...And relax!

Hey guys!

First of all I want to say thank you so much for the overwhelming support I received after posting my last post about my smile issues. It was a difficult post for me to write and the responses I received on my blog, Twitter etc have been really touching. 

Secondly, without getting too much into it, I've been having a super stressful time recently with my day job. Everybody has their ups and downs but sometimes things can really get to me, particularly when although I DO enjoy my job part of me feels like it's not what I truly want to be doing. 

Going back to my first post though, Setting Goals and sticking to them, I shan't let it get me down and will keep onwards and upwards to living the dream which means that once in the while I need a bit of "me" time.

So when Jess over at Dungarees & Donuts tweeted to say I had won her Pampering giveaway I was over the moon! I was so excited to receive my surprise package (which Royal Mail decided to hold to ransom the meanies!) and have to say, it couldn't have arrived at a better time. 

My Prizes!

Wow! What a haul. Jess really outdid herself with this giveaway. First things first, was a Lush Bathbomb which was Think Pink. 

I LOVE Lush and am obsessed with their bathbombs. Mr Candy recently redid our bathroom which meant I couldn't have a good soak for ages and this will definitely be enjoyed. 

Think Pink is scented with Tonka and Vanilla. I'd like to say I know what Tonka truly is but all I can say is it smells nice.

Also included was a Shower Smoothie from Radox in Soul Soother. There's a reason it instructs people not to drink it, it smells AMA-ZING. Like berry yoghurts and yummy cranberries and blackberries. Mr Candy has already been caught sniffing this and asking when I'm going to use it again hehe :) Also a gorgeous body puff (I love these things) to make the most of all the foamy goodness.

At this time of year my hands have a tendency to get really sore and dry and I was super chuffed to find a bottle (and a big one at that!) of Possibility Amber & Lavender hand and nail cream. 

This smells really good and I'm normally a big fan of Lavender but this isn't too "old ladyish". The amber balances it brilliantly. This will be popped in my bag to keep me going throughout the cold months!

For a really chillaxed time there are three facemasks which I'm really looking forward to using in chocolate, vanilla mousse and Dead Sea clay and a gorgeous scented candle which, I cannot for the life of me tell you what it smells like, but will go very well with some calming time in the tub. 

Our bathroom has sparkle paint on the ceiling and rainbow sparkle tiles on the floor and kicks out the most amazing patterns in candlelight. SO excited!

Some of these products I've never used before so I shall be indulging and reporting back tout suite!

Thank you SO much to Jess. It was SUCH a welcome surprise to win and your blog is fantastic to read as well :)

Also, not related to Jess' giveaway but I was actually lucky enough to win one of Barry M's new Smokin' Hot Palettes on a Twitter giveaway. I was really pleased because I'd been reading reviews on other beauty blogs and saying I must check it out. Available now at Boots and Superdrug!

Barry M Smokin' Hot Palette

I'm going on a night out next week and will give the smokey eye look a go with this and perhaps a Get Ready With Me video if you fancy it!

My Biggest Ever Beauty Purchase Tag

Hey guys!

So I thought today I'd mix it up a bit. I'm still trying to play catch up with my posts from when I went away. Later today I'm going to be doing my September favourites but whilst at lunch, and thinking about how I've been married nearly a year (!) now, I started to think of tag ideas.

We all have a purchase in our midst that was big. Even if you are a High Street lover you've got one bit in your toolkit that cost a bit more than most. So I've set up this tag for you all to write a bit about that purchase, what difference it made to your life, was it worth it and anything else you'd like to add.

My biggest ever beauty purchase was HUGE. It's not make up either but it was utterly and totally life changing for me and, despite the cost, was one of the best things I've ever done.

Paris Haul!!!

http://youtu.be/7qEgNfEoXmM

Pack With Me! Paris

So Mr Candy and I are off to Paris on Friday! Take a look at what I'm bringing with me!

Check Out My Readers' Survey!

Hey guys!

So, I've been running the blog now for a few weeks. The comments and support I've had in this time has been AMAZING and I cannot believe how far it's come in such a short space of time.

I've made no secret this is something I love doing and something I really want to take to the next level but I need your help to do this!

I've put together a quick, ten question, reader survey to get your honest feedback about the site and what I've been posting. Let me know what you think and I can then make it more relevant to your interests and your likes!

