40th Birthday Lust List

40th Birthday Lust List by fortytherapy 

With my 40th birthday rapidly approaching & family constantly asking what I'd like for a present, I sat down with my ipad & starting trawling the net to see if I could give them any suggestions.  There's quite a bit on my Polyvore set so I am in no way expecting to receive everything on it, it's more for my reference in case I ask folks to club together for one special gift!!

I'd love a classic black evening bag & although I adore the Marc by Marc Jacobs one & may have to hunt it down whilst in New York, the one from Zara is gorgeous too & would leave more pennies for other things!

After winning my box of goodies from Elemis last year, I've been in love with these products & would love to replace them.  The night cream is not cheap though at £95 a pot, eeek!

I really would love a new watch more than anything.  I've never been bothered about watches in the past (as displayed by my 21 year old Accurist divers watch currently on my wrist!) but recently, I've really fancied a lovely watch.  I took a peek on The Watch Hut & found these watches by Tissot & Citizen, both of which I love.  I have tried on the Tissot watch but not the Citizen so I need to try & hunt one down as I love the pop of teal on the face.

Next up are these fabulous rings from Thomas Sabo.  I love big, bold & quirky rings - hence the skull ring! - & there are some beautiful ones on the website, I could've chosen so many more.

Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt cologne, need I say more?  This scent is delicious & I can wear it without it giving me a pounding headache within an hour, a problem I have with a lot of other perfumes so I might have to get some from Duty Free!

Now the camera is a bit of a cheat as my hubby very kindly bought it for me last year but it had been on my list for a while so I kept it in!!  It's such a fab wee camera that offers just as much as a DSLR but without the changeable lenses.  I wanted something more compact that would fit in a smaller cross-body bag on my holidays as I would otherwise have to take a whole other camera bag if I hauled my DSLR around with me!  I love the funky retro styling of it & the red is fab.

And to finish, no birthday is complete without a lipstick or two from MAC.  I'll be in NYC just 2 days after my birthday so I will hold off & get some whilst I'm there as they are a lot cheaper in the States, even with the sales tax added on!

Sorry there's not links to everything but my PC is about to crash & burn I think - it's taken me two %&*("@+ hours to just get this far, it's soooooo slow :(

What did everyone else get on their birthdays (not specifically 40th birthdays!!)

NOTD China Glaze ~ Out Like A Light

Following on from my new found love of all things grey, I've been wearing this gorgeous charcoal polish for much of the winter.  It's such a classy colour, dark & rich but not as black as the photo shows it.  I tried taking photos in so many different lights but it still showed it darker than the real shade, you'll have to trust me on this one!

The photo above was taken 5 days into the manicure so there is very slight wear on the tips but it's still a super long lasting polish when teamed with my manicure super duo, China Glaze Strong Adhesion base coat & Seche Vite top coat.

This is Out Like A Light by China Glaze & it is available for just £3.95 (rrp £8.95) on Nail Polish Direct.

Next S/S '15 wishlist

Next S/S '15 wishlist by fortytherapy 


Oh I do love playing around with Polyvore when the new season clothes come out!!  Next is my go-to store & has been for many, many years.  It's affordable, it's stylish, it's current & most importantly, the size range is fantastic so this is where I usually head.  I think most people buy basics & wardrobe staples from Next & I've decked my 3 children out in their clothing for the last 17 years!!

Here are some of my favourite picks from the new releases.  I've stuck to basics as there's an awful lot of pastels around for S/S (not just in Next!) but I really don't do pastel shades, they just don't suit me so I'm not going down that route.  I noticed they're doing a high waisted version of my favourite denim leggings so I must go & try these on in store - any help holding in the mum-tum is fine with me!

I've previously blogged about wide leg trousers being around again at the moment, as are flared jeans *punches the air!*  I find these shapes very flattering on my body shape so I can't wait to pick up some new ones.

I love the black long utility shirt dress & the animal print collarless coat has my name written all over it, oh yes!  I picked up the navy jumpsuit the other day & it's a lovely heavy fabric that hangs beautifully but I do have something very similar already so I will have to show restraint on this one!

The other items are things that would be perfect for accessorising on my trip to Marrakech (5 weeks & counting!!!) & I just love the coral face on this watch.

I also spotted this complete outfit, which I bloody love!  This is totally something that I would wear & I really would like the fringed sandals, they're gorgeous!

I'm now off to trawl through a few more sites to see what's catching my eye at the moment......I could be some time.......!

Rimmel ~ Brow This Way

I bought this just before Christmas but hadn't actually used it (I forgot about it, whoops!) so here's my first go with a wax/powder eyebrow duo.

This is the Rimmel Brow This Way in shade 003 Dark Brown.  It comes with a double ended soft angled brush, one end for the wax, the other for the powder & a mini spoolie for brushing through the brows & blending.

