Bridget Jones's Baby: The Diaries.

There's quite a simple plot to this one (which you will be familiar with if you have already seen the recent film). Our heroine Bridget finds herself unexpectedly pregnant. The problem is that she does so after brief flings with her two old flames, Mark Darcy and Daniel Cleaver. Bridget's dilemma? Which one of them is the Father?

This is a witty simple story and it is a very quick read indeed. It contains all the usual chaos and panic that is in a trademark Bridget Jones book and a whole host of supporting characters who are all familiar characters. It's Bridget so I can't say that I disliked it but never the less Bridget Jones's Baby: The Diaries did feel dated and formulated.

I think I'm correct in saying that this was written after the recent Bridget Jones's Baby film so I feel that it is merely a money spinner for the author that was pushed out as a film tie in. I'm fine with that, but perhaps this is a book best left to die hard Bridget fans.

A Small BeautyRestock #2.

I feel that I have written a lot of posts of late about freebies and samples but not shown what I have actually bought. Here are the things that I have actually parted with cold hard cash for...

Unusually for me there are quite a few bits of make up. 

Firstly YSL Touche Eclat Neutraliser in the shade 'Bisque'. This is one of the newish range of colour correcting Touche Eclat pens which in addition to highlighting also neutralises colour imperfections. This peachy one is perfect for disguising dark under eyes circles and blends perfectly without settling into fine lines and creases. (There is also a green toned one to help correct redness and a violet one to counteract dullness and yellow tones). 

Once a year CVS  have a very good promo on NYX lip colours. This year they were 99 cents each! I bought a Butter Gloss in 'Fortune Cookie', a nude gloss that indeed does feel buttery and moisturising along with another nude that has slightly more slightly more shimmer from their Pump It Up range (the shade is 'Kim') . They both show a little paler than their packaging would indicate, but they are both very wearable. Kim has a slight tingle on application but apart from that is almost a dupe for my all time favourite gloss, Chantecaille Brilliant Lip Gloss in 'Modern'.

Four eye shadows (and yes they are almost all the same colour!). I'm trying to replace one colour from a NYX Dream Catcher Palette and three separate trips to Union Square's pop up NYX store have resulted in three different nude matte shadow purchases none of which is the one (although at least they are, rather miraculously, different shades). If you want a nude taupey brown I can recommend all three of these colours: #10 Underneath it all, #27 Happy Hour and #4 3S.O.S.

The final eye shadow I bought was a Kevin Aucoin Single Powder Eye Shadow, shade #105 'Taupey Grey' at the Space NK store opening in Brooklyn. It is more pigmented and much finer than the NYX shadows and it errs on the greyish side - very easy to blend and flattering when worn - perfect for a smoky eye( but still not quite what I was after!) 

I've been wanting a fancy face mask for some time and had been considering splurging on one from Sisley but when I was at the Space NK opening I finally caved in and bought another that I had been coveting: Omorovicza Deep Cleansing Mask. I've used this before and although pricey it is well worth the expense. It is a clay mask that is gentle and non drying, you can use it very sparingly and it is so easy to flannel off (I am over messy clay masks!) When you take it off you are left with clean evenly toned and brightened skin that feels softened and looks glowing. It really is incredibly good - now I just need a super fancy hydrating mask as well...

And then two gift cards arrived for me, one from Space NK, and one from Sephora. 

I used the Sephora one on the Dr Dennis Gross Hydration Heroes Skincare Set. 

Dr Dennis Gross is one of my favourite skincare. This set represents contains four Medi Spa Peel Treatments which is a weekly clinical strength peel with a firming peptide rich moisturising milk to apply after, along with a full sized jar of Hyaluronic Moisture Cushion, a hyaluronic acid rich moisturising gel especially suitable for dehydrated skin and a sample of Hydration Booster which is an intense moisturising serum that you can use either by itself or add to other products.

There wasn't anything that I was desperate for from Space NK so I decided to use the gift card and my Ndulge points on some luxury haircare products. I picked out another value set, from OUAI. This set contains full sized bottles of Repairing Shampoo, Repairing Conditioner and Hair Oil along with a handbag sized Dry Shampoo. 

I don't often indulge in luxury hair care so when I do it is a special treat and I can't wait to start using these.

And that's it, I'm all stocked up and hoping to not get tempted by any more products too soon!

Happy Holidays!

Today I will eat drink and be merry but I will be back as usual on Tuesday! 

Enjoy!

Sephora Weekly Specials #2.

No sooner had I sent off a Sephora order when a $15.00 gift card arrived in my inbox! As it was only valid for a limited time on it I went ahead and ordered something that I sorta needed simply so I didn't miss out.

I did want to grab another of their Very Merry Mini bags for my weekly special gift but that promo is one per customer unfortunately so I chose another special that was a pouch containing twelve samples (This promo is no longer available).

Make up wise there was a sample card of Kat Von D Lock It Concealer Cream and a blister pack of Make Up Forever Ultra HD Foundation both of which contained four different shades.

There was also a sachet of Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer (which is my favourite primer) and a sachet of Too Faced Shadow Insurance Eye Shadow Primer which I look forward to trying. The final make up item was a blister pack of The Estee Edit Pore Vanishing Stick which I assume is a silicon based blurring/smoothing primer that will be fun to play with.

Skincare samples are sachets of Origins Clear Improvement Charcoal Mask and Josie Maran Pure Argan Oil along with a couple of Sephora Express Eye Make Up Remover Wipes which I have had before and find to be very effective and convenient.

For hair there is a sample of Living Proof Prime Stye Extender, a leave in cream that smooths hair, repels dirt and keeps oil under control and for the body a sachet of L'Occitane Almond Body Milk.

There are also two vials of perfume. Versace Bright Crystal, a fruity floral which I find to be a little too sweet and generic for my tastes and Mark Jacobs Decadence which is much more my kind of scent, a warm sexy amber that is very sultry.

Of course I picked out three standard samples:Yves Saint Laurent Forever CC Primer and Sunscreen, Atelier Cologne Mandarine Glaciale EDT and finally a vial of Dior Sauvage EDT for Mr C&C.

That's quite a healthy haul of samples to play around with isn't it? Do I sense a month of foil in the future perhaps?

Nutshell.

