BaByliss Wavy Wand - GIVEAWAY!

Now that I have my new ombre hair (which I am loving!), I find it generally suits a wave better than straight. These are the kind of Ombre waves I crave.

I am useless at creating waves and curls with my regular ghd's so I normally use a very old pair of Babyliss tongs. I have toyed with idea of getting a conical wand for ages and just when I had decided to part with my cash and buy one, Babyliss go and bring out another wonder tool to the market.

It's the Babyliss Waving Wand. It is similar to a conical wand but shaped slightly different. It comes with a heat protection glove and reaches a temperature of 200C but with 5 different heat settings which is perfect for us wanting to reduce the level of heat used on our tender locks.

There is no clamp on the barrel which always makes me wonder how long you have to sit there holding your hair in place over the heat but take a look at this video and you will see how fast and effective the waving wand is. You literally only hold it to your hair a few seconds and a wonderful wave is created. I NEED this in my life!

The Babyliss Waving Wand costs £30 and is available from Boots and Argos but you lucky things get the chance to win one for free! YAY!

Now there are 2 ways of winning this competition you can leave a message in the comments simply stating 'wave your magic wand Fairy!' or you can tweet me @Saskiafairy stating 'enter me for the waving wand #Babyliss'.

It would also be lovely if you were a follower of this blog otherwise you just look a teensy bit rude.

Please only enter once as multiple entries will not be counted. I will be using random.org to generate the winner.

The competition closes at midnight on Friday 8th October, winners will be announced shortly after!

Oh and if the waving wand is not for you, Babyliss have also brought out another 2 products; Big Hair and Root Boost.

You can win Root Boost on Girlinthecity's blog so swing on by and check that out if that's more up your street.

GOOD LUCK!

x

Country style OOTD

It's not all that often you seen outfit of the day post on this blog.

As much as i'd like to do them everyday I a) don't have time and b) look like

i've been dragged through a bush backwards most days.

It was a bank holiday weekend so hub and I decided to take a trip to the Highlands for some relaxation, fresh air and amazing scenery.

We ended up staying in Glencoe but did a little mini tour of some lovely places a little further

north like Arisaig and Mallaig. The beaches near Arisaig are particularly gorgeous, in good weather you would probably think you were in the middle of the Carribean!

Since I was headed to the great outdoors, I decided I wanted to go for a Lady of the

Country Manor look. I needed to be casual, comfortable, a teensy bit glam, warm and prepared for any weather.

This is what I went with ... it was all a bit accidental but I liked how it turned out.

Starting from the bottom up:

Riding Boots from Kurt Geiger; Long cable knit socks from House of Fraser; Leggings from Stradivarius; Long vest top from Topshop; Cotton jumper with military detail from Zara; Leopard print scarf from Warehouse; Fur hood gillet from Primark; Sunglasses Oscar de la Renta courtesy of TK MAXX.

Make up was kept pretty low key with some bronzer, blush, winged liner and a bit of Ever Hip lippie by MAC.

And just incase you have never ventured to the Scottish Highlands, here are some snap shots of the weekend ...

In other news, I also purchased my very first pair of hill walking boots at the weekend so I am planning more trips up north and possibly considering the 3 Peaks challenge at some point. I just need to think of how to jazz up my hill walking outfit but that's a whole other blogpost!

After such a lovely weekend it was hard to come home to dreary wet weather and work. Oh well, another day another dollar ...

x

All Saints ... Luxury Leather

Winter is being thrust upon us and it's quite possible we won't see Autumn at all (at least up here in Scotland) ... so it can only mean one thing. I must get my Autumn/Winter wardrobe sorted.

Last week I took a look in my wardrobe and was quite literally overwhelmed by the amount of clothes I own but don't wear so I decided to to take the step to downsize. I separated the good from the bad and got rid, however a lot of the good (and some of it was really great) that was left behind no longer fits! See, losing weight does have a down side :(

One of the items I was devastated to lose was my All Saints Daisy Bomber Jacket. I bought this a couple of years ago but have now lost so much weight it drowns me.

For me, All Saints purchases are an investment. You are buying luxury and a dose of attitude, although it sits in the higher end of high street affordability - the quality and life you get from the garment pays for itself. You can also guarantee when you buy from All Saints that you won't walk down the street and see 6 different people in the same piece unlike some other high street brands, as All Saints never follows the typical trends that other stores succumb to each season.

