January Sales Suck.

I hate shopping at the best of times. There, I said it. But the January sales in particular drive me up the wall. Why should I enjoy battling through chaos in the local shopping centre, fighting my way past nutters who have been up since some ungodly hour just so they could be first in line to blitz their way through a horrific mess of seasons-old clothes which are still overpriced in spite of their offensively unavoidable red signs promising 'up to' 50% OFF!?! I find the red signs unsettling, alarming even. The amount of people in the shops who are downright aggressive needs policing more efficiently! Why are the clothes never tidy, or organized, or even *gasp* in a good condition? Why do brands think I am dumb enough to ignore the 'From £60 to £58' tags on the item and only pay attention to the horrifically misleading, 'up to 70% OFF' sign in the shop window, with 'up to' in the smallest font known to humanity *ahem, TOPSHOP, ahem*? If I didn't want the shoes over a year ago when they were priced at the same 'bargain' price of £30 why the hell would I want them now??? I absolutely do not want to go and waste my Christmas gift vouchers on things I would never normally buy if they were full priced, so why on earth do some shops completely clear their floors of new stock, just to shove the old stuff which nobody wants down my throat??? 

*Look at the state of Miss Selfridge!*

Review: Clinique 3 Step Skincare for Combination Skin...

So I know that Clinique's 3 Step Skincare routine isn't particularly 'new' on the beauty scene. In fact, the 3 Step System is possibly one of the most world-renowned cleansing routines on the market at the moment, and hundreds of thousands of women world-wide label it as their go-to for gorgeous skin. However, at £20 for just the introduction kit I wanted to try out the range before committing to an expensive cleansing routine which I might not like. Luckily, Clinique are very generous and offer two weeks worth of samples for free to every new customer. Knowing how much I love free stuff, I rocked up to my local Clinique counter in Boots and had a twenty minute-long consultation where the lady who helped me was absolutely fantastic. I left with three miniatures of Clinque's most popular products for combination skin and it was as easy as that! Huge apologies in advance for the terrible quality of my Crapberry photos :)

So first up is the Clinique Mild Liquid Facial Soap. This gel based formula lathers to create what feels like a very moisturizing cleanser which I don't usually expect from a gel for combination skin. Whilst I was using it, I thought it was so lush and because of the suds it felt like a proper luxury experience. After rubbing the foam in circular motions over my face and splashing my face with water a couple of times to get nice and clean I was happy. For about five minutes. After five minutes, my skin felt a little tight (although not unbearably so) and looked a bit shiny, almost like I'd polished my face with wax, which I know sounds really weird.

Next up was step two, Clinique's Clarifying Lotion. This is a toner type product which you're supposed to dampen a cotton wool pad with and sweep it across your face. The idea is that this product removes any final dregs of makeup or oils which have been left on your skin so that you're not locking them in when you smooth over the moisturizer. I've always been a bit scared of toners because I've often found them to be quite harsh and drying. Unfortunately, I found this to be exactly the case with this product. It smelt a bit like I was wiping nail polish remover across my face, to the extent where I couldn't even come within an inch of my eyes because they stung when I did. Sure, it felt refreshing enough, but about two minutes after the toner had dried my skin felt even more tight than after the cleanser. Also, my face was ever-so-slightly red and clearly irritated by the assault which Clinique had unleashed on it. This clarifying lotion did undoubtedly remove the last bits of makeup which is visible from the UsedCottonPad photo I took. However, I was shocked that the cleanser had left this much makeup on my face in the first place! Not good.

Finally, is step three, Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel. Only once before have I used a gel-based moisturizer (that time it was from Clarins and I loved it although never repurchased because I found it too expensive...) and this time I found the same fantastic results. This moisturizer is perfect for combination skin as it isn't so heavy that it suffocates your pores but is creamy enough to take care of any dry patches. I also found that this product can be used really sparingly, making it more cost effective. With this moisturizer, the drying effects of the cleanser and toner were reversed and my skin felt better than it had before I'd started the three step system.