In a dilapidated London townhouse an eight and a half month old fetus bears witness as his Mother and her lover plot to kill his Father. Can the unborn baby will himself to be born in time to foil the deadly scheme and escape of the killers?

That in a nutshell is the plot of Nutshell the latest book by Ian McEwan. On paper it sounds too bizarre a concept to pull off, but this is Ian McEwan, so of course it all somehow magically manages to work and it is a credible read. This is a shortish novel so it is a quick read but nonetheless, despite being somewhat quirky, it is an entertaining and engaging story. 

I like all of McEwan's books so, if like me, you are a fan I am sure you will enjoy this. The plot is intricate and the writing is stylish and sparse. (My only criticism is that it took me some time to stop voicing the extremely erudite fetus in a Stewie from Family Guy accent...)

That aside I loved everything about this unusual book.

Recommended.    

The Couple Next Door.

When their babysitter cancels Anne and Marco decide to go ahead with their planned evening out. After all they are only going to dinner at their next door neighbours and they are going to take the baby alarm and check on their sleeping baby every 30 minutes. What could possibly go wrong?

I don't think I'm giving too much away if I let you know that, of course, the baby is taken by someone, as this is revealed very early on in the book. The question is: who has taken the baby and why?
After this dramatic start the rest of the book deals with the who and why - police procedure, family speculation and the suspicions of Detective Rasbach who is in charge of the case.

I had seen a lot about this book before I read it and was looking forward to it. Potentially it is a great plot, but I found it to be somewhat disappointing.
The story was very slow and everything was relayed in a great amount of detail, so much that it almost felt like padding. I didn't find myself connecting with any of the characters here and the overall tone of the book simply wasn't dark enough for such an unnerving subject. And the ending? Well, after the big reveal it just became a little too far fetched.

I also found the style in which The Couple Next Door was written to be odd. All the sentences were very short, it was such a strange style of writing which jarred as I read, making the story seem very choppy rather than flowing effortlessly.

It's not the worst book I have read this year but overall I wasn't a fan of this one.

Surprise! A Free Allure Beauty Box!

The other day I received an email telling me to look in my mail for a free beauty box from Allure. 

I subscribe to Allure magazine and I know some other people have had a free box so I'm guessing that they are trying to get either more subscribers for the box or to keep magazine subscribers subscribing. I am a tad mystified as to why Allure sent out free beauty boxes but I'm not complaining...

The box I received is one of the variations that was sent out to Beauty Box subscribers in October this year and I must admit that it's a pretty good box. 

Inside were the following:

. Spongelle Body Wash Infused Buffer (Full size, value $15.00). I've never seen these before! This is a synthetic sponge that is infused with a body wash. The sponge itself is quite hard so this product will buff and exfoliate as you wash. This cruelty free bath time treat is vegan and free of parabens. It is beautifully fragranced with Freesia and Pear and lasts for around 20 showers. I adore the scent of freesias and I like a scrubby sponge so this is a perfect product for me!

 There is also a token for 25% off Spongelle products on line. These would make great sticking fillers or Secret Santa gifts don't you think?

. Tatcha Indigo Soothing Silk Body Butter (30ml, value $8.00). Tatcha products are an indulgence, even the way they package their samples feels very luxurious. I haven't tried any Tatcha body products but have always been pleasantly surprised by their face products. This blue toned body cream has a faint spa like smell and feels soothing and silky on application. I love body creams and butters and can't wait to try this out!

. Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk (50ml, value $10.00). Dry shampoos are something of a staple in subscription boxes (along with eye liners, mascaras and lip products) aren't they?

I don't use them for cleansing my hair but I do like to use them to add volume (especially now we are in 'hat hair' season). Generally, I like Klorane products so I will add this to my stash and give it a go.

. Brigeo Don't Despair, Repair! Hair Mask (29ml, value $9.00). This deep conditioning mask is free of sulphates, parabens and silicones so it's suitable for my dyed hair. My hair always feels softer and has less frizz when I use a mask such as this and I need to make the effort to use them more often. This tube can go straight into my shower!

. Mally Volumising Mascara (Full Size, 10ml, value $20.00.) Another sub box staple! This is great as it is full sized though, and whilst I don't know anything about Mally, I have read favourable reviews of this mascara.

. Doucce Freematic Eye Shadow (1.4gr, value $9.00). This is a shimmery, copper toned powder eyeshadow from yet another brand that is new too me. It's actually a great colour for the winter season with just the right amount of glitz to wear to parties over the festive season. 

Overall. 

This box sells for $15.00 when you subscribe to this monthly beauty box but I paid nothing for this surprise box!The contents of this box are valued at $70.00 and I liked everything in it, especially the two body items. And there were three brands represented that are entirely new to me.

However, I have to say that from reviews I have seen recently this seems to be one of the better Allure Beauty Boxes that has been issued of late. I'm afraid I'm not much of a fan of sub boxes I'm as the contents vary so much from month to month and there so are often repeat products or billing/delivery issues. For these reasons this box didn't entice me to take out a subscription even though I was impressed with everything in it.

It was a lovely surprise to find in my mail box though.

 Thank you Allure!! 

Caroline Hirons Cult Beauty Box of Dreams #2.

Facialist/blogger Caroline Hirons periodically teams up with London based online beauty store Cult Beauty to produce limited edition boxes filled with her personal selection of high end skincare. Not only are these amazing boxes stuffed full of beauty goodies, they ship for free and offer a huge saving on the normal retail price of their contents.

I purchased the first two of these collaborative boxes but didn't get the last two simply because I had way too many products to justify buying any more. This time around I still didn't need to replenish my stash but the deep discount that was offered coupled with the enticing array of products meant that it would have been foolish of me to have passed this one up!

The pricing.

 At £195.00 the price represented a discount of 48% - impressive huh? But because I was shopping from outside the European Union I didn't have to pay British V.A.T. (sales tax) which meant that I only paid £162.00. The pound/dollar exchange rate favours the dollar right now and I ended up paying $204.00. 

I have always experienced exceptional customer service when dealing with Cult Beauty and shipping was not only free it was speedy. I ordered on Wednesday and by Friday evening the box had arrived!

The Products.   

May Lindstrom The Pendulum Potion (30ml.)

