What's on my Bedside Table? *100th Post*

Hi there again everyone,

My 100th post!  Woohoo!  No surprise to me though, because I know how much I can ramble on haha.  To celebrate I thought I would make this post both personal and beauty related, a good summary of how my blog is shaping up.  I get bored if I write about the same thing too often, although obviously nails are my number one obsession. 

As a nosy parker, I love reading posts about what other people have on their bedside tables, so I thought I would share my own.  I admit to dusting it before showing you, as otherwise you wouldn't have been able to see anything.

So without further ado, here's what it looks like:

Those baskets to the left of my bedside table are where I keep my beloved nail polish.  I got them from Wilkinsons and they were only £15 each.  I've got some smaller ones of the same design too which only cost £8 each.  You can buy them online (here) .  The yellow item hanging off the end of my bed is a torch, in case there is a power cut in the night.  Be prepared is my motto, I should have been a Scout!

So now we get on to the close ups.  Here's my clock radio:

I have had this clock radio for the LONGEST time, probably over 25 years (scary).  The cassette player doesn't work properly any more, as it plays the tapes slowly.  I think I could probably have it mended quite cheaply if I wanted to, but even though I've still got a ton of cassettes, I don't listen to them that much.  My phone's never far from me and that means no fast forwarding.  However the radio gets all the obscure stations, even in low signal areas like mine, and the illuminated display is just the right brightness not to bother me at night, so after all these years I'm still happy with it.  It wasn't expensive when I got it, things were built to last back then don'tyaknow.  Oops, I see I knocked my lampshade wonky when I was dusting.  That's going to drive me bonkers later if I don't put it straight.

The next biggest things on my bedside table are my books. I've always got a couple on the go, and I decide which to read depending on what kind of mood I'm in.  Here's my current ones:

The Real Heroes of Telemark was recommended to me after I mentioned on Twitter about being inspired by a clip I saw on the Antiques Roadshow about the Norwegian WW2 resistance fighters.  I'm thoroughly enjoying it, it's an awe inspiring true story of amazing bravery and strength despite deadly peril.  As you can see it's by Ray Mears, who I'm totally in *LOVE* with.  If we were marooned on a desert island, let's just say he'd have some other jobs to do before he started collecting firewood heehee.  TX Maxx receipt as a bookmark, classy.

I love a good ghost story, and I've read this compilation book a few times.  I have no problems with reading a book many times if it's a good one.  I've read Desperation by Stephen King more times than I can count, but it's my favourite so I forgive myself for not minding that I already know the ending (and most of the words).

Guarding my books is Bun.  I've had Bun since school and he's a professional book guarder:

Because he lives on my bedside table he does get quite dusty.  Luckily I can just throw him in the washing machine and he comes out as good as new, although I do feel a bit guilty when I see his little face going round and round in the machine.  Thats a bell from a Lindt bunny round his neck.  He sits on my belly and guards me instead while I'm reading.

So enough of my nonesensicalness (is that even a word?), let's get on with the products.  There are a few on there that I don't use anymore and should really move somewhere else.  These are they:

I had quite high hopes for Pearl Drops Beauty Sleep.  I drink ALOT of tea, and my teeth get quite badly teastained.  So a product that worked in the night when I'm not eating or drinking anything for long periods of time sounded ideal.  However, after using it for about 3 weeks, I couldn't see any difference, so I got a bit tired of doing it.  I don't think I've used it for a couple of months now, so I should really either start using it again, or bin it.

Aqueous Cream does a brilliant job, expecially if you're on a tight budget, as it moisturises well, and costs next to nothing.  I did a full post on it (here) last June, and this is still the same tub, with hardly a dent in it.  That's not because I never use it, but just because there's so much of it!  The reason it shouldn't really be on my bedside table any more is when I want a body moisturiser, I find I'm reaching for the Aveeno more often.

So here's some other not-so-glam items that I keep at my bedside:

The aforementioned Aveeno body moisturiser.  This really does sooth itchy dry skin.  It claims to moisturise for 24 hours, and I would agree that it does.  You can get it for around a fiver from most supermarkets, so it won't break the bank either.

Dove Pomegranate and Lemon Verbena deodorant.  I was intrigued by how it would smell, it's nice, but it's still a 'Dove' smell, if you know what I mean.  You're not going to go out smelling like a fruit shop, which is what I was expecting.  It's still got a bit of floweriness to it, I will get it again when this one runs out though as I never feel sweaty when I've got it on.

