My Photo Diary #2

Hi Ladies!

I can't believe Christmas is nearly here! I love this time of year and I thought I would do a second photo diary post with a few recent pictures :)

1. Feeling festive in Covent Garden

2. Delicious Ben and Jerry's milkshake on a trip to the cinema (cherry garcia!)

3.  Adorable kittens adopted by my mum!

4. Teapigs tummy tonic peppermint tea - I love this tea it is so soothing and refreshing

5. More cute kitten pics!

6. The Christmas markets on the Southbank

7. Leon - the most delicious lunch ever!

I'm about to start wrapping up my Christmas gifts for everyone, have a cup of mulled punch and watch a festive film with my sister :)

Hope you're all having a great week!

DaisyBee Bakes - Christmas Cupcakes (perfectly packaged for gifts!)

Hi Ladies,


I thought I would share with you my latest baking creation - festive cupcakes! I baked these at the weekend, packaged them up in some lovely Christmas cupcake boxes I found in lakeland and distributed them around family and friends as a little pre Christmas treat.

I was really chuffed with how these turned out, and everybody seemed so pleased with them! I think they make a lovely gift if you want to give something a little different, and have someone who is difficult to buy for (who doesn't like cupcakes!). They're also a great idea if you are doing your Christmas shopping on a budget.

The boxes from lakeland were £5.99 and hold 4 cupcakes, they are so sweet and even come with a little gift tag attached to the bow.

I went for a simple vanilla cupcake with vanilla buttercream. Even though the people I was baking for are not coeliac's like myself, or gluten intolerant, I still made the cupcakes gluten free (to be honest, I don't know where I'd start with a regular cupcake recipe!). But everyone is pretty much used to my gluten free baking nowadays and I'm yet to find someone who can tell the difference! :)

Next up is icing and decorating my Christmas cake which is sat patiently on the top shelf of my kitchen cupboard!

Hope you're having a lovely week :)

Empties #2

Hi Ladies,

I thought I would share with you my second basket full of empties. I really enjoyed the first empties post I did and I think its a great way of keeping track of what you've used up and whether you'll use it again :)

1. Batiste Brit Dry Shampoo - I've spoken about batiste many times before, and Brit is one of my favourite scents. I am currently using the graffiti version which I really like too but I am sure I will repurchase this at some point.

2. Liz Earle Eye Bright - I love Liz Earle, but this is a product which I have been a little disappointed with. I like the idea of using this to sooth and refresh tired eyes (I wear contacts and my eyes often get dry and irritated). Although I don't dislike this product, It didn't do much for me so I won't be repurchasing.

3. Dove Hair therapy nourishing oil care express conditioner - One of my haircare favourites I use this about once a week and it leaves my hair soft and silky. I think this is the 4th time I have repurchased this product.

4. 17 Falsifeye mascara - They is my favourite mascara, it gives big voluminous lashes, and I always have a back up for when I run out.

5. Witch anti blemish liquid concealer - I really like this concealer, it covers blemishes well and gives good coverage. I also like the idea that it contains blemish fighting ingredients. I use the colour light, and I have picked up another one of these. My only negative with this concealer is that it does not contain very much product at all and it runs out quite quickly.

6. Ellnet Hairspray - My favourite hairspray, this never leaves my shelf!

7. Escada Taj Sunset perfume - I have finally used the last drop of my favourite summer perfume, like the other Escada scents I adore this one and I will definitely look at purchasing it again in summer 2013!

and that's anything, have you tried any of these products?

have a great week,

REVIEW: Marc Jacobs Dot

Hi Ladies,

I thought I would share with me my new favourite perfume. If you have been following my blog for a while you will know I am a big fan of the Marc Jacobs fragrances. I love Lola, Daisy and now the newest Marc Jacobs perfume, Dot :)

My boyfriends parents brought me this back as a gift from their summer holiday. I am so lucky as somehow my boyfriends mum always seems to pick out the fragrances which I am lusting after?! (I have no idea how she does it).

