2013: Blog Resolutions

I have scheduled a few posts to go live while I'm away with my beau and putting my feet up in Sherwood Forest! I hope you enjoy. I have done lots & lots of sales shopping so watch this space for haul posts - most likely to happen next week as I'm back in London on the 6th!

As a general rule, I don't really believe in New Year's Resolutions, but I do think it's a great opportunity for bloggers to re-evaluate their blogs, writing style and what their goals and ambitions are. Therefore I've decided to share with you four blog resolutions I've made for Bee's Knees in 2013, and would love to hear if you've made any too!

BLOG RESOLUTION 1: GET A BETTER CAMERA

I don't subscribe to the idea that you need a ridiculously expensive, professional camera to be a good blogger. I wouldn't know what to do with half the functions of a DSLR, so there's no point in me buying one! But I do appreciate that my current photos, taken with the camera on my Samsung S3 phone, might not be as good as they could be if I invested in a quality point & shoot. And so it's one of my resolutions to make that investment. Happily January contains my birthday so I'm hoping to receive a new camera as a gift.

BLOG RESOLUTION 2: TRY DOING SOME OUTFIT POSTS

Once I've got my new camera, I hope to also buy a tripod so I can try out doing a few outfit posts for little Bee's Knees. By no means am I planning on changing the entire content and direction of my blog and orienting it totally towards OOTDs, but I think a sprinkling of them might just add that little bit of extra interesting content for you lovely readers!

BLOG RESOLUTION 3: REACH 100 FOLLOWERS

I'm not someone who judges their blog according to the amount of followers I have - that's simply not why I got into blogging and I'd much rather have a small number of followers I interact with regularly than thousands of faceless profiles I wouldn't know from Adam! That said, I really would love to reach 100 followers at some point this year. I've resolved to do an appropriately amazing giveaway once I do, so watch this space!

BLOG RESOLUTION 4: INTERACT MORE WITH READERS

One of the things I do take a lot of notice of is the amount of comments I get on my posts - and this is a massive area I want to improve on! I got into blogging as a way of sharing my experiences of the fashion and beauty world with other like minded people, and so comments are crucial to how I feel about the success of Bee's Knee's. I'm not sure quite how to tackle this particular issue, and would welcome your ideas in the Comments below! (see what I did there?!)

Do you have any blog resolutions for this year, or even personal ones?

Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4

xx

Fabulous Nails #24: Lush Lacquer in Snow Globe

Today I am heading off to Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire to spend New Year with my boyfriend. After a series of disappointing New Years events over recent years, we decided to get away from it all and spend some quality time together. This is especially special for us as we are long distance. Our little log cabin will have a real wood fire - I can't wait! Expect photos on my Twitter account (@ElspethDaisy) and a follow up post with some pretty pictures. I've scheduled some posts in my absence, and first up is Fabulous Nails - Lush Lacquer!

After I saw Lily's post on Lush Lacquer towards the end of last year, I immediately ordered myself 5 little pots! The wonderful ladies at Lush Lacquer make their very unique and special nail polishes by hand and have lots of gorgeous colour/glitter combinations that you'd be hard pushed to find elsewhere!

The shades I bought were Festival of Lights, Birthday Cake, Silver Bells, Snow Angel and Snow Globe!

I decided to try Snow Globe first, as with lots of circle shaped blue, green, pink, red and purple pieces and white tiny strands, it is totally unlike anything else I've ever seen before! 

I decided to use this Natural Collection shimmery cream shade as a base coat, in shade 'Sugar Mouse' (how cute is this name?!)

Here's the finished look! I am really pleased with my nails, they catch my attention constantly as I can't get over how unique they look! My boyfriend was a little less than impressed, he said it looked like I'd been crafting and forgotten to wash my hands (sadface!) but I really love this! The only downside (which in my opinion, is a major downside!) is that these particles are even more difficult to remove than glitter polishes (and if you're a long time follower of my blog you'll know how much I hate removing glitter polishes!) It took around 15 minutes just to get it off! But a nice special look.

Lush Lacquer polishes can be purchased HERE from their Etsy shop. I bought 5 mini bottles for £15.17 plus P&P (which is a lot as they need to come all the way from America), but they can also be purchased individually for £5.59 each. The wait for them to be created and posted over to me was a long one, but worthwhile in the end I think! I've spotted some more colours I'd like but I don't want to order any more until I've tried all the ones I've already got first.

Have you heard of Lush Lacquer before? Are you tempted to try one, two or five?

xx

Bag yourself a £50 Amazon gift voucher!

I'm sure most of you will have heard of this opportunity by now, but if not - read on! Daxon are giving fashion and beauty bloggers the chance to nab a nifty £50 Amazon gift voucher very easily, until tomorrow! (31/12/2012).

If you'd like to get your hands on this voucher, just head over to the Daxon site now to see what you need to do. Let me know whether you take part and what you're planning on spending your voucher on!