This product is not yet on general sale and is previewed in the box. May Lindstrom skincare is organic and free from just about all the 'nasties' you can name (parabens, phthalates, silicone, petroleum, artificial dyes etc etc). Hand mixed in small batch production it is also very expensive. The Pendulum Potion is an oil cleanser that smells divine. I have already used this once and it is lovely, it left my face looking radiant and feeling soft!

Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist (30ml, full sized.)

This refreshing and calming facial spritz is suitable to use after cleansing or as an anytime pick me up. This is a seriously fancy face spray and something of a cult item. That Caroline calls it the 'Rolls Royce of spritzes' tells you everything that you want to know about it I think.

Sunday Riley Good Genes (30ml, full sized.)

This lactic acid packed serum is a staple product in my night time routine already. It preps my skin for other products, evens out skin tone and most of all it makes my complexion glow. I always have

 this product in stock and now I have a back up!

Kypris Beauty Elixer 1:1,000 Roses (14ml, full sized.)

Kypris is a newish brand that I have been dying to try. This product is a high quality blended facial oil that contains Bulgarian Rose and other oils along with a high quantity of CoQ10. This oil moisturises and protects skin and is especially suitable for dry or dehydrated skin that has been compromised by UV exposure. (That's me).

Zelens 3t Complex Essential Anti-Aging Cream (50ml, full sized).

The Zelens products that I have tried in the past have always been very impressive. This moisturiser contains botanical extracts, marine algaes and herbal oils and promises to leave skin looking firmer, plumper and smoother. I've had my eye on this but not been able to justify the price until now. (This retails for $205.00 in the U.S. which is more than I paid for the whole of this box!)

Therapie Equilibrium Bath&Shower Essence (100ml, full sized).

This bath and shower oil has been developed by an aromatherapist and is an aromatic blend of essences of rose, lavender, jasmine, neroli, sandalwood and fragonia. Apparently it helps restore energy, and dispel stress and anxiety - I'm not sure if it will do all that but it does smell fabulous!

Bella Freud Loving Candle (Full sized).

I love Bella Freud's Fragrances (and her sweaters!) and I'm always burning a scented candle so the inclusion of this is perfect for me. This is a strong smelling candle and it smells wonderful - predominately tuberose but there's a little amber and sandalwood in there to round things out. It comes in a stunning red jar which I will re purpose when I have finished with the candle. 

I am beyond excited by the contents of this box - it is simply outstanding (especially given the price!). There's not an item in here that I won't use - the ones I have tried already are stellar products and I can't wait to try out the rest. 

This is such a fantastic collaboration and so far for me it is far and away the best CHCB box so far - thank you Caroline Hirons and Cult Beauty!

Sephora Weekly Specials #1: 'Very Merry Minis'.

Do you know I don't really buy that many products from Sephora? But when I do I tend to wait until they have an interesting weekly special gift available.

One weekly special that I always take advantage is the Holiday Sample Bag. Sephora run this promotion every year around this time although it has a different name each year, this year it is called 'Very Merry Minis'. With a $25.00 online purchase you can choose one of four bags containing eight samples. This year the set I chose was called 'A Weekend Retreat'. Inside a small cosmetic bag were the following:

Lancome Bi Facil Eye Make Up Remover (50ml). This generous sample will last for some time. I have used this before, it is a two part cleanser that you shake together and it effortlessly removes all eye make up, including waterproof.

Fresh Soy Face Cleansing Milk (20ml). Although I have used Fresh Soy Face Cleanser many times I have never used this cleansing milk. I enjoy using the cleanser so look forward to trying this.

Sunday Riley Tidal (8g.). I adore Sunday Riley products and the inclusion of this brightening moisturiser was the main reason that I chose this bag! I've heard very good reviews of Tidal and can't wait to try it.

Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer Potion (2ml.). How cute is this mini tube of primer? I have used this before and although it isn't my absolute favourite eye shadow base it does work well and I know that this tiny tube will last a long time as well as being handy for travel.

There are two mini lipsticks Make Up For Ever Artist Rouge Creme (shade C211) which is a semi matte brickish berry tone and Sephora Rouge Shine (14, Love Spell), a sheer nude pink with a mauve-ish edge. I like these mini lipsticks as they are easy to throw in a handbag and I'm not going to be too mad if I misplace one!

 As you know I can never have too many perfume vials.
Bulgari Omnia is a Lotus based floral rounded out with creamy wood notes and Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb is a sweet powdery heady floral.

To receive this bag (or one of the three other selections) simply add the promo code VERYMERRYMINIS when you check out at sephora.com

And don't forget to add three standard samples to your order. (I chose Klorane Chamomile Hair Conditioner, Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer Primer and a sample of Givenchy Gentlemen Only EDT by for Mr C&C to try.)

Space NK Brooklyn Opening Gift.

My favourite beauty store, Space NK have just opened their first Brooklyn branch in Williamsburg, an area in which I often find myself. (This could be dangerous for my wallet I fear!). I went along to their opening event to have a look at the store which is beautiful, bright, well laid out and filled to the brim with products to tempt me. 

In addition to checking out the shop and enviously ogling lipsticks I took advantage of the offer of double reward points on purchases for Ndulge members (post to follow) and was gifted a cool tote bag filled with a selection of goodies.

Inside the bag were skincare samples including sachets of Derm Institute Anti Oxidant Hydration Cream and Cellular Rejuvenating Cream and deluxe samples of Eve Lom Cleansing Balm (with a muslin cloth), Malin+Goetz Grapefruit Face Cleanser, Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask and Ren Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask. 

There was also the cutest half sized Oribe Dry Texturising Spray and make up samples of ByTerry Hyaluronic Hydra Powder and a Lipstick Queen Frog Prince Lipstick.

With the exception of the lipstick they are all things that I have tried before - there's a great selection of classic/cult products represented here!

Space NK is located at 229, Bedford Avenue on the corner of N4th Street in the heart of Williamsburg.  

Clinique GWP at Saks 5th Avenue.

It's rare that I buy anything beauty related without it being on offer or coming with a GWP. Of the two I'm generally most exited about the GWP as it is a great way of discovering new products and the mini sized products that they contain are excellent for traveling with. 