As soon as I saw pictures of Dot online I knew it would be top of my Christmas list. The packaging is adorable and I couldn't wait to try it!

It definitely didn't disappoint me. I actually prefer this to the Marc Jacobs Daisy scent (yup I just said that!) It is fresh, fruity and girly but for me has more of a distinctive ''signature scent'' than Daisy. It leaves a more musky/warm slightly vanilla scent which I really love. To me it is fresh, but less of a pure summer fragrance, and I would happily wear it throughout the seasons.

Dot has notes of red berries, dragonfruit, honeysuckle, jasmine and vanilla amongst others! It lasts well, like the other Marc Jacobs fragrances but definitely needs a top up if you are wearing it through to the evening.

I have the 30ml perfume which is so cute. It also comes in 50ml and I've seen some lovely gift sets which would make great Christmas presents :)

Have you tried Dot? What is your current favourite fragrance?

Have a fantastic weekend!

Welcome to my wardrobe :)

Hi Ladies,

So I thought I would do a post showing you a few of my favourite things from inside my wardrobe :)

I thought pick out an item which I had recently bought, something I wear the most, a bargain find and the item I treasure the most :)

My wardrobe was actually a really dark wood. I bought it second hand, sanded it down, painted it (with the help of my lovely mum!) and replaced the handles with some I found in a little vintage shop. I did the same with a matching chest of drawers, and I really love how they both turned out :)

1. Something I recently purchased

My most recent purchase is this dipped hem skirt which I bought from Miss Selfridge to wear out for a friends birthday recently. I love the colour which is a sort of rich wine/purple.

2. Something I wear the most

I have this cardigan in I think 4 different colours. It is from H&M, and they tend to bring out this style every Autumn/Winter in a few different colours. It is £14.99 so I usually pick up a couple when I see them arrive in store. I love the oversized style of this cardigan, its really big and cosy. I tend to throw them on if I'm pottering around the house and its cold, but I like to wear them out and about too and they look great with a skinny waist belt and a big scarf.

3. Something which was a bargain

I picked up this top in forever 21 when I went to New York with my boyfriend a few years ago. I can't remember exactly how much it was but it was not expensive at all (perhaps $20), and I always feel like it looks like it cost alot more than it really did. I have definitely got my wear out of this top. It is often the one I reach for if I am going out somewhere smart/casual. It looks great with jeans.

4. Something I treasure

The item I treasure the most actually sits at the bottom of my wardrobe, it is a vintage Hermes scarf which belonged to my Great Aunt, and was given to me, by her, as a gift a few years ago. I adore this scarf, so much so that I have never actually worn it, I'm too scared of it getting damaged! I'm saving its first outing for a special occasion :)

I really hope you enjoyed this post! Hope you're having a fab weekend.

Flossy Plimsolls :)

Hi Ladies,

Although it's getting very cold now and these are about to head to the back of my shoe cupboard for the winter, I wanted to share with you my favourite shoe discovery of the past year! 

I bought a pair of flossy plimsolls at the beginning of the summer, to wear instead of my TOM's which were starting to look pretty scruffy. I went for a navy pair so that they would go with pretty much everything and from what I can remember they were around £20 from office.

These are literally the most comfortable shoes I have ever owned! They have a really padded/cushioned inside its almost like wearing a pair of slippers out and about. I have been so pleased with them, they have quite a study sole and have lasted really well, I will definitely be bringing them out again next summer.

I think these would make a lovely Christmas present. Although I opted for navy, they do a variety of colours and styles. They also do them for men as well as ladies!

Hope you're having a great week,

Primark Haul :)

Hi Ladies,

I went shopping last weekend and picked up quite a few bits and bobs from primark which I thought I would share with you :) I think they have some great autumn/winter stock in at the moment, and I even picked up a couple of sale bargains too!

These rose gold ballerina style flats were reduced to £2 in the sale!