For a drugstore brow kit, I have to say that I really impressed with this.  Now as I said, this is my first try with a wax/powder duo so I may have been a wee bit heavy handed - you really do need only the tiniest amount as it's surprisingly well pigmented!  You apply the lightly tinted wax first & then follow with the powder to set the colour.  Can you see the huge amount of difference it's made to my brows, it's fantastic!

I don't ever bother filling my brows in the daytime but this would just be amazing for an evening makeup.  Hopefully after a few practice runs, I'll get the application spot on but suffice to say, this is definitely a keeper!!

Brow This Way is £3.99, such a great price for this gem of a product!

Benefit ~ Roller Lash Super-curling & Lifting mascara

Unless you've been living under a rock these past few weeks, you will/may have noticed the huge amount of press for the newest release from Benefit, the 'super-curling & lifting' Roller Lash mascara.  This is not yet available to buy but you can however, grab a freebie mini version with the March edition of Elle magazine right now!

Now, I wasn't overly impressed by the blogger favourite They're Real mascara by Benefit (read my post here) so I was pleasantly surprised to find I much prefer this one.  The plastic curved wand is styled on velcro rollers with tiny wee hooks that grab, lift & curl the lashes.  I can't comment on the curling effect as my lashes are naturally curled but I will agree that the brush grabs & lifts the lashes with ease.

Unlike the They're Real wand though, the bristles aren't sharp & spiky so it's very comfortable to use & although the formula is quite wet, it's very light-weight & doesn't spread all over the eyelid - result!  It visibly lengthened my lashes but didn't offer a huge deal of volume as you'll see by the following photos but it is super-black.  I've taken shots before, with one coat & with 2 coats so you can see the difference for yourselves!

The burning question is, would I buy the full-sized version when it's released?  To be honest, probably not which is bizarre seeing as I think it's a pretty darned great mascara.  I think someone with straighter lashes would benefit (sorry!!) more from this as I can get the same results from a mascara half the price (L'Oréal False Lash Telescopic, in case you're wondering!)  I will say though that the formula does last 12 hours as it promises, it doesn't flake or smudge & hoo-bloody-ray, it removes very easily, which was my biggest bugbear with They're Real!

Roller Lash will launch in March & will cost £19.50.  Will you be trying it?

  

Home inspiration ~ grey & white

I love this quote by William Morris & I really wish I could apply it to my home as it's always just so crammed full of, well, just stuff.  I long to have a home where every single thing has a place to live, somewhere to be put away but you know, I have 3 children....and a husband....it just doesn't work!!  But this year I am determined to re-jig my house to make it work much better for everyone - but mainly me, so I don't want to cry in despair every time I look around!

I get severe Instagram & Pinterest envy looking at some of the beautiful homes around & even though for as long as I can remember, I've never liked white in the home as I've found it too cold, at the moment, I'm really loving it, especially when teamed with pale grey.  This sudden love of grey & white has really shocked me as I've always decorated in really warm earthy tones but after seeing some of the photos on t'internet, I've realised that this palette can also look cosy - and that I'm going to be re-decorating a lot this year......

Here's some of my favourite Pinterest looks at the moment.

Offtt, so lovely....

I've definitely decided to do Alfie's bedroom in grey with white & mustard accents but it won't be done until summer as one wall needs replastering.  The girls' bathroom needs updating too so I'm veering towards all white - although they really want godawful sparkly bright fuchsia pink & lime!  Erm, no sorry girls, that's just not going to happen!!

The whole exterior of our house has to be rendered this year in order to have the extension signed off & we've always said it would be white with pale grey cladding & front door so that's a good start!

What do you think of these colours?  Could you live with them or are you more a warm palette person?

Book Club January 2015

I haven't posted my Book Club reviews for a few months so I must get back into it!  I'll start with the first one of 2015, The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton.  This was chosen by myself & another friend as it was Waterstones' Book of the Year for 2014 & it really piqued my interest!

Set in 17th century Amsterdam, it tells the story of 18 year-old Nella Oortman as she starts her new marriage with the wealthy merchant trader Johannes Brandt.  She arrives at his grand house to be received by his less-than-welcoming sister Marin, as Johannes is away on business.  On his return, he seems very cold towards her but she is appeased when he gives her a magnificent cabinet-sized replica of their home as a wedding gift.  Nella then employs the services of a talented, yet elusive  miniaturist to furnish the house with eerily accurate creations.

As Nella discovers the secrets of the miniaturist's replicas, she begins to understand what fate awaits all who live within the house.  It's very hard to talk about the story without giving away spoilers so I won't go in to too much detail in case anybody wants to read it but I really enjoyed this book.  It engaged me from the start with great characters, especially Marin & it's fair to say that there were a few shockers along the way!

However, there were a couple of bits in the book that annoyed me slightly.  I found the ending rather disappointing as it finished so abruptly, I felt like someone had removed the last chapter of the book as, in my opinion, there was more to tell.  Also, I was expecting this book to centre around The Miniaturist when in actual fact, she is mentioned very little.  This I found really frustrating as I needed to know her story too!!