Clinique was, I'm pretty sure, the brand that first got me into the whole GWP thing in the first place and although the brand frequently offer some very nice GWP's and has some outstanding products it isn't often that I purchase anything from their range these days. However, Mr C&C likes to use the Clinique for Men Post Shave Healer. He needed some recently and when I ordered it for him I was thrilled to see that the order qualified for the GWP shown above. 

Along with a vibrant orange and silver cosmetic bag (not shown) are the following items:

.Deep Comfort Hand and Cuticle Cream (1.4 fl oz). Perfectly sized for a handbag this cream feels rich but isn't at all greasy. It absorbs instantly to protect and restore hands.

.Sculptwear Lift and Contour Serum for Face and Neck (.5fl oz). This is a lightly textured gel like serum that promises to tighten and tone skin with continued use. It can be used in the morning and at night. It feels cooling on application and I found that it layers well with other products.

.All About Shadow Eyeshadow Palette. I have purchased these eyeshadows before and I like their formula. The pigment in them is decent and they blend and last well. This palette contains four wearable neutral shades along with a light toned highlighter/base and a dark almost black shade for use a liner. Unlike a lot of palettes I can see myself using all of the colours in this one although I'm going to throw away those two hideous foam applicators!

.Moisture Surge (.5 oz). This is an intensely hydrating gel cream moisturiser. I've purchased this in the past and it's marvellous for taking care of skin that becomes dehydrated in cold weather.

.Colour Pop Lip Colour+Primer. A mini long lasting semi matte lipstick with a built in primer. I like the formula of this but it is a little too pink for me to use.

.Chubby Lash Fattening Mascara. I've yet to try this but it has a big brush and promises to add volume to lashes. Clinique mascaras are some of my favourites so I am looking forward to trying it out.

Still available in stores and from saksfifthavenue.com the gift is free with any Clinique purchase of $40.00 or more. Why not pick one up for yourself along with your holiday shopping?

Empties November 2016.

I seem to be having some sort of 'unofficial end of the year resolutions' going on. Not only have I been trying to get up to date with book I have been making a diligent effort to finish as many beauty and bathroom products as possible before opening new ones.

Last month I emptied thirteen full sized and seventeen sample products and truth be told I wasn't expecting to finish many this month so I'm very pleased (and somewhat amazed!) to report that in November I managed to finish even more! Thirteen full sized products again and twenty three samples.

Skincare.

I took time out and used a Sephora Rose Sheet Mask. I have to admit to not enjoying sheet masks all that much, this one was supposed to be ultra moisturising and brightening. It was saturated with product but I don't feel that it made much difference if any to my complexion...

I only used up four full sized skincare items this month. 

Skyn Iceland Pure Cloud Cleanser which is a gentle yet effective creamy cleanser, one of my favourites for both removing make up and cleansing skin. 

Nip+Fab Glycolic Fix Night Pads Extreme are easy to use, effective and cheap. I have enjoyed using these nightly - they aren't at all 'extreme' as they only have 5% glycolic acid. 

I was also impressed with First Aid Beauty 5 in 1 Eye Cream. It is relatively inexpensive and did a good job of smoothing and hydrating the skin underneath my eyes so it appeared brighter. Plus it didn't make my sensitive eyes smart and has practical packaging that was hygienic and handy for travel. Good for either day or night time use, I'm sure I will buy this again in the future. 

I don't tend to use Caudalie Beauty Elixir as a toner but I do like to use it sometimes at night or when traveling. This bottle is still about half full but the spray pump is broken and I cannot remove it to decant the remaining product which is very annoying...

I'm not a big user of Micellaire Water but the Caudalie one is pretty good and it even removes waterproof make up effectively. Dermalogica Pre Cleanse is a simple but effective make up removing cleansing oil with a pleasant grassy fragrance.

Funnily, although I love the Nip+Fab Glycolic Fix Pads Extreme I'm not so keen on the normal version which have a strong cologne like scent. This small five pack jar was handy for a trip however.

Mila Moursi Lifting Serum is a daytime serum that does have a temporary tightening effect but this also has quite a strong cologne type fragrance that isn't to my liking.

Sunday Riley Good Genes is my go-to night time serum. I adore this product but this tube was even better than normal. I'm not sure if it has been reformulated in some way or if this was merely a production blip but this sample was thicker and richer in texture than usual - more of a silky cream than a serum and needless to say it was amazing.

Trilogy Rose Hip Oil is something of a classic product. I didn't dislike it but I didn't love it, it smelled a little too funky and earthy for me. 

Malin +Goetz Recovery Oil smelt much better (of geraniums and herbs) and it absorbed easily but I did find that I needed to use quite a lot of it.

  Rodin Olio Lusso however was lush. It smelled beautifully of jasmine, absorbed wonderfully and left my skin glowing and soft. This was so light and lovely I was even using it during the day and the small vial I had lasted for a good amount of time even with twice daily use. This is definitely going on my wish list!

I liked both samples of eye cream that I finished: Jouviance Restructive Eye Cream and Chantecaille Stress Repair. The Chantecaille cream was the richer of the two and best when used at night (it's also eye wateringly expensive). 

I finished four face cream samples. 

Rodial Bee Venom Moisturiser plumps my skin a little and feels very nourishing, I have to say that I am almost always impressed with Rodial products! 

I also liked Garnier Clearly Brighter which is a daytime brightening moisturiser with SPF15. It was very comfortable to wear under make up and didn't feel sun screen like in any way. I thought that it was a very good affordable skin cream. 

 The Organic Pharmacy Double Rose Rejuvenating Cream was nice but not outstanding in anyway. 

L'Occitane Comforting Cream Light was my least favourite of the four. I don't do all that well with Shea Butter face creams and this did give me a spot. I also disliked it's strong baby powder like scent a lot. 

Body care.

Dial Coconut Water Body Wash is one of my favourite drugstore body washes. It smells very nice - not too coco-nutty, makes lots of lather and it doesn't leave my skin feeling dry and itchy. 

The Body Shop Shower Gels also produce an abundance of suds and leave my skin feeling comfortable. I enjoyed this Papaya one which smelt delectably fruity without being cloying or overtly sweet. 

