Miss Sadie K xx: 2015

Christmas Gift Guide... For Her

1. Sleek Make Up Silver Gift Box, £25 from Superdrug - This Sleek gift box contains a mascara, lip gloss, brow kit, eyeshadow palette and an eye and cheek palette. It is currently reduced from £40 to £25 at Superdrug and would make a beautiful gift for any makeup lover.

2. Deer Print Pyjamas, £25 and Cosy Bunny Print Pyjamas, £25 both from Next - I think pyjamas make a great Christmas gift, who doesn't like to get all snuggled up by the fire on a cold and dark winter night in a nice set of pyjamas? Next is one of my favourite places to shop for nightwear and I'm loving their woodland themed collection this winter.

3. Soap & Glory Belle Of The Ball, £12 from Boots - I love how this Soap & Glory gift set looks like a giant girly bauble and what girl doesn't love a good pamper? This set contains some of their Smoothie Star range including two of my favourites; Hand Food and Breakfast Scrub.

4. Classic Christmas Sleekster, £22 from Hotel Chocolat - I absolutely love Hotel Chocolat chocolates and this box of Christmas inspired flavours such as Mulled Wine, Mice Pie Brownie and Brandy Butter would make a great gift for any chocolate lover.

5. 70's Saddle Bag, £20.30 from Accessorize - One of my first stops when looking for Christmas gifts is Accessorize they always have a great selection of bags and jewellery. I tend to buy a bag as a gift for someone every year because what girl couldn't do with another bag? It will always go to good use.

6. Christmas Melt Warmer Gift Set, £18.99 and Twelve Melts Tube Gift Set, £15.99 from Yankee Candle - I'm obsessed with Yankee Candle's Christmas scents and would be thrilled to receive any of them at Christmas. This little Christmas warmer gift set is so lovely and comes with a beautiful little warmer covered in snowflakes and reindeer and 3 christmas melts. I think the melts are great for someone like me who likes a change of scent rather than burning their way through a whole candle, which makes this tube of christmas melts the perfect gift.

7. Candy Cane Necklace Gift Card, £16 and Gingerbread Man Necklace Gift Card, £16 from Johnny Loves Rosie - These little Christmas themed necklaces are so cute and make a lovely little gift or stocking filler.

8. Brown Bunny Ballerina Slippers, £12 from Next - Another gift you can't go wrong with in my opinion is slippers. Everyone needs a good pair of slippers in the winter and this little bunny pair from Next are just adorable and inexpensive.

9. Silver Foil Print Beanie, £16 from Topshop - Woolly hats always make a great gift for Christmas and this one ticks all the boxes with its fluffy pom pom and Christmas sparkle.

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, by Sadie

blanket scarf

The Blanket Scarf

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, by Sadie

beauty

Budget Concealer and Contour Palette

Concealer and Contour Palette, £4.75 - BornPretty*

I have to admit that when it comes to make up I am no professional, my everyday makeup tends to consist of a thin layer of foundation, a bit of concealer, eyeliner, a coat of mascara and a tiny bit of blush. As I like to keep it so simple I have been trying to find ways that I can make my skin look more flawless but still keep it looking natural. So I thought I'd give this palette from BornPretty a try, for £4.75 it is an absolute bargain and also comes with a 7 piece brush kit.

The brush kit is pretty simple and not something I'll probably use much but its a great little added bonus. It contains a brow brush and comb and eyeshadow sponge applicator, both pretty self explanatory. Next there is a small angled brush, which I have actually found perfect for applying gel eyeliner, and then a small lip brush. Then there is a small flat brush, which would be perfect for applying concealer to spots and around the nose but the bristles are really stiff making it a little harder to apply, I'm hoping to be able to find some way to soften them. The next brush is a larger fat brush and the bristles on this one are much softer and I used this brush to mark out my contouring, then the larger fluffier brush to blend my contouring out.

Now, onto the palette itself, it is made up of a highlighter, green, purple and yellow colour correctors and 11 skin tone shades ranging from light to dark making it suitable for practically any skin tone. They all have a creamy texture, something which is brand new to me as I have only ever used liquids or powders and I have to admit I am a complete cream convert. I found these really easy to apply and blend, and as a sufferer of dry skin I was intrigued how it would deal with them. I am pleased to report that there was not a dry patch in sight!

I have never really used colour correcting concealers before and just always saw it as an unnecessary hassle. Boy, was I wrong!! The green and yellow colour correctors were certainly put to the test as I have been suffering from a cold for the last week, which shows no signs of budging, and with a nose as red as rudolph and circles as dark as a panda under my eyes they had a lot of work to do. As the green concealer cancels out red I put this all around my nose and on any blemishes I had. It does seem a bit weird having green patches on my face but once they were covered, as you'll see from the picture below, there wasn't a hint of red in sight. Absolute magic! I then used the yellow concealer to tackle my dark eyes by patting it below my eyes and putting a thin layer on my eyelids. I then covered my face with a thin layer of foundation and there wasn't a hint of red or dark circle in sight. I then used the middle darker shade on the right hand side to contour, it did scare me a little how dark it was when I first applied it but if felt super creamy and blended out really beautifully, leaving me with a nice natural contour. I then did my eye makeup and blusher patting a bit of the highlighter to the tops of my cheeks and brow bone.

