Tori | October Sunday No. 2

 

It's been a while since I did a Money's Too Tight To Mention post but I've been craving home comforts and little luxuries. Here's my round up of Sunday indulgences which won't break the bank...

 

 

• Arrange some budget friendly flowers with the help of your pets. I picked up these alstroemeria from Morrisons for only £2 a bunch.



 

• Jot down your thoughts in a 'line a day' journal, £10.99 from Waterstones. It helps if you write with gorgeous pencils like these however, if Kate Spade's offering is way out of your budget, try Paperchase for less expensive yet indulgent writing tools such as these. Good news, the lovely pencil case pictured below was only £2 from ASDA.
• Head out and forage for free catalogues from your favourite shops. Pick up some paint swatches while you're at it and indulge yourself in an afternoon of browsing, circling and tearing out. This is the ultimate window shopping experience, it's pure fantasy, so browse away guilt free!

So there you have it, how do you spend your Sunday when you're on a budget?

All images copyright Tori at Jute, Jam and Joy, 2014.

Nails on Friday ~ Maybelline Color Show Love Lillac

Maybelline Color Show Love Lillac

It's been a crappy week in the Mish household and I needed a little pick me up. On a trip to ASDA I saw Maybelline had a sale on and thought why not? My nail polish collection consists of dark or bright colours, very few pales. Wanting to branch out a little Maybelline Colour Show in Love Lillac caught my eye. The formula and cool colour tone reminds me of Essie's Bikini So Teeny.

A closer shot of the blue/pink shimmer in the polish.

The lilac is a beautiful pastel which contains a blue and pink shimmer. First coat is very opaque and second coat helps a lot but I would suggest 3 thin coats to get full coverage.

The first time I applied the polish in two thin coats it took forever to dry and as a result smudged to buggery. A reason for this I believe may be due to the fact I used O.P.I Nail Envy as a base coat, creating a very shiny base, possibly not allowing the polish to grip to my nail.

Next time I tried with my Leighton Denny Undercover base coat which creates a matt base allowing your polish to grip the nail better. The two thin coats applied much better this time and no smudging but still that long lasting feeling of tackiness :( Once dried, I applied my top coat which was Sally Hansen Double Duty and waited...

Yes, spell check did not like me writing Lillac :)

Second time round the polish was much improved but the next day when I accidentally bashed my hand the nail polish started to push up on some nails. In addition, on closer inspection some nails had the dreaded bumps on them where it would just not apply smoothly.

Had to resort to indoor photography, horrible weather this week in Dundee.

In conclusion Maybelline Colour Show in Love Lillac is a wonderful pastel colour but the formula lets it down. Other colours in the Maybelline Colour Show collection have good reviews so it may just be this shade that doesn't work well. (I find pale polishes in general are the hardest to work with). I'll probably only use this polish when I have a lot of spare time to apply it, you couldn't do a rushed job with it. Another use for Love Lillac could be as a mixer with other polishes, I think mixing this with a strong white could help create a denser formula, allowing the shimmer come through even stronger.

So Love Lillac hasn't been relegated to our Beauty Fails section but it isn't what I hoped it would be. 

Does anyone else find pales colours the worst to work with? 

Leave a comment below we love to hear from you!

Disclaimer: All photos copyright Mish at Jute, Jam and Joy, 2014

Views are my own. I have no connection to any companies/products in this post.

Mish| Piz Buin Allergy Sun Sensitive Skin Lotion Review

You may have noticed the sun has decided to join us lately, calling for new sun protection. I have a love/hate relationship with sun lotion, exasperated by the fact I’m pale skinned (i.e. a ghost). Past sun lotions left my skin in an awful state. Greasier than a fish supper due to not absorbing, finally absorbed - horrid pus spots developed. Lovely. I have tried many - all have failed to give me everything I wish for in sun protection.

A)     Protection against UVA & UVB  rays

B)     Absorbs quickly into skin-leaving skin smooth not greasy

C)     Helps stop prickly heat developing.

To give it its full title Piz Buin Allergy Sun Sensitive Skin Lotion ticks all these boxes. Its main promotional point being it's suitable for sensitive skin. This is now the only sun lotion I use. It absorbs fast and does not leave me greasy. Your skin does gain a nice sheen but nothing a normal body cream wouldn't produce. Most importantly, you are not sticky.

Photo copyright Mish at Jute, Jam and Joy, 2014

Other lotions left me feeling the full force of the sun instantly on my skin. As though I haven’t applied protection. Piz Buin is different; yes, you still feel heat on your skin but not as intense. The special ingredient is Calmanelle (sounds like a Pokémon) which is I quote from the bottle “a unique anti-irritant shield complex proven to help strengthen the skin’s resilience to the sun,” so probably explains why I don’t feel the heat as much. 

I have never had prickly heat whilst wearing this lotion which used to be the bane of my life, even a mild Scottish summer reduced me to a raw rash before this landed in my lap. The product also doesn't rub off onto clothing, always a bonus.

Photo copyright Mish at Jute, Jam and Joy, 2014

 I would say if you or someone you know has sensitive skin then Piz Buin Allergy is a good place to start.  The sun is for everyone’s enjoyment but please be sensible use sun protection. I apply this every 2 hours when I’m out. Yes people stare as I lotion myself up in ASDA car park but when I see their crispy, burnt skin, I know I will be sleeping soundly in my bed that night whilst someone applies camomile lotion to their cindered back.

Wish I could sit out in the garden all day... some people have all the luck!
Photo copyright Mish at Jute, Jam and Joy, 2014

So what is your favourite sun lotion to use? Do you use any at all? Had any sun burn disasters?  Leave your comments down below, we love reading them all!

 I have no association with Piz Buin or Boots; this is my own view on the product. I’m just a ghost trying not to get burnt :)