When the weather starts to get colder Primark is always the place I go for a new pair of fluffy slippers. I love the pearl detail on these and they are super cosy. They only cost £2 too :)

I spotted this ditsy flower print duvet cover set reduced to £6, so I picked it up as a spare. It looks lovely on and I love the pattern.

I much prefer wearing these fur style headbands once it gets cold rather than hats, I picked this animal print one up for £4.

I already have a pair of these nude ballet style flats but I have worn them so much that they have got really scruffy and I decided to treat myself to a new pair. These are great to have in your shoe cupboard as they literally go with anything!

and finally, a little boring but I always like to stock up on hair bits and bobs when I go to primark. I particularly like the thin bobbles in this set as they are super stretchy and don't have any metal bits which can catch in your hair :)

I hope you enjoyed the haul! have you found any bargains in Primark recently?

Boots Haul :)

Hi Ladies,

I thought I would share with you some things I have picked up from boots lately. I am terrible when I go into boots, I go in for one thing and always come out with at least a couple of extras! I've started making more use of my boots card, checking for any vouchers on the machine in store and remembering to use the coupons I get sent in the post and as a result I have collected quite a few points which I am hoping to use for some stocking fillers, so maybe picking up a few extra bits every now and again isn't so bad! (hmmmm...!)

Anyway, here are the bits and bobs I have picked up lately.

I love the dove hair therapy range, and I always repurchase the nourishing oil care express treatment conditioner. When I saw that the entire range was on offer in boots I thought I would try a few of the other products. I haven't used the head protector yet as I still have plenty of my tresemme keratin smooth to use up but I have used the intensive repair conditioner and leave in treatment both of which I really like!

Cetaphil was also on offer (£3 off if I remember rightly) so I thought I would stock up on the cleanser and moisturiser. I only started using the cleanser a couple of months ago but I really like it, it leaves my skin feeling clean and fresh without making it feel dry or tight. I have never used the moisturiser but I as like the cleanser so much I thought I would give it a go when I run out of my beloved dermalogica active moist.

17 falsifeye mascara has been my go to mascara for well over a year now, I love it! You can see my review of it here :)

and finally boots own brand extra firm hold hairspray which is around £1.00. I tend to buy boots own hairspray and hair mousse as I try not to use them too frequently, and they do the job perfectly fine when I do need them :)

Hope you have a lovely weekend!

Gluten free halloween cupcakes! :)

Hi Ladies,

With halloween just round the corner, I decided to bake some spooky cupcakes for my friends and family. I decided to go for chocolate orange cupcakes, I like to experiment with my baking and try out my own flavour combinations so I basically adapted my basic gluten free cupcake recipe by adding the juice of one large orange and 100g of milk chocolate (to a mix for 12 cupcakes). The weren't quite as orangey as I would have liked and next time I will probably look at either using orange essence or a bit more juice, but they got lots of compliments and tasted delicious!

I piped the orange buttercream onto the buns with my piping bag which is from lakeland, and for the green buttercream I used a super easy technique which my friend taught me which is great if you don't have a piping back or are in a rush. You basically pop a spoonful of buttercream onto your cupcake and spread it into a cone like shape, then use a fork to mark the lines into the buttercream and swirl the fork up the cone creating a flick at the top. I will definitely be recreating this for some Christmas tree style cupcakes in december I think they will look fab!

I bought some spooky haribo jelly sweets for decorating, used some blue sherbet to decorate the green cupcakes et voila!

These were quickly eaten up by family and friends and no one seemed to be able to tell that they were gluten free :) For any other gluten free bakers out there, my top tip would be to make your mixture a little bit runnier. Gluten free flour seems to need a bit more liquid, and I always put 3-4 tablespoons of milk into my mixture which seems to work a treat. My favourite gluten free flour to use is doves farm self raising :)

Are you doing anything for halloween?

have a lovely weekend,

All About Batiste! :)

Hi Ladies,

Batiste has long been a firm favourite of mine. I can still remember the day one of my house mates in university halls introduced me to dry shampoo, and I don't think I have ever been without it since! Its great for when you're in a rush and need to give your hair a quick refresh. Batiste has definitely made many bad hair days a little more bearable for me!

