Star Map from Modern Map Art

/ Vamp It Up Mcr (Chrissie) / 8 Comments

I was offered a Star Map by Modern Map Art and decided it would make a lovely Father’s Day gift as my Dad has always taken an interest in the stars, the planets and our universe in general. The map shows exactly what the stars looked like on the date that you specify from the latitude and longitude of your chosen place.

There is a feature on the website which allows you to customise all of your Star Map. You can choose from colours, borders, fonts and the tittle.

The map arrived promptly, rolled up in tissue paper, inside a sturdy tube. Dad said it was a wonderful surprise and that he was going to frame it in a simple contemporary frame “to do it justice”, rather than just having it as a poster.

Dad declined to appear on my blog as he’s “Not into all of that socialised media” and has “No intention to start Twittering any time soon.” Fair enough, I say.

I’m thinking I’d quite like my own Star Map now; maybe for my next birthday.

❤Chrissie❤

Hair Styling Essentials from Hemp

/ Vamp It Up Mcr (Chrissie) / 1 Comment

Finding beauty products that aren’t animal tested is fairly easy these days but finding cruelty free hair styling products – especially one’s which work on natural, coarse, wavy hair – is almost impossible.

So I was thrilled to get a chance to try some of Hempz Herbal hair styling range, which include nourishing hemp seed oil and also smell so good, that if they were a cocktail, I’d be ordering three of it.

Instant Dry Shampoo

This changed my hair from greasy, split mess to fairytale-like tresses. I just spray it on (with no powder residue) and gently brush my hair through with a paddle brush with thick plastic bristles. My hair looks clean and shiny and smells of pineapples!

Rating 5/5

Workable Hairspray Medium Hold

I have a love hate relationship with hairspray; I love that it holds my wild hair in place but hate that it makes  tangled mess when I try to brush it out. Hempz hairspray is tough on holding a style but fairly easy to brush out and leaves hair feeling soft and looking shiny. Then there’s that uplifting pineapple scent again, so you don’t even have to leave the room for a moment, after you’ve used it. I wouldn’t say this could hold a large volume of hair in a gravity-defying style but then it is only supposed to be ‘medium hold’.

Rating 5/5

Flexible Styling Sculpt

My fringe is a cartoonishly-big, frizzy canopy when freshly washed but using this made having a fringe enjoyable, rather than a chore for the first time, ever! I can absent mindedly shove it into a quiff off my face if the weather is too hot and then just spread it out again into smooth waves when I want. If I want a glam look, I can sweep it into a low side parting and it just stays there, looking effortless. It’s also useful as a curl cream if there are unruly strands that hair oil cannot shape and tame. Just for example: Here is my hair before I’ve oiled it, with the front strand covered in Flexible Styling Sculpt and gently twisted.

Rating 5/5

❤Chrissie❤

Pinching My Bloke’s Skincare

/ Vamp It Up Mcr (Chrissie) / 4 Comments

These are the best skincare products for men, which also work just as well on women too. Sometimes you only have a small amount of storage space in your bathroom or if you live separately, you can’t be bothered to lug a wash bag around every time you stay over, so why not share your basic skincare! I also think that certain scents can be very androgynous and so are sexy on everyone!

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Faith in Nature, Blue Cedar, Handmade Soap £1.99

BUAV approved; certified vegan; organic and SLS free, this soap is as kind as it gets. It’s also kind to every skin type and can be used for face and body, as it contains moisturising vitamin E and soothing green tea. The cedar scent is also super sexy!

Bull Dog Original Moisturiser £6.00

I cannot tell you how many moisturisers I’ve tried that either give my skin a ‘velvety’ texture (read ‘sucks all of the radiance out of it’) or they have a strong flowery scent or are cheap but too harsh for my complexion or are effective but way too expensive! This moisturiser, made with aloe vera, camelina oil and green tea is so calming and moisturising, without feeling too heavy. It also works well under many types of foundation – perfect! Oh yeah, my bloke loves it too, ha!

AA Skincare, Grapefruit & Cedarwood Deodorant £4.95

Another Cedarwood scent but much zingier due to grapefruit essential oil and Aloe Vera. I’m showing my age here but the scent reminds me of Impulse O2 body spray from the late 90’s – which the boys used to borrow of us. This isn’t an antiperspirant so no good for heavy exercise (as if!?) but a wonderful fresh and effective deodorant. It doesn’t contain any aluminium salts which can clog pores and is perfume and alcohol free so non-drying, equalling happy pits – I mean ‘under arms.’

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My bloke has just read this and actually snorted with laughter at the term ‘under arms’. “Do we have ‘under elbow’ and ‘under knee’ too or is that ‘side elbow and ‘side knee’? No wait, that sounds like our body parts are being bitchy, like ‘side eye'” I can’t imagine what else he’d come out with if he read my copy of Cosmopolitan.

