M&S Perfumes...who knew?

So, unless you already have a couple of grandchildren, you're probably not a massive fan of the M&S 'toilette' range. As much as I love magnolia, I do not wish to suffocate all those around me by the smell of it.
However, my mum has been lovely enough to allow me (and now you) to experience the lovelies for yourself.
The Butterfly Perfume Range has been around only since the summer, and the dark blue sort's only a very new addition. I've had the original since July, and I've been meaning to tell you about it for a while. Well, better late then never.

Butterfly Eau de ToiletteThe first thing I bummed on this product is the packaging. It's like Marc Jacob's Daisy, but a little trashier. Wooo. The glass bottle is round and lime green tinted, while the gold top comprises some jelly/rubbery butterflies. If like me, you have an extraordinary attraction to all jelly like substances, this will please you.
The smell is a very close copy of DKNY'S Be Delicious perfumes. Y'know, the ones that smell like apples. Smelling them from the bottle, they're really almost identical. But once sprayed, the M&S version settles a tad more citrusy, so it depends on your preferance. They aren't the longest lasting, but there's buckets in there so you can afford to top up during the day, or douse yourself in the morning.
£9.50
Midnight Butterfly Eau de ToiletteIf the normal butterfly is a fresh summer meadow, then the Midnight edition is a sweet, sultry basement. Bow down to me, and my lingual attributes.
The packaging of this one is equally beautiful, a dark green bottle with violet butterflies. The smell is still wearable (I have no qualms about wearing it in the day) but it's much sexier. Muskier, darker, heavier, almost festive. I imagine Mrs Santa Claus could smell like this. I'm sure you appreciate it's hard describing smells, but I would say that while the Midnight Butterfly may be richer than it's predecessor, it is by no means less enticing.
£9.50

These make gorgeous christmas presents. You may be tempted to snap one of these for yourself (which I fully endorse) but if you're at a loss of what to get your bezzie m8 for Christmas, look no further. And at just below a tenner, it seems almost ideal, no?
Hope you found this interesting, and enjoy the rest of you week.

What Up? 3.0

I think it's about time for a new post, don't you?^sheepish/coy/pathetic pose = my form of an apology.

• The Czech Republic (which seems yonks ago now) was amazing. I ate great food, was able to relax and spend time with some of my favourite people!
• I'm just waiting for term to end. This Christmas couldn't come any sooner. It's not even the festivities I'm looking forward to, it's just not having to get up at bloody dawn every morning. Ok, so it's not dawn. But it's close!
• Last week was one of the best! We did the school show, and now I miss everyone like crazy. Basically everyone except me was looking forward to it ending, but now it's over, I just wanna cryyyy.
• I'm absolutely loving Leonard Cohen. I've been a fan of his music but it's his writing that's sending the shivers down me spine momentarily.
• My friend (she's reading this right now, I bet) introduced me to Kings of Leon. I just wanna say a huge, majestic THANK YOU.
• I'm going X-Mas present shopping on Saturday. Ohlord, wish me luck!^Lame.
  

That's aboot it. I hope you're all getting into the festive spirit, and I'll see you all later.

What I'm Lubbin' Right Now (1.0)

It's not been a good month for my skin, if I'm being completely honest. Most of it is fine and dandy, it's just some areas I'm really fed up with. Thankfully, though, there's a new foundation on the makret, which had made my life and my skin, so much happier.
This is the new Bio Détox foundation from Bourjois, a brand who I've never really had any astonishing feedback for. However, this foundation is a gem. It has amazing coverage, and for us oily types, it mattifies and keeps the oil in like you've never seen. Most foundations I've tried have nothing on this baby! It's a keeper.
If there's one downisde, it's that you have to work quite quickly with blending, because it soon sets on your skin. But this is only proof of how nicely it works for oilier skin types.

I also really like this new lipgloss by Barry M.
It's the new addition to the range, and is the latest one (don't quote me) at No.10. If you've ever tried the No.2 toffee lipgloss Barry M, you may have got the same feeling as me, in that it was a bit too dull and not very flattering. This is in the same 'nude' colour family, but has a much warmer, bronzier tone to it, and the gold sparkles inside only add to the effect. A real treat for nude lovers, but this is one of those low maintenece nudes, which almost anybody can wear :)

What products are rocking your boat right now?

