My Desk Essentials

As you may have seen over on Twitter, Facebook or even on here - this month saw me start a totally new career!
Finally out of my unfulfilling and repetitive days in retail and into the world of PR and social media - yes, my dream!
I am LOVING my role so far and am getting so excited to work everyday - I feel so lucky!
Anyway today I thought I would give you a little sneak peek onto my desk. How exciting eh?
I never thought I'd have my own desk and the novelty of it all definitely hasn't worn off yet (it's only been a week!) - so ... here, have a look!

First of all.... my glasses. Over the last couple of years my eyesight has got ALOT worse and as I'm on my computer nearly all day they are a MUST for me! 
I'm really hoping to get some new frames soon too - I need more than one pair of glasses with my new prescription in for sure!

Notebooks are a MUST! Throughout the day I write down soooo much - to-dos, comments, things to remember - I can't imagine how many I'm going to go through!
I got the cute white and gold one from TK Maxx recently - I'm in love and it was only £4.99!
Highlighters are also a god send, how cute is my little bear set? They were from ASOS - adorable!

Hand cream is the easiest way to have a little pamper session whilst at your desk - I'm in love with the Soap & Glory minis (the Sugar Crush one HAS to be my favourite) - with all that typing I'm doing, keeping my hands in good condition is a must.... obviously. #anyexcuse

Another product I find myself applying 500 times a day is lip balm - another beauty treat throughout my working days. This BeeGood Raspberry & White Chocolate* tube is amazing, I'm a huge chocolate fan so this is right up my street.. The scent is so yummy and the product itself leaves the lips feeling so smooth and hydrated without any hint of stickiness! I've been using this daily for nearly a month now and it is still going strong!

I can't even tell you how many cups of tea I go through a day..... mainly green tea (my fav) but there's so many teas where I work that I feel like everyday is going to be a 'trying something new' day! There is always a mug within 1 foot of me.

Last but not least.....snacks! I've been so good to keep on the health train during my workdays and my favourite things for a decent snack are Eat Natural bars! I always have one of the Brazil but, sultana and almond bars from them for my afternoon break, they are so good and you can really make them last.

What are you desk essentials? 

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Soap & Glory Winter Wonderhand Gift Set

Coming home to surprise post is one of the most exciting things!

 I was recently totally and utterly surprised by the lovely people at Soap & Glory with a few of their Christmas sets and I couldn't wait to show you all.

Soap & Glory have got to be one of my favourite beauty brands ever. 

Since stealing my Mum's sexy mother pucker lipgloss as a teenager to using their new Sugar Crush hand gel every 5 minutes - I don't think I've bought a product yet that I don't love!

One the my most re-purchased products I've had over the years is the Hand Food hand cream. The gorgeous non-greasy hand cream which I think all of us beauty lovers have had at one point or another.

So how amazing is this .... a gift set with 3 50ml Hand Food tubes and it's called Winter Wonderhand* ... #genius - I love seeing what names S&G come up with each Christmas.

Aswell as the original scent you also get the Sugar Crush version (my favourite) and the Smoothie Star version - which I don't think you can even buy on it's own.

This is such a lovely gift idea - and for only £8 it's a bargain! 

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Palmers New Coconut Oil Formula Range

You may well remember last week I posted about the new body lotion I had been using and how I had fallen madly in love with it! (here)
Well since then the lovely people at Palmers have sent me more of the new range to have a little goosey gander at - exciting right? #thankyou

I am obsessed with coconut oil and this range is yet again another huge HIT for Palmers in my opinion!
 I thought it was only fair that I gave you a little look at the collection that has been released....

Left to Right :

Palmers Coconut Oil Formula Body Oil*, Body Lotion*, Body Cream* & Head Cream*

The body oil is something I probably wouldn't normally pick up when shopping for myself - I'm always drawn more to lotions and things that I know will sink it's the skin and not leave it greasy. Well, I am so glad I've managed to try something different here as my thoughts on oils has completely changed. This stuff is lovely and perfect for popping on before leaving the house when I've got my legs out!

The body lotion I have already talked about in my previous post so you can read all about that right..... here!

The thickest of the bunch is the body cream. In a 125g tub just a tiny bit of this rich cream goes a whole long way. A little blob covers my whole arm (even my bingo wings!) and it's only £5 - cheaper than the body shop right?! This is perfect for helping the skin stay smooth and hydrated - and keep that tan! (which I WILL get this year!)

Now the product I know that I am going to use the most - the hand cream. My hands get so, so dry - especially with the amount of hand gel I use daily. This is the perfect product to have in my handbag 24/7 and it smells divine! 

