IMATS Haul

So recently I went to IMATS with the beautiful Lauren over at http://porcelainqueen1.blogspot.co.uk/ and I can honestly say it was such a great weekend I'd do it all over again in a heart beat. We decided to make a weekend of it and stay in a hotel overnight, and by hotel I use that term loosely! We rocked up and it all looked very clean and nice, however the room was no bigger than my wardrobe at home (which isn't that big!) and the bed...oh dear lord, was perhaps the smallest double bed I've ever come across, so all Lauren and I could do was get much better antiquated haha! That was the only downside of this weekend as we ate loads, shopped loads and shopped a bit more. Fab.

So...what did I buy?! Quite a bit is your answer. I don't think I went too crazy personally - I could have gone completely mental and bought pretty much everything however I'm no millionaire so that didn't happen.

Let's start of with brushes. I knew before I went that a stall was going to be selling Zoeva so I purchased the 231 Petite Crease Brush, 315 Fine Liner Brush & 312 Detailer Liner Brush. I'd wanted some new eyeliner brushes as my MAC one had pretty much had it by now. Also I didn't have a small enough crease brush before so this one is perfect.

  Next we'll go on to Sigma. Well I had no idea they were going to be at IMATS so I made a little excited squeak when we stumbled upon them! I went for the obvious choice of their Kabuki range and chose the ever so popular F80 Flat Kabuki Brush and the F86 Tapered Kabuki Brush. I have used these everyday since and they are SO good. I 150% recommend them - they are so soft and dense that they just pack on the foundation / concealer and work really well at blending into the skin to look flawless.

Next we ventured over to the NARS counter which was crazy busy. It was as if the world was about to end and there was a free for all on the counter! I feared for my life. I quickly grabbed the items I needed and queued for a lifetime. No joke! I bought NARS Laguna Bronzer as it was on offer and I clearly needed another bronzer to add to my already huge collection of bronzers...then I bought ANOTHER bronzer in stick form which I don't feel bad about buying as it's the only cream one I own, and I adore it! (I apologise for the blurry photo below)

Okay so after queuing for about an hour we went over to the Kandy Eyes counter where I purchased some glitter...I had tried this before at a previous Beauty Convention and instantly regretted not buying it at the time. So I made up for lost time and bought 3 pots of glitter which will in turn last me just short of a lifetime..so no doubt I'll be some cool hip granny with glittery lips..I can see it now people. I bought electric pink, Jessica Rabbit red and a turquoise. See picture below with me showcasing the glitter.

With extra money cluttering my purse, we scoured around for something to spend more money on. Needless to say it took all of about 20 seconds to come across the Inglot stand. My only regret is I didn't buy more. I was SO impressed with this brand I can't wait to buy more from it. I purchased the Kohl Eyeliner in Brown and Nude as I was so desperate to try a nude liner then when it came to swatching it, it went on like a dream I had to get the brown too! I now want to get the black, grey, green and any other colour they do. I also decided to go for the Colour Play Eyeliner in 204 which is a beautiful aqua blue. Perfect for Summer, and again goes on like a dream. 

And finally, with our purses a hell of a lot lighter I found a remaining £10 note which clearly had to be used. We came across the Eldora Handmade Eyelashes Stand. I fell in love. I'm a sucker for eyelashes and even though I have pretty long lashes naturally, I can't resist wearing these to add more depth to my lashes; making them look fuller. I love these as they look so natural on (see below) and can be used again and again. Very impressed. 

 So, that's it for my IMATS haul - what do you think? Have you tried any of the above? Let me know in the comments down below. I've also included a photo below of me using pretty much everything above. I hope you like my look!

Don't forget you can follow me on twitter, instagram and bloglovin!

It's been a pleasure.

Char

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Showcase XPlus Premier | Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes

I was lucky enough to be invited to the VIP XPlus Premier Screening of Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes. The evening started at 6:30 pm where we were welcomed into the Studio One Bar and were greeted with a choice of either Champagne, Sparkling Elder Flower Cordial or Orange Juice. I chose the Elder Flower - I thought it was a nice refreshing choice as I was the designated driver...I know! No fair! The room was in full swing by the time we arrived. Waiters were serving the most delicious canapes from every corner of the room, shortly followed by mini desserts which I was trying very hard to say no to. I took this as my que to go and take as many pictures of the event as possible. From the Champagne being poured, to the superior XPlus screen itself!

 With the assistance of the complex manager we ventured up to the third floor where the XPlus Screen is located to marvel at its greatness! I was in absolute awe as I walked around the corner and caught a glimpse of this vibrant blue screen that just hits you smack in the face! Needless to say I was impressed. Very impressed.

