Scottish Bloggers Meetup

Last photo courtesy of Karris.

Yesterday evening Jenn and I got the train through to Glasgow for a meetup with some other Scottish bloggers. Huge thank you to Karris for organising the whole thing and getting everyone together! I had met some of the bloggers at previous meetups but there were also lots of new faces too. It was so nice to see everyone, even if I didn't quite have time to get round and chat to you all! After the initial 5 minutes of awkwardness when you're all introducing yourselves, it genuinely is just like you're chatting to friends you've known for ages. If you're thinking of going to a meetup but are a bit scared then honestly just go, I guarantee you will love it!

The event was held in Kuta, a really nice bar on Bath Street. I'd never been before but would definitely go back if I was looking for somewhere to go in Glasgow. They had lots of cheap cocktails - definitely the way to my heart! I'm all about the French Martinis these days. We all spent the evening chatting about blog-related stuff which our "real life" friends just don't understand, as well as beauty, fashion, general life and twitter gossip! In one way I'm a little bit jealous of bloggers who live in London and get invited to lots of press events/product launches etc. but on the other hand I think I prefer these type of informal meetups which are organised by other bloggers and we just get to sit around all night chatting and drinking!

I'm going to attempt to link everyone who was there but I'm sure I will have missed a couple of people (unintentionally!) so please leave a comment if you were there too and I will add you in. For those of you who are non-Scottish bloggers, hopefully this will introduce you to a few new great blogs to follow!

Karris, Jenn, Roisin, Gill, Paula, Lisa & Sami, Stacey, Gillian,
Gemma, Andii, Lauren, Jen, Lilith, Amii, Louise,
Rebekah, Melissa, Alana, Hailey,
and of course me!

I can't wait for the next meetup; us Edinburgh bloggers will need to get our act together and organise an east-coast meetup soon!

Have you been to a blogger meet up before?

Gillian x

Review: Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow! Foundation

I'd had my eye on Benefit's Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow foundation for a while and when I was shopping the other week I stopped at the Benefit counter in House of Fraser to test it out. The sales girl there was pretty much the nicest makeup counter girl ever and she did all my makeup for me while I had a seat to recover from an afternoon of shopping. She used the Hello Flawless foundation and I loved it so decided to buy it.

Benefit describe it as 'brightening makeup' which gives a luminous and healthy looking finish, and I would definitely agree with that. It's quite a light coverage foundation but is very buildable and gives a natural, dewy finish. I love that it's not too heavy so lets my freckles shine through, but it gives decent coverage around my cheeks and nose where I need it the most. Usually I don't feel like my makeup looks 'finished' unless I put on some powder, but I actually think this foundation looks really nice without any powder. I finally understand what people mean by a nice dewy finish! In the past, I've always associated 'dewy' with 'oily' but this definitely isn't the case with Hello Flawless. It does, however, tend to slip a little after a few hours without powder so I've been wearing it with a very light dusting of MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural to make sure it stays put.

I got the lightest shade, Believe in Me Ivory, which is a tiiiiiny bit too dark for me. It's not particularly noticeable though, so as long as I make sure to blend it well it's not a problem. I wish it was half a shade lighter, then it would be the perfect match! I am super pale though, so I'm sure for the majority of people the range of shades available would be pretty good (it comes in 9 shades). I find it looks best when I apply it with my fingers. Because it's such a light, liquidy formula I think a brush can tend to make it look a bit patchy or streaky. In general, I usually prefer to apply my foundations with my fingers though so maybe that's just me!

The only real negative I've found so far with using this foundation is that it can tend to accentuate dry patches/blemishes, which was quite surprising as it has such a moisturising feel too it and Benefit claim it has 'hydrating benefits'. Aside from that, I think it's a great summer foundation as it's lightweight but still has decent, buildable coverage, plus it has SPF and PA protection so you don't need to worry about sunscreen. The pump is really easy to control so you can use as much or as little as you need - I usually use about 2 medium-sized pumps to do my whole face.

Overall, I really like this foundation and would definitely recommend it if you're looking for something with a natural finish for daytime makeup. I probably wouldn't use this for a night out as I would prefer something with slightly more coverge and that wouldn't slip as easily. I'm enjoying using this foundation at the moment and I think I'll probably get a lot of use out of it, however I'm not sure if I would repurchase. Not because it's a bad foundation in any way, but it's not my 'holy grail' foundation and I can't help but feel there's something out there that's slightly better suited to me.