So there's a little sneak peek for you - this range is out NOW and I highly recommend it to all your coconut lovers!

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Ginger & Co : First Impressions

Well, well, well - is that a new brand I see? Why yes it is! 

I was overwhelmed to receive a beautiful bundle of goodies from Ginger & Co for a few weeks ago - full of yummy sweets, pretty hearts and of course their fab new products!

The packaging caught my eye straight away and I couldn't wait to dig in!

So today I thought I was share with you my first impressions of the brand, let you know a bit more about them and show you the products I am currently trying out!

Ginger & Co is a British brand born and bred brought to life by the awesome people at HotHouse. (who are also the proud makers of St. Moriz... the best bargain fake tan ever!).

They pride themselves on using predominantly English ingredients and helpful English manufacturers - great huh?

Ginger & Co is all about having a fun, retro-inspired range of glam bath and body products that is accessible to all - and seeing as the prices range from just £2.99 I think they've hit the nail on the head.

Like I said earlier, the packaging caught my eye straight away, I love cute pin-up pictures, bright colours and eye-catching names! (like Soap & Glory & theBalm)

The products I have are all full-sized and are amzingly large sizes for the prices they are - talk about value for money.

Left to Right :

Bathing Beauty Moisturising Bubble Bath & Wash*

Heavenly Hands Moisturising Hand Wash*

Soft On You Daily Body Lotion*

Soft On You Comforting Body Butter*

Double Up! Creamy Bodywash*

Hand It To Me Dreamy Handcream*

The Washes

Here we have the 500ml Bathing Beauty bubble bath and the 250ml Double Up! body wash which are both priced at £3.99 each -  a total steal for the size of the products!

Total skin saviours these 2 have been created to help keep your skin happy and moisturised! The bubble bath has Marshmallow leaf and lemon balm in to help keep your skin hydrated, which is great for the upcoming spring months - coz we all know we'll be shaving those legs more!

Ginger & spice and all things nice - Double Up! bodywash keeps the skin clean whilst moisturising at the same time. Revive your senses with energising ginger root and detoxifying juniper berry - alot more fun than my boring Sanex I have to say!

The Bodycare

Now these two are both Soft On You - one a daily body lotion and the other a body butter! This is perfect for me as I don't always have time to use a body butter as they take longer to sink in, so a body lotion alternative is always welcome in my home!

They smell lovely and have some fab ingredients such as rose leaves and marshmallow leaf which makes them smell gorgeous!

The body butter is priced as £4.99 for a 485g tub and the lotion is priced at £3.99 for a 500g bottle - both big, big sizes. (and half the price of Soap and Glory!)

The Hand Duo

Last but not least we have my favourite two products - the hand savers!
Firstly the Heavenly Hands hand wash. Now this had me sold before I even used it, mainly due to it's size! I am fed up of buying new hand soaps for my kitchen and bathroom constantly because me and mu boyfriend go through them like there's no tomorrow! This is 500ml so will hopefully last us for weeks and weeks ... plus it looks alot prettier than Carex and is only £3.99.
And last but not least Hand It To Me, a dreamy handcream. 
I'm a huge hand cream lover and always have one with me in my bag wherever I go, this is only £2.99 for a 100ml - bargain!  This stuff is great, soothing and hydrated AND it looks cute too.


So there we have it, Ginger & Co - a winner of a new brand in my opinion! Not only do these look great and all cost under £5 but they really do work. They make lovely little presents for friends and family too!

Right now Ginger & Co products are avaiable on Amazon, Ocado and in indepenant pharacmies across the UK and if you'd like any more info just check them out on twitter - @_GingerandCo

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E45 : My Skin Problems Sorted

This time of year (and this weather) plays havoc with my skin. It's only been the last few years that it's caused me a problem and I have spoke about it numerous times here on A Yellow Brick Blog so I am always trying out new products to try and help me out!

This is where E45 has come in. Yes they may seem like your standard clinical type non-girly/fun brand but in reality they WORK - and that's all that matters right?

My problem areas are mainly my lower legs and hands. 

I blame the ever changing temperature of the my surroundings for my legs - heating/air-con/ the outside! They tend to flare up at night and become really rashy and itchy, sort of like Eczema symptoms (sorry if you find this a bit gross!). I've never actually had eczema but it does run in my family - especially with my little brother.

So for my legs I have been using the E45 Moisturising Lotion. This lotion is of course dermogicially tested, something E45 are known for and pride themselves on. It is also perfume free and allergy-screened so it should be suitable for any skin type, even the most sensitive.

