Out There Interiors Wishlist

I still live at home but I'm expecting to move out fairly soon (i.e. once I can get a job that means I can afford to...) so recently I've been keeping an eye out for things I'd like to have in my own flat/house.  I was introduced to Out There Interiors recently and have been enjoying browsing through their website, there's a lot of stunning and really unusual items on there!  Here are a selection of ones I like, although be warned, this is definitely a 'money is no object' wishlist!

Out There Interiors by looweezbx

1. Chrome Globe Chandelier - Available in 3 sizes and also in a gold colour, I think this chandelier looks really classy but not too over the top.
2. Arne Style Egg Chair -  This chair looks so comfy and comes in a great selection of colours!  I love this bright orange one though.  No idea where I'd put this, perhaps in an office area?
3. Fusion Dinner Plate - How crazy are these dinner plates?!  There's lots of designs and types of crockery.  They're so quirky and unusual, love them.
4. Mirrored Two-Drawer Dressing Table - I've always liked mirrored furniture ever since I saw it in TiffanyD's (the youtube beauty guru) videos.  As stunning as it is, I think it would be such a pain to keep clean!
5. Dressing Table Triple Mirror - Although the dressing table is mirrored, it's not much use without an actual mirror is it... 
6. Dressmaker's Mannequin - How cute is this!  It comes in different patterns too.  I'd like this for displaying some necklaces - and possibly for 'storing' clothes (aka flinging them on there instead of on the floor...).

Have you heard of Out There Interiors before?  Have you got a favourite homeware store/website?

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Sigma Kabuki Kit

I got this set as well when I bought the Mrs Bunny Travel Kit in 2012 when Sigma did free international shipping for Black Friday.  I can't seem to find this set on the Sigma website anymore so I'm not sure if they've discontinued it, but the Kabuki Kit with 5 brushes is still available for $84.

The brushes in this set are all available individually for $21 so in the 5 brush set you're technically getting one brush for free.  The four brushes I have are as follows:

F80 Flat Kabuki - As I've mentioned before I don't like flat foundation brushes, I much prefer to buff it into my skin, so this is one of the brushes I use for foundation.

F82 Round Kabuki - I also really like this one for foundation, more so than the flat one as the round shape is better at getting in around the nose area.

F84 Angled Kabuki - This one is perfect for bronzer and contouring, but I also like to use the tip for highlighter.

F86 Tapered Kabuki - I particularly like this one for highlighter but the shape of it is also good for contouring.

I really like these brushes, they're so soft and densely packed.  The downside of this is that that can take forever to dry after washing them!  Also because I use Brush Guards to help them keep their shape, this probably makes it a bit longer too.  I usually leave them out drying for a couple of days just to make sure!

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Lush Golden Egg Bath Melt/Bomb

I managed to get to a Lush and buy some items from my Easter wishlist, I was quite good though and only got 2 things!  The first one I've tried is the Golden Egg which is a bath bomb surrounded by a bath melt, and then by looks of it, drenched in gold glitter...  I got the lady in Lush to pick it up for me so I didn't get covered in the stuff haha.

As you can see compared to my hand it's a good size, which you would expect really as it's a '2 in 1' product!  I popped it in my bath and all the glitter came off into the water, beginning to melt turning it a golden yellow.  Once all the 'melt' part was finished, you could tell as it started fizzing properly and bobbing around, giving off more colour and some foamy bubbles.  When it was fully dissolved - which took ages, at least 5 minutes - the water ended up kind of a weird colour actually!  More of a pale yellow with some glitter floating around which was a bit odd haha!  However once you get over that, it is a rather pleasant bath, the cocoa butter makes the water really soft and silky.  The scent of it is similar to Honey I Washed The Kids, however I don't think it's quite as sweet as the soap, with a very slight cirtus-y edge to it which is nice.  As someone who isn't a big fan of really sweet smells, I think this was a perfect balance for me.

After getting out the bath my skin felt nice and soft but not too oily.  I did need to shower to get rid of any excess product and glitter on my skin!  When I drained the bath, the entire bottom was just covered in glitter, oops!  Luckily most of it just washed away but there was some still left stuck, which I did mean to clean with a flannel at some point...