What Up? 2.0

Hello Cherubs!
I'm a bit behind, as was brought to my attention to my best friend and biggest fan, Shona!
Not ashamed in name-dropping!
But I thought I'd give you all a little round up...

• It's getting ridiculously chilly out, and cardigans/jackets are no longer cutting it. That's why it's time to get nice and cuddly, girlies!
• Whilst we're on the subject, I did get myself a winter coatt yesterday. NewLook website won't let me get the picture, but you can see the coat here. It looks a bit manky on there, trust me, it looks far better on.
• I went shopping today, and for the 2nd time, have been astonished with Primark. Great clothes for dirt cheap prices? Why did I not hear of this before?
• I've developed an unhealthy obsession for the candy teeth they sell at my corner shop. They are the defenition of yum :p
• I'm off to the Czech Republic next week, which I'm more than excited about. I mean, I'm really excited!
• I've been watching Skins on 4oD. I like it, although I realise it's a bit of a guilty pleasure. The acting talent is all a bit 'meh', except perhaps two exceptions,but it's a nice bit of popcorn telly to pass your afternoons with.

That's it, I think. Hope this was of any interest to anyone. How's your week been?

Halloween in da House!

Wooooooo....
Yeah, yeah. I know Halloween's old news, but I thought you might still like to know what me and my family did this year. Halloween was a big thing this year, for some peculiar reason, and I have to say, we had a lot of fun dressing up and carving pumpkins.

One Halloween fail? We had nowhere near enough sweets to please everyone that came knocking on our door. Our street was abuzz with trick-or-treaters, overwhelmingly so!
On the left we have my cousin who was a witch (as if you couldn't tell already). I did her make-up, juss'saying.
On the right is a family friend, who is NOT a moose, as I first suspected! I think the second option wold be a corpse/zombie thing. In my eyes, the best costume.


This is me and my two best friends.
So I'm on the far left, hoping to be a "goth". It's funny how easy you can end up looking like a whore at Halloween, isn't it?
In the middle, we have a cute little kitty-cat;
and on the right is a butterfly. The picture doesn't really show her 'face-art' properly :D.


Everyone again, plus the new addition of my mum, who too, pulled off the whore look unintentionally. She was wearing a black wig, and it looked horrid! She's a blondie, there's no two ways about it.
In fact, I look like an absolute tramp too. Never again will I ever wear my parting this way. EVER!This is my brother in the middle. I love this picture so much <3 onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQkWAUgx1NXgYNVDuSrlG-o-0jdya4bMV2OniNmKsnBHD__Rr0a_IoxPbDVjzsXUz3wkpHv5cQebHneiyU6wdvvR4Cgxi5EzypYE7W9M83EU-jPfWB4hs4oerwT8qymHIX4fVLIGGp5Ww/s1600/SPARKLYPOO+028.jpg">I like this one too. Oooooh, arty!
A closer peek at my 'goth' eye make-up. I was wearing huge false lashes, my first experience of falsies ever, and I am a fan. What was funny though, was not many people noticed I had them on. Paha. I mean, if my lashes were like this naturally, I'd be in the Guiness Book of World Records, surely...

Hope you guys enjoy my Spook-tastic Halloween Special.
Y'all get scared now, ya hear!

My Current Mascara Manifesto

I love mascara.
Truly.
If there's one thing you need it's mascara, whoever you are. Being the make-up addict I am, I often look at what people wear and if there's one item I always find on anyone without fail, it's mascara. So whip out your wand(s) and let's get cracking!
My mascara collection is forever changing. There's always new products to try and I'm a sucker for a gimmicky brush. So the collection you see now will most probably be unrecognisable within several months. Nevertheless, let yourself get inspired...

L'oreal Voluminous Carbon Black

Love the brush, its awesomely thick and covers your lashes. Lashes should be big and bold, at least that's how I like them. I wouldn't say it is anymore black than other mascaras, but my lashes are already quite dark, so perhaps I don't notice as others would. However, it does have a very wet, heavy feel on the lashes which may bother some people. Also, if you're an eye scratcher/toucher, expect panda-eyes to come your way.

