HUGE Shop Small UK Guide – Christmas 2020

Can you believe there is only 18 days until Christmas? Have you finished your Christmas shopping yet? I’m awful this year and I’m not done. I usually have all my gifts bought by now, but alas I still have my parents to buy for.

This year I wanted to do a gift guide, but not my usual one aimed at the geeks, otaku and kawaii fans, beauty, fashion etc etc. I wanted to instead focus on small companies/independent artists/businesses who need our support more than ever due to COVID and it’s affects from lockdowns here in the UK.

First of all, I’m only speaking about the UK as with a Twitter poll a couple of weeks ago, it’s what you as the readers voted for. However at the end of the post I will mention who you can shop small with all over the world too.

I’m going to add all sorts of categories here, not just geek, kawaii, otaku related. I’ll be talking about beauty, home, geek, Japan related, food and more! I want to try and talk about as much as I can, so when you need ideas for Christmas gifts you have lots of choice. I will also mention the last date to order for Christmas too if you’re in the UK. Please bear in mind with the COVID situation and Christmas on the horizon, Royal Main is struggling a little, so if you want to order, order as soon as possible!

Let’s get started! I really hope you guys enjoy this post. 🙂

Image taken from GIPHY

Geeky/Kawaii

Image taken from Jennifairy Illustration

Jennifairy Illustration – Creating cuties to make you smile. Enamel pins, stickers and keychains, all inspired by cute animals, video game characters and more.

Last date to order for Christmas – 14th December. However, if order after this date it could still get there but that can’t be promised. If you want to guarantee item(s) to arrive for Christmas order as soon as possible.

Jennifairy Illustration is an independent artist/store I have spoken about on my blog since 2017 and I knew they were one of the first places I wanted to speak about today! Jennifairy has a range of products – enamel pins, stickers and keychains. Her style is incredibly cute and kawaii and the designs make me smile whenever I see them, both on her store and in my home. If you know someone who loves cute animals and certain characters from popular video games, then they will love to open a cute design from Jennifairy. Christmas wise you can pick up some gingerbread friends or even a Christmas Pikachu, with a Santa’s hat and a cup of coffee. There are loads of different designs to choose from, there is something for everyone.

Image taken from Littlest Spook Shop

Littlest Spook Shop – We put the Oo in spooky! Cute spooky ghost prints, mugs and other items to choose from!

Last date to order for Christmas – Currently Littlest Spook Shop is looking to close 9th December.

Halloween isn’t just once a year with Littlest Spook Shop. I discovered them around Halloween this year and I love their spooky ghost designs. They’re so damn cute and spoopy and I’m down for that. I regret not ordering some of their Christmas cards this year to be honest, but there’s always next year. If you know someone who celebrates Halloween all year around then a print (or two!) from Littlest Spook Shop may just be for them! Not only do they sell prints but they also sell mugs, tote bags, enamel pins and patches so that spooky friend or family member can show off their love of ghosts and all things spooky all year around! The Always Cosy Club spooky print shouts out to me so much. During the colder months I’m like that little ghosty.

Image taken from FoxLeap

FoxLeap – Kawaii designs inspired by Disney and Japanese characters from films and video games.

Last date to order for Christmas – Not known at time of writing post.

FoxLeap is an independent artist/store I love buying enamel pins from. They’re adorable and there is always something in the store I want to pick up, including the Jiji enamel pin which I may need to order myself as a treat for writing this post. 😛 There is something for everyone when it comes down to FoxLeap including designs inspired by Disney (especially The Lion King series!), Pokemon, Studio Ghibli, Wolf’s Rain, Okami and more. Anyone who loves enamel pins will really love to receive a FoxLeap design and honestly they probably already know of FoxLeap’s existence. Not only do they make and sell enamel pins but they also sell prints, t-shirts, stickers, enamel pin flags, tote bags and more so there is plenty to choose from!

Image taken from NaomiLordArt

NaomiLordArt – A freelance artist who creates adorable prints inspired by animals, magical creatures, witches, Goddesses, Critical Role and more!

Last date to order for Christmas – Orders will be shipped until the shop closes for Christmas on 20th December. If you want to guarantee item(s) to arrive for Christmas order as soon as possible.

Guys you know me I love kawaii animals, especially foxes and that is something NaomiLordArt does so bloody well! I mean, look at them cute seasonal fox designs! I feel anyone of any age will love a little stocking filler that involves one of the many designs that NaomiLordArt has on offer. Plus if you and your friends are fans of Critical Role, she’s drawn all of the gang and put it onto a print, which you can find here. I feel NaomiLordArt would be perfect as items to gift children, teenagers and anyone who loves prints and stickers. I’ve gifted my best friend goodies from there before that were surrounding Star Wars and Harry Potter. There are also RPG class animal stickers and prints too, so if you play in a D&D group and are taking part in a D&D themed Secret Santa, these would make perfect gifts alongside some dice.

Image taken from GIPHY

Japanese Snacks

Image taken from Something Japanese

Something Japanese – UK based online shop that sells the best things from Japan! Chocolate, Candy, Collectables, Otaku Goodies and much much more.

Last date to order for Christmas – December 21st. If you want to guarantee item(s) to arrive for Christmas order as soon as possible.

Something Japanese is a store I have bought from for about five years now and they are really good! I especially love to pick up the Japanese snack boxes from them as they’re always an amazing price for how many Japanese sweets and treats you get. I ordered the Halloween one and it was amazing and I’ve ordered the Christmas Japanese Candy Box too. This might make for an amazing gift to someone who loves Japanese sweets and treats and who may also miss Japan or want to visit Japan. COVID has prevented travelling to Japan for a lot of people and I know a lot of my friends who missed out on their trips this year. This would make for a nice treat to open Christmas Day. Something Japanese does sell other items too and separate sweet treats so make sure to check that out too.

Image taken from Tofu Cute

Tofu Cute – A UK kawaii shop that sells all sorts of cute and unique Japanese snacks, plushies, accessories, stationery and other goodies.

Last date to order for Christmas – Not known at time of writing post.

Tofu Cute is a store me and my boyfriend often order our Japanese sweets from as they’re great prices and they always seem to have the goods that Japan get at the same time. Not only do they stock sweets but also drinks as well! We’ve bought many bottles of ramune and Pokemon fizzy drinks from Tofu Cute and they’ve all been enjoyed! Think my favourite thing I’ve ever bought from Tofu Cute are the Melty Kiss chocolates. They’re to die for and would make an amazing gift for someone’s stocking this Christmas. 🙂

Image taken from GIPHY

Home

Image taken from Cushty Co Twitter page

Cushty Co – Handmade home fragrance. Scented soy wax melts beautifully crafted with sprinkles of glitter and careful colouring. Vegan friendly.

Last date to order for Christmas – Monday 14th December – Store will close at 5pm. If you want to guarantee item(s) to arrive for Christmas order as soon as possible.

Cushty Co are my go to for wax melts and I’ve ended up buying so many this year! Their autumn/Halloween collection being my favourite to date. If you know someone who loves burning candles and wax tarts like me, Cushty Co are a great place to check out. They do LOADS of different scent varieties and three different sizes of wax so the choices are huge. They currently have their Christmas/winter scents in stock and I have all of them! They’re absolutely amazing and if you know someone who loves Christmas and wishes it could be everyday, then some of the Christmas/winter scents will be right up their street. Not only do Cushty Co sell wax tarts, but they also sell room sprays too, which I’m yet to try. If you know someone who loves Lush then they’ll love Unicorn Dreams which smells exactly like Snow Fairy and Nightfall which smells exactly like Twlight.

Image taken from Bubble Baskets UK/Books Baths and Beauty

Bubble Baskets UK/Books Baths and Beauty – Lovingly Custom made 3D printed Bubble Baskets.

Last date to order for Christmas – 17th December if ordering a pink, black or ombré bubble basket. 14th December if ordering a custom colour. If you want to guarantee item(s) to arrive for Christmas order as soon as possible.

I recently decided to buy myself a bubble basket from Books Baths and Beauty as I’ve wanted one for over a year now and as my bathroom was redone in the summer, I’ve finally been indulging in bath products and having bath cocktails more. It arrived over the weekend I’ve used it a few times since. It’s really good and if you’re like me and use bubble bars, shower gels and more to create bubbles, then this is for you! They’re made with a 3D printer and are sturdy and amazing! 😀 If you know someone who loves taking baths and using the same products as I do, this will be perfect for helping them create lots of bubbles! Teenagers will love this, as well as mermaids.