Thanks SO much and I'll post tonight!

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey , the world's leading questionnaire tool.

Monday Pause - Itty, bitty AW13 Haul

I always promised myself I wouldn't do a haul post... I thought, as much as I enjoy reading other people's hauls, it wasn't for me.

After a couple of weekends stuck at home, when Mr Candy said his friend was coming over to watch boxing I thought "Bugger it!" and headed into town.

I thought, whilst I was there, I might as well come back with something useful for Autumn/Winter 2013. For the first stop I made was to Primark...

Friday Favourites

It's FRIDAY! Thank goodness. Just another four hours till I am free and the weekend is all mine! I've been thinking over the last couple of days about blog posts and then, whilst rooting around in my bag, I'm always carrying something that could be of interest.

So plucked from the depths of my (very messy) Superdry bag are two items I've been carrying about for a while.

The first item I've been looking at is the Body Shop's Hemp Lip Conditioner. Their hemp range whilst amuses the teenager "That has a big weed leaf on it" side of me is actually designed for those with really dry skin.

Body Shop Hemp Lip Conditioner - £4

Body Shop Hemp Lip Conditioner - £4 - In its full glory!

This came as part of a set with one of their body butters (very moisturising but stinks), a massive tube of hand cream (I've barely made a dent into into entire 10 months I have owned it) and also a foot cream (which is actually very good, albeit in a teeny weeny pot that barely would cover my feet!).

First impressions are that it looks like any other lip balm; it's brown, green and grey and could easily be any number of lip balms. It also has a hemp leaf on it which makes me look slightly suspicious when bringing it out in public.

Scent wise, there is a vague smell there. Although I'm not keen on the scent on any of these products they do smell more like rope than anything illegal which is a bonus! Application is pretty standard and goes on well but, as it's for VERY dry skin I find it really greasy.

I've always struggled wearing lip balms. Like lip-gloss I feel like they just "sit" on my lips and don't do anything. This one is no different. I feel like I have rubbed olive oil or butter into my lips. They may be hydrated but I feel like I could fry an egg on them!

As this was part of a set I probably wouldn't have picked this up myself. I do suffer a bit with dry, flaky lips but I don't think my skin is anywhere dry enough for this to be functional. My two favourite lip balms at present are Carmex (Menthol or Cherry - £2.69 from Boots) and Soap & Glory’s Smooch Operator (Coconut and Mint! - £5 from Boots)

The cost of the set was £22 at the time and looking at the site now a similar set is available for £16 but without this lip balm... in fact I don't even think they sell it now. This probably makes this entire piece redundant but I'm sure that it's still sold somewhere in the world and in the stores :) The lip balm itself was £4.

The second item I’ve been dragging around with myself for a long time is Avon Cosmetics Far Away Bella. I’ve got this in a big bottle (still wrapped actually!), this travel size and also a body cream (again, unopened).

The other items haven’t been opened, not because I don’t like it, but actually because this travel size is lasting SO long. I use it almost every day as my “work” perfume and find that a couple of squirts throughout the day will suffice.

Avon's Far Away Bella - Eau Du Parfum - Travel Size - 100ml £13

Avon describes it on their website as “A free-spirited adventure awaits, with juicy Clementine from Italy and blooming magnolia flower from China, finished with intriguing Tonka bean from Brazil.”

Now, I don’t know much about perfume, but I know what I like. I love that it’s really floral and fruity without being to mature for me. The cost of it wasn't very expensive, just £8 for all three items but considering this I have been really impressed. In fact it’s only £6.50 now which makes it even better!

It’s a very summery scent so I’m not sure how well it will transition with me into the autumn season but in terms of being handy it’s great. I always get complimented on it and I love the ease of the size of the bottle. Even if I haven’t got as big a bag with me I can slot it into my sunglasses case and be on my way.

Downsides? I guess as a cheaper perfume the scent doesn’t last as long as something more high-end. I am a massive perfume fiend and have so many bottles on the go all at once however I like to keep some (Dior Addict and Miss Dior are my two favourites) for special occasions. However with the £8 price tag in mind and the fact when I order anything I’m helping a local self employed person always leaves me feeling happy!

