Seeing Clearly thanks to Specsavers

I would have had no idea my eyes were overdue a test if it wasn't for Specsavers getting in touch to remind me... and then again to refresh that memory when I still hadn't booked in....!! Considering how long I spend sitting in front of a computer ( and my passion for specatular frames) you would think checking my eyes were in tip top health would be my top priority but with everything going on I just kept putting off getting it booked. It took an AMAZING event with Specsavers to get me giddy again for sorting myself out. The whole evening was wonderfully organised and not only had really amazing wall to wall frames on show (and the absolutely best buffet a blogger could ask) but it was also all nestled into the fab surroundings of the Bo Concept store.

Having pored over the new collections from Love Moschino, Max & Co, Specsavers and the new Cath Kidston range. I knew it was time for a change. At the event I had picked out a whole handful of new potential frames so I was itching to get in store and try them on properly. I used the super handy online booking system to sort out a visit to the Sauchiehall street for my free eye test and was so surprised at just how busy first thing on a Sunday morning could be! I headed along a little early with ally to take a look at frames before my eye test as I knew my indecision meant it would take me an age to narrow down the wide choice and I am glad I did as you are so spoiled for choice in there.

Taking in all the technology in store, that is the back of my actual eye!!

I had no idea having an eye test could be so fun, but what a lovely bunch they are in the Sauchiehall Street store. I actually learnt a whole lot with the optometrist as she explained what she was doing and why, I felt totally relaxed and comfortable as we went through the various tests and it was fun seeing how improved my vision was as various lenses were tried. The whole thing is over pretty quickly and when she showed me my new final prescription that was a change from my current one, I was so surprised how much clearer everything was! 

With the new prescription all set up it was time to actually make a choice on my frames and lucky for the staff my earlier playing around meant I had it narrowed down to oh...... 6 pairs!!! The assistant in the shop was so so nice and assured me people always get stuck at this point and was amazing help with giving me her honest opinion and handily it was the same as Ally's ( who is a  demon when it comes to being able to read face shapes weirdly!) so the deal was done. With so much competition it was super tough but I settled on a beautiful blue Cath Kidston pair with the coolest floral legs and  I couldn't help but splash out on an additional plain blue tortoiseshell pair as my back up pair for the house which was from Specsavers own frames and a bargain at £69 including the lenses. I was told it would take a week to arrive and I was down there 7 days on the dot to pick them up as I was just too excited! The same lovely assistant got the fit just perfect and even tightened up my sunglasses that were giving me grief ( which reminds me, this is definitely the year I finally get prescription sunglasses!!) and I walked out absolutely delighted not just with the look but with my renewed sharper vision!!

accidentally matching my amazing new frames!

I really enjoyed my Specsavers experience and much like their branding says, I  really do 'love my glasses'. If you have had bother with your eye sight or are just putting off getting an updated test, now is the definitely the time to pop in and put it right. You won't be disappointed!

Introducing; Skye Candles

I am almost ready to get moved into the house, there is lots to be done but fingers crossed come Christmas I will at least be sleeping under that  roof! There are so many bits and bobs to think about that my brain is fully fried but if there is one thing I can count on now is that it will at least the new place will smell lovely and welcoming thanks to a lovely treat from Skye Candles.

I have bought so many of their products in the past as gifts for other people so I was delighted to have one just for me this time around. I never used to be particularly interested into scented candles but when I got my flat a few years ago I realised how big a difference they can make in creating an atmosphere. Now everyone might be going Hygge crazy right now, but I think we have always been pretty good at it here in Scotland thanks to our abysmal weather, and Skye Candles have the most gorgeous array of scents and sizes on offer.

Passing the 10 year milestone this year, the team at Skye Candles have been on quite a journey. starting in a family owned renovated Bothy set among some stunning landscape on Skye to their beautiful 5^thshop right in the heart of Glasgow on Buchanan Street, the company continues to build a huge following thanks to their quality products. I had always picked them up as gifts as I had heard  the burn time was excellent for the price  and the scents they use are just dreamy.

I have been trying out the 3 wick candle (sneakily before I move into the house), and I was surprised by how affordable it actually was at only £28 but giving a solid 45 hours burn time.I found it so hard to pick which one I wanted to try, with some really interesting sounding fragrance combinations such as Highland Gorse, Rasberry and white Ginger and Pimento and Cranberries but in the end I actually let Ally pick something out. He was keen to give the Wooden Heart version a go as he thought it had a masculine sound along with the Mango diffuser for our hallway as it would be bright and fresh. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised with his reasoned choices and we were both so pleased with his decision. Wooden heart is the most enticing blend of the outdoors using tea tree, cedar and a little bit of orange. it has a beautiful earthy feel that is going to be perfect for our living room and the orange gives it this seasonal touch that is perfect right now. I have had diffusers in the past but always find their scent has never been strong enough but this one is a total breath of fresh air. With the refill bottles only £10, I will absolutely be getting more.