Image taken from GIPHY

Beauty

Image taken from The Bath Bae

The Bath Bae  –  Handmade bath treats to make you glow inside and out. Vegan and cruelty free!

Last date to order for Christmas – Monday 21 December at 3pm Royal Mail Tracked 48 or Tuesday 22 December at 3pm Royal Mail Tracked 24. If you want to guarantee item(s) to arrive for Christmas order as soon as possible.

I recently made my first order with The Bath Bae and honestly – I have zero regrets. They focus on bath bomb products in various different varieties and scents so there is plenty to choose from! So far I’ve only tried the bath cubes and they are amazing, perfect for anyone of any age. You can pick up bath sparkle, sparkle rocks, bath cubes and bath soak. These would make great stocking fillers for teenagers and anyone who loves a good soak in the bath. My favourite scent from them so far is Oh So Slushie, which reminds me of Tango Ice Blast slushies from the cinema.

Image taken from Happy Melon

Happy Melon – Handmade beauty products made in small batches and packed with cuteness, colour and yummy fragrance. Cruelty free!

Last date to order for Christmas – Restock this Sunday (13/12/2020) and as items sell out quickly, there isn’t really a last date to order for Christmas.

Happy Melon is a brand I discovered this year and bought from during their last restock. If you know someone who loves their beauty and bath products and for them to be as colourful as possible, Happy Melon is a good indie brand for this! They have a wide variety of products including bubble bath, lip sugar, perfume oil, bath soak (snuggle soak), sugar scrub and more! One of the bubble baths I own is a Lush Snow Fairy dupe (Sabrina bubble bath) and it’s one of my favourite products to use after a long day. Plus a little goes a long way and this stuff lasts AGES! One of the products I am excited to try soon is the Pop Kei Snuggle Soak, which smells just like Tango Ice Blast slushies! It would work so well with the slushie bath cubes from The Bath Bae. Again this is a great brand for teenagers due to how colourful everything is and maybe even children too due to how colourful and sparkly the bubble baths are.

Image taken from Hex Bomb

Hex Bomb – Divine handmade gothic beauty products for dark sweets hearts. Creator of the first black bath bomb! Cruelty free and vegan!

Last date to order for Christmas – 21st December. If you want to guarantee item(s) to arrive for Christmas order as soon as possible.

Hex Bomb is a brand I have always wanted to try since the Black As Your Soul bath bomb came out. I’m yet to try it still and plan to buy it in the near future! I’ve mentioned some colourful and kawaii beauty indie brands so far, so I wanted to through a gothic, dark brand in there for good measure. I love me a dark bath, it reflects who I am inside and this brand would be perfect for any goth friend or relative out there! Not only do they make bath bombs but Hex Bomb also sell shower gel, soap, scrub, lip balm, perfume oil AND even wax melts for your home. If you aren’t sure what to buy that gothic beauty in your life (because Hex Bomb have a lot of variety!) you could always pick up one of their gift boxes which contains a variety of products. If you want to see a review (or two) of Hex Bomb make sure to go and check out my great blogger friend Raiin Monkey’s blog posts here.

Image taken from GIPHY

Honourable Mentions

Geek/Kawaii – Quirkory – Due to being based in Italy, they didn’t qualify for this shop small post. However, I couldn’t not mention them! They sell enamel pins, stickers and prints inspired by Japanese video games and cute animals.

Geek/Kawaii – Claire Likes To Doodle – The reason I didn’t mention my friend Claire and her store is because she got a post allllll to herself recently! Which I am going to link here. 🙂

Geek/Kawaii – 1 In 100/One In Hundred – A local Brummy like myself, Alex over at 1 In 100 has some amazing designs on her store and you can buy items from clothing, badges, keyrings, stickers, prints, stationary and more. I keep meaning to pick up some of her Japan inspired prints. Check them out here and here.

Geek/Kawaii – Chibi Shibby – May have bought a Christmas present from one of my favourite artists… 😉 Shibby recently reopened her store and has filled it was gorgeous kawaii goodies! There’s also some Christmas related goods in there too.

Geek/Kawaii – Lunaticgumis – Due to being based in Gran Canaria, they didn’t quality for this shop small post. However, I am planning to write about them on my blog very very soon! 😀 They sell stickers as well as amigurumis (Japanese art of knitting or crocheting small, stuffed yarn creatures). They stock Bee and Puppycat designs WHICH I LOVE!

Geek/Kawaii – Taiyakiblue – This store is joint owned by tattooists senseoftheterrific and tubbybeartattoo. They stock clothing, prints and even some keyrings and pins made out of resin. They’re both inspired by geeky/kawaii themes such as D&D, Studio Ghibli, Dragonball Z, Moomins, Adventure Time and more. I’ve purchased a Christmas present from them and plan to buy prints in the future! I love their style so much.

Bath – Bath Bake Love – No restock until after Christmas where there will be lots of enchanted teasers for the New Year Wonderland and plenty of goodies in January!

AND THERE WE HAVE IT! My HUGE shop small Christmas shopping guide for the UK!

What do you guys think? I wanted to try and cover as much as I could and I like to think I’ve done that quite well. In the future I may pop up with some of these after Christmas, just as good shopping guides throughout the year for birthday’s and more!

Honestly guys, I hope you enjoyed this post today as much as I enjoyed writing it. I’m off work for the week and the first thing I knew I wanted to do was to write this post.

Are there any small shops in the UK that you feel I should know about? Make sure to let me know and I’ll take a look for next time!

Until next time, take care all and I hope you had a lovely weekend. 🙂

Joanie Clothing – Review

I want to first of all say how I wanted to come up with something witty for the title of this blog post this morning, but alas I failed. This is a post I’ve wanted to write for a while now, but I’ve just recently realised what I wanted to say and how I wanted to say it.

Let me just warn readers, this won’t be an amazing review. It’ll be one of those honest reviews that have a mixture of positive and negative thrown in there. If it wasn’t for my recently order, I probably won’t have written this post just yet. BUT whilst I’m fresh and ready to write about this, I NEED to get it down.

I can’t remember exactly when I heard about Joanie Clothing for this first time, but I have a feeling it was around Christmas just gone and it was through someone on Instagram talking about some of their dresses and jumpers.

Recently I decided I wanted to order myself some new dresses for work and in general. I took ages researching about the company and looking at all their clothes on the website before decided on a couple of pieces.

I want to first of all explain my understanding of Joanie. NOW to my knowledge, Joanie create vintage inspired pieces for all sizes. I’ll post a part from the about us section on their website below.

From an idea first sparked in December 2015, Joanie was born out of a desire to create vintage-inspired style for the modern wardrobe, with fun, flirtation and femininity at its heart. Our brand is inspired by our Designer’s Great Aunt, Joanie; a glamorous woman who tapped and twirled her way through the fifties and sixties. She was always well-turned out with perfectly coiffed red hair and to this day, Joanie enjoys nothing more than an afternoon of tea dancing, indulging in high tea with friends, and an ice cold glass of ginger beer.

We’re passionate about making beautiful clothes, lovingly fashioned with a pinch of playfulness, a splash of quirkiness and a healthy dose of nostalgia. Whatever the occasion, our girl exudes an undeniable, effortlessly cool aesthetic and stands out from the crowd without making noise. The quintessential Joanie gal is quietly confident, witty and full of wonder – with an infectious fervour for life’s little pleasures. She wears her heart on her sleeve, is loyal to the end and prides herself on being a great friend. Believing that our look is for every body, Joanie’s pieces are always available in sizes 8-22. We are inclusive, not exclusive and celebrate individuals who know their own style; bringing them together as a united community where everyone is welcome. As a brand, we’re inspired by decades past and life’s surprising details; whether it be an intricate print on a china tea set, pretty embroidery on a collar or the pastel washed houses lining sea front villages on the Italian Riviera.

Joanie delivers the perfect antidote to run-of-the-mill fashion with a fun, youthful take on the vintage look, underpinned by timeless feminine silhouettes. With ranges of stand-out dresses, printed tops, cute skirts, novelty knits and unique accessories dropping regularly online, there’s always something new to be captivated by and covet. As Great Aunt Joanie would say, “that’s champion!”