Till Next Time,

FluffyCandy

Xx

Collection Wednesday - What's In My Drawers?

Despite the title this honestly isn't a post about my underwear!

The one thing I've noticed from speaking to other bloggers and reading other sites is that the main drawback of beauty and fashion blogging is the cost.

KACHING!

Every week new products are launched, new styles become on trend, the latest gadget comes out (Case in point yesterday Apple released the iPhone 5S and 5C. Do I need it? No. Do I want one? Of course!)

Despite being a real life grown up now, with a job, a mortgage and some money to spend I, like many others, cannot justify spending loads of money each week and it got me thinking.

How many things, in my make-up collection and wardrobe, were potentially overlooked when they came out?

What is Collection Wednesday?

So this is where Collection Wednesday begins. Every Wednesday I'll delve into my collection for things that float my boat, question why I ever purchased them or are just a little bit ...mehhhhhh, I like it but I don't love it!

Of course if get a new release or anything new I will no doubt shout about it but let us give a bit of loving for the old friends we currently own that are still there after the launch dies down.

This week's stars are...

Pores No More.... more cement than miracle cure

Dr Brandt's - Pores No More - Pore Refiner with Hint Of Tine - £33.15

I wanted to like this so much. I got given a tube by my hairdresser/wedding make up artist and she swore by it. The colour wasn't quite right and although the coverage was amazing initally it looked like someone has taken a trowel and slapped it on. 

The worst bit is when I had a bit of a tan and thought I'd pull it for another go I pumped it on the back of my hand and it just clumped and went an almost, peely skin consistency (see image below!)

Dr Brandt had dried right up :(

For £33.15 I wasn't expecting miracles but DO NOT LIKE.
HOWEVER this is just my personal opinion and lots of people I know love the stuff. The Pore Vacuum is really good as well. Available at FeelUnique.com

I LIKE it but I don't LOVE it

Urban Decay Primer Potion - £15

I remember when this primer was first released and it was AMAZING, every blogger swore by it and every vlogger used it in their how to's. Now I don't hate it but I just don't think it's the best. For £15 I had the original bottle and there is still quite a bit left, this is due to a couple of design flaws and thus why the packaging changed. Added to the fact the packing peels off everywhere and gets all over your face. Personally I find it useful but no more useful than using a concealer or a MAC paint pot. More often than not as well a lot of the shadows I use don't need a base (I like vivids! What can I say? :))
Available at Debenhams


Best eyeshadow pencils I have ever used!

Urban Decay - 24/7 Shadow Pencils - £12.60

I love vivid colours. It's probably why I don't wear make-up to work, I can't get away with neon pink eyeshadow in a Thursday morning meeting! These pencils are amazing and no matter what look I go for these are brought out again and again.

I bought one originally for Bestival a few years ago where I was rocking a Katy Perry costume and I picked up Clash which is a vibrant blue glitter reminiscent of felt tipping the sea in a picture when you were a kid. This stuff would not budge, which at a festival was amazing. I could wander along my merry way and not worry. 

Swatched Urban Decay 24/7 Shadow Pencils
(L-R - Narc, Mercury and Clash. With Flash)

Swatched Urban Decay 24/7 Shadow Pencils
(L-R - Narc, Mercury and Clash. Without Flash)

Shortly after I purchased Narc (a metallic khaki green with glitter) and Mercury (Metallic silver with grey tones) and they are so versatile. They can be worn on their own or provide enough base for any number of dramatic looks by working other colours into the crease and brow bone. I know when I put them on as well I don't need to worry about fall out either.

Only downsides are that they are so hard to shift you'll have trouble shifting without waterproof make-up remover and a wire brush, there are too many for me to buy all of them and also putting eyeliner on top can be quite tricky as well. Apart from that ,along with MAC shadows these are in my top 5. They are available at Debenhams.

Till Next Time
FluffyCandy
Xx

My "I got over 100 Twitter Followers" MAC Eyeshadow Giveaway

Yay! Giveaway time. I wanted to do this when I hit 100 but since I hit it I've had even more!

The premise is simple, I'm doing well and I want to share the love so in honour of my first 100 (ish) Twitter Followers I am giving one lucky reader the chance to win a MAC eyeshadow of their choice.

The competition launches today and ends on the 30th September where one winner will be selected to win the eyeshadow of their dreams.