I have compiled quite the wish list of products that I am dying to try now, the little travel tins would make amazing presents and the individual tumblers are definitely getting purchased for our spare bedrooms. I am delighted i finally gave Skye Candles a go, they are well worth checking out for your Christmas shopping this year. 

Introducing; The Wee Pal Charger

I love finding a new product that was born here in Scotland and not only makes my life so much easier but actually in turn does something for a much greater cause.

Wee Pal is an chic new portable charger for your devices which comes with a side of amazing from the team at Poweralife.com. Started by two Glasgow University students who were studying Sustainable Development in Africa, they realised a buy one,give one model could bring real change in the areas they had visited and that’s when the Wee Pal Charger was born! For every Wee Pal purchased  they then give a solar light  to a school child in Africa which is a such a beautiful idea.

So why Solar lights? They learned on a trip out there, that a big issue the kids were facing was the ability to do homework at night which impacted their education. The giving of a solar lamp means they can safely keep up with their studies and enjoy more time with their families too. 'Using Power to Empower' is the perfect slogan for these guys  as they are now changing so many lives and it will only continue to grow. The teachers in the partnered schools they have worked with so far have been so impressed with the change it is making to their students and are excited about the increase in academic attainment thanks to the lights you provide with each purchase. The ability to study at night will improve the opportunities in life and provide such a good start and help the kids work towards a brighter future- how amazing is that.

Now the charger itself is a beautiful wee thing, my old one was practical but not exactly exciting, this however is a sleek beauty! I love the colours that are on offer in the range and it has saved my buns countless times on my new train commute. It feels just like carrying a sleek ipod, I would probably love a little carry case for it so it doesn’t get totally battered up in my bag but I can no doubt find something that fits. Oh I should also point out you do need to buy a cable to keep with it for actually connecting to your chosen device. You can buy one super cheap from loads of places including ones that charge various types of devices too.

As part of a social enterprise myself, I could not be a bigger fan of what these guys have created. I think a Wee Pal charger would make such a wonderful, ethical Christmas present to give this year, everyone I know has phone battery issues and could make so much use one of these. The fact it is so much cooler looking as my past portable charger is pretty amazing too! The creative team clearly have so many ideas, I have spotted a wooden charging bank over on their social media that I am definitely getting Ally, he is going to absolutely adore it. I am so excited to see what else they roll out and updates on all the amazing work they are achieving in Africa. A wonder product if ever I saw one!

Follow the Power a life team on facebook and purchase your own wee pal right here.

Hair Today....

Do you know in the whirlwind that was the last few weeks of organising selling my flat and purchasing a house, all normal functions of maintenance and  hair removal went right out the window. It is funny how routine disappears and then before you know it, you finally take 5 minutes in front of a well-lit mirror and you realise you are all over the shop. This is exactly what happened to me at the weekend, without even realising I hadn’t kept my eyebrows in check, my underarms were not exactly fresh and my legs had NO chance of being kept in order. essentially I was a bit of a hot mess. 

It made me realise just how much I actually undertake in terms of hair removal- and made me think how for a lot of it there must be an easier way! A couple of weeks back I was actually sent some info on IPL hair removal and it has got me thinking of what time I could cut down in that regard. I know I have it easy in comparison to  my middle ages sisters who were dealing with a delightful mix of cat wee and vinegar to get that silky smooth feeling but even finding a new razor to purchase (I know it is in a box somewhere…..) was a total minefield that fried my brain. Now I remember a beauty therapist pal once showed me her underarms thanks to IPL and we compared my one day growth with her 6 weeks and it was properly astounding but at the time at home systems still seemed SO expensive not to mention painful. Taking a look at the new Panasonic hair removal machine however I am definitely intrigued by the money I could save on expensive replacement razor blades never mind how much shower time I could recover by not faffing about!

For now however I will have to stick to what I know as all spare pennies are being thrown into the house. I had to settle for  locating some tweezers and  taking out some time to bath and unwind for a little bit. I maybe shouldn't leave it quite so long next time....

Happy Weekend!

*this is a collaborative post*

Benefit Brow Range

Brows are such a hot topic for me, after teenage years with trichotillomania and therefore never having any proper eyebrows, what I do have there now is precious and only the best products will do. I have tried so many in the past, gels, pencils, powders, you name it- I have tried it. I thought I had fully settled on the perfect gel for me in the popular but a pain in the bum to get hold of, Anastasia brow pomade but then Benefit go and change the game completely with a whole new range of brow products that are absolutely fantastic.