No.7 Extravagant Lashes
This mascara just doesn't work for me. The 'square' brush is useless and the formula so thin it clumps all your lashes together into 5 big spikes. This mascara is only good if you're gonna use it very sparsely and carefully, or if you want the thick, fake-looking 60's look. Oh, and it lasts a long time. Otherwise, give it a miss.

No.7 Exceptional DefenitionIt's not all bad news for No.7. This is a really interesting product. You most likely saw the advert, which promoted the 3-function brus to within an inch of its life. It's fair to say clumping is minimal, and it gives lovely, natural yet accentuated lashes. The best thing is that if you're not feeling any special eyeliner, then this will give enough contouring and emphasis on the lashline. Double-use product, I like it!

Rimmel Max Volume Bold CurvesI used to own the Rimmel Max Volume Flash that just came in the pink tube, and I adored it, so obviously I had high hopes for this. I like it, but it's a slight let down. The formula is very thick which is generally not a problem but I don't feel it gives the lashes as nice a fanned out look as it's predecessor did. I'm still in the primary stages with this mascara, and I think it has potential. It gives good volume and length, but is not all there.

Max Factor False Lash Effect
You'd have to be living under a rock if you didn't know about this mascara. After the raves, I succumbed, and I am glad I did. I wouldn't say they look false at all, but the lashes look extremely good with this one. Just long and thick enough, but not clumped or too over the top. The brush is nice and chubby while being synthetic, so its the best of both worlds. However, if you're a clumsy'un with mascaras, perhaps steer clear, as it can be a bit of hazard!

Maybelline Lash Stilleto VoluptuousYou might be seeing a recurring theme here, in that any mascara with the promise of volume draws me in like a moth to a flame. This brush is thin and a bit of a strange kinky shape, and really wiry, so its not the most comfortable application. This mascara holds the curl of lashes quite well, and prevents my the incessant slumping of my disobedient outer lashes. It doesn't give 'WOAH' volume, but there is some volume there no doubt. Truth be told, this mascara specialises more in legth, but having said that, I do reach for it frequently.

There you are. Tell me your mascara collection, and your thoughts on any of the above. Hope you liked the post!

Why I Love: Claire's Accessories Make-Up

Hi-ho!
If you live in the UK, you probably have at least some experience with Claire's. It used to be the most frequented shop in my 'tweens', and of course, looking back at some of the purchases I made in there, the word 'cringe' comes to mind. (Dangly neon pink zip detail clip-ons anyone?).
I like to think I've grown up, I really do. But whenever I pass Claire's, I'm always tempted to go in. You may think it's the nostalgia that draws me back, but oh no! I go back on the premise that Claire's really has some fantastic make-up!You have to be careful, that's a given. Some of the make-up in there IS only suitable for you 5-year old cousin. But if you look closely, you'll find some amazing products, just like your Humble Blogger.
First, is one of my absolute favbourite eye-shadow pallettes.
Look at the pigmentation of those babies!
There's a whole host of 10 gorgeous shimmery (I love ze shimmer) colours to choose from, and they're all marvellous. You could do the most wearable every-day look as well as a dramatic, dark and sultry smokey eye. The shadows are an amazing quality; blendable, pigmented, and you'll find some dupes in ther fo'sure.

Then, the lipbalms:
I'm a lipbalm hound, I just love them. Claire's makes a HUGE selection of lipbalms, with the flavours of all your favourite soft drinks or sodas, sweets or candy, or some generic flavours like Chocolate Vanilla Icing, or Butter Popcorn. If you're like me and you love a gimminck, they will not dissapoint. The lipblams smell and taste amazing (here I am holding a lovely Dr Pepper one), and they're also moisturising, as a good lipbalm should be.
You can find some with a hint of colour (Dr Pepper par exemple), that leave a gorgeous flush of juicy colour on your smackers. And they're cheap. I literally haven't got a bad word to say.

So next time you're passing by Claire's, don't resist the urge and have a nosey at some of the gems they've got on offer. Who knows, you might be suprised...

My Top 5 Blushes!