C Booth Body Butters may be my favourite reasonably priced body cream. I always pick one up if I see them. They are intensely moisturising without being greasy and are free of parabens, sulphates and mineral oils. They also smell great, this one was scented with Egyptian Argan Oil which was  warm and comforting. 

I used three mini body lotions. Vaseline Intensive Care Advanced Repair and Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion are both effective but not very exciting to use. 

Jergens Wet Skin Moisturiser with Monoi smelt great but I'm simply not into 'in shower moisturisers'. For me they don't seem to be as effective as 'normal' body lotions and I find I have to wait quite some time before dressing which is annoying. 

Lastly, body wise, I used a handbag sized tube of Caudalie Hand and Nail Cream. This is a hydrating formula that isn't greasy and it smells light and fresh.

  

Haircare.

Juice Organics Repairing Conditioner was okay but not outstanding in anyway. I disliked the Repairing Shampoo which had an odd thick gel like consistency. I found I had to use quite a lot of it in order to get it to spread throughout my hair. 

Giovanni Tea Tree Treat Invigorating Shampoo smelt of peppermint which was lively and invigorating but otherwise it was simply a basic shampoo. 

Neutrogena Triple Moisture Daily Deep Conditioner was almost more of a quick mask rather than a conditioner. TBH I found it a little too thick and rich for everyday use but I would certainly get it again to use a couple of times a week. 

I'm very much on the fence about It's a 10 Miracle Leave In Product. Some days I used it and my hair looked very good, other days it made my hair look and feel greasy and weighed down. I think that this is one leave in product that you need to be quite sparing with and not use every day if you have fine hair. It's a little pricey for a supermarket product but I might buy this again for occasional use. 

A leave in product that I did like was Davines Oi All in One Milk. It smelt lovely and made my hair amazingly soft and silky without weighing it down.  

Make Up and Fragrance.

I didn't finish even one small vial of perfume this month but I did manage to use three make up products. Another tube of Chantecaille Just Skin in my usual shade 'Nude' and a sample size of their Faux Cils Mascara, both of which are great. 

At the other end of the price scale I finished off a somewhat raggedy looking tube of Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch (coincidentally also 'Nude') which is a very good drugstore Touche Eclat equivalent that gives decent coverage as it highlights and is very easy to apply and blend.

November produced a satisfying amount of empties. I really don't expect to have so many next month, but that's what I said last month! I'm interested to see exactly how many products I will have finished when I tally up the empties for the whole year... 

The Rise, The Fall and The Rise.

Brix Smith Start's autobiography opens with a privileged childhood in Beverly Hills. During her teenage years Brix becomes obsessed with music - specifically English music. A chance meeting with The Fall's lead singer, Mark E. Smith in Chicago leads to their falling in love and she moves to a grim 1980's Manchester and becomes a member of The Fall at the height of their popularity.

Following the break up of her marriage to Mark, Brix leaves the band and moves to London where she embarks upon her own musical career before becoming a successful fashion retailer/stylist and eventually a popular British TV personality.

This was a fantastic read! It's candid and revealing as well as being very humorous. I loved the way that she told her story. It was well written in a chatty style and I finished this feeling that I had really got to know her. (I must say that it took me some time to get through this book, but that was only because I kept putting it down to look up something on line or watch something on YouTube that had been mentioned in the book.)

Before reading this I didn't know much about The Fall and I didn't know anything about Brix Smith Start so I didn't have much in the way of expectations when I picked The Rise, The Fall and The Rise up - I've come away full of admiration for this talented stylish woman.

Recommended

Paris for One and Other Stories.

 

Paris for One and Other Stories is a new volume by JoJo  Moyes and comprises the previously published Paris for One (a short novelella that is just over 150 pages long) along with eight brief short stories.

Paris for One is trademark Moyes, with unworldly Nell traveling to Paris alone, where she finds not only her true self but also (possibly!) the love of her life. It is a light breezy tale that could be a little cheesy if it wasn't for Moyes accomplished writing. Nell is a delightfully innocent character who you can't help but wish well and the scenes set here are very atmospheric and evocative. It's a perfect relaxing, frothy, feel good read.

The other short tales in this volume vary in content but they are all entertaining and most have a clever twist to them.

I've not enjoyed the last couple of books published by JoJo Moyes all that much but this one hit the spot. It would be a good stocking stuffer for anyone who likes light hearted beachy style fiction.

Recommended.

Happy Families.

It's 1962 in Newark, New Jersey and a pregnant young woman staggers into a clinic, gives birth to a healthy baby girl and then disappears abandoning the baby. 

Happy Family tells the story of that baby, Cheri Matzner, who is adopted by Sol Matzner and his wife CiCi. Cheri always feels something of a a misfit with her adopted parents and takes a winding course through adolescence and childhood until she finally finds herself. 

Happy Family however isn't just Cheri's story, it is also the story of Sol and CiCi and of Cheri's friendships and relationships over the years. 

This was an enthralling book and I cannot believe that it is the first novel from Tracy Barone. She is a great story teller and an amazing writer. Cheri is a strong, independent woman surrounded by highly credible characters and the book perfectly captures the dynamics of families and relationships. I found myself rooting for Cheri throughout this riveting read.

Recommended - I loved this book!

Modern Lovers.

Modern Lovers tells the story of three old college friends. 

Years ago Andrew, Elizabeth and Zoe were carefree and on the cusp of fame with their college band Kitty's Moustache. Now all living in the same neighborhood of Brooklyn, Andrew and Elizabeth are a couple with a shy teenage son, Harry, and Zoe lives nearby with her partner Jane and their teenage daughter Ruby.

Modern Lovers is about relationships between friends, parents, children and marriage partners. The adults in the book are all discontented with adult life in some way and their outlooks contrast nicely with those of Harry and Zoe, both of whom are setting out in life with high hopes for their futures. 

I must admit that I'm not a huge fan of Emma Straub and although I did like this more than the previous novel I read by her (The Vacationers) I was still somewhat disappointed by it. Modern Lovers was a light read and while there were some funny moments I found it hard to relate to the characters or the situations they were in. The characters were all a little too self absorbed to be likeable and the lack of communication between the characters was frustrating and something that I found hard to understand. 

Overall this one missed the mark for me...

Dear Mr M.

Mr M is the Dutch author of Payback, a best selling book.

