Christmas Countdown Day 5

NO! I missed a day on my blogging streak, but alas I will post twice today to make up for it and then hopefully I'll be back on track!

Today's post is all about gifts for the ladies, be it your best friend, mum, sister or auntie, these gifts would be suitable for anyone.

Sometimes, I really struggle thinking what to get someone when I know I've bought them clothes or beauty products almost every year, which can get a little boring. So for something slightly different, my first gift pick is a cushion from the luxury British store, Cath Kidston. For anyone that doesn't know, this shop creates high quality bags, clothes and home furnishings, designed with cute prints and beautiful patterns. Granted, the products are usually very expensive, but if you look hard enough, you're sure to find a bargain!

#1 London Cushion Cover- Cath Kidston
I love the cute typically British design of this cover which is perfect for adding a touch of fun and colour to any plain room. (Available in white or blue)

#2 Nutella Recipe Book- thepresentfinder.co.uk

Almost all of my friends LOVE Nutella, so I'm sure some of yours do to! This gift is great for anyone who loves baking or is just obsessed with the chocolatey spread. At £8.99 it may seem a little expensive for only 30 recipes but I've had a look elsewhere on line and you get it new for about £5 on Amazon!

#3 Red Polka Dot Little Book of Earrings- Amazon

Having seen this, I myself really want one of these earring holder books! If like me you have loads of earrings that are all sitting in a box getting jumbled up, this book is a perfect holder to keep each stud neatly arranged and visible, and it's compact size means its great for travelling too! (Comes in a variety of colours)

Hope this post was helpful for anyone having a present mind block!

Love

Lottie :) x

Summer Wishlist

Summer seems to finally be creeping its way in from amongst the cloud and rain meaning I can finally dust off those sandles and get ready to skip in the sun! (yes I do still occasionally skip...)

Most recently I've been scouring the website of one of my favourite fashion retailers: boohoo.com who offer a wide range of styles with so much to offer meaning there's something for everyone! The prices are also fantastic, with students getting 10% off on everything when signed up to myunidays.com which also gives you exclusive discounts from Apple to Topshop.

Two of my favourites from boohoo include this beautiful short woven jacket in a selection of blues perfect for summer (but would also fit into any season of wardrobe), as well as this fitted playsuit which I think would work brilliantly teamed with brogues for a smart or casual occasion.

Now I realise that trainers aren't for everyone and on a hot sunny day they're not the first thing you have in mind to slip your feet into, but these Nike's are just amazing. With fabric designed by Liberty London, they add a girlish charm to the traditional basketball shoe and the subtle colourings mean they are wearable with a variety of clothing. One thing I don't understand about the Nike blazer shoes is the fact that they haven't covered the whole tongue and have left foam visible! At least on the Liberty London style they've only left the foam at the top visible!

Please feel free to leave my some comments as I'm always up for a chat! Also, I want to know what your favourite summer piece is and if anyone has the answer to the Nike foam question then please tell me!

Herbal Essence Beautiful Ends cream- product review

I'm ridiculously prone to split ends so thought I'd give the Herbal Essences Beautiful Ends Split End Protection Cream a try. Having tried a similar product made by Loreal, I was a little skeptical as although the Loreal product worked slightly, it did not get rid of all my split ends. 

At about £4.79 per 150ml bottle, the Herbal Essences product is quite pricey but does last a long time thanks to its pump, meaning you do not use too much at a time, thus wasting the cream. The packaging is a fairly bright red which make it appealing but not too in your face and the small size and cap over the pump means it would fit nicely in a wash-bag without exploding everywhere. 

The texture of the white cream is similar to conditioner and is quite silky in your hand. As with all Herbal Essences products, the smell of the cream is lovely, giving off a refreshing hint of raspberry without being overpowering. 

As suggested on the back of the packaging, I use the leave-in cream after I've come out of the shower and begun to towel dry my hair. Applying the cream after having a shower means you don't have to wash your hair again and the cream can absorb in naturally. I tend to use about two pumps of the cream as my hair is quite long and thick, rubbing it onto the ends of my hair with my fingers. I did not put any cream on near the roots or further up my hair as anything other than shampoo and conditioner tends to make my hair greasy. 

After using the product for about two weeks, I noticed a dramatic decrease in the amount of split ends, proving the product really works! After a month, I struggle to find any split ends at all with 98% of my hair being split end free!

I would definitely recommend this product to anybody battling with split ends and will most certainly use this product again! 

Overall I give this product 9/10, dropping one point because of the price tag. 

Totally Topshop

After long days of college and evenings of coursework, I love to use the little space between coursework and crashing into bed, to browse and surf the web, spending the majority of the time on online shopping. 

Recently, I have been lusting after a few bits and bobs in Topshop, but having no money at the moment due to going to London for a couple of days, I can wish but can't buy! 

First up on the wishlist are the Blackwatch Check Leggings  which I discovered on Stylish Behaviour's blog, currently selling for £25. 

My second top pick is the Wool Biker Jacket, which my lovely friend Maisie was sporting at college (she has great style!). When seeing it, I got very jealous and still lust after it whenever she's wearing it! I'm not 100% sure if this one is exactly the same as Maisie's but it's just as gorgeous!

Now if you read my blog, you'll know I have a slight craze and love for shoes, especially when they come under the category 'boy meets girl' (was I destined to be the opposite gender?!). Anyway, when I saw this next pair of boots my heart leaped and then sunk after reading their hefty price tag. However, I've posted a picture of the Traditional Brogue Boots by Loake anyway to show my appreciation and so that you can also drool at them in your heart's desire! 

And finally, another pair of boots in the same colour as the beauties above. The Affanita Mid Heel Chelsea boots are an autumn staple, keeping you feet warm and super stylish. At a reasonable price of £62, I will definitely keep my eyes on these as well as drop many hints for Christmas! 

'Charlie' and 'So...?' Body Spray Product Review

Everyday I tend to wear a scent, be it perfume or body spray. Today I am reviewing 5 body sprays that I own. 

Usually associated with younger girls, Charlie and So...? are cute, well packaged body sprays that help to freshen up you and your clothes for a fairly low price (and they're almost always on sale!). 

So...? Sinful is one of my favourites from the bunch, featuring a sweet smell that was fairly strong but didn't leave you smelling like a sweetshop! The scent lasted almost all day and I even got complimented by my mum for how nice I smelt! Score: 4.5/5

Charlie Enchant has a gorgeous pale blue packaging design, promising 'a captivating blend of wild apple, honeysuckle and coconut', which was certainly delivered when sprayed, providing me with a hint towards summer! Score: 4.5/5

Charlie Pink had quite a sweet, fruity smell which although was not overpowering, the smell is certainly for younger individuals. Score: 2/5

Charlie Red was another of my favourites which included a fairly spicy scent. Unfortunately, the scent did not tend to last very long but certainly gets a score of 3/5. 

The last Charlie I tested (there are lots more available in the shops!) was Charlie Touch. This spray had a very pleasant smell with the 'indulgent vanilla musk' certainly coming through. When sprayed, the smell filled quite a lot of my room, meaning not only did my clothes smell nice, my bedroom did too! Score: 5/5

Overall, I would highly recommend these products to my friends as not only do they help to liven up your clothes, each bottle is compact enough to fit in your bag!