I love the crop trend but my tummy isn’t tiny and I haven’t dared to try it until today. I think what would work better for my shape would be super high waisted jeans and a snug fitting crop with long sleeves, something that would highlight my narrowest point (my waist) but for now I have a couple of baggier options to experiment with. I’ve actually worn this sweater a lot but always wear a vest underneath and I must admit I think with regular fit jeans like this I still would as although it looks okay standing as soon as I bend or sit I’m super self conscious about my tummy.. mmm.. this trend may not be for me after all

Sweater/Topshop, Jeans/H&M, Shoes/Converse

Miss BB

Last week I showed you one of the new NYC Foil Explosion polishes and promised to swatch them all in a post soon but today I’m breaking to show you the three cream colours also recently launched from the brand. I’m not a blogger that has hours to paint and repaint her nails all at once so these photos were taken over the course of the week and I wore them all until they started to chip which was around 2 days with my Seche Vite top coat. They applied nicely, opaque after two coats but I always add a third (habits) however I found the pink to be quite streaky. I’m also wearing it on my toes and both times I applied it it didn’t seem quite right, definitely not as nice as the other two and I have so many pinks that I’m not sure I will reach for this again. The blue is a great dupe for one of my favourite Models Own shades, Beth Blue, a lovely cornflower colour which is one of the only flattering shades I have in the cooler end of the spectrum so if you’ve had your eye on that this is cheaper and just as nice.. in fact the brush is nicer. While we’re on the brush it’s about 2/3rds the width of the new Essie diffusion which I love but can be a bit messy when it comes to narrower nails and I definitely appreciate a wide yet smaller brush. On to the mint.. not a dupe for the ever popular Mint Candy Apple but perhaps even better, I’ve been looking for a bright green/turquoise shade for summer and this dries much brighter than it appears in the bottle so although it’s not quite what I was after it will definitely fill that gap.. for now

Top to bottom – Spring Tulip (300), Blue Sky (320), Raindrop (325)

Fee from MakeupSavvy did an awesome job at watercolour nails with these three polishes – link – TIP: if you’re into nails you will LOVE Fee’s blog if you don’t already.. she’s a fellow junkie!

Available online here for £1.79 each

Miss BB

*PR Sample

I’m back with another of the new Lip Butter shades Revlon launched for S/S this year and it’s one of my favourites. I loved Lollipop but the blue toned pink isn’t the most flattering on me whereas Sorbet is a little warmer and generally more Summery looking. As always the bright colours are a nicer formula and very nicely pigmented so it was going to be a winner either way but I really do love the colour . Unlike the other stronger colours I own from the collection this retains some translucence giving it a glossier, more day time feel and it’s not at all streaky. It wears well.. more like a gloss so if you’re nervous of touching up this is perfect as the colour may dull but it doesn’t look patchy.. I can’t say the same for every Lip Butter though, isn’t it strange how the formula differs? I know I’ll get lots of wear out of this in the Summer months and for those of you (like me) who loved the look of Lollipop but it just wasn’t quite right you’ll probably love this!

Available online here for £7.99

Miss BB

My Top 10 Drugstore Foundations video was a hit and I had some requests to do similar with other categories so I thought I would continue with mascaras. Another tricky area and what is for one is not for all.. I may love what you hate and vice versa but as always I will share my best and worst regardless. I prefer plastic wands over traditional bristles as I find that they work better for my lashes which are not great to begin with but you may feel differently so lets get that out of the way first of all, here’s the video..

L’Oreal Volume Million Luminizer*
L’Oreal Volume Million Excess*
L’Oreal Mega Volume Collagen
elf 3-in-1 *
Benefit They’re Real
Covergirl Lash Blast Volume
Maybelline One by One (not shown)*
Maybelline Colossal Cat Eye*
Maybelline Rocket Volume

*’s indicate best over worst

For those interested here are each of the brushes close up and I’ve linked individual reviews where possible

L’Oreal Volume Million Excess

L’Oreal Volume Million Luminizer

L’Oreal Mega Volume Collagen – REVIEW

elf 3-in-1 – REVIEW

Benefit They’re Real – REVIEW

Covergirl Lash Blast Volume

Maybelline Colossal Cat Eye – REVIEW

Maybelline Rocket Volume – REVIEW

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So..what’s your favourite mascara?