Have you tried Benefit's Hello Flawless foundation?

Gillian x

Recipe: Rhubarb Crumble

I do love a good bit of crumble. In fact, who doesn't love a good bit of crumble? No one, that's who. You can make crumble with just about any fruit, but my favourite is definitely rhubarb. Rhubarb crumble always reminds me of my childhood; we used to have some rhubarb growing at the bottom of the garden and for a few weeks every summer all I ate was rhubarb fool, stewed rhubarb and, of course, rhubarb crumble.

This rhubarb crumble is literally the easiest thing you could ever bake. It only takes about 15 minutes to prepare, then you can leave it in the oven and forget about it. Well, not completely forget about, but you can go and do something else for half an hour! It's the perfect comfort food and is super tasty too. Even my flatmate, who doesn't like rhubarb, said it was really good. This recipe makes about 4-6 portions, depending on your portion size!

Ingredients:

For the filling: 400g rhubarb 80g caster sugar 3 tbsp Xante Pear Cognac (optional)

For the topping: 140g self-raising flour 85g butter 50g light brown muscovado sugar 50g rolled oats (optional)

Method:

1. Switch the oven on to 200°C. Chop the rhubarb into chunks (around 1 inch or so).
2. Add the rhubarb to a pan along with the sugar and pear cognac. The pear cognac helps to give the rhubarb an extra bit of sweetness and fruitiness, but you could easily swap it for normal cognac or brandy (or leave it out altogether if you prefer).
3. Put the pan on a low heat, cover with a lid and simmer for around 10 minutes until the rhubarb has softened. You still want it to keep it's shape a bit though so don't stew it completely. If you find it's not sweet enough, you can add a little more sugar at this stage.
4. Once soft and sweet enough, tip the rhubarb mixture into an ovenproof dish and set to one side.
5. In a large bowl, rub the flour and butter together with your fingers until you have a rough breadcrumb-like consistency. Then add in the sugar and rolled oats if using. You could also use chopped nuts or something similar to give the topping an extra bit of crunch.
6. Spoon the topping onto the rhubarb mixture to create an even layer. Sprinkle a little bit of muscovado sugar on top and then put in the oven for around 30 minutes, or until golden brown on top and bubbling at the sides.
7. Serve with some whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

After writing up this post, I'm already in the mood to make another one of these! I love the tartness of the rhubarb with the sweet, buttery crumble topping - yum! What's your favourite kind of crumble?

Gillian x

Sunday Summary #35

1.Lunchtime cocktails 2.Shoes 3.Nandos 4.Frozen yoghurt from Frisky 5.DIY Nandos 6.Getting ready 7.Drinks 8.Hot chocolate and marshmallows 9.Homemade pasta arrabiata with grilled courgettes 10.Recent makeup & skincare purchases (click here to view on youtube)
Looking at these photos, you'd think all I'd done this week was eat and drink. Well, to be honest, that pretty much is all I've done! My flatmate and I went on an impromptu trip to Nandos earlier this week and decided to go to Frisky afterwards for some dessert. I only tried frozen yoghurt for the first time a couple of weeks ago (I know, right?!) but I seem to be a little bit obsessed with it now! I had walked past Frisky loads of times but had never quite got round to going in, but I'm so glad we finally made the effort to go as it was so good. I had the mango frozen yoghurt with raspberries, bananas and chocolate drops, yum!

Time seems to be going by really quickly at the moment, even though I'm not particularly busy with anything exciting. I can't believe it's almost September, I'll be back at uni in just a couple of weeks. It doesn't seem that long since I graduated! I'm quite excited to go back and get sorted with choosing all my courses and that sort of thing. I'm also looking forward to buying some new stationery, definitely my favourite part of going "back to school"! I spent rather a long time browsing the Paperchase site yesterday and have a wishlist as long as my arm now. I quite fancy getting some cute wee patterned notebooks for taking my notes in, or perhaps I'll be daring and get plain ones to decorate myself. What are your favourite online shops for pretty stationery?

I uploaded a new video this week to my youtube channel about my recent makeup and skincare purchases. I will be doing reviews of everything on the blog over the next couple of weeks, what would you like to see a review of first? I'm quite enjoying making videos, I thought it would be mega awkward but I strangely quite like chatting away to myself! Have any of you got a youtube channel too?

What have you been up to this week?