As you can see, my Clinique 3 Step System journey has been a rollercoaster ride which I've taking morning and night for two weeks. I always try to use a new skincare routine for at least two weeks in order to give it chance to properly get to work on me. In this case, after just three days I found I started to get breakouts around my nose and between my eyebrows and those which I already had on my chin were further aggravated. However, I understand that when using a new brand or new products, skin can go through a 'purging' experience where it gets worse before it gets better as all of the impurities are being lifted to the surface before being flushed out. But still, I don't believe I will be purchasing the three step system sadly. Part of the blame must lie with myself, as I told the Clinique consultant that I have combination skin when really in hindsight I think I probably have dry skin. This confusion arose from the occasional spot that I get on my chin which I assumed meant I am oily in some areas, but upon further research I've since realized that they are menstrual breakouts and are in fact nothing really to do with the skin itself. Having said that, I won't purchase the whole line, although I would definitely consider investing in the moisturizer as I must admit its quite possibly the best I've ever used! 

There's a no-makeup picture for you. Its funny really because with the Clinique 3 Step System my skin looks and feels so clean and fresh after I've completed the whole thing, but the discomfort after the cleanser through the toner and until the moisturizer just isn't worth it for me. That said, I need to make clear that Clinique are a fab company and I'm sure they'll be happy to help me adjust my samples in order to try out a line more suited to my skin as the lady in Boots was so helpful. Furthermore, please everyone keep in mind that this is JUST MY EXPERIENCE with the system. Everyone's skin is different and whilst some people may call this line their 'Holy Grail of Cleansing Systems' I would have to disagree on a personal level. Please don't let this deter you from trying out the range though. Finally, although I did not purchase the products for this review they are provided in sample sizes which are available to anyone interested in the Clinique 3 Step Program. Also, I was not paid in any way for this review.

Have you tried Clinique's 3 Step System before? Do you have any toner recommendations for me? Have you experienced gel moisturizers before?

The Clinique 3 Step System introduction kit can be bought from Boots online for £20, however, I would advise anyone and everyone to make the most of the consultation service which the brand offer in store, in order to give you an expert opinion of what should work best.

Love and snuggles

gabriellasofia

x

HauteHaul January Part 3 - Boots Drugstore Essentials!

Some of you might find this a really dull video but I'm really nosy and love watching other people's drugstore hauls so I figured I'd film one. I've given you some tips here on where the bargains are at the moment too, so keep an eye out for 2 for 1 offers and Boots Advantage Card coupons also. They save me a bundle!

Don't forget to check out Part 1 which includes Topshop sale goodies:

http://hautefuture.blogspot.com/2012/01/hautehaul-january-part-1-topshop-sales.html

And also my H&M, Lush and Dior bits in Part 2:

http://hautefuture.blogspot.com/2012/01/hautehaul-january-part-2-h-lush-and.html

Please check out my other sites and let me know what you think in the comments box below:

Please follow me on Twitter at:

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Click 'Follow' on my blog which has tons of reviews, beauty-fashion-lifestyle features and more:

http://hautefuture.blogspot.com/

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http://www.youtube.com/user/HauteFuture?feature=watch

Also check out my facebook page at:

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Finally, here is the link for the Joe Gilligan Trust:

http://www.joegilligantrust.com/

Please rate, like, follow, comment and subscribe and I promise there will be loads of beauty, fashion, lifestyle, culture and gossip material going up on here each week :)

Thanks for watching, guys and I'll see you soon!

Love

gabriellasofia x

Empties Review...

I'm not even joking guys, I'm going crazy at the moment with studying which is why my posts have been a bit thin on the ground... or non-existent on the ground! However, I have a quick empties post which I've added a couple of mini reviews to... so here goes...

