cosmetics 12 Days of Christmas Beauty Advent Calendar Unboxing Reveal

At the beginning of December I was lucky enough to win a 12 days of Christmas beauty advent calendar from Tanya Burr on Twitter.

The prize arrived on day 4 of the calendar windows, so I made the decision to wait until the weekend came around, and then I filmed my opening of the whole cosmetics calendar in one go.

If you would prefer to watch my video on YouTube rather than read and look at my photography, then you can follow this link here to the unboxing https://youtu.be/8FeK72dnSo8

I was very impressed with the style in which this particular calendar was presented. There was huge attention to details and I liked the little touches that have been added to make it feel more special, such as the glitter and the silhouettes. Even the cardboard was decorated throughout to give a Christmas feel, such as the backs of the windows. With each day you opened you felt as though you would be getting a little present. It was exciting to open, and I also tried to avoid looking at other peoples on social media so my surprises were not ruined because I had to catch up on my windows.

On the back of the box it has the list of contents of what was contained inside, without any important details. So I will be giving you the individual products names and colours and more information, so if you like the look of something you can go and get it yourself and know what it is that you’re after.

Without any more rabbiting on let’s get to the full list of items that were found inside this fabulous 12 days of beauty advent calendar.

Tanya Burr Cosmetics – 12 days of Christmas Beauty Advent Calendar – full list of contents

Day 1 Lipgloss – Candy Cane – Sparkly Pink
Day 2 Nail Files 1 turquoise and 1 pink
Day 3 Compact Mirror in pale turquoise
Day 4 Eyeshadow Shimmer Pot – Champagne Sparkle
Day 5 Lipgloss – Berry Pavlova – Berry Red
Day 6 Nail Polish – Glitters and Gold (Gold)
Day 7 Glitter Eye Liner – Silver – Ice Crystals
Day 8 Eyeshadow Shimmer Pot – Snow Day
Day 9 Matte Lip – Christmas Stocking – Christmas Red
Day 10 Glitter Eye Liner – Gold – Treasured
Day 11 Nail Polish – Sleigh Bells (Red)
Day 12 Nail Polish – Glitter Rain (Silver)

I hope you have enjoyed the reveal of this advent calendar, and if I use and am impressed with any of the products in the future then I shall do a follow up post.

Wishing all of you who celebrate it, a very Merry Christmas.

Thank you for supporting the Severn Wishes blog.

Sabrina

Cherry Diva Black Friday Purchases and Review

On Black Friday I decided to treat myself on the Cherry Diva website when they offered a special 50% off discount. I had already browsed before hand and knew roughly what I wanted to go for. For me, sterling silver is a must, because I have sensitive skin. So I searched the Cherry Diva website for all items under this heading and then made my final choices…

Something that always catches my eye are unique designs that don’t look anything like your regular high street jewellery brands. I always try and be an individual, I like to think my style evolves from my loves in life and not what I see the majority of people buy.

I absolutely love an unusual necklace, and this one stood out to me as I scrolled on the website. The details and the purple stone, were what won me over this order.

When my order arrived I was very happy with it. The products were delivered in purple organza bags which were the perfect touch to my choices. The delivery time was also excellent considering it was the black Friday weekend.

I’m a sucker for going for anything purple or blue because they are my favourite colours. Both of my choices this time around were to do with the stone of Amethyst. I decided on the ring and a necklace, because the ring was finally back in my size after I eyed it up in the Summer months.

My final Review for this Necklace and the order as a whole is;
Quality 5/5
Value for Money 5/5
Appearance 5/5
Comfort 5/5

Quality; This necklace is sterling silver, good quality and well made.
Value for Money; I had a discount code of 50% off, which made this necklace excellent value for money.
Appearance; Both unusual and unique looking, this necklace is now a firm favourite of mine. It’s design is eye catching and pretty.
Comfort; The necklace is an excellent length for my neck size, and I am very happy with how comfortable it is against the skin.

Overview
Thank you very much for reading this review, I have loved sharing it with you, when you find a good item it’s always good to shout about it, right?

I hope you have enjoyed this post, and I will put the website link at the end of the page for any of you who would like now to browse the Cherry Diva products.

Sabrina

Cherry Diva Website www.cherrydiva.co.uk
Necklace https://www.cherrydiva.co.uk/products/mystic-skies-necklace?variant=27037836233

Dorothy Perkins White French Slogan Jumper Review

Dorothy Perkins White Jumper with French Slogan

This stylish jumper is built for comfort and warmth. With a pretty slogan design that makes it on trend too. The white colour can be paired with a variety of outfits and it’s slightly larger fit so it’s easy to layer on the cold Winter days.

The French ‘toi Jolie Coeur’ translates to ‘your pretty heart’ which I think is totally adorable. It’s a soft material and I love the details of the stitching, the circle is an arrow in a neverending design, with xoxo and the French words in two different fonts, its an unusual design that I fell in love with when I saw it.

Styling this Jumper
Personally I live in skinny jeans, which work well with jumpers of all sorts. This particular one has nice long sleeves which I do prefer, and even if a jumper is a little baggy like this one appears on my shape, it’s better for layering in my opinion. I would wear this piece around the house with lazy clothing or for going out I would dress it up with bootcut jeans and high heeled boots.

