Beauty Review: St Tropez Wash Off Instant Glow Mousse

Last summer I reviewed St Tropez's Wash Off Instant Body Lotion. I've been using the lotion a lot on my legs this summer as they never seem to take on any colour and I nearly always end up with streaks when I fake tan - nothing to do with the tan itself but my application of it. But the lotion is quite thick and not only takes a while to rub in properly but also feels quite heavy on my legs for the rest of the day. This is fine my legs when I'm wearing a skirt but for my arms and decolletage, it is a little less appealing. So I decided to try St Tropez's Wash Off Instant Glow Mousse. And let's just say, I'm bought!

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BARGAIN OF THE DAY: Dorothy Perkins Scalloped Hem Dress

This gorgeous, simple scalopped hem dress from Dorothy Perkins would be perfect for a summer wedding or even in the office and it is now only £12!! (Down from £50)

Go on, you know you want to!!

Monday Morning Pic-Me-Up

Nothing better than waking up to the sunlight pouring in through the window...

Mani of the Week: Boots 17 Down Town

When I got sent the Boots 17 Miami Pop Summer Collection to try out, I decided that I wasn't perhaps the best person for the job - so I sent it to my super stylish sis to play with as she's off on her holidays to Ibiza - right now, in fact!!

For her holidays she chose to paint her nails with the Down Town shade which is a bright colour pop in a hot orange shade which is on trend this summer:

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Monday Morning Pic-Me-Up

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BEAUTY REVIEW: Boots Beautiful Bronze Soltan Self Tan Lotion

When I was asked to trial Soltan's Beautiful Bronze Self Tan Body Lotion I couldn't wait. And then I did. I waited then six weeks. Because I suddenly remembered that as much as I like to have a tan, I don't actually like fake tanning - I don't like the stress of worrying over whether it will look alright or whether I'll be left with streaks or white patches, as have been the results of many a fake tan experiment when I was a student. So the bottle sat on my dressing table. Taunting me. Then last night, I decided to take the plunge and try it. After all, the forecast said rain for the next few days, so if it went wrong, I could hide under my skinny jeans. My arms tend to a take a little colour in the sun anyway, so it is really only my legs that remain an offensive whiter than white colour this time of year. So I tried the tan on them:

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Pedi of the Week: Boots No 7 Me! Me! Me!

How do you spend your Sunday evening? I spent my Sunday evening doing chores and painting my toe nails:

When Boots sent me a couple of the new No 7 Stay Perfect nail polishes to try out, this hot pink polish - Me! Me! Me! - was amongst them. I'm not such a fan of hot pink on my finger nails but on my toes? Yes please!


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BEAUTY REVIEW: Boots No 7 Summer Collection

Last week, I told you about Boots' 17 Summer Collection, this week, I have the fabulously glamorous Boots' No 7 Summer Collection to tell you about:

If hot pink polish and lipgloss isn't your thing, don't fear. The No 7 limited collection is glossy and glittery and grown-up. The collection consists of a matt three-toned bronzer, with a convenient mirror in the top:

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Mani of the Week: Boots No7 Golden Palms

When Boots sent me the No 7 Summer Collection I wasn't too sure about the polishes. Both are glittery and I'm never too impressed with metalic glitter polishes - they are never very opaque end up looking a little like a child got left alone with a tube of glitter glue and my nails! But I thought I'd give them a go - for the sake of the blog, you understand! And I am so pleased I did.

This polish, named Golden Palms, is opaque after two coats, glamorous and lasts a long loooong time! Honestly, I put a coat on one evening, which actually looked nice enough on its own, but the next evening decided to add a second coat which looked even better. Then I set about cleaning the bathroom, washing up and a whole host of other chores that had been waiting for me to get off the sofa! And the polish was still there and intact after all of this! Now that is some staying power, right there!

And the colour? Well, it is in daylight a pink base with broze coloured glitter, and indoors, it is more bronze than pink.

If you're looking for a polish to accompany sunny summer evening cocktails, this is it!

And right now, if you spend £22 on No 7 products, you get this free gift. What are you waiting for?

What colour are you loving for sultry summer evenings?

HOLIDAY ESSENTIALS: The Sugar and Spice Summer Book Club

This is pretty much how the space beside my bed looks right now - an ever-growing tower of books to read this summer:

In fact, apart from the bottom one - Minding Frankie - I have already finished them all and so will be needing some new summer reads before very long at all. In the meantime, I thought I'd show you the books that have kept me company on my two trips so far this summer, to Ibiza and to Valencia.

