My University Room Tour!

Since this post I've had a lot of requests to do a room tour video. However, I've only just got round to it. And since I got my new camera (which films in HD) I've been eager to do it. So here it is! I hope you enjoy it :)

I just want to say, I'm not a professional. That's why sometimes the camera is shaky, the lighting isn't perfect and the editing is a bit dodgy but I am learning. So if you have any negative comments, please just keep them to yourself. Unless they're constructive criticism.. which I welcome openly :)

If you've done a room tour, make sure you link me to yours or post a video response as I'd love to see it!

xxx

Today's Mail

Today I made my way back to university for New Years Eve and I got a few things in the post. However, two products particularly caught my interest and attracted me.

Trilogy Face Care Vital Moisturising Cream SPF15

I've just used this on my skin and it is truly beautiful. It's rich but sinks into the skin quickly.. it left me skin feeling gorgeously soft and like a baby's! I can't wait to use this properly!

Cor Silver Soap

I'd  never heard of this before and as soon as I saw it, I googled it. What I've found is that it's a soap for the skin that perfects it and reduces blemishes. My skin is an absolute state at the moment so I'm eager to try this out. Expect a full review soon!

Has anyone tried these products? Particularly the Silver Soap..

xxx

The Big Blog Question: 'Freebies'

Starting university obviously means meeting new people. For the people on my course (journalism) I usually explain what experience I've had and that means telling them about my blog. Before this, my blog was pretty much a secret and was only known by those who had stumbled upon it. Anyway, most of them are intrigued (some are a bit stuck up and claim that beauty journalism isn't real journalism) and they do ask me questions.. The main one being 'oh, so you get free stuff?' And I hate it when they do. I don't class it as 'free stuff' and to me, what I receive are PR samples. I also get questions like 'I want free stuff, how do I get it?' And I have to explain that 1. It takes a lot of hard work and commitment and 2. If you're going to start blogging just for the samples, you might as well not bother. 

I've always kept what products I get sent to me a secret. Sometimes I'll say things along the lines of 'this was sent to me' and give it away but the majority of the time, I don't let you guys know when I have been sent something. Mainly because I don't believe it makes a difference. If I don't like something (regardless of whether it's free or not) I will say I don't like it. The reason I started up this blog is because I was fed up of being told a load of lies by the media on what works and what doesn't, what's good and what's not. So I wanted to help others out and I hope you understand that. Personally, I believe my blog would suffer without the samples. I just wouldn't have the money to go out and purchase a lot of things that feature on my blog.

I'm not going to write a big long post about PR samples as I know it's been covered a lot. Here are a few links to my favourites:

Samples or Swag: How Are Your PR Samples?

Bloggers PR Samples

PR Samples: To Disclose or Not Disclose?

But I just wanted to get your thoughts and opinions on them. Do you think they make a difference to how a blog is run? If you know a product is a PR sample will it change the way you view the review?

xxx

New Years Tag

Best Film:

I can't get enough of this film. I'm a big fan of the series and I was a little worried when I found out that the film was going to be a 15.. I thought they'd cut out a lot of the jokes to suit a younger audience. But they didn't. It surpassed all my expectations and I've watched it around 12 times already!


Best Moment:

I'm sure you all know what I'm going to choose. I've mentioned it plenty of times and I still can't get over it.. it just doesn't seem real. If you still haven't read about that night then you can do so here.

Best Album:

My favourite album of this year has to be Femme Fatale. I may be biased because I'm obviously a huge fan but this album is pure pop perfection. One thing that separates Britney from other artists is that she knows how to put an album together whereas others just throw a load of singles onto a disc. It's flawless. It's what pop music is about.

Best TV Show:

I LOVE Celebrity Juice. Every Thursday that it's on I will laugh so hard I probably always end up crying. The only problem is; 40 minutes isn't long enough and it should be on all year round!

A Happy Memory:

Starting university has to be the best decision of my life so far. I've only been there a few months and already, I'm loving it so much. I've met some incredible people who I know are going to be very good friends for the rest of my life. The above picture is from the Lincoln lights being switched on. That night for me has to be my favourite at uni.. we walked around Lincoln, went to see the cathedral and basically just talked and had fun.