Once all the the guests had arrived we were asked to take our seats and revel in the XPlus experience. Once at our seats we were given little goodie bags containing popcorn, 3D glasses and a bottle of water. The seats themselves were brand new and I have to say, very comfortable indeed. I'm normally a bugger for fidgeting about when watching a film but I didn't move once.

So on to the actual XPlus experience...this was like no other cinema experience. It was amazing and certainly revolutionary. I am an avid cinema goer, so when something new comes along which is going to make my viewing more extreme I'm definitely up for trying it out. It was awesome!!

So, what is Showcase XPlus? It's a proprietary large format auditorium featuring Dolby Atmos™ sound and the most advanced digital projection and screen technology.  XPlus offers a premium cinema experience with immersive sound, crystal clear projection and reserved seating.

At the start of the film we were given a brief presentation of how XPlus creates an experience like no other. We were told that in the next few minutes we would hear a man singing, however it would be as if he was walking around the auditorium. So the music starts (there is nothing on the screen) and you feel the man is literally walking in a huge circle around you. People were turning around in their seats as he was 'walking' behind them. The sound was just immense and the quality of sound was like no other. We were then thrown into what could only be descried as a monsoon storm in what would seem like a rainforest. Thunder, lightning, torrential rain! It was fantastic - it was as if you were there, experiencing it for yourself - just not getting drenched.

Then came the picture; we were asked to put on our 3D glasses and revel in the ultra sharp image quality. Again, we were not disappointed - the quality was second to none and was visually stunning. If Showcase could fit one of these in my lounge - that'd be great! In all seriousness, this really will make people get out of their homes to go and experience a film at Showcase as it's completely out of this world.

People were cheering, whooping and applauding this magnificent technology. Needless to say I was joining in too! I knew this would certainly make watching any film a hundred times more intense.

With regards to the film itself - I don't want to spoil anything for anyone, but it was brilliant, exciting and quite worryingly life-like! Also it's not essential to watch the first film in the series, so don't let that put you off seeing it.

So; prices to watch a film in a Showcase XPlus is £14.90 a ticket. To watch a 3D film in a standard screening is £12.40, so I really do think it's worthwhile spending that extra few pounds to experience something extraordinary.

There are currently only 3 XPlus Screens in the UK at the moment in Derby, Nottingham and Leeds. However we were told last night that Leicester and Bristol are due to have them fitted this year. So watch this space.

Also on a side note; if you sign up to become an Insider you benefit from discounted tickets and food deals. It really is worthwhile doing, so sign up now.

Make sure to book soon!

Char

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June Favourites

So my blogging schedule last month was pretty abysmal. I'm not going to lie - I've had a pretty crappy month, however I'm back on track now...she says!

Okay so lets jump straight in with my number one product I've been obsessed with.

MAC's Expensive Pink Eye Shadow (£10.00 / £13.00) - This is a staple in any beauty obsessed's pallet. The colour is a mix between rose gold and pink and can be made to look completely different when using a MAC paint pot as a base.

From left to right: MAC Rubenesque Paint Pot, MAC Expensive Pink Eye Shadow, Combo of both

MAC's Rubenesque Paint Pot (£15.50)- This leads nicely on from the above. I use this paint pot as the base for Expensive Pink. The beautiful iridescent golden peachy tones really bring out the rose gold tones from the shadow. In short - a must have. This also last an absolute lifetime - I've had mine for years and as you can see, I've only just made a dint.

F & F Floral Top (£18.00) - A first for my blog by including a fashion item but I have received SO many compliments when I wear this I can't not add it. It's made of a silky material and has a fabulous floral pattern running through it. The cut is very flattering for all shapes and can be worn in many different ways for different events. I like to pair mine with my denim straight cut jeans rolled up with converse or ballet pumps with a vest top underneath, or rolled down jeans and a bright coloured heel and matching clutch. Love it! In fact whilst I was at a Benefit Event recently once of the lovely Benebabes thought it was from somewhere like Zara or Ted Baker....hell yes! (Click on the following link if you'd like to see the top in action https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1MsUkmr9cQ )

F& F Necklace (£12.00) - Again, another fashion piece and pretty much the same as above...I've received a lot of compliments on it! It just add's a nice pop of colour to any outfit.

NYX Lip Butter (£5.00) - My go to lip product this month has been the NYX Cosmetics Lip Butter in Vanilla Cream Pie, this is such a pretty colour that can go on the lip on it's own or be worn over the top of your favourite lipstick. The consistency is really creamy, not sticky and they smell divine. Not only that but for £5.00 you can afford to buy yourself a few! Go on treat yourself...

Liz Earle Cleanser (£13.75) - So my eyes have been opened these last two months to the wonder that is Liz Earle. This hot cloth cleanser is just amazing and I've been completely converted! Late as always on the band wagon with this but I can assure you it is now a firm favourite in my skin care regime.