Jumper Details
Materials are 100% Cotton Body and 100% Polyester Stitching
Colour is White with Black Stitched Details
Neck is Round
Machine Washable

My final Review for this Jumper is;
Quality 4/5
Value for Money 3/5
Appearance 4/5
Comfort 5/5

Quality; I found the quality of this jumper to be good, it’s soft and washed well. However my only issue is that it creases very easily while being worn. Something to be aware of if ironing isn’t something you have a lot of time for. Once effort is made with this piece though it’s a lovely addition to most peoples wardrobes. I love the thick cotton material because it’s both soft and durable.
Value for Money; I had a discount code sent by email for this on a special weekend event, so I got a percentage off the price. I felt that this discount made the jumper a more affordable price, without it though I will be honest, I probably wouldn’t have made the purchase.
Appearance; Both stylish and on trend, I think this jumper will be a staple in my wardrobe. I hope the condition of the jumper will remain through frequent washes.
Comfort; This item is both soft and comfortable to wear, and I find the fit a little bit large but that is how I prefer my jumpers so that I can layer underneath them. I chose the size above what I would choose for a t-shirt and the jumper fits perfectly around my shoulders and neckline.

Overview
Thank you very much for reading this review, I have thoroughly enjoyed sharing my thoughts about this new jumper with you all.
I really enjoy the clothing from Dorothy Perkins, I have so many purchases that I don’t even share with you, so if you enjoy reading about them please leave me a comment, and expect more reviews to come.

I hope you have enjoyed this post. If you have any questions about the item then please feel free to leave me a comment.
I would leave a link to the item but it seems to have been taken off the website now, I presume they have sold out! However there are so many jumper variations of similar shape available. I still recommend a look.

Sabrina

Dorothy Perkins
www.dorothyperkins.com

Sephora in Paris Purchases and Review

In October I went to Paris with my best friend who is a makeup artist. I took her advice on products as I went around Sephora with her on the Champ Elysees. I treated myself to several lovely items, some pencils, and a gorgeous makeup bag, as well as some makeup remover, all of which I am very happy with the quality of.

I sampled some great perfumes while I was at Sephora too. I placed the sticks into my bag, and it made all of my purchases smell gorgeous!

I was very lucky as well that when I mentioned I was a blogger while paying, I was also given some samples from Nuxe to test. Once thoroughly tested I will be doing a separate blog post on them.

The makeup bag/pouch was €12.95 and has a very attractive Paris skyline design. It’s a good size too, and I use it to store my eye makeup.

Here are the sample swatches of the pencils that I bought (top to bottom).
Sephora crayon contour eye pencil no26 ‘suede shoes’ (navy blue) 12 hour wear, waterproof at €7.95
Sephora crayon contour eye pencil no33 ‘love affair’ (purple/brown) 12 hour wear, waterproof at €7.95
Sephora crayon yeux mini eye pencil to go no8 (dark grey) at €4.95

The pencils are excellent quality and are easy to apply due to the crayon texture. I’m very pleased that I got them, and I used them for my Halloween makeup this year.

I thoroughly enjoyed my shopping experience and the products I bought from Sephora.

I hope you have enjoyed this beauty post, thank you reading today.
I would really recommend a walk into Sephora if you find yourself in Paris, it’s an incredible store filled with great products and incredible brands too.

Sabrina

December Treat Box Reveal

tbdec17resswHappy December Everyone!
Or Should that be Merry Christmas too! 😉

tbdec16resswI hope this final treat box reveal of 2016 finds all of you well and getting into a festive mood! If not then I’m sure this box is guaranteed to lift your spirits and bring out some Christmas cheer!

Before revealing its full contents I just wanted to thank everyone who has supported my treat box blog posts this year, and I hope you will continue to join me into 2017.

tbdec14resswSo its time to reveal the December Treatbox! It’s a Christmas related box, so I am expecting something to decorate, something edible perhaps, and of course the usual charming and unique items that Zoe manages to find and send out to us.

tbdec10resswtbdec09swHere is the full list of items you will find in the December treatbox and my variations from my particular box.

‘Have yourself a Merry Christmas’ Quote Card
Tree Decoration – mine is a Polar Bear

December Calendar Card
Chocolates for Christmas – mine were a Santa and a Snowman
Christmas Socks – mine are Santa faces
Fairy Lights – battery powered
Sheet of Christmas Stickers
Bonny Marshmallow Melts – mine is Winter Berry

tbdec02resswHere are some more detailed photographs of all this months items as listed above.

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This box has been very well thought out, with a little bit of everything inside. I like that we have something to ‘drink’ and something to ‘eat’. We have the lights to look at and enjoy visually and of course we have the stickers that can be used to give other people joy, by adding them into cards and on to presents.

We also have the tree decoration which can be hung anywhere not just on the Christmas tree. A lovely pair of festive socks to wear. And finally we have the calendar so we can count down the days to Christmas!

tbdec13resswMy favourite items in this months box are the fairy lights (you can never have enough), the chocolates and the socks (it wouldn’t be Christmas without new socks and especially ones with festive faces!).

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If you would like to order a TreatBox for yourself or for a gift for someone this Christmas then you can find Treatbox subscriptions and build a one of box at their website https://treatboxuk.com/

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 especially for these box reviews and reveals http://severnwishes.co.uk/category/treatbox/

tbdec15resswI hope you have enjoyed this December 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, I would love to know what you think of your own TreatBox when you get it.

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You can also find my video reveals on my YouTube channel, you can watch as I open the box for the very first time and discover all of it’s Christmassy contents. Click on this link to watch the unboxing https://youtu.be/T9O5zr3pdmM

Thanks for reading my post today, I hope you’ve enjoyed the reveal. I would like to wish you a very Happy Christmas and New Year!

Sabrina

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