 Based on the true story of Laura and Herman, teenage lovers who were suspected and then cleared of murdering one of their teachers, Jan Landzaat, Payback went on to became a successful film.  

But all that was some years ago, Now Mr M is elderly with a writing career in rapid decline and outdated views that are highly controversial. In a bizarre twist of fate Mr M, along with his young wife and child, move into an apartment building in Amsterdam where the real life Herman of Payback notoriety also lives...

I admire Herman Koch's writing and whilst this novel was much slower paced (and somewhat longer) than the previous works that I have read by him, I enjoyed it immensely.

It is a complex tale that flashes backwards and forwards in time and there is an air of foreboding that adds tension and darkness to the book. There are lots of strange coincidences woven into the story and while the ending was somewhat unexpected I loved spending time with Mr M and his characters.

Recommended.   

Not Working.

Claire Flannery is a young Londoner who quits her office job to try and discover her true vocation and passion. As Claire sets out on her voyage of self discovery (without ever venturing too far from her duvet) she evaluates her family, friends and relationship whilst wondering if she can ever find her niche without having to compromise herself.

Not Working is a fast, light, read and Claire is a delightful character. 

It's a quirky book composed of a series of observations and short vignettes and parts of it are hilariously funny. Comparisons have been (fairly) made between this book and Helen Fielding's Bridget Jones series and, like those books, I could easily see this being the start of a series or becoming a film.

If you want something to read that won't tax your brain but will provide some light hearted entertainment I recommend that you give Not Working a spin.

A Small SpaceNK Shop #2.

SpaceNK recently had one of their Explore promotions in the USA - $25.00 off any online purchase of $125.00 or more. While there wasn't anything that I desperately needed right now, the fact that this is represents a 20% discount coupled with the fact that I had plenty of NDulge points to use up from my September Edit GWP purchases it seemed too good a chance to miss.

Normally I tend to use this promotion to restock an expensive skincare item, a serum or eye cream perhaps, but this time I had those areas pretty much covered and so for once I did buy some new items that I have been wanting to try out.

Although I have a lot of skincare items in stock I tend to go use up cleansers and spritzes fairly frequently and recently I spotted that Dr Dennis Gross now has a facial spray, C+ Collagen Perfect Skin Set & Refresh Mist. I love this range of skincare and facial sprays so this was definitely calling my name! With Collagen, Vitamin C, anti-oxidants and Hyaluronic Acid, this spray can be used either under or over make up to protect and hydrate skin, leaving it feeling refreshed and also working as a make up setting spray. My skin tends to be dehydrated, especially in winter so I'm sure that this will be often reached for in the upcoming months.

I'm always on the lookout for new cleansers to try so I also picked up a Dr Dennis Gross Colour Smart Cleanser. This is a creamy cleanser that smooths and brightens with three forms of Vitamin C and exfoliates with papaya enzymes. It also contains clay and in addition to being used as a cleanser it can be left on your skin for a few minutes as a quick purifying mask.

I love the range of Ambient products from Hourglass and I love their primers so it came as no surprise that I really liked a  recent sample of  Hourglass Ambient Primer.
Used under make up I find that this gives my skin a subtle glow as well as providing a great base for make up. I bought the shade 'Luminous Light' which is the palest of the three shades and an almost perfect match for my skin tone but leaves my skin looking healthier and, well, more luminous...

Finally I did restock an old favourite, Kevyn Aucoin Powder Eye Shadow Single in the shade 104 Soft Clay which is my go to everyday natural make up look eye shadow. This is my third or maybe even fourth purchase of this, it is a great formula and a flattering grey toned pink that is very easy to wear.

Of course I picked out some samples! R+Co Dallas Thickening Shampoo and Conditioner because  I always go for the shampoo and conditioner sample duos, Kane NY Serum Savant simply because it is a wonderful serum that isway out of my price range, and, because I love Diptyque, a sample of their Geranium Odorata EDT which smells delightfully floral, of roses and geranium with bergamot and vanilla and a spiky green note which keeps it from being too sweet and girly.

This promotion provided me with a nice little restock and racked me up some more NDulge rewards which I think I will save for the post Christmas Space NK sale which never fails to tempt me to shop!

Cleansers Autumn/Winter 2016.

Four months have gone by since I last wrote about the cleansers I'm currently using. I've been trying to reduce my product stash so I'm happy to see that I have succeeded in using up three full sized cleansers from the previous post and most of the above products are almost finished. Let's take a look at what I am currently using...

MV Organics 9 Oil Cleansing Tonic. Even though I have been using this a couple of times a week I still haven't finished it. Although it is a cleanser, I view it as being more of  a treatment as you leave it on your skin rather than rinsing it off. I like to use it in the mornings, I press a few drops of this onto my face before stepping into the shower, where the steam helps it absorb leaving my face clean, plumped and glowing. It smells lovely, feels very indulgent and helps with just about any skin issue you can think of.  

Bio-Essence Miracle Bio Water Jelly Make Up Remover. This is very efficient at removing make up and was nice and cooling to use in hotter weather but it doesn't feel particularly indulgent or nourishing. It reminds me of a thin shower gel with a fairly strong, very aqua like fragrance.

I don't dislike this but I won't be repurchasing this one once it has gone.

Tata Harper Purifying Cleanser. This is one of my very favourite cleansers. It featured in my last cleanser round up but this is a different bottle... Yes, I like it so much that as soon as I had finished my last bottle I cracked open a new one! It has a zippy uplifting fragrance that makes it a joy to use especially in the morning. This is the one I find myself reaching for when I feel my skin is congested or compromised in any way. I love using this and love the way it leaves my skin feeling.

SKYN ICELAND Pure Cloud Cleanser is another one of my favourite cleansers. It is a creamy cleanser that does a great job of removing make up and cleaning my skin leaving it feeling soft and nourished. This is the second tube of this that I have bought and it won't be the last.

Dermologica Pre Cleanse is a basic cleansing oil that I have been using as a first cleanse to remove make up. I'm not particularly enamoured with this but it does a good job of removing make up and a little of this goes a long way. There's absolutely nothing wrong with it but there are simply so many other great cleansers that I prefer.

 As I'm at least half way through all of these cleansers so I'm pretty confident that when I next take a look at the cleansers I am using they will all be different... Yes I even think I will finally finish the MV Organics one! 