I enjoyed this bath ballistic and would repurchase at some point but I'm not bothered about stocking up on it while the Easter collection is out.  At £3.50 I think it's pretty reasonable when you get the effects and benefits of both the melt and bomb.  Also I should add that unlike HIWTK, Golden Egg is vegan which is great!  Online here.

Have you tried this Lush product?

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The Truth About Animal Testing

In order to mark Be Cruelty Free Week, I thought I'd share these brilliant posts from The Plastic Diaries which give a lot of information about animals (including some gory details, but nothing I've not seen before).  Also if you would like to sign the pledge to go Cruelty Free, you can find it here.

Part 1: What Is Animal Testing?

This is the first section of her post which is goes into what sort of experiments are carried out and how companies can pull the wool over consumers eyes by using certain terms.

Part 2: EU Ban on Animal Testing

The second part looks into the EU ban on animal testing (which had its first year anniversary on the 11th March!) and how this actually affects companies and their policies - clearing up any false ideas that the ban implies!

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Photo is of Kali, our wee elderly cat who sadly passed away at the start of the month.  She was 20 - had a long and happy life!

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Makeover the World Campaign

RSPCA are holding a campaign called Makeover the World to raise awareness of animal testing for cosmetics.  To participate all you have to do it dedicate a makeover and share it on social media, using the hashtag #MakeoverTheWorld.

So here is my entry!

They ask that you don't mention any product used - perhaps in case it causes some controversy over brands who test? However all the make  up and tools used in mine are cruelty free and if you want to know any specifics just ask in the comments and I'll get back to you!  

The unfiltered version haha!

I wore this make up for a wee lunch date to La Barca in Helenburgh which is a Spanish tapas restaurant.  Yum!

Also if you could please sign their petition which is to be sent to Estée Lauder companies, Johnson & Johnson, Kao, LVMH, Proctor & Gamble, Shiseido, L'Oréal group and Unilever!

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Empties #15

All products in this post are cruelty free, how exciting!  What's more, they're all actually suitable for vegans too which is certainly a first!  I don't think I have much left which isn't cruelty free thankfully, just a few make up things which take ages to use up.  

Jason Volumizing Lavender Pure Natural Shampoo

Thoughts: This is a SLS free shampoo and it worked pretty well, had a good lather. I didn't notice it to be particularly volumising but I never do with shampoos to be honest! Suitable for vegans.  £5.59/454ml delivered here.
Cruelty-free?: Yes.
Repurchase?: Possibly but I like to change up my hair care!

Jason Super Shine Apricot Pure Natural Conditioner

Thoughts: I decided to go wild and not get a matching conditioner... This smells really good, although combined with lavender it's an odd scent! Seems to work well enough, stops the tugs!  Suitable for vegans.  £5.59/454ml delivered here.
Cruelty-free?: Yes.
Repurchase?: See above!

Superdrug Crystal Anti-Perspirant Deodorant

Thoughts: This is the best cruelty free deodorant I've used so far. I'm not a big fan of aerosol sprays though and it does contain aluminium which isn't great but it will do for now! Suitable for vegans. £1.29/250ml here.
Cruelty-free?: Yes, BUAV Approved.
Repurchase?: Yes.

Neal's Yard Remedies Organic Eye Make-Up Remover

Thoughts: I had high hopes for this but I was quite disappointed! It didn't really work that well and had a very strong smell. I think I'll go back to The Body Shop's Camomile one! Suitable for vegans. £10.75/100ml here.
Cruelty-free?: Yes, BUAV Approved.
Repurchase?: No.

Lush Blackbery Bath Bomb (not pictured)

Thoughts: I really liked this bath bomb! Smells great and has a good fizz to it, it also contains frankincense and bergamot to clear the mind and induce a feeling of well-being. There's also a little surprise inside which is such a cute touch! Suitable for vegans. £2.99 here.
Cruelty-free?: Yes.
Repurchase?: Yes.