I was blown away by just how many brow products they could have, and so prettily presented too. I should have known though as they never disappoint on that front! The product in particular that I was absolutely bursting to try was the new Ka Brow, a sleekly packaged brow cream with an incredibly handy brush hidden in the lid. Finally someone had paid attention to how annoying it is to carry a separate little angled brush!! When I headed into my local boutique to check it all out I was super impressed with the colour range on offer, the issue I have had with various gels and creams is that I cannot find an ideal match with many having too much red or being to dark but I was over the moon to find a match in the range. I was super excited to apply the next morning and see how it would compare in terms of application and longevity which is so important when you are paranoid about your brows! I needn’t have worried however as with pretty much all Benefit products I use daily, the quality and care that goes into creating them is top notch. This cream really did apply so incredibly quickly I was blown away, the brush does the job wonderfully ( was so worried it might let it down) the colour pay off is good and best of all it lasts through a hot sweaty day including the gym- HURRAH! Best of all it feels so much more compact for lugging around in my bag and I never have to worry about remembering a brush again!! This little has not left my side since I got it and I have been raving about it to pretty much every other girl in the gym changing room :)

The other new product that really piqued my interest is the Brow Definer that looked like a very promising dupe for the popular Anastasia Brow Whizz. There are two new pencils in the line up and this one is the more precision tip that is ideal for creating small, natural feather like strokes on the brow which is what I needed with mine being quite spares.For those blessed with a fuller brow the Goof Proof pencil is worth checking out for evening them up as it has a thicker nib but for me this one is a real winner as it applies great to areas with no brow. The formula goes on really smoothly and is easy to create a lovely natural looking effect that doesn’t budge, again the colour match is spot on and there is a shade for pretty much everyone. If you have ever wanted to try out the Whizz I highly recommend checking this out instead.

Lastly I got myself Brow Zings….I know, I know, as a brows fan I must have tried this before? I never have done!! It is recommended to me allllll the time and I can see why. For this one I had to get a colour a shade darker ( glad I checked!) but it is a super handy compact for taking with me as I go, plus I use it as liner too. This is an amazing little kit for getting for someone starting out with brows, i can't believe I didn't get it sooner. The powder really helps create a lovely thick statement brow or just for evening out patches for a more natural and subtle effect.

Here is me after a super super quick application of my the Ka Brow cream, I adore the colour and I just cannot get over how quick this has made the process for me. It has given my brows a much more natural appearance than my previous products and the products all last so much better too. A resounding success!

Pure Spa Skin Care Range

So selling and buying a house turns out to be just as hideous and stressful as people say it is and it has certainly taken a toll on me mentally and physically. From eating every single feeling to never sleeping, my skin has taken the brunt of it all and was looking less than clear and bright recently. Handily for me Pure Spa sent me along some of their brand new shiny at home spa products to try out, and they have been a savior in these crazy times.

With no harsh chemical, parabens or irritating foaming ingredients, this cruelty free capsule collection is instead loaded with regenerating pure plant oils and antioxidants which were ideal for calming my skin, never mind being a joy to apply! Ranging from £14.50 to £32, the collection contains 5 products including cleansing oil, eye serums and refreshing spritzes that all smell divine.

I adore using facial oils and have found that they have really improved the texture of my skin with continued use. I do find that my skins need do change a lot however so the Pure Skin range offering one for oily and blemished skin, and one designed to rehydrate, is an ideal combo. I flick between using the two and have loved both.  The Regulate and Clear option is loaded  with Omegas to help heal  while still providing gentle rehydration  too with Vitamin E, the added rosehip is also fantastic for old scarring which has made my skin look more even and clear. The Ylang Ylang is the key ingredient that help balances the sebum which causes my usual spots but also serves the purpose  of really boosting the mood with its exotic aroma, it is so lovely!

The Hydrate and Renew oil has rose, geranium and orange so obviously smells incredible as well as frankincense  which helps regenerate the skin cells and actually promotes deeper sleep through relaxation. This element of it has been so welcome with all my sleeping troubles in the last two months, I love applying this at night and inhaling as I take my time massaging it in. this little beauty is so moisturising, I wake up with much more rested complexion that is so so soft. Wonderful Stuff!

My other favourite from the bunch  is the Clean and Glow Cleansing Oil which has been ideal for removing the thicker spfs I have been using in the summer. This deeply cleansing formula really melts away my makeup through the jojoba oil while still utilising Vitamin E and Neroli to calm and balance the skin. I have been massaging just one pump over my face and removing it with a nice warm face cloth. It feels a wonderful routine and my skin has been reaping the benefits of sticking to it. There has no been no film or residual left over after using this, and it works just as well in the AM as at night. So far, so happy!!

The clever bods at Pure have included an Eye Serum and Refresh and Revive  face spritz that I have used less so can’t fully report but I have been just as impressed. I like the alcohol free spritz as it doesn’t leave me feeling tight and dry and has been a lovely pick me up for during the day. The eye serum is light to apply and I like the consistency, I am just useless and remembering to apply regularly!!

In all, this is a lovely little collection that Is well thought out, packaged and priced. Right now if you spend over £40 on the products you get a lovely free gift of a tote bag with miniatures, a cloth and a £10 voucher for your next Pure Spa facial which is ace!!