Product review - LUSH Mask of Magnaminty face mask

Hay, hay. So another day, another cruelty free/veggie product review.

This time I'm focusing on the face with a wee sneaky face mask.

I'm not fond of my skin at all. Combination skin is a pain as you often feel like you get the worst of both worlds. Recently my skin was feeling kinda congested. My pores were clogged, the dryness on my cheeks didn't seem to want to budge, even with a micro dermabrasion wash, leaving it looking pretty dull. I was having none of it, so I popped down to Lush.

When I was in there a few weeks back I was talking to one of the lovely ladies who work there (who had some rather fabulous green rimmed glasses, by the way) & was having a whinge about my skin. She sat me down and had a chat to me about a couple of products she thought might help. She really knew her shit. One of said products was the Mask of Magnaminty. She gave me a wee sample and a couple of weeks later I was right back in there buying the biggest tub I could get my hands on!

I know a lot of people who didn't like going into Buchanan St Lush in Glasgow. The smell in there was pretty over whelming, you could smell it on your clothes when you left and it's not somewhere you'd want to spend a lot of time if you're prone to sore heads. However, a few months back they moved the store to new premises right across the road and, I have to say, I think any issues former Lush haters may have had are a thing of the past. The new Buchanan St branch is all on one level, looks great, the layout makes it much easier to shop and they must have some shit hot ventilation because the old over whelming smell problem is a thing of the past. It still has the smell of a hundred and one bath bombs (it just wouldn't be Lush without it), but I doubt it'd irritate even the most delicate snoze.

Mask of Magnaminty, as the name suggests, is a face mask for troubled skin containing peppermint oil. It smells pretty great. As with all Lush products it's Vegetarian Society approved, but contains honey so not one for the vegans. It smooths on the face (& back and chest if you so wish) really easily, you leave it for five to ten minutes then rinse it off with lukewarm water.....& boy, what a difference it makes!!

It feels nice on, doesn't dry so hard it hurts your face, and has ground evening primrose seeds and aduki beans when you rinse it off it lightly exfoliates. My skin felt GREAT when I rinsed it off and moisturised. It was brighter, the areas of dryness felt soothed, not tight or sore, my pores were reduced and much, much cleaner. I really chuffed I was recommend this product.

Prince point wise it's £9.25 for 315g (which is what I got) or there is a smaller tub of 125g for £5.25.  I know a few folk might see that as pricey, but it's pretty poplar (it was actually the first thing I saw when I logged onto the Lush website), & I got the last one in the shop when I was in. You get a lot of product for your coin, it goes a long way and, most importantly, it works. So I for one won't quibble on the price of this one. If you're not sure about it you can always pop into your nearest store and ask for a sample....that's the beauty of Lush!

So if your face is feeling a bit beluch, get on it......

Thanks for reading and always remember.....Lady bon loves you...

http://www.tattybon.com

The Barras are better.....

So, living it Glasgow you'd need to be pretty dense not to know about the Barrowland Market, or as we all lovingly call it, the Barras. 

The Barras is situated between the Gallowgate and London Rd as you leave the city centre and enter East End and has existed for a century. It is both famous and infamous in equal measure and boasts a somewhat varied history. 

A once bustling market place, it is now far quieter than even just a few years back. Much of it's infamy comes from its oldy worldy charm being diluted by people selling illegal software, tobacco, pirate DVDs, and counterfeit designer ware. The  recent closure of the nearby Paddy's Market did noting to help, as many of its more determined traders moved their bed sheet covered in random rubbish 'stalls' to the Barras. However, the Barras found it's darkest hour in the late 1960's as the Barrowland Ballroom was the hunting ground of  Bible John. 

The main building consists of a street level where the traders are and the upper level is the Barrowlands Ballroom. In by gone years the Ballroom was one of Glasgow's premier dance halls, with young people from all over the city and beyond flocking there to dance the night away every weekend.  Unfortunately in 1968/69 it fell pray to Bible John. Thought to be Scotland's only serial killer for many years, he earned his name by frequently quoting the bible. He is strongly suspected of sexually assaulting and murdering 3 women, although there are many who think him responsible for other killings. Despite the efforts of the police Bible John was never caught, although it is speculated that he and Peter Toban are one and the same (and it's pretty hard to argue with).

Dark as this past may be, the Ballroom is now turned around. Nowadays the ballroom is (in my opinion) one of Glasgow's finest gig venues. It has a charm that no other venue can touch. It still boasts the many of the features of it's dance room hay day....some may call it shabby, but what do they know!! Plus, the old ladies that work there are lovely!

