Rosie Huntingdon-Whiteley for M&S

When I heard that Rosie Huntingdon-Whiteley was bringing out a new range of make-up with Marks and Spencer, I knew it would be good. But I don’t think I was prepared for just how beautiful it would be! She has already brought out a lingerie range, also with M&S, made up of delicate French-designed lace, luxurious silks and soft feminine prints. So I was pretty sure that if her make-up were as stunning as her lingerie, it would be a hit. As soon as I saw the gorgeous rose gold packaging, I knew I had to get my hands on some, so a couple of weeks ago my Mum and I popped down to our local M&S to take a peek.

Even the boxes look beautiful, with sleek black backing and gold detailing, they would look right at home amongst designer make-up pieces. I spent ages looking at all the testers, trying to decide which products to put in my basket. Everything looked so beautiful – it really was a difficult decision! From finishing powder to eye shadow palettes, there is something for everyone in the collection.

I eventually settled on two products, which I think was extremely restrained for me! I chose a lipstick and an eye shadow palette, but could definitely have put so much more in my basket! Taking the products out of their boxes, I was instantly struck by how lovely the rose gold packaging was. I didn’t want to touch it and get my fingerprints all over it! The palette has Rosie’s name engraved on the bottom left corner, and the lipstick has her name inscribed in black to match the box.

There were four eye shadow palettes to choose from, and after a lot of contemplation, I chose one called Ballet Slipper. It has beautiful muted pinks and neutral tones, with a shimmery black to help you achieve a statement smoky eye. Another palette called Copper Gold Rush also caught my eye, with its gorgeous pinks and golds, but that had to go on my wish list for another time. The palettes are priced at £18, which is a bit more on the expensive side compared to drugstore alternatives, but after testing out the colours I believe it’s worth the price. They are really pigmented, smooth and creamy, which makes them really easy to blend.

The second product I chose was a lipstick. Again, I struggled to decide on a colour, but after testing them all out, I went for Camisole Blush. It’s a beautiful natural pink – think your lips but better. I haven’t tried this out on my lips yet, but I used the tester on my hand and the colour was amazing. The formula felt creamy and easy to apply, and I’ll be interested to see how well it lasts, as I struggled to get it off my hand! This little beauty set me back £14, which I think is a great price for a product of this quality. I was also rather taken with another shade, I Love You So Much, which is a fuchsia pink and would be perfect for taking you into the spring/summer months.

I’m so impressed with Rosie’s collection – I think it’s a bridge between drugstore and high-end, with high quality products, a great selection of things to choose from and very reasonable prices. Products that have made it onto my wish list include the Translucent Finishing Powder (£18), a Cream Blush in Romantic Flush (£14) and I’d really love to try her Eau de Parfum (£14). And maybe a few other lipstick shades…and another eye shadow palette…this could get out of hand!

Have you tried anything from the Rosie Huntingdon-Whiteley collection yet? I’d really love to hear your thoughts about it!

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Sunday Snippets - 27th March 2016

Happy Easter everyone! I hope you’re all having a lovely day, enjoying lots of chocolate and spending time with your loved ones. This week has been reasonably relaxed, which is just what I needed after a busy term at university. I think it’s also beginning to feel a bit like spring (she says, as it’s pouring with rain outside!) Our garden is full of pretty daffodils, and I’ve got a vase of beautiful pink tulips in my bedroom. Spring is definitely one of my favourite seasons – it just feels like a fresh start with all the flowers coming out and baby animals being born. I’d really like to go to a farm near us at some point, as they usually have baby animals there that you can hold, which is always cute.