I love what Joanie is about, I really do but as you’ll read in my review. Meh… You’ll see.

I decided to order two dresses from Joanie after much research via Google searches, Instagram posts and even asking a couple of bloggers on Twitter.

One of dresses was the Zooey Floral Collar Dress and the Calista Geometric Bee Print Dress.

The Zooey dress I grabbed in their sale and the Calista dress I got 10% off due to this being my first order from Joanie. I was chuffed by my discounts and savings and couldn’t wait for both the dresses to arrive! I had read on a blog post how the Zooey dresses can pull and gape a little across the bust, which was annoying to read but I hoped for the best!

When the dresses finally arrived I was so excited to get them out of the bag and try them on! The parcel arrived quite quickly and I saved money off of my postage due to ordering over £60, otherwise it’s £4.00 postage.

Dane came upstairs to look at the dresses as I tried them on and I am so glad he was there as a second pair of eyes. When I ordered the dresses he helped me decide. He loved the red Zooey dress I ordered, but hated the Calista Bee one. I loved them both, of course.

Image taken from Joanie Clothing

Image taken from Joanie Clothing

I tried the red Zooey dress on first, which I ordered a size up of as they didn’t have my own size left. I was incredibly disappointed by this dress for various reasons, which I also stated on my review of this dress on their website. I was sad to learn that what bloggers has been complaining about online, happened to be true. Due to it being a size too big I had no issues putting the dress on, but when it came to moving about in it, it was just a no no. The bust area of the dress is closed by buttons and I only moved a fraction and ALL the buttons popped open at the same time. I tried this over and over again to make sure it wasn’t just the once, it happened all 3-5 times I tested this out. My bust isn’t the smallest, but it also isn’t the biggest either so the fact the dress was a size up and this was occurring, I was really disappointed. Not only this, the dress made me look MASSIVE. It sat on my hips and it made me look like I was 3 sizes bigger than I actually am. It really did knock my confidence. Thankfully I had Dane there to encourage me and make me feel better.

Sadly this dress was sent back for a refund, which Joanie were really quick to sort out. You just get a receipt when you take the parcel to the Post Office to keep as proof of you sending it back. Joanie don’t offer exchanges, only refunds but this doesn’t stop you from just re ordering another size, or even a totally different dress.

Then it was time to try on the Calista Bee dress. This was gorgeous and I fell in love with it as soon as I put it on. This dress scream 70’s to me, which is a style I absolutely adore. The fit of this dress is comfortable and yet glamorous. The length is perfect and goes right to the knee and depending on your height, even past it. I did worry about the buttons on the bust due to the issue I had with the red Zooey dress, but I didn’t have any issues… At first, but I’ll go into that in a while. This dress is a perfect cross between a mini and a maxi dress and is perfect for spring, summer and autumn!

Since buying that dress however, I have encountered some issues! The first time I wore it was during a shift at work. I got nothing but compliments on it and I loved it so much! Later that day I wore it out for a shopping evening with one of my friends and sadly that is when I encountered some issues. The buttons started to pop open, but thankfully I had my coat on over the top so no one would have known apart from myself. I got home and find all the buttons undone, which I knew was the case anyway.

I went to wear this dress again for mine and Dane’s date night last week when we went to see Deadpool 2 and sadly I couldn’t even get out of the house in this dress without all the buttons popping undone with any sudden movements I made. I was so angry and flustered. What the fuck had happened in such a short space of time?!

I’ve now bought some safety pins to use to keep the buttons closed and sadly I haven’t given this a go yet, but I’m pissed off that I HAVE to do this. I could send the dress back, but I kind of love it too much to do that to it. I’ll make it work, but my point is I shouldn’t have to.

Image taken from Joanie Clothing

Image taken from Joanie Clothing

This didn’t put me off however and about a month later I found myself making another order from Joanie for a dress I’d had my eye on since my first order! I had a 20% discount code so I decided to use this. I ended up ordering the Gogo Blue Floral Dress which reminded me of the 70’s yet again. It looked a perfect summer dress and I thought how lovely it would look for a wedding I’m going to at the start of July. Again, like the previous order I’d made I was SUPER excited for the dress to arrive.

The first thing I did when I got home from work was open the package and get the dress out to try. I was a bit taken back when I took it out of the packaging and held it in my hands and felt how thick and heavy the dress was. Considering it’s meant to be a summer dress, it didn’t exactly feel like it. Oh man, I had so many issues with this dress and I knew straight away it was going to be sent back.

As you’ll see from the image, this is a long sleeved dress, which I knew I was buying but come on Joanie, a thick material for a summer dress with long sleeves? Really?!

Like the red Zooey dress, this dress made me look bigger than I actually am, as it hung on my hips and made me look really wide. It just made me feel horrible to wear due to the thick material too. Due to how warm it has been lately when I tried this on I felt like I couldn’t breathe due to how hot I was, I couldn’t wait to get it off due to that alone.

Now I didn’t realise that this was a wrap around style dress, I thought it was a V neck style. Oh how wrong I was. I didn’t think it would be a problem though when I put it on, but in actual fact it was awful! My chest was constantly on show and if it wasn’t that, the dress was folding over itself and instead of showing off the gorgeous floral pattern, it was showing the white material that’s obviously inside the dress. Not good.

Due to the band bit where the tie at the back of the dress is, the zip struggled to do up and undo and I was worried this was due to me not fitting into the dress, but when I asked Dane for help, he confirmed that it was the dress itself as he could see that the dress fit me fine. If I had of been on my own I wouldn’t have been able to do or undo the dress.

This dress was just such a disappointment and I had such high expectations for it. I’m quite gutted and this is the dress that has put me off ordering from Joanie Clothing anytime soon, if ever again. This was send back the next day.

I cannot tell you how incredibly disappointed I am about the two dresses I’ve had issues with. I haven’t been feeling too confident about my body and my weight recently, so of course you order a dress or two to cheer yourself up. You know, retail therapy and all that shit. So when they turn up and make you feel WORSE than you already did. It sucks. I know this isn’t Joanie’s fault by the way. Their dress styles are gorgeous and something different that I fell in love with, BUT they aren’t designing with larger busted women in mind and I think that’s pretty shit. I also think the pockets that they include into some of their dress styles cause the issues of dresses hanging funny on hips and making people look bigger than they actually are. I assume this much because my Bee dress doesn’t have pockets and I haven’t found this issue. Plus the buttons they use on some of their dresses are complete shite, yes I said shite and I don’t care. You’re paying almost £40 for a dress, I expect the buttons to at least stay done up all day!

I’ve read on the website on reviews for certain dresses that it isn’t just me who has had issues with the style and cut of Joanie’s dresses, others have had similar if not exactly the same problems.

I’m not meaning to bash Joanie Clothing in this post, but merely highlight the good and the bad things about the clothing. I like to think I’m “real” on my blog and talk about both good and bad things I’ve used/worn from lipstick, clothing and even customer service!

I really hope you enjoyed my post today however. I’m sure I’ll give Joanie Clothing another go in the future, but I doubt it’ll be dresses.

Have you shopped with Joanie Clothing before? If so, how were their dresses for you? Make sure to let me know in the comments!

Until next time, take care all and I hope you’re having an awesome bank holiday weekend!

Old English Company*

Eee I’ve been so excited to write this post the past week! It’s Sunday morning (rain isn’t falling, it’s actually SUNNY! If you didn’t get the joke, it’s the first line of the Maroon 5 song of the same name… Sorry, not sorry!) and I have a lovely review to write today.

Recently I was approached by Old English Company and they asked me if I’d like to review some of their products for them. As a small blogger, I rarely get opportunities like this, so when I do I feel so loved, especially when they’re amazing companies like this one!

I was asked to pick some items and they sent them out to me. They arrived last week and I have been LOVING them! I mostly picked office related items that I can use both at home as well as at work.

I have been so excited to write this post today to show you what goodies I got, as well as how amazing they are! You’ll definitely want to head to the website yourselves after you’ve read this post. 😛

Don’t forget that any items with * next to them have been sent/gifted for reviewing purposes. 🙂

First of all I’ll let you know a little bit about Old English Company.

We’re a stationery and homeware brand creating beautiful, hand lettered products. First established in London, our studios are now located in the beautiful town of Stamford. The art is in the simplicity of our designs. Following no particular calligraphy rules, all of our products are uniquely hand lettered to create stylish, uncomplicated designs with messages that resonate with people.♥

♥Quote taken from Old English Company website.