As for the 'rouge traders', don't be fooled into thinking thats what the Barras is all about! I have bought some AMAZING stuff there, none of it dodgy knock offs. It breaks my heart to see how quiet it's become. There may be the guys out and about selling rubbish track suits, but theres so much more to it than that! Lets think about it...

I got this Singer in the Barras for a fiver!

When I lived in a tenement and something when wrong with the fuse box, where did I go to find extra fuses; the Barras, when my Dyson got a bit worse for ware & needed parts where did I go; the Barras. There's definitely a practical side to the place that we all seem to forget until we need it! Just think of Bill's Tool Store,; I think most of us have lost our boyfriends in there for an hour at one point or another.....& I've bought many a craft supply there.

There are also still lots of traders selling second hand goods. When I was there last weekend I was drooling over some of the furniture. Betty's Arcade has some of the nicest, and fairly priced, vintage furniture I've seen in a long while. There were original 60's 3 piece suites, dressers, coat racks, side tables.....just...everything! There are a few antique pieces in there also. One of the traders is selling custom homewares too, they had some lovely lamp shades cushions.

In the Square Yard across the way there's now a vintage clothes shop as well as one of my favourite stalls selling what you might call ob-je-da .....mirrors, dollhouse bits, jewellery, lace, bags. I love it! 

And there's the classics. The stall selling all the incense and smoking paraphernalia, the military stalls selling collectables and some rather fantastic mess jackets, the vintage jewellery stalls, the tea room and that whole jumble section in the main building (& don't be fooled, there's some wee gems to be found in there).

In recent years there have also been new development in the form of the B.A.A.D Centre. Now, I won't pretend to be an expert on it but it is resident to some Glasgow fashion designers and it has hosted Menergy parties before. I imagine they'll be a lot of development there in the future.

I got this bangin' wee bag for a fiver down the Barras just the other week

If you're not into the stall action there's also all the surrounding shops. Fabric Bazaar is there, and it's the first port of call for most of the dress makers and crafters i know for affordable fabric and haberdashery. The wool shop is there, and despite the resurgence in the popularity of knitting, I don't even know of another wool shop! There's also the usual fashion outlets and a few furniture shops and shops specialising in Polish food, a music shop and even a wee sports shop selling roller boots! The old Bairds Bar is now closed down (sorry Celtic fans) & is apparently being converted into a big furniture shop!

I got this little vintage bag in the jumble section of the main building under the Ballroom. I was looking at it and the trader lady just gave me it! how nice was that.....

There's still so much to be found, its always worth a wee wonder down there. I've seen so much you just wouldn't get anywhere else. Is there another place where you can buy a genuine ships wheel at one stall, human glass eyes at another then some house plants at another? The Barras is ingrained into Glasgow; it's history, it's culture, its giging for gods sake! It shouldn't be allowed to slip through our fingers. Its future is forever a matter of debate and speculation, recent stories I have heard are that its being made into a 'proper' market with a farmers market and the like, that it's being made into a large car boot sale and, God forbid, that it's getting levelled to make room for real estate.
I'm a strong believer that the latter should not be allowed to happen. I can see the others working, so long as most of the essence of the Barras (the indoor parts, in my opinion) is kept.

I got this vintage painting on glass down the Barras for a tenner.

I know a lot of people will look at this blog with a sense of cynicism, but I think if you haven't been down the Barras for a long while, or if you're put off by the thought a bunch of guys wondering about the street shouting 'fiver lighters fir a poun'' at you, think again. I'm not saying don't make sure your purse is well secured at the bottom of your handbag when your there, but don't be put off, the ol' place still has a lot going for it.

I've never been anywhere else where you can buy a giraffe table and and a bong within yards of each other.. Now that's like seeing a sign for two headed snake ....you pull over, cos surely that's gotta be worth a look!

Still unconvinced? Well, here's Public Enemy giving a wee bit of Barrowlands praise.......'nuff said

Thank you for reading. And always remember...Lady Bon loves you...

Lady Bon loves....Eilean-Shona Arts

Ok, things you should know about me number 237: I am a mad clepto. Well, horder really, since I don't steal....much.
I just like nothing better than filling up a room, and the walls are no exception.
I have one wall in my living room that I just cover in prints that I have came across and love. On an evening while watching TV with the boy I often find my eye drifting over to my busy wall, and I just sit and appreciate it. Many of my prints I have collected while attending or working at tattoo conventions (the Scottish Tattoo Convention in Edinburgh being my favorite) & i have a few prints by the same artists. But there is one selection of prints I favour which come from a very different source.