As you can see, I've finished using my Dead Sea Spa Magik Bath Salts which I got in a Glossybox my sister was forced to buy at The Clothes Show. I also used up my lovely Pantene Repair and Protect samples sent to me by the hair-geniuses (what is the plural of genius? Genii? Let me know in the comments!) And finally, although it's not technically empty, I've included my balance Me Super Moisturising Body Wash, as I actually won't be using it again unfortunately :(

Dead Sea Spa Magic Bath Salts

This was one of the 'gems' I found in the Glossybox my younger sister was pressured into buying at The Clothes Show. Despite finishing these salts, it's almost as if they never existed as they don't really have a scent, don't do anything to my bathwater, and also don't make me feel any different when I'm relaxing! According to the company, in theory 'The salts contain 21 beneficial minerals and are used on the skin for their curative and therapeutic properties. Particularly beneficial in alleviating dry skin conditions as well as acting as a natural exfoliant, remarkably improving skin texture. The wonderful relaxation sensation is caused by the bromides, and magnesium and potassium help soothe aches'. They are supposed to retail at £5.50 for 1 kilo and to be honest, I wouldn't pay 5p for them, sadly.

Pantene Repair and Protect Range

I'm now a huge fan of this range! Even after just two uses I am hooked :) Next trip I take into Anywhere-That-Sells-Shampoo I'm going to be purchasing this sharpish. This range is great for those with Normal to Thick hair, and had tons of Hair Fixing chemicals which are ideal for sorting out heat damage and chemical damage also. I used the shampoo which lathered into a really rich creamy texture. Plus, it smelt delicious! Then it was time for the conditioner which was the only but which I wouldn't really rate, just because it was a bit too 'slippy'... I know that is generally the nature of conditioner, but it was the kind of texture where it literally slipped right off my hand, and I'm sure that most of the product ended up on my shower floor than in my hair. BUT NEVER FEAR because the next step is uber-conditioning and acts as a lush treatment. The 2 Minute Intensive Repair Treatment was quite a thick creamy formula and I did exactly as the instructions suggest working from the tips of your hair upwards towards the roots. Using a wide-tooth comb I made sure my hair was nicely de-tangled and then put it in a loose plait. I was a bit naughty and left it for about five minutes before rinsing it off and I genuinely found that my hair was thicker and full of shiny volume after I'd allowed it to dry naturally. I really want to invest in more of their products, but for now all you need to know is that the shampoo is £4.69, the conditioner is £4.69 and the treatment is £4.69 also! Ideal :) You can buy them here... if they work for my crazy mane I'm sure they'll work for you!

   balence Me Super Moisturising Body Wash 

This was another item which I got at The Clothes Show as it was hidden inside an ELLE magazine goodie bag. I ran out of my Clean on Me by Soap&Glory the other day, so I grabbed this when I was in the bath, splodged some into my hand and my eyes filled with tears. I experience eczema on the palms of my hands and on my fingers when I'm stressed, and as I have three assignments due in very soon, my skin is painfully cracked and looking very sore. The citrus-y ingredients in this product stung the tiny cuts on my hands and I couldn't even have my hands in the bath after I'd rinsed it off because it was so ouch-y. This is a huge shame as the product itself is very nice. It even boasts on the back of the bottle that it is so moisturizing that if you were in a rush you could skip your moisturizing/body butter routine! Again it had a very rich lather and smelt delicious... would be perfect as a wake-up call in the morning as its fruity and tangy smelling. I know this is really random, but it's really pretty in your bathroom too! The bright orange colour makes me smile so I'm not going to throw this out but give it to my sister. I would recommend this to anyone without skin irritation. However, at £12.25 this is quite a lot for a shower gel... You can buy it here.

So that's it for my most recent empties! I think I'll be running this kind of post as often as I can because I think it's interesting for people to see what my thoughts were on a topic, especially if I've been so addicted to it that it's now empty! 

Thanks for reading, and please bear with me whilst I have all of these deadlines coming up :) HauteFuture is and will always be my first love, but I need to get my degree!

What products have you been rating recently? Does anyone know a good body wash for those with skin irritations? Would you spend £12.25 on a shower gel??? Leave it in the comments below <3

Love

gabriellasofia

Haute Future Haute Haul... Christmas Gifts!

