Trying To Kick The Habit?

Hottie Michael Fassbender taking a puff 

 Smoking. It's a real drag (^_^). It's amazing the way most smokers are led ashtray (heh) into believing that the possible effects of smoking won't happen to them, but the truth as many of you are aware is hat smoking is an incredibly hard habit to kick. As well as being financially pressing (with some cigarettes costing up to £8 a packet), it can also introduce a plethora of internal health issues, as well as causing bad breath, blotchy skin  and dark circles under eyes. 

As someone who lives with a smoker, I can appreciate how difficult it is to give up the habit; My Mum's been trying for years to give up! When I've asked her what draws her in to smoking, she tells me that it's not so much the nicotine buzz, it's that she's become so used to having something in her hand that it feels weird when she doesn't go through the motions.

She, like most people I know have tried many methods;gum, patches and even hypnosis. However if you're a smoker and you're looking for effective ways to quit, why not try with an electronic cigarette? 

Emerging as one of the most popular uk electronic cigarettes on the market at the moment is the Vapestick. It looks, tastes and feels like a cigarette but the difference is that it carries no lit tobacco whatsoever. It still provides the same smoking experience including the nicotine hit, however it uses a water based vapour instead of smoke which is odourless and harmless to others, so for those who having trouble finding something to do with their hands, here's the answer!

E-Cigarettes are also cheaper than tobacco cigarettes. A starter kit retails for £44.99 and refills cost £7.99 which means you'd be saving thousands per year. As well as being easy to use, they don't expose you and others around you to all the nasty poisons you would normally get in second-hand smoke so if you're an asthmatic who is regularly exposed to smokers like moi, you'll be safe!

With Vapestick proving to be extremely effective, It's no surprise that celebrities such as Ronnie Wood, Paul Nicholls and Big Brother finalist Jay McKray have been snatching these babies up. 

I love the idea of this and i'll definitely be telling me Mam so she can give it a go!

Vapesticks are available at Harrods, Tesco, Argos Online and via the Vapestick website

Random: Here Are Some Photos of Michael Fassbender.

No particular reason why,I am just so in lust with him at the moment that I thought I would share. LOL

*sighs heavily*

ehem...anyway! Who are your pin-ups of the moment? *swoons*

French Vanilla Soy by VJ's Candles.

Maybe I'm getting on a bit in age, but I've recently begun to find a new appreciation in candles and how relaxed and ambient they make one feel, and so i've begun hunting online for some. I'm a big fan of home-made or bespoke items, so the first place I ventured to was Etsy.com who are like..AWESOME when it comes to finding homemade whimsical products!

Anyhoo, I came across a candlemaker from America whose shop is called VJ's Candles, who makes these gorgeous soy jar candles. When it comes to aromas, I've always been very sweet so I love my vanillas and honeys and chocolates etc. I opted for the 10 oz French Vanilla jar and it was a steal at only £3.65!

Photo time. :)

Including shipping, this buddy here came up to under £9 which I think is quite a still considered how strong the scent is. I received it in less than 2 weeks which is pretty good. Mine smells of vanilla and almonds and the scent is extremely thick without being overpowering - so thick infact that I'm actually getting drowsy while writing this LOL but I like think scents so it's right up my alley. My window is closed too so maybe that's contributed. My room literally smells like a sweetshop and it gives the room a beautiful amber glow. In love!

My mum already has her eye on it (¬___¬ the swine! ((don't tell her i said that ROFL)), so it's looking like i'm going to have to order some more. They also come in different aromas too if sweet isn't your thing.

Link to VJ's Candles here

What are your favourite brands of candles/scents?

Photo of the Day: Recent Buys

Greetings all! 

So over the past couple of weeks or so, I've picked up a few items here and there that I will come to review a bit later on during the month.

French Vanilla Scented Jar Candle by VJs candles, Max Factor's Flipstick, Max Factor's False Lash Effect Mascara, Tangle Teezer.

What have you picked up this week?

...And the Winner of the MAC Giveaway Is....

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Congratulations Tobi! Please check your email :)

Thank you so much for everyone who entered the giveaway. I will be doing another one in the near future so stay tuned!

xx

Photo of the Day: Come Dine With Steph

Sunday cooking with Steph!

Sirloin steak (well done) with garlic butter, stuffed portobello mushroom, baby potatoes and veggies.

Happy Sunday!

Style Corner: Chloe Moretz

I love Chloe Moretz. Ever since I fist saw her in the movie Let Me In i've had a small, if not slightly illegal, girl crush on the 15 year old. She just oozes cool and she's so beautiful!

What I love about Chloe is that although she is 15, she doesn't try to dress like an adult. She keeps it simple with pastels and non-form fitting dresses. I also love her flawless, youthful make-up too. She's one to watch!

Who's your style crush?

A Quick Boux Avenue Review

You see how my title rhymed? See what I did there? YOU SAW IT! ;)

So last week, I purchased a couple of items from Boux Avenue's website after having a little natter with them on le Twitter. I'd never used Boux Avenue before, but i'll definitely be purchasing again as I've fallen in love with nearly all of their items! 