My busy wall in it's infancy. There's 3 of my Eilean-Shona prints here.

I first discovered Eilean-Shona Arts when I had a stall at Granny Would be Proud craft/vintage fair in Glasgow's west end. As i was going through a rather rabid print collecting phase about then, it couldn't have come at a better time!
What drew my eye to her work is just how clean and crisp it is. Her style is that interesting hybrid of simple yet detailed. Illustrations are against a plain background and many feature no, or very little colour, the main image drawn using only pencil. Now, I'm sure to some, that sounds dull, but it really makes you appreciate how beautiful and detailed that main image is. Her illustrations are varied, but many are nature orientated, which I'm especially fond of. Not all of her prints I have are of animals of course, but I must admit, most are...they're just so beautiful! I mean, who wouldn't want to own something from her 'Animals that Mate for Life' collection?! I'm actually a little obsessed by her latest works of animals in jars. So far i have Red Panda, but I plan on collecting them all!!

A trice of the prints in my collection. The greetings cards are perfect for filling the little spaces on my wall.

Now, if you like her style but aren't into animals (you're a freak), not to fear. She also has a beautiful collection of fashion illustration that carries her signature style beautifully, in addition to some interesting, and pretty varied, art photography (find folders here). And if you're just not into pictures then, again, fear not, as she does a rather excellent selection of merchandise such as bookmarks, note pads and little vanity mirrors.....excellent giftage I hear you say?!

Beautiful photies and fashion.

I think a lot of people are put off by the idea of owning 'art', rather than some nice pictures they got from Ikea, because they think of it as being arsey or too expensive. Now, as much as I can appreciate where this attitude comes from, it needn't be the case & I think artists such as this are putting paid to this kind of thinking. Eilean-Shona prints will set you back a mere £15 for an 8x10" print and only a couple of quid for a greetings card. All are printed and mounted on lovely paper and you can also buy framed prints and photographs and, of course, there's the gift merchandise. Now being able to buy art at craft fairs, such as Granny, so what could be easier? Online? Well, her website is under construction, so watch this space...

Oh little Roe Dear, you will be mine....oh yes, you will be mine.

I for one will be buying more to fill up the larger wall in my new living room.
So get on it people! Beautiful, accessible art from a local lass....what more could you want?!


Thank you for reading. And always remember....Lady Bon loves you...
http://www.tattybon.com

Cruelty free noggin......vegan/vegetarian hair care

Ok, firstly, prepare yourself, cos this is a long one...you may want to go have a cup of tea half way through.

So, it's came to my attention that I've been banging on about cruelty free make-up so much I've neglected all the other products us ladies are so fond of! So where better to correct this than with HAIR!

I have a bit of a 'thing' for shampoo (along with foundation & mascaras it's my cosmetic obsession). I have fine hair and lots of it, this means that A LOT of products are too heavy for my hair and it tends to look oily and lackluster very quickly as a result, often leaving me with dull lifeless hair more often than not. So, needless to say, I have gone through a fuck tone trying to find shampoos etc that I like....your gonna hear me whinge a lot about my hair in this post I'm afraid.

So I have compiled a list of hair products and brands, most of which I've used, that may be of help to the discerning lover of cruelty free, vegan/vegi to boot, hair care products! 

Lets start at the very beginning....a very good place to start.

Shampoo & conditioner

Superdrug

Ah, good ol' Superdrug, I do love you.

See, the wonderful thing about Superdrug is that almost all of their own buy products are vegan and/or vegetarian, marked clearly on the back of their packaging.... & it is very light on the wallet! 

They have 2 shampoos that are among my favorites, their Extracts cherry and fig shampoo & conditioner & their Pro Vitamin full volume shampoo. I found both of these great for my fine hair and got a full day before my hair started to look oily. The fig and cherry smells amazing, so if you don't like it, you can always use the shampoo as a body wash. 

As for the Pro Vitamin volumising, I don't think I've ever been given so many 'oh my god, your hair is so shiney' compliments in all my days as when I use it! Which is lovely. Now, granted, I do have dyed black hair, so it is likely to have a bit of shine, but still.....

I'm also a fan of their dry shampoo. Not only is it cheap with a range of fragrances and colours but it's good stuff too.