I simply don't understand people who claim they're "not a blush person". I mean, it must be some sort of consipracy. If there's one thing that suits everyone, it's blush. It gives an instant pick-me-up and literally makes you look 'prettier'.
I'm pretty pleased with my blush collection. There's no silly purchases, and I keep most of them on a steady rotation. But I decided to show you my top 5. Believe me though, there are a lot of runners up.
1: All About Face (Tesco Make-up Brand) in Rose

• Lovely colour which brightens and lifts the face.
• A cool pink tone (comparable to Mac's Well Dressed)
• Well pigmented and blendable, perhaps the tiniest bit chalky.
• £1.50 - if that ain't a bargain I don't know what it.

2: Collection 2000 Shimmer and Shade Compact in Pink Me Up

• Gorgeous shimmer and pigmentation
• Three colours which can be blended together as well as being used singularly
• Look amazing with a tan
• Another bargain, at around £3.50!

3:W7 Brightening Face Powder in Candy Floss

• Amazing pigmentation, and great blendability.
• Has THE nicest sheen/shimmer to it. Not too much, but enought to look radiant.
• A clear copy of Benefit's blush boxes, including the square brushes, and about three times less expensive.
• Comes with a lot of product, and as it is advertised as both a blush and brightening face powder, it's kind of multipurpose I suppose.

4: Aura Fruity Blush in Peach Fizz

• Look scary orange in the pan but looks like a lovely coraly flush on the cheek.
• Good pigmentation, but perhaps not the easiest to blend.
• Again, looks great with a tan, and wakes your whole face up, this colour will literally suit everyone.
• Due to the starkness of the colour, a little goes a long way, so this will last.

5: George (at Asda Makeup) Blush in No.2 Peachy

• Well pigmented, slightly on the chalky side.
• Not too pressed, so a lot comes out on the brush and it can get a little bit floury on your vanity.
• The colour is so wearable, and makes you look a tad more bronze than you perhaps are.
  
• Suits whatever make-up look you do, and look very natural.

NB: I apply my blush with and Eco Tools Blush Brush (not necessarily going to be on the Pub Quiz, but it's better to be safe than sorry)

Hope this was useful! What are your 5 favourite blushes? See y'all soon 'nough.

What Up? 1.0

Now, realisticly, my first post ought to be about beauty, considering that's what this is all about. However, technology is not willing to co-operate with me, therefore, I am forced to give you a nice rambly post about life and that.
I plan to do these "What Up?" segments quite often,just basically when I feel like telling y'all about everything and nothing. I love reading these when other bloggers do them, so I hope you guys don't mind.

• It's half term, which I suppose I should be happy about. But with such dire weather and a diabolocal amount of work to do, it equates to a bit of a "Hmph" mood.

• I've become addicted to swatching. Literally, my past two evenings have consisted of me watching 'The Only Way is Essex' (more on that later) on ITV Player whilst swatching the life out of nearly every item in my make-up collection. I blame boredom.
• Not wanting to get left behind, England has only gone and got itself its own version of 'The Hills' or whatever it is these youngsters are always on about these days. 'The Only Way is Essex' is perhaps the most distressing thing on television. Distressingly fake, distressingly terrible, but most distressingly, distressingly addictive.
• Birthdays! Literally most of my friends have birthdays in October, which means major present hauling. Don't get me wrong, I'm a giver as well as a taker, but it's a bit of a blow to my purse's confidence. Poor purse...

That's about all I have for you folks. I'm gonna try and sort out my camera/computer complications and hopefully get up to speed with some proper posting. Till then!

Welcome to the Sparkly Poo!

Omg! What? Where? Why? Who?

Yes girlies, something (potentially) very exciting is happening!
Dangerously Beauty is the past, it's so last year baby. We've traded it in for a younger, prettier, sparklier new model.

The Sparkly Poo is my new project, which I will hopefully be more devoted to. It's been complicated these past coupl'a months, but I wanna get back on track with blogging. No silly tags and bad quality posts.
(I say this, I wonder what I'll feel like in a few months' time)

Anyway, we're starting from scratch.
The Sparkly Poo is all about the pretty, dainty things in life. So, when life throws you poo, make it sparkly! Man hath never read a better mantra...

See y'all soon!