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Review: Clue Quest – The Live Escape Game

clueQuest – The Live Escape Game
clueQuest Ltd, 11 Plough Yard, London, EC2A 3LP
On Wednesday evening I met up with some shady looking characters in an alley in East London. I’m kidding! Those shady characters were actually some of the lovely people from Nuffnang. We were there to celebrate Nuffnang’s birthday with a night full of experiences and adventure. It was a fabulous night, but today I’m going to chat about our first outing of the evening – clueQuest.
clueQuest is currently the top #1 London attraction on Trip Advisor, so maybe you’ve heard of it?
Well if it just so happens that you haven’t, you’re in for a treat, because this is an attraction like no other. clueQuest is a live escape game where you are locked in a room (don’t worry it’s not scary!) and given only 60mins to escape. The room/s are full of mysteries and clues that you and your team need to figure out in order to progress through the game, and to ultimately escape your room. You don’t need to be strong, or fast. Nope. You just need your wits, common sense, some logic, and a bit of teamwork. Anyone can do it (it’s suitable for all ages), but you will need a team of people, between 3-6.
We arrived at clueQuest HQ and were immediately debriefed.  It turned out Mr Q had been watching all of us bloggers for a long time. He had chosen us, out of everyone in London, as potential new agents. We were handed a clipboard, pen and walkie talkie (to communicate with HQ), and sent out on our mission. Little did we know what Mr Q had in store for us behind that locked door. Now naturally I can’t say much about the room, or show you any photos. Why? Because that would spoil the experience, silly! All I can say is that the whole experience was unlike anything I’ve ever done before. I’m a bit of a gamer and I love solving riddles etc. so this was like Christmas for me. My team – Team Awesome – were all on the ball, and we went into super spy mood as soon as we heard the key turn in the door. So, did we escape the room? Of course, we did! Finally, as we left and celebrated our escape, we were given special secret agent cards. Mr Q was very happy with our work and had recruited us to help save the world!
There were riddles, brainteasers and lots and lots of clues to make sense of. I can’t recommend this enough, and it’s perfect for pretty much everyone – as long as you enjoy a good mystery, and solving puzzles.
Prices start at £17 per person. If you’re curious, head over to clueQuest to find out more and book your escape!
bloomzy /

Review: Collection Lasting Perfection Foundation

Collection Lasting Perfection Foundation in #1 Porcelain*
By now you’ve probably guessed that I’m a fan of Collection Cosmetics. I love how their make-up products offer good quality, without the price tag. I recently saw their lasting perfection foundation at their SS14 press day and was intrigued.  This six in one foundation primes, conceals, covers, smoothes, protects and mattifies. Phew! That’s a lotta bang for your buck! So did it live up to it’s claims?
Before and after swatches, over a freckle.
Pros:
+ SPF 20
+ Matte finish
+ Conceals perfectly
+ Flawless coverage
+ Smoothed out my skin

Cons:
– Shade range is lacking

Notes:
I’m not gonna lie, this foundation is AMAZING! I can’t get over how good a product it is for a ‘drugstore’ brand. I have red pigmentation on my cheeks (hello constant rosy cheeks) and this covered it completely. That may not sound like much, but I’ve yet to find another foundation that does this so perfectly. The coverage is wonderful and it conceals like a dream. I feel like this is the closest I’ve come to photoshop worthy skin. Unfortunately the shade (#1 Porcelain) is a bit darker than I would usually use, and with only 6 shades in the range I do feel that a lot of people will be missing out on a great product. I mixed it with some moisturiser though, and voila! This does mean the coverage isn’t as good but it’s ok because I’ve been pairing it with the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer (review coming soon) to get flawless skin. I’m also planning to mix it with a white foundation I have, to get the perfect match. At £5.99 I urge you all to go out and grab a bottle of this!
You can purchase Collection’s Lasting Perfection Foundation at Superdrug and Boots.
bloomzy /

Video & Photo Diary: Look Again SS14 Press Day

A few weeks ago I headed to the Look Again SS14 Press Day. I apologise for the tardiness of this post, but I was waiting on a video. Yes, that rather slick, classy video at the top was well worth waiting for. It features some of my favourite picks from the current SS14 collection. I also talk about the lovely Stacey Solomon, the new face of Look Again.
No, I didn’t spend my entire day giggling obnoxiously to a camera crew. I also met up with Lorna of Studs & Dreams, and Georgina of Georgina Does. Both are lovely ladies and the perfect company for any kind of blogger event. We caught up over champagne as we checked out the stunning items on show. The collection was put together perfectly and the pieces chosen very well. My personal favourite out of everything had to be the Lipsy Floral Chiffon Dress. It certainly wasn’t easy to choose though, surrounded by so many gorgeous items. We also chatted to Stacey Solomon about the collection, and yummy canapés. She was so sweet, and I loved that she changed into her favourite outfit later on.
If you fancy checking out some of the lovely items in this post you can find them on Look Again.
bloomzy /