Benefit B.Right 'Instant Comeback Serum'* (£36.00) - I was lucky enough to receive the Benefit B.Right skin care range and I can honestly say it's possibly the prettiest and easiest skin care range I've ever come across. I know the prices are a bit hefty but in all honesty these do come up to the same level as some of the high end skin care products out there. This particular product is a serum you apply to your face after you've cleansed and toned, but before you moisturise. It absorbs fast into the skin and adds a boost of hydration and it really does hydrate your skin to give it that instant comeback....see what I did there?

Benefit B.Right 'It's Potent' Eye Cream* (£25.50) - This product has been out for a while and I'd previously got a small size of this for Christmas in Benefit's gift set. However on receiving the full size I fell in love again. The consistency of this is really moisturing and creamy but nothing too heavy. It literally melts into the skin, instantly plumping it to get rid of those horrid dark circles. I love this. - On a side note Benefit offer a 28 money back guarantee on their B.Right range so if you are apprehensive you've got this to fall back on.

Power Bank (£19.99) - Okay so a bit of self promotion here, but this product is something the company I work for, imports into the UK, so naturally I made sure I got a freebie when this arrived! We don't deal direct with the public so I'm not gaining anything out of this financially. I just can't get over how much a simple power bank has changed my life. Literally this is with me everywhere I go, so when my phone goes down to the dreaded red line of 10% I whack this on and it charges my phone over 50% in less than 30 minutes. Life saver.

Sally Hansen Shine Airbrush Legs Lotion Tan (£13.99) - Stop the press! This is a game changer. Any girl, any size, envies women's legs that look like they've been airbrushed...well I do anyway. Perv alert! Hide your legs ladies! hahahaha. I'm obsessed with this product, to be clear this is not a fake tan - it is leg make up so it will wash off when you get in the shower. This smooths over all your lumps, bumps, veins & anything you wish to hide! I am no longer apprehensive about getting my legs out this summer - Hello Barbie Legs!   

Diptyque Eau Rose Eau de Toilette (£65.00) - Okay so I purchased this about 3 weeks ago when I was in London from Space.N.K and I am obsessed with it. It is my new signature fragrance! As some of you very well know I am addicted to the Diptyque Rosamundi candle and this scent smells just like it. This is a true rose scent, very natural and not at all over powering or synthetic. Please do go and have a sniff when you're next passing a Space N.K as you won't be disappointed! 

There we have it! I hope you've enjoyed my monthly favourites, leave me a comment below if you've tried any of the above and what you think of them! 

Don't forget to follow me on Bloglovin, Twitter & Instagram!

As always it's been a pleasure.

Char

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*This posts contains PR Samples

Food Review | The Blue Bell Inn Rothley

Recently I met up with Emily (recipesandreviews.co.uk) and Alex (gingeybites.com), two local and ever so lovely food bloggers from the Midlands. I had already met Emily several times before, however this was the first time in meeting Alex. Needless to say after 5 minutes gossiping together I felt like we'd all known each other for years!

We decided to meet at the newly renovated The Blue Bell Inn in Rothley on a Wednesday. Thinking it'd be nice and quiet and wouldn't draw too much attention to ourselves...how wrong we were! We arrived to a busy and bustling pub full of energy and customers wondering why the hell we were taking pictures of everything we saw!

The Blue Bell Inn, is part of the Little Britain Pub Company, it's one of three pubs (the others are The Curzon Arms & The Windmill Inn). Upon entering the car park, your eye is drawn to the crisp white walls of the building, it's original features and outside seating area. It really is beautiful and ever so welcoming.

The decor takes center stage when you want to discuss ambiance within the Blue Bell. It mixes old and new styles in such a way that makes you think taxidermy is cool, and that everyone needs a light fitting made of old rope and wood... I don't know why but everything seems to 'fit' and nothing looks out of place. In short - it's pretty damn cool.

So now, onto the most important factor. The food.

One thing I love about the Little Britain Pubs is that they are always changing their menu, month on month to take advantage of seasonal fruit and veg. Fab stuff.

To start, I opted for the pulled pork, fried onions, baby gem & sesame toast (£5.95). In short this was delicious. The pulled pork was mouth watering, juicy and extremely tasty - you could really taste the smokiness. You also got a hell of a lot! I would have liked for there to have been more sesame toast (or perhaps less of the pork) as I don't like the main ingredient to out weigh the accompaniments. (You tend to get this with terrine, where you get a mahoosive chunk of it and the tiniest bit of toast...rant over!)
Overall I'd certainly have this again.

Emily opted for the asparagus, spinach & fried duck egg on sour dough, béarnaise (£6.50) . This looked incredible and the fact that the fried egg was crispy and gooey at the same time was just bang on.