Over the years All Saints have grown and grown. I remember a time when my only chance of stepping in an All Saints store was to take a trip to Londons Carnaby Street so there has always been a great deal of exclusivity about the brand. Nowadays most major UK cities have their own stand alone store and they have even expanded to the U.S which is a mean feat for any British brand.

So what am I trying to say? Well, I need a new leather jacket of course, to replace my beloved Daisy bomber and I am heading straight back to All Saints for their leather jackets are so soft and buttery, super comfortable and gorgeous. Expensive these jackets may be but when you weigh it up against other high street competitors, often there is not a major price difference but there is a distinct bridge between style and quality that All Saints wins hands down.

All Sants Leathers by saskiathesalsafairy featuring a leather jacket

I have narrowed it down to 3 choices so far. The Datya Jacket, the cobra bomber and the Lana leather jacket. The bomber would be the obvious choice to replace the jacket I have lost but I quite like the biker style of Lana which is a classic shape that I will get years of wear from. However, the front runner at the moment is the Datya which would suit a layered winter look both casual and formal.

I think I might pop into All Saints today and try these jackets on.

Whats your favourite? Do All Saints feature on your top shops to buy from?

x

LOVE

Before I start, I just want to say thank you to everyone who left a comment on my recent Ombre hair post. I can't tell you how lovely it was to return from my weekend away to see such positive comments so thank you all! :)

Following on from the ombre hair post then, I have already started thinking about another change for my hair. I quite like the lighter ends and wonder whether I could go so light all over, strawberry blonde if you will.

Then to add fuel to the fire I had a look at the recent cover shots for LOVE magazines September issue and noticed this gorgeous image of Rosie Huntington Whiteley.

There are 2 things I love about Rosie - her boyfriend Jason Statham, and the underwear she models for Victoria's Secret. I had never given her much noticed other than that until this picture.

Rose looks like the ultimate Hollywood Siren in this photo. Her hair is the exact shade I had imagined I would like mine so now I am picturing myself in winged liner, beaute masochist on the lips, leopard print and hollywood strawberry blonde waves. Do I dare?

I think I will have to ponder on this one a bit longer.

My hair debate aside, LOVE magazine have issued 8 different covers photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott for their September issue to promote beauty diversity. From pin up to rebel, bombshell to sweetheart, it's a taste of the many different faces, age, moods and perception behind the beauty.

Other covergirls featured on the September issue are Kelly Brook, Gisele Bundchen, Agyness Deyn, Lauren Hutton and Sienna Miller and Alessandra Ambrosio. Sienna's is a must see, you won't believe it is her at first!

So what do you think about my possible transition from ombre to strawberry blonde?

And, who is your favourite LOVE cover girl?

x

I've been Ombred!

Last week I posted about Ombre hair and the fact I was going to attempt the transition from one block colour to a graduated shade known as Ombre.

Well I did it!

And I blimmin' well like it!

What do you think then? I understand it's not everyones cup of tea but I was really dying for something a little bit different and somewhat 'cooler' than my current 'do' that I had become bored with.

I went to my regular stylist for this (Stacie at Absolute on Sauchiehall Street for those interested) and instead of just wacking on the bleach to the ends of my hair, she systematically applied to the ends of my hair, sometimes backcombing sections before application to achieve a more natural, less contrived finish.

I have to admit I was so nervous waiting for the colour to develop. I started to imagine it would just look like one big hot mess but no, I am happy with the final result. It's not too in your face and is a good base to continue with on my ombre mission. Next time I plan to go slightly lighter on the ends for an even more graduated effect.

I asked Stacie to curl/wave my hair slightly which she did by twisting sections of my hair as she blowdryed ... I didn't realise it was so easy. Stacie told me that generally your hair will hold curl better this way, better than it would hold a ghd curl.

So there we go, I popped my Ombre cherry and I liked it!

x

Iris

I woke up to a lovely surprise package last week, something I hadn't expected at all.

It was a bottle of Crabtree & Evelyn's new fragrance, Iris. This is my first ever dabble with this brand and I have to say so far it's been a very pleasant one.