Their bra sizes range from 30A - 40DD so there's a bit of something for everyone. I was a bit wary at first seeing the prices as I thought that it'll reflect on the quality of the underwear (prices start at around £8.00 for bras), however I've been positively surprised. The quality is really good - something which is very important especially if you're quite busty up top like me! 

I also love how personable and efficient they are; my package came the day after I ordered in the cutest little box, complete with bright pink wrapping paper and scented rose petals. Adorable!

I chose to get the Chloe Lace bra set as I was in a pink sorta mood. This was reduced from £18 down to £8. Result =)

Pretty! I now use the petals for my underwear drawer. Gotta recycle!

Have you bought anything from Boux Avenue?

Giveaway: MAC Makeover & Products!

It's giveaway time! As a thank you to all you guys who continue to read my little old blog, I thought i'd show you a small token of my appreciation. ^_^

I'm giving away a card representing a faabuluz makeover and £25 worth of whatever MAC products you use! However there is a slight catch; this card is limited to the MAC concession at the House of Fraser department store in West Croydon, so if you're a South Londoner or you can make your way down to West Croydon, it's all good. :) I'm so sorry that it's limited; I thought it would be one of those giftcards which could be used anywhere in the UK..apparently not!

Enter with the deets below and the winner will be randomly chosen on the 19th of June.

Good luck!

UK Entries Only I'm Afraid 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Betty Buff's Totally Oatly Oaty Scrub

Being the total body buffing addict that I am, I'm always on the hunt for a good scrub and a couple of months ago, I received a small sample of Betty Buff's Shea Souffle scrub in Amitee's first monthly box and I liked it so much that I ordered a full-version scrub; Totally Oatly. 

A little back story..

Betty Buff specialize in making fresh, natural exfoliating body scrubs primarily for sensitive skin (however if you like all-natural body scrubs, then you can use this too). Their vintage and tried scrubs are colour, fragrance and paraben - free and they currently have 9 different varieties of scrubs, depending on your skin type. 

Because I have dry skin, I opted to purchase 'Totally Oatly'. This particular scrub contains no sugar and no salt, thus making it ideal for Diabetics. I love how they think of everyone's needs!

I loved the delivery process was amazeballs as the product came the very next day; considering I ordered quite late in the afternoon the previous day! The scrub comes in a 250ml tub and the ingredients are simply oats and grapeseed oil, that's it.

Because there are no sugar or salt particles, it does literally feel like you're dipping your hand into a bowl of Quaker Oats and the smell oh my gah!! Flapjacks! I don't like the taste of Oats but after having a whiff of that, I could definitely be persuaded.

So yes...back to the scrub itself. A little goes a long way with product as it is extremely rich. I really work it into a lather to target my problem areas and it works just as well as a scrub with salt/sugar. When I showered off, I felt really squeaky clean - one thing I will say is that it can get quite messy in the shower as it tends to go a bit drippy, so remember to clean the shower afterwards! Or maybe that's just me, haha :P

After a few days I've found that my skin looks a lot brighter and even the tone looks more even - oats do really do the body good. ;)

Pros: Amazing flapjacky smell, great exfoliator, good value for money

Cons: Can get a bit messy

Will I purchase again? I think I would.

Available from the website here

Betty Buff's Twitter page here (which I suggest following because they are so lovely!)

What are your favourite kinds of scrubs?

Natural Hair Talk: Braids

I've had quite a few people on Twitter (and at work) ask me about my braids so I thought I'd do a post on them today! I understand a lot of you will know the whole ins and outs of this hairstyle already, so this is for all who don't know.

So in April as some of you may know, I chopped off a lot of my hair that had been chemically processed, leaving only my natural roots. I'm currently on a mission to grow and maintain my natural hair up to a length where I can comfortably wear it in public. At the moment, my hair is a bit too short so I use braids as a protective hairstyle, while my hair grows underneath.

What extensions/ type of hair do you use?


I use a brand of synthetic hair called 'X-pressions' - in colour 1 or 1b (off black)

Why Braids?

Braids is known to be an effective way to preserve and shield natural hair from the elements. It's a very low maintenance hairstyle which can be worn in a variety of different ways. Buns, up-dos, half-ponytails etc.

How long does it take?

Depending on the thickness and the length you want, it can take anything from 4-12 hours. I had mine done 3 times now and because they are quite thick and not that long, they took around 4 hours to complete. However you can get them anything from bob-length, to butt-length!

How do you wash them and how long can you wear them for?


I wash mine every 2 weeks with a no-sulphate shampoo and dry as usual. The length of time you can wear this style again depends on the length and the thickness. With mine, I normally leave it in for about 2 months/10 weeks and then take them out. I would say the maximum they should be left in for is about 3 months, as the weight of the braid can cause your hair to break (especially around the edges/hairline where hair is weakest)

Coconut oil, Sweet Almond oil and Shea butter are great moisturisers for the scalp while wearing this style.

I will be taking out the braids next week and I want to try something new; maybe a weave, but the hair (brazilian etc) is sooooo expensive so i'm stuck really. If you have any ideas, please comment below!