Maybe you fancy a pot of Tilt? Or if duochrome is not your thing maybe a little bit of Shroom? Whatever your colour preferences as long as it's in the permanent collection then you can win it!

Just follow the instructions below and get yourself in with a chance. The winner will be announced on the 1st October on my Twitter and this blog page.

GOOD LUCK!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Style Icon - Gwen Stefani

We all have one person who we idolise. Over the years I have loved many a celebrity and tried to emulate them through the way they dress, their make-up, even down to what they eat and drink.

However there is one celebrity who I have been, for want of a better word obsessed about from the age of about 12. She embodies so much from being a polite and respectable woman, a rocking musician holding her own in a genre dominated by guitar based groups of men, a style icon and an advocate of fashion and beauty. 

That woman is Gwen Stefani.

Starting off with a little band called No Doubt, from the 80s onward Gwen has always had her own style, her own presence and her own signature look. Everybody recognises her famous platinum blonde locks and bright red lips. 

In the early 2000s Gwen even launched her own solo music career and not one, but two fashion lines, L.A.M.B and Harajuku Lovers.

L.A.M.B was what you would consider "high-end" and retailed in places like Harvey Nichols in the UK and Nordstrom in the US. I literally would get my student loan, go out and blow £150 on a hoodie I loved her so much. Harajuku Lovers was a little bit cheaper and a little bit cuter. Sometimes, if you're lucky some turns up in TK Maxx on occasion and I've grabbed myself a couple of tees and hoodies along the way. 

Gwen performing at Wembley Arena on her Sweet Escape Tour 

GET THE LOOK

Gwen's famous red lipstick has many "dupes" and I've tried them all. MAC's Russian Red, Urban Decay's Tart Lip Gunk (sadly discontinued) however the one lipstick always sited as being her favourite is L'Oreal's Color Riche in True Red - £4.95 In fact, Gwen even was the face of L'Oreal for a while. 

 








Lamb Women's Bindi Special Occasion Heels - £63-£233.47 - 
Gwen even branched out into footwear. Click the shoe above to see some of the styles available.

   
L.A.M.B Perfume - 50mls - £12.14 - I wear this pretty much as my everday scent. It's a lovely mix of floral tones, including Sweet Pea and is really fresh and spring-like. 

If you want to take a listen to where all this started from pick up one of No Doubt's Albums and see for yourself the enigma that is Gwen Stefani!

Till Next Time 

FluffyCandy

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The Weirdest Candles I've Ever Seen

It's a bit hectic here tonight and short of not posting I thought I'd share with you quite possibly the strangest thing I have ever seen.

I love candles. Yankee candles, Party Lite, and any number is smells. My personal preference is spicy candles and sweet candles. In particular I love anything vanilla-y. 

So Mr Candy and I were in Newcastle/Gateshead and going around the Metro Centre. There's so many fantastic shops and loads of candle places too. 

One shop we went into sold watches and when we were in here I spotted a HUGE display and had to go look. 

There were the usual floral, beachy and even Christmas ones then I found the MAN section. 

And these are what I found

Man Town! It stunk like cheap cologne and eww. If this is your kind of thing you can pick it up here. Yankee Candle Man Town - £18.25

It was next to "2x4" which smelt like erm, wood. 

Yankee Candle 2x4 - £14.95

There were some less innocuous ones but this was the, terrible smelling, clincher which has made me question candles ever since. 

Yeah I'm just going to leave this one here... however if you're interested in purchasing it Yankee Candle Schnitzel with Noodles Limited Edition Large Jar - £19.25

Till Next Time

FluffyCandy

X

The Skincare Tag

So I'm a few days into blogging and in this short, but sweet, amount of time so far I've seen some great beauty blogs out there.

I've been avidly reading, getting tips and feeling my way round and after seeing Gracie Darling's Little Owl Beauty blog I spotted she had a skincare tag. 

Now as an avid YouTube watcher I've always wanted to do a tag! There are so many to pick from; The Boyfriend Tag, The Rainbow Tag but, this being mainly about beauty and all, I thought why not start at the very beginning of beauty with skincare!

So, feel free to pick up the tag yourself and enjoy reading my answers. I'm always looking out for new tips and tricks so leave a comment below!