Oh Superdrug, your hallowed aisles are like a cruelty free, budget wonderland.

Lush

Again, you can't go wrong with Lush. Most of their products are vegan and all are vegetarian.

I'm currently using one of their shampoo bars. Granted their price point is a good deal higher than Superdrug, but in fairness their stuff does last a good long while. Their hair care is also free from any nasties such as silicones, parabens and sulfates, and as a lot of folks find these very irritating it's good to know you can get cosmetics free from these all in one place.

The shampoo bar I'm using is a sea salt affair for hair that gets oily quickly called Seanik. This is the second time I've bought it and I can get a full day out of my hair, so I like it. The only pain in the arse is trying to get that wee bloody tin I got for it open with wet hands!!

Co-op

Co-op is another you just can't go wrong with if you're a fan of cruelty free. Much like the Superdrug they're Leaping Bunny approved and very few of their own buy products have contain animal byproducts and it's clearly marked on their packaging.

I don't think I've used their hair care yet (I've used so many my brain sometimes turns to mush), but they do have a tea tree shampoo, and as tea tree is good for fine hair that gets oily quickly, I'll def be giving it a bash at some point. Price point wise you can expect to pay just over £1 for shampoo and the same again for conditioner, which is pretty damn reasonable.   

Having at least 3 shampoos at any one given time? Yes, I'm aware I'm mental

Asda

I've read a lot of bitching on forums about Asda products along the lines of  'it said it was vegan, but when I read the ingredients it had beeswax in. OMG, sob, sob'. Now, this is because Asda DO NOT mark their products vegan, they mark them vegetarian. To be fair vegans, that has knocked most of the negative ingredients off the list, so it shouldn't be too hard to work out the ones that actually are vegan.

Price point wise, Adsa has 'V' marked shampoos and conditioners from as little as 22p, so if you're on a tight budget or have a family, these are the guys for you. Some of the bottles are MASSIVE as well. 

I have used Asda hair care, but found it a little too heavy for my fine, limp hair, although I have only tried one shampoo and one conditioner so far.

Holland and Barrett

Holland and Barrett, your local friendly health shop chain, has a whole host of cruelty free cosmetic products. I think a lot of people don't realise this as they think of it as a health 'food' store. They carry the Dr.organic range which is vegan and free from sulphates, parabens and artificial colours, so another good one for those with sensitive scalps. The price point is just below 6 bucks each for a shampoo & conditioner, but Holland and Barrett often do buy one get one half price and penny sales, so you can still get a bargain.

I've used the Dr.organic rose otto volumising shampoo and conditioner. This was maybe a wee bit too heavy for my hair, but not too bad. Again, as it smells of amazing rosey goodness, so if you don't like it as a shampoo you can use it as a body wash!

Wholefoods

Wholefoods is another chain of stores that offers a range of cruelty free cosmetics and toiletries. They have the likes of Weleda who are cruelty free and offer a lot of vegan and vegetarian options and everything they do is free of any nasty chemicals so, again, another good one for you sensitive types.

I haven't used any of the toiletries from Wholefoods as yet (& there's way more besides Weleda), but know folk who use Weleda skin care and love it.

Price wise....well, Wholefoods ain't cheap I'm afraid.

Daniel Field

Daniel Field has been cutting about for years and has always offered cruelty free, vegan hair care...bravo sir!

He was a hairdresser with a chemistry background (weird, right?) who decided to make his own hair friendly range. 

I used his shampoo many, many years ago, so can't really make any fair comment on it. It used to be available in Boots, but I can only see it online just now.

Ion

Ion is another of my favorites. It's available in Sally (Salon Services) as it's a 'professional' product. I used their Vitalising Thickening shampoo and not only did I get a full day of  fresh, clean hair from it, but boy, did it give my hair volume! I think it's wise to use a conditioner each time you wash with this one though.

For some reason you it only tells you what's vegan (which is most of it) on Sally's US site. It's in the box below each product description in the 'more details' section.

As a 'professional' product they price point is a it higher, but on a par with Lush. Luckily there are Sally stores everywhere, but you may only find this in the larger stores.

Tara Smith.

Tara Smith is another brand I used years and years ago when it was available in Tesco. I think it I found the shampoo I used a wee bit too heavy for my shitty fine hair, but it'd be unfair to say that with any certainty. The packaging has changed a lot since then and it looks fucking awesome! 