Iris (Eau de toilette) comes in a rather chunky 100ml bottle which surprisingly only costs £24. What a bargain ... however it's only a bargain if it smells good. And it does. I have been wearing everyday with compliments aplenty.

Iris has a vintage feel about it from the design of the bottle to the artwork to the fragrance itself. With top notes of natural Italian bergamot and cassis and base notes of exotic sandalwood, patchouli, fresh vetiver, natural cedarwood and creamy musk it sounds like a busy concoction but works very well to deliver a sensuous, fresh but subtle scent.

The artwork for Iris was designed by Bella Towse, a graduate of Central St Martin's whose inspiration came from her parents garden. A simple and delicate illustration of an Iris is etched on the bottle, an attractive addition to the dressing table.

Crabtree & Evelyn's Iris is also available in body and home products. Why don't you try before you buy and request a sample here.

Now that I have been introduced to this brand, I think I'd like to look further. Does anyone have any Crabtree & Evelyn recommendations?

x

The Big British Beauty Poll

This week Olay launched it's Big British Beauty Poll and as a beauty blogger this gives me hope that brands are actually listening to us - the consumer.

Olay are looking to engage beauty and skincare consumers in the UK between the ages of 18-65 to find out their views on beauty brands, cult products, skincare concerns and consumer behaviour. Basically, what floats our boats and motivates us to buy a product. A 'beauty census' if you will.

In the midst of all this, the poll is also hoping to discover the nations all time icon of beauty and also offering 500,000 women in the UK the chance to trial, rate and review Olay's latest and most effective super serum.

You hear that? There is no celebrity telling us how amazing it is, Olay are asking you to tell them what you think of it!

I have just taken the poll today and what interests me the most are questions relating to our motivation in buying a product. Is it a celebrity endorsement? a magazine? an advert?

My answer was none of the above, what motivates me to buy a product and truly believe in it, is recommendation from friends, family and an even more valuable source of this day and age - blogs!

I know I can log on and get a genuine review of a product by reading the thoughts and opinions of real people who take the time to write about their passion - beauty, skincare, fashion ... whatever it may be. Like an old friend or your sister recommending the latest must have lipstick or eye serum, beauty bloggers engage in a community that is a large circle of friends who can be trusted to give you their honest thoughts, good or bad, on a product.

Bloggers take time to trial products, photograph them, sometimes we even get to see the gory before and wonderful after photographs as evidence of how well a product works. It truly is an invaluable source of beauty knowledge and at the best of times, a lovely community to be involved in.

As for my choice of beauty icon ... well, don't laugh but my ultimate beauty isn't even a real person. For me she is the ultimate glamourpuss, has a figure to die for and she just happens to be a redhead. She's sassy, strong and loyal to her man. Have you guessed yet? ... yup, it's Jessica Rabbit!

You can take part in The Big British Beauty Poll until 20th October 2010 so log on and let Olay know what your views are.

x

Scottish Ballet: Geometry + Grace

On Thursday evening I had my very first taste of going to the ballet.

I have always wanted to go to see a ballet performance so this was very exciting for me especially as I had been invited along courtesy of Scottish Ballet for their press evening.

Ashamedly, I turned up late as I got myself a bit lost, this meant that I missed the first performance and had to sneak in after the first interval.

When we did eventually get to our seats ('we' as in the hub and I) ... which were pretty much the best seats in the house ... there was a great buzz in the audience so judging by the atmosphere I knew that we were in for something good.

Geometry + Grace is made up of a trio of performances influenced by the grace of geometry, contemporary classical music and the chic styles of the 1940s. The first piece Scènes de Ballet choreographed by Frederick Ashton was the one I sadly missed and was the most traditional of the 3. I was disappointed to miss this, dancing aside, the costumes looked amazing!
We made it in after interval in time for the second piece Still Life by Val Caniparoli. This is when it became apparant to me just how contemporary these 3 pieces were. You see, there is no narrative within Geometry + Grace like most traditional ballet and in many ways this made it easier to watch and become lost in the shapes and intertwining of bodies before our eyes. Still Life was a sensual performance that captured your attention not only through dance but intrigued the audience with it's choice of stage prop and background set and interesting use of lighting.

