Moving to our New House!

The time has finally come to move house! It's felt like a long process as our offer on the house was accepted back in March, so we're so happy to finally be moving in over this weekend. We've completely outgrown our tiny little flat which we've been renting for the past two years so I can't even imagine what it will be like to live in a place that has stairs, more than four rooms and a garden!

We'll be living in an almost-empty house for a while as we don't want to take any of our current furniture with us (modern, cheap and broken) so until we move in and can measure for new furniture, nothing can be ordered. A busy and exciting time ahead; painting, wallpapering, choosing curtains and furniture, very exciting!

Here's a little peek at our new house, it's a Victorian 3 bed terraced house. I love the glossy black front door!

We won't have Internet access for a couple of weeks so blog posts will be a bit sparse, although I have scheduled a few. Hopefully I'll be back in a fortnight with some summer posts!

Have you got Specs Appeal?

I discovered I needed glasses when I was 10 years old. This didn't bother me in the slightest, I was absolutely delighted to choose my first pair of glasses which had pink frames and were huge. Of course, I didn't realise how unattractive they were until I looked back on them with the critical eye of fashion conscious teen. The frames reduced in size as the years progressed but I switched to contact lenses at 14, relieved to be rid of glasses which I was sure repelled all boys.

 I always felt unattractive wearing glasses (probably because I always managed to choose the ugly ones) and felt very self conscious wearing them out in public. It eventually dawned on me that this may be because trying to look good in a pair of 10 year old rusty, bent and grimy glasses that didn't flatter my face was nigh on impossible. It was only last year that I decided to embrace glasses and invest in a fashionable pair, so off I ventured into Specsavers and came out with these...

I'm happy to wear these out and about now, and perhaps the change in confidence has to do with the amount of celebrities who adorn glasses these days in a bid to be different. Whether geek chic or sexy secretary, glasses are now fashionable, with many a perfectly sighted person reaching for a pair of specs in order to be deemed cool and quirky.

In celebration of people who wear glasses and wear them with pride and style, Specsavers run a yearly competition, searching for the nation's sexiest spec wearers. So if you can give these girls a run for their money...

...enter the competition here.

1st prize includes a contract with Storm model management, a two week holiday in Barbados or St Lucia with spending money, a makeover with a celebrity hairdresser, a goody bag, an eyecare voucher and a year's supply of Simple skincare products.

It's worth a shot girls!

*This is a sponsored post

MOROCCANOIL Hair Products

I've been having a bad time with my hair lately. Despite my best efforts to protect it, it seems the constant styling, colouring and and exposure to the sun has really taken it's toll. In a bid to conquer the frazzled ends, I started to leave my hair to dry naturally rather than blast it with a hairdryer, but the ends of my hair still appeared fluffy and frizzy.

When I saw MOROCCANOIL promised to leave hair instantly silky and shiny with the ability to help restore condition to over-processed hair, I was keen to try it.

MOROCCANOIL Oil Treatment - RRP £29.95 for 100ml

After shampooing and conditioning my hair as usual, I applied a 50p sized amount in my palm and worked it through the ends of my damp hair. I was a little apprehensive this would make my hair greasy as it's an oil but I needn't have worried as my hair was left incredibly soft and most notably smooth. No more wild ends which looked as though I'd been electrocuted! This does an amazing job at disguising split ends and giving the illusion of healthy, shiny hair. A perfect product for hiding a multitude of hair sins!

Here's a picture to illustrate the difference in my hair when I use this product. The left shows my hair when MOROCCANOIL has been applied whilst the right shows my hair free of products.

As you can see, a big difference as it tames my wild ends into sleek locks.

For my holiday this year we'll be heading to Turkey for a fortnight, where temperatures are notoriously high. MOROCCANOIL Oil Treatment would have been the perfect antidote to frizzy hair caused by humidity, but glass bottles aren't the best for travelling with so this product will be the perfect substitute...

MOROCCANOIL Hydrating Styling Cream - RRP £21.85 for 300ml

Like it's Oil Treatment cousin, MOROCCANOIL Hydrating Styling Cream eliminates frizz and adds shine with the added bonus on providing soft hold and texture for styling. I'll be using this after washing my hair but I'll also be applying a pea sized amount to dry hair in the day time to fight the frizz and humidity.

Although fairly expensive, MOROCCANOIL products are worth investing in if you want glossy, shiny hair as they really do deliver the results they promise. I can see the both products lasting a long time as only a small amount is needed, even on my waist-length hair. These products have now become my hair saviours!

Other products in the MOROCCANOIL include Curl Cream, Hair Masks, Shampoo, Conditioner and Shine Spray.

MOROCCANOIL products are available to buy at a number of online stores.

Has anyone else tried MOROCCANOIL products?

Blondette Hair Inspiration

One of my goals of this year was to do something different with my hair. I was considering a fringe but this never materialised as I bought a clip-in one and I wasn't too sure if I liked the outcome. So instead I'm going to have a play with colour. I'm between jobs at the moment to allow time for moving house, decorating and going on holiday for a fortnight, so I thought it'd be the perfect time for a bit of experimentation.

I spent the first 8 years of my life as a blonde...

...until it gradually grew darker and darker. Over my teen years I've experimented with reds and plums, so it's about time I venture into blonde tones. I've decided I want to go a little lighter, perhaps with some blonde highlights. Something along the lines of light brown/dark blonde.