It's another organic, free from nasties hair care range and, lets face it, Tara Smith seems just lovely!

Marks and Spencer (who are Leaping Bunny approved, by the way) now sell a plethora of Tara Smith products!

Price wise, again, it's similar to Lush.  

Styling

OK, this is pretty much the same as what you see above. All of those brands also offer styling products. 

Superdrug have a fair few own brand ranges, all with different names, so keep a keen eye out when you peruse their shelves. I use a heat styling cream and volumizing dry shampoo from their 'This One' range and they're just dandy....& watch out for those special offers too.

Osmo

Osmo are another 'professional' hair brand to be found in Sally. They're cruelty free and I found on the lovely 'Vegan Beauty Blog' a list of their products that ARE NOT vegan...and it's a pretty short list HERE

Hair colour

Superdrug

My hair is currently black. Now, when I die my hair black I want it as dark as it can be, blackety, black, black. Think of that scene in Father Ted where Ted's describing how preist socks are the blackest of black...well thats how black I want my hair!! 

For a while now I've been using Superdrugs Vibrance Darkest Black 2 and I fucking love it!! It's also pretty cheap and, as you'd expect with Superdrug own buy, and sometimes on special offer.

They offer a few different ranges of colourants, including a 24 washes one, but watch out vegans, as some of them have beeswax and are only vegetarian.

Smart Beauty

This brand is a wee hidden gem, so it is. They have a fantastic range of hair colour products all cruelty free and vegan. 

Now, apart from black my other 'signature' colour is a deep bright red. Whenever I decide it's time for red locks I reach for Smart Beauty. They have fucking coloured bleach!! How good is that?!! Now, like I say, I like a deep, rich red in my hair, so I still use a crazy colour over the top, but what a difference that coloured bleach makes. I remember when I went to the 2007 IMATS in London, the hard water there actually stripper all of the temp colour from my hair & you could really see the difference between the lower sections of hair I did with standard bleach and the hair with the Smart Beauty red stuff.

They offer both permanent and non hair colours ranging from bright as fuck unnatural affairs (think bright red, pink, blue...) to more natural shades. Highlights, bleach, ombre, full head permanent dyes and crazy colours and pastels semis...what more could you want? 

I put a wee blonde streak at the front of my hair and use their Silver Moon pastel dye over it and it's super white. 

You can buy some of their range in Superdrug and, even better, Saver stores! The rest is available online. They're also really cheap, with the most I've ever paid being £5, & they last for ages. I love them! I highly recommend Smart Beauty dies, they're fantastic.

My wee white stripe and current haul of Smart Beauty products.

Directions

With the rise of super trendy brands like Bleach London it's easy to forget the classics. And if ever there was a classic it's Directions hair dyes.

Cruelty free and vegan, Directions was the first dye I used back in the mid-90's. I've heard it slagged rotten over the years, but I always found it to be a good friend. It has a thorough range of semi-permanent crazy colour hair dyes, I have used many of them, the most common being the trusty ol' Pillarbox Red...I loves it.

Again, it's as cheap as chips at around £3 a tub which lasts ages. You'll normally find it in your local friendly goth store as well as online.

Manic Panic

Another classic. Tish and Snooky's Manic Panic is a brand that harks back to the 80's, offering all manner or rainbow coloured cosmetics when they were a bit of a rarity for a long time. They have always been cruelty free and vegetarian, although the whole brand is now vegan. It was a bit of a bitch to get hold of over the years, coming and going from the goth shops but, when I could, I used their Vampire Red dye. It's a damn sight more expensive than Directions, but comes in a larger tub and lasts ages.....but it's a bitch to get off the bathroom tiles!!

It's available online through the likes Ebay and Amazon and now in Glasgow through Lady Bon's favorite Miss Vegalusious.

Directions and Manic Panic. Don't ignore the classics...

Daniel Field

As before, I don't think there's any shops stocking this just now, but the dyes are available online. There colour range is all natural shades, so a good one to try if you're not into super bright hair or if you're only looking to cover greys.

Price wise you're looking at £6.99, which is no bad.

Holland and Barrett

As mentioned before, Holland and Barrett is home to quite a range of cruelty free toiletries. Among them is Naturtint Hair Colour. Now, so far, I haven't used this brand, but it does offer a vegan friendly colour range that is also free from all the nasties that those with sensitive scalps try to avoid....and with hair dye, that's pretty hard! All that and it's eco-friendly.

