Vintage Teacup Shopping

I have a confession to make...I LOVE TEACUPS...but I don't drink tea! As much as I would like to, I don't like the taste and it makes me feel quite queasy. That hasn't stopped me though from having a love affair with teacups, especially vintage ones.

Today I had a day off work and decided to pop into the village to have a quick look around the antique shops in the hunt for some treasures. I recently bought two pieces of solid oak furniture so I was on a ban from buying any big pieces. Even though my home is a new build I have grown up to appreciate old and collectable items and my home is nicely filling up with various pieces.

My crockery collection is something that I want to slowly build as I'm quite fussy with what I like and it can be quite costly. Gosh I sound old!

After looking at what felt like hundreds, I finally decided on two matching designs that came with side plates.

I paid £5 for each trio which I thought was an absolute bargain. These were the only matching ones that I fancied, which is good really, as I could have spent quite a lot more!

I know this is different from my usual posts but this is another part of my life that I want to feature on my blog every now and then. If this type of thing floats your boat then check out this site here for more vintage loveliness.

Have you any other loves other than make up and beauty that you like collecting? Do share...

Rachel xx

Winter Rescue for Hands - OPI Avojuice

Winter in the UK; wet, damp, cold and muggy and it plays havoc with my skin especially. The first to suffer is my hands. Being a district nurse, I'm constantly washing them before and after procedures and then out again in the cold and onto the next call where I do it all over again. A good hand lotion is my savour.

I was bought Avojuice by OPI by my best friend for Christmas and it has really helped rescue my dry chapped hands. It's a body lotion too but I've been using it mostly on my hands.

This lotion is not what I normally consider a typical hand lotion due to it being quite a light consistency. When I first applied it I thought it wouldn't cover both hands so before rubbing in it I put some more on. Oops, bit messy. Lesson learnt, only apply two pumps.

The OPI Avojuice is a lovely lotion and doesn't leave hands greasy or sticky. This bottle is 200ml and will last me quite a while. You can also buy a 30ml size. I have put some in a travel bottle that I picked up from Boots and carry it around with me.

A quick search on Google has shown that prices range from £6-£12 for the 200ml size and from £1.50-£3.50 for the 30ml. There are a range of sellers on eBay selling the complete range with other scents like Coconut Melon Juicie, Mango and Grapefruit. The cheapest website which I have located is Demon Beauty here which also stocks OPI lacquer and Essie too! 

What are your winter skin rescue products? Have you discovered something new like me, or do you go back to a tried and tested product?

Rachel xx

NARSissist Palette Review & Swatches

So here it is readers! It arrived in the post this morning and I tore open the brown box dying to get my hands on it. I've been snapping away all morning in order to get this post up the same day for you to enjoy and drool over.

You can see my original post here where I blogged about its release date and names of the eyeshadow shades.

The beautiful shades have both matte and glitter and range from light cream/latte colours to rose gold, brown, plum and black. I have three single eyeshadows by NARS already and are very blendable and stay on all day, so I know that these will be the same.

Close up swatches (please excuse poor lighting)

Top row, left to right.

Middle row, left to right.

Bottom row, left to right.

The NARSissist palette is selling fast due to being limited edition so grab it while you can. It is a whopping £55 and the size of the shadows are smaller than the standard single eyeshadows that NARS do. However, I couldn't resist this. You can buy directly from the NARS UK website which I did with free p&p when you spend over £50!

Have you got this palette yet? If so, what are your thoughts? If not, would you buy it? Please leave your comments below.

Thanks for reading.

Rachel xx

Skincare Essential ~ Moisturiser

I have been using this moisturiser by Boots No7 for a while now since replacing my Estee Lauder one (see post here) and have yet to find a better one. Protect and Perfect Intense really sinks into my skin easily after applying toner and within a couple of minutes my face is drier and looks smooth. I have oily/combination skin and have no problem with this. It has SPF 15 which is a big bonus when it comes to skincare.
This range focuses on fine lines and wrinkles and includes a beauty serum and under eye cream.
For 50ml you have to fork out a whopping £23. Boots No7 are currently running 3 for 2 on skincare if you fancy stocking up and I have a £5 off voucher which I need to use before February. This pot is almost finished so I will repurchase it.
You can visit the site here and see the full range.

Have you tried a product that is now an essential part of your daily routine?