Before the third piece there was another interval to be enjoyed. Scottish Ballet had put on a lovely drinks reception with delicious macarons to be devoured (mainly by my husband! Can't take him anywhere). At the interval we had the chance to mingle and realised that I was in fact sitting beside a lovely blogger from Edinburgh, Rani from Cupcake couture. It was lovely to meet Rani and her friend Virginia as well as catching up with the adorable Ann from Girlinthecityg.

The final piece was titled Fearful Symmetries which is an award winning piece by Ashley Page. This was my husbands favourite piece mainly down to the music, I actually caught him bopping about in his chair to it! By this point it was almost exhausting to watch as the power and stamina of the dancers is just breathtaking.

So, that's my rundown of my first ever ballet experience. It's certainly wetted my appetite and I plan on going to see more wonderful performances. So far, all the reviews for Geomety + Grace have had a 5 star rating which it definitely deserves.

Geometry + Grace will be touring Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Inverness throughout the month of September and October, you can find out more about ticket purchase here.

x

When 2 become 1 ...

Despite the title, this is not a soppy post... it is in fact about concealer.

One of my all time favourite concealers is MAC's Select Cover Up. It gives amazing coverage, creating a flawless finish to your skin, it is so good I live in hope that one day MAC will bring out a foundation version of it. That's how good it is.

So back to the original point of this post. I am NW20 in this concealer so a few months back I went down to my local MAC for this one specific item. The SA toddled off to collect my product, I paid, I left ... I got home and discovered the SA had in fact sold me NW15. Oh the frustration!

I ended up just using it despite how light it was but of course this meant I couldn't return it. A few weeks later I went back again to purchase the correct shade. Again, I asked for the product in NW20, I paid, I left ... I got home and discoved the SA had solde me NW25!!! What the actual heck?!

Don't these girls listen? I swear MAC girls are the absolute worst in the customer service stakes, I never ever have a good MAC experience.

So what is a girl to do? Well ... I now custom blend my own concealer, of course. And it looks like the MAC girls may have done me a favour as not only can I mix these 2 concealers to create NW20, I can now lighten or darken it by adding a little less or a little more of each shade. Perfect for when I am wearing fake tan or looking a bit pasty.

In fact, this is working out so well for me I may continue to buy 2 different shades in future so that I can always blend ot the exact shade I require for my skintone. I even find that I'm using less product this way.

Funny thing is, I do this with foundation all the time, not sure why I had never thought about trying it with concealer.

So thanks to the MAC sales assistant for messing up my purchase twice, it has turned into quite a clever mistake!

x

The Heartbreak Diet

I am still on my quest to lose another 14lbs (at least) so I was impressed to see how well Kelly Osbourne was looking of late.

She was already looking fantastic, healthy and in shape after her stint on Dancing with the Stars but her weight loss has kept on going over the past couple of months. It's debatable as to whether she is becoming to thin but at the moment there is no doubt about how great she looks.

Unfortunately it seems Kellys weight loss is down to a broken heart after splitting with her man earlier this year. Not an ideal way to lose weight but almost makes me want to be dumped!! (joking - touch wood).

As much as Kelly looks amazing, it probably isn't nice to lose weight in this way, i've even been there myself and as a food lover it is pretty depressing when the sight of everything makes you feel sick and upset. Here are some tips to deal with a heartbreak diet and to make sure you are still keeping healthy, eating and moreover, aiding emotional healing:

• Eat little but often. This is possibly a no brainer as you won't want to eat at all but even a small portion of food will help keep your energy levels up and your brain ticking away.


• Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water and whatever you do, don't turn to booze, it's a recipe for disaster. In a time of heartbreak you need your brain to think rationally as you will be full of irrational responses and behaviour while you deal with your loss, so it helps keep you in check.


• Try Bachs Rescue Remedy, apparantly it helps with emotional healing. Even bathe in aromatherapy oils to destress you and help restore some calm.


• Dried Mint and Ginger can be good for nausea, so check out your local health store or Holland & Barrett.


• Keep yourself occupied, see friends and family, enjoy their company. It will help keep your mind off more upsetting matters.


• Have a bar of chocolate... chocolate cures EVERYTHING!


• Cry. Seems obvious but grieve your loss and let it all out.

