Outfit of the Night: Wedding Dance

On Saturday we went to our last wedding dance of the year and it was a fab night. It was a bit of a mad rush to get ready after a day full of sofa shopping (so exciting!) but I was quite happy how much rushed hair turned out. I bought my dress earlier this month and I love it. I wouldn't normally go for red but the lace, the shape, the length, it's all perfect.

Dress: Beige by Eci @ TK Maxx

Shoes: Quiz 

My makeup is very minimal mostly due to lack of time but because I felt the red was striking enough to not have to worry about wrestling with fake lashes and a smokey eye. I love Estee Lauder's Double Wear foundation for a full coverage base that lasts all night along with a few layers of Chanel Le Volum Mascara and a light glow from Benefit's Hoola Bronzer.  

What's your trusty hairstyle or makeup look?

Outfits of the Week: August #4

Monday

Top: Primark

Sleeveless Blazer: Cameo Rose @ New Look

Trousers: H and M

Necklace: Primark

Flip Flops: Primark

Tuesday

Cami: New Look

Cardigan: Primark

Skirt: Primark

Flip Flops: New Look

Wednesday

Dress: New Look

Cardigan: 915 @ New Look

Bracelets: Jomi & Pandora

Watch: Michael Kors

Shoes: Primark

Thursday

 Blouse: Primark

Vest Top: Forever 21

Trousers: H and M

Shoes: Primark

Friday

Tops: New Look

Jeans: River Island

Shoes: Primark

Necklace: Primark

Competition Wins: Slendertone, DaniDressRoom & Xen-Tan

Slendertone Abs Belt

Slendertone Twitter

Look Fantastic Beauty Box
Jessica From the Beauty Series' Twitter

Xen-Tan Dark Tan and Mitt
Gemma from Flutter and Sparkle's Twitter

 £25 iTunes Voucher
DriveBenfield Twitter

Allissia Black Multiway Dress

DanniDressRoom.co.uk Twitter

Have you won anything lately?

Next on my wishlist in some home stuff... or the lottery!

Too Early for Christmas? Gift Ideas for Guys

Now the summer appears to be over, I’m already looking ahead to Christmas. I love buying gifts for everybody, but I have to admit I often get stuck for gift ideas. Boyfriends can be the toughest to buy for. You don’t want to spend too much when the relationship is new. But if you’ve been together, you want the gift to be pretty special. Perhaps I should be getting something extra special to make up for the vacuum cleaner he got for his birthday (needs, must!)

I’ve decided to get ahead of the game. The sales are already starting, so I’ve put together a list of some things you might want to look out for. If you’re struggling for gift ideas, why not check out one of these top 9 gifts*:

Beer Chiller - The Chillsner seems to be one of the most popular gifts for him out there at the moment. This stick stays cold while you drink your beer to keep the drink at the optimum chilled temperature.  I love it as a handy gadget.

Mini Drone - You can now buy mini-drones that are great fun as a novelty gift. The Q4 is one of the most popular, and it will happily fly around your living room.

Magic - Is your significant other is always showing off his favourite card tricks at parties? Check out http://www.magicnevin.com/ to see if he can turn his hand to mastering something a little more tricky. You can find instructionals on mentalism as well as card tricks. It might give your boyfriend a few more tricks up his sleeve for the Christmas party.

Speaker - A Bluetooth speaker connected to his phone means he can have his tunes and still take a call from you while on the move. Pick a water-resistant one for days out or camping.

Smartwatch - Most smartwatches will connect to any smartphone, giving the ultimate hands-free experience. Prices are very reasonable at the budget end, around just £35. He’ll be impressed with his amazing girlfriend for getting such an awesome gadget.

Hi-Vis Footie - With the summer gone, the nights will draw in quickly again. Keep his passion for football alive with a high-vis ball. Easy to see in low light levels, and it’ll help keep him fit.

Bluetooth Virtual Keyboard - Is your fella determined to keep checking in with work emails past 6 pm? Why not get him a Bluetooth virtual keyboard? It connects to his smartphone so he can get those email replies done more quickly and accurately. Then he’s all yours again that much quicker.

Moody Lights - If you’re spending more and more time at his place, then a colour changing light bulb might be just the thing to set the right mood. They connect to a smartphone app, giving the user control over brightness and colour with a swipe of the screen.