The lotion itself is a thin, light formula, not like the cheeky body butters we all love and rave about, but for me this makes is perfect for everyday use. 

Most mornings I'm rushing around getting ready for work so a thick, creamy formula which takes ages to sink in is a no-no. With this lotion absorption is quick which is great as I can add it into my morning routine with ease. It also has no real scent so isn't over-powering if you want to apply it to your whole body.

This stuff has worked wonders for my skin, it has soothed the rashes I seemed to be getting and kept my skin actually feeling hydrated which is seriously what it needed plus it protects it at the same time!

Now on my hands.   I have to say ... I think I give myself this dry skin problem, opps!

 I use alot of anti-bacterial hand gel, especially throughout my days at work. This has led to my hands becoming super dry, cracked and even rashy in patches - something I haven't actually experienced before, damn me about my germophobia!

Hand cream is something I use but don't have with me at all times (which isn't very helpful) so an overnight treatment seemed like the perfect thing for me to try out.

This is actually a new product from E45, I had seen the hand cream from them in Boots but this was actually the first time I had heard of the overnight treatment.

The Repair & Protect Overnight Hand Cream comes in a handy 50ml tube and promises to boost skin cell regeneration while you sleep!

The product itself is a light cream, which rubs in so quickly it feels just like a serum.

 I was worried I would be stuck with thick, greasy hands when going to sleep - which isn't great if you touch your face alot when in dreamland like me - but it really is the opposite, you barely know anything is on them!

I have to say this is a miracle worker, after just one night my dry skin and sore patches were totally gone, I am so impressed. This now lives on my bedside table and I know if I haven't used alot of hand cream throughout the day I can just pop this on at night and be sorted!

I have to say I am so, so pleased I have finally tried out some products from E45, they are  brand that has been around for so many years I can't believe it has taken me this long! I also love that they are affordable, unlike so many other brand which promise so much!

I am definitely going to be lending both of these to my brother to try aswell, they've worker for me so hopefully they can help him too!

What are your must-have products from skin problems? Have you tried either of these?

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This Week I'm Loving... #6

Pinterest

Okay..... I'm officially converted to Pinterest! (Or as my mum likes to say "Pin-Interest") I've probably had this social media account for years but have never caught the pinning bug..... Until last week! I can't stop, I won't stop! It started when I started looking at tattoo inspiration and  ideas that was it! I could spend hours on this site!! My username is   KirstieLouiseS - here's my account! 

Jerseylicious

This show is awesome. How have I never watched it properly before? I know it's been out for years and yes I'd heard of it but after stumbling across it on ITVBe one lunchtime I have been trying to watch it every weekday when I pop home from work! 

I need them all on DVD - ASAP. (I like Tracy AND Olivia .... Is that okay?)

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lipstick - Nude-ist

You may have seen this in my recent boots haul! I had been eyeing up this shade for a while and was super happy to finally bring it home last week! I have been wearing it constantly, it is a gorgeous everyday colour and it lasts for hours and hours! The only thing I'm not a fan of is the scent.... It is horrible! 

Sia - 1000 Forms Of Fear

I loved Chandelier when it came out and downloaded it immediately. After watching lots of Dance Moms again recently it reminded me to have a little listen of Sia's album - 1000 Forms Of Fear! I have been listening to it on YouTube and have fallen in love! It's really not my usual style of music but I've been really enjoying it - Fire and Gasoline is my favourite! 

Benefit Roller Lash Mascara

Yes, like every other beauty blogger I ran and grabbed Elle magazine as soon as if was released this month! Free make-up is always a bonus... free Benefit make-up is even better and free brand new Benefit make-up is the best! I have been loving this little tester and I definitely think it will be something I'll be investing in once it is released properly!

Fishtail plaits

I have finally mastered the art of a fishtail plait! I am so happy my hair is finally at a good length that I can wear a fishtail and be excited about it!

Bath & Body Works Sweet Pea Hand Cream 

My hands have been seriously suffering these last few weeks and this has been my go-to hand cream! It really helps to soothe and hydrate my poor dry hands and smells amazing at the same time! It's rich and creamy without being greasy - I just wish it was easier to be able to get some more!

New Look Lace Up Black Boots

I bought these back in November in the sale and over the past few weeks I have been wearing them alot! They are so so comfy and make my feel a little bit glammer when I'm dressed in casual clothing!

Warburtons Crumpets

These with marmite = the greatest winter breakfast.

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Sk:n : My Top Picks

I was recently introduced to a new company - Sk:n. 

