Hi everyone,

Sorry for not posting so frequently in the past few days - things have been turned upside down!

But I'm coming at you with a really interesting little post for beauty on a budget.  Here is my top picks for getting an entire look for much less than you think!

1. Collection 2000 Naturally Radiant Foundation

This beauty steal from Collection 2000 offers light-to-medium coverage with a lightweight feel. It contains SPF 15 and is transfer-proof for a flawless finish.

Luxury treat:CHANEL Pro Lumiére Professional Finish Make Up

2. Natural Collection Lash Length Mascara

For a lavish lash look, try this mascara that defines and lengthens even the stubbiest of lashes without clumping.

Luxury treat:
Dior Diorshow Mascara 

3. Maybelline Watershine Lip Gloss

You don't need to spend a lot to get a fabulously glossed pout. This one has a gel base and is formulated to give spectacular sparkle and shine without stickiness.

Luxury treat:
Yves Saint Laurent Gloss Pur Lip Gloss

4. Barry M Blusher

A light dusting of this blusher will go a long way for your complexion. Use it to warm up the apple of your cheeks and apply a dab to the bridge of your nose to create a flattering, warming effect.

Luxury treat:
Benefit Coralista Blusher

5. Miss Sporty Cover Stick

Target your skin bugbears with this concealer that will hide dark circles and blemishes. Use it alone or on top of foundation for that bit of extra coverage.

Luxury treat:
Clinique All About Eyes Airbrush Concealer 

6. Rimmel Soft Kohl Eye Pencil

There's nothing like a swipe or smudge of kohl to define eyes. Leave your line sharp and precise or soften it out with a cotton bud. This soft pencil doesn't disappoint with its long-lasting, jet black pigment-packed colour.

Luxury treat:
Estée Lauder Double Wear Eye Pencil

7. NIVEA Visage Daily Essentials Moisturising Day Cream

This moisturiser ticks all the boxes: it contains an SPF, it's easily absorbed and oil-free, so it won't clog your pores. Mix it with foundation to create a light, dewy finish with plenty of moisture, or wear it alone for a fresh look.

Luxury treat:
Clarins HydraQuench Day Cream 

8. 17 Lasting Fix Lipstick

For satin-like lip colour that will go the distance without drying out, take your pick from 17's impressive range of lipsticks. Choose a statement red shade to get more impact for your money.

Luxury treat:
Lancôme Le Rouge Absolue

Hope you have a fantastic weekend!

xoxo,

Angelique

Recipe: Spicy cumin and pumpkin soup

Halloween is over and you might feel a little bit deflated....but not to fear I have a recipe to use up you old pumpkins!  That's right, you don't need to throw it away, because I've found a great heart-warming recipe to tantalise your tastebuds.

It is a soup...but just think of the delicious fresh bread roll you could eat along with it.  This recipe comes straight from Slimming World and is very low in fat, but it tastes brilliant.

 information

Serves: 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Syns per serving:

Green: FREE

Original: FREE

Extra Easy: FREE

ingredients

Fry Light (Spray and cook)
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1.2kg/2lb 11oz pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and roughly chopped
1 tbsp ground cumin
salt and freshly ground black pepper
750ml/26fl oz vegetable stock made with Vecon
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves

To serve
4 tbsp fat-free natural yogurt
roasted cumin seeds
paprika

method

1. Spray non-stick saucepan with Fry Light and place over a medium heat. Add the chopped onion to the pan and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until softened.
2. Add the pumpkin and ground cumin and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Season well, add the stock and bring to the boil. Cover, lower the heat and simmer gently for 20-25 minutes until the pumpkin is tender.
3. Allow the soup to cool slightly, place in a food processor and blend until smooth. Stir in the coriander and ladle the soup into warmed bowls. Garnish each bowl with a spoonful of yogurt and a sprinkle of roasted cumin seeds and paprika.

Happy Halloween and last minute party ideas!

Hey hey girls and boys!

It is officially Halloween today and I'd like to wish you an amazing day filled with spooky fun!