Truly, Madly, Guilty.

 Although they have been best friends since childhood Clementine and Erika have totally different personalities and outlooks on life and their relationship with each other is somewhat strained. 

When Clementine and her family attend a spur of the moment backyard barbecue at Erika's neighbours' house a fun afternoon turns to tragedy. 

Can the adults and children who were there that afternoon ever recover from that day and continue with their normal lives?

I have to admit that although I like the way that Liane Moriaty writes - her books are certainly very readable - I don't love her books. They are easy breezy beach type reads but there is usually something that fails to resonate with me. Such was the case with Truly, Madly Guilty. I liked it, enjoyed it even, but I found it a bit of a slog to get through. The first part of the book flashes back and forth from the day of the barbecue to the present. The reader knows that there was an incident at the barbecue but doesn't know what it was until about half way through the book. The second half of the book deals with the aftermath of that incident.

This book reminded me a lot of the author's previous books (especially The Husband's Secret and Big Little Lies) and it felt a little formulaic. I felt that the pace of this story was very slow compared to these other two books and it failed to enthrall me. The characters  and their lifestyles didn't come across as being very realistic and when the barbecue incident was revealed it wasn't as dramatic as I had been anticipating.

I can't quite put my finger on it but there was something that simply didn't work in this story overall the book felt a little flat. I didn't hate Truly, Madly, Guilty but it was a rather disappointing read for me.

Blue Apron.

Have you heard of Blue Apron? It is a subscription recipe delivery service and when you enroll you are delivered a weekly box containing all the ingredients you need to make three meals. 

Ingredients are packed in a chilled box so that you don't have to worry about them spoiling and there are detailed recipe cards provided for each meal. Various formats of the box are available (for two or four people etc) and whilst you cannot select the meals that you receive you can specify dietary preferences and opt to skip a delivery if three meals at home doesn't fit in with your plans one week.

Recently I tried out a box that contained the ingredients for three meals for two people. 

The cost of this box including taxes and delivery would normally have been $59.95 however I had a coupon for $30.00 off and I ordered my box through Ebates which gave me $7.50 cash back so I ended up paying only $22.45.

Above you can see the ingredients that I received in my box. Now lets take a look at the meals and my verdict on them...

Meal #1: Fresh Pimento Cheeseburger with Collard Green and Carrot Slaw.

This was an easy meal to start off with: form the burger and cook it, toast the buns, chop and mix some ingredients together for the pimento cheese condiment, and chop and fry the slaw ingredients.

I made the burgers for this meal but served them with traditional condiments that I had in stock and used the pimento cheese as part of a toasted sandwich at lunchtime the next day.

 The burger was very tasty with a good meat to bun ratio but I wish it had been larger. Mr C&C and myself are hearty eater and could have eaten two of them!

I decided to use the Collard and Carrot Slaw with another meal later in the week and instead served a Cabbage and Carrot Coleslaw which was from another Blue Apron meal from this box - I wasn't a huge fan of the slaw as I found it a little too acidic.I also served a Greek Salad that I made from my own ingredients.

Verdict:

I really enjoyed the burger, but wished it was bigger. The pimento cheese was just okay.

Meal#2: Crispy Chicken Milanese with Warm Brussels Sprout and Potato Salad.

For this recipe you needed to coat chicken breasts with panko breadcrumbs and fry them, make a vinaigrette and chop and cook vegetables for a warm salad.

This is the kind of meal that we would prepare for ourselves normally so we were looking forward to this one! However once again the portions were somewhat scant, although the chicken breasts weren't a bad size the vegetable part of the meal consisted of two celery stalks, five Brussels Sprouts and a one medium sized potato (for both of us not each!).

I cooked a little extra chicken that I had in already and rather than coating it in crumbs and frying it I  simply marinaded and grilled it.

 After cooking the potato I sauteed it to add colour and texture to the salad, I also made the Collard Green and Carrot Slaw and served it warm so that we had two vegetable sides.

Verdict:

I love grilled chicken breasts so this was always going to be a hit. The Collard Slaw was good but the best part of the meal was the Warm Brussels Sprout Salad which I will add to my recipe collection.

Meal#3: Avocado Tempura Tortas with Spicy Turnip and Cabbage-Carrot Slaw.

This meal required that you chop vegetables for slaw and mix them with a simple dressing, cut turnips into 'fries' and cook them, make a tempura batter and use it to fry avocado wedges that you have cut and finally assemble and toast sandwiches.

This whole meal was a fail for us I'm afraid... I don't consider a sandwich such as this to constitute dinner, it is a lunch or brunch dish as far as I'm concerned. There were a lot of steps to take to make the sandwich and the slaw which we had with the burgers really wasn't that great. And finally, I have an avocado allergy so I wouldn't have been able to eat this meal anyway. 

We used the bread from this meal to make toasted sandwiches for our lunches and Mr C&C had the avocado as a snack.

And the turnip? That's  still in the fridge...

Overall.

I am the last person that I expected to try out one of these recipe boxes! TBH if I hadn't managed to get it for such a bargain I wouldn't have as I think that the true price is way too high for the amount of ingredients that you receive. (Having said that I have to admit that the ingredients in the box were all of a very high quality and arrived in perfect condition.)

I enjoyed cooking the recipes and thought that they were a fun way to cook. There was a little more chopping required than I expected so you need to have a few basic skills under your belt as well as a certain amount of kitchen equipment at your disposal. It took me just under an hour to do the prep for all three meals - you can see the prepped food in the photo above - but I do cook professionally.

Personally, I didn't think that inclusion of two sandwich type meals was a good idea - as I presume these kits are geared towards families who rely on take out and/or ready prepared foods and would maybe like to take a break from burgers/sandwiches. There was also a high ratio of fried food items which are always going to be tasty but may not be the best in terms of healthy eating. It would have been much preferable if you could pick all three meals yourself (there is a shortlist as it were of six so you sort of have an idea of what you will get but you can't fine tune your selection). 

 For us the portions were too small but perhaps for families who eat their main meal at work or who have small children who don't eat their share of the meal this isn't an issue.

My final gripe is with the amount of packaging that these boxes contained. I know this is inevitable because of the nature of the box and it's contents but it still felt very wasteful.