Daktarin Aktiv spray foot powder.  I don't have athletes foot, but I always give them a blast just as a preventative measure.

Next up we have the totally random items:

No, that's not false teeth!  When I get stressed I grind my teeth in my sleep, so I sent off for a moulding kit to have my own toothguard made.  It was pretty quick and easy, and about £30.  It's one of those things I'm always saying "I should do a blog post about that" about.  Hopefully it will prevent any more of my teeth splitting, which is what has happened to one of them, and the thing that spurred me on to buy a guard.

Cedarwood Essential Oil.  This one is organic and I got it from Amazon (here) it's supposed to be really good for your skin, but I've never used it for that.  I bought it because the scent of Cedarwood is supposed to repel moths and spiders, and I don't want either of those things in my bedroom, so I dot it about the room occasionally.  I definitely have seen less moths since, not so sure about less spiders, but I'll keep trying it anyway just in case.

Hair bands, because I take them off after I get into bed and they build up there until I move them back to where they belong in the spare room.  These ones are supposed to cause less damage to your hair.

The pretty rainbow items are actually anklets.  As you probably know I've suffered terribly with my achilles for the last 12 months.  I have a cousin who's really into crystal healing, and I asked him which crystals would be good for my achilles.  He told me haematite would be good to use as it aids circulation.  Now, I don't know if it's true or not, but as I already had this pretty haematite in my jewellery making kit, I made myself a couple of elasticated anklets, and I wear them in bed.  You never know, right?

Next up we get to all the hand and nail stuff:

Nu-Nale nail strengthening cream.  My go-to nail cream.  I did a post about it (here) and have bought it quite a few times over now.

My cuticles have been dastardly this last couple of months, so I have all the big guns out.

Flexitol cuticle and nail cream.  The one on the left seems to be the old formula, which is more gloopy and I prefer it.  The one on the right, which seems to be the new formulation, smells better, but doesn't seem as moisturising or powerful.

Leighton Denny Remove & Rectify cuticle cream.  It seems that all cuticle removers are not created equal, and this is the best one I've found so far.  I use the cream, leave it to soak in for a bit while I'm reading, then use the orange sticks on my cuticles, and then the cotton pad to wipe off the excess.  You can get it direct from the Leighton Denny site (here) but I have seen it a bit cheaper on Amazon.  I got mine from a kit in TK Maxx, no surprise there.

Healthy Cuticles Now by Sally Hansen.  I've only just started using this again, as I seem to remember my cuticles were in pretty good shape last time I was using it.  I bought a twin pack from Amazon, as it was cheaper that way, link (here)

Finally, we have a tube of Hydrocortisone Steroid Cream, which believe it or not, I also got from Amazon. (link) It's much cheaper than a prescription from the doctor, but I very much doubt if it's as potent.  As soon as the weather warms up, or if I get stressed, I get dermatitis on my hands quite badly.  This cream doesn't cure it, but it does make it less 'angry', and also shortens the amount of time I have an attack for. 

I wonder if the fact my dermatitis is flared up could be part of the reason my cuticles are suffering?  Unsure because my dermatitis is only on my palms, and my cuticle area doesn't seem to be affected this time at all dermatitis-ly (another made up word methinks).  Anyway, hopefully it'll all clear up nice and fast and it won't be an issue for long.

And last, but not least, we get on to my 'glam' items.  There's not as many of those, I am getting on a bit haha:

The Amazing Grace perfume oil was a gift from the beautiful Catrine at Unnaked Nails (link) 
I use it whenever I want to feel a bit special or chilled out, it has a lovely floral scent and it makes me feel calm and fragrant, and who doesn't like that? :-)

Nivea Pearly Shine is a really pleasant lip balm that I'm enjoying greatly.  I put a thick layer on when I go to bed, and my lips feel all nice and moisturised in the morning.  My lips are super thirsty when it comes to balms, so it must be good for me to be impressed.  I actually have another one of these in my handbag that I use during the day.

And there we have it!  Another monstrously long post from me, but I can't help it if I've got lots of things on my bedside table!  And as it's my 100th post, I will forgive myself.

So do you have any of these items?  What do you think of them?  If you have a 'bedside table' post, leave me a link to it in the comments section, I'd love to give it a read!

Until next time (and the next 100 times too)...

MASPOOASE x x x
~Wendy~