I wanted todays post to be fun and bring together the spirit of Halloween...so I thought I'd share some last minute food and party ideas incase you are thinking of making it a fun evening for your kids or family and friends.

Make it a lavish affair :)

Donuts around the punch?  Winner!

This is awesome!  Graves of chocolate - rest in pleasure maybe?

This is easy, get some paper or fabric (cut into strips) and paste it around a glass bottle, decorate with pom-poms.  Make a frill for the top and pop in a cute stripey straw.  Tada you have a costume drink!

I love the little mummies...pastry around a sausage is super easy and tasty.

Get your kids to help decorate the table and craft some fun decorations

This is soo cool!  Skulls, spiders and leprecaun green....must be the luck of the Irish!

Don't forget your pumpkins....make them fun!

Make treats fun for your kids by painting and decorating match boxes...this is a great idea for trick or treaters AND parties :)

Make that party extra posh ;-) add some ghoulish stripes

How about a 'Walking Dead'-themed party?  Zombies anyone?

If you've got any great little ideas for a party....let me know!  Until tomorrow....

Boooo
Angelique x

Hurricane Sandy

Good morning everyone!

I'd like to start off by saying that I'll be praying my hiney off for all the people on the East Coast and the Carribean in their hour of need with Hurricane Sandy. 

It has been so shocking seeing the footage over the coast and the huge gusts of wind and high waves lashing the coast constantly.  But more shockingly is the amount of people out on the streets.  People, get yourself back into a safe place because your family wants to keep you alive!



I'm not sure if I have any readers in the NY or New Jersey or Philly area, but if I do, please let me know your names and I can pray for each of you individually also.  I hope that God will protect you all and keep you safe.  This has definitely been a horrible time already for America over recent years with 09/11 and all the other things happening like Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.


I'd also like to urge those people anywhere in the world that are trying to fly out to that area not to bother until the storm is over.  It is not worth putting your life at risk just to get to your destination.  This should be common sense though and I hope people will relax and let those in the know help them.

I'd like to urge any of my other readers across the world to please pray for these people too - they need the prayers and help. 

Whatever you do, keep safe and be sensible.
Angelique

My Slimming World Journey so far.

Hello ladies! (and gents ;-))

I'm so excited for November and December!  I hope you've had a wonderful weekend by the way, I had a really relaxing weekend.  So why am I excited?  Well, things are in the process and so many great things have happened this past month and is in the pipeline.

Our current stage of bedroom rennovations is complete and we've put our bed back in there and had it carpetted.  I'll be doing a post on that this week. 

I've finally become a British Citizen, more on that this week too!  :-) I've waited for this moment for sooo long and am LOVING it! 

And then I've got a bonfire party this weekend coming!  SO exciting!

Other than that I've been really getting into the healthy eating lark and Slimming World is certainly at the top of my agenda most days.  So that brings me to what I'd like to talk about today!

The last time I updated you on my start with Slimming World, I let you know how much I weighed at the start.  To check that post, just click here.  Well, since then I've had my first couple of weigh-ins with varying degrees of success. 

At my first weigh-in I lost 3lbs or approximately 1.5kg.  This is not bad going and I was very pleased.  I'm not in need of loosing fast amounts of weight, but am certainly chuffed for every pound that melts off.  In my second weigh-in, I didn't manage to loose or gain anything and literally remained the same.  I was GUTTED!

However, my husband and myself have decided to really focus this week and worked out a food diary for two weeks.  So each day we've planned exactly what we'll eat and stick to this two week schedule for a month or two.  At first I was sceptical to see if this would work, but it has so far been excellent.

It means as soon as any one of us gets in the house, we start cooking the meal of the day, and it is easy peasy.  No messing around and getting flustered.  Weightloss is about being prepared.  And from sneaky little weigh-in's at home, I've noticed that my weight is coming down.

I'm so happy because I always worry about being left in the dust by hubby, because he's already stormed ahead and lost 7.5 lbs in two weeks and is probably about to reach his stone deadline in just 3 weeks!  He is so dedicated and has some really great motivators to get that weight-loss he so desperately wants. 