Any Resolutions?

None. I don't believe in them and I think they're pointless.

If you do this tag.. post a link in the comments!
xxx

GIVEAWAY: New Years!

Seeing as we're nearly entering 2012, I wanted to do a small giveaway for you all to say thank you for giving me an incredible year! Anyway.. here's what you can win!

Yankee Candle in Strawberry Buttercream

Burts Bees Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Cream

Britney Spears' Curious Perfume 50ml

(These are all my own items. You will be getting brand new, unopened ones. But I don't have them as they're not sent by me therefore I can't take pictures of them)!

I decided to give away these products because I love them all so much. I'm new to Yankee Candles but they smell absolutely beautiful and they're definitely worth the price. The Burts Bees hand cream is just gorgeous and almond is one of my favourite smells. And do I have to describe why I love Britney's Curious so much?

So, to be in with a chance of winning all you have to do is follow this blog via GFC.

Leave a comment on this post saying what your favourite moment of 2011 has been.

Leave me a way of contacting you (preferably email or Twitter).

For an extra entry, tweet about this giveaway and include my Twitter name (@bamboozlebeauty).

For another extra entry, like my Facebook page.

So that means altogether, you can have 3 chances of winning!

Simple ey? So what are you waiting for.. get entering!

Oh and the giveaway ends on the 8th January. Once again, thank you!

xxx

OOTD

As promised in yesterday's post.. here is a quick OOTD featuring my new jeans before I head out.

Bird Top - Primark

White Top - Select

Jeans - Primark

Necklace - Avon

As you can probably tell, I love Primark. For me personally, I don't see the point in spending a fortune on clothes when I don't wear them that often and they'll probably go out of fashion quickly. Plus, I love Primark's clothes. Also, the white top is from Select as it was the only place I found last year that sold them.. And now, I can't seem to find them even in there! So if you know where to get plain, white, long tops from.. please let me know!

xxx

A Few Presents!

Champneys Oriental Opulence Collection, Boots Extracts Body Butter Collection, Lush Snow Fairy Shower Gel, Bright as a Button Tinted Lip Balm.

If you can remember this post then you'll probably recognise a few of these items. These are what I bought today (including some other things that aren't really beauty related). I'm a lip balm addict and from what I've tested, the BAAB ones are amazing.. and you get 4 for £5 (Boots sale). I'm in love with Champneys so I bought this giftset which has a shower gel, sponge, bubble bath, body scrub and body lotion in it - the smell is also beautiful. I'm a huge fan of Boots Extracts and especially their body butters so I quickly snapped this set up which has 5 body butters including cocoa butter, brazil nut, almond, mango and bergamot. And finally, I had to get something from Lush (in fact, I got three things from Lush but two were presents). I've nearly ran out of last years Snow Fairy so I've stocked up for next year! I forgot to take a picture of something else from Lush which is the Pow Wow Lip Scrub. I also bought a brand new camera which I should be doing a post on soon, some jeans (my first ever pair which I'm in love with and will be doing an OOTD, a Yankee Candle which I forgot to take a picture of.. but it's in the flavour Strawberry Butter Cream and I think that's it).

Philips Satinelle Soft Epilator, Vidal Sassoon Ultimate Styler, Britney Spears Midnight Fantasy Perfume, The Big Soap and Glory Giftset.

First of all, I have no idea why this picture is portrait.. I didn't even take it that way and it isn't portrait when I view it. But when I upload it, it turns this way for some reason. Secondly, I know the S&G giftset isn't called that but I can't remember the name of it haha! But it's the big one that was on offer at the week before Christmas.

These are a few things I got for Christmas. As before, some aren't really appropriate for this blog as they're not exactly beauty. Some are also for my room and because I have a new camera that films in HD.. I'm thinking of doing a room tour at university so you'll probably see those then!

I am so scared of this epilator! I epilated my mums arm last night quickly and she literally screamed haha.. But it's also a shaver so I'll definitely get use out of it - just need to pluck up the courage to use the epilating head! I used the Vidal Sassoon Ultimate Styler last night and I'm considering doing a full on tutorial/review on YouTube because I'm in love with it! So keep an eye out for that :). I also got 100ml of Britney's Midnight Fantasy perfume which smells beautiful - very sweet but not as sickly as Fantasy. I now only need Hidden Fantasy to complete my collection! And finally, my sister bought me the S&G giftset which I'm sure you've all seen. A full review/post will be coming on this giftset so keep an eye out!

