Sun Goddess Self Tanner Review & Giveaway!

Now that summer is truly here I look at my pasty self and long for a sun kissed golden tan. When living in the UK there is no guarantee of sunshine and heat so self tanner is your best friend. After living in Cyprus I miss my lovely golden tan and wanted a quick fix. 

When Sun Goddess approached me to review their self tanner, I jumped at the chance. I've seen lots of good reviews on YouTube and any excuse to bronze up and I'm there!

They sent me an 8 oz. bottle of the self tanner along with sachets which are great for topping up areas or to take with you on the go. The mitt and gloves are great for application and to banish any orange hand syndrome and a t-shirt which I found perfect to use as my tanning t-shirt. When the t-shirt is on- I'm tanning.

Now onto the fun part- the before and after photos!

As you can see I was a pasty lady before hand and not looking particularly summer ready but after just one application of Sun Goddess self tanner, I looked like...

This! Say hello to my natural looking bronzed self.

So, my verdict... There are a lot of great things about this self tanner, the first one being it smelt really nice when applying it. I was pleasantly surprised at this as most self tanners have that distinct smell as soon as it leaves the bottle but this smelt lovely, however as time went on and it developed the smell began to arise. It didn't really bother me though as I'd been expecting it in the first place. Applying it with the mitt was great too, leaving a lovely even coverage all over and saving my hands from tell tale tanned palms. The formula had lovely little glitter particles in unlike any other tanner, leaving you lovely and shimmery after application and I also found that it dried really quickly which is what you want from a self tanner. No one wants to be awkwardly standing in the nuddy pants waiting for the stuff to dry- who has time for that? The only thing I found slightly bizarre was how dark it came out of the bottle. In the past I've only really used cheap self tanners of a white creamy consistency but this was seriously dark, giving you an instant tan but I felt it looked a bit muddy on me! Don't panic though, this washes off as soon as you shower, revealing a lovely bronzed tan which I am seriously impressed with! 

As I said before I had a mega tan living abroad last year and this is pretty much the same as my tan in Cyprus (see here and here at how brown I was and how similar this fake tan is) so I am super happy! 

If you want to see more of before and after application, why not watch the video too:

Sun Goddess have very kindly created a 10% discount code for you all use if you'd like to purchase their self tanner. Just type: LaydeyKatabella in out the checkout.

I'm also running a giveaway to win a free bottle of the self tanner. To enter click below: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Have you used self tanner before? 

Guest Post: Top 3 High End Foundations

Hello lovelies. Todays post is brought to you by the gorgeous Olivia from Crave More Beauty. I hope you enjoy!

Most mornings seem to be the same for me; alarm, snooze, alarm, snooze crawl out of bed, shower, skincare, coffee.

Once pumped with caffeine, I usually crack on with my makeup which is where the first tricky question of the day arises: what foundation shall I wear today? 

My base is the most important part of my makeup - dull tired skin can be perked up with a glowy finish and good skin days can be highlighted with a sheer natural look to set me off the day. So it's only right that there's a good selection on offer, and I've picked out my top three high end foundations to help with any skin scenario you're faced with.

The go-to foundation: Nars Sheer Glow. If you've stayed up that tad too late watching Netflix/reading your favourite blogs then this is the one to reach for. There's a good reason that this is used in 99% of YouTube tutorials (probably best not to take that as an official statistic), but I'm reaching the end of my third Sheer Glow and I'm still in love. It's the perfect balance between matte and glowy. It doesn't give you that unrealistic 'I woke up like this' glow, but adds some life and radiance into your skin. Sheer Glow rave over.

The night-out foundation: Charlotte Tilbury Light Wonder Foundation You only need to scroll through my blog for 0.3 seconds to learn that I'm a Tilbury kinda gal', so I couldn't go without trying her foundation - even if it is the least used one out of the bunch; I don't know if it's because I have more dull skin days than good ones or if it's that it takes a while for me to blend this into my skin, but when it works, it's a thick creamy consistency which could be a little too much for the oily skin girls out there, but the boost of glow it gives you is unquestionable. Fabulous for special occasions.

The good skin day foundation: Dior Star. I've mentioned this is my March Favourites and I'm happy to announce I'm still enjoying it as much. A pump or two of this blended into the skin leaves a beautiful and flawless finish; the most matte of them all. I particularly love this one for when I'm sporting a red lip.

If I had to pick one? Sheer Glow. Duh!

Foundation/BB Creams/Tinted Moisturers play such a huge part of our makeup regimes, but it is important to start with your skin. Making sure you're staying hydrated and looking after it the best you can will ensure that any base will sit on your skin better. 