Old English Company have also sold their stock in Olivia Bonas, Waterstones, Urban Outfitters and Paperchase.

Now onto the products I was sent! I will be linking each item I talk about back to the website so if you like the look of it, you’re a simple click away from viewing it on the website.

• You’re My Fox Enamel Pin* – £7.00 (link)

Recently I have really become a pin badge gal and it’s all since the start of the year. I wear cardigans now on a daily basis so I always pop one of my kawaii pin badges on them now. When I saw this cute little fox pin badge I KNEW I had to get it! It says “you’re my fox” on the foxes back, which I think is so adorable. I’ll definitely be wearing this for work. It’s a really good size if you aren’t into big garish pin badges and the black and gold colours work really well. As you can see the pin badge was sent to me really well packaged as it was covered in bubble wrap and pinned to a backing card.

• You’re My fox Coaster* – Was £2.95 – Now – £1.03 (link)

This is one of the last items I saw on the website and knew I had to have it! As regular readers will know, I love foxes so knowing about the fox pin design I searched on the website for anymore fox goods. This coaster shares the same design as the enamel pin and it’s adorable. I don’t need anymore coasters at home, so this is going to become my coaster for my desk at work. My only issue with the coaster is on the website it looks more of a duck blue colour, when in actual fact it’s mint green. This isn’t an issue though in all honesty as I love either colour!

• Enamel Pin Display Flag* £8.95 (link)

I wouldn’t have picked this up, but to be honest my pin badge collection has really grown lately and I need somewhere to keep them all! To be honest I’ll probably be buying another one of these in the future to home even MORE pins! I’ve already decided I want to hang this on my dressing table near my jewellery! It’s huge to be honest with you and depending how many pins you have and also how big they are, you could fit 10-20 different pins on this flag. My only issue with it is the price. For what it is, I find it could be a little cheaper. This is something you could make yourself in all fairness. BUT that being said, it is really good quality. It depends on your own personal preference. 🙂 As you can see, I’ve already popped my pins onto it!

• Beauty In Simplicity A5 Wiro Notebook* £9.95 (link)

I love a good notebook to be honest with you and I ended up picking up two! This one is the first I chose and it’s so simplistic and gorgeous. It’s a white wire notebook that says, “there is beauty in simplicity” which is so true! It’s got a fabric band around it so you can keep the notebook closed and secure. The inside of the front and back cover have this very 90’s looking pattern on, which is what drew me to the notebook the most to be honest with you. The pages are lined and you can rip them out along a serrated edge so you don’t get the nasty part of the notebook when putting the page out. I hope that made sense! This would be a great notebook for school, college or university. I’m going to have it for blog ideas at home! It’s not a heavy notebook, which is even better. On the back of the notebook it has Old English Company’s logo.

• Bring Me Coffee A5 Notebook* £5.95 (link)

This notebook is just me all over to be honest with you. I picked it up to have for writing notes down at work. It’s a 100 page notebook that has lines inside. It has the quote, “bring me coffee and I will love you forever” I LOVE coffee. 😛 I love the style of this notebook, I’ve owned ones similar to this in the past but they don’t feel as expensive and luxurious as this one does. I know what you’re thinking, “Nat, it’s just a notebook!” I KNOW BUT I LOVE STATIONARY! 😛 What I love the most about this book is it has a spine, which says “Notes” on it. You could use this as a mini scrapbook, a diary or even a bullet journal which eventually you could keep in a bookshelf. You may even have a mini bookshelf on your desk, which you could then keep there. This notebook is perfect for anyone who likes to write on the go, it’s so thin and lightweight that you could throw it in your bag. This would be a good notebook to use at school, college or university but I don’t think it would be as practical as the wire notebook due to pulling pages out. This also came in a little plastic sleeve to protect it, which I really loved. Overall, I LOVE this notebook and I want more. 😛

• Black and Pearlescent A5 Planner* £11.95 (link)

This was the first item I chose as it was the first thing I spotted on the websites homepage and I fell in love. It’s one of my favourite things to be honest with you. I’m such a magpie when it comes to holographic and shimmery things and seeing as the “planner” part of the front of the book is pearlescent, the magpie deep down inside of me jumped out. This is a 380 page planner and I’ve owned a planner similar to this in the past, but this one is so much more organised inside. I felt my old one was too messy and due to that I don’t use it. Like the coffee notebook, the spine also has writing on, which is “planner” BUT I was delighted to discover that it’s also pearlescent! That’s so good in my opinion, it just adds something to the planner and makes it stand out in a pile of books. It isn’t a hardback style book, which I like as it makes it easier to turn and use. Inside the book the pages feel so lightweight and gorgeous to turn. You have your bog standard planner style with “today’s tasks”, “date” and “notes”. I don’t have a clue what I’ll use this planner for to be honest… Probably blog related stuff, as well as to use if me and Dane go away on a trip to plan what we’re doing and when. Like the coffee notebook this comes in a plastic sleeve to protect it. Personally I think the planner would work best for people who need to keep tabs on stuff everyday as you could use it for every day of the year. There would be more than enough pages.

Overall, I am so happy with the package I received from Old English Company. I want to thank them so much for giving me the opportunity to work with them to bring you guys this review.

I feel their website and products are amazing for people who want to jazz up their home with some simplistic prints and homeware, or for stationary obsessed girls who want some new pieces for their office desk. I’d even say their products would make amazing gifts too! I’d definitely buy pieces from there for friends, especially the planner come Christmas time for the new year, pin badges and especially prints for people with new homes.

What do you guys think of Old English Company and their products? Make sure to let me know in the comments down below, as well as on my Twitter @maybeecoffee

Until next time, take care all and I hope you’ve all had a fabulous and sunny weekend!

Fall for this Autumnal Home Décor

So, before I begin, I should probably introduce myself. I’m Hayley, a professional freelance Copywriter and Content Writer who absolutely loves blogging (and home décor, as you’ll soon find out)! Therefore, when I came across Nat’s tweet explaining that she needs guest bloggers to fill in for her whilst she’s on holiday, I jumped at the opportunity. I enjoyed reading her clothing wish lists, so decided to do something similar for homeware, because who doesn’t love a fancy cushion or two? Just me? Anyway, I’ll stop rambling now and get into the post:

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Whilst I’m going to miss the warmer weather and bright evenings, we’re now officially on the second day of Autumn, so it’s time to embrace the new season with open arms. The beautiful orange leaves, the cosy clothes, and copious amounts of hot chocolate definitely make it easier to say goodbye to Summer (plus, it’s almost Hallowe’en).

Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m a bit of a home decoration enthusiast – any opportunity to give my home a fresh, new look is welcomed in my books. I always think that changing seasons are perfect times to add little pieces that reflect the weather, either through using different colours, patterns, or even textures. The best part about this is you certainly don’t have to break the bank to do it!

Before I began writing this post, I got thinking about what I associate with the season because it’s always useful to have a ‘theme’ which will ensure that all the pieces look good together. I’ve compiled a little list below which helped me to find the items I included, so, should you want to look for more yourself, you’ll have something to refer to:

– Rustic wood
– ‘Earthy’ tones (think burnt orange, brown, mustard yellow)
– Leaf patterns
– Rough textures

So, let’s take a look at some pieces you’ll fall for this Autumn (get it… fall? Okay, sorry).

Yankee Candle in ‘Brilliant Autumn’

How much more perfect could the name of this candle be? It’s a must for any Autumn lover who wants to bring a little bit of the woodlands indoors. To me, there’s nothing cosier than having some beautiful smelling candles burning on the coffee table whilst you relax on the weekend! Plus, it’s a gorgeous orange colour that will complement the other items in this list (any other home décor enthusiasts will agree that this is very important).

Image taken from fragrancedirect.co.uk

Item: Large Yankee Candle (Brilliant Autumn)
Shop: Fragrance Direct
Price: £14.50

Cosy blanket

When updating your home décor, you can’t go wrong with a big, fluffy blanket. The neutral ‘mink’ tone of this one from Wilko means that you can mix ‘n’ match it with a range of different colour schemes throughout the year (because, let’s be real, the UK is chilly around 80% of the time). I personally love the soft ‘waffle’ texture on this as it prevents the blanket from being too plain, but it won’t clash with other patterns!