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Bdellium Tools

I first saw Bdellium Tools (the B is silent) on Cutecosmetics website, then when I was at IMATS in London they had a big stall there which was great to see them all up close rather than online.  Bdellium Tools come in a few different ranges, the synthetic ones are Green Bambu, Pink Bambu and Yellow Bambu.  They are also eco-friendly with their sustainable bamboo handles.

The brushes in my collection so far are, from top to bottom:

975 Mixed Powder Brush (£13.50) - I wanted a big powder brush and this pretty much fits the bill!  It is a large paddle shaped round dome, so it's good for applying a light layer of powder over the whole face. 

777  Shadow Brush (£7.50) - This is a good size for applying colour onto the eyelid and works well.

776 Blending Brush (£7.50) - This is one of the closest dupes I have to the Mac 217 brush.  It's good for applying and blending colour into the crease.

785 Tapered Blending Brush (£7.50) - Quite a cute, stumpy little brush!  This one is good for blending colour around the eyes but also for applying powder to precise areas.

You can order Bdellium Tools from Cutecosmetics who have a great selection, but their full range is on their own website here but it's American so the shipping charges will be much higher.

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Arran Aromatics Feel Good Formulas Event

In February (yes, I'm a little late with this post!) I attended an event at the Arran Aromatics stand alone shop in Princes Square, Glasgow, focussing on their Feel Good Formulas range.  I was really looking forward to this as I like Arran Aromatics as a brand anyway and we stock it where I work so I am quite familiar with the products anyway.  However I didn't know much about the Feel Good Formulas range so I thought it would be useful for my work as well as personal interest. 

I was greeted at the door by the Becky White PR crew; my coat was taken and I was handed a drink of bubbly.  After a wee chat at the door I went on to have a look round the little shop which was already getting busy with other bloggers.  I wandered round for a bit and chatted to some other girls until the presentation started.

At 6.30, we were introduced to the store manager, Lynne, who introduced us to Arran Aromatics and the Feel Good Formulas range, before going into specifics about a few products.  The company began in 1989 founded by Janet and Iain Russell, in their kitchen on the beautiful Isle of Arran and has been growing ever since.  In 2002 the Feel Good Formulas range was developed as every day products for the face, body and hair.  It's also aimed at a younger customer than their more well known Essentials Collection.

The first item Lynne talked about was the Sea Salt Scrub and carried out a demo of it on Claire from BeeWaits which is one of their best sellers from the range.  It contains seaweed and also uses sunflower oil to moisturise the skin while exfoliating.  It's designed for use on the limbs, and for best results use on wet skin rubbing towards the heart.  It's perfect for removing that pesky leftover fake tan!  For £12.75 you get a 400g kilner jar.

Next she showed us the Jojoba and Vitamin E All Weather Moisturiser which is a non greasy facial cream suitable for all skin types but probably more aimed at dry or dehydrated.  'All Weather' sounds a bit frightening, as if it's a super thick cream meant for hill walkers or winter sports - which it would also work for!  However it's actually perfect for everyday in winter when your skin is getting dried out from the cold wind and weather, and warm central heating.  It smells really good and sinks into the skin nicely without feeling too heavy.  This comes in at £7.50 for a 50ml jar, bargain!

Finally we were shown the Green Tea Eye Cooler Gel which contains witch hazel, green tea extracts and powerful anti-oxidants to soothe and depuff the eyes.  Great for use in the morning after a late night out, especially if it's stored in the fridge!  The little 15ml jar costs only £3.50.   

After this we had a browse at the Feel Good Formulas with Lynne there to answer any questions about other products.  We were offered 20% off everything in the shop on the night and were also given a lovely goody bag on the way out.

The goody bag contained Cucumber & Avocado Facial Scrub, Bergamot and Sea Mud Mask, Tea Tree Eye Gel, some sweet treats from the night, as well as teabags and a cookie recipe!  I also bought Lavender & Black Pepper Bath Mineral Muscle Soak (£9), the limited edition Valentine's Day candle which was in the sale for £7 and a Citrus Shores hand soap for my mum (£12).

I had a great night and look forward to trying out these lovely products!  Thank you very much to Arran Aromatics and Becky White PR for inviting me!

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