It really helps doing it as a couple, but even if you are going it alone, the Slimming World meals can easily be eaten by anyone from your children, to your spouse to your granny.  It won't cause any weightloss for them because they'll not be counting SYNS - which are things like butter, mayo, tomato sauce etc.

This week I'll share one of our delicious Slimming World recipes with you, and showing you how easy it is to cook from scratch at home :)

Have a fantastic week!

xoxo,
Angelique

How to make your eye colour POP!

Eyes are the windows to the soul, so why not use subtle splashes of colour to enhance their natural beauty and really captivate your audience?!

Your eyes are one of the first things people notice about you, using complimentary colours on the eyes can make the iris look brighter and create a lasting impression. Whether you're a green-eyed goddess, a blue- eyed babe or a brown-eyed beauty, there are certain contrasting colour sets that can really make those eyes 'pop'!



Blue/grey eyes: Blue eyes sparkle under brown and taupe eye shadows, so a chocolate twist on the classic smoky eye will really bring out those beautiful blues. The Bourjois Smoky Eyes Eye Shadow Trio in Nude Ingenu has 3 velvety brown shades for a smoky eye that's sure to stop the show. Finish your look with lashings of the Max Factor Eye Brightening Mascara for Blue Eyes - the subtle navy tones in the formula enhance your baby blues.


Brown eyes: Using blue tones in your eye makeup will make those chocolaty brown eyes even more enchanting - do you usually go for a black liquid eyeliner? Try a dark navy tone instead. I love No7 Stay Perfect Liquid Eyeliner in Sea as its easy application and durable formula will keep your eyes sparkling all day long. Finish with the Max Factor Eye Brightening Mascara for Brown Eyes for maximum glamour.


Green eyes: Green eyes are perfectly offset with purple and plum shades, which will enhance the flecks of gold and brown and really intensify the colour. 17 Starry Eyes Trio Eye Shadow in Neptune contains a sultry plum, deep emerald and subtle gold to create an arresting look for nights out that is bang on trend and perfect for enhancing your green eyes. A generous helping of Max Factor's Eye Brightening Mascara for Green Eyes intensifies the effect.

I can guarantee that nobody will be able to keep their eyes off yours!

xoxo,
Angelique

Autumn make up trend: Jewel tones

Yes, diamonds are still a girl's best friend (take note, gentlemen) but we're getting better acquainted with the deep, jewel tones that are so hot this season. Rich, luxurious make up shades such as amethyst, emerald and ruby are seriously catching my eye in my local Boots Store and are perfect for creating stunning smoky eyes and statement lips, this autumn and winter. I've selected a few of my favourites to share with you...



Eyes:
Use deep purple shades for a modern twist on the classic smoky eye - Bourjois Smoky Eyes Eye Shadow (£7.99) in Violet Romantic is perfect. Start by applying the medium shade across your whole eyelid before dabbing the lightest shade into the corners. Finish off the look by sweeping the darkest shade outwards, towards the temples and into crease of your eyelid.


Lips:
A strong red lip never goes out of style and I just can't get enough of the gorgeous claret shades that are currently sweeping the fashion nation. This season brings a vampish edge to the look, reminiscent of rubies and garnets - think vintage Hollywood meets gothic glam! Lancome Rouge Absolue 154 (£19.50) is bang on trend as well as being super-moisturising and long-lasting, for a decadent finish.


Nails:
I'm still loving magnetic nail polishes - a sleek, sophisticated nail art look that's easy to achieve? Yes please! Barry M have just added a new emerald shade to their magnetic polish range, it's flecked with sparkles for nails that are just like precious gems - perfect! (Available in store at £4.99).


So with all that said, maybe it is time to get gemmed up?

xoxo,
Angelique ;-)

Holographic nail polish from 17

I'm the first to admit that I'm not the most skilled at nail art and I always get a little wary about trying daring new polishes so when I heard about the latest 'holographic' nail polish from 17, I was a little unsure to say the least...