Last Sunday turned out to be a really lovely day. After a fairly quiet morning, my friend Lilli came over. We had a good catch-up and watched Meet the Robinsons (well, I think we talked more than we watched!) while Lilli made this amazing picture out of wool for her Mum’s birthday. My friend Katrina then arrived, and we all chatted lots more. It was lovely, as I don’t get to see Katrina that much as she lives a couple of hours away from me now, but when we meet up it doesn’t feel like there’s been a break at all! And to have Lilli there too was brilliant. It was also very exciting because Katrina gave me this cute card asking me to be her bridesmaid when she gets married in Ireland next year! Of course I said yes, and must admit I got a bit teary eyed! I’m really excited about it – because I will need a ‘carer’ (my Mum or Dad) to travel there with me, we’ve decided to make a family holiday of it and travel around Ireland for a week or so! I’ve never been to Ireland before, but have always wanted to go, so if anyone has any tips on places to visit please let me know! After Lilli and Katrina had gone I relaxed for a bit and did some blogging. We then went out for a family meal for my sister’s birthday.

I didn’t have a great night’s sleep on Sunday night; so on Monday morning getting up was a real struggle. Thankfully I was able to have a quiet morning doing odd jobs and paperwork. I got a letter through from the DVLA, so I was excited as I thought it might finally be my driving license. But it turned out it was yet another medical form to fill in, so that was rather disappointing. In the afternoon we had Family Therapy, which I think went quite well. I then popped to the supermarket with my Mum to a get a couple of bits so I can make my own muesli. I tried out one of these heat pads on my back for the day, as I’m really struggling with pain at the moment. It was nice having constant heat there, although because I have problems with regulating my body temperature I did get a bit hot and flustered at times!

Tuesday started with a very early start (6am to be precise!) as my Mum had to drive me to the hospital for a couple of appointments. First up was physiotherapy, where I was given a couple of new exercises to add to my collection. The first one is to try and strengthen my neck muscles and the second is to try and strengthen the muscles in my legs, as apparently because of my EDS I rely on my ligaments to keep me standing rather than my muscles. Then I had to go to the opposite side of the hospital for my pre-op appointment. It took about an hour and a half, with bloods, ECG, observations and going through all my medications and diagnoses (no mean feat!) By the time we’d finished I was wiped out! I came home and rested for a while. My afternoon was spent watching YouTube videos and catching up on my blogging e-mails (I’d been rather bad and not checked them for over a week – I’ve learnt not to do that again!) A couple of parcels arrived during the day, including one with these cute stickers on – I just love the idea of a post box party!

I had a much more chilled out day on Wednesday thankfully, as I was still exhausted after my appointment on Tuesday. I was meant to have another session of bereavement counselling, but they rang first thing to postpone it, which was probably for the best as I wasn’t really feeling up to it. I had a quiet morning but managed to get a blog post up, which I was happy about. After resting for a bit I helped my Dad give Freddie a bath. Despite loving water, I don’t think he’s a big fan when it’s not on his terms! But he looked so cute cuddled up in the towel afterwards. I then managed to get four penpal letters written, which is great as I have a lot of replies to catch up with.

Thursday was another chilled day, which was lovely. My morning was fairly quiet – I had a lie in, watched Alfie Deyes (Pointless Blog) on This Morning and then took a whole load of photos ready for blog posts. In the afternoon I went to the hairdressers and had my hair dyed. We went a bit brighter this time, which I love – the more red the better as far as I’m concerned! I also have a plan of something I’d like to do with my hair, but I’m going to wait until after the weddings this summer in case it doesn’t turn out right. My Mum and I then popped into Waitrose and I picked up the tulips for my room.

I had another quiet day on Friday, but it was quite productive which is always good. In the morning my sister-in-law to be’s sister came over and we did some serious Hen Do planning. I think we made a lot of progress and things are starting to feel much more sorted. I’m getting really excited about it now – I just hope it all comes together and the bride-to-be likes it! In the photo is the Facebook group I’ve set up for everyone invited (apart from the Hen – it’s a surprise!) with a cute picture of some hens at the top. I then rested for a while, before spending the afternoon watching YouTube videos and doing my final piece of work for Uni. I can’t believe I’ve basically finished my first year now!