Rachel xx

My Most Worn Boots

With the winter season lasting for what feels like an eternity, I decided to invest in some decent boots a few weeks ago. I had been on the hunt for a black knee/calf length black pair for some time after my trusty old ones literally fell apart. In November I popped into Schuh in the hope of being able to find a pair and BAM I sure did by Blowfish. The style is called Kasbah and is a black slouch biker boot that pulls on easily with the buckles as a detailed yet practical feature. They can be tightened/loosened if you want. The best thing about these boots is that if like me, you have a wide calf, they are a good fit as I normally struggle to find ones that pull up past my ankles! The Kasbah is unfortunately a bit expensive at £75 but I was able to use my student discount since I'm back studying at Uni part time! You can buy them online here from Schuh online with free delivery. I wear them most days with skinny jeans.

The second pair I bought was just before Christmas when I was looking for something to wear for my works night out. Money was quite tight at the time due to buying presents, household bills and new shoes for my daughter so I was looking for a pair that I could use again instead of being slung to the back of the wardrobe. The River Island boots are imitation suede with an elasticated panel. The heel is 9cm which is just right for me. They are still available online for £35 here but delivery is extra. I have found myself wearing these for evenings out.

Rachel xx

My Oasis Wish List

I hadn't visited an Oasis shop for simply ages as the nearest one to me closed down some years ago, and I very rarely get to visit the big smoke where there is one. I was able though to pop into one in Birmingham in November last year when I was at the German Christmas Market.
I have always loved Oasis clothing as I find their clothing soft and feminine and always appeals to me    whatever the current styles. That day I only bought a handbag as the jumper I wanted in my size was out of stock, damn.
Anyway, with Christmas now over and the new season S L O W L Y approaching I thought I would update my wardrobe. I have sorted a few items for the charity shop to make room for some new gear. Hurray!

Above is my wish list that I will be ordering over time (I simply cannot justify ordering them all at once; or can I?)
1. Star print sweater in light neutral, £38 here
2. Swarovski heart bangle in a copper colour, £20 here
3. Sparkle ballerina flats in pink, £18 (sale) here
4. Metal tipped collar shirt dress in blue, £45 here
5. Pocket front t-shirt in pink, £28 here
6. Stars and stripes scarf, £20 here

You can view all their beautiful clothing, shoes and accessories here at the homepage.
Why not make your own wish list and post it on your blog and remember to leave a link to it in the comments below.

Rachel xx

My Current Favourite Fragrance ~ The Key by Justin Bieber

Ok, so I wasn't really going to blog about this due to the embarrassment, and to be honest I wasn't going to buy it as I'm no way a Justin Bieber fan, but after sampling a spray just before Christmas, I thought 'hey not bad'. So when the new year sales started this month I decided to treat myself to the gift set which consisted of a 30ml eau de parfum and 100ml body lotion. It was less than half price at £10.50 from Boots and it has since sold out online.

The fragrance is described as...

'Energetic with a sexy splash of sparkling freshness, the luminous fruity floral musk fragrance awakens the senses with a burst of juicy fruits, while the heart blooms to unveil a bright bouquet of sheer floralcy. The creamy dry down blends sensual musks and exotic precious woods with decadent notes of vanilla that will leave you dreaming for more...'

The staying power on my skin is ok, but I find that if I add some on to my scarf or clothing it lingers a bit longer. I have to admit, I really quite like it but I won't be telling too many people who its by...except you guys of course ;)

Have you got a favourite celeb fragrance?

Rachel xx

NARSissist Palette - A Must Have

While browsing the world wide web for all things new and tempting I found this beauty - NARSissist by NARS. OMG what a palette this is and I have to have it. With its soft neutrals and gradient dark smokey eye hues, this palette would easily slip into the handbag to transform your look from day to night.

The colours are All About Eve I, Madrague II, Fez, Bali, Coconut Grove, Madrague I, Nepal, Ashes to Ashes, Brousse II, Mekong, Bellissima I, Lhasa, Deep Pewter, Dogon II and Pandora II.

This palette is available right now on the Nars USA website here, and through my research it should hit the UK around the last week in January. It's retailing in the USA for $79 so I reckon it may be about £50, which is very expensive so I may have to save up for it in the meantime and hope that it won't be limited addition.

Rachel xx

PS Sorry for the long absence.

***UPDATE***

18th January

NARS UK now have this in stock for £55 here

I have ordered mine as I don't want to miss out!