St Ives

Last weekend I went away to St Ives with four friends that I used to work with- we all went to Dublin together 2 years ago (see my post here) and decided that as my lovely friend Jess (hi!) has a holiday cottage in St Ives so it made sense to make the most of it and have a few days there. The third picture down shows the amazing view from the cottage.

I've never been to St Ives before and was so impressed with it. It's such a gorgeous place with three beaches surrounding it and the most beautiful coloured sea- just like the Mediterranean! We were very lucky with the weather and spent lots of time eating good food, chilling in the cottage, going on walks and admiring the beach. We also did a night walk which was super fun, if a bit eerie!

I thought I'd share a few photos as it's nice to include a bit of life stuff in my posts. Have you been to St Ives before? If you haven't I highly recommend it as a lovely place to spend a few days.

Hart of Dixie

I heard that Rachel Bilson was appearing in a new TV series a while ago. As soon as I heard I was very excited- I adore Rachel Bilson and loved her as Summer in The O.C. I still hold hope that her and Adam Brody will get back together because they were SO CUTE together.

Anyway, Hart of Dixie is Rachel's new show and she appears as the lead- Dr Zoe Hart. Zoe is an ambitious young doctor who has moved from New York to a small town in Alabama. 

You can watch the first episode on the Really website here- all you need to do is register. Or you can watch the show on the Really TV Channel as it starts next Monday. I watched the show over my lunch break and really enjoyed it- especially all of Zoe's outfits which are gorgeous and seem quite similar to Rachel Bilson's everyday style. I will definitely be adding Hart of Dixie to my ever-growing list of TV shows I need to keep up with! Let me know if you're going to be watching this too.

I love...Best of British Bubble Bath & Shower Creme

With 2012 being the year of the Olympics for the UK there are lots of special products coming out which are celebrating being British. I mentioned the brand I Love... in a previous post and thought this was a cute new limited edition bubble bath & shower creme that they are launching in April.

They say: "In the year of the Queen’s Jubilee, the London 2012 Olympics and another wonderful Wimbledon; treat yourself to the delicious flavours of a great British garden party and celebrate the Best of British with our unique limited edition I love...Strawberries & Milkshake Bubble Bath and Shower Creme.

Fall in love with the Best of British again; there’s something about the super smoothness of my thick creamy aroma, united with a traditional burst of fresh summer strawberries, that leaves your senses elated and your tastebuds-a-tingling!"

This is my favourite scent from I Love...so far. It may be too sickly for some but if you like sweet, sugary smells then I think you'd be a fan. It also lingers on the skin for ages which is rare with cheaper body products.

The creme costs £2.05 for 500ml and is sold in Superdrug stores and online.

Review: 17 BB Blemish Balm

Product

17 BB Blemish Balm. All in One Magic Makeup. SPF15

Price

£6.99 - Boots

What does it claim to do?

"Discover the new 17 BB Blemish Balm to reveal the magic of flawless skin with this all-in-one foundation plus skincare wonder product.

Covers: full coverage which conceals imperfections and helps control oil.

Enhances: the creamy formula evens skins tone for a flawless finish.

Protects: SPF 15 and hydrating formula for healthy skin." - Boots

What do I think?

I bought this as part of the 3 for 2 offer that Boots are currently running on almost everything in the store- such a dangerous offer for people with a weakness for beauty! I've heard good things about this BB cream and at £6.99 (and as part of the offer) I thought it was a reasonable price.

The 17 BB Cream has a really lovely formation- I've just been using my fingers to blend it in and it works really easily into my skin- it also feels really hydrating and is almost like applying a moisturiser.

I absolutely adore the look of this on my skin. It provides good medium coverage which you can build up, but it doesn't look like a mask. I'm not sure how much you can tell in the photo above but it leaves your skin really healthy looking and glowy without being oily. I haven't been wearing a powder on it as really like the effect of it without.

The main negative for this product would be the limited colour range. On the Boots website it only says they have it in light and medium but I'm certain there were more shades instore- nevertheless the selection was still very limited so 17 could do with adding a few more darker shades!

Would I re-purchase?

Yes- I really like this and is perfect for Spring!

iHeart Breaking Hearts Giveaway- Winners

Thanks for entering the iHeart Breaking Hearts Giveaway! Using random.org I have the two winners and they are Jessica* and hannahbabeyxo. Congratulations! Please email cupcakeswithcherries@gmail.com with your address and I will get them posted out to you!

Vaseline 2-in-1 Hand Cream + Anti-Bac

Whilst this post about Vaseline was an April Fool, this one definitely isn't. Vaseline have launched a new product that is a first to the UK market; a 2-in-1 handcream and anti-bac that keeps hands soft and smooth as well as germ-free. Normal anti-bacterial hand gels do the job well but do tend to dry out hands, whereas Vaseline's new venture contains 5 essential moisturisers to give you soft and hygienic hands in one go.

Since receiving a sample I've been using this every day and it's a great little hand cream which leaves hands feeling super soft. It smells lovely and as it has an alcohol-free formulation it doesn't carry that nasty scent that is common with usual anti-bac products. I whipped it out when I was with my friends over Easter and they commented on how nice it smelt and were keen to try it themselves.

I'm all for products that do 2 jobs in 1 and this is perfect. A 75ml tube has an RRP of £3.29 and can be found in all leading supermarkets and chemists.

Review: John Frieda Thickening Blow Dry Lotion

Product

John Frieda Luxurious Volume Thickening Blow Dry Lotion*

Price

£5.79 - Boots

What does it claim to do?

"John Frieda Luxurious Volume Thickening Blow Dry Lotion was John's first invention and won world acclaim for its amazing thickening results. Still loved by our consumers and the beauty elite, the formula has just got better."  - Boots

What do I think?

I'll be honest- I'm not usually one for hair lotions and potions such as this. Don't get me wrong- I love shampoos, conditioners and hair masks but it's rare that I'll use any products inbetween washing my hair and blow-drying. The beauty of being sent products to try is that you find yourself using products that you would never usually purchase- and I'm so glad I have tried this as I love it!

It's very simple to use- after washing your hair and towel drying slightly you just spray the thickening lotion into your roots- lifting up hair to cover all sections. Then simply blow dry and ta-da! The lotion does add some volume but I've found that the main and most noticeable result is that it makes hair look so sleek, shiny and bouncy. There is also no sticky residue that can sometimes occur from these sort of products- hair just feels lovely and silky. An added bonus is that the thickening lotion also has thermo protection.

I am amazed that I could actually tell the difference as usually with these sort of products my hair just looks the same. I have been using it every time I wash my hair and have had comments on my hair which is always a good sign.

Would I re-purchase?

Yes- totally loving this!

Introducing New Vaseline Toilet Roll

EDIT: April Fool!

Vaseline Pure Petroleum Jelly (an essential for everyone!) has been a long-standing favourite to help soothe and protect skin among families for generations. And now, the brand are about to enhance the daily 'bog standard' bathroom routine with the launch of an exciting new product offering- Vaseline Pure Petroleum Jelly enriched Toilet Roll.

Each sheet is enriched with 100% Vaseline to work naturally with skin to help it rebuild moisture and renew itself. As Vaseline say 'with every visit to the powder room you can guarantee that your bottom is also kept in tiptop condition and left feeling smooth from cheek to cheek'.

The new toilet roll will be in all supermarkets from early April and will cost £1.99 for the 2 pack pictured above.

I am looking forward to trying the sample I've been sent although I wouldn't expect a full on review! Will you be buying this new product from Vaseline?