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On-Demand TV Subscription - This is ideal if you’re looking for a way to get more time snuggled up on the sofa. Buy a month or a year at a time. You could even pop some romantic movies in the watch list! If you're feeling particularly generous it might mean a subscription to Sky Sports but at least you'd get a bit of piece and quiet.

There are plenty of great gifts to choose from this holiday season. Your guy will love any one of these. One or two might be fun for you too!

August Empties

EOS Strawberry Sorbet Lip Balm

This is the first of my American products that ran out this month and I was gutted to see it finish. I really did everything to get the last little bits. The EOS lip balms have been a bit of a fad for a while but they're actually a really good lip balm. It's good to see them becoming a bit more affordable and readily available in Britain. 

Artelac Rebalance Eye Drops

Getting contacts has come with a whole new territory of eye drops. Bausch and Lomb is a good brand when it comes to eye care so I felt safe using this to help add moisture and ensure my contact lenses are comfortable. I really liked these eye drops and from the same brand as my contact lenses I'm keen to buy this again.

Neutrogena Skin Clearing Blemish Concealer 

Another American product that's kicked the dust. While browsing CVS on my last day in Las Vegas I spotted this concealer that's got salicylic acid in it to help clear blemishes at the same time as covering them up. It's a shame this isn't easy or affordable to buy in the UK. I'd definitely buy it again if Neutrogena increase their range on this side of the Atlantic Ocean.

Soap and Glory Sit Tight Intense

This is a really random product and one that I bought as part of an offer in Boots a good few years ago. I'm sceptical when it comes to cellulite products so I didn't expect much from this serum. I was surprised to actually feel and see a difference! The tingling was something you could get addicted to and though you don't get long term results it's good to use the night before squeezing into a bikini. Unfortunately it's a bit pricey but I'd maybe buy it again on offer. 

Soft and Gentle Visibly Smooth Deodorant

A few months ago I won a bundle of Soft and Gentle deodorants and this was the first one I tried out. It's a good antiperspirant and the compressed size is good for taking it on the go but unfortunately I didn't like the scent of this one. As for the visibly smooth skin I didn't notice any difference but I wasn't really looking. I've already started using the 'Really Pure' version and it's a much nicer scent.

L'Oreal Gentle Eye Makeup Remover
A simple, affordable product that does exactly what it says on the tin. I'll be buying this eye makeup remover again. It worked for really stubborn mascaras like Benefit's They Real and it never irritated my eyes. What's not to like?

Tangle Teezer Blow-Styling Hairbrush Review

Tangle Teezer Blow-Styling

Full Paddle Brush

£15.99 (RRP. £20)

Since I got my original Tangle Teezer back in 2010 I've barely touched any other brushes. It's amazing for brushing out the knots in my hair. I use it in wet hair, dry hair and though it says not to I use it when I'm blowdrying and straightening my hair (thankfully it's never melted into my hair - it was a risk I was willing to take). The only problem with the original Tangle Teezer is it, and your hand, can get a bit hot when you're blowdrying simply because there's no handle to hold one. I battled on through until I discovered the Tangle Teezer Blow-Styling Paddle Brushes. Sorted!

Tangle Teezers are quite pricey in general, but I have to say my original 3 have been worth every penny. These blow-styling brushes are a little bit more expensive but it's well worth looking around because Hairtrade.com has them with quite a few pounds knocked off the price tag. The price tag certainly doesn't matter when it comes to the results...

The design of the new Blow-Styling brushes are completely different to the originals and without stating the obvious the newly added handle is the biggest difference. That's what makes this much more suitable for using with a hairdryer or straightener but it doesn't stop there. The teeth, or bristles, of the brush have been changed and adapted. They're super-special teeth which help to extract water from the hair shaft which results in quicker drying time. They also help to de-frizz your hair leaving you with a smoother, more voluminous and shiny do.

The change in teeth has meant it's not quite as pain-free as the original Tangle Teezer. In fact I tend to se my original Tangle Teezer when I first get out the shower to get rid of any knots then let the Blow-Styling Brush work it's magic. The first few times I had to be very careful, as the teeth are a lot sturdier and the brush is heavier and I found myself being hit in the head a bit from brush/teeth. 