So yeah, this was just a quick post as I wanted to use my new camera and also, I just wanted to write something! I hope you've had a wonderful Christmas infact, how was it? Let me know in the comments!

xxx

Merry Christmas!

Yes, early I know. But this will be my last post before Christmas.

I will hopefully see you all soon and will definitely do a post on what I received for Christmas.

Have a very merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year.

Thank you for giving me an incredible blog year - I appreciate all the love and support you show me. Here's to a lovely 2012!

^^ it wouldn't be a 'How I'm Feeling Post' without a Britney video!

xxx

My Most Memorable Present

After reading Daisy's blog post, I decided I'd share my most memorable Christmas Present with you. Although this Christmas present is new (only happened this year) it's definitely the one I'll always remember. It's the present that I've always hoped for and it truly made my dreams come true.

Earlier this year, Britney announced that she was going on a worldwide tour. So of course, I rang up my grandad and asked him for my Christmas money early. (I always do this as usually, I buy concert tickets). He said yes and I went ahead and purchased a Britney ticket as soon as they were released.

Skip a few months and me and my sister were on our way to see her in Birmingham. I was going, she wasn't so she was dressed in a Family Guy t-shirt - classy! I'd entered countless amounts of competitions in order to dance onstage with her but I'd been unsuccessful in all of them. Anyway, on my way there, my friend text me and told me there was another competition and sent me the details. I entered and basically begged for them to choose me. And in the end, I won. I'd won two tickets to see Britney and also two tickets to dance with her onstage. I asked my sister to join me and gave my other ticket to my mum. 

You can read my entire write-up here. But this was definitely my most memorable (and favourite) Christmas present ever. It's something that I'll always remember. Not only because I saw Britney (I'd already seen her) but because I was inches away from her, she smiled and me, she acknowledged me, I met her team and she tweeted me. She knows who I am. And that to me, is the greatest feeling in the world.

What's your most memorable present? And don't forget to check out Daisy's blog.

xxx

WINNER: Avene Giveaway

The winner of my Avene giveaway is..

Miss EBlog!

Thank you to everyone who entered and I'm sorry if you didn't win.. I wish I could reward you all with something!

xxx

What I Want for.. Boxing Day?

For the past few years, every Boxing Day I have headed off into town especially for the sales. Normally, I avoid going into Boots like the plague - mainly because the majority of my Christmas Gifts would've been from Boots and I'd always end up gutted as I'd spent so much more on the items. However this year, only a couple of gifts I've bought for people have been from Boots. So I'm excited to spend the majority of my hard earned wages from Boots, in Boots. (They might as well not pay me considering most of my wages go back to them anyway)!

The prices that I've included are the current prices but please bare in mind that usually on Boxing Day, Boots reduced all of their Christmas giftsets by 50%, meaning that these gifts should be half price.*

I've also taken pictures from the catalogue as of course, I don't have these products.. yet!

Bright as a Button Tinted Lip Balms - £10

If you read my blog often, you'll know that I'm obsessed with lip balms and as soon as I saw these, I knew I'd have to have them.

Champneys Spa Citrus Blush Handcare Kit - £10

Since working at Boots, I've become obsessed with Champneys. All of their products look lovely and luxurious. This handcare duo will be perfect for my bathroom at university and citrus is my favourite smell! I'll also look at more Champneys products.

Joules Super Soaps - £8

How cute are these?! I don't think I'll use them.. I just love how adorable they are.

Extracts Body Butter Collection - £10

LOVE LOVE LOVE Extracts Body Butters since buying myself a Cranberry giftset. So I need this.

Nivea Feel Festive Cracker - £5

Last year, my sister bought me one of these and I loved it. It has small sizes of everything and I particuarly love the lipbalm & body butter.

Natural Collection Pamper Basket - £12

Natural Collection is amazing and the price for all of this is outstanding - even when it's not in the sale!