I know this is late... I apologize but as I've said in my previous post, I've been laid up in bed with a horrible cold for the past few days (since the day before Christmas Eve in fact!) Poor me. But never fear, I am in relatively good health again, which means that the excitement of all the lovely goodies I've had has actually hit me! Here are my pressies before I opened them... I couldn't for the life of me work out what the big one was. My mom thought she was hilarious when she went, 'It's the doll you asked for!!!' My parents made me leave it until the end. What could it be? :)

Here are a couple of Christmas dinner pictures to keep you in suspense...

Mummy sets the table so pretty... 

Prawn Cocktail and Brown Bread to start!

TURKEY TIME!!!

And now, without much further ado... it's present time! Let's start with my stocking fillers. Since my sister found out 'The Truth' we have chosen items to put in each other's stockings. We buy the bits, wrap them up, then leave them in a bag. Then, overnight, Father Christmas puts them in our respective stockings and adds extra goodies :) The bits for my sister are in the festive pine-cone and snowed-on-leaves paper, I thought it was so cute!

Weeee presents for meeeeee!

Here is the mess I created after opening all of my goodies...

These are the bits my sister chose for me... I have some chocolate lady-bugs in a ice-cream cup, four (already burned one) Yankee Candle tarts in yummy winter scents like cinnamon and apple cider, some dill sauce (random, but nom nonetheless), a hot chocolate stick, a Hershey's Cookies and Cream bar, a mixer for making raspberry mojitos, some Twizzlers (my favorite US candy), two pairs of earrings and a silver ring. Thanks Meewps :)

These are the bits which Santa Claus added for me... I also had a couple of sachets of delicious popping candy but they're long gone now. In my belly. Thanks Santa :)

As if that's not enough sweets and chocolate, these are some more that I found all wrapped up downstairs too! I'm going to be FAT in the New Year. And I don't even care. That is of course until the New Year...

Now, let's get onto the best bits... The Beauty Pieces! First up, I got the Trevor Sorbie Beautiful Volume collection. I love this brand since I received it last Christmas. It makes my hair look so healthy and their leave-in conditioner is the best detangler I've found so far.

This one has been a long time coming, but I am finally the proud owner of an Urban Decay NAKED palette! Rejoice! I can't wait to practice some awesome new eye looks... the possibilities are endless with this collection and I simply cannot wait :)

These are the five little pieces which I've wanted for ages... Two beauty-product celebrities, NARS blush in Orgasm and my first ever MAC brush, the 219 (this seems to have been cut from the top of the picture somehow, no fair.) I've also got some great benefit bits which I've had my eye on since the summer. The mango-tinted stain ChaChaTint, Moon Beam and the 2011 miracle mascara, They're Real!

As requested, I received a gift box of Soap N Glory goodies. They include Clean on Me, Flake Away, Glad Hair Day, Hand Food, Girligio, The Righteous Butter, a loofah and this nice big toiletry bag. I prefer showers when I'm sick, so I can't wait to have a nice long pampering soak in the bath now I'm better...

These two items are total luxuries! The In Crowd Nails INC collection contains 15 of the companies best selling polishes, and the benefit Crescent Row perfume collection carries four of the most beautiful scents I've known so far. I'm already a massive fan of So Hooked on Carmella by benefit, so I'm sure I'll get on with these perfumes like a house on fire!

I've also been gifted these two little toiletry boxes. My next door neighbors gave me the Champneys box which contains a couple of rich body creams, a loofah, a body wash and a bubble bath. My cousin Ruby treated me to this Natural Moods set which contains a soap and a body wash also... Thanks guys! 

My best pal Vikki so kindly bought me ALL THESE BITS!!! A super-cute little brown satchel from Primarni, a pair of adorable socks from New Look, the Terry's Chocolate Orange (featured in my chocolate and sweets pic), an electric blue nail art pen by Flirt which I can't wait to experiment with, an eyeliner from Soap N Glory's new cosmetics range and finally, one of my all-time favorite perfumes, Ghost in Ghost. What did I do to deserve all these presents Vik??? Hardly complaining though! Thanks a dozen baby. 