Image taken from wilko.com

Item: Waffle Throw (Mink)
Shop: Wilko
Price: £16

Burnt orange cushions (bonus points if they incorporate a tartan pattern)

Dunelm are currently selling these statement tartan cushions in a perfect earthy, burnt orange shade (though they do offer lots of other colours if you’d prefer to mix it up). The tweed texture also gives it a lovely rustic feel that provides your home with instant cosy-factor fit for a pub in the countryside. Cushions are a great way to instantly change the colour scheme in your living room as they’re much larger than some of the other items on this list, but still relatively inexpensive!

Image taken from dunelm.com

Item: Tweed Woven Cushion (Terracotta/Orange)
Shop: Dunelm
Price: £14

Wicker hearts (or any shape you want)

Sometimes, just having random little knick-knacks in your house can make it feel more like a home. You can grab this set of three wicker hearts for under £10 on Amazon* (bargain!), and have them delivered next day if you’re a Prime member. The adorable gingham ribbon and rustic wood texture also give it a little extra bit of detail that screams ‘Autumn’.

Image taken from amazon.co.uk

Item: Large Rustic Wicker Heart Decorations
Shop: Amazon
Price: £9*

Cute Mugs

Whilst these are more functional items than decorative ones, they still make the list, because what else are you going to drink hot chocolate from whilst you sit in your newly-decorated living room? I’m a sucker for anything with a cute animal design plastered on it, so I just had to include these Fairmont & Main bone china mugs from Amazon. I love how autumnal the design is, from the range of beautiful colours, right down the leaf print. Ahh, let’s get the kettle on!

Image taken from amazon.co.uk

Item: Fairmont & Main Bone China Mug (Orange)
Shop: Amazon
Price: £4.99

So, there you go – updating your living room on a budget is easy (and fun)! What will you be adding to your home this Autumn? Let us know!

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Psst, if you enjoyed this post, you can find more of me (and my company, DTM Copywriting) here:
Website (including my blog): http://dtmcopywriting.co.uk/
Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter: @dtmcopywriting
Email: hayley.andrews@dtmcopywriting.co.uk

*Please note that prices on Amazon are subject to change.

I just want to say a MASSIVE thank you to Hayley for writing this post! She was such a joy to talk to via Twitter and email and was so professional and lovely at the same time. It’s made me so excited for when I come back from Fuerteventura to have a mooch around the shops for some lovely autumn editions to add into our home this year!

What items do you like buying as the season changes from summer to autumn? Please make to sure to let me and Hayley know in the comments!

Until next time take care all and I hope you’re doing well!

5 TV Shows I Can Watch Over And Over Again

This is a random idea I came up with during a shift at work earlier this week. I was bored and looking for things to do and ended up coming up with this idea and thinking about all sorts of TV shows I could talk about throughout a post. It’s been four days since then and I’ve only just thought of five shows that I can watch over and over and now I want to marathon them all!

Image taken from weheartit.com

Sex and The City

This is by far one of my favourite shows and before writing this post I started watching it again… It’s probably the tenth time I’ve watched it now. I don’t have an addiction, I have a massive passion and love for this show! I remember asking for it for Christmas/birthday one year and when my brother gave it me I was so damn happy. Before being given it I had watched the odd episode here and there, either online or on TV. It was just nice to be able to watch the show from start to finish. I laughed, I cried and I definitely related to all of the characters at least once. My favourite character is definitely Samantha. She’s just like me, honest, to the point and doesn’t give a fuck. The only characteristic I wish I could share is how confident she is. If you have NEVER seen the TV show and you’re a woman, then get on it RIGHT NOW! Oh and if you’ve watched the movies but not the TV show then WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?! The TV show is so much better!!!

Image taken from weheartit.com

Jackass

Aside from Sex and The City this is definitely my favourite show. It’s one of the first of its type that I got into and one that grew on me faster than a rash. I fell in love with all the cast, especially Ryan Dunn. He was always my favourite and when the first film came out and he had the best stunt, I was so damn happy! Of course I was heartbroken when it came out that he had died and it still sucks to this day. I just love how far all the Jackass guys have come throughout the years, including Ryan Dunn before he died. I of course love what Johnny Knoxville has done with Bad Grandpa, and Steve-O with giving up the alcohol and drugs.

Teachers

I’m sad that I couldn’t find a gif from the show to add to this post. It would have been good! Teachers is one of my favourite shows to come from Channel 4 back in the day! Not a lot of people have heard of it, so when I first met Dane and found out he loved it too I was so happy! It’s basically as the title suggests, about a bunch of Teachers. Andrew Lincoln’s character Simon is the main character for half of the series and I love him so much. I just want to slap him and tell him to sort his life out! My favourite character is Brian, a P.E. and Geography teacher who is crap with women but fucking adorable! If you like good British humour about work then give this a watch.

Image taken from weheartit.com

South Park

How could this NOT go on this list?! Between 2015 to 2016 me and Dane watched South Park from start to current (well was to season 19, although season 20 was on recently) and it’s one of those shows where you could watch it over and over again and never get bored of it. I can’t say I have a favourite season in particular but I do have the odd favourite episode or two. This being said I will always hold the first season close to my heart. Purely because it’s the season that begun my love of South Park. My favourite character is Kenny, followed by Cartman, Butters and Towlie.

Dirty Sanchez

Finally we finish this post by talking about Dirty Sanchez and like Teachers I couldn’t get a gif for it. When I WAS searching for one I was really nervous as to what I may have found… I was lucky and nothing came up. 😛 ANYWAY! Like Jackass I got into this when it first came out but only ever got to watch the odd episode on MTV late at night or during the day when I was skipping school… Oh what a rebel I was! 😛 When I was sixteen during the 6 weeks between the end of secondary school and starting college I found series 1 and 2 for sale in HMV and decided to buy them. I only noticed as I got to the till that they were rated 18 and of course I was only 16 at the time so I panicked that I may get ID’d but luckily it never happened and I watched the two series when I got home. Series 2 is my favourite by far as I found it had the funniest moments in. The show is just so real feeling to me and although Jackass is similar they’re both a hell of a lot different in their own ways. Dainton is my favourite by far, hands down!

SO those were five of my favourite TV shows that I can watch over and over again without getting bored! One TV show I didn’t mention was Stranger Things, even though I was close to. Why I hear you scream? Well because I’ve only recently watched season one… I haven’t given it enough time to even watch it again! Maybe in the future though. 😛

What TV shows can you watch again and again and again and never get bored? Make sure to let me know in the comments!

Until next time all take care and have a lovely weekend.

Kat Von D Beauty Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Bauhau5 – Review

I have wanted to write this review the week after I first wore it but I decided to wait until 2017 to kick start off the year with an amazing review, because this one is going to be good! I haven’t fallen in love with a product for quite some time and it is safe to say that my Jeffree Star Cosmetics liquid lipsticks have been pushed aside a little since me buying this in November last year.

When I went to visit my friend Sophi in London I decided to visit the Oxford Street Debenhams store so I could swatch some of the Kat Von D liquid lipstick shades. I have always wanted Bauhau5 but never ordered it from people on eBay, or Sephora, or anything else like that. Well this shade was certainly worth the wait as since me buying it two months ago it has been my go to lipstick. I can’t wait any longer, I have to review this lipstick once and for all!

The first thing you need to know about Kat Von D Beauty if you’re from the UK is that it is FINALLY out for sale here! YAY! No need to use dodgy eBay sellers or paying the odds to get it shipped from America. However the only place you can buy it from is Debenhams. If you aren’t able to get down to the London Oxford Street Debenhams store to buy anything then do not worry, you can order online. WOOHOO! I decided to buy Bauhau5 from the store because I was down there anyway and I wanted to swatch a few shades to get an idea of what I would like to buy in the future from the Debenhams website.

As I have already mentioned (and the title… DUH!!!) I picked up Bauhau5 which is a deep raspberry shade. I have seen liquid lipsticks like this before, Masochist by Jeffree Star Cosmetics being one of them. However I wanted to try something by Kat Von D and this was the shade I had always been drawn towards. I love wearing my dark shades and especially my pinks, purples and reds. Raspberry pink is a definite win for me when it comes to lipstick thanks to my love of Rebel by MAC Cosmetics.