Gillian x

Wishlist: Winter is Coming

1.Midnight Velvet Playsuit 2.Relic Cluster 3 Row Necklace 3.Knot Front Check Shirt 4.Square Stud Shopper 5.Burgundy Scarf 6.Rose Gold Wishbone Stud Earrings 7.Dark Red Ponti Skater Skirt 8.Black PU Biker Jacket 9.Stud Denim Dress

Can you tell I'm looking forward to winter?! I'm so sick of this weird inbetween weather, it's really warm but always raining. I don't actually mind the rain too much but when it's combined with heat it's just horrible. I'm definitely a winter person, give me a cold November evening over a muggy summer afternoon any day! My longing for a drop in temperature has definitely been reflected in the clothes I have been buying/wishing for lately. Velvety dresses, knitted jumpers, flannel shirts, studded leather, burgundy and wine and rich navy blue. I want it all!

I've been needing a new "everyday" bag for ages but have never really got round to looking for one. I spotted this black studded one when I was browsing the Warehouse website the other day and I love it. It looks nice and big so would be great for having once I'm back at uni to cart around all my books and my laptop. Think I might have to treat myself!

I really love the velvet playsuit from Topshop but I wish it was a dress rather than a playsuit, and I wish it didn't have an open back. It does have a bit of a strap across the middle which might cover up a bra, but usually backless things are a total no-go for me. Forever jealous of people who don't have to pre-plan which underwear needs to go with which outfit! The denim dress is probably something I would get a lot more wear out of, I love the studded detail on the collar and shoulders. It is a bit ridiculously expensive though - £65 for a casual dress? On yer bike, Topshop!

Are you looking forward to dressing for winter?

Blog Design Tips #1: Blogger Basics

I am by no means a blog design expert but I have been designing my own websites and blogs for the past seven or so years, and have picked up a fair bit of HTML and CSS along the way. Once you get started with HTML/CSS it's (usually!) surprisingly easy to understand, but staring at a page of code you don't understand can be very daunting. I thought I would share a few tips for customising Blogger templates that are pretty simple and quick to do but will instantly smarten up your layout.

Before we get started, it's important to remember the difference between HTML and CSS. HTML controls the construction of a webpage whereas CSS determines the design of the page. So, for instance, if you wanted to change the order of elements on the page you would alter the HTML, but if you wanted to change the colour of elements you would alter the CSS. This post will mostly be dealing with CSS. You should also note that everything uses the American spelling, so you'll have to use "color" not "colour" etc!

How to: Remove drop shadows from images

I quite often see people asking this question and it's so easy to fix. To get rid of the annoying grey shadows from around all the images on your blog, open the Blogger dashboard and go to Template >> Customise >> Advanced >> Add CSS and enter the following code:

.post-body img, .post-body .tr-caption-container, .Profile img, .Image img, .BlogList .item-thumbnail img {
  padding: none !important;
  border: none !important;
  background: none !important;
  -moz-box-shadow: 0px 0px 0px transparent !important;
  -webkit-box-shadow: 0px 0px 0px transparent !important;
  box-shadow: 0px 0px 0px transparent !important;
}

How to: Remove shadow from content box

Blogger's default Simple Template has a shadow surrounding the main content box which can look a bit weird, especially if you're using a white background. To remove it, go to the Add CSS section (as above) and enter the following code:

.content-outer {
  -moz-box-shadow: 0 0 40px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);
  -webkit-box-shadow: 0 0 5px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);
  -goog-ms-box-shadow: 0 0 10px ;
  box-shadow: 0 0 40px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);
  margin-bottom: 1px;
}

How to: Centre the header image

By default, header images are aligned to the left. If your header is smaller than the full width of your content area, this can be annoying so it usually looks much neater if the image is centred. To do this, simply paste the following code into the Add CSS section:

#header-inner img {
  margin: 0 auto ;
}

How to: Centre the page tabs navigation bar

If your header image is centred, you might also want to centre your page tabs (the navigation links which are often found directly under the header). If you have the 'Pages' widget installed on the Blogger Layout dashboard, just add the following code to the Add CSS section to centre the page tabs:

.PageList {
  text-align:center !important;
}

.PageList li {
  display:inline !important; float:none !important;
}

How to: Create a clickable image link

I'm sure most of you will already know how to create a text link, and how to add an image to your page using HTML. To create a clickable image link, all you need to do is combine these two codes by wrapping the link around the image. This can be used for anything e.g. social media buttons, blog sharing buttons (or grab buttons, I'm not sure what the 'proper' name is!), navigation titles etc. Copy the following code and add in your own URLs where appropriate:

<a href="LINK URL"> <img src="PICTURE URL" /> </a>

How to: Turn off Word Verification

This is not so much HTML-related, but it's a question I often see getting asked and it's so easy to fix. Turning off Word Verification makes it much easier for your readers to leave a comment on your blog. To make sure yours is turned off, open the Blogger dashboard and click on Settings >> Posts and comments >> Show word verification and then select "No". Done!


