A young friend of mine who's brilliant at make-up took pity on me and gave me a Bobbi Brown manual and the ever popular Naked palette from Urban Decay. All my favorite shades in one box. Genius! I know... I know.... For a clueless cosmetics shmuck like me, I'd never figured it in a million years that it would be far cheaper and convenient to get a palette than little pots which are often a pain to locate when I'm in a hurry.
I love reading intelligent books. Books that rock my world and change my life. Like cookbooks. Hah! Fooled ya there, didn't I? Did you think I was going to say something brilliant like - 7 habits of Highly Effective People or a biography of a brilliant dead person? Lately, I've been enamored with Gwyneth Paltrow's Notes from My Kitchen Table and River Cottage Everyday by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. The recipes are simple to follow and the steps are limited to a few. I don't have to fly to the moon to get some obscure ingredient that doesn't exist on this planet. I'm a mom. I work. I love good food. But I can't deal with pretentious food that's the size of a peanut and cost £50 even if the Michelin chef looks like a Greek God.
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| 1. Heyland & Whittle candle £12, Geodesis candle £20, Geodesis Reed Diffuser £35 |
I wouldn't turn down a Diptyque candle but at the same time, I feel rather guilty for burning a lot of money in 40 hours. I've been hunting for good alternatives. I'm rather sensitive to fragrance. The ones seeped in chemicals trigger off my asthma in a bad way. These soy wax based with natural oils from Heyland & Whittle and Geodesis are fabulous.
So, what cheap thrills are rocking YOUR boat at the moment?
You're too funny, M! Cookbooks can be considered intelligent, no? It indirectly helps to fuel the brain for intelligence? :P Besides, there's so many different types of intelligence.
ReplyDeleteAs for cheap thrills, none at the moment. I have been pretty good with my shopping ban, I'd say.
Ooh the naked palette..I have been thinking about purchasing it! Everyone raves about it!!
ReplyDeleteI quite fancy that River Cottage book, I just posted about my cheap thrill!
ReplyDeleteNice Palette!! I adore cheap thrills! Currently, I'm loving Capri candles from Anthropologie, Jane Iredale lipsticks (divine)
ReplyDeletelove this pallette!!!
ReplyDelete♥The fashion witch
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thanks for recommending some soy wax candles - i'm making an effort not to buy paraffin candles anymore. i met a lovely lady who runs Made in Provence http://www.madeinprovence.co.uk/ at the good food show the other week and she had some divine smelling candles - i bought the lavendar and orange one, yum!
ReplyDeleteMy new Winter Signature candle from The White Company has been rocking world since it arrived earlier today! I love Diptyque candles too, I have a couple but like a Christmas aroma at this time of year!
ReplyDeleteLoving your book choices - well up my street! Hugh rocks :)
ReplyDeleteMy cheap thrills? Great finds in the charity shop where I work…I usually get one once a week. Well worth volunteering for the weekly thrill! Avril x
I think it may be time for me to start thinking about a makeup palette. I just need someone to show me how to do it all - I know I wouldn't read a book. I think I will suggest to the girls a makeup session at a counter for our next girls day out and see what happens at the end of it. I will probably be very frightened or converted.
ReplyDeleteCheap thrills - Lyn Harris has done a perfume range for M&S this year at around the £25 mark which is more than half the price of her regular line. I think I might need to check it out and see if it needs to go down on my Christmas list. It's time for a change.
You might be frightened... I have never liked my makeup when done by an MUA - they always tend to pile on something. I find here in oz the departments store ones especially like 'playing up' the eyes :S
DeleteI really love the shades in that palette from Urban Decay because they're versatile and work for a broad range of skin tones! As for my cheap thrills, I have a slight addiction to clear lip gloss! :)
ReplyDeletexxTheresa
hey marlene, really glad to have a mini review of gwyneth's book. been contemplating it for a while - i subscribe to her newsletter and her recipes on there always sound really good. have not yet attempted any of them but i'm going to buy that book on the weekend i think! my number 1 pet peeve is trying to find substitutes for ingredients that are hard to find!
ReplyDeletealso - naked 2 is one of my fave palettes! enjoy! xx
steph / absolutely-fuzzy.com
Love your attitude to cooking. OK now I really have to get her book and she sounds like my kind of assemblaaaage cooking. I love Bobbi Brown and they way they do make-up. I got a full make-up tutorial 15 years ago in Harrods and have not changed my look since. (maybe that's not such a great thing...)One thing I loved was how they used purple eye shadow which really does the trick.
ReplyDeleteGlad you are enjoying the Naked palette too. Isn't it fun? I've had such bad luck with palettes before; I could never find one where all of the shades worked. This is it :)
ReplyDeleteI have been wanting to get one of those NAKED palettes for so long - I hunted for it when I was in the US last year but couldn't find it. Such a perfect combo of colours
ReplyDeleteI have both Naked palettes, but since packing and then moving house I have lost the will to put effort into my makeup...This must change. They are I think though the perfect palettes for people who like neautral office friendly looks.
ReplyDeleteMy sort of cheap thrill - I have recently become addicted to to Glasshouse candles (an Australian brand) after having no interest in candles whatsoever. Even though they are not the price of a Diptyque, they are still pricey at $40 a pop... or maybe I'm just a tight arse :)
Hilarious! I sometimes wonder why there are even cook books out there full of 'obscure ingredients' when obviously noone would be able to recreate. I do love my peanut sized pretentious food though haha.
ReplyDeletexx Jenee C.
{camo meets couture}
I'm with you on cookbooks and 'cheaper' candles (Anthropologie is my favourite source for the latter).
ReplyDeleteI also like to buy style/photo and home decor books... And nail polishes! (even though I'm not very good with manicures)
I've been eyeing the naked palette for a while, I can't decide whether to get it or not but all the colours look gorgeous!
ReplyDeletexoxo
Stacey
Five Minute Style
LOVE those boots and coat on you! Such great colors.
ReplyDeleteI love your small luxuries. What a fun way to treat yourself. Umm... I love those Bobbi Brown makeup books- especially the early ones. Full disclosure, Bobbi Brown is our neighbor at my parent's home and growing up all of us girls and our mom's appear in those first books. She or her staff are the only people who people who touch my face.
ReplyDeleteThat's incredible, Lindsay!! I remember reading her earlier books years ago. Who knew I'd be communicating with someone in those pages years later.
DeleteRegarding scented candles, Durance (a south-of-France based company) makes great (and quite cheap -no more than 20 euros) ones. They have several shops in Paris (I know you come here quite often!) and they might ship worlwide (not sure about this though).
ReplyDeleteThis, a brand new lipstick and a little fluffy pastry on my way home are my favorite little luxuries..
Have a great week-end!
Thank you for the tip! I remember looking at a website and seeing the brand Durance and wondered what it was. I'll check them out now.
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