Confessions From Under My New Duvet

Love sleep, love life right? Well I am definitely a lover of all things slumber related hence the name of my blog so when The Fine Bedding Company contacted me and asked if I would like to try out one of their luxury duvets the answer was a swift yes. The Fine Bedding Company are a family run business who take sleeping seriously. They produce products for lovers of a great nights sleep and manufacture a variety of products from duvets and pillows to mattress protectors and toppers. The brand have recently had a refresh and are sporting a brand new logo and duvets are now supplied in storage bags for easy storage.

After completing a short survey which identified my sleeping needs I was sent a 10.5 tog, Goose Feather and Down duvet. This duvet is part of the natural range and is made up of 85% goose feather and 15% down which has excellent thermal qualities so it is perfect for winter. I unbagged my duvet when I returned from a recent trip to Dubai and the timing could not have been more perfect. I can honestly say that this is by far the best duvet I have ever owned. It feels so snuggly. It is the perfect weight and keeps me really warm at night and that's coming from someone who lives in an old house with single glazed windows. The only downside is that I am loathe to drag myself out of bed in the morning! The storage bag it came in is also perfect for storing my summer duvet neatly.

The duvet can be purchased from The Fine Bedding Company website where you can ask the "sleep experts" what the right duvet is for your needs. I would definitely consider purchasing other products from The Fine Bedding Company based on the quality of the product I received.


My top tips for a good nights sleep:

• Put down your smart phone and pick up a book! Studies show the light from the device keeps the brain active instead of getting it ready for sleep.
• Create a calming atmosphere. I light scented candles and use a lavender sleep balm.
• Try to stick to a bedtime routine (they're not just for children!). I struggle to go to bed at the same time but try to apply my moisturiser in bed as a way of relaxing.

Elegant Creatures

The t-shirt I'm wearing is by new British label P&Co Clothing. Their mantra is 'Life, Style and Elegance' which is a pretty cool mantra to live life by. I stumbled across the company insta-stalking men with beards (think Ricki Hall and Chris John Millington). The t-shirt is part of their Elegant Creatures collection which took its inspiration from nature with prints based on the butterfly (above), peacock and parrot. The label designs items for men but all of their ad campaigns feature women and I am wearing a size small. 

The above look is a little mod inspired. I am wearing my ASOS brougues with everything at the moment and they go perfectly with my velvet bomber which belonged to my granny. I am also carrying a black studded rucksack from Bank which I won at the Fabb Glasgow blogger event which I will write about soon!

I'm writing this blog from Dubai. I booked last minute tickets a week ago to come over and stay with my friend from uni who lives out here. So expect a post filled with sunshine and summer clothes amongst all the posts on winter warmers and parkas! 

Brand vs Budget No 1: Body Washes

I love a good soak in the bath. It's one of my little pleasures. And I love a really luxurious silky body wash. I've tried two recently that impressed me. One by the brand Soap and Glory and the other is by the budget supermarket Aldis. The Aldis AquaV body wash is very similar to Palmolive or Dove and has a Shea/ Cocoa butter type scent to it (can't exactly put my finger on it but it's nice). It has a lovely thick texture and lathers up really well and at 75p it's a bargain.

I bought the Soap and Glory Sugar Crush body wash to match a body butter that I was given as a gift. I am in love with scent! It smells like lime cheesecake in a bottle and when followed by the body butter I'm practically edible! Again the texture is very silky but I find I need a bit more than the AquaV to get a good lather. It retails at £6.50 which is distinctly more. It is a bigger bottle 500ml to 300ml however, price wise it works out as £1.30 and £0.25 per 100ml respectively which is a massive price difference if you're counting the pennies. I will definitely be buying the AquaV again if only to prolong the use of the Soap and Glory! However, each equally have their merits. Now to find the perfect bubble bath...

Pout Edinburgh

A few Saturdays ago I attended Pout at the Edinburgh Corn Exchange with my blogging buddy Catriona from at the Cat's Pyjamas. Pout is marketed as a ladies lifestyle show featuring, fashion, beauty and leisure time for aspirational women from Edinburgh and the surrounding areas where you can shop, test products, buy treatments and have fun with your friends. The event included:

• Pop Up Shops,

• The Market Place,

• Hair Ups, Nail and Brow Bars,

• Treatment areas,

• Demonstrations,

• Champagne and Cocktail Bars,

• Win your Wish List Competition

• A chance to be the 'Pout of the Weekend'

On arrival we were given vouchers for our goody bag and a free cocktail. We spent most of our time in the market place as the area set up for demonstrations was always busy and we couldn't get a seat despite my robo-cop boot! (Yes I am cast free now!) The market place housed a variety of different stalls from teeth whitening to cupcakes to hair extensions. There were seminars on flirting, fashion shows and a photo booth complete with wind machine. However, our photos are a lot to be desired (must practice with hair dryer for next time)! There were also pop up shops from local boutiques and larger stores like Debenhams and Semi Chem which is where the real bargain of the day was found. If you paid £5 you got over £30 worth of makeup in a goody bag (pictured above on the pink foil). There are some excellent products inside and the mascara, in particular, is my new favourite. I only wish I had bought more to keep as presents/ stock up for myself. The added bonus was that for each bag purchased a portion of the profits were being donated to testicular cancer. 

