Saturday 30 November 2013

The 2013 Christmas Tag!


 
Scrolling through my Bloglovin feed last night I came across Make-Up Savvy's post for 'The 2013 Christmas Tag'. Reading through the questions I thought they were so cute and Christmassy so decided I'd join in!
 
 
 
1.  Do you prefer a real Christmas tree or synthetic?I
'm in a bit of a split mind about this one - I've grown up with the simple plastic trees that you squish back into the box and stuff into the attic year after year but last year we did have a real Christmas tree and the scent alone was beautiful! I think synthetic trees are easier to decorate though, so I'll have to go with that.
2.  You're in a coffee shop, it's December, what do you pick?
For some strange reason I only go into coffee shops during the summer (mostly to grab an Mocha Iced Frappuchino from Starbucks) but the Primark in Bristol has recently installed a Costa Coffee and my dad and I stopped in there to have a drink during shopping the other day. I had a simple Mocha and it was lovely!
3.  Whats your favourite colour scheme for decorating the tree?
My mum has this kind of obsession with me and my brother and sister not being able to touch the Christmas tree when she's decorating it - I think she thinks we'll destroy it or something. We usually let my sister choose as she's only 6 but this year I've decided on classic red and green with tartan bows!
4.  Giving or receiving?
The one thing I look forward to most on Christmas day is watching everyone else open their presents! Especially my little sister as Christmas is still new and exciting to her (to be honest it still is for me and I'm 18...) so I would say giving!
5.  To mince pie or not to?
Okay so I actually was just told by my mum that mince pies don't actually contain mince meat... is it bad that I didn't know that?  But still no thank you!
6.  What's your traditional Sunday lunch?
My step dad cooks the most AMAZING roast dinners ever. We normally have two meats (but I only have turkey), roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, sausages wrapped in bacon, swede, carrots, peas, cabbage, sprouts... and I could honestly eat it all day long.
 
7.  Christmas day fashion?
I normally spend most of the day in my pyjamas but I then chuck on whatever new outfit's I've received as presents. This year, though, my little sister and I have decided that we're going to dress up! This year I'm considering my lace skater dress with a pair of skin-coloured tights and ankle boots. 

8.  What's your favourite Christmas song?
I love the good old Mariah Carey 'All I Want For Christmas Is You'... I think it's the only one I know all the words to.
9.  What's your favourite Christmas film?
Elf! Elf is literally the best Christmas film ever.
10.  Open presents before or after lunch?
 Always before! We open our presents whilst we're eating our breakfast at a ridiculous time in the morning! I don't know anyone who can bear to wait that long...
 
I hope you enjoyed this tag and of course, I tag everyone who reads this! If you do join in, leave me a link, I'd love to read your answers!
 
xx

Friday 29 November 2013

Review: MUA Heaven & Earth Palette

 
 
Sorting through my beauty stash the other day, I realised something: I don't own many nudey eye shades. I was quite surprised by this, simply because it seemed like such an obvious thing to own. The subtle glam that a simple, soft brown smokey eye can bring to any day or night look is something that I'm personally a fan of so I honestly didn't expect to be lacking these shades in my collection. Naturally, the only plausible thing to do would be to go out and buy said shades, which is exactly what I did: enter MUA's Heaven & Earth Palette.
 
 
This 12 shadow palette contains a variety of brown tones, ranging from dark chocolate to buttery cream. All colours are 'shimmer' but not in a glittery or gaudy way - they're more luminous than anything. They're lovely to apply and very blendable, with very little fall out.
 
 
As they don't have shade names I'll brand them with numbers 1 - 12, starting from the top left and finishing at the bottom right. My most used colours are 4, 9, 10 and 12 - number 4 as a base and highlight, 9 and 10 for creating the smokey line and number 12 as a sort of eye liner along my eyelash line. Pigmentation for these shadows are great and they last all day.
 
 
Shades 1 - 6 (top row)

 
Shades 7 - 12 (bottom row)
 
Avaliable for £4 from Superdrug or the MUA Online store, this palette is a must-have for nude eye lovers or even for younger girls who are beginning to build their own make-up collection. A perfect stocking filler, too!
 
xx


Thursday 21 November 2013

Step By Step: Catching Fire Nail Art! (The Hunger Games)

 
 
I'm not sure if I've ever mentioned this before and I'd be very surprised if I haven't but I am a super crazy massive geek over The Hunger Games. I can pretty much have one sided conversations quoting any of the books (which I've read more times than I can count) and can explain situations from them to people who have never read them before in embarrassingly intricate detail.

 
 
So following this admission I'll also tell you guys that I may or may not have missed college today to go and watch it at 11am this morning (don't judge me). The film was INCREDIBLE and played so well with the book - I felt that The Hunger Games wasn't really up to scratch - but I think that whether you've read the books or not you'll love Catching Fire.
 
I better stop here before I start getting into more detail because I really wont stop.
 
Okay, moving on. In recognition of my love for The Hunger Games I decided to try out a nail art in honour of Katniss and Peeta's chariot ride outfit. I'm really really happy with the way it turned out and feel that even though this nail art is aimed at The Hunger Games, it could translate into a pretty night-out nail art if you use different coloured paints.
 
 
You Will Need:
 
Black nail varnish
 
Either red glitter nail varnish or just plain red
 
Either orange glitter nail varnish or plain orange
 
Either yellow glitter nail varnish or plain yellow
 
3 Eye shadow sponge applicator or a make-up sponge
 
Gold/silver glitter (only if you aren't using the glitter polishes)
 
Steps:
 
Step One: Paint all of your nails black. Apply two coats if needed.
 




Step Two: Using the red nail varnish, paint a blob shape from the nail tip down as far as you like. This will act as a guide for where you're going to apply the glitter, as well as adding a more colourful base.
 
 
 
 
 Step Three: Mix the red nail varnish and gold glitter together.



 
 
Step Four: Dip the sponge end of the eye shadow applicator into the glitter mixture and dap onto the red outline on your nail. 

Step Five: Repeat step 3 & 4 but with the orange nail varnish. Dab the orange glitter on top of the red, but begin half-way up the red.

Step Six: Repeat steps 3 & 4 but with the yellow nail varnish. Dab the yellow glitter on top of the orange, focusing more on the nail tip.

Step Seven: Seal the design with a top coat.

Finished!
 
I hope you guys enjoyed this nail art tutorial - I definitely enjoyed doing it! Although it's a little messy