 

Look at all of the jewelry my mom got for me... They all suit me so well. I've already worn one pair of the H&M earrings as you can tell from their absence on the card... 

My mom also bought me a lovely pajama set from Topshop... She also got me a lovely purple stripy dressing-gown from Topshop too, but it's not been off my back since I got it during opening my presents, and since I'm ill I've hardly had any photographs taken since then. You'll just have to trust me when I say it's really, really nice.

And the super-cool hot pink 80's jumper I sported on Christmas day. Jazzy, huh? I love it! 

I got two books about the Harry Potter series and films which will be perfect as I can use them in my dissertation of Children's Literature in the 20th Century. My grandma and grandad got me a cheese-board (I'M OBSESSED WITH CHEESE) and also a copy of Uncle Tom's Cabin which apparently revolutionized American Literature, so I'm excited to read it. My parents got me a subscription to one of my favorite magazines, Company, plus two books about Retail Business. My dad took it upon himself to surprise me with  a book about how to recreate vintage-inspired make-up looks! So sweet!

And also... I GOT A KINDLE!!!!!!!! YES YES AND YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!

We're now coming to the end of my haul. This next piece was a total suprise. Now, everyone who's anyone (even haters apparently...) know that I live in the box room as my parents moved my sister into my old room when I left for uni, and now I've returned home for my final year to save some money, it's only fair that I take her old room so she doesn't have to move all her things again. This is totally fine. However, this means I can hardly fit a wardrobe in my bedroom, so we've had to be creative with clothes storage ideas... My parents found this clothes hanger from a chic furniture store in Chester. It's absolutely perfect and I can't wait to put it up in the corner of my room and hang my prettiest dresses from it for the world to see :)

Finally, this is the big one. The one I never expected to get but have been quietly pining over since my interest in beauty began. My parents, crazy-beautiful people, have treated me to a big pink make-up train storage case!!! This is absolutely perfect, I can't believe they even got the one I've been fantasizing over!

This means my make-up won't be spread across my dresser anymore in a disorganized mess. There is a section for everything! I may even have space to store my hair-dryer and curlers in the bottom. My God, I can't thank them enough!

Isn't it beautiful?

I've really been terribly lucky this year. I also got a super pretty Kindle and laptop case and three pairs of socks which didn't get separately photographed... On top of all that, I also received about £65 worth of store vouchers. I can't wait to get spending in the sales... Boots, Topshop and River Island, here I come, and I'm taking no prisoners. Check out the bits I'm on the lookout for here.

So that's that! All of my presents are still stacked up in the living room so I could gaze longingly at them when I was sick...

I couldn't wait to start practicing with the make-up and sporting the gorgeous jewelry, but when you're sick as a dog, you don't even feel like getting dressed in the morning never mind painting my face or hanging my accessories. I couldn't even enjoy the chocolates as I couldn't swallow :(

SO glad I'm back on form and can eat myself into oblivion. After all, that's what Christmas is all about!

Thank you to everyone who bought me a gift this year! I hope that everyone I've bought for has enjoyed their presents as much as I am now enjoying mine :) Thanks to this haul, you can expect a ton of beauty reviews on the way pretty soon, so keep an eye out!

What have you had for Christmas? Do you know what you're spending your vouchers on? Did any of you get a Kindle too? I love mine already and I can't wait to work out some more of the features!

Thanks guys, and I wish you a (slightly) belated, Merry Christmas :)

Love

gabriellasofia

Review: J'adore by Dior Eau De Parfum

Having recently written about all of the gorgeous perfume adverts on the television at the moment, I've decided to pick my top few adverts and see if the impression I get from watching the adverts matches the actual scent. You can see my perfume ad post named Don't Judge a Book by its Cover... or a Perfume by its Advert! here.

I've already reviewed the beautiful Valentina by Valentino Eau de Parfum here and I decided that I'd like to mix things up a bit by doing a review of a totally different scent next. Dior J'adore is perhaps one of the most iconic television adverts at the moment, starring Charlize Theron amongst three Hollywood starlets of years gone by, Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly and Marlene Dietrich. The spanning of generations throughout the catwalk-themed advert suggests that this fragrance is timeless and will suit any woman of any age, as long as she's aware of our inner-screen siren (don't pretend you don't have one, you know you do!) 

