MUA Elysium Palette

I have a new found love for MUA products and when I saw this whilst wandering around my local Superdrug, I knew I had to buy it.

The palette comes with 10 eyeshadows in varying matte and shimmery tones as well as a double ended highlighter and eyeliner pencil.

The colours are really lovely and seem to have pretty good staying power. It's nice that there are  a few sparkly ones included for the festive season.

The colours all have really pretty names and I'll walk you through them one by one.

Air - Very pale and smooth colour. Perfect for a base or highlighter.
Cherub - This very pale pink colour is adorable. Just the right amount of sparkle.
Charm - My favourite of all the colours. Perfect for day wear. Very subtle and natural.
Refine - Very similar to Charm but just a hint darker.
Entrance - A hint of sparkle. Perfect for Xmas party smoky eyes.
Adore - Beautiful colour but just a bit too dark for my pale skin.
Astral - My favourite sparkly colour in the palette. Nice colour and perfectly sparkly.
Grace - This one would also be perfect for smoky eyes.
Smoke - I'm a bit scared of this colour to be honest. It's very dark and very pigmented.
Seraphic - I love the name of this and the colour. Another one that's great for the party season.

The eyeliner pencil is a nice consistency and holds its colour really well and the highlighter does the trick to.

This palette is fantastic and at £6 is an absolute bargain. A must have for any make up lover!

My Two Favourite Mascaras - Compared

I'm pretty simple when it come to makeup and I tend to stick to the same brands for most things. When it comes to mascara there are two that I love.

ModelCo Fibre Lashxtend and Maybelline Great Lash Mascara.

I've used Maybelline since I started using make up when I was about 14 and there is always at least 1 in my makeup bag. It doesn't clump, looks natural and is easy to apply.

I first used the Modelco mascara when I received a tube free in Glamour magazine earlier this year and I am a convert! It has a slightly higher price tag than the Maybelline brand, but as my mum says, you only get what you pay for!

The Modelco Fibre Lashxtend comes in at around £16 which isn't going to break the bank but is quite a bit more than the £5 I usually pay for Maybelline.

So is it worth it? Judge for yourself....

Maybelline Baby Lips - Peach Kiss

I purchased this product because I really need a reliable lip balm at this time of year. The winter in Edinburgh is really harsh on my lips and they are often cracked and sore.

Maybelline Baby Lips caught my eye because as well as being a lip balm it is a nice nude pink colour.

It's a nice soft lip balm with a pretty but subtle colour and I've used it religiously over the past few weeks.

My lips have managed to avoid being cracked so far and I think this will become a firm favourite lip balm over the winter months and at only £2.99 its well worth the money!

Forgotten Treasures

I was clearing out my wardrobe a few days ago and stumbled across a few products that I had forgotten all about but really love.

Percy Reed Finishing Polish

This is actually something that I got free in Glamour Magazine but I love it. I’m not usually a fan of hair products as they can make my hair seem flat and lifeless but this is fab. It’s got a lovely texture and doesn't have too strong a smell. I hate using scented products on my hair. It’s great for taming fly away hairs and split ends. The best freebie I've ever received!

Body Shop Vitamin E Cream Exfoliator

I have an unhealthy addiction to the Body Shop. I can spend hours browsing the shelves, smelling every product and using every tester. The stuff is great quality, reasonable priced and ethically sourced. I bought this product when I was in the middle of a bad skin phase. I bought it with just about every other product in the Vitamin E range and used them religiously for a few months. They really did sort my skin out. Unfortunately I used everything up and never got round to buying them again but I absolutely love this range and would recommend it to anyone trying to whip their skin into shape!

Body Shop Honey and Oat Face Mask

Another Body Shop favourite. This mask is lovely. It’s thick and creamy and smells delicious. It has little grainy oaty bits in it too so you can feel is exfoliating as you put it on. This product feels really natural and luxurious and I can’t believe I’d forgotten about it until now!

Pure Simplicity Heel Balm

I was given this as a gift in Australia last Christmas. I spent 5 weeks in Oz and my feel really suffered from wearing flip-flops (or thongs as the Aussies call them) non-stop for weeks. This was a lifesaver. My feet were sighing with relief when I first used this and I continued to use it when I got home to keep my feet in shape. Every time I use this product the smell transports me back to the Aussie summer and I can’t wait to get back there!

Wedding Stress!

I am getting married in 6 months. So far I have arranged my venue and my dress and nothing else. I have a friend who is also getting married at around the same time. She has sorted everything already. I really need to get started. The problem is, I’m just not a good planner. I always get everything done but usually at the last minute. I’m the kind of person who does Christmas shopping at 4 O’clock on Christmas Eve.

So I've made a list of things I still need to do:

Bridesmaid Dress

Wedding Cars

Florist

Photographer

Hair and Make Up

Honeymoon

Shoes, Jewellery etc.

Guest List

Cake

Invitations

Favours

Table Decorations

Menswear

Wedding Rings

The list is endless. Where do I start!? Have I forgotten anything? How will we pay pay for it all? Aaaaaah!

Wintery Beef Stew and Potatoes

This recipe originally came from my mum and it always makes me think of being warmed up during cold winters when I was little.

To serve 2-3 people you will need:

500g of lean beef chopped into chunks
1 tbsp of oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 celery sticks, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp parsely
1 tsp mixed herbs
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tbsp plain flour
500ml of beef stock
2 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Sea Salt and Black Pepper to taste

You can also add any other veg you want to this such as swede, parsnip or leeks to bulk it up.

First add the oil to a large pot and heat gently. Whilst this is heating up toss the meat with the flour until its dusty and add to the pan once hot. Fry the meat until it's browned all over.

Add the onion, garlic, celery, carrots and any other veg to the meat and cook for a few minutes until the onions start to look soft.

Add the stock, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar and all herbs and spice as well as salt and pepper to the pot. Cover and let this simmer at a low temperature for at least 2 hours. I usually try to leave it for 2.5 to 3 hours if I have time. This way the meat is very tender and the gravy nice and thick.

If you want a richer sauce you can also add some red wine but I usually don't bother with this.



I serve with some sauteed herby potatoes and steamed green veg for a filling and relatively healthy winter meal.

A great winter warmer!