❤Chrissie❤

 

 

Casual Urban Summer OOTD

/ Vamp It Up Mcr (Chrissie) / 7 Comments

I wanted to share this outfit as it’s comfy, versatile (great with heels for sitting outside a bar or cafe in the evening) and shows off my curves, even though it’s loose fitting and cool.

Earrings – Peacocks

Hoodie – Zaful (similar here and here)

Trousers – Pretty Little Thing

Trainers – Zara

❤Chrissie❤

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Monthly Roundup – May

/ Vamp It Up Mcr (Chrissie) / 3 Comments

I started May being a little obsessed with everything pink and grey and wore the same two basic outfits for most of the week. Check out the OOTD post to see the other outfit and where to shop both looks.

I’ve returned to The Body Shop now that they have a parent company who are committed to be cruelty free. I love a non-drying lip colour you can apply easily so I use a lot of tinted balms and glosses. Unfortunately Born Lippy gave me a sore throat immediately! Some do and I’ve never figured out why. I’m using it as a blush instead as the colour is very subtle and sheer.

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It was my birthday so me and the Bloke headed off for An Afternoon in Manchester’s Northern Quarter.  Which involved picking up my first ever comics for Free Comic Book Day, trying some new health foods, taking photo’s like a tourist and then dinner and cocktails at V Revolution.

 

After hearing of the demise of Polyvore I posted all of my style mood-boards and outfit boards that I’d made over the years in two posts here and here.

I decided that now my skin has changed from oily-combination to dry-combination I’d try B. Pure Micellar Water instead of cleanser and toner.

Another OOTD, this one inspired by Johnny Cash; Smart, Dark, Country.

I’d not received any blogger nominated awards for years and then two came along at once. I decided to go with The Mystery Blogger Award as it sounded a bit different and I only had the energy to do one!

ask blackboard chalk board chalkboard

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

We decided to eat again as we’d had a tough week and I’d been inside for days. So we cashed in our Tesco vouchers and headed to Pizza Express for large glasses of wine, gluten free pasta, a giant super food salad and caramel gelato with salted caramel sauce.

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I was in the mood to do a wish list post and chose the Woodland Trust S/S shop. I think it’s importance is growing along with issues like global warming, extinction of native species and disappearing woodlands, due to mass farming of mono cultures and countryside being built on.

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My skin has a nice healthy glow to it, thanks to the sun but my foundation kinda kills that a little so I thought I’d try and put some back with Drops of Glow, Lustre Finish Creator in Illuminator. Why do products practically have two names squished together, these days?

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It was also the Blokes birthday recently so I got him a dragon.

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I’ve been watching Heart of Dixie; Jessica Jones S02, Startrek: Discovery; Lucifer S03 and Freaks and Geeks. I’ve been listening to 90’s R&B; Gary Newman’s latest album and The Crow Soundtrack.

❤Chrissie❤

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The Body Shop, Drops of Glow Lustre Finish Creator – Illuminating

/ Vamp It Up Mcr (Chrissie) / 11 Comments

The Body Shop, really?

I avoided the brand for years when it got purchased by animal testing L’Oreal but now it’s been bought by Natura Cosmeticos (the largest beauty producer in Brazil) I’ve started to tentativley buy from them again. Natura Cosmeticos use natural ingredients that are cruelty-free (as are their finished products) and sustainably sourced. They also pledge to now reduce the carbon footprint of their brands and stores and do not sell to China.

The Body Shop, Drops of Glow Lustre Finish Creator – Illuminating (£12, 15ml)

I wanted an illuminating product that could be worn under foundation and patted over it as a subtle highlight on cheekbones and collar bone. I use a medium-full coverage ELF foundation because it’s one of the few foundations that actually matches my skin tone and stays put. Unfortunately, it also makes my skin look totally matte so I thought this would be perfect to give it a lift.

Without foundation; gives a very sweaty gym bunny look – next!

Under foundation; gives my matte foundation and new lease of life. I looked glowy and healthy, even when I applied bronzing powder. Unfortunately I had to apply bronzer  because my face was radiating so much light, it looked too pale, like I was sickly and sort of clammy. Maybe this is just too pinky/pale for my skin tone. But I also noticed that after around three hours of hot weather, my amazing wear-proof foundation was gathering in my pores, in my (ahem) lines and literally sliding off my face. Er, too high-maintenance, next!

Under foundation

As a highlighter on cheek bones, nose and chin; this is a winner as it’s subtle and natural looking, rather than metallic or shimmery.

I get that The Body Shop has these ‘drops’ to mix with your foundation for a lighter or darker or for a strobing effect but this idea just didn’t work for me. It’s a liquid highlighter – simple.