Alex went ahead and had what I was originally going to go for, and that was the sea salt & pepper squid with a mango & chilli salsa (£6.50). I actually got to try some of this (that was the agreement I had with Alex!) and I can confirm it was delicious. The squid was very lightly fried and the mango & chilli salsa was the perfect summer accompaniment. It was fresh, zingy, sweet with a subtle kick. Nothing that was going to blow your head off anytime soon.

For my main I wanted fish, so when browsing the menu I couldn't help but go for the obvious fish & chips (£11.45). This is not to be snuffed at - perhaps one of the nicest plates I've had. The fish was coated in a light crispy batter, and when cutting into it, it flaked apart and melted in the mouth! The chips were nice and crispy on the outside but light and fluffy in the middle and I just loved the pea puree that came with it - you could tell it was homemade and fresh. On a side note - I adored the mason jars that held the tartare sauce!

Emily went for the pan fried devilled scallops, cucumber & mooli salad, lime yoghurt served with skinny fries (£17.25) and Alex went for smoked & braised Hereford beef rib, potato salad, smoked butter corn on the cob (£14.95). Can I just say Oh.My.God. The beef was perhaps the best thing I've tasted in a long time! Alex actually allowed us to try it...if it had been my main course no one would have had a chance to taste it, as it was so divine I couldn't have bared to share!

In the end, we opted out of having a dessert, not because we didn't fancy anything - purely because we were way too full to even consider stuffing our faces with pudding! Next time though...next time.

The Damage? The prices seem to be pretty standard for a good meal nowadays. I am a strong believer in I don't mind paying good money for good food and in this case it was certainly worth every penny.

All in all, I would 110% recommend giving The Blue Bell Inn a go as the food was perfect, the ambiance was great and it's welcoming to all ages. A real pub, with real pub food.

NYX Haul

So last month I went to the NEC Beauty Convention in Birmingham with the beauty herself that is Lauren (www.porcelainqueen1.blogspot.co.uk) Lauren and I have become solid friends since we stared blogging and when ever we get together I know a serious amount of money gets spent. She's terrible! Always persuading me to buy way more than I should!

So one of the main reasons we went was because NYX were there and offering some pretty good discounts and considering they're not that easy to get hold of, we took advantage! Well Lauren certainly did!! Haha!

So I knew I wanted some of the NYX Lip Butters, so I opted for Vanilla Cream Pie which is a creamy rose pink, Creme Brulee which is more of a nude rose and Merengue Merengue which is a vibrant pink. The consistency of these is amazing. They are super creamy and smell divine. They aren't sticky at all and really moisturise my lips. 

My next purchase was the NYX Photo-Loving Primer in Anti-Redness, I'd heard quite good things about the NYX primers so I thought I'd try this one. The consistency is a bit like the Benefit Porefessional but green! haha. It seems to work though as I've noticed since using it, my redness hasn't come through as much and I've not noticed it through my foundation!

From left to right: NYX Jumbo Pencil in Yogurt, NYX Retractable Eyeliner in Silky Cashmere

Finally I caved into 2 eye products. The NYX Jumbo Pencil in Yogurt and the NYX Retractable Eyeliner in Silky Cashmere. I love the NYX Jumbo Pencil I wish I'd got more but I'd already gone over budget! Next time I'm going to get a few Jumbo Pencils as they work really well as an eye shadow base or just an eye shadow itself. 

So that's all I bought from NYX and I have to say I'm really impressed with this make up brand. It's not too expensive, it's actually really affordable and good quality. I'm excited to try more products in this range!

Have you tried any of these products? What are your thoughts on NYX Cosmetics in general?

As always, It's been a pleasure.

Char

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Illamasqua Lipsticks

So about a 2 months ago a entered a competition run by Jules over at lippylikes.com. I never thought I'd win, but what the heck? I entered anyway! So to my shock, I received an e-mail from Jules telling me I'd won! I couldn't believe it.

From Left to Right: ESP (vivid violet), Plunge (bright mauve pink), Fable (bright rose pink), Over (bright coral pink), Scandal (warm coral pink) & Isis (red pink)

These are some pretty insane colours! I absolutley love each and everyone of them. Some of them aren't colours I'd wear everyday, but I'd certainly wear some of them on a night out! Below are some pictures of me trying these babies out.

One thing I've found since using these lipsticks, is that the formulation takes a bit of getting used to. Also you've got to have really smooth moisturised lips for the best application.

So, which ones your favourite then? Let me know down in the comments as I'd be really interested in finding out what you all think.

Once again, thank you to Jules for the giveaway. I couldn't be happier!

As always, It's been a pleasure!

Char

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