Describe your skincare routine in five words..

Varied, simple, legacied, hopeful and lax  

What's your skin type?

I've had several different counters give me several different versions. Some say oily, some say dry and some say combination. 

If I were to draw you a map I would say relatively normal with a nose and chin that suffer from blackeads. In addition my friend says I have "The weirdest shaped pores I've ever seen" I usually whack a pore strip on though to get rid of these. Biore Pore Strips - £7.50  

What's your favourite skincare product?

Not necessarily a product as such but nothing makes my skin better than a damned good holiday. Getting away from it all, the pollution, the stress, add in a sunny climate, swimming in the sea and a better diet and I remain spot free. Failing that I can never go wrong with Clinique's 7-Day Scrub - £18.50. It's pricey but I really love the smell and the granules feel so good on tired skin.

Top blemish zapper? 

My mum, when I was a teenager, said don't waste your time on spot zappers and miracle creams and would get me to dab perfume (Yes! PERFUME) onto my spots. Till this day I still do, I think the alcohol in the perfume soaks up the gunk or something but that and a good face steam always seems to do the trick for me! I'm probably giving super bad advice right now!

Face wipes, yay or nay? 

I love face wipes. I have hoards of them and whilst they will never replace cleansing, toning and moisturising. Sometimes though my skin gets a bit aggravated with the fussing and they do the trick. Ideal for removing a heavy night out's make up though.

Toner, yay or nay? 

Toner is great. I tend to use Clinique's 3 Step - (Varied Prices) (in 2) and the toner, as much as I hate it, really reveals all the gunk and dirt on my face. It's half fascinating to use and half horrifying!

High end skincare or high end makeup?

High end make up. Skin is pretty resilient and I like to think that in all the time us humans have been about we've found one way or another to look after our skin. Whether it's through diet, good hygiene, even things like banana and oatmeal face masks it's pretty easy to even out. Just look at Lush Cosmetics, they've built their entire business around using things in nature to care for your skin and body.

Creating colours and textures of what you then put on your canvas (I mean face!) is a little more scientific and if you are going to put it on, it may as well be very good quality!

What's the most unusual skincare product you've tried?

Well apart from the perfume I mentioned previously, probably any of Lush's products. There are things in them like kaoline, chocolate and vodka! Ocean Salt which I mentioned in my August favourites smells like margaritas. I know of some people who've had Vampire Facials, Bull Semen and all sort of weird stuff put on their faces but unless they are some sort of miracle cure (or free :)) then I'll stick to my slightly middle of the road stuff!

You're in a French pharmacy and can only pick one item - what is it?

This is the question that realllly intrigued me about this skin tag. I'm a bit of a Francophile, in fact I'm off for a weekend in Paris in 2 weeks (EXCITED!) and I've been thinking about what I want to pick up whilst I'm over there.

I've heard great things about the facial sprays but. at the same time, we probably need those maybe two weeks out of fifty two here... so one thing I've heard good things about is Cattier Masque L'Argile Rose - £4.40 which I'll try and give a whirl whilst I'm over there.  

Tell us your top skincare tip.

I would normally say drink loads of water, as this is what we are all nagged to do but instead I would suggest don't fuss too much with your skin. It's good to try out new things and improve trouble areas but if you chop and change too much your skin will end up not knowing what's hitting it and so will your purse. In addition remember what works now or doesn't work may change over time. In the last couple of years my skin has changed so drastically products that were once my Holy Grails I can no longer use, whereas stuff that brought me out in a rash is now a staple!

Thanks so much for reading and I tag you! Let me know if you do the tag as I'd love to see your answers!

August 2013 Favourites

So September is upon us again. The days draw shorter and it gets a bit colder and we start thinking about what we've done this year so far... or in the world of beauty blogs we think about what we have loved this month. This is my first ever favourites post and I've thought about what products I should include. I've tried to give a good selection of which I've been using over the month of August, plus one extra non make-up item. I would love to hear what your thoughts are on the things I've picked, any recommendations of things you think I might like or perhaps you've not enjoyed them. Please leave me a comment and blog url. I'd love to hear from you

Lush's Ocean Salt Facial Scrub - £7.25 for 100g

I love Lush. In fact the first time I became aware of a lot of the blogosphere was when I became obsessed with Lush hauls on YouTube. I have tried many of their cleansers but always end up coming back to Ocean Salt time and again.