As for the 'super-special powers' I was really impressed. My hair is definitely smoother after using this brush. My hair looks less frizzy and really quite straight. I reckon I could get away with leaving the straighteners behind. As for reducing the drying time, it's not a huge amount but every minute helps. This brush has been fantastic for getting the middle layer  of hair at the back of my head dry - the bit that always seems to get missed out.

So if you couldn't put down your Tangle Teezer, even if it meant oastie toastie finger tips, I'd highly recommend the Blow-Styling Hairbrushes. It's amazing what a good hair brush can do!

Finding Your Personal Style

Once you’ve found your personal style, you’re sorted for life. You’ll never have trouble shopping because you’ll know exactly what you’re looking for. You’ll never need to um and ah over a piece of clothing ever again! Your style will get you instantly recognised. People will be able to spot things you’d wear a mile off. Want to find your own personal style? Try some of these tips...*

Know What Suits You

Although you want to wear clothes that reflect your personality, you also need to know what suits you. Knowing what suits you is the key to always looking amazing! Make sure you know the shapes and colours you look best in, and make a note of the shapes and colours that don’t suit you at all.

Customise Things Yourself

If you customise things yourself, then you know it’s going to fit in with your own personal style. You can add sew on crystals, badges, studs...anything you feel will enhance the item and show off what you’re all about.  

Pick a Signature Style or Colour

Once you know what suits you, you can think about selecting a signature style or colour. This is something you can rock often and people will begin to associate it with you. For example, maybe you love bardot style tops, or the colour purple. Make it yours! Brand yourself by wearing these things.

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Create a Pinterest Board of Inspiration

I love to make Pinterest boards full of style inspiration. They help me when I go shopping; I know exactly what I’m looking for this way! Pick some of your favourite fashionistas and pin some of your favourite outfits of theirs, and then decide what the running theme is.

Describe Yourself/Style in 3 Words

How would you describe yourself? How would you describe your style? Think of around 3-5 words to describe it, and then look for clothes that fit this description when you go shopping. If you need help, ask a friend or family member to describe it for you. If the clothes don’t fit this description, then you probably shouldn’t buy them.

Get Rid of Everything You Don’t Wear and Work Out Why

Take a look in your wardrobe and analyse it carefully. Why didn’t some things work? Why? Perhaps you picked something you liked but it didn’t suit you. Maybe you went for something outside of your usual style because you spotted it on somebody else but hated it on yourself. Be honest and then you can avoid things like this happening in future. Maybe even try to come up with words your style definitely isn’t, and avoid clothes that fit that bill when you go shopping later on down the line.  

When you put these tips to the test, you’ll see how easy it is to find your own personal style. Once you’ve found it, you’ll find shopping so much easier and more enjoyable. Let me know how you found them and what you’d describe your style as!

Birthday Treat - Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies

I'm far from a baker, in fact I'm not even interested in The Great British Bake-off (shock horror). I just find the whole experience a bit stressful and something always goes wrong. With that being said it's my boyfriend's birthday today and I wanted to make it something because after all it's the thought that counts. I also had to make up for the fact that his main birthday present was a vacuum cleaner! 

I came across a red velvet cheesecake brownies recipe on Pinterest and had to give it a go. I didn't have the right size of time so ended up having to cook it for about 15minutes longer than the recipe states. My brownies don't look very red either so I'd suggest doubling or tripling the red food colouring. You learn from your mistakes though...

Ingredients

red velvet brownies

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing pan

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 Tablespoon red food coloring

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon white vinegar

2 eggs

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

cheesecake filling

1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened

3 Tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg yolk

Directions

Preheat the oven to 180ºC.

Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper and grease it with butter.

In a large bowl, combine the melted butter with the sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, food coloring and salt, stirring to combine. Then stir in the white vinegar.

Whisk together the eggs in a small bowl, and then stir them into the brownie batter. Fold in the flour, just until combined, then pour the batter into the prepared pan, reserving 1/4 cup of the batter for the topping.

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a handheld electric mixer), blend together the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and egg yolk until well combined. Spread the cream cheese mixture in an even layer over the brownie batter then top the cream cheese with dollops of the remaining brownie batter. Using a sharp knife or toothpick, swirl the cream cheese together with the dollops of brownie batter.

Bake the brownies for 30 minutes. Remove them from the oven and let them cool completely before lifting the parchment out of the pan then slicing and serving.

Delicious!