Do you stay loyal to one foundation or dabble day in day out? I'll be flicking back to Kat's blog to read your comments, so leave all recommendations in the comments. Feel free to pop over to my blog Crave More Beauty to have a read of all my other (not so lengthy) posts. 

Instagram

Twitter

Bloglovin

Pinterest

A Week in the Life of Laydey Katabella Vlog & Update

Hello you wonderful lot. Todays video is a week in my life. I fancied a spot of vlogging this week so if you want to see what I get up to click the video below:

Also, I am currently on holiday! So I will be leaving you in the capable hands of the wonderful Olivia from Crave More Beauty for this Fridays post. I'm sure you will love it!

Have a great week and I'll speak to you guys next Tuesday!

The Hotter Shoe Event #stylewithasmile

A few weeks back I attended a blogging event courtesy of Hotter shoes. The event was held in their Peterborough store which was perfect for me; being local and easy to get to straight from work! 

Now I must admit I was slightly dubious beforehand as I've always associated Hotter shoes with old ladies and imagined their styles all to be frumpy, however I was pleasantly surprised by their selection of colours and styles! Yes there were still styles for the older generation but not all the designs were aimed at that age range.

These cute plimsoles have a real Cath Kidston-esque style going on with the gorgeous polka dot and floral patterns.

 And these pumps have a really classic Chanel feel to them. What do you think?

Believe it or not Hotter started off by making slippers! They now make shoes which are just as comfortable as slippers which really caught my attention. They have a "secret comfort concept" which features in all of their shoes, making every pair cushioned, flexible and with plenty of room to wiggle your toes. They also have half sizes which is great for any in-between feet out there. Oh and they're all British made- what's not to love?  

I learnt from the event that Hotter use colour forecasting to ensure that all their new shoes will be in this seasons colours, making them perfect to match with other pieces on the high street. Some of their key trends this spring summer are 70s bohemian, nautical and rainbow brights- all trends I adore! I loved these pumps below and the matching purses- perfect for spring summer.

Even the mens' shoes are lovely, being hard wearing and also comfortable. I was so tempted to pick Chris up a pair of these as I could envisage him sporting a pair with chino shorts but ended up buying myself a Hotter handbag- whoops! (Sorry not sorry.) Speaking of handbags- look at these beauties below. Aren't they gorgeous? As you can see they put just as much thought and design into their accessories as they do their footwear.

Whilst at the event myself and my +1 were invited to try on all the shoes we desired whilst being treated to drinks and nibbles. Surely this is any girls dream!? We oohed and arred at all the styles that took our fancy. Even the heels were comfy, something I never thought would be possible. We were suitably impressed! The Hotter team were incredibly knowledgeable about shoes and what they don't know isn't worth knowing quite frankly. You can instantly tell they are passionate about their shoes and know their stuff, ensuring the shoes you were trying were the perfect fit. Once we found our perfect pair we got to take them home, compliments of Hotter. Squee!

Shoes make me VERY happy as you can probably tell!

I fell in love with these gorgeous red Sorbet loafers after seeing them on the store manager Danielle. I was pleasantly surprised at how comfortable they were as usually I've found loafers to be a stiff structured shoe but these are like butter with their crazily soft and velvety nubuck. They fit like a dream whilst having a firm and supportive heel and hand stitched detail. I also stepped out of my comfort zone (but only when it comes to colour!) and chose a red pair over a navy or a black, making them a perfect statement shoe. I can see me pairing them with a nautical outfit or adding them to a tailored outfit for a bold bright pop of colour. 

Sorbet Loafers*

Whilst at the event I did a bit of vlogging so if you want to see me getting giddy over shoes and bags, click the video below:

I also donned a microphone and talked to a camera other than my own! That was bizarre as I'm used to filming on my own but it was a fun experience and will soon be on the Hotter Youtube Channel so stay tuned for that!

All in all I had a fantastic time at the Hotter shoe event and came away buzzing from the experience. Since then I haven't stopped raving to friends and family on how impressed I am with Hotter and I've had lots of compliments on my new shoes and handbag. My whole perception of the brand has changed and never again will I think of them as an old lady brand. They may not be the cheapest shoes on the high street however they are made to last and its clear to see the amount of care and attention they put into making stylish yet comfortable footwear.

Hotter have also given a discount code to all you lovely readers! Use the code: PMATEN which entitles you to 10% off and free p&p on your first order with Hotter. 

Terms and conditions: 10% off plus FREE delivery is for first orders only. You are entitled to 10% off the total order value of any full priced items in the Hotter range (excluding shoe care products) plus FREE delivery.  This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotional offer or on Sale or Factory Clearance items and gift vouchers.

The discount code can be used on our website from Friday 22^nd May and ends on 31^st July 2015.

Will you be trying Hotter shoes?