Yesterday was another quiet Saturday, but this week I actually enjoyed the peace. I had planned to film some videos for my YouTube in the morning, but when I woke up I just didn’t feel like being in front of the camera, so instead I spent the morning editing all the photos I had taken for blog posts. In the afternoon I found that The Princess and the Frog was on TV, so I curled up in the lounge watching that, and wrote some letters to my penpals. The weather was really horrible, but after being stuck inside all day I really wanted to get out of the house, so decided to pop down to Waitrose with my Mum. I’d gone with her the day before and they had loads of these cute Easter mugs on the shelves, but yesterday they only had one left! I’d said how much I liked it the day before, so my Mum popped it in her basket and gave it to me, which was really sweet of her. When we got back I popped over the road to give my friend, Sarah, her Easter present, as she was at her parents’ for the day.

If you haven’t read my blog before, I just wanted to let you know that I have a second blog, which mainly focuses on my health in more depth than I talk about it here. It’s largely for friends and family to follow and keep up with what’s going on, but if it’s something you would be interested in reading as well, you are more than welcome to follow me over there. I’ve actually changed the name from Unicorns and Floral Crowns to ‘Zebra Crossing’ and you can find it by clicking here. I’m trying to keep it updated fairly regularly, so hopefully there will be something there for you to read! I’m also trying to post on Snapchat a bit more, so if you fancy following me, my username is Jennycole44.

What have you been up to this week? I always enjoy hearing about your news and adventures!

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Spring Denims and Florals

I don’t really do many fashion posts on my blog, and it’s something I really want to change, as fashion is one of my big loves (as is shopping!) So I thought I would show you an outfit I picked up recently, which is perfect for spring and also a total bargain. A denim jacket is a great transition piece from spring to summer, and this one is super comfortable and affordable. I love the dainty floral print on this dress and it’s made from a very delicate and flowing material, making it perfect for the warmer days that I’m hoping are on their way!

Primark Denim Jacket - £12

Primark Floral Dress - £13

Primark Tan Ballet Flats - £3.50

RayBan Glasses (Similar)

Have you bought anything nice for your spring wardrobe that you think I might like? Or have you been to Primark recently and found a good bargain?!

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Sunday Snippets - 20th March 2016

I’ve finally reached the end of term! I have one more assignment to submit after Easter, but apart from that I’ve officially done everything I need to for my first year of University. How crazy is that?! It’s been a fairly busy week and I’ve been having a lot of trouble with my fatigue levels, but I’m hoping I can chill out a bit now and pace myself a little better. I’m also really looking forward to having more time to spend on my blog and YouTube channel. Perhaps now I can put more of my ideas into practise and start doing more blog posts and videos. I’ve got my eye on a new vlogging camera, which I’m hoping to purchase soon, so keep your eyes peeled for some vlogs! Not that my life is particularly interesting, but I think it’s a nice way to remember things and maybe watch them back at a later date.

Last Sunday was fairly standard, a lazy day not doing much at all. I spent the morning working on my blog and relaxing a bit, which is always nice! In the afternoon I worked pretty much solidly until the early evening on my essay for university. Thankfully I managed to almost finish it, which was a massive weight off my shoulders. We had a family meal in the evening and when we’d finished eating, Freddie decided to join us. I snapped this picture of him gazing at the patterns on the ceiling made by the reflections of our cutlery, and he looked so cute!

Monday was my ‘baby’ sister, Bekkah’s, 17^th birthday…where on earth does the time go?! I had a fairly quiet morning not really doing an awful lot. My Dad then drove me over to Uni, picking my brother up on the way. I submitted my portfolio and then managed to get stuck halfway up the stairs in the disabled lift, which decided to break down, so that was a little embarrassing! When I finally got out, I waited for my mentor for a while, but she got held up so we just headed home. Bekkah opened her cards and presents with us, and then she headed off to Gravity Force with my other sister and her friend. I proofread and submitted my essay online, then did a few jobs on my computer that I’d needed to do for a while.