Here are some pictures that illustrate the kind of colour I'm talking about...

Nothing too scary or dramatic, but still something different to what I have now. And if I like how it turns out, hopefully the upkeep won't be too expensive! I'll be going to the hairdresser's after our holiday as I don't want the sun to alter the colour, so come September I will have new hair!

NOTD: Eyeko Rain Polish

One of the latest editions to Eyeko's nail polish family is Rain Polish, a greyish-blue shade that according to the packaging gives 'city nails.' I'm still a little unsure about blue and green nails, however, if I was going to wear a shade of blue, this would be it. Slightly murky and venturing into grey.

In real life, this appears more dark and grey than in the photo's. Essentially, it is the colour of Blu Tack. As with all the other Eyeko nail polishes, this applies well and dries quickly, a really lovely formulation. Eyeko nail polishes can be purchased here for £3.50.

What do you think? Would you wear this colour?

Clinique All About Eyes Serum & Airbrush Concealer

For all you hayfever sufferers out there, who, like me are having sleepless nights due to all the sneezing, itchy eyes and runny noses, and wake up to find puffy, tired eyes, here are two products I’d recommend to soothe, brighten and refresh your eye area...

Clinique All About Eyes Serum - £20.00

This instantly cooling serum gives much needed relief to my swollen eyes with it's roller applicator which helps massage away bags, refresh and hydrate puffy eyes. This product also claims to brighten the eye area over time and combat dark circles, too. With caffeine, potent antioxidants and soothing botanicals, this oil-free serum is wonderfully cooling and non-irritating. 

Clinique Airbrush Concealer - £15.00

I'd been struggling to find a decent concealer recently (my fault for thinking something priced £2.99 would actually work) and at last I've found one which does the trick. Clinique's Airbrush Concealer does a fab job of reviving my under-eye area and making me look wide awake rather than weary and tired. With light reflecting pigments, not only does it hide shadows but it also illuminates and perfects your complexion and eye area. 

The brush applicator means this is quick and simple to use, I just dot along my under-eye area then blend gently with my finger. This is a light concealer so it won't work wonders on heavy dark circles but it's perfect for brightening the eye area and disguising lack of sleep.

What are your go-to products to soothe and conceal hayfever eyes?

Illamasqua Medium Pencil - Hex

Illasmasqua’s medium pencils are multi-tasking products. Designed for use on both eyes and lips, these creamy pencils are handy to carry in your handbag for touch-ups on the go. I was sent the colour Hex, an ideal shade as it's suitable for both eyes and lips.

The colour is perfect for lining the waterline. White eyeliner can often appear too stark and cartoon-like, whereas this nude is the perfect flesh-toned colour, giving the appearance of brighter and more wide-awake eyes.

For those of you who love your nude lipsticks, this would also be an ideal colour for you to line (and fill) your lips with for longer lasting colour. A great little multi-tasking product! 

Illamasqua medium pencils are priced at £12.50 and available in a whole host of other colours at Illamasqua counters or online.

Shabby Chic Second Hand Furniture

A few weekends ago, my fiancé and I strolled into one of our local charity shops to have a look at the second hand furniture as they've had some lovely pieces there in the past which unfortunately had already been sold. This time, we were in luck as we found not one, but two lovely pieces of furniture for our new house!

I adore second hand furniture. There’s something so exciting about finding an old piece of furniture at a really low price, seeing it's potential and then renovating it to look lovely, I find it very satisfying! I love how each piece is unique and when our home is fully furnished I know everything will be irreplacable as we've picked up bits and pieces from all over and not just one store such as Ikea. Second-hand furniture is also perfect for shabby chic decor!

First, we stumbled across this small side table being sold for £15. I loved the curved legs and knew it would look fabulous once painted white.

And here it is after being painted...

...now very shabby chic and French looking! To get this finish I applied an undercoat, a coat of basic white matte paint and then finished with a coat of paint that had an eggshell finish. This gives a slight sheen to the wood that looks more polished than a more rough matte finish.

Next, we found this wooden dresser selling for £30...

Again, this will look even more lovely once painted. I liked the curved top, a bit of a change from the usual straight edge. I’m planning on following the curve with these paper roses (from eBay) once it’s finished...

I’ll adorn it with pretty teacups, plates and milk jugs once we’ve moved.  It should look something like this when it's finished...

What I love most is that we bought this for just £30 when in Laura Ashley they’re sold for over £500! I just wish the whole process of exchanging contracts and finalising the move would hurry up so we can get going!

Cosmo Blog Awards

Cosmopolitan magazine are launching their first ever blog awards. I'd be ever so thrilled if any of you are kind enough to nominate my blog. Blogging is something I've enjoyed so much over the past year or so, not just reviewing products to help other girls out but also hearing you're own feedback and recommendations. If only it was my full time job!

It would mean so much to be shortlisted (I can dream!) And it's not just for beauty blogs, nominate your favourite fashion and lifestyle blogs too!

If you'd like to show your support, all you need to do is:

- Click HERE
- Select the beauty category
- Enter the URL http://www.amyantoinette.com/
- Then write a little about why you enjoy reading my blog

A big thank you to anyone who does decide to take the time to nominate my blog!