A Visit to Star Buds Café in May

Today I’m sharing with you another trip to my favourite local café which I visited with my parents this month. Naturally I brought my camera along, to log the things we ordered, I had a homemade chocolate shortbread and a mocha. I have to admit I didn’t know a lot about the different kinds of coffees you can get, there are so many names, so my mission is to try a different one each time I go. I was quizzing my Mum too, and I asked her what a mocha was, and found out it’s in between a coffee and hot chocolate. I loved it, I ordered decaf and found it very tasty. The chocolate shortbread I had was very fresh, as were the scones my parents had.

We also had a stroll around the garden centre, just next to Star Buds café. As part of my gardening project I picked up a Sorbaria which has almost ombre leaves from green to red. I’ve planted it since and it’s a beautiful addition to the garden. So that was our lovely morning out, what have you been up to lately? Do you get confused about different coffee names too or are you a coffee know-all? :-) Xx

Cacharel Noa Perfume

This perfume is such a classic, and I’ve been wearing it on and off for years so the scent is very nostalgic to me. The first time I wore it was on Christmas day back in my teens when I found it under the tree, a present from my grandparents. Funnily enough this particular bottle was also a Christmas gift from a friend, and I’ve been wearing it throughout 2016/2017. Some of my favourite scents are the musky, sweet variety but Noa is a people pleasing perfume, I can’t really imagine many females not wanting to wear this whatever their age. The packaging is feminine, and for the extremely reasonable price tag you get a luxurious product.

Since starting my cruelty-free journey, I think perfume has been one of the things I’ve held onto and this particular brand is not cruelty-free sadly. Recently I’ve been doing some research into alternative brands and although perfume buying can be tricky (particularly online!) I’ve decided to invest in a cruelty-free option for my summer perfume now my Noa has almost finished. Below you will find a fragrance description of Noa. Let me know if you already have it in your collection or what’s your current go-to fragrance. Buy online here.

“Noa is classified as soft floral fragrance, a blend of top notes of fresh green and coriander. The bottom notes are of blooming white musk, with a hint of coffee. It is perfect for anytime.”

Two more wins with Goodreads book giveaways!!

So just recently I noticed quite a lot of amazing book giveaways through Goodreads, I think maybe it must be that time of year for all the best book releases. I’m an avid user of Goodreads, I like to update my status with reviews, comments, and a general interest in books. I got really lucky in the month of April, and won two amazing summer novels which I’m so excited to read and share with you. I haven’t got around to reading them yet, but here’s a little info about the two books…

Royce Rolls by Margaret Stohl

"Sixteen-year-old Bentley Royce is the wild child of a super-glam reality TV dynasty. She has it all - designer clothes, a fancy school and an actual Bentley to drive around in. Her ambitious mum Mercedes has dragged the family from trailer park to Hollywood stardom. But Bentley wants out - she wants to go to college, escape her own storyline, be NORMAL - but Royces don't do normal (or college).

Rolling with the Royces is running out of ways to keep viewers hooked and suddenly the show is threatened with cancellation. Bentley faces an impossible choice. Without the show, she could live the college dream - but her family would crumble (they are already twenty million dollars in debt). Bentley Royce has a mission. She must use her brains to save the show; if she saves the show, she can save her family - and she'll do whatever it takes.

Royce Rolls is a laugh-out-loud funny romp with a twist of mystery - a behind-the-scenes comedy with a brilliant voice, a hilarious and subversive antidote to the Kardashians and TOWIE (which will still work for fans of both!)."

The Lauras by Sara Taylor

"I didn’t realise my mother was a person until I was thirteen years old and she pulled me out of bed, put me in the back of her car, and we left home and my dad with no explanations. I thought that Ma was all that she was and all that she had ever wanted to be. I was wrong...

As Ma and Alex make their way from Virginia to California, each new state prompts stories and secrets of a life before Alex. Together they put to rest unsettled scores, heal old wounds, and search out lost friends. But Alex can't forget the life they've left behind."

Both sound really interesting, I think Royce Rolls might satisfy my guilty pleasure of reality TV, and it says it’s a bit like The Kardashians, which I love. The Lauras has so many positive reviews on the face of the book, and can we just take a moment to admire their beautiful covers?!

What’s on your reading list for the summer? 

Do either books interest you? :-) Xx

Testing Poundland Make-Up

I’ve always wondered about Poundland make-up, as is so affordable. Luckily my Dad gifted me a selection of their range for Christmas and I figured what have I got to lose by experimenting with some of their products. In today’s post I will be sharing my thoughts on four items, so enjoy!

Make Up Gallery Glide Away ‘Frost Shimmer’ Eyeshadow Stick 

This may be my favourite from the four, the silver shimmer gives off a radiant effect to the eye lids and it’s perfect for highlighting the brow bone too. It’s extremely easy to apply with a quick twist of the stick and although the staying power is average overall this product gets the thumbs up.

Make Up Gallery ‘Black’ Plump Up The Volume Mascara 

Wow what a lovely mascara for the price, I like the natural effect it gives, and is fabulous for every day. It doesn’t irritate my eyes at all but again the staying power isn’t amazing. The simple sleek packaging is pretty and the mascara wand style makes applying stress-free.

Make Up Gallery Pressed Powder in ‘Sand Four’

I was happy to see this shade matched my skin perfectly, it eliminates any shine well but like the other two products, the staying power is just okay. It’s the kind of product which is handy to have in your bag for a touch up plus the packaging is great for the price.

Make Up Gallery Foundation Brush

From first impressions the soft bristles and shape of the brush are lovely. Personally I don’t like to apply foundation with a brush but I can imagine with the right product, this might work well. I was hoping this make-up brush would be a star match, when partnered with the pressed powder, but the application was difficult.  

I can see myself picking up the shimmer stick and mascara on a regular basis from my beauty stash. The Poundland Make Up Gallery brand is not cruelty-free unfortunately but each item is one pound which is extraordinary compared to some brands. Click here to view products online.

What are your thoughts on Poundland make-up? 

Is it something you would try yourself? :-) Xx