So let's get down to business. J'adore by Dior retailers, Boots, simply say:

Inspired by J’adore, François Demachy created a fragrance made in the image of precious gold, from the choice of raw materials to the composition, and from the texture to the colour of the perfume.

Well, retailing at the hefty fine of £85 for just 40ml of product, I would expect the bottle to be made of solid gold and the perfume to be liquid gold. But that's just me. Of course I didn't spend anywhere near that much for this review... in fact, I spent nothing at all! 

I was lucky enough to receive a free sample size of this extortionately priced item... And whilst I can admit that I simply would never spend £85 for 40ml of ANYTHING, I can also concede that this perfume is absolutely lush!

Now, I'll be the first to confess that I know absolutely nothing about perfume. I know that I get So Hooked on Carmella by benefit cosmetics and it's sweet and not to pricey. That's where my perfume knowledge starts and finishes. This is kind of what made me realize how great J'adore is!

Despite being a total and utter novice at perfume sniffing (the equivalent to wine tasting, but with sniffing instead... and perfume but no wine...) I automatically smelt a hint of rose and also a kind of sweet, exotic something too. As it turns out, when I checked the bouquet on the official J'adore by Dior website I soon found that I was also smelling Jasmine and Ylang Ylang, two scents which I have since gone out of my way to smell in my parents' shop (they sell essential oils and other gift-wares) and recognized from this perfume.

I'd almost say that there is a slightly spicy element to J'adore, which isn't at all unpleasant. In fact, each time I smell it, I find the spiciness kind of grows on me, although I'm not sure exactly what it is that creates this spice... 

This is definitely a more floral-based scent, and I find it quite strong and obvious as a perfume but I mean this in the best possible way. I gave myself a spritz this morning on all of my pulse points and when I rub those points, I could still smell it at 9pm before my evening shower. I feel like this perfume is slightly more sophisticated than the rebellious Valentina in my previous review. This is more a scent for a woman who know where she is, she's in control of her life and is happy with it. For this reason I would suggest that it may be more suitable to a slightly older consumer base than Valentina. Perhaps perfect for a career woman, or someone who has learnt a lot about the people around her over the years, and is nobody's door mat. She's not wearing this scent to entice boys, or gain friends, or achieve compliments. She's simply wearing it because she loves it, and it loves her right back! It suits her to a T.

I wonder if Christian Dior knew that this perfume would be favored by a more sophisticated woman than a flirty girl. After all, it can't be just a coincidence that his preferred shape in a feminine body features an "accentuated bust and hips, the waistline of a princess" a figure usually associated with a seductive woman, which the figure 8 line of the bottle echoes, can it?

To conclude, J'adore is a beautifully confident, feminine and no-nonsense fragrance in which the sweetness of the floral bouquet is off-setted with that mysterious spicy scent which I still can't seem to pinpoint. The most important thing if purchasing this perfume is knowing the person who you are buying it for... Does she know what glamour is? If so, her and a bottle of J'adore by Dior will get on like a house on fire!

Have you tried this scent yet? Would you spend £85 on a 40ml Eau de Parfum? What is that spiciness that I can smell??? Tell me I'm not going crazy!

Love
gabriellasofia

Review - Sally Hansen Nail Growth Miracle in Bold Buff

Hi there!

So today I'm blogging about my new favourite nail product around and let me tell you, it will save your nails! Haha, big promise, but I have every belief that this product is (as it's name would suggest) a miracle for nails. Sally Hansen's Nailgrowth Miracle in Bold Buff is a creamy nude-coloured, french pink shade which is really pretty and shines like the light of the sun. Seriously, it's such a nice formula, I've had people comment on how healthy my nails look and questions like, 'Wow, how do you keep your nails in such good shape?'