I can't use it all the time because with the salt it's obviously quite drying. I suffer from quite a stubborn blackheady nose and this just gives me the extra push that clears them up. I guess it's kind of in the same way that your skin clears up whenever you go on holiday. It can be picked up from www.lush.co.uk

Essie - Bikini So Teeny - £7.50

Essie - Bikini So Teeny painted on

Please excuse a) my horrific lighting set-up and b) the state of my nail/painting. I've only recently got into doing my nails and, again, I've only just discovered Essie. But oh my goodness, Essie (along with OPI) is hands down one of my favourite nail brands. For cackhanded fools like myself this goes on beautifully and this shade, Bikini So Teeny, is the perfect pastel lilac for Summer into Autumn. 

In particular I've been layering with OPI's Anniversary to give this wonderful shimmery colour. You can pick them both up from Amazon from the links below. 

Essie - Bikini So Teeny  - £7.50

OPI Happy Anniversary Nail Polish - - £7.89

Avon Super Extend Eyeliner - Black - £4

Avon Super Extend Eyeliner - Felt Tip

Avon Super Extend Eyeliner - Swatched in thin and thick

Ahhh Avon! Ding dong and all that stuff. I actually tried to sell Avon earlier this year and I was pretty good at it. My current job is in sales and marketing so it was quite natural for me to pick up a bit of extra cash and a bit of extra make-up. However in the end it just ended up taking up too much of my time and the thought of roaming around the streets picking up soggy catalogues did not appeal so I stopped. However it did leave me with a legacy of some good products.

Case in point is their Super Extend eyeliner. It's a felt tip eyeliner which has a couple of different thicknesses possible dependant on how you use them. I've worn this a lot as my kohls have been melting recently and sometimes full on liquid eyeliner can be too much.

Best thing as well, it's on sale now and is only £4! Check it out at the Avon Shop by clicking here 

LipCote - £3.50

Many people's mums teach them how to use make-up. My mum never did this. She only wore lipstick, mascara and her eyebrow pencil. The one thing she ALWAYS wore was Lipcote. This has recently had a bit of a revival and a strong marketing campaign and too right. This stuff is amazing. It goes with me everywhere.

My lipsticks are bold and my routine is simple, apply, blot, LipCote. It keeps my lipstick on for hours and is great for all the weddings and events I've been to over the last few months.

Pick it up from Amazon for just £3.50 

Lipcote - £3.50

Urban Decay - Naked Skin Foundation - £24

I love Urban Decay. Along with MAC, I think it is one of my favourite make-up brands. From the moment I went to Harrods and, despite being a student, was treated to a full makeover and samples I've been hooked. 

I don't normally wear a foundation unless I'm going out and because my skin colour changes so easily I've never had much luck matching one, however earlier this month for the my birthday I promised myself I would buy myself a new foundation. Urban Decay's Naked Skin was the one I picked.

It's not cheap (£24) and I do think you have to use quite a lot. I've been using mine over a base of Stila's One Step and using a proper brush. The effect I've had has been amazing. I have OKish skin but this just makes me look really good in photos and I feel like it lasts all night. Watch out when matching it though because it can be a bit cakey. There are something like 40 different types as well so although I've linked below I would suggest finding your nearest counter and getting a few testers done.

Urban Decay - Naked Skin - 6.5 - £24
Stila One Step Correcting Serum - £21.50

And last, but by no means least, I have a piece of jewelery. I've always really liked Tatty Devine and I've got a few pieces by them. I was recently lusting over the Radiance Necklace which, although beautiful, was an eye watering £100+ for a perspex necklace. Then, whilst at the Metro Centre in Gateshead earlier this month, I spotted this. A diddy version, on sale reduced from £35 to £17.50. Obviously I snatched it up fast and I LOVE it. It's shimmery and reflects in the light and has a very long chain (Unusual for Tatty Devine necklaces) but I can honestly say that it's beautiful and I've been wearing it every chance I get.

Currently lusting over their A/W Head In The Cloud necklace now... 

I think it might be sold out now but check out Tatty Devine and for slightly cheaper on Amazon too Tatty Devine

Till next time,

FluffyCandy

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