How to: Remove the Blogger Navbar

Since removing the 'Follow' function from the Navbar (the bar right at the top of the page above the header) it has become pretty redundant. Personally, I think most layouts look a lot nicer and cleaner without it. To remove it, open the Blogger dashboard and go to Layout >> Navbar (it's in the upper right corner) and click "Off". You can easily turn it back on again here if you decide you want it back at a later date.


I hope you found these little tips useful, they're all pretty simple but by changing these few basic things your layout will instantly look more "finished". I'm planning on doing a series of these Blog Design posts with some more in-depth design tips, so if there's anything you would like to know then please let me know (either by email, tweet or leaving a comment) and I will do my best to include it in the next post. My design shop is still open at the moment if you would like a full redesign, but if you've just got a couple of quick HTML questions please do email me and I'd be happy to help free of charge!

Gillian x

Sunday Summary #34

1.Edinburgh 2.Bubblegum ice cream sundae 3.Shopping 4.Wearing eyeshadow for the first time in years 5.Dinner at Holyrood 9A 6.Bed ♥ 7.Trying out Benefit Hello Flawless foundation 8.Festival tickets 9.My Deep Sea World cup 10.Hive til Five 11.Yoo Moo frozen yoghurt - yum!

I've had another busy festival-related week this week and have managed to get round to seeing quite a few shows. I hope all this festival chat isn't too boring for you non-Edinburgh readers! So far I've been to see Steve Shanyaski, Axis of Awesome, Rhys Darby, Chris Ramsey, Iain Stirling and Dracula: Sex, Sucking and Stardom. Some years I've ended up going to see some truly terrible shows, but I've actually really enjoyed everything I've seen so far. My favourite has to be the Dracula show - a musical about an Andrew Lloyd Webber-loving count with songs about Dracula to the tune of Bad Romance and Copacabana...AMAZING! It really appealed to my sense of humour, fondness for musical comedy and love of all things Dracula-related. It was so funny and I would really recommend it if you're in Edinburgh and looking for a show to go to!

I also seem to have been doing rather a lot of shopping this week. I always go for months without buying anything and then go a bit mad and have a huge splurge. Apart from a jumper and pair of shoes from Next (I had a gift card though so it doesn't count!) it has mostly been makeup related. I did my first ever MUA order the other day and I'm really impressed with the products I've tried so far, especially considering the most expensive thing I bought was £4! I also picked up a couple of Benefit things and the Real Techniques Core Collection brushes when I was in town the other day. I will definitely be doing reviews of everything on the blog, so keep an eye out for those! I was planning to do a wee haul video on my Youtube channel but haven't got round to it yet, will hopefully have time to film one early next week. I have uploaded a few other videos this week (like my daily haircare routine and a 25 questions tag) so make sure to have a watch of those and subscribe!

I'm off out for lunch soon and then am helping my friend move a mattress and bed frame into her new flat. I really hope it doesn't rain - humphing a double bed across the Meadows in the middle of a downpour definitely doesn't sound fun! If I survive, I might venture to the cinema tonight as I haven't been in ages. Is there anything you've been to see recently that you'd recommend?

Gillian x

Review: Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lip Balm Stain in Rendezvous

There seems to be quite a lot of hype surrounding the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lip Balm Stains in the blogging world, and quite rightly so. I bought this last week and have used it just about every day since I got it, I love it! It is, essentially, a tinted lip balm but is much more pigmented and long-lasting than other tinted balms I've tried in the past. I chose the shade Rendezvous which looks horrifically orange in the tube, but once it's applied it gives a nice semi-sheer flush of colour to the lips. It is really easy to build up the colour if you want a brighter lip colour for going out at night, compared to a subtle tint for the day time.