If you haven't heard of Daxon already, they're an online catalogue site similar to Very.co.uk. They currently have an offer on with £10 off your first order over £20! Here's my pick of what I'd purchase from Daxon:

This slouchy knit top would be perfect for throwing on over jeans on a lazy Sunday afternoon. £45

I've been lusting after a fake fur jacket for months and this one fits the bill perfectly, and for only £95!

Tweed blazers have been on trend for several A/W seasons now, so I reckon this one would be a wardrobe staple. Now only £33 down from £55!

Daxon also sell homewares, like this lush bedspread, £55 down from £108!

xx

Soap & Glory Glow All Out Highlighting Powder

After suffering a few break outs when using my usual highlighter, the No7 Skin Illuminator, I decided it was time for a change. I had a look around the blogosphere and settled on the offering from Soap & Glory, as I'm obviously a massive fan and have gotten on well with their cosmetics in the past. 

As I use a mineral powder foundation and finishing powder, I decided to try a pressed powder highlighter. I'd read lots of good reviews of Glow All Out and once I'd made up my mind rushed out to buy it from Boots.

As always, I was impressed with the packaging. Glow All Out comes in a cardboard compact, which sounds cheap but it actually is very nicely and securely packaged, with the trademark S&G retro pink style that we know and love. The compact also comes with a mirror which is handy if you plan on travelling with this product, or keeping it in your handbag. It closes magnetically. keeping the powder secure and safe in transit.

I love the S&G motif pressed into the powder - again, it makes this feel like a high end product. As this retails for £11, I expected it to feel more substantial than other cheaper products I've tried and I wasn't disappointed. I think in general S&G have done very well with the packaging on their cosmetics.

I have been using the highlighter on top of my usual foundation, applied with my kabuki brush prior to using blush. I lightly brush it over my cheekbones, nose and forehead, paying most attention to my cheekbones. I find this gives a really subtle, healthy glow to my face which is ideal for winter when my skin perhaps isn't looking its best. I have very pale/porcelain skin and so it's important for me to add colour and glow to my face to avoid looking like a corpse! This is where this product performs better than perhaps more translucent highlighters.

After applying this at half past 7 in the morning, I can still see it on my face 12-13 hours later, which is very good longevity by any measure. It's so subtle that I don't feel it's obvious I'm wearing it (unlike other highlighters I've used) as it just adds extra depth and definition to my face and bone structure. It's not so glittery that you can't wear it for work, but equally I imagine you could build up a good amount of shimmer with repeat applications for a high impact look if you're going out.

Overall I am very happy with my purchase, and recommend trying this highlighter if you're looking for something that feels light and soft on your skin but still gives you that fresh healthy glow that many of us need in the winter months!

xx

H&M Lita Dupes

Ever since I saw the first pair of Jeffrey Campbell Lita boots on the internet, I was intrigued! They were so different in shape and style to any other shoe boot, I found it fascinating that they were such an instant hit that high street and bargain online fashion stores were falling over each other to create dupes! It's taken me a while to jump on the bandwagon, but when I explain how much of a bargain my H&M dupes were, I'm sure you'll understand why I had to take the leap!

The top of the boot is slightly longer on these than most other Lita dupes, but I plan on wearing these with thick chunky socks that would cover that part of the boot anyway! Also the higher the boot goes on your leg, the more supported your ankle is and the less likely you are to do yourself an injury or fall!

I love the dark brown colour of the wooden heels - it makes these a little different from the usual ones you see in stores. These were £29.99 from H&M, but let me tell you the story of how I got them so much cheaper!

I was browsing the internet for voucher codes when I saw a 50% off one item H&M code on Hot UK Deals - I scrolled down the comments to see if it had worked for other people, and saw someone had commented to say that this voucher code could be used at the same time as another code for £5 off! Unbelieveable! So I rushed onto the H&M site to try and find one item I wanted to get for a bargain price, and found these babies! With all the discounts plus postage, I think I got them for around £13.49 - which is ridiculous for such gorgeous footwear! Even at £29.99 they'd be a good deal! Click!

I can't wear these out just yet but I'm hoping in a few weeks I'll be able to pair them with black tights, chunky socks, a skater skirt & knitted jumper!

Have you invested in some Litas or Lita dupes? What do you wear yours with?

xx

24 Days of Ciaté - Mini Mani Month

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I hope you have followed and enjoyed my daily posts on what's been hiding behind the doors of my Ciaté Mini Mani Month Advent Calendar! I thought what better post to have on Christmas Day but one with the complete month of polishes!

How pretty are all the little pots with their bows on?

I got 4 different pots of nail caviar...

An assortment of bold colours..

Some stunning metallic shades...

Some more sophisticated colours...

And some absolutely gorgeous glitter polishes!