Tuesday was quite a manic day, but I was able to get some things done that needed doing. It started with an appointment with my Pain Consultant. He told me to increase my Pregabalin, which I’m anxious about doing because it seems to be causing me to gain weight. He also doesn’t think the injections will help me so has taken me off the waiting list, which sucks a bit as I was really pinning my hopes on them giving me some relief. On the way home, my Mum and I popped into Homesense to find a couple of pretty storage boxes. They have so much to choose from in that shop – I could spend hours there! I slept for a couple of hours when we got home, which wasn’t planned but I obviously needed it. My Mum and I then popped to Tesco and also had a quick look at the make-up in Marks and Spencer. I treated myself to a couple of the new Rosie Huntingdon Whitley products, which are so pretty. I’m hoping to do a proper blog post about them soon.

My Wednesday didn’t really start off as I’d planned it to – I slept through my alarms (I set quite a few!) and didn’t wake up until around 11am – oops! I think it was partly down to overdoing it on Tuesday, and I felt pretty unwell all day so just tried to take it slowly. I managed to get a video edited and uploaded to my YouTube channel, which you can find here, but it left me with a bad headache. I spent the afternoon filling this beautiful box (from Homesense) with goodies for one of my closest friends, who recently told me she’s pregnant. It is meant to be a sort of pregnancy survival kit, so I hope everything in it will prove useful to her! I’ve taken photos on my DSLR of everything inside, so might pop a blog post up about it if it’s something you’d be interested in seeing? I also sorted out some paperwork that’s been sitting waiting to be done for ages, so that felt good to tick it off my to-do list.

Thursday was quite a stressful day and it left me completely drained. It was my full day at Uni and because it was the end of term and we only have one more session after Easter, there was a lot to get done. I spent the morning writing a news story about the national biscuit shortage, which was interesting! At lunch, to celebrate reaching the end of term, I went to Maison Blanc with a few of the girls on my course. I treated myself to this cute bunny cupcake, which was vanilla flavour with white chocolate ears, and a berry smoothie. I spent the afternoon working solidly on getting the fashion spread for our newspaper nearly finished. I felt pretty awful by the time I got home, but looking back I achieved an awful lot and need to remind myself of that.

I was feeling pretty wiped out on Friday after my busy day on Thursday, but thankfully I was able to have a bit of a lie-in. In the morning I went out with my Dad to take photos of disabled access around my town, as I’m writing an article for our local magazine. It was fun but absolutely freezing! Where is Spring?! I then ended up falling asleep on the sofa for a couple of hours, which was not what I had planned as I’ve got so many other things to do! I managed to get a bit of work done in the afternoon, then my lovely friend Charlie and her little girl, Izzi, popped round to see me with all these amazing gifts! I was so surprised and touched – a few of my friends had got together and put all these pampering bits together to remind me how much they care about me. I’m so lucky to have such kind and caring people around me!

Yesterday was a quiet day, which left me feeling a bit flat to be honest. I spent the morning editing photos whilst watching Family Guy (a guilty pleasure!). I also had help from Freddie, who wanted to sit on my knee and cuddle, so I didn’t get an awful lot done! But him and Alfie really helped to keep my spirits up throughout the day. In the afternoon I wrote some of the article about disabled access that I’m doing, and then popped out to the newsagent with my Mum so I could pick up a few Easter cards.

If you haven’t read my blog before, I just wanted to let you know that I have a second blog, which mainly focuses on my health in more depth than I talk about it here. It’s largely for friends and family to follow and keep up with what’s going on, but if it’s something you would be interested in reading as well, you are more than welcome to follow me over there. I’ve actually changed the name from Unicorns and Floral Crowns to ‘Zebra Crossing’ and you can find it by clicking here. I’m trying to keep it updated fairly regularly, so hopefully there will be something there for you to read! I’m also trying to post on Snapchat a bit more, so if you fancy following me, my username is Jennycole44.

What have you been up to this week? I always enjoy hearing about your news and adventures!

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