At first when I checked out their website I was a bit overwhelmed - I saw alot of "treatments" and "procedures" they offered... which kind of scared me a bit - I am a slight wimp like that! 

Once I had had a read through though my mind was put at ease by the professionalism and articles and actually intrigued to maybe try things out one day!

One of my best friends has recently had lazer hair removal and raved about how amazing it is, so that really stood out to me along with mole removal as I have cheeky one on my leg which I have never been a fan of and as a child did everything to try and hide it - although it would kind of be like loosing a part of me if it went!

Not only do Sk:n have a fabulous range of helpful and self-esteem boosting treatments but they also sell beauty products .... hallelujah - that is where my heart lies and that is what I am going to be talking about today!

I thought I would share with you guys Sk:n's beauty based store and the products I am dying to try out plus some which could make fab presents for others!

(not sure why this picture has gone a bit blurry I'm sorry guys - click the links below to see some clearer images!)

Sk:n Vitamin Rich Cleanser - normal/combo skin 200ml - £16.75

I'm always changing  up my cleasners and trying out different things My holy grail is cleanse and polish but I love using other products alongside it to make my face feeling even more free from dirt and make-up build up. This is around the usual price I would pay for other higher end brands for a cleasner so I think it is totally reasonable. 

Avene Cold Cream Lip Balm - £5

Avene are a huge brand in the UK now and known for their amazing skincare products. Lip balms are a must have in cold weather - I can't live without one and for only £5 this is a total bargain!

Sk:n Intense Spot Lotion - £15.75

I'm quite lucky when it comes to my skin and throughout my teenage years and right upto now I tend to only get a few whoppers now and again.... although they are never pleasant! I love the sound of this lotion which rapidly reduces the size and redness of a spot - the perfect spot lotion if you ask me!

Lycogel Concealer Yellow - £35

Dark circles are becoming the bain of my life and I'm sure I'm not the only one! Yellow is known to counteract redness and help to cover dark patches and fatigued areas! This would make a lovely present aswell for a hard-working beauty-o-holic.

Sk:n Hand Cream - £15.75

Hand cream is a must in my handbag, especially this time of year. I use so much anti-bacterial hand gel working with the public as I am terrified of picking up all those winter cough, colds and bugs that my hands become so so dry. This hand cream is highly moisturising and not onlycontains some of my fav ingredients like jojoba oil and viamin E but also is a fablous anti-ageing product. It increases the skins elasticity and helps to fade brown spots - a perfect stocking filler for a parent or grandparent for Christmas I'd say!

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*Sponsored Post

POTW #34 : Bath & Body Works Sweet Pea Hand Cream

Oooo cheeky US product alert! 
I'm am totally and utterly obsessed with Bath & Body Works and their magical aray of beautiful smelling things. 
Each time I've been to a store I've just walked in like a kid in a candy store not knowing where on earth to start looking! If it wasn't for luggage allowance I would have bought back thousands of candles and fabulous products but unfortualey for me I could only buy what I knew I could squeeze in.... which wasn't alot :( (you may have spotted this in my Florida Haul!)

This was a must have for me.
Sweet pea is one of my favourite scents from BABW and with the weather taking a turn for the worst back here in the UK I knew hand cream would be one of my go-to products for the next couple of months.
I love having a hand cream with me in my handbag, as well as being a yummy smelling pick me up this stuff helps keeps my hands hydrated - I'm a big over-user of anti-bacterial hand gels and along with the cold weather this sometimes leads them to becoming dry and sore! 

With shea butter and vitamin E this cream leaves my hands soft as a baby's behind and with the sweet pea fragrance has them smelling fab for ages after! It's like perfume for my hands! 
Not greasy in the slightest and rubs in quick and easy, I'm always re-applying this throughout my work days and am always surprised how long the scent lasts for!
I can't quite remember how much this cost me.... how on I'l do some research online...... *a few minutes later* ... it was $5! Such a bargain! I'm going to have a look online on ebay etc to see i I can order some more of these hand creams in different scents - I love it more than I love Soap & Glory's Hand Food.... that's saying something!

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My Hand Luggage Essentials

Today is the day I'm off on a jet plane and going on my holiday! Yay! After annoying veryone for 9 months it is finally time for us to leave!
Along with a holiday comes packing... and as much as I like to think I'm good at it ... I'm really really not!

I always seem to pack 99% of my belongings and only use about 4% of them - you'd think by now at the age of 24 I would learn but nope... I definitely need those 34 pairs of pants and 57 tops "just in case"! (and that's for a weekend away!)