Kelly before the weightloss

Nevertheless, Kelly looks pretty happy in her recent photos which is hopefully a sign she is getting over her breakup ... and bet she is feeling pretty smug with herself knowing how great she looks. Bet that Luke one is kicking himself now!

x

It's National Cupcake Week!

Nomnomnom, I've had about 3 already today (diet out of the window - bad girl!)

These gorgeous cupcakes come from The Little Cake Parlour in Shawlands, Glasgow. They offer a wonderful selection of cakes and can even design to your requirements. Check out their website here.

Think it might be time for me to try my hand at baking my own cupcakes so any tips on buying in supplies or best baking methods then please do let me know in the comments :)

x

Festival In The Sky ... photos!

It was over a month ago I dined 100 feet in the air and really can't believe I have taken so long to share the finer details with you. It's been a hectic Summer to say the least.

So one drizzly Saturday back in August, the other half and I went on a little jolly through to Edinburgh to take in the sights of the Festival and unleash the daredevil within by taking part in Festival in the Sky.

Festival in the sky is the 100ft dining experience that some of you may have watched on this years Big Brother and for the period of the Edinburgh Festival it graced West Princes Street Gardens available for any brave foodies to take on!

I was lucky to get quite a special 'flight' on the crane as it was a 45 minute session with Hotel Du Vin chef Matt Powell (who spookily resembles Heston Blumenthal). Before the flight took off we were given a safety chat then we were shown to our seat and strapped in securely. Fortunately the sun split from the skies by the time we were seated and ready to go - perfect weather conditions.

As we took off, I was surprised at how smooth lift off was and how quickly we reached our 100ft limit. We already had a plate of food in front us but we weren't allowed to uncover it until we had reached the sky. In the centre of the table Matt Powell and another chef (can't remember his name for the life of me but he was a lovely man) prepared the main dish and chatted to us about what he was doing. We were also joined on the flight by our host Ben who was there to keep us amused with facts about Edinburgh and make sure our (plastic) glasses were overflowing with Cava :)

Our starter dish was a smoked salmon salad with a selection of cheeses, pate and chutney. It looks delicious, it tasted delicious. Matt then went onto prepare a pork sausage salad which again was very tasty. Despite the good food, nothing took away from the gorgeous views of Edinburgh Castle and the rest of the city.

Before I knew it our 45 minutes had ended and we were on our way back down, satisfyingly full and a little bit tipsy on Cava ... so obviously that called for obligatory post flight cocktails at nearby Tigerlilly.

Festival in the sky was a great experience, much less scary than i had imagined and double the fun.

x

Vintage Vegas

Last week marked my good friend Lorraine's 30th Birthday and for the occasion she held a Vintage Vegas themed birthday party.

The Vegas theme is something we are no stranger to ... Vegas comes in the form of a club night up here in Scotland, mostly taking place in Glasgow and Edinburgh. It's not your usual club night with swing hits from days gone by, Vegas girls dancing on stage and alongside the revellers as well as a mini casino. It has also been known to play host to many burlesque acts. It's such a fun and unique night out, it was no surprise that Lorraine chose a similar theme for her party.

We bought Lorraine a very special cake and cupcakes for her birthday, all Vegas themed of course ... FYI, they were delicious!
Being Vintage Vegas themed, this meant we all got the chance to dress up, we had Vegas girls, flapper girls, Elvis, Dean Martin, Gangsters and even a cowboy ... from outta town obv!?
I wore a short black sequinned dress with suspender tights by Henry Holland with lots of pearls and a fascinator.... unfortunately the only photos taken of me were from behind so nothing to show and tell i'm afraid other than my attempt at vegas nail art ...

Sorry for the blurry photos ... I did want each nail to look like a playing card but painting on these shapes were hard enough although i did try it out on my thumb. As usual, i used a kebab stick to paint on the shapes and a tooth pick for more delicate characters.

Oh and here is one of the only photos of me from the night, yes it was from behind but it's rather fitting for me ...

... re-applying the slap! Beauty bloggers are never off duty! ;)

x

Ombre Hair

Ombre hair, it's everywhere at the moment.

Ombre hair is when the ends of your hair graduate to another colour, usually lighter and blonder ... almost like you have let your roots take over your head.