❤ Chrissie ❤

 

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Woodland Trust Wishlist

/ Vamp It Up Mcr (Chrissie) / 3 Comments

I’ve supported Woodland Trust in one way or another, since I was a kid going on exciting woodland walks with my folks. I thought I’d check out their online shop and compile a wish list from their Spring catalogue

They say…

‘We protect and campaign on behalf of this country’s woods, plant trees, and restore ancient woodland for the benefit of wildlife and people. Our vision is a UK rich in native woods and trees, for people and wildlife.’

Tree of Life Necklace

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Bempton Hanging Bird Table

Fikkerts Bluebell Soap

Woodland Trust rCUP – reusable coffee cup

Hanging Heart Bell

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Woodland Trust Botanicals Handbag Notebook

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Bluebell and Wood Anemone Kitchen Candle

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Leaf Cast Iron Bird Bath

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Pine Marten Soft Toy

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The Nature Fix. Florence Williams (HB)

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Mystery Blogger Award

/ Vamp It Up Mcr (Chrissie) / 7 Comments

I was nominated for this award by Hunida over at Hunida’s Blog; a lifestyle/journal type blog that’s as honest as it is amusing and interesting. Thank you so much! It came at a good time for me as I was thinking my blog was all over the place these days but now I realise that’s why it’s fun!

About the award:

This is an award for amazing bloggers with ingenious posts. Their blog not only captivates; it inspires and motivates. They are one of the best out there, and they deserve every recognition they get. This award is also for bloggers who find fun and inspiration in blogging, and they do it with so much love and passion.

Rules:

  • List the rules.
  • Thank whoever nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
  • Answer the questions given to you.
    Tell your readers 3 things about yourself.
  • Nominate other people to receive this award.
  • Notify your nominees by commenting on their blogs.
  • Ask your nominees 5 questions of your choice; with one weird/funny question (specify)
  • Share a link to your best post(s).

Hunida’s Q’s to Me

(Weird/funny) Are you able to poop in public restrooms?

LOL Only if there’s enough loo roll to pad the toilet bowl with first, to reduce the sound!

What are your favorite foods in the breakfast category?

I have my breakfast around 12.00pm – 1.00pm, usually some light deli type stuff from the fridge or a halloumi wrap if it’s a cheat day.

What is your favorite brand and style of pens? How about pencils?

Anything non scratchy and with a wide rubber grip as I grip my pens so tight, it’s like my life depends on it. Nothing smudgy either as I’m left handed.

What do you do when you have a really bad headache?

Curl up and sleep, wherever I happen to be!

Do you use a laptop, desktop, cell phone, or tablet to blog on?

Laptop or tablet depending on whether I’m typing and adding links or editing photo’s with apps.

Three Things About Myself

  1. I’m proud to be neurodiverse (Google it)
  2. I need hugs on a daily basis as they sort of recharge me
  3. I’ve never met anyone who likes a larger range of music and TV genres than myself – although I’d love to!

I Nominate:

Megan @ A Geeky Gal

Cher @ The Chicago Files

Alexis Chateau @ Alexis Chateau

Mariah @ Bizarre Brunette

Meghan @ Got Meghan’s Blog

Michelle @ A Geek Girls Guide

I get the feeling the dudes I follow wouldn’t join in with blog tags, but if you identify as a dude or an alien or whatever and you want to join in, please do!

My Questions for you

  1. Would you rather be a famous super hero and have lots of vague friends OR be the normal you and have a few close friends?
  2. How has your blogging style changed since you started and why?
  3. If you could make a pizza OR a milkshake/smoothie and add ANY ingredients to it (no judgment) what would you make?
  4. If you could have one small-medium wish, what would it be? (NOT endless wishes lol)
  5. What is the most important thing in the world to you?
  6. What decade do you feel suits your personality and style the most?

My Best Post

Polly Pocket Bag from Truffle Shuffle review

❤Chrissie❤

Is B. Pure Micellar Water Any Good?

/ Vamp It Up Mcr (Chrissie) / 4 Comments

In the past I’ve used my fair share of toners that stripped my skin of any natural oils or gentler one’s which didn’t remove any dirt. Cleansers that efficiently removed dirt and makeup but needed to be thoroughly rinsed off. A pain in the arse at 2.00am when my tired ass needs to get to bed.

I now have a bottle of B. Pure Micellar Water and cotton pads on my bedside table; this way I can melt away dirt, makeup and balance my skin, in bed! I can then apply a night moisturiser or just leave my skin to breathe. When I wake up my skin isn’t paper dry or flushed and sensitive.

My only problem is that when I applied it in the morning and didn’t moisturise (I thought the oil in the micellar water would be enough and wasn’t planning on wearing foundation) my skin felt slightly tacky for hours. I ended up applying a light moisturiser anyway in order to fix the feeling.

Pros

  • Easy to use
  • Melts away all traces of dirt and makeup
  • Refreshes and balances
  • Soothes

Cons

  • Oddly tacky
  • Doesn’t mean you can skip moisturiser

❤Chrissie❤