I love the packaging for Kat Von D as it just looks so gothic yet expensive and luxurious. The black packaging with silver roses definitely does this for me and what makes me even happier is that the pattern continues onto the product itself. As you can see the black and silver pattern is on the lid of the liquid lipstick, as well as some detailing on the tube itself.

The applicator is a doe foot like most liquid lipsticks and lip glosses these days and is to me on the small side, which I really like as not everyone has big lips so it means anyone with smaller or thin lips will be able to apply this all over without any worries of over lining or making a mess. The tube for Kat Von D’s liquid lipsticks are long, unlike Jeffree Star’s liquid lipsticks which are shorter. I’m never preferable length wise with the tubes, although I know a lot of people are. I don’t find it any harder or easier to apply with a longer or a shorter wand. I do like the size of Kat Von D’s liquid lipstick though as I find the length of it looks nice and slick, especially as you take it out of a glitzy handbag on a night out. This does also have a scent which I was rather surprised by! I thought it would be scentless to be honest but I am really pleased about the scent as I find the chemical style smell with some liquid lipsticks I own puts me off. This one has a light scent which reminds me of vanilla and very much so reminds me of the smell that you get with MAC Cosmetics lipsticks.

I can’t compare to any other Kat Von D liquid lipsticks but this is very pigmented to me and it is a beautiful shade! I didn’t know what to expect before I swatched this in Debenhams but I was surprised at what a gorgeous colour it was and by how creamy it felt when applying it to the back of my hand.

Due to the public Twitter and YouTube arguments that happened between Kat Von D and Jeffree Star I feel like I am sounding like I am siding with one or the other (I’m not I don’t give a shit about all that rubbish!) but I found when applying this to my lips and wearing it that it felt more comfortable than Jeffree Star liquid lipsticks. They’re both comfortable, don’t get me wrong but I found due to the creamy texture of Kat Von D’s liquid lipsticks that this felt like I was just wearing a lip balm rather than a lipstick.

I don’t feel like I need to apply a lip liner with this as it’s a thick enough consistency that I can take my time and line my lips. However with Jeffree Star’s liquid lipsticks I find the majority of his shades are watery in consistency and can be a bit more fiddly when applying without a lip liner as a guide. This being said I do feel that I use more of the Kat Von D liquid lipstick over than Jeffree Star liquid lipsticks due to the texture of them.

The true test of a liquid lipstick for me is the staying power. I never ever have a problem with this staying on my lips and I always get lovely compliments on it due to that. It lasts the same amount of time as all my liquid lipsticks do, which is great!

Just a reminder that all liquid lipsticks this will get worn away if you are in contact with any food (or possibly drinks) that contain oil. This lasts throughout my shift at work too, only budging on my lunch break when I grab something to eat, which of course is perfect!I do find if you reapply this however you can tell a little bit when looking close up that you’ve reapplied which I can’t say as I liked but meh nothing that can’t be solved with another coat all over the lips.

I of course used the “kiss” and “finger” test to show off that this product doesn’t come off when in contact with anything, and everyone I have shown it to has been impressed, especially my boyfriend who hates being covered in lip shaped kisses.

I do find that Bauhau5 does stain a little but nothing a couple of cotton pads soaked in make up remover won’t fix!

I’ve swatched Bauhau5 above Jeffree Star Cosmetics Masochist.

In good There Might Be Coffee spirit when it comes to reviewing lipsticks, I have to show off my mug wearing them! Dane bought me a selfie ring light for my phone so I’m using that today to show off the colour, woop woop!

So what do I think of the Kat Von D liquid lipsticks? I think they’re fucking amazing! Excuse my language but I love them so damn much. They’re creamy, comfortable to wear, long lasting, reasonable price wise to buy and come in loads of lovely different shades. I don’t want to own all the shades but I want to own the majority of them to be honest. Whenever I go out somewhere nice for the day or I fancy looking good I always go to Bauhau5 as it’s one of my favourite shades to wear and it just feels and looks great when on. This is the sort of colour I will wear all year around, especially in the summer. If you’re after a shade which will get you out of your nude and pale pink comfort zone then I would say go for Bauhau5 as it’s definitely a shade that will suit everyone.

If you want to pick up this or any other shade of liquid lipstick by Kat Von D then here is the link to Debenhams. They cost £16.00 each which I think is a reasonable price. Sadly in store it is only available at the Oxford Street store right now, but I heard that more stores in the UK will be stocking it at the start of this year. AHH EXCITING!

Like I do with the Jeffree Star Cosmetics I’ll be saying at the end of this post which three Kat Von D liquid lipstick shades I want to pick up next!

Mother – A cool pink. (Temptalia review)

L.U.V. – A warm purple.  (Temptalia review)

Nocturna – A deepest grape.  One of the new shades recently revealed and I LOVE IT.

So that was my review! What do you think of Bauhau5 and the Kat Von D liquid lipsticks? Do you own any yourself, if so which shade(s) and what do you think of it/them?

Until next time take care all and I hope you’ve had a great week so far.

Disney x Vans 2015 – 101 Dalmatians Collection!

If there is a collection I am super excited for, it’s the Disney 101 Dalmatians collection that Vans will be bringing out this fall! I squealed when I saw this collection being announced last week and I have my eye on pretty much everything from it.

As well as 101 Dalmatians, Vans will also be releasing The Jungle Book AND Alice in Wonderland collections too. Do I hear excited squeals? I think I do!

Vans have previously worked with Disney to bring out a collection in the spring and summer which included Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Disney Princesses, as well as Disney Villains. Good eh?

Vans have been bringing out some amazing collaborations the past couple of years, the last one being Star Wars, and the one before being Marvel. As well as that they have also teamed up with Iron Maiden and The Beatles to bring out some cool collections.

I remember however when the first Disney collection was coming out, and I hoped so damn much that 101 Dalmatians would be included, so when it was revealed and there was nothing of the sort involved, I was gutted. So you can imagine my joy when this was announced, and it has been nothing but be what I imagined!

I am excited to share with you all the collection that has been revealed so far, and how damn excited I am for it. I was like this when Adventure Time teamed up with Dr Martens, and I’m just as happy with Vans and Disney bringing out this collection… If not more excited!

Image taken from hypebeast.com

This is the teaser image that Vans leaked just before the actual press release about the collection itself. I didn’t see this until after the press release, but isn’t it just so cute??? Little dalmatian chewing on a Vans slip on? Be still my beating heart…

Image taken from business.transworld.net

Image taken from Vans official Instagram

As you can see the collection is pretty red, white, and black which was pretty obvious to be honest. There will be two variations of shoes out and whilst both look awesome, I’m opting for the red pair which will look cool all year around! I am hoping to get these before I go on holiday to wear throughout that. The high top pair look cool too and if this happen to go cheap enough in future sales, I may have to pick them up…

Alongside the classic Van’s trainers, of course there are some apparel and accessories with this collection which I am so happy Vans are bringing out, which as you can see are just as adorable as the shoes.

There are two backpacks coming out, one which is black with a repeated pattern of the dalmatians on it, as well as a red one with cute little pictures of dalmatians on, I’m loving the latter myself as it isn’t so in your face as the black one. But both are just as cute! There is also a hat sharing the same pattern as the black bag, this isn’t really my thing but I’m sure loads of people will be rocking it! I’ve also heard rumours around that there will be a keyring coming out, but I haven’t seen this on any of the promotional images yet.

With the apparel there is a raglan tee, as well as a sweatshirt that I both want! You can never say no to cute t-shirts and such like this, and me being a huge 101 Dalmatians fan, I would totally rock these throughout the year. As well as those there will also be some cute socks being released, and by the look of it some boyfriend boxers, very cute!

I think out of the three collections coming out that this one is the best one. It’s just so adorable and cute, and fans of all years will fall in love with it.

Sadly I don’t know a date that the new Vans Disney collection will come out in the UK, but if it’s anything like America I can imagine at the end of October, if not in November at some point. Perfect timing though with Christmas just around the corner!

I apologise for not talking about The Jungle Book and Alice in Wonderland collections, but I don’t really have much interest for those. There are plenty of blogs and websites around talking about those if you just Google though!

So, do you have your eyes on the next Disney X Vans collection? If so, which one? Make sure to let me know in the comments.

Until next time, take care all and I hope you had a great weekend!