Miss BB

• Louis Vuitton Neverfull MM – £550 – I just need it, AND my initials are MM.. I mean, c’mon!!
• Nude Miracle Mask – £38 – for all skin types, claims to transform tired and uneven skin.. I’ll take two!
• Samsung MV900F – £185 – I love the idea of this flip out screen in a compact camera, perfect for vlogging!
• Biba Ruby Purse – £59.40 (sale) – I love the neon yellow and very nearly bought this just days ago.. I should have..
• Taylor Swift Wonderstruck – £19.99/30ml – I love the original and I’m dying to try this new twist on it
• Apple TV – £99 – We are obsessed with Netflix but out PS3 isn’t so portable.. this would look much sleeker in the living room and we could stream from our iPads!!
• VEGAS – £££ – Okay so this isn’t exactly an ‘item’ but it’s firmly on my list for next years vacation.. It’s one of my favourite places and Lee loved it too so we can’t wait to go back – watch our Vegas vlogs here

I actually compiled a wishlist back in January – see here - and do now have the Rebecca Minkoff bag I so desperately wanted (it’s really lovely, amazing quality and an absolute classic) and the Lauren Conrad Beauty Book (which I’m still yet to read properly) so here’s hoping I’m on a roll and I can finally bite the bullet and buy myself the Neverfull.. along with a few other treats of course..

Miss BB

When I first started wearing makeup it was all about base. I was pretty much block white from the neck up, the tanning trend wasn’t big back then (wow.. how old am I?) or I would have no doubt been a far darker shade but regardless I thought I looked good.. I did not. I recently spied a similarly makeup challenged young girl and it was all I could do not to attack her with my blush brush. If I could go back in time and advise my teenage self anything it would probably be this.. bronzer (in moderation) is your friend.. oh, and black hair is not a good look on you. Most of us feel more comfortable wearing a little foundation but for the most part it knocks out your natural glow so you have to add that back in with colour cosmetics and a duo like this is perfect for the job. Both of these powder products are really nicely pigmented which is great but if you’re heavy handed like myself you have to be careful not to overdo it. I use a fluffy brush rather than a dense one to pick up less product, it’s always easier to build up than take away! Another thing I didn’t know until my mid twenties is that Blush and Bronzer are not mutually exclusive. You can warm up your complexion and contour with the bronzer but blush gives your face a lift as well as adding a rosy glow.

I wore little  makeup in this picture to showcase this product alone.. I am wearing this duo on the left but nothing on the right, I think the difference is obvious, my left side is more sculpted and generally a bit happier looking, don’t you agree?. There’s a small amount of glitter in each of these which isn’t too noticeable but gives a nice sheen and multitasks as a highlight.

I love the packaging of the Studio Line from elf and this is no exception, so compact and perfect for travel. My only worry with this was that the blush wouldn’t suit me, I usually choose warmer, peachier shades but it’s very flattering and the garish barbie pink does not translate the same way at all once applied. All in all this is a great set which I would absolutely recommend!

Available online here for £3.75 – the shade I have is Antigua

Miss BB

*PR Sample

Now you know I am a budget queen when it comes to beauty and fashion but we all love a splurge now and then. I am frugal because I do not have the disposable income to justify a designer purchase.. if I did I know just what I would buy… my wishlist has been solid for some years. A pair of classic Louboutins, a Chanel bag and a Louis Vuitton Neverfull MM. A couple of years ago I managed to save the cash for the LV, I had it in my hands but when push came to shove I just couldn’t do it. It’s a totally selfish purchase and given that I was just about to go on maternity leave I had no idea when I would be able to save that money again. To this day I wish I’d bought the bag, I have no idea what I did with the savings and whatever it was I have nothing to show for it now where I could have had one of my ‘dream items’. I’m never one to encourage overspending (total lie) but I say if there’s something you really want and you can save for it then you get it.. we spend so much time at work earning that money why not buy something that will make you happy? It’s frivolous and entirely materialistic to say a designer bag could give you joy but I know how it would make me feel every time I wore it and my guess is I’m not alone. So where do you ‘invest’ your money? We just finished saving for a car and are allowing ourselves a few months ‘off’ before we start saving for a holiday.. I’m thinking in that time I might make a little purchase for myself.

Those of you who buy designer, do you invest in clothing like this gorgeous woven skirt from Alexander Lewis? Or accessories like the Chanel or the famous red soles? I think what put me off the Neverfull in the end was that it was such a lot of money for a canvas bag.. it’s not leather, I could tell that it would hurt my shoulder with the tiny straps but godammit I still want one and it hurts that it was once so close to being mine! Maybe I’ll never be able to justify a huge purchase just for me.. but then I probably spend thousands on lipsticks.

