More Monochrome

Jumper- Primark
Skirt- Olivia Rubin at ASOS
Boots c/o Sarenza
Slowly getting back there with outfit posts although standing posing is even more awkward than my usual awkward style.
I’m so in love with fluffy jumpers this winter. This is the second one I own and it was only £10 from Primark…I’m so planning on picking up more. I went in there on my fifth or sixth hunt for a gorgeous purple colour but ended up falling for this cream version in the end.
Teamed with my cherished Olivia Rubin bargain skirt and these new boots I wore this at the weekend when  I was feeling really quite rubbish- feel bad, dress good. That’s my current motto! 
I love these boots, flats have been my saviour ever since I broke my foot in Holland so it’s nice to have several pairs I love and can wear on rotation. The quilted detail on the back of these just adds to my love of them. I’m desperate to get back in to heels though!
Things seem to be slowly improving and with only a week to go until our work Christmas Party I’m hoping things carry on with the upwards trend. I refuse to spend another party sat down in flats unable to hit the dance floor…and fingers crossed I can go back to work the following week too. Next week is annual leave for me, long ago booked. Mum and I do it every year and I’m looking forward to some quality and drama free time with her getting ready for the festive fun before the real madness hits- a doctors surgery in December is utter chaos and I’m itching to be in the midst of it.
xxx

Luxe little Stocking Fillers from Aspire Style

Stocking fillers are one of my favourite things about Christmas present shopping. Seeking out cute little additions to a main gift or making a hamper or box out of several themed goodies. This year Aspire Style has come up trumps with their range of gifts under a fiver and I’m struggling to think of anyone who wouldn’t love these festive themed yet year round usable treats!

The bath salts and lip balms are all priced at £4.99 and the range consists of favourite festive tipples- I’m a Gin&Tonic girl myself.
The squirrel pen costs £3.99 and really has no place in this post other than it was just too cute not to include!
Aspire Style aren’t just brilliant for gifts either, I’ve found my perfect Christmas Day Dress
It costs £49 but would see me through NYE and other winter gatherings too. Love.
Which of these little gifts would you like to receive? 
I think they’d make a lovely main gift with a bottle of said drink packaged with the bath salts and lipbalm….the perfect way to relax after all the festive madness!
xxx

Infinity Always

As a girl there is no escaping the fact that at some point in life you’re going to need to use sanitary protection. It’s not the most glamorous of topics and one you don’t often see pop up on blogs but with the release of an exciting new product from Always I thought it worth a share.
Before I really start this post I will state that I was sent products from Always to review for the post, however Always has been my brand of choice right from the start and one I’ve been loyal to for the last decade.
I remember when I first started my periods my Mum and Nan telling me about how horrible it was for them as they were growing up. I’ve always considered myself lucky that things have really moved on from those days and over the years many new products have come on to market to make that time of the month a little bit easier.
Always have just released a brand new and somewhat groundbreaking product called Always Infinity
As you can see I was sent some products from the range to help me explain how great this new launch is (and there’s a little giveaway at the end of the post)
Always Infinity is the most exciting innovation to hit the market in over 20 years. It’s a new generation in pad protection using new-to-the-UK product material called Infinicel. Unlike regular pads which use fibres, Always Infinity is made from a liquid which creates a unique core to absorb up to 10 times it’s own weight in liquid and twice as much as you may need (goodbye leakage worries!)
Having tried these out I can confirm that they do indeed provide effective protection and really do mould to the body as the press release claims. It’s quite similar to memory foam, you can barely feel it (hurrah!) and it goes back to it’s original shape with pretty much no bunching so is far, far more comfortable. I personally tried the night pads and the no bunching was a HUGE bonus for me, having previously woken up in the middle of the night to reshape things it was a luxury to get a full night sleep with no leaks and no discomfort.
I am REALLY impressed with these. Nobody likes getting their period and these pads mean it doesn’t have to be an uncomfortable ordeal- well, they don’t cure period pain but add in a couple of neurofen and a bar of chocolate and I’d say we have a miracle.
Always is a brand that is dedicated to innovation and seeks to change a woman’s expectations and experience of what a pad can do. This is the biggest breakthrough since the introduction of ultra thin pads in the 1990s (I can still remember magazine ads for these everywhere!)
A few stats to back up the claims:
86% of women who tried the pads said they felt more confident (agree)
85% of women said the new technology meant they were able to forget they were wearing a pad (agree)
82% said their flow seemed lighter (again, I agree, the absorption of these things is fantastic!)
I‘m giving away a pack of the new Always Infinity pads in Normal Plus,
to enter just comment with your thoughts on protection and any stories/memories you have. Please also leave a means for me to contact you!