Lush Halloween & Christmas 2015 LEAKED! Part Two – Christmas

It’s here! Part two, and it’s going to be a long post. There is more information about the Christmas products than there is about the Halloween ones. Apart from the gifts, everything that is on offer looks to have been leaked, which is pretty exciting! I don’t know what September 15th will hold, but from what I have read from official UK Lush stores on Instagram, the winter range (Halloween and Christmas) will be out at the start of October, SO we have less than a month to wait! Exciting huh?

Without further ado, I’m going to share with you all what we’ll be getting awesome for Christmas this year.

Bath Bombs (and one Bath Melt):

Ignoring the bath melt at the bottom, this is the line up for the bath bombs! Not including Lord Of Misrule (as that’s a Halloween product) there are 10 bath bombs all together, 2 of them being new, whilst the rest are returning products.

I am of course really happy to see that So White is back for another year as it’s my favourite bath bomb from Lush and always reminds me of Christmas time. I remember when it was teeny, but it’s really evolved over the years, which is great to see. Alongside that I’m happy to see the return of Shoot For The Stars, as I loved it when it first came out, but never got to try it last year. I’m also glad to see that Father Christmas and Golden Wonder are back, as I got to try Golden Wonder thanks to the Boxing Day sales, and luckily have one left, which I’ll be using soon! It’s such a gorgeous bath bomb and I’ll be stocking up as and when I can. As for Father Christmas I wanted to try that so much last year as it shares its scent with Snow Fairy, my favourite from Lush! I’ll be making sure I try it this year.

The one product I am SUPER excited about is Yog Nog. Oh my GOD! I loved the soap last Christmas and bought myself some when I did some shopping in Lush, and you know what? I STILL own it. I haven’t used it, and it’s still in the packaging. I intend to start using it soon, but now that there will be a bath bomb out with the same scent, I’ll be buying these up as much as possible. Inside the bath bomb there is a luxury bath oil and also contains some bubble bar grating so this bubbles up when popped into the bath. Isn’t that just the perfect bath bomb???

There is only one bath melt being released this year, which is of course Snow Angel. I’m quite sad to see there will only be one as I really wish Lush would bring back the old Snow Fairy Bath Melt. That was probably one of my favourite Lush products from Christmas in 2009/2010 and they never brought it back. Sad faces all round.

Bubble Bars & Resusable Bubble Bars:

I’m really excited for some of the newbies that are coming our way with the bubble bars! There are 5 altogether, 3 of them being new and all of them sound amazing! I always love the bubble bars that Lush come out with, but this year they just look and sound really lovely.

Every year I love that Lush bring back Candy Mountain, even though it is just a nicer looking version of Creamy Candy. There are quite a few bubble bars that have gone this year, so Lush have had to make sure they replace them with goodies, which they have done! I’m going to be trying ALL the new ones. Five Gold Rings sounds really creamy and delicious, and looks really nifty too. I just hope it isn’t too glittery, otherwise I may just have to leave it… I hate when bath products are glittery, I get covered in it! Peeping Santa is another one which sounds delicious! It sounds like it’ll smell of yummy strawberries, and you can never go wrong with something like that. It would probably go really nice with So White Bath Bomb to give you a fruity bath! Finally the other new bubble bar that I am excited about is Bar Humbug. I’m not the BIGGEST fan of liquorice scents, but I’m pretty sure with Christmas around the corner this will be perfect. I’ll definitely give it a smell before I buy it mind, just incase I don’t like it.

I love reusable bubble bars, and I’m super excited to pick up Magic Wand! I’m sure this has been out previous years but sadly I’ve never bought it before, something I’m going to make sure I do this year! It’s said to share its scent with Snow Fairy, so I can’t pass this product up!

FUN:

I can’t say I am the biggest fan of FUN. I’ve used it before and enjoyed it, don’t get me wrong and really liked it, but I would prefer to pick up other products over FUN. The main thing I love using it for is to shave with. I recently used some of my boyfriends Pink FUN and I loved it. So maybe I’ll see if I like the look of one of these. I can’t really imagine how any of these will smell to be honest, but I’ll be giving them all a sniff, and see what I think. I love how creative you can get with them all though! It makes for something cool to pop into a friends stocking, something I might do with my friends and family.

Shower Gels & Jellies:

If there is one thing that I get excited for every year it’s Snow Fairy Shower Gel. Ever since I can remember I’ve bought at least a tiny bottle of the good stuff to keep me going. I still have my bottle from last Christmas, something I’m probably going to keep for when I go on holiday as a treat to wash with in the evenings before nights out.

I’ll be picking up loads of huge bottles of Snow Fairy to keep me going throughout the year! I’ll also be keeping my eye on it in the Boxing Day sales, I missed out last year, which was a shame. Alongside that I may pick up one of the jellies, I’m unsure at this moment in time as I’ve never been that bothered about Snowman, but Santa’s Belly does sound rather nice for winter! I’ll give them a sniff and see how I feel!

Soap:

I’m never a huge fan of the soap from Lush, as the majority of it leaves me with bad allergic reactions, however there are a couple of the Christmas soaps that I can get away, and I can’t resist either to be honest! There are 5 soaps, only one being a new face this year. Last year I picked up Reindeer Rock and Yog Nog, two soaps I LOVED so much and ones I’ll be picking up again this year. Reindeer Rock smells of The Comforter Bubble Bar, which is really comforting. Yog Nog reminds me of cheesecake, which again is comforting. Old Father Time is the new soap this year, which really isn’t something I’ll be buying, sad to say.

Shower Products:

Bar the roulade, I love everything on this page! Christingle Body Conditioner sounds like a gorgeous and menthol mint conditioner, which will be good for cooling down in the summer, and maybe even in the winter. I love mint scents, and Intergalactic Bath Bomb (review here) will work perfectly with this one before I go out for Christmas parties, or maybe even after a day of Christmas shopping. Either way I really can’t wait to pick this up and I can see me stocking up so I have enough to last me through the year. The Salt And Peppermint Bark Shower Scrub looks and sounds amazing, not to mention delicious. This would be great to use alongside Christingle and Intergalactic to give me a proper minty scent and feel! Icing On The Cake does sound delicious, but I’m not a huge fan of the roulade, so I’ll more than likely give this a miss.

Body:

I’ve never used Dusting Powders before but I’ve always wanted to. Last year I was going to pick up First Snow, but I left it as I didn’t think I would use it in the end. Now that Lush will be bringing out Fairy Dust I’ll be making sure I pick some of this stuff up! I would wear it before nights out, and for days out with my boyfriend. I’d be tempted to buy it and take it on holiday with me to wear in the evenings, something I still might do. I’m so excited to give Fairy Dust a smell though! I can see it flying off the shelves alongside Snow Fairy.

Face & Lips:

I’m not all that fussed about the face and lip products this year, but that’s mostly due to the fact I already own both the lip products from last year and the year before. Although I would love the Santa Baby Lip Tint in the new tube form! I may just pick this up to replace my old tin version. I might try and grab a sample of the Cranberry Festive Fresh Face Mask as I don’t feel it will do much for my skin but it would be lovely to try.

Sadly those are all the Lush Christmas products for Lush 2015! As I have said previously, I can only imagine what America get is exactly the same as what we get too. I hope so anyway as there are some gorgeous products that I can’t wait to get my hands on.

So, now you know what products are out for Christmas, what are you most looking forward to buying? I’ve already stated mine, I want to hear yours. Make sure to let me know your thoughts on the 2015 range in the comments section.

Until next time, take care all and keep those eyes peeled for Lush news!

Lush Halloween & Christmas 2015 LEAKED! Part One – Halloween

I’m super excited to write this post at the moment! I had recently discovered the leaked Halloween products, but in the past ten or fifteen minutes I’ve heard about Christmas leaks, and boy are they good! I haven’t been this excited for Lush Christmas products since 2009! I know it’s probably naughty sharing leaked products with you all, but honestly I am just too on the edge of my seat to wait for an official announcement.

As these leaks are from America, I’m not even 100% sure if we’ll get these over here in the UK, but I’m pretty sure we will, and maybe more considering Lush is from the UK originally. But I just couldn’t help but share, I know a few blogs from over the pond are at the moment, so I don’t see the harm in doing the same. I’ll be talking about which items I’m excited about and why.

I want to say thank you to Golden Glamor for all the pictures and information on these leaks, she’s been very thorough about everything, which is amazing and due to that I have copied and pasted some of her information here, as she just explains it all better than I do! You can read her Halloween post here, and her Christmas post here.