Holo Nail is the latest holographic effect polish to hit the high street and considering the insane popularity of others that have gone before, I'm almost certain this will be a sure-fire hit. With metallics a top trend for autumn/winter, Holo Nail appropriately comes in a shimmery silver shade.

 Now silver wouldn't normally be my colour of choice (it's a bit too school disco for my liking!) but I tried to keep an open mind and I was curious to check out the holographic effect.

17 recommend applying 2-3 coats for best results and I have to say the polish glides on easily and gives good coverage. The downside is that the drying time is a little bit long compared to other brands so I'd recommend waiting a few minutes between coats.

The end result though is pretty cool: there's an ultra-glossy, high-shine finish and depending on where the light catches your nail, you'll get a pretty 'rainbow' effect. This is great, but I must say the effect looks best in natural light and the brighter the sun, the better. It's just a shame this launched during autumn when there's no sun to show it off but then again we didn't much more this summer either!

All in all Holo Nail is a brilliantly priced (£3.99) product that delivers good results so make sure you get yours now before they're all gone!

xoxo,
Angelique

Shower Goodies that makes getting up in the mornings easier!

Mornings can be hard. Really, really hard. Not to be all melodramatic or anything, but having to pry yourself out of bed and put together an outfit that doesn't make you look like you're a colorblind 4-year-old can be a Herculean task in and of itself. So, why not make that time spent in the shower a little more enjoyable (no, not that kind of enjoyable) with products you can actually get excited about using?

I rounded up ten of my favorite new bath and body products to help you revamp your morning routine. From fruity scrubs to flowery lotions, these bath and body beauties will get you so excited to wake up, you may even rise and shine before your alarm rings (okay, maybe not). So, toss out that boring unscented body bar and stock up on new, delicious treats. This is going to be a game-changer, when it comes to Monday morning....

 The packaging on this Victoria's Secret lotion is so pretty, I actually want to show it off on my dresser. The fact that it smells good and leaves my skin soft and smooth isn't so bad either.

Victoria's Secret Sheer Love Forbidden Ultra-Moisturizing Hand and Body Cream, £12, available at Victoria's Secret.




















L'Occitane just launched a trio of anniversary soaps in limited-edition prints. I love the scent on their Rose bar soap but this wrapping is almost too pretty to bust open.

  L'Occitane Rose Soap, £23, available at QVC.

 My favorite Italian perfumers give me one more way to wrap myself in their signature scents, thanks to these skin-softening body washes. I especially love the Giulietta, a powder-fresh scent.

Tocca Bagno Profumato in Giulietta, £18, available at Space.NK

 Slough off dead skin (ew) and rev up circulation with this easy-to-use body brush that won't slip out of your hands in the shower.

The Body Shop Round Body Brush, £8, available at www.thebodyshop.co.uk.

What better way to get a jolt of energy in the morning than with a fruity sugar scrub?

Burt's Bees Cranberry & Pomegranate Sugar Scrub, £9.90, available at Active Beauty.

This moisturizer not only smells and feels good, but it's also anti-aging. Which basically makes it the coolest thing ever.

Weleda Pomegranate Regenerating Body Lotion. £21.95 , available at Feelunique.

 Smooth this non-greasy body oil on your skin when you're fresh out of the shower and I promise you'll stay moisturized and smell good all day long.

Organix Moroccan Argan Oil Body Oil, £9.99, available at Amazon.

 Happy Hippy Shower Gel by Lush is sure to wake you up in the mornings.  With the grapefruit scent it invigorates and can be used on the hair for a longer fruity scent thoughout the day.

  Lush Happy Hippy Shower Gel, £3.15, available at Lush. 















It is little things like which cosmetics you use that will invigorate and open up a zest for the day!  These babies are really amazing and my personal arsenal of products that help me to wake up each morning.  Let me know what you're favourites are.

xoxo,
Angelique

Fall Nail Polish Trends

I know it’s still warm out right now and the last thing you want to think about is cozy autumn layers, but…the upcoming season's lust-worthy polishes will not be ignored. Fall’s fingertip color palette of tough-meets-girly, dark romance, and not-so-neutral nudes has us panting, and it’s not just from the boiling temps.