At £9.99 it's certainly pricier than the others, but it's a godsend if you have sensitive skin and want to dye your hair, so a tenner ain't to bad, eh?

Naturtint and Daniel Field; hair dyes for sensible people?

Now, if you made it to the end of all that, you deserve to see a really bad video of the really funny Father Ted black sock chat...

Thank you for reading. And always remember....Lady Bon loves you...http://www.tattybon.com

Hello two thousand and fourteen, pleased to meet you.

Ah, a new year is freshly upon us, eh. It's normally a time when people reflect on the year gone by and make a new resolutions.....but my memories too bad for that and I don't make promises I can't keep. So, I'm going to attempt to look to the year ahead & maybe lay out some plans. Some of which I may even keep too!

Firstly, move house....maybe.

Big changes are afoot & moving to a new homestead is among them. I've been in the city centre for 10 years and, as much as I love my flat, it's time for change. The fantastic summer we had last year made me pine horribly for a garden...I'll probably do what I always do in the nice weather and admire it from indoors & never expose my alabaster skin to it, but it's nice to have the option, y'know?! Also, a whole room to work from! A whole space that's dedicated to making stuffs that doesn't encroach & then take over and destroy the rest of the living space...I can almost taste it! Think of the possibilities, how much more creative and productive I can be....oh, baby, am I excited at that thought. Less so at the automatic assumption that the boy & I will produce offspring, but you never know, eh....

Get more housewares on the go.

In relation to the above, I can now expand on the amount and size of furniture I customise. Yes I am excited about this, think of the possibilities! My wee mind is awash with ideas, but don't expect to see any of them for the first few months of the year, cos it's gonna be a busy one!
And not to fret if your into the wee disfigured figurines, they'll still be plenty of those in the mix...

Little and large....the possibilities are endless!

Attempt to blog more.

Yes, it's fair to say my blogging is anything but regular. It's sketchy at best, but please forgive me, I have dead good reasons, honest!!
Firstly, my flat is too big of a middin (tip) to take any kind of decent picture to do regular outfit posts. I work from here & it's jam packed as a result, but hopefully the big move ahead will remedy this. 
I'm also pretty busy a lot of the time making stuff and attempting to go to the gym as well as being very absent minded, but I shall attempt to remedy this & bring more of my random rants, reviews & nonsensical chat for no apparent reason.

Rant more!

I am a big animal lover, always have been. I have always been vehemently anti-fur, but in the past wee while I've been less vocal about it than in the past. Not sure why. The recent images of Miley Cyrus and Rita Ora are massively dis-heartening & just lend to thoughtless consumerism in my opinion. So if they're gonna wear it, folks like me are gonna combat it where we can!! Although I'll try not to make the picture I post too graphic......try.
Holding in a good rant poisons the soul, so time to let it out!

Let Ms Cyrus know how you feel - https://www.facebook.com/MileyCyrus?ref=ts&fref=ts

Now, I may do a range of Taxidermy? jewellery, but please bare in mind that any wee beastie I use met a natural end, they WERE NOT harmed in any way by me or anyone else. They are normally found & I think they are beautiful and it's better to preserve them forever rather than see them lie about the ground, waiting to be unknowingly squished by a passer by....

A beautiful butterfly I found and preserved.

Get my make-up ooooan.

I qualified as a make-up artist in 2007 & it's safe to say that I really love it....colouring in faces is never a bad thing. But of late I feel I've neglected it in favour of crafting. In the coming year I will be the maid of  honor at my best friends wedding, so that shall be the first task on my agenda....wedding make-up ago-go. I'll also be doing my best to get back into photo shoots as I always really enjoy them and have had the privilege of working with some cracking photographers and models who really make you feel like part of the overall creative process. 

On top of that I'm also going to try and wear make-up more myself. There's no better way of testing out and practising using a product than on your own face, but sitting making things or going to the gym don't lend themselves to putting on make-up much, do they? Time to get out more Lady Bon! I may have to get ma ass a part time job I think....

Have I mentioned my best friend is getting married?

That's right, my dearest chum has decided that it's time to sacrifice herself to the God of matrimony this year ....mental, I know ;) But I get to wear a fabulous dress & be fancy for a day, so batter in! 


All this sounds positively exhausting....think I'll see you all in April!

Meet Miss Vegalucious Cosmetics....Glasgow's all cruelty free, vegan & Halal cosmetics shop!!