I am so happy I decided to treat myself to this advent calendar - it's been the best December ever!

I hope you've enjoyed seeing my Mini Mani Month every day this month, and I hope you have a wonderful Christmas Day!

xx

Secret Santa

Oh my goodness it's Christmas Eve!! Can you believe it?! I am so happy as for me, Christmas really starts on Christmas Eve. It's tradition for my family to put up the Christmas decorations on Christmas Eve, so we spend the day cleaning the house & then making it beautiful with all sorts of decorations! Then another tradition we have is to open one present on the evening, a few on Christmas Day itself, and then one every day for each of the 12 days of Christmas. It's a bit unusual but I love it. 

Speaking of presents, I took part in two Secret Santas this year, and here's what I got (umm nope I didn't manage to wait until Christmas Day to open my pressies, woops!)

This cute owl candle holder was from my work Secret Santa, for which the budget was £5. 

I am super happy with this gift, it's perfect for me! I am obsessed with candles at the moment & this is a little bit quirky. The photograph above shows the candle lit, with the little owls spinning around because of the heat. I know this was purchased from Oliver Bonas if you like the look of it for yourself!

I also took part in a Bloggers' Secret Santa, run by the lovely Georgina and Laura. I was lucky enough to draw Emma as my partner, who's wonderful blog is Glossy Boutique. The budget was £15, and look what beautiful goodies I got!

I was really pleased to unwrap this Soap and Glory Hand Maid Gel, as I am a mahoosive fan of the brand and I've actually been wanting to try this for a while! Living in London and coming into contact with icky Underground handrails on a daily basis means hand hygiene is a big priority for me!

Burt's Bees is a brand I've been wanting to try for a long time, but for whatever reason never got around to it! The gorgeous Emma bought me this lip balm which smells lush and is made from natural ingredients, which is just up my street.

Ohhhh a glitter nail varnish! Emma clearly did her homework! If you've read Bee's Knees before you'll know that I have a bit of an obsession with sparkly nails, and this gold glitter from No7 is perfect! I can't wait to try it.

And last but certainly not least is this Lasting Finish Kate Moss matte lipstick. 

I have seen so many bloggers raving about this lipstick, I was over the moon when I saw Emma had picked it for me!

And it's the shade I've seen the most hype about - shade 107.

Here's the lipstick swatched. It's a lush deep red almost vampish colour, and I adore it! I love love love a good red lipstick, and this an amazing red lipstick!

Apologies for the lighting in this pic, but here's the lipstick on my lips. I LOVE it! I'm so happy with all my wonderful presents from Emma, she's such a sweetie and managed to get me some real treats - THANK YOU!

Have you done Secret Santa this year? What did you receive?

xx

What's Behind Day 24: Ciaté Mini Mani Month Advent Calendar

Happy Christmas Eve everyone! Today is when the real magic starts happening, it's as magical for me as Christmas Day & Boxing Day. And of course today means the last day of the Mini Mani Month, I'm so sad to be opening up the last one!

I love today's Marilyn quote - if you follow me on Twitter you'll know I'm going to be dressing up as Marilyn for my boyfriend's birthday night out in January!

WOW. This has to be my favourite Mini Mani Month polish by a mile! How amazing is this gorgeous red glitter?

It's called 'Enchanted Rose' and reminds me of the ruby red slippers Dorothy wears in The Wizard of Oz!

So that's it folks, the Mini Mani Month is over! But come back tomorrow to see a special post showcasing all of the beautiful mini polishes together!

xx

Little Primark Christmas Haul

I am addicted to the new Primark on Tottenham Court Road! Even on a weekend right before Christmas its nowhere near as bad as the old Oxford Street store! I popped in recently with my boyfriend and picked up some wintery feet coverings!

I love snuggling winter socks - it's one of my favourite things about this time of year! These were £3.50 from Primark which is a real bargain compared to other stores.

HOW CUTE ARE THESE?! I love festive socks and was delighted to find the last pair of this set of 5! And for only £2.50 - happy days!

If you read my post HERE  you'll know that I am a recent convert to Primark Super Cosy tights! I've been wearing mine so much I decided to invest in an extra pair, at only £3.50 they're fantastic value.

xx

What's Behind Day 23: Ciaté Mini Mani Month Advent Calendar

Oh my goodness I have so much to do before tomorrow! As I've said, in my family we put up the Christmas decorations on Christmas Eve, so I have to have everything ready by then. I did all my shopping online this year and had it all delivered to my Dad's house, which is great as I don't have to carry everything on the train but I do have to wrap it all by tonight! Stress!

Today's polish is this quirky citrus shade!

It's called 'Mojito' which I think is the most appropriate nail varnish name ever!

This is unlike anything I have ever owned and I'm excited to try it in the Springtime when I think it will be a real winner. For now I might stick to my plummy reds and glitter shades though!

xx