I haven't tried the Clinique Chubby Sticks but I can definitely see why they are comparable to the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable balms. Both come in a "crayon" which makes it really easy to apply. The bottom of the crayon twists up so you don't have to deal with trying to sharpen the product - a personal pet hate of mine! The Revlon version is a lot more purse-friendly than Clinique as it's currently on offer in Boots for £5.99.

The one thing I found a bit weird about this product was that it smells like mint. I was expecting a fruity scent, but it smells exactly like Polos! Obviously this isn't a major obstacle and doesn't put me off using the product at all, I was just a bit surprised the first time I used it. Aside from that, the Just Bitten Kissable balms are brilliant and they feel really moisturising. Traditional lip stains tend to accentuate dry or cracked lips and can end up looking patchy but because this product is a balm and stain all in one there's no worry of getting an uneven stain. Considering it's a light lip balm I thought it lasted pretty well too. I got a good few hours of wear out of it before having to reapply.

Overall, I really love this product and would definitely recommend it. It's so easy to wear and I love the corally/orange colour of Rendezvous. The moisturising formula is great and I think I will definitely be investing in some of the other colours too. I really like the look of Honey and Lovesick.

Have you tried the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lip Balm Stains yet?

Gillian x

Outfit: Cut It Out

Dress: Glamorous*
Blazer: H&M
Ring: Miss Selfridge
Shoes: Ebay

I recently got send this dress from Glamorous and I love it. As I'm sure you all know by now, I'm a massive fan of black dresses, so I really like that this one is a little bit different to all my other black dresses because of the cut out panels. I should have learnt by now, however, that me and button up shirts/dresses really don't mix, the top is rather tight on me. I would definitely advise ordering a size up if you are in any way chesty!

Aside from that, I really like this dress. It's great as a going out dress with a pair of heels and a statement blazer, but would also look great with a slouchy cardi or jumper for a more casual look. It's hard to tell from these pictures because of the blazer I'm wearing, but the skirt part is really floaty which I love! I think this would also be great as a summer holiday dress with a pair of nice sandals, but sadly I'm not going on holiday this year. Somehow I don't think it will be sunny enough in Scotland to lose the tights and jacket any time soon!

I got these shoes from Ebay ages ago from one of those wholesalers because I needed a pair of purple heels to go with an outfit and couldn't find any on the high street. I absolutely love the colour of them, but they are a little bit ridiculously high - even by my standards! As much as I like online shopping, it's so disappointing when things arrive and they're not quite as you expected. But it does save trailing around the shops for hours getting angry at all the people walking too slowly, and not being able to find anything in your size!

What's on your Glamorous wishlist at the moment?

Gillian x

Sunday Summary #33

1.St Giles 2.Negociants 3.Eat 4.Watching shows 5.Wednesday's outfit 6.Lunch time 7.At the Benebus 8.Fruit salad 9.Fairy lights at the Pleasance 10.BRINNER! 11.Chris Hoy appreciation 12.Liz Earle goodies 13.Youtubing

This week I've been getting into the festival spirit and have been to see a few things at the Edinburgh Fringe. You might have noticed my blog post earlier in the week about the Funny Women comedy show I went to see on Wednesday. The show was great and I loved the Benebus which was parked alongside the venue, giving out makeovers and makeup advice from the Benefit ladies. It's parked just across from the university library, I wish it was there all year so I could go for a quick makeover between lectures! All my friends seem to be away at the moment or are busy with work so I haven't had the chance to go to many other shows yet, but my flatmate and I are going to sit down tonight and book tickets for lots of things next week. I really want to go and see Rhys Darby, Axis of Awesome, Pete Firman and a musical about Dracula, among many others! Any Edinburgh readers got some recommendations?

I have also joined the world of Youtube this week, have a look at my channel to watch my videos and subscribe. The thought of doing videos seemed kind of scary to me, but I decided to give it a go and it's actually surprisingly fun once you get started! It is a little bit weird listening to the sound of my own voice whilst editing the videos though. It's so strange how your voice sounds so different in real life than it does in your head. I can already tell Youtubing is going to be bad for my bank balance though, after watching lots of other peoples videos this week I've got a wishlist as long as my arm. I'm off to Boots this afternoon to get some bits and pieces, god knows how much I'll end up coming home with! If any of you have Youtube channels, let me know as I'm looking for channels to subscribe to!

How has your week been?