I've really enjoyed seeing all the new scents batiste have been releasing over the past few years, and I thought I would share with you a few new ones which I have really been enjoying recently. There is such a wide range of scents now that there really is something for everyone. Personally, I have never been keen on the original scent, the blush scent or the tropical scent which I find a bit overpowering. I prefer the ones which I would describe as smelling more like ''a body spray for your hair!'' such as diva, fresh, lace and the three lovelies pictured here :)

L-R Brit, Cherry and Graffiti*

I really like all three of these scents. Brit is one which I have repurchased quite a few times, It is a really fresh lovely scent. I picked up the cherry version recently in boots, I wasn't sure about this one initially and didn't rush out to buy it when it first came out as I don't really like sickly sweet scents which I suspected this might be. But I was drawn in by the pretty packaging and I actually really love this scent, it is subtle and fruity, it actually reminds me a little of how my little ponies used to smell! (any one else love these!?). I was lucky enough to be sent the recently launched batiste graffiti scent to try. This is definitely up there with my favourites. It is more of a musky scent, and I can definitely detect a hint of coconut in it which I really like.

Which is your favourite batiste?

REVIEW: L'oreal elvive extraordinary oil

Hi Ladies,

A couple of weeks ago my dad treated me to the L'oreal elvive extraordinary oil whilst we were out shopping (thanks Dad!). I was browsing the haircare isle in boots moaning about how dry my poor blonde locks were when he picked this up from a promotional display and basically said how about this? I then preceded to moan that at £9.99 it was far too much for a stuggling student like me and before I knew it he was marching me to the till, getting out his debit card and telling me to stop whining (it worked!)

I have had this hair oil for a couple of months now, and as a self confessed haircare fanatic I thought I would give you my thoughts on it :)

Firstly, this is a product I would probably never have purchased myself. At £9.99, although I am known to splash out on haircare, this is a little too pricey for me. I also rarely go for hair oils, I much prefer cream based treatments to oils and serums. That said I was really looking forward to giving this a go.

I have been using this as the final product when I have blow dried and styled my hair, and occasionally on an evening if the ends of my hair are feeling particularly dry. I have been really surprised by how smooth and sleek this leaves my hair. I was really worried about it making my hair look greasy (and I still would not use this product anywhere near the root) but it does nothing of the sort. It smooths down fly away's and leaves my hair feeling and looking noticeably softer on the ends. I really like to use this if I am going out and have straightened my hair I feel like it gives my hair that healthy blunt look you always have when you have just been to the hairdressers!

So, Does this makes a lasting difference to the condition of my hair? I'm not convinced. I wouldn't say I have noticed a difference in the overall condition of my hair whilst I have been using this product, however I am suitably impressed with the finish it gives my hair in the short term which is unlike anything I have used before.

A little goes a long way with this product, I find that half a pump is easily enough to run through the middle-to ends of my hair (I have long hair and quite a lot of it). So although I still feel its rather expensive for what it is, I can see this lasting a really long time.

7.5/10 from me! Would I repurchase? Probably in the boots 3 for 2!

Have you used the extraordinary oil?

My Picture Diary #1

Hi Ladies,

I have never actually actually done one of these my life in pictures type posts, but I really enjoy reading them so I thought I would jump on the bandwagon. Here are a few recent photo's from my iphone (incase anyone is interested the picture apps I use are instragram and PicFx) :)

1. A super yummy hot chocolate my lovely mum made me, looks like it came straight out of a Parisian cafe!

2. My lovely new light fitting, in my newly decorated bedroom

3. Berol Fineliners! Did anyone else use these at primary school? The best felt tips ever!

4. Blushing snapple apple - delicious

5. My gluten free pizza from pizza hut! I was really impressed, and will definitely be going again.

6. The Hummingbird bakery - A gluten free red velvet cupcake was waiting inside for me, it didn't last long enough for me to take a photo!

Let me know if you would like to see more of these posts :)