Giveaway is open to UK residents and will close on Thursday 5th December.
I will post the prize out as soon as I can after that!
I’d love to hear your thoughts, for more information you can visit the Always website
xxx

BHS Christmas Campaign

I love this time of year, I really do. Everything suddenly starts to feel festive- decorations start springing up, Christmas songs start playing and the Christmas ads on TV start appearing. Everyone seems to have their favourite and this year I am LOVING this little snippet from BHS!


I think it’s brilliantly quirky and really clever with the characters they’ve given the toys. I just can’t get enough! It’s an amazing way to showcase what gifts BHS have to offer this festive season and will appeal to both children and adults which not a lot of adverts manage to do- they seem to cater on one or the other.


When it comes to Christmas shopping as much as I love the convenience of online shopping nothing beats a browse through actual shops. The crowds get to me, I’m not a crowd person at the best of times and I find myself rapidly losing patience but when most of my presents have been delivered to my door I do enjoy a few hours picking out those finishing touches and stocking fillers from my favourite stores.
Bristol is pretty good for this, over recent years it’s become more and more well served for shops and it’s never a challenge finding what I need. We’re lucky we still have a large BHS store (two in fact with one at Cribbs Causeway) and I never turn down a browse of their treasure trove of gifts which seems to get better by the year.


This year I literally have two gifts left to get- one for my Mum and one for the Boy. I have annual leave next week and fingers crossed my back will allow me at least a short look around both the shops and German Market which I have heard is better than ever this year.


What has been your favourite Christmas TV ad this year?
How far are you with your Christmas shopping and where do you do most of yours?


xxx
*sponsored content*

salon look

The Salon Look could not be a more apt name for a website that stocks products that look like this. I’ve never taken much interest in looking after my skin before but when I get sent products like Thalgo Soft Hydrating Emulsion which looks like it belongs on the shelves in a salon, not in my bathroom I can’t help but want to use them and start taking better care of my body on the outside as well as the inside.
I’ve always been a sufferer of really dry skin and being so housebound lately it’s become drier from central heating so I’ve been applying this straight after I’ve had a warm bath to really get the benefits. It has a lovely, subtle scent that just screams “posh”.
Once upon a time I wouldn’t have even contemplated spending over a fiver on any piece of skin or hair care but blogging has opened by eyes and given me opportunity to try things I’d never otherwise have discovered and I’m building up quite a collection of higher end products that I’ll be replacing when I run out.
The Salon Look are currently also offering an exclusive deal which I’m excited to share with you. If you spend £30 or more ahead of Christmas you’ll automatically get £5 off your order. Perfect for pressie shopping or personal pampering.
I’ve tried to start doing some outfit posts again too, it’s not very easy though. One of the discs I’m having trouble with is pressing on the nerve that helps control the left side and my left leg is about as cooperative as a plank of wood. I’m getting better at standing though so progress is steady, even if it’s slower than a snail’s pace.
Have your thoughts on skin care and beauty products changed since starting blogging? I’m now a believer of you get what you pay for (mostly) when it comes to skin products- I’ve found them much less likely to irritate my skin.
xxx