Miss BB

*Brought to you by Alexander Lewis

When I first started on YouTube I would get home from work, pick up a camera and just talk. With this video I kind of went back to that unplanned format and chatted about the products I reach for when my skin is not at it’s best.

For Oily/Blemish Prone Skin:
Clean and Clear Dual Action Moisturiser
Witch Naturally Clear Blemish Stick
Ginvera Whitening Marvel Gel

For Dry/Flaky Skin:
La Roche-Posay Hydraphase Intense Masque
Yu-Be Moisturising Skin Cream

For Dull Skin:
Soap & Glory Peaches & Clean Cleanser (used as mask)

For Sun Spots/Hyper-pigmentation:
Vichy Idealia Pro
Thiospot Intensive Skin Lightening Cream

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What are your ‘rescue me’ items?

Miss BB

Here’s a very Sunday appropriate post for you.. Sleep. Who doesn’t love sleep? I know I do but I have periods when I struggle to drift off and it feels like the more sleep I need the less I get. I should note that although I am a mother of two the children are not to blame for my habits, they sleep well (though rise earlier than I’d like) – it’s just me. I’ve posted before about technology keeping us up at night and that absolutely has an impact, I now make an effort to switch off or move away my electronics  at bedtime in a bid to relax a little better but even then I feel I need help. Enter Holland and Barrett. They put together a lovely package of sleepytime treats to try and having had them now for several weeks I think I have a good idea about which work and which don’t.. for me.

First of all the Black Cherry Concentrate was a non starter, I tried it, I swear but I’m all about my artificial sweeteners and the idea of putting a cordial into warm water just wasn’t doing it for me. So scratch that and on to the next, Wonder Oil – ah-maz-ing. I posted about it here but had only used it a couple of times, since then it’s become a mainstay in my routine and I genuinely think that the scent aids a good nights sleep. The Moroccan Argan Oil Night Cream was a little heavy for my oily skin so truth be told this became a bit of a luxury foot treat for me.. as a result I saw no sleep benefits but it did a great job of softening my tootsies! Lastly the Lavender Oil.. well this was bound to work wasn’t it? I even put a little on the baby’s bedding and that seemed to make a difference to his sleep.. bonus! I am not a huge lover of Lavender under normal circumstances but when I’m having a hard time sleeping it definitely does something a bit magic and I wouldn’t be without it now. All in all there really were only two products that I felt improved my sleep but I haven’t had so many restless nights since I’ve had them so I am very pleased to have been given the chance to try them and will without a doubt repurchase when I run out!

What are your sleepytime secrets? – keep it clean people

Miss BB

*PR Sample

It’s that time of year again, the wedding invitations are arriving and you have no idea what to wear. I read somewhere recently that a guest attending a handful of weddings can spend the equivalent of a modest wedding themselves between gifts, hen/stag parties, traveling to the event itself, accommodation and then of course.. an outfit. Well I may not be able to help with the rest (although I will be posting some hen do ideas in the next month or so – watch this space) but I can help when it comes to your attire. You absolutely do not need to spend a fortune and if you’re looking at multiple weddings with no chance of repeating outfits you need to be a savvy shopper. New Look are currently offering some great cocktail dresses from as little as £9.99 and there’s such a variety that there really is something for everyone!

Top Row:

Shell Pink Embroidered Strapless Prom Dress – £39.99 – link, Turquoise Bandeau Peplum Dress – £9.99 – link, Chi Chi Black and Cream Lace Sleeve Pleated Dress – £46.99 – link

Bottom Row:

Chi Chi Coral Cut Out Floral Lace Dress – £58.99 – link, Dream Pink and Black Embossed Peplum Band Dress – £24.99 – link, AX Paris Orange Scuba Balloon Skirt Dress – £25.00 – link

Of course you could go with separates that can be mixed and matched to create different looks. In an ideal world a capsule wardrobe of trousers, skirts and tops that can be dressed up or down is the most hard working and cost effective. The odd new item or accessory will update you season to season and when these big events roll around you’ll be ready.. but lets face it dresses are ready made outfits which require very little effort and there are those occasions when only a dress will do.. so why not get the most for your money?

Miss BB

*Brought to you by New Look