No7 Poppy King Celebrate Gorgeous & Glam - £18

I've had my eye on this for a while. Unfortunately, I've never tried any of the Poppy King range but it does look beautiful - especially the lip balm.

*Although I work at Boots, I'm not 100% sure that all of these gifts will be included in the half price sale. However, as a guess from previous years, most will. But don't take my word for it!

Are you hitting the Boxing Day sales?

xxx

Congratulations Britney and Jason!

It's the moment I've been waiting for; my beautiful girl Britney is engaged to the lovely Jason Trawick.

I couldn't be happier for them both! Britney deserves all the happiness in the world.

xxx

Giveaway Winners!

The winner of the Barefoot Botanicals Giveaway is Hannah P - congratulations! I have emailed you, if you could reply asap I'll make sure your prizes are sent out to you!

The winner of the Dr Organics Giveaway is Karla who had the winter beauty tip of 'My winter skincare tip is to always moisturise. Face, body, lips, everything! Our harsh weather can be a killer to our poor skin.' I've also emailed you so if you could reply asap and I'll make sure your prize is sent out to you!

Thank you to everyone who entered! And don't forget to enter my Avene Giveaway which ends on Sunday.

xxx

University Survival Kit!

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Blush - Dry Shampoo is a must-have at university because you will mainly have late nights and early mornings. So if you have to be up early and you wake up late but you don't have time to wash your hair, dry shampoo is a life saver. Also, if you're like me and your hair is often flat, dry shampoo will inject so much volume into your roots.

John Frieda Root Awakening - Hairspray is very important as it will hold your style which is perfect for bad weather! I love this hairspray because it adds volume to the hair and holds the style all day.

TRESemme Split Remedy Split Mend & Protect Leave in Treatment - My hair requires a lot of looking after and this leave in treatment is incredible. It helps seal the hair and fix and prevent any split ends. 

Liz Earle Foot Repair Moisturiser - If you're at university and you love to party then a decent foot moisturiser is a definite must-have. After a night out, my feet are a wreck and I just slaver this all over my feet, leave it to soak in and my feet feel refreshed, soft lovely! 

Liz Earle Foot Spritzer - Same goes for this foot spritzer. It eliminates odour and gives the feet a lovely boost.

Impulse Goddess Body Spray - I adore body sprays and at the moment, this one is my favourite. It smells all citrusy and is perfect for quickly spraying before going anywhere.

Murine Bright & Moist Eyes - A lot of late nights take their toll on you and if you don't want to arrive at a lecture looking half-dead, eye drops are perfect for you. I love these ones because they brighten the eyes as well as moisturising them. They're all really easy to apply and have lasted me a long time. 

Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter - When you're going out, there is nothing worse than scaly legs. The Righteous Butter by Soap & Glory is wonderful as it's not only moisturising but it smells gorgeous too!

Dirty Works Pore-fect Face Scrub - Another problem with going out a lot and staying up late is that your skin will probably end up looking dull. This face scrub gets rid of dead skin cells and wakens the skin up. 

Dirty Works Belle of the Ball Face Mask - The same goes for this face mask. You leave it on for 5 minutes whilst it sets and when you wipe it away, your skin will be very radiant and lovely!

Soap & Glory Flake Away - When it gets to winter and your skin starts drying out, there is literally nothing better than this body scrub. It's vigorous but not too vigorous, it smells beautiful and it's also perfect for applying before fake tan.

Johnson's Baby Bedtime Cream - I sometimes struggle to sleep and I apply this moisturising before going to bed. I wake up with soft skin and also the smell helps me get a decent nights sleep. 

Keromask Camouflage Cream - Full coverage foundation is wonderful for when you're taking pictures on a night out/your skin isn't perfect. This is my favourite foundation at the moment as it's the fullest coverage you will get. It's designed to cover up scars and tattoos. It lasts throughout the day/night and is easy to blend.

Diego Dalla Palma Make Up Fixer - Holds make up in place all day and all night. There's nothing more to say except that it's wonderful.

Rimmel Fix & Perfect Primer - Primers are also a great product to keep handy. This one minimises pores, makes make up last all day, brightens the skin and mattifies it.

Blistex Lip Conditioner - Especially in winter months your lips will take a battering. I adore this lip conditioner as it tastes nice and really softens the lips. It's also perfect for throwing in your bag.

