SBBC Day 16- what makes me happy

Don't get me wrong,  I do like the finer things in life. It's nice to be spoiled, or to treat yourself to something fancy you've been lusting after for months. But I like to think that at the core of it I'm a woman of simple pleasures. I could do without most of life's fineries as long as I have the following to keep me going-

A cuddle from these two fluffy heart warmers

Seeing this little devil rock up at my door to tear my house apart and make me laugh

Sitting inside in cosy jumpers and big mugs of coffee on gloomy days like today.

Getting a cuddle from someone you love. Even better when it's from someone who loves you.

Adorable stuff like this

Thinking about my weird and always wonderful friends and some of the great times we have had together.

Getting good feedback on a blog post. I get all giddy!

See...... such a softie.

SBBC Day 16- My beauty wishlist

I am many weird and sometimes wonderful things, but one thing I am more than anything else, is extremely. EXTREMELY wanty. I want everything and I want it yesterday. If I don't want it right now I will probably want it tomorrow. But I am also perpetually broke, so until I can source myself a wealthy husband who likes to spoil me, the vast majority of what I crave will remain on my wishlist. Le sigh  :(

First up, one of these bad boys please. I'll no doubt pick myself up a cheaper version along the way, but still, gimmeeee!

I'll also have this please. Actually, i'll just have ALL the Sleek pallets thanks!

If you're feeling EXTRA generous, I would love, love, LOOOOOOVE a full set of Great Lenghts hair extensions. Who wouldn't, right? If I ever win the lotto, that will be the first thing I treat myself to. I mean, look!! It's so unfair :(

And I also want an Iphone. I have to stop before I cry...

Wow Brown Ready To Glo Dark tanning liquid

The lovely folk at Wow Brown sent out some lucky Bloggers a little surprise of a bottle of their award winning Ready To Glo Dark tanning liquid. My little pressie arrived in a big purple sparkly envelope, with a full size bottle of tan and a little note thanking me for me previous review, which you can read here. How sweet!

Now initially I was a  bit wary of the word 'Dark' because I am whiter than white and was afraid that it just wouldn't suit me because I don't like to tan my face. I was in fear of the dreaded marshmallow head. I won't lie, I was in 2 minds about whether to apply it at all, would it be worth the hassle just to go a few shades too dark and have to scrub it all off? But I persevered! But Fran and Don were kind enough to send me a bottle, and even if it's too dark for me it may suit someone else down to the ground!

Same as my last bottle, the paraben free liquid comes in a handbag friendly sized bottle, perfect for holidays and weekends away. The spray cap gives you complete control of the amount of liquid you spritz onto your mitt. Remember though, a little bit of this condensed liquid goes a very long way. 1-2 sprays will do an entire arm! The packaging claims to contain enough product for 7-10 full body applications, and I'd definitely agree since I still have a good 1/4 of my first bottle left and have used it on my upper body countless times.

There's a lovely golden glow the second you apply the tan, and the next second you're dry as a bone. The liquid absorbs extremely quickly, making this an excellent 'tanning at the last minute' tan. The colour guide also makes it near impossible to leave you with streaks or missed patches. The 'boyfriend friendly' scent is lovely and floral, and doesn't change during development. I would be quite sensitive to that biscuity smell a lot of developing tans have and can always smell it off others, so I absolutely HATE being able to smell it off myself. But, being so impressed with my last bottle, I really wasn't expecting to smell like a digestive!

Now onto the colour! You're supposed to leave the tan on for 5 hours, then hop in the shower, or leave on longer for a more intense colour. I've never been known for my bravery, so I showered after the allotted time just in case. What I was left with was a lovely, naturally bronzed, streak free day time tan that's completely appropriate for the change of season! Tbh, I would have gotten away with leaving it on longer, and definitely will if I am wearing it for a night out!

I personally find the wear off of Ready To Glo products to be the best of any tan I've ever used, so I'm hoping it's the same with the darker liquid. I'm almost certain it will be, Fran and Don have never given me reason t doubt them! The tan retails at €21.99 and can be bought direct from the Wow Brown website.

Happy tanning guys :)

SBBC Day 15- Eye candy

Lets not get bogged down in words, lets just enjoy his beautiful face...

Looking well Tom! Let's have a another look just to be sure...

You are wearing that suit. Dayuuuuum.

Yes, ok, you're definitely looking well. But what's that..... you want to grow a beard?? Oh, I dunno Tom....

Well, maybe I was mistaken....

I was definitely mistaken. The beard is fabulous! Beards get itchy though, have a little scratch there...