This hair trend seems to come and go every few seasons but it's one easily done at home as a DIY job and also relatively easy to change once you are bored of it.

I don't see many redheads sporting this trend, it's usually blondes or brunettes that seem to look best with it. But guess what? This redhead is going to give it a go!

I don't usually go for the trendiest of trends, I like to pride myself in remaining a l'il bit different but this is something I can't resist. I am booking in this week hopefully as I am just too scared to do on my own although it sounds easy enough. I am the type to get too slap happy with the peroxide and will end up bleaching my whole head so I am putting my trust in my hair fairy instead :)

Stay tuned for the results, fingers crossed I love it!

x

Matching my cuticles with my cuffs

I was asked twice this week if my nail colour was the infamous Particuliere by Chanel but in fact it was a far humbler and much less expensive dupe in the form of Barry M's Mushroom.

I initially dismissed this colour thinking it was too similar to Eyeko's posh polish but Barry Ms version is slighty darker and is almost like for like with Chanel Particuliere. Can't help feeling smug about that one ;)

Anyway, here it is as I wore it this week ... shoddily applied, yes, but notice how it's a perfect match for my favourite leather jacket? And the choice wasn't even deliberate, I only noticed while I sat waiting on my train to work. Neat.

This has been on nearly a full week and has only just started to chip ... and remember I have no dishwasher and don't wear rubber gloves so that's a mean feat to hold up with being dunked in and out of water every night.

I think Barry M polishes are around the £3-4 mark and I do believe they are on 3 for 2 at Superdrug at the moment ... so get your hands on it - it's a winner!

x

Show Orchid

I am loving bright lipsticks at the moment but often find them hard to wear and your lips need to be in tip top shape to carry them off.

A while ago I raved on twitter about my new favourite pink lipstick and finally I am getting round to showing you all what it is.

I present to you Estee Lauder Pure Colour Gloss Stick in Show Orchid.

The pure colour glosses are a relatively new addition to Estee Lauder lip range and this particular shade comes as part of the gorgeous Blue Dahlia collection which I previously blogged about here and here and here.

Show Orchid is a gorgeous blue based bright pink which looks iridescent in it's tube. The point of the pure colour gloss lipstick is that it's basically a lipstick and gloss in one go. It gives a sleek, smooth, high shine finish without the gloopiness of a lipgloss. When applied this lipstick literally feels like it is melting onto your lips and feels super moisturising which is helpful for keeping lips in lovely condition to show off the gorgeous colour.

The formula contains Prismatic pearls add multi-dimensional volume and amplified light reflection which helps create a fuller looking lip. Always a win in my eyes.For being a bright lipstick, it's not overpowering and is surprisingly easy to pull off without being too 'in your face'. The glum photo above doesn't do justice to it's vibrance or colour but you can see the lovely glossy pigmented lip it creates.

Has anyone else tried this range yet? What brights are you lusting after?

x

Can a leopard change its spots?

I have always been partial to a bit of leopard print although I try to avoid the Bet Lynch/Pat Butcher look - however hard that can be.

Leopard print can be difficult to wear and I certainly don't recomend wearing a lot of it at once. I prefer my animal print to be in the form of a statement piece ... a scarf, a bag, shoes, maybe even my nails ... with the rest of the outfit toned down to avoid looking too busy and loud.

Last week I purchased another statement leopard print item for my wardrobe, this time a pair of boots. I was drawn to these as they look very like a pair of louboutins that I spotted Victoria Beckham and Cheryl Cole wearing in a magazine. Ugh, how naff am i?

Boohoo.com

Anyway, I spotted a much cheaper version on Boohoo.com for £30 and thought I would order and see what they are like. In real life the leopard print is furry. Not like expensive horse hair furry but like fuzzy felt furry. This makes them look a l'il bit on the cheap side, however, despite this they are very comfortable even with such a high heel and I figure that worn with the right outfit, they would make the animal print statement I am after.

Oh, and they have a red sole ... clearly trying to rip off Louboutin but I'm not complaining ;) For only £30 I thought they were worth keeping and I am sure I can introduce them into an otherwise dark and dreary Winter wardrobe.

Christian Louboutin

What do you think? Are you partial to animal print or is it strictly for Bet Lynch in your books?

x