On a positive note, if you are a novice cook the boxes could be a good way to broaden your horizons and increase your repertoire and knowledge of ingredients.

Overall it was a fun experience but one that I don't think I will repeat mainly because of the cost and the fact that you can't select every meal.

Are you interested?

 Have a look at www.blueapron.com

Siracusa.

Two married American couples with a shared history meet up in Rome to holiday together in Syracuse, Sicily. Add in a strange child, the fact that both marriages are in trouble and the arrival of a possessive lover and you know that things are going to come to a tumultuous end...

In Siracusa Delia Ephron deftly portrays the unravelling of marriages and friendships. Told from alternating points of view of the main characters this smartly written book was full of evocative writing that made the characters realistic and brought to life the Italian settings with it's detailed descriptions of meals and architecture.

I loved Siracusa, it was a smartly written book that would easily make an excellent screen play.

Recommended  

Empties October 2016.

I have been making a concentrated effort to finish things up before opening something new lately and it seems that my efforts are paying off as in October I managed to use thirteen full sized products and seventeen samples (and they were mostly large/ deluxe samples at that).

Skincare.

Full sized skincare items that I used up included a couple of old favourites - Kiehl's Ultra Facial Toner and Caudalie Grape Water. I loved Sarah Chapman Skinesis Dynamic Defence as a daytime moisturiser, it made my skin look and feel plumped and radiant and that scent! I also loved Sunday Riley Artemis Facial Oil, a fairly thick oil that balances skin, feels very nourishing and also does a great job of calming troubled skin. I'm certain that I will repurchase these four in the not too distant future! 

RMS Beauty Raw Coconut Cream was a great product for both cleansing and moisturising but I did find it a little messy to use.

Sample wise repeat products I loved were Sunday Riley Good Genes (of course!), Laneige Water Sleeping Mask and Ren Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial, which I swear makes my skin look brighter and perkier in only a minute. Chantecaille Fruit and Flower Acids Mask is another quick mask that makes everything a little brighter, it smells great and there's a little tingle going on with this one so you actually feel it working.

Tatcha Polished Rice Enzyme Powder is something that I have had for a while but not used because I thought that it would be messy. In fact it wasn't messy  at all and was a very very gentle facial polish/exfoliator that I liked a lot. I most likely won't ever buy this as I always have exfoliator samples in stock.

Sisleÿa Essential Skin Care Lotion is an essence that you use after toning to prep skin for serums. Like all Sisley products this smelt lovely and it did leave my skin temporarily feeling a little softer. It's not 'Essential' by any means but like all Sisley products it is very nice to use if you time have the money to invest in it.

Perricone MD Face Finishing Moisturiser and Caudalie Vinoperfect Serum were both okay products for me, nothing that I disliked about them but equally I didn't find them outstanding in any way. Chantecaille Bio Lifting Neck Cream and Trish McEvoy Beauty Booster Eye Serum were both fine to use but somewhat unnecessary products. I honestly don't think that you need a separate neck cream or that you need to use an eye serum...

Make Up and Fragrance.

I finished two cheek products this month. Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush is my favourite drugstore cream blush. It has quite a strong pigment yet it blends well. This shade #15Rose Petal is a good everyday pink for me that lends a subtle flush to my cheeks. Nars Illuminator in Super Orgasm looks very bright and shimmery in the tube but has a very sheer consistency that is easy to blend and highlighted rather than adding sparkle when worn - I liked this a lot.

I finished a mini Chantecaille Brilliant Gloss in the shade 'Pretty'. This is another one that looks shimmery in the tube but doesn't wear shimmery once on. It is aptly named - a very pretty pink that is easy to wear and that is natural rather than girly. 

I disliked Buxom Lash Mascara. I found it's formula to be clumpy and the brush was unwieldly to use. Oddly I found it was difficult to remove at night even though it flaked throughout the day.

I used up just one perfume sample but it was a good one! Derek Lam 10 Crosby Something Wild was a creamy vanilla with woody incense notes, very much my kind of perfume.

Haircare.

Bumble & Bumble Seaweed Shampoo is a basic everyday shampoo. It lathers and rinses well but I don't find that it leaves my hair especially soft or shiny. At the other end of the haircare price range Garnier Fructis Full and Plush Conditioner does a fabulous job of adding body and volume to my hair. I enjoy it's berry like scent - it is one of my favourite drugstore haircare products. 

 Alterna Caviar Replenishing Moisture Milk is a leave in conditioner that you put onto wet hair. I have used the cream from this range before and I liked that a lot but I didn't find the milk to be moisturing enough for my hair. It's serum like consistency also annoyingly meant that it didn't work as a spray on product (it came out in spurts rather than as a mist) although I think that it has been repackaged since I bought this version. OUAI Finishing Cream smells great and when smoothed over dry hair does a great job of defrizzing ends and taming flyaways. I liked this but wish that you could use it on wet hair also...

Bodycare.

Penhaligon's Juniper Sling Bath &Shower Gel was a treat to use. It lathers well and has a sharp bright scent that smells a little like gin - I mean that in a good way! It's expensive though, so unless I am given this again I won't be using it in the future. 

I have been slathering on the body lotion this month and finished two full sized ones. I used up another Space NK Life Float Away Body Lotion (part of a bumper TJ Maxx haul) along with a Vaseline Healing Serum, which I had feared was going to be greasy but pleasingly wasn't. Instead it had a very light easily absorbed texture and was lightly scented with cocoa butter. I also used a mini Kai Body Lotion, I have to say that I like the white flower fragrance of this lotion more than I do the Kai perfume as it is subtler. I find the perfume can be a little too sickly because it lacks the dirty undertones that round out my favourite white flower scents.

I didn't particularly like either Honest Shampoo+Body Wash or Honest Face+Body Lotion. They were both okay but I'm simply not a fan of multi use products in general.

Finally this month I finished a big tube of Royal Apothic Simply Amazing Hand Cream. I love the formula of these creams which are nourishing without feeling at all greasy. The Green Tea scent of this one was clean and fresh feeling. 

Phew!

 That was a lot of products but I am so pleased that I managed to produce so many empties. I'm not expecting to have so many in November but you never know...