But WHAT??!? Now you want a beard AND an adorable doggy?? I don't think I can take it....

Be still my beating ovaries

I need to lay down....

SBBC Day 12- Advice to the young

My SBBC posts are ever so slightly all over the place, and I do apolagise, but I'm catching up as best I can.

Keeping with a recent trend, This is me exposing my softer side (I'm a big softie and I'm not even sorry!). While I'm writing this post my 19 month old niece is as the forefront of my mind, so I'll dedicate this to her, baby Grace. I'm gonna phrase it as if I was writing to her.

Grace,

Throughout your life you are going to get mountains of advice from many, many different people, and words from your silly old aunt will likely mean nothing to you. But while you're reading this, do remember that I was once young and going through pretty much everything you will find yourself going through. I'm not stupid or naive, I know it's hard to take advice from your elders, so I'm fully aware that everything I say will probably fall on deaf ears.

That said, I want to pass on to you a piece of advice that has been invaluable to me since I was old enough to fully understand it. Always remember that 'Beauty is only skin deep'. Be kind, be thoughtful, be accommodating, be a good listener, be generous with your time and wisdom, be open minded and tolerant, be fun and carefree, be everything I wish I had been, be the kind of person people go to for advice, but also the person that people will welcome with open arms. Give hugs often, and accept them even more often. Let people cry on your shoulder, because you'll need them someday too. Don't pick your friends because they love your beautiful face, pick them because they love your beautiful soul. People can be fickle, but a good person never goes out of fashion.

Grace, you're only 19 months old and I already love you more than I thought I could ever love anything. You have changed, and matured me more than I thought possible. You have taught me more than I will ever teach you, and I can only hope that someday these words have some impact on you. I can already see your little personality blooming and you are larger than life. You're bloody hard work at times, but you brighten my day when I hear you knocking on my door. Please, I beg of you, stay as absolutely beautiful on the inside as you are right now. I daren't dream how you'll grow up, because I'd never set limitations on you, you can be, and do, absolutely anything you set your gorgeous little mind to. Who knows, maybe someday in the distant future you'll read this, and no doubt you'll slag me off to your friends, but please, after you finish slagging me, and have shrugged off the embarrassment, remember what I told you..... 'Beauty is only skin deep'

Lots and lots, and an obscene amount of love, your silly old aunt,

Katrina xx

SBBC Day 14- My inspiration

When it comes to blogging I find my inspiration absolutely everywhere. Somebody I pass on the street with fabulous makeup, a colourful bouquet of flowers that inspires me to try out a new look, new products in store, the change of season, watching my mam get ready for a night out, make up in tv or film.... Inspiration is everywhere if you walk around with an open mind.

But above all, the one thing that inspires me to keep blogging more than anything else is my fellow bloggers. Reading other bloggers posts, and chatting to them on Twitter, is my most vital a source of inspiration. I'm not going to link to all the blogs I read, because it would be an endless list, but I will say this- We have created a very welcoming, inviting and embracing community within our blogs, and all our social media outlets, and I am both thankful, and grateful to be a part of. I adore blogging, because it has given me the opportunity to go to so many events and try so many products, but more so because it has introduced me to so many wonderful people that I just never would have met otherwise. You girls push me to better my blog and myself, intentionally or not, and you should all be very proud of yourselves. There is one fabulous blogger who has pushed me harder than anyone else, and I won't name names, but she will never know how much her belief and encouragement means to me.

So cheers to being a beauty blogger!! We are just the business and each and every one of us deserves a big pat on the back.

SBBC Day 11- My biggest beauty fails

I think we all wrack up some beauty fails throughout the years,  particularly when you're younger and braver and nothing is off limits. I spent most of my 13th year wandering around the place looking like aunt Sally, until my dad finally snapped and refused to drop me anywhere until I sorted my blusher out.

Then there was the time I got handsy with a blue and silver glitter pot and applied it, with no great skill or precision, to essentially my entire face. I looked like a picture a child painted, but at the time I was only gorgeous.

Speaking of glitter, do you remember body glitter? Do you remember rooms full of preteen girls shimmering like human disco balls?

The one fail that stands triumphant among them all (triumphant in that it was the absolute worst) was when I was 17, had just broken up with someone, and thought I had nothing better to do than chop off my lovely long blonde hair and dye it black. In my post relationship haze, I thought I looked really edgy and cool, in reality I looked like a corpse in a school uniform. Im just far too pale for dark hair. Not even pale, ghostly. Then began the 2 year battle to get my hair back a lighter colour without it all falling out. Never, ever again.