Corn Silk Semi-Matt Pressed Powder - I love love love this face powder. When you're up all day and out all night, there's nothing worse than a shiny face. This semi-matt powder ensures your skin looks radiant without looking greasy.

What are your favourite products for nights out etc?

xxx

GIVEAWAY: Avene Cleanance Range

I have another giveaway for you all! And this time, I'm giving away a cleanser, toner and moisturiser from my one of my all-time favourite skin care ranges; Avene's Cleanance range! This range is specially designed for spot-prone skin. I, myself have been using this range for a few months now and it has done wonders for my skin.  You can win:

Cleanance Soapless Gel Cleanser

Cleanance Anti Shine Purifying Lotion

Cleanance Anti Shine Regulating Lotion

(Obviously yours will be brand new. I just thought it'd be better to take a picture of my own for you)!

All you have to do is 'Like' Avene's Facebook page and leave a comment on this post with your name and address - very simple!

This giveaway is open until Sunday the 18th of December. 

Good luck!

xxx

GIVEAWAY: Barefoot Botanicals SOS

Hello! 

Seeing as it's December and it's nearly Christmas, I have another giveaway for you all!

This time, you'll be able to win some Barefoot SOS products which are their Soothing Face and Body Wash (200ml £16) and their Daily Rich Body Lotion (200ml £22).

 

It's really simple to enter.. you simply have to 'like' their Facebook page and comment below with your name and contact details!

Good luck and don't forget to enter my Dr Organic giveaway!

xxx

November Favourites

L-R Tigi Bed Head Sugar Shock Hair Bodifying Sugar Spray, Boots Essentials Nail Polish Remover, Diego Dalla Palma Make Up Fixer, Diego Dalla Palma Calze Spray (Body Foundation), Boots Extracts Cranberry Body Wash, Britney Spears Cosmic Radiance Perfume.

The Bed Head Sugar Spray is a product that I've been using non-stop whenever I'm going on a night out. It adds volume but doesn't leave a sticky layer on the hair. It's easy to brush out and smells beautiful. The smell takes me back to my childhood - it reminds me of this doll. I absolutely adore the Boots Nail Polish remover.. it's better than some of the more expensive brand that I've tried and it's only around £1. The Make Up Fixer and Body Foundation are the first products I've tried from Diego Dalla Palma and I absolutely love them! The Make Up Fixer keeps my make up in place all day and all night long - it doesn't budge when I've sprayed this. The Body Foundation is like a fake tan with the added bonus of covering up imperfections. I've had a lot of bruises on my legs recently and this covered them all! The Boots Extract Body Wash is the only body wash I've been using this month. It smells absolutely beautiful! I also have the matching body lotion and I wouldn't be with them. And of course, I've been loving Britney's Cosmic Radiance fragrance. It's probably my favourite Britney perfume ever! It can be worn during the day and at nighttime - it's versatile. 

L-R Corn Silk Face Powder Semi-Matt, TRESemme Split Remedy Split Med Intense Recovery Masque, HD Brow Palette.

The Corn Silk Face Powder is the only face powder I've been using recently. A woman in Boots mentioned it to me and she recommended it as well.. So I had to have it. It isn't cakey and it leaves the skin looking healthy and pore-free! Of course, I don't have my hair cut so I have to look after my hair really well and the TRESemme Split Remedy range has done a great job of ensuring that my hair is healthy and vibrant. I love the hair masque - it really detangles my hair and adds shine but without weighing it down. My friend has recently sorted my eyebrows out for me and the HD Brow Palette is my number 1 love at the moment. It's amazing what a difference good eyebrows make. And finally, my Pan Oxyl has helped me out a lot this month as my skin has been a nightmare!

What have you been loving this month?

xxx

GIVEAWAY: Dr Organic

As a Merry Christmas to all of you, I have a giveaway!

This month, me and the guys at Dr Organic will be giving away a Dr Organic Pomegranate Perfect Complexion Gift Set! 

To be in with a chance of winning, all you have to do is follow my blog and comment below with your 'Top Wintertime Beauty Tip!' And the best tip will win the giftset - it's that simple!