Ok, I won't lie to you, yesterday wasn't the first time I've almost peed myself with excitement, but it's definitely been the first time in a good while. & why this near miss wee event you ask? Well, yesterday, I discovered the greatest cosmetics shop EVER!!

I'm a big animal lover, so cruelty free cosmetics is something that's close to my heart. If you've ever read my blog before you'll no doubt have seen my previous entries about the mad make-up clearout I had at the beginning of the year (read here & here). This was mainly due to renewed cosmetic research on my part & a reaction to the amount of formally cruelty free brands entering the Chinese market, where animal testing is mandatory. Although there are a significant amount of brands now on my blacklist, I was heart warmed to find a good amount of ethical brands, many of whom were not only cruelty free but also vegan or vegetarian as well as websites who specifically stocked such brands. Now, as great as this is, there's always that wee bug bear we all have to deal with in this modern age shopping; it was almost ALL online.
Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy a bit of online shopping as much as the next guy, you can hardly wave a shitty stick at something that offers you so much choice & value for money without you even having to lift your arse off the couch! But there are certain things it can be handy to see first hand, & make-up shades are using among them. So my friends, you can imagine my sheer joy when moseying down Shawlands cross, happily raiding the charity shops, when something caught my eye and had my head spinning exorcist style!!
And what was this near neck breaking wonder? It was Miss Vegaluscious Cosmetics, that's what it was!!!

OK, so I didn't have my camera on me and had to use my phone, so sue me......

Now, turns out I already 'liked' the Miss Vegaluscious Cosmetics via the Tatty Bon Facebook. But damn, if I don't 'like' so many pages on there it just slipped passed me....for which I am kicking myself! This little wonder on Kilmarnock Rd, on Shawlands Cross, is a home to ALL CRUELTY FREE VEGAN & VEGETARIAN MAKE-UP!!! Arrrrgh, how excited was I. I swear, I had to sit down. I actually can not say enough good things about this place.
Firstly, all my Glasgow make-up loving lovelies, you should probably know that Miss Vegaluscious stocks LIME CRIME! That's right, an actual physical shop where you can get your velvetine fix! This brand are making big waves in the lippy world (well, that's what Instagram says anyway), & although I was recently informed that their owner is apparently a nutter who, apparently, lied about their cosmetics being vegan in the past, the lovely lady in Miss Vegaluscious assured me that what they stock is definitely carmine free! Now, the next thing you should know, is that Lime Crime is just the tip of the iceberg! 

They have sooooo many brands in there. Brands that I have only ever been aware of being online before (in the UK anyway) such as Sugarpill, Yaby and OCC (get obsessed by their Lip Tars now!) as well as firm favorites like Beauty Without Cruelty and Barry M. There were also many brands, despite all my research, I either previously hadn't heard of, or was unaware that carried vegan/vegi products amongst their range....brands I am now dying to try! Everything you could possibly need for your make-up kit is in there. Liquid foundations, mineral make-up, pan shadows, loose pigments, lip glosses, lipsticks, everything, just....everything! & know how Manic Panic hair dye is now a complete pain in the arse to get hold of now? Well, they have that too!!

Oh & the brushes, did I mention the brushes?! A whole, rather large, section of beautiful, soft synthetic make-up brushes. Eco-tools, Real Techniques...the list goes on...... I have died and gone to make-up heaven! And this is a heaven where, if you spend £30 or more you get a 20% DISCOUNT!! I think this is especially good as you normally only get a discount like that if your a working make-up artist.

I was in there for ages yesterday, gabbing away to the owner (I was too excited to even remember to get her name) and she was really lovely. So friendly and well informed. On top of the fact that they have vegi friendly beauty they also hold a fair few brands that are Halal approved. From researching for my previous cruelty free posts I discovered just how hard a thing to get hold of that is. Make-up may contain no animal by products, but there is an issue with the alcohol used in a lot of products. So if you were struggling with this before, you won't be now!!!
This wee shop just has so much going on. Everything I have mentioned may be glorious, but if that ain't enough for you there's also manicuring, laser hair removal and threading.....& if you've never had your eyebrows threaded before, do it, you'll never get a better shape! They even offer wee pamper sessions for the bairns (aged 4-11 years) with foot spas and chocolate facials.....mmmm.

I may have refrained from chocolate fascial yesterday, but not from a few fabulous purchases.....I'm only human after all. Lucky girl that I am, I had my wee brother with me (patient wee soul that he is) & he hadn't got me a Christmas present yet. Well, we put that dead to rights! So I moseyed off, rather large grin on my face, with a Lime Crime Pink Velvet Velvetine, a Beauty Without Cruelty foundation and mascara and lovely wee blender brush. 