What is the product claim? Well, that's the sad thing... Sally Hansen is a brand which is constantly developing and evolving, so despite only buying this from www.boots.com about three months ago, the colour seems to have been discontinued in order to make space for the next best thing! That 'thing' being a gold-bottled clear polish by the same name. I even can't get Bold Buff on the Sally Hansen website, which is a shame really as I'm pretty addicted to it. Anyways, I assume the claim for the gold bottle is the same of that for the pink colour, so here goes...

'Salon Strength Treatment 30% longer-looking nails in 5 days!

You'll get stronger, harder, yet flexible nails which grow longer.'

And it's as simple as that. I totally 100% agree with the product claim. I tend to directly apply two coats to a newly buffed nail then apply a new coat every day. There is no need for a base coat whatsoever, it's great! After just four days, I saw that the part of nail at the base (near my cuticle) had about a millimeter of unpainted nail and I couldn't understand it. That's until I realized that my nail was about a millimeter further past the tip of my finger than four days earlier. No joke, my nails had grown a millimeter or so in four days.

Now, don't get me wrong, I know that our nails grown every day. However, I've never noticed it like that before. Even when I'm wearing darker polishes, I've never seen the growth from nail bed before. This colour doesn't really chip, and I swear to God if it wasn't for the fact that once I have a thick enough coating of polish I have this apparent obligation to peel it off (so satisfying) then I'm sure I would have a nice thick covering still intact even now, a week and a half later!

As well as the fantastic treatment the formula provides, the colour is oh-so-feminine and makes my hands look like those of a classy Hollywood movie star.

Ten out of ten for Nailgrowth Miracle and I think every girl looking for healthy nails with a shiny polish should invest considering you are effectively getting a salon treatment at home! It costs £9.65 on www.boots.com and is totally worth the money.

Love

gabriellasofia

x

My Christmas Wish List... Updated Regularly...

Dear Santa Claus,

Thank you very much for my presents last year... I really enjoyed the X Factor concert with my mom and sister, I've used my hair curlers about a million times and I absolutely loved my dictaphone as I've used in many of my lectures to help me to take notes. I'm surprised that all of the university books you bought me didn't weigh down your sleigh! Hopefully it will all pay off in June which is when I should hopefully graduate.

I've been a really good girl this year. I've been working really hard at university and I've been very good to my family recently, as I've been living at home this semester and commuting to uni. I occasionally cook, wash the dishes, collect my sister from school, clean out the cats' litter tray and go to the Co-Op to fetch bits that my parents need. I promise I'll be just as good next year.

Of course, in return for my good behavior, I have a few things that I would like under the Christmas tree this year, if I may be so bold :)

Please could I have...

An Amazon Kindle

Kindle books...

Some benefit goodies... Especially 'they're real! mascara', 'chacha tint' and 'moon beam highlighter'

Trevor Sorbie Beautiful Volume Collection from Boots

Books about starting up an online retail business...

Soap & Glory Goodies of ANY DESCRIPTION

Lush Goodies of ANY DESCRIPTION

Gold-looking jewelry from Forever21, Topshop, Miss Selfridge etc... Stud earrings, long hanging necklaces, big rings... Here are some examples but anything similar will do!

Subscriptions to any of the following magazines...

NAILS INC!!! Anything, especially the magnetic polishes or this massive collection of minis...

A good quality eye make-up brush collection... This ones from Sigma would be perfect!

Santa, that's all I can think of right now, but I will be updating this list as and when I think of other present ideas. I know I won't get ALL of these things, but they're just some ideas. Perhaps you could hand this list over to my friends and family so they know what to get me too?

Thanks Santa, I really appreciate it. As usual, I will leave you a mince pie and glass of milk on the window sill at the top of the stairs. And some kidney beans for Rudolf... It seems he didn't like them last year as he left a very rude message on the plate (it said 'F*k You... he even spelt it wrong!) Beans are good for him though, so you should really try and encourage him to eat them (he doesn't want to end up on the naughty list, does he?)

Anyway, I'm super excited for Christmas day and I'll carry on being a good girl :)

Love as always

gabriellasofia

x