It's not just my suitcase I seem to overpack but I have always seemed to find space for the randomest things in my hand luggage. 
Saying this, this time I feel like I done quite well to be strict when packing my hand luggage! So I was thinking that today on A Yellow Brick Blog I'd show you some of my favourite essentials that I've popped in my backpack.

 Keep your eyes peeled here on the blog as even though I've popped away for a little while it will still be live and kicking for you all to read and hopefully enjoy!

First up - the apple shrine. Yup, my iPad mini, iPod & my iPhone. I couldn't leave the country without these little connections to the outside word, is it sad that they a like an extra limb? I'm looking forward to having my iPad for the plane journey, hopefully with that, the in-flight entertainment and my kindle I'll be able to keep myself entertained!

A little bit of reading material to get me super duper excited? Why yes I have that covered! The Little Book Of MAgic has anything and everything you need to know about Disney in it! I think I'll be doing alot of planning with this thing! Plus my Tangle Teezer.... I can't go anywhere with this hair saftey blanket!

My kindle is my little baby, like carrying around a mini library with me 24/7! I'm currently reading the Vampire Academy series so I'm hoping t get in lots of reading time whilst away!

A few beauty essentials now. I couldn't  be a so-called 'beauty blogger' and not have some form of girly products in this post could I?

1. Mirror, obvious really, a great size to take with you, especially as our hotel probably won't have them in helpful places! 2. Lip butter, you can't travel, go on a plane or even really leave the house without having a lip product with you! My skin and lips sometimes feel really dry and thirsty when flying so keeping them hydrated is key! 3. Anti-Bac... public transport is dirty with a capital D, this make me slightly more comfortable with it! 4. Hand cream is a lovely little pick me up I like having in my bag and it's under 100ml so perfect as a backpack item! 5. Wet ones... I don't know why I feel the need to have these, but I do. 

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Botanics Nail Strengthening Hand Cream Review

My nails have always been crap, total and utter crap at that! They are seriously weak and so brittle and they've been that way ever since I can remember!

Over the years I've tried different products but never stuck to anything permanently. For the past few years I have been getting my nails done professionally and having gel extensions put on which at the time I love and they look awesome but they do have a damaging affect on my poor little fingernails so I've been having a break from them to hopefully help my nails strengthen up a bit!

I'm pretty rubbish when it comes to nail hardeners and nail strengtheners as I always forgot to keep putting them on, whereas a hand cream, well I won't forget that!

Not impressed with the dirty packaging.... the risk of buying online eh!

I was just browsing the Boots website when I spotted this! A hand cream which doubles up as a nail strengthener, sounds perfect for me! I'm always applying hand cream and love having it in my bag 24/7 so what better than to kill two birds with one stone!

This has a lovely floral type scent which actually smells just like a product from Liz Earle but I can't quite pinpoint which one it is... maybe the hand wash. It's a strong scent but isn't too much that it's overpowering.
The cream is non-greasy and melts into the skin very quickly, which is perfect for me as it means I can re-apply it as many times as I want it throughout the say, even when at work.

The skin around my nails has improved drastically, alot less flaky and dry than normal and they look so much healthier too plus my hands feel hydrated and soft.
My nails themselves are feeling so much better! Less brittle, less flaky and actually starting to grow slightly. Obviously I think this is down to a mixture of things including not wearing any nail varnish (I know... shame on me right now!), this for me was a brilliant buy and I shall be re-purchasing this once I've run out!
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eBay Wishlist #21

EOS Hand Lotion | Sweater | Piggy Bank | Phone Case | Mug | Sandals

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POTW #14 : Palmer's Shea Butter Formula Concentrated Cream

Product of the week time!
I am soooo guilty of over-using anti-bac hand gel and recently it has been having a right old affect on my poor old hands!

Yup, dry patches have started to appear, which is a totally new thing for me - I've never had this problem before, so I am blaming me and my addicted hand-gel ways!

I thought maybe it was time I upped my hand cream game and went for something a bit stronger than hand food and my standard Nivea creams.

This was on offer in Superdrug and I'm a huge fan of Palmer's and their products and as it said 'for extra dry skin' I thought why not give it a go! (No harm in trying things out right? Especially when they are just over £1!)

This has had such a great affect on my dry hands! The patches are completely gone and they feel so soft! Time to try this stuff on my dry legs and feet too!
The only thing I'm not too sure about is the scent... it's strange but bearable!

Have any of you guys tried this out before? If your struggle with dry patches I highly recommend this stuff!