Our Pout goody bags were also excellent value and included 2x bottles of Rimmel Pro nail varnish (my fave nail varnish and my fave shades AND Cat gave me an extra bottle as she only uses Shellac - score), a Rimmel lip stain, perfume samples, a hair styling kit and some skincare samples. Among some of the other freebies we picked up on the day were 3 bottles of Saint Moritz (we may have went to that stall a few times using different voices).

In terms of purchases Catriona and I bought some fake hair. Neither of us are really extension wearers but these were only £15 and looked fab (just ask all of the middle aged women who came over and started touching our hair!) The company selling the extensions were called Lady Lux Hair. Oh, and some cupcakes may have also been purchased! 

The event should cost £15 but Catriona got us 2for1 tickets off Groupon. I think the event is worth the entry fee but being the thrifty characters that we are the goody bag and freebies were all the sweeter half price! This Saturday were heading through to the West coast to attend the Fabb blogger event in Glasgow. I am really looking forward to seeing some faces from the last event I attended and meeting some more of my fellow Scottish bloggers in the flesh!

Yu.Be Moisturising Skin Cream

I've had a bit of a skin care obsession ever since my friend introduced me to blogger skin care guru, Caroline Hirons. From ditching the baby wipes which she deems are only ever acceptable for the three Fs - festivals, flights and fan... you get the rest! To double cleansing and hunting for the perfect balm cleanser and acid toner. My skincare routine has been overhauled.

The above moisturiser is featured in a Pixiwoo favourites video and was recommended to Sam by Caroline (her interview with them is fantastic). Aside from that, I cannot find that much UK information on the product. I think the selling point is the high glycerin content. It is a cult product in Japan and has been in production since 1957. It claims to offer 'head to toe hydration all year long' and as well as containing high levels of glycerin it also contains vitamins B2, C and E. The moisturiser can be used all over the body and a little goes a long way. 

The moisturiser is bright yellow in colour, absorbs quickly and has a strong camphor scent (think Vix but nicer). However, I find it very calming and have taken to applying the cream in bed as part of my nighttime routine. Rest assures though if it is not your thing that the scent does fade quickly. I cannot say that I have experienced miracle over night results as with some reviews, however, I have had a dry patch on my right jaw line that refused to disappear no matter what moisturisers or oils I used and it has all but gone. I would also say that my skin feels plumper especially around the cheek area. I have yet to try it on other problem areas I have as I bought it as a facial moisturiser however, I do suffer discolouration on my chest from severe dry skin and am hopeful that this product could be the answer to finally eradicating my love bit like blotches!

There are a lot of mixed messages on the Internet as to the benefits of glycerin. Some scientists singing its benefits others slating it but personally, I can see this becoming a cure-all, bedside cabinet  staple in my household for years to come. 

S.W.A.T. Team

Jumper and Skirt - H&M // Bra(!) - Frost and Floozie // Trainers - Reebok via ASOS // Sock(!) - Primark

I am realising that this was not the most appropriate bra for this outfit. I was wearing a vest underneath but the weather was strangely hot and I ended up de-layering - whoops! The above outfit is from H&M. My skirt collection is growing as a result of my cast. I really love the length and the pleats and have already spotted a leopard print version in River Island that I'm adding to my wish list (along with a several tartan items). I paired it with my new sneaks which I love. My friends have informed me that I am starting to suit my cast. It's definitely going though... it's soo not A/W13!

Run, Hop, Skip, Jump: Reebok Freestyle Hi Tops

The title of the post indicates exactly what I plan to do when this god forsaken cast is off and these are (potentially) the supportive little numbers that will assist me. I've got a definite two weeks left off work and then who knows. At my next appointment there is the possibility I'll be fitted with a boot for my cast which will allow me to finally put my foot down which could mean a phased return to work. So in need of some suitable footwear and thinking ahead to a cast free yet physio heavy future I bought these trainers. They are so comfy and in my mind the perfect trainer for the 90s mom/ Kirstie Alley look that I seem to be favouring (I never in a million years considered that a scrunchie would again become my best friend). That said, what drama games I'll be able to participate in wearing a "moon" boot and a cast remains to be seen. Least I'll be down with the kids though... Right?! Right?!