So here it is, Lush Halloween and Christmas 2015, let’s start with Halloween first for part one of this two part post.

I apologise that the picture for this isn’t that great, but it’s the only one that is lurking around the internet at the moment. Lush Halloween this year is mostly Lord Of Misrule themed, which I should have seen coming to be fair! As usual, the bath bomb will be making an appearance, which I think is staying around until after Christmas. There will also be the Oxford Street exclusive shower cream and Aliens and Monsters FUN coming to stores, which is pretty exciting! I’ve never been a HUGE fan of Lord Of Misrule I’m more into my sweet scents, but I want to give it a chance this year. I really do like the smell of the shower gel. Alongside those three there will also be Sparkly Pumpkin Bubble Bar which I’m sure came out last year and has a boozy citrus scent to it. The one product I am most excited about though is the bat shaped shower jelly Nightwing! No one knows quiet yet what it’ll smell of… Hopefully not Lord Of Misrule! 😛 There are rumours it will replace Sweetie Pie for Halloween and smell of blackcurrant. It would be pretty awesome if that were the case, AND if it is I’ll be picking up multiple pots to last me for as long as possible!

So the list includes (thanks to GG for this list):

Lord Of Misrule Bath Bomb
Sparkly Pumpkin Bubble Bar
Lord Of Misrule Shower Cream
Nightwing Shower Jelly
Aliens and Monsters FUN

Of course there will be gift sets too (thanks to GG for this list):

Pumpkin Heebie Jeebie – includes Sparkly Pumpkin and Lord Of Misrule Bath Bomb
Bat Heebie Jeebie – includes Nightwing and Lord Of Misrule shower cream
Firecracker – includes Cinders, Experimenter, and Lord Of Misrule Bath Bombs
Full Moon KnotWrap – a super adorable, spooky knot wrap with a purple moon and bat outlines.

I’m pretty damn excited for Halloween! I don’t know when it’ll be out in the UK, but I imagine towards the end of this month. I know where my earnings will be going. 😉

So now we’ve spoken about Halloween, we can talk about Christmas… BUT due to how big that post is going to be, that will be up on my blog tomorrow. I feel mean making you guys wait, but oh well, it’ll be worth it! It’s going to be a very Lush themed week on my blog this week, but is that really a bad thing?

What do you think of the Halloween products that Lush are bringing our way this year? Are you a Lord Of Misrule fan and mega excited about all the goodies? Or do you hate it, and wish Lush had brought out something different? Make sure to let me know in the comments.

Until next time though, take care.

Sunkissed Summer Tag

Image taken from weheartit.com

Seeing as the sun is out and I’m chilling out before I get ready for work, I thought I would take part in a tag post to start the week!

This is probably the first summer in a long time where the sun has actually been shining and its gorgeous weather, although this being said I can’t wait for autumn!

So without further ado (and the fact I have just over an hour left to chill and write this up!) let’s get on with this tag!

1. What is your go-to product for a sun kissed summer glow? (bronzer, self tanner, etc.)

I won’t lie I don’t use anything like that, purely because I don’t feel the need to. A good natural sun tan does the job for me, but I’ve not done any sunbathing this year as I’ve just been too busy with work and such, but I have caught the sun on days out etc. I think I’m going to start hitting tanning beds again soon as I want a natural tan again.

2. What book would you recommend for a summer read?

Mmm definitely the Shopaholic series by Sophie Kinsella, as well as The Carrie Diaries and Summer and the City by Candace Bushnell. My summer books are definitely going to be ones by John Green as I’ve just bought 4 of his books and I’ve of course read The Fault in Our Stars too.

3. What’s your signature summer scent this year?

This year? Probably Oh Lola by Marc Jacobs or Lady Million by Paco Rabbane. Both are summery scents that just smell gorgeous and bright, as well as strong too, which of course is what I like in a perfume.

4. The sun is shining and it’s time to get outside! What’s your favorite thing to do?

Go on an adventure! Me and my boyfriend like doing this, either discovering somewhere new, or somewhere neither of us have been before and want each other to see. With my friends we often go for some drinks (alcoholic and non alcoholic) out and about. I do miss going to the pub during summer evenings but at the same time I’m saving money! 😛

Image taken from weheartit.com

5. You’re on the boardwalk and your stomach is grumbling. What’s your go-to summer beach food?

Haha boardwalks don’t come often in the Midlands! However if I’m in the countryside and near a river or something then fish and chips is definitely my go to food! Cannot go wrong with a cone of chips covered and drowned in salt and vinegar.

6. Sunscreen is always important, but it’s a MUST in summer! What’s your favorite? (Face, body, or both)

Probably one by Nivea that I use on both my face and body. I don’t really apply any SPF face lotions to my face… Because I just don’t really, which isn’t good really. Another I like to use is Palmer’s cocoa body lotion with SPF 15.

7. After a day in the summer sun and heat, what do you do to cool off?

Relax inside either reading a book, watching a movie, playing on my 2DS, or even doing some blog related things (such as writing posts or reading other people’s posts).

8. How do you wear your hair in the summer? (down, ponytail, ombre, dip dye, etc.)

To be honest I always just wear my hair the same, no matter what season. That being my side braid. 🙂 But in the house I wear my hair in a ponytail or even a braided ponytail.

9. Must-have nail polish for summer 2014?

Not sure, I have and love so many! Probably my speckled polishes by Models Own. The shades are gorgeous and perfect for summer, especially as there are five shades to choose from.

Image taken from weheartit.com

10. Sometimes it just feels good to chill out and watch Netflix. What shows/movies do you recommend for summer?

Haha Netflix eh? I don’t use it just to put that out there! I definitely recommend Sex and The City and The Carrie Diaries for summer! They’re great shows to watch, especially in the evenings and during the day if you have your laptop, iPad, etc outside with you. As well as that Jackass is a fun one to watch during the summer too! Movies? Studio Ghibli and Disney is the way to go! Remind yourself of the films you would have watched when you were a kid during your school holidays.

11. Do you wear liquid foundation, BB cream, or tinted moisturizer in the summer?

I don’t no… So I haven’t got much to say on that. xD

12. It’s super bright outside! Do you reach for sunglasses or a hat?

Sunglasses! I take them everywhere with me at the moment, I love my Wayfarers so much.

13. What is your summer jam this year?

Haha summer jam! I’m not sure, probably something Daft Punk, Calvin Harris or Deadmau5 related. I love me some electric sounding music for the summer and I still need to listen to Deadmau5’s latest album too.

14. Do you have a summer bucket list? If so, share some things on the list.

I do but I don’t… I want to go back to Bristol again this summer, just for one day to do a bit of shopping and go to the Bristol Zoo. As well as that I want to go walking some more in the countryside with my boyfriend, go on a mini adventure! There are loads of things I want to do this summer but I guess it’s just going ahead and doing them instead of planning them.

Image taken from weheartit.com

15. Bikini, tankini, or one piece? Show us your fave bathing suit this year!

I don’t have one to show I’m afraid but I usually stick with bikinis, although I would like a one piece as I feel too conscious about my belly these days to even show it off. 😦

16. Summer means heat… and sweat! What’s your favorite sweat proof product this year? (Skincare, makeup, anything!)

My Sure Maximum Protection Deodorant in Sensitive is my definite product all year around, especially in the summer! With this deodorant I don’t sweat, which is great as when I sweat, I REALLY sweat! I’ve also started to use The Body Shop’s sorbet moisturiser which is really helping to keep me cool. I recommend using a gel body lotion instead of a cream one, the same can be said about your skin care too.

17. Summer wouldn’t be complete without a scoop (or two) of ice cream! If you could create your own ice cream flavor, what would it be?

Oh my! I don’t even know to be honest with you. It has been created by a great place in Bristol, but cornflake ice cream. 😀 I would have said bubblegum, but that’s already been made.

So that was the sunkissed summer tag! I know I really enjoyed taking part in this tag!

I nominate everyone in the UK to take a part in this tag, sorry to cut out anyone else but our summer here is so nice for once that I want us all to show off how much we’re enjoying it this year.

If you do have a go at taking part in this tag please let me know so I can read what you  put.

For now take care all, I need to head off to work and officially start my week (as well as the last few days of July).

See you soon!