Feel free to tweet/post about this giveaway however, unfortunately it will not gain you an extra entry. The closing date for the giveaway is the 15th December and it's open internationally!

If you're struggling, take a look at this top wintertime beauty tip from health store Holland & Barrett:

Whilst the rest of the body tends to be covered up against the cold winds of winter, our faces bear the brunt of these harsh conditions. As the face becomes dry and dehydrated, circulation can turn sluggish and skin can begin to look tired and dull. One of the best ways to combat this is to exfoliate twice a week, which will help to remove the build up of dead skin and allow pores to absorb moisture more easily. Take care not to rub too hard as this can cause irritation and cause reddening. After exfoliating, apply a facial cleanser or moisturiser that contains natural ingredients such as aloe vera or pomegranate, to rejuvenate and enliven your skin.

So what are you waiting for?! Enter for a chance to win perfect skin this Christmas!

xxx

Happy 30th Birthday Britney Spears

Singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, producer, director, author, fashion designer, business woman, idol, mother.

You all know how much I love Britney. There's no doubting that. She's pretty much all I talk about.. well, maybe around 75% of what I talk about. It's been 13 years since Baby One More Time and now, it's been 30 years since a legend was born.

105+ million album sales, 200+ million record sales, 8 #1 albums, 7 sold-out tours, 14 #1 singles, best selling celebrity perfume of all-time, over 450 nominations, one of the most awarded artist of our time, the biggest selling female artist of the last decade and so much more.

All of that but to me, she's my inspiration. She got knocked down.. she suffered.. but she's come back up fighting. She's a special girl and she deserves the world.

Happy 30th Birthday Britney. Keep inspiring people because you're doing a great job.

I love you.

xxx

Movember

I just thought I'd let you know about something quickly.. I should be doing one of my assignments but I'm just going to take a quick break. November is pretty much over and throughout November, men everywhere have been taking part in Movember for charity - my dad being one of them.

As you can see, he has done very well and overall, he's managed to raise over £300. However, the charity still needs your help. I'd really appreciate it if you could spare a few pounds and donate to my dad - or just to the charity in general.

It really is for a great cause (to raise money and awareness for men's cancer, particularly prostate cancer).

Thank you in advance and well done to anyone else who has participated!

xxx

NOTD featuring Myleene Klass Nails

I'm no manicurist and I do struggle to do things with my nails - except paint them. However, I get bored pretty easily and therefore I'm constantly changing my nails or just keeping them plain and boring. Recently, a new craze has hit the UK and 'nail wraps' have been flying off the shelves - and I can see why.

Myleene Klass is also doing her own nail wraps and I was sent two different designs -silver glittery ones and dark red. I absolutely love these nail wraps, they're easy to apply, easy or remove, look beautiful and last a lot longer than nail polish does.

To apply, you just remove the nail wrap, find the right size to fit your nail, stick it onto your nail, flatten and file down to remove the edges - so simple. You even get a nail file in each pack! 

The image above is from two full days of wear and tear at work and they're still looking pretty good and going strong. I've had no end of compliments about my nails and I can't stop looking at them! The pictures don't do the shininess justice. They're perfect for Christmas and the best thing? They don't take forever to remove like everyday glitter polishes do.

These wraps are available here.

Have you tried any other nail wraps? Link me to your posts!

xxx

Quick Update

Just a quick update post!

I now work at Boots both Saturday's and Sunday's. It's a good job, I enjoy being around people and advising them on what products would suit them. However, I work long days and it's pretty tiring and my feet end up hurting!

I went out last night for the first time in 4 weeks - I know, what a bad student! 

I'm still loving university. I've met the most amazing people here and I know that they're going to remain my friends for life.

I still can't get over the fact that I danced onstage with Britney and whenever someone asks me about it, I start to tear up. It's also her 30th birthday soon (she's sold 200 million records so far and she's not even 30)! And her team have asked us fans to upload birthday messages to YouTube to show her at her birthday bash.. Here is mine (it's awful, as is the sound)

I have a lot of products to review and I'm excited for my up and coming posts. However, after just handing in my first assignments, I've now been set more. I'll try and find time but I can't guarantee it I'm afraid.

How is everyone?

xxx