All in all I am really impressed with this palette and the green and yellow concealers are my new best friends. If you'd like to give this palette a try head over to BornPretty and use the code "SAK31" for an extra 10% off.

10 comments

, by Sadie

aveeno

Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion

Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion, £5.45 - Boots

For as long as I can remember I have always struggled with dry skin, which is why I'm always on the hunt for the perfect moisturiser to combat this problem. A problem I find a lot harder to tackle in the winter. We all know the cold winter weather can be harsh on our skin and all those extra layers keeping us warm gives our skin less chance to breathe. I also find that I drink a lot less water in the winter which also won't help in my mission to keep my skin hydrated and combat the dryness. So I thought I'd give a new moisturiser a try to keep my skin hydrated over the winter.

Aveeno is a brand that I've always been aware of but never tried before and whilst I was browsing Boots for a new moisturiser to try, this one caught my eye, mainly the promise that it will moisturise dry skin for 24 hours and I was intrigued by the use colloidal oatmeal. I've heard that if you add oatmeal to your bath it really helps to soothe and hydrate your skin, now I've never really fancied giving that a try but the addition of it to a moisturiser is something that really appealed to me. Now I know this isn't really a completely natural formulation but I like the idea of natural ingredients such as colloidal oatmeal, which is a finely milled oatmeal that has been proven to restore the skin's natural barrier and prevent water loss.

The Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion has a nice thick texture but is not too creamy. I'm not really keen on the thick creamy moisturisers that you have to rub and rub into your skin. This one soaks into your skin really nicely and leaves it feeling nice and hydrated without leaving it feeling too greasy. I also like that this moisturiser is fragrance free as I'm not really into fragranced cosmetics or skincare, although this does have a slight oat-y smell to it which doesn't bother me too much as I don't find it overpowering and it doesn't linger for too long. Although I think this is a great moisturiser and that it really does a great job of moisturising my skin, I don't think it quite meets it's promise of keeping skin moisturised for 24 hours. It may do on people that don't have quite as dry skin as me, but I do start to feel my skin drying again towards the end of the day. I think this is a pretty big promise to make though and I still prefer it to a lot of other moisturisers that I have tried previously. The final thing that this moisturiser promises to do is significantly improve the condition of dry skin in 2 weeks. I have been using this moisturiser for longer than that now and I have definitely seen an improvement in the condition of my skin and have a lot less dry patches than before. How significant this improvement has been, the jury is still out. It is, however, a great moisturiser that I would definitely repurchase.

What is your favourite winter moisturiser?

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, by Sadie

butternut squash and sweet potato soup

Butternut Squash And Sweet Potato Soup

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, by Sadie

coats

Friday Favourites: Winter Coats

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, by Sadie

beauty

Seventeen Define & Conquer Contour Kit

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, by Sadie

baking

Pumpkin Spiced Piñata Cake

Having never tried pumpkin before, I decided that this Halloween I was going to bake something that incorporates pumpkin into the recipe. I wanted to do something more fun than a traditional pumpkin pie so I thought I'd give a pumpkin spiced cake a go and turn it into this pumpkin shaped piñata cake, filled with a super yummy honey and cinnamon buttercream and stuffed with sweets in the middle. Pumpkin isn't really very big here in England so I apologise that the cake recipe will be in cups whilst the rest of the recipe will be in grams, but if you don't have any measuring cups there are several conversion charts online and vice versa if you only use measuring cups.

You Will Need:

1 or 2 bundt tins

Orange Fondant (approx 750g)

Green Fondant

Black Fondant

Sweets

For The Cake:

2 cups Unsalted Butter

2 1/2 cups Caster Sugar

5 cups Plain Flour

4 tsp Baking Powder

2 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

4 tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp Nutmeg

1 tsp Ginger

1/2 tsp Ground Cloves

1 tsp Salt

2 cans Pumpkin Puree

1 1/2 cups Buttermilk

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

6 Eggs

For The Buttercream:

250g Unsalted Butter

480g Icing Sugar

4 tbsp Milk

1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon

2-3 tbsp Honey

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350°F/170°C and grease your bundt tins and lightly coat with a dusting of plain flour.

2. Using a freestanding mixer beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

3. In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and salt.

4. In another large bowl mix together the pumpkin puree, buttermilk and vanilla essence.

5. Add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture and beat for a minute until fully combined.

6. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add a quarter of the flour mixture until combined, followed by a third of the pumpkin mixture and so on alternating until it is all combined. You should be left with a fairly thick batter, be sure not to overheat.

7. Split the mixture between your two bundt tins (if you only have one in fill it with half the mixure and leave the rest to stand in the bowl, giving it a good stir before you fill the tin for the second layer) and bake in the oven for 55 mins-1 hour until a skewer comes out clean.

8. Whilst the cakes are cooling make the buttercream, start by whisking the butter for a few minutes until pale and creamy.