Review: Trilogy Age Proof Line Smoothing Day Cream

Trilogy Age Proof Line Smoothing Day Cream*

Just as my current moisturiser was running low, this fell through my letterbox. Trilogy is a brand I have known of/been using for the past few years, and I trust it. This particular product is a cream that claims to hydrate skin and help restore natural elasticity. It can also help combat those fine lines by smoothing them out, hence the ‘Age Proof’ label. I figured I might as well get a head start on the ageing process, so I tried it out for myself.
Pros:
+ Hydrating
+ Absorbs quickly
+ Nice subtle scent to the product
+ Non-greasy texture to the cream
+ Leaves my skin smooth and supple
+ Packaging is simple yet sleek
Cons:
– Thin cream
– Product is a bit big for travelling
Notes:
I like Trilogy’s products and this cream has only cemented that feeling. I have been applying this in the morning, as part of my usual skincare routine (I use a different moisturiser at night). The cream itself is slightly thinner than the usual moisturisers I use, but thankfully that doesn’t detract from the quality of the product. I like the texture of the cream, it’s not greasy and it doesn’t sit heavy on my skin. It actually absorbs pretty quickly into my skin, leaving it feeling thoroughly moisturised. It has a nice subtle scent to it, and although I can’t pin it down exactly, I still like it. After using this my skin feels smooth and supple, and whereas I can’t credit it purely to this product, my skin has been in great condition lately. This is a nicely packaged item, with plenty of product. However I do find that it’s a bit big to pop in my handbag, or to take with me when I’m travelling. At £30.50 this is high end skincare that is certainly worth the investment.
You can buy Trilogy’s Line Smoothing Day Cream at Boots.
bloomzy /

OOTD: Daisy, Daisy…

Shirt – Primark | Shorts* – Warehouse | Shoes* – Oasap | Necklace – Tatty Devine | Tote – Beyond Retro

You know when you buy an item and end up wearing it the day after? Yeah that, with this shirt. I didn’t have the patience to wait to wear it. Luckily the weather was amazing this weekend so I didn’t need to.
I realise I went a bit floral with the shirt and trainers, but hopefully it’s not ott. The shirt I picked up in Primark as I just loved the casual cut and the cute print. The trainers are from Oasap and just seemed like a fun way to wear comfy shoes. I hate being stuck in uncomfortable shoes, but I still want to look good. It’s a conundrum! I really wanted the pastel blue version but they’d sold out in my size. It wasn’t meant to be. Frida? Well she just seemed to fit in with the vibe of the whole outfit so I added her too.
Don’t forget you can get 20% off with code ‘bloomzy’ when you visit Oasap!
bloomzy /

Photo Diary: Culture, Peanut Butter, Skincare and Me

If I ever had my own autobiography it would probably be named something close to the title of this post. The past week or so I’ve really been doing a bit of everything I love, which has been really lovely. The change in weather has given me a bit of a boost and it also means I can get out a bit more. Friends and family have also been visiting, so I get to do lots of stuff I wouldn’t usually do.

I’ve been visiting lots of museums, restaurants and art galleries. I live for culture, probably even more than I live for beauty products – shock, horror! It’s been fun being able to indulge in that particular passion, and I know it won’t end soon. I’ve also been receiving some exciting items in the post, which I’m sure you’ll see on here, no doubt. I thought my love of photography might suffer, what with my camera being sent back for repairs. Luckily that hasn’t been the case, and even though my iPhone 5s isn’t as good, it does the job.

You can follow me on Instagram @bloomzy

bloomzy /

Tutorial: How To Remove Any Nail Polish Easily

I often get friends and readers asking me how I remove my nail polish so easily. The trick I use is one I learnt years ago from a friend, and I actually thought it was well known. People still seem surprised and thankful when I tell them though so I thought I’d make a tutorial.
You will need:
A sheet of tinfoil
A pair of scissors
A couple of cotton pads
1 x bottle of nail polish remover
A Step by Step Guide

 

1. Cut 5 thin (nail width), long strips from the tin foil.
You’ll only need 5 as you can re-use them on the other hand.
 
2. Cut the cotton pad so you have 10 nail size pieces.

 

 

3. Soak a cotton piece in nail polish remover, and squeeze off the excess.

 

4. Place the cotton pad on your nail and wrap the tin foil around it, and repeat for each nail.
Make sure you fold the tin foil at the tip, so it’s secure and won’t come off.


 
5. Leave these on for around 5 minutes for regular polish, and 10 minutes for glitter.
Times may vary depending on the polish, but I find these usually work fine.


 

6. Once removed you’ll have polish-free nails, and can start on the next hand.
With more stubborn polish a little may be left around the edges.
You can easily remove this though by using the cotton pad to wipe it away.
 
7. Wash your hands free of any nail polish remover and use a hand cream.
Make sure to pay attention to your nails and rub the cream in around the cuticles.
 
There you have it, my super easy nail polish remover tutorial. I have yet to meet a polish that doesn’t remove with this method. This wipes away even the most stubborn glitter nail polishes.
Have fun!