Here, I’ve outlined my top 8 favorite polish trends, plus the new shades you need to snag to decorate your digits when cooler days descend. I won’t blame you if you want to rock these haute hues right this second, but I suggest holding off on the chunky knits and wool pants for now, or at least until we get out of doubled-digit territory, weather-wise. Heat stroke is so not a good look

Creamy teal hues combine sophistication and whimsy in one contradictory hue. Because the color is so deep and lush, it tones down the actual brightness of the shade and makes it feel luxurious, without being too safe or played-out.

Zoya Nail Polish in Frida, £8, available at Zoya; Essie Nail Polish in Stylenomics, £8, available in September at Essie; Orly Nail Lacquer in Decoded, £8.50, available at Orly; China Glaze Nail Polish in Exotic Encounters, £6.99, available at China Glaze.

 

 

 

 Purple is the party shade of the season, popping up in all kinds of fun and funky textures. The usually girly hue toughens up with chunky glitter, sleek metallic finishes, and a cool shredded effect.

Maybelline Color Show Nail Color in Purple Possibilities, £3.99, available at Boots.com; Deborah Lippmann Nail Lacquer in Let's Go Crazy, £18, available at Nordstrom; Nicole by OPI Nail Polish in Busta Mauve, £7.04, available in August at OPI; Sonia Kashuk Nail Colour in Hocus Pocus, £4.79, available in August at Nordstrom.

 

 

 

People make yearly pilgrimages to catch the changing leaves, but you'll need to look no further than your fingertips to get a great view of nature's most spectacular color show. Rusty red, goldenrod, and burnished orange hues are plentiful for autumn, and besides being seasonally appropriate, they're also unexpectedly chic, especially when paired with an earth-toned wardrobe.

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Gilded Lily, £7.99, available in August at Sally Hansen; Butter London Nail Colour in Shag, £14, available in August at Butter London; China Glaze Nail Polish in Desert Sun, £6.99, available at China Glaze; OPI Nail Lacquer in Snapps Out Of It, £8.50, available in August at OPI.

Green is the nail shade that just won't go away — i've seen countless variations on the hue over the past three seasons. This fall, the color goes military with a twist, combining army-issue fatigues with a metallic sheen. The result is a golden-green shade that has a utilitarian undertone and also manages to look pretty damn glam.

Nicole by OPI Nail Polish in For Gold Times Sake, £7.04, available in August at OPI; Estée Lauder Pure Color Nail Lacquer Beyond Black Collection in Viper, £20, available in August at Estée Lauder; China Glaze Nail Polish in Unpredictable, £6.99, available in August at China Glaze.

  
My love of chocolate extends to my nails with a little help from this next trend, which features cozy shades of brown. Perfect for girls who aren't big on color, it's an ideal replacement for your usual taupe. Any of these dreamy browns should amp up your nail game without forcing you to resort to wearing Day-Glo digits.

Dior Vernis Nail Lacquer in Bengale, £23, available at Debenhams; Laura Mercier Nail Lacquer in Cocoa Suede, £18, available at Nordstrom; Essie Nail Polish in Gym Dandy, £8, available in August at Essie; SpaRitual Nail Lacquer in Slate, £10, available at SpaRitual.

 Traditional berry gets an edge with the addition of dark undercurrents. If you're usually into reds, switch out your signature scarlet shade for a blackened berry to up the sexiness and add a bit of dark romance to your look. These moody shades retain their femininity, but also have a hint of mystery that gives them a dark edge. Berries with bite, if you will.

Chanel Le Vernis Nail Color in Vertigo, £12, available at Chanel; Yves Saint Laurent La Laque Couture in Rouge Expressionniste, £12, available in September at Yves Saint Laurent; Zoya Nail Polish in Katherine, £8, available at Zoya; OPI Nail Lacquer in German-icure by OPI, £8.50, available in August at OPI.