9. Add half the icing mixture and whisk until fully combined.

10. Add the milk and whisk, followed by the rest of the icing sugar, mix well until you have a light and creamy buttercream.

11. Add the cinnamon and mix, then add the honey according to how sweet you'd like your buttercream to be.

12. Once the cakes are fully cooled, place the bottom layer on your cake stand or board and spread the top with a generous amount of buttercream. Place the second layer on top and cover with the rest of the buttercream.

13. Fill the hole in the centre with sweets of your choice, I opted for some halloween themed sweets.

14. Once the buttercream has set slightly cover the cake with the orange fondant.

15. Roll some green fondant into a ball until smooth and shape into a stem, brush the bottom with a little water and place on top.

16. Roll out some black fondant and cut out the shapes for your pumpkin face, leave to dry slightly, then brush with a little water and place them on the front of the pumpkin.

I'd love to see if you give this cake a try or what your favourite Halloween treats are, so be sure to tag me on Instagram here or Twitter here.

11 comments

, by Sadie

beauty

L'Oreal Paris Lumi Magique Foundation

Over summer I have happily been using Bare Minerals Complexion rescue (which you can see my review of here) but as winter started to approach I decided I wanted to try something new. Already having dry skin winter can be pretty harsh on it so I wanted something that provided a little bit more coverage but still left my skin feeling hydrated and dewy looking.

L'Oreal's Lumi Magique is a light infusing foundation that promises to give your skin instant radiance and leaving it looking glowing. It contains SPF 18 which, although we don't see much sun here in winter, is always great for protecting the skin. The main selling point to me though is that promises to provide 24 hours of hydration. I went for the lightest shade Rose Pearl which turned out to be a pretty perfect match for my pale skin. It has a very light and silky feel and quite thin consistency which I feel is what makes it so hydrating. I apply it using my Real Techniques Expert Face Brush and find that it blends really nicely into my skin without clinging to dry patches. I would say this foundation is probably light to medium coverage. Luckily I don't really have any problem areas when it comes to my skin (apart from the dryness) but just like most girls I get the odd spot here and there, but this foundation is easily buildable to cover these little blemishes and provide a little more coverage. I do find this foundation leaves my skin with a nice dewy finish but not so dewy that my skin is left looking shiny and greasy, also set with a little powder I find it lasts all day and is so gentle on my skin.

For £10.99 I find it to be a pretty perfect foundation with a much more expensive feel. It is packaged in nice sturdy glass bottle with a beautiful rose gold pump which dispenses the foundation easily. I am able to cover my entire face with one full pump and just use a tiny little bit extra on days when I find I need a little bit more coverage. I can tell this is going to last me a long time so works out an absolute bargain if you base it on price per use.

L'Oreal Paris Lumi Magique Foundation, £10.99

Have you tried L'Oreal's Lumi Magique Foundation? I'd love to know what you think and if you have any other recommendations for foundations for dry skin.

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, by Sadie

denim

Denim Dungarees

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, by Sadie

baking

Greek Baklava

I have always loved Baklava and my trip to Santorini earlier in the year reignited my love for it. It's not really a dessert that's readily available in the UK, it's something I've only found in Waitrose, specialist shops and Greek restaurants, so I decided I'd try making it myself. This recipe is super easy and great if you have to cater for a number of people. It is also a great dessert if you need to make one in advance as the longer you leave it to soak up the syrup, the stickier and better it tastes.

Ingredients

(makes approx. 24 squares)

400g Nuts, chopped (you can use any kind but I used a mixture of walnuts and almonds)

3 tbsp Sugar

1 tsp Cinnamon

150g Butter, melted

18 Sheets of Filo Pastry

For the syrup:

400ml Water

400g Sugar

2 Cinnamon Sticks

1 tbsp Lemon Juice

5 tbsp Honey

Method

1. Grease a 35x25cm baking tray (try and use one that is about the same size as your pastry so they fit nicely and you don't have to trim them down) and pre-heat oven to 180°c.

2. Mix the nuts, sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.

3. Take a sheet of filo pastry and lay it in the bottom of the tray, brush with the melted butter and repeat until you have 5 layers.

4. Sprinkle half the nut mixture over the pastry and place 3 more sheets of pastry over the top, brushing each layer with the melted butter.

5. Sprinkle the the other half of the nut mixture on top and layer the rest of the filo sheets on top, brushing with melted butter in between each layer.

6. Once you have brushed the last layer with butter use a sharp knife to cut squares into the top few layers of pastry (this will make them easier to cut once they are baked) and sprinkle a little water over the top with your fingers to stop the pastry from curling.

7. Bake in the oven for 30-45 minutes until it is golden and crisp.

8. Whilst the baklava is baking heat the water, sugar, cinnamon sticks and lemon juice in a small pan and boil for 5 minutes. Add the honey and simmer for 5 more minutes until the syrup has thickened slightly. Remove cinnamon sticks.

9. When it is ready remove the baklava from the oven and whilst it is still hot pour the syrup over the top and the slice through the squares to the bottom of the tray.

10. Leave to cool completely in the tray and soak up the syrup.