Before I headed to Ibiza, I asked my Twitter followers:

Anyone got any good book recommendations? Want chick lit for easy beach reading :)

And they stepped up! With @SuburbanYogini telling me: try I Heart New York by Lindsey Kelk. You'll love it. Read it on the plane to Aus!

And @mrsbossa saying: Chick lit ain't really my bag, but The Enchanted April is the loveliest holiday read EVER!

I could not have had two better recommendations, as I found myself lost in both books.

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Monday Morning Pic-Me-Up

BEAUTY REVIEW: Boots 17 Miami Pop Summer Collection

Those lovely people at Boots obviously realised that my bank balance needed a break from all of the spending I keep doing and offered to send me some samples to try out - to which I said, yes please! Naturally.

So, I was pleased to receive the Boots 17 Miami Pop Summer Collection in the post last week. The packaging cute and candy coloured - just what you want to fill your make-up bag with in the summer, no?

The collection includes a shimmer bronzer - which will look perfect swept on with a large powder brush for summer evenings - and a hot pink lipgloss - which will brighten up any make-up look. In addition, there are two limited edition nail polish colours - Palm Beach, a hot pink colour, and Down Town, a bright orange  - I'd suggest painting one colour on your toe nails and another on your finger nails!

Boots 17 are also currently offering a 17 Nail Bar in a Bag free with any two purchases from the 17 collection:

Have you tried any of these products? What summer make-up do you use? Does the make-up you use change between summer and winter?

PS. I stumbled upon this post which suggests How to Wear Bronzer (and How to Avoid Mistakes).

What Was I Wearing: Joe Browns' denim jacket

When I was contacted recently and asked if I would like to choose something from the Joe Browns' website to review, I jumped at the chance. Joe Brown is a specialist in the sort of boho chic fashion that has been popularised in recent years by the likes of Sienna Miller. From women's dresses to knitwear and jeans - Joe Browns caters for all tastes.

I knew exacly what I wanted the minute I checked out the site: a denim jacket. I had one as a teenager but for some reason it was a massive size and therefore completely swamped me, so for a while now I have been trying to hunt down a cropped fitted jacket in a faded denim and I hit jackpot!


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BARGAIN OF THE DAY: Dorothy Perkins' mustard platform sandals

Brighten up any outfit with these fabulous - and bargainous - mustard-coloured platform sandals from Dorothy Perkins. Yours for £25!

Mani of the Week: Boots No 7 in Tangy

This week's mani is Boots No 7's Tangy. A gorgeously richly pigmented orange coral colour which is just perfect for the summer and against tanned and pale skins alike. The polish is opaque after one coat and two coats extend the life of the mani for a week. This polish has firmly earned its place in my summer make-up bag.

What colour is your mani this week?

PS:

Have you entered my giveaway to win a fabulous pair of Oasis New Vintage earrings? If not, make sure you do so right away!! You can’t win, if you don’t enter!

AND, if you have already voted for me in the Filofax Facebook Blogger Style Off, thank you. If you haven’t voted for me yet, please do go and vote for me and will be forever grateful.

Friend Friday #44: Food

This week's Last week's Friend Friday topic was food, glorious food! Katy asked us to, share the recipe to your favorite seasonal dish... the one you love to make and love to eat this time of the year. Before I headed off for my long weekend away, I didn't have time to post my recipe, so when I made it this evening I figured now would be as good a time as any to post it.

This really is a terribly easy and absolutely delicious meal to make. (Please note, it does seem to create an enormous amount of mess and washing up in a very small amount of time!! But then maybe that's just me.)

Chicken with lemon butter sauce



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Summer Lovin': party outfits

You will all hopefully have been enjoying the wonderful sunshine we have been experiencing here in the UK this Bank Holiday weekend. I spent much of yesterday sitting outside various coffee shops in Malvern and soaking up every last drop of sunlight. Such a wonderful and unexpected pleasure to be feeling so warm in April.

With the wonderful weather in mind, I decided to play dress-up and put together some fabulous outfits for some special summer soirées:

Coral chiffon frill dress; Floral chain toe post sandals; Floral canvas cross body bag; Embossed bangle set; and Natural trilby with corsage.

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