Having said that, this book is still enchanting & full of suspense & I would highly recommend reading it.

MAC ~ Brick-O-La

I put a photo of this on Instagram the other day & then realised I hadn't actually done a blog post on it, whoops!  We have here my favourite lipstick at the moment, Brick-O-La by MAC.

*Whoa, extreme close-up, scary!!!*

I picked this up on a total whim one day from the MAC counter within Harvey Nichols in Edinburgh & I adore it.  It's an amplified finish so it's creamy & very moisturising to wear.  Longevity is not fantastic if not worn with a lip liner but that's true of most lipsticks that are not 12-hour formulas so it's not a biggie.

I can only describe the colour as warm pink with a hint of terracotta to it, making it a very wearable shade.  I find myself wearing it a lot at the moment & it's already on my re-purchase list but I'm trying hard to eek it out until I can get to duty free in 6 weeks!!

It can (obviously!) be ordered direct from MAC online for £15.50 but if I can't get to a counter, I prefer to order via Debenhams so I can collect my Beauty Card points!!

Is anyone else a fan of MAC lipsticks?

Barry M ~ Showgirl Extra Volume Black Mascara

I've had this Barry M Showgirl mascara for a couple of months now as it was a 'gift with purchase' when I bought a couple of nail polishes (quelle surprise!)  So in the mad flourish of new mascara excitement, I tried it straight away but was less than impressed with it, hence the lack of post.  However, others may love the look of it so here goes!

First of all, it's by no means the worst mascara I've ever used (that one's coming up soon!) but it doesn't live up to it's name.....not by a long shot!  It's called Showgirl Extra Volume but I found it offered no extra volume whatsoever.   Yes, it's black & yes, you can tell I'm wearing it - just - but it just doesn't offer the va-va-voom I require in a mascara!  The above photo is with 2 coats so you can imagine how little was on the lashes with just one coat.

I've mentioned before that because I wear glasses, I like a mascara to give a bit of oomph otherwise my eyes disappear behind the lenses.  This to me is a very light coverage daytime mascara, very similar in fact to the Maybelline Great Lash that everyone raved about & I hated!! 

The wand is a medium sized tightly compacted bristle brush with very little 'give' to it so I found the application quite difficult.  The formula is not too bad on application to be fair but it does flake after a few hours.  This generally tends to indicate that the formula will dry up quite quickly.  I do love however, the pinky metal tube although it's quite heavy so not the most practical for travelling with.

This retails at £4.99, which is a decent price if you prefer a lighter mascara but I definitely won't be repurchasing, it will get passed on to one of my daughters!

Have you tried this?

Wide leg trousers

Wide leg trousers by fortytherapy 

I was reading one of Kat's posts over on www.doesmybumlook40.blogspot.com the other day & she was talking about wide leg trousers & how they're going to be all around this season *punches the air in happiness!!*  I really do love WLT, I find them so comfortable & if the cut is right, very flattering on my shape.  She had listed a jersey pair from ASOS which I knew would be perfect for my upcoming trips to Marrakech & New York as they'd be comfortable enough to travel in but could be dressed up when needed.

However, I was having a mooch round town yesterday whilst my car was being MOTed (it passed, phew!) & popped in to Next where low & behold, they had a perfect pair of jersey WLT just in.  They're lovely soft, but thick jersey fabric with a tie belt over an elasticated waist & pockets & they fit like a glove.

So this afternoon I had a wee trying on session to see how I would wear them for travelling & then for going out in the evening thinking about the fact I've got to keep my packing to a minimum.  I kept my Converse on for both outfits as we'll more than likely still be out & about walking in the evenings but you could also swap them for dressier flat sandals for the evening.  I wouldn't personally wear them with heels as I think they look better with flats & also, I'd need another pair in a longer length for heels!

Apologies in advance for the grainy phone photos, I think I need to re-jig the settings a bit as my photos keep coming out dreadful at the moment!!  I've also taken them in my daughter's room as I can't get far enough away from my mirror in my room to get a full-length shot!!

The second photo is my ideal sort of outfit for travelling in as it's just so slouchy & apart from the laces on the Converse, very easy to slip on & off through customs.  In fact, I may just swap the Converse for my slip-on Skechers, which sadly don't look as good but are so bloody comfortable, it's like walking on marshmallows!! 

 I always take a scarf on plane journeys because even if I'm not cold (highly unlikely at the moment - hot flushes are back with a vengeance, hence the pink-faced photos!!) I can use it as a pillow.  Also, no makeup, just a really good hydrating serum, moisturiser & lip balm to stop my skin from drying out too much during the flights.

For evening, I'd chuck on the trousers with a simple fitted black t-shirt & my favourite leopard blazer, minimal makeup, slick of hydrating Revlon Lip butter in Candy Apple & that's me done & ready to go in 5 minutes!!

When I was making the board on Polyvore, I noticed that Next also do them in navy which I know I'm going to have to get too.  Are you a fan of the wide leg trouser?