  

The sidewalk won't be ending anytime soon, as least if I have anything to say about it. Concrete gray is my new favorite non-color — softer than black, but a whole lot more impactful than white. Try it in dark, stormy colors, or opt for a foggy iteration with a bit of bling in it. 

Sinful Colors Nail Polish in Smokin', £1.99, available at Superdrug; NARS Nail Polish in Storm Bird, £18, available at NARS; SpaRitual Nail Lacquer in Conglomerate, £10, available at SpaRituals; NCLA Nail Lacquer in Rock Solid, £16, available in September at Nordstrom.

 Look, I loved aqua just as much as you did, but the under-the-sea shade kind of clashes with fall's darker, more muted clothing color palette. So, instead, keep your marine theme going through the colder months by adding navy into your repertoire. It looks elegant, sophisticated, and all-around awesome once the temperature dips. Be sure to choose a vibrant version with lots of blue shot through it — muddied up or grayed-out shades won't pack quite the same punch.

Orly Nail Lacquer in Shockwave, £8.50, available at Orly; Estée Lauder Pure Color Nail Lacquer Beyond Black Collection in Blue Blood, £20, available in August at Estée Lauder; Avon Nailwear Pro+ in Inky Blue, £6, available in August at Avon; Nails Inc. Special Effects Mirror Metallic Nail Polish in Primrose Park, £9.50, available in September at Nails Inc.

Enjoy!

xoxo,
Angelique

 

  

Halloween looks made easy

Listen up, lazy girls: Halloween doesn't mean you have to settle for spandex Katniss Everdeen garbs (obvious, much?) or worse, some type of animal ears (boring!).

True, planning a unique last-minute Halloween costume can be exhausting -- especially for those of us who like to leave things to the eleventh hour. After all, how original can any costume be when it comes in a plastic bag? The only real way to ensure you'll be one-of-kind is to do it yourself.

Therein lies the problem though, right? DIY usually means days of sewing and gluing. The exact opposite of a last-minute solution.

Which is why I've rounded up some amazing Halloween makeup ideas that don't require anything except some lipstick, eyeliner, and face paint. Don't worry, these aren’t your typical green-face witch or oh-so-tired cat whiskers. Nope, I gathered some of my favorite, fresh Halloween makeup tips from Pinterest. Keep reading to see how you can stop stressing and find this year's Halloween costume.

Batman makeup

This hand-drawn mask is infinitely more comfortable than its heavy, plastic counterpart. Not only does the iconic symbol obviously ID that you are indeed Batman -- even if you're not wearing the long cap or rubber onesie -- but you only need one item to create it: black face paint.

Pop art makeup

Here's the perfect last-minute solution for all you artsy types: create a unique Litchenstein masterpiece on your face. To keep the look really authentic, add large blue tears under your eyes and act really lovelorn -- lots of sighs and eyelash batting -- to complete the emo effect.

Dia de los Muertos makeup

If you're a makeup pro, I've got the ultimate challenge for you. How about trying your hand at creating a Day of the Dead skull? The best part is there are no rules to this look and you can add as many colors, stitches, and flowers as you want. Although this effect will probably take some time, the pay-off is that everyone will be in such awe of your makeup skills, no one will notice the lack of costume from the neck down.

Doll & puppet makeup

Here's a look that takes less than 30 minutes. The real trick is exaggerating a rosy flush by piling on cheek tint into two neat circles and drawing two lines on your chin to represent the drop-jaw. Dolls can also add patches of defined freckles and doe-like eyes (waterline with lots of white liner!). Pinocchio impersonators should go for exaggerated facial hair -- in this case a cute mustache worked just fine.

Zombie makeup

There is a delicate balance to pulling off a zombie look that is scary without being too grotesque. Try updating the traditional white face paint with a creepy Frankenstein green or a corpse-like gray color. Then, add a few veins, over-the-top raccoon eyes, a splash of fake blood here and there, and boom -- you're the walking dead. Although a dark statement lip works, you can also try a chalky gray hue on your lips, too.

This is great and will really make the difference in a great costume vs a regular store-bought one.  I hope you have a fantastic weekend!

xoxo,

Angelique