My wee beauty haul from yesterdays awesome discovery

It's safe to say that today I am one happy bunny. If you wanna be to, get your arse down to
Miss Vegaluscious Cosmetics

• 26 Kilmarnock Road
• Glasgow
• G41 3NH 
• Mon - Sat: 10:00 - 18:00
• 0141 328 7110
• Not in Glasgow? Not to worry, I'm assured they will be launching online soon......

Thanks for reading and always remember...Lady Bon loves you...

http://www.tattybon.com

Things to do in Glasgow when you're dead.......excited about Christmas

Hello lovely friends. OK, so I know I haven't been about for a while, but you know what, who cares, Christmas is a-coming!
So what, pray tell, is there to get up to in the run up to Jesus' birthday in the fair ol' city of Glasgow.... while you're getting your Christmas shopping done of course.
Well, here's a wee run down to get you started .

Abandon Ship Apparel Christmas party

So, those lovely folks at Glasgow based brand Abandon Ship Apparel have opened up in their home town. They've got a wee sneaky pop-up shop in Princes' Square (ground floor, entrances on Buchanan St or just off Queen St) & it's just spiffy. I mean, any shop that finds itself in Princes' Sq that sells pants that say 'fuck you buddy' has my thumbs up any day!! On top of that you'll find all the classic gear you'd expect to find from the Abandon Ship boys, Deathtoopers et al, as well as a few new pieces in there.....here come the Christmas jumpers!

This December 13th they'll be having an in-store Christmas party. So get you mingingest, madest Chrimbo jumper & get your arse down there....you won't regret it!

Pink haired hottie Honey Pop shows the new Abandon Ship Christmas jumper

                                                            

                                                               

Christmas outfit fun the vintage way

I'm a big fan of vintage, it's no secret. Vintage ornaments, vintage pictures, vintage everything! But is there anything better than a great vintage dress? I think not. We all love  Topshop & Primark, but who wants to turn up to the Christmas party wearing the same dress as their work buddy? The answer should be 'no one'!

My personal favorite Glasgow shop is, of course, the City Retro on King St (just behind the Trongate). I've had many an epic wee vintage number from there, including my greatest 50's party dress ever! Right now it is chocked full of sequins and glam that's make you the bell of any Christmas party. Fact. All that on top of the usual vintage goodness they have, what's not to love...

Get along too Granny would be Proud

Everyone that knows that Glasgow is a pretty crafty place.....well, they should. A grand old selection of what's going on can be found at Granny would be Proud fairs. What better way to your Christmas shopping done & support the little guy that this? Granny takes place in the Hillhead Bookclub, just off  Byers Rd, every second Sunday but will be on every Sunday in the run up to Christmas. Each fair has 18-20 stalls....that's a lot of crafty goodness to choose from. There's handmade jewellery, hand knitted hats and geeky toys, Christmas decorations, vintage clothes, hand made cushions and homeware....tones and tones.

Add that to the warm Granny atmosphere & the fact that you can have a wee sneaky mojito while you browse & you've got the perfect little Sunday out.

Lots of selection at Granny, including the best vintage specs in town from Eyedresser & some Darth Rudolf action from Tatty Bon

Get your good self festive ready

So, everyone wants to look their best at Christmas right? Folks out buying themselves new outfits instead of getting presents (it's not selfish, it's just common sense, right?), investing in fake eyelashes they know fine well they can't apply....you know the drill.

Well, when getting yourself up to your Christmas standard get down to Parnie St. Peaches Wax bar is one of the newest additions to Glasgow Cross area. Open only a few months I've already heard it toughted as the best place in town to de-fuzz. The salon looks amazing! Glitter to the max, baroque mirrors & a friendly atmosphere.... & there's Chopper the Chihuahua to coo at, take your mind right off any waxing discomfort.

T'is the season to be tidy & well trimmed folks! Eyebrows, foof, legs, these things are important. Go see the professionals. You can even get lash extensions......& I hear they even do a wee cheeky vajazzle.

So there it is folks. There's no need to get dragged down by the Scrouge types this year. There's always lots going on in Glasgow & this is only a tiny wee selection, I'm sure your town is just the same if you have a look around.......& if that's not enough to bring you out of the holiday blues.

Thank you for reading. And always remember....Lady Bon loves you...