Gillian x

July Favourites

So I know it's quite a bit into August by now, but I've only just got organised and decided to start doing some Youtube videos, so my first video is a July Favourites one. I'm still getting used to using my camera for recording videos so there's a bit of focus adjusting going on (and a very messy living room behind me, oops!) but I hope you enjoy it. Click here to view my channel and subscribe. Hopefully I will stick at this and upload some more videos soon! If you've got any suggestions of videos you'd like me to do, feel free to leave a comment.

Anyway, here's a quick rundown of my favourite skincare and beauty products from the last month:

Estee Lauder Take It Away Makeup Remover
I'm usually really lazy when it comes to removing my makeup, but have recently started using this and it makes taking off my makeup so easy. It's a cream which you rub on to your face then wipe off with a cloth or cotton wool pad and it feels really soothing.

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair
I've been using the makeup remover along with this and I definitely think it's helping to improve the look and feel of my skin. My skin had been quite dry recently but now it's completely smooth and soft. I'm just using a sample of this at the moment, I'm tempted to buy a full size bottle but it is really expensive!

Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream
I had kind of forgotten about this for a while, but have been using it a lot recently. It's great for summer makeup as it's much lighter than a foundation but gives a bit more coverage than a tinted moisturiser. I did a full review of it ages ago which you can read here.

NARS Illuminator in Orgasm
I got this as part of the very first Glossybox and have used it on and off since, but this month I have found myself reaching for it loads. I like to use it all over my face before I apply foundation/BB cream to give my skin a bit of a glow. It's really pretty and not too shimmery.

Benefit Girl Meets Pearl
Another highlighter, another product that's great for the summer. I love the colour of this, it's really subtle and gives a nice warm glow to my skin. I like it best used to highlight my brow and cheekbones. I bought this as part of the Porefessionally Pretty set, which you can read more about here.

Remember to subscribe to youtube.com/elevatormusikblog if you want to keep updated with my videos!

What products have you been loving this month?

Gillian x

Benefit & Funny Women at the Fringe

Yesterday I was kindly invited along to watch the semi-finals of this year's Funny Women Awards at the Edinburgh Fringe by the lovely ladies at Benefit. I started the day off with a 'makeupper' at the Benebus which is parked alongside George Square Gardens. The lovely Lisa did my makeup for me, putting on some gorgeous metallic eyeshadow. I usually stick to just eyeliner, but the neutral eyeshadow looks so nice, I think I will have to practice my eyeshadow skills! She also used some Sun Beam highlighter (very apt, as for once it was actually really warm and sunny in Edinburgh!) and the new Dallas Ultra Plush lip gloss. The Dallas powder is my favourite ever blusher/bronzer and the lip gloss didn't disappoint either. It had such a nice scent and felt nice and glossy without being too sticky. The picture above was taken when I got home at the end of the day, but I think the makeup held up pretty well! I also had a quick test of the Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow foundation and it seemed amazing, think I will definitely have to purchase that one soon!

After my makeupper, I headed for brunch with Emily who is part of the Benefit digital team and also a fellow blogger. The Funny Women show didn't start until 2pm so we had a bit of spare time after lunch to explore Edinburgh. Having lived here for 4 years now I often walk past amazing buildings and views without noticing them, but being a 'tourguide' for someone else made me notice just how gorgeous Edinburgh is. We both got a bit snap happy and took lots of photos - this post is already pretty photo-heavy so I'll save those for another day! Emily and I also had a wander round some of the tourist shops and found some rather interesting souvenirs (musical fridge magnets or a kilt for your dog, anyone?!).

The Funny Women semi-final show was held in the Bosco Assembly Theatre in George Square Gardens, a really cute circus tent themed room. The show was hosted by Sara Pascoe, a previous runner up in the awards, and featured six female acts who were all brilliant. My favourite two acts ended up being the winners and the runner up, obviously I have good taste haha! The Silky Pair came first with their musical comedy act and a song about calling in sick from work - reminded me a bit of a female, English version of Flight of the Conchords. Alison Eales was named as the runner up, and I loved her set too.

If you fancy going to see some great female comedy acts, Funny Women will be putting on a show at 2pm daily throughout the Fringe at the Bosco Theatre. The Benebus will also be in George Square throughout the festival until 6pm daily if you fancy going along for a makeupper and a goody bag!

What is your favourite Benefit product?

Gillian x

P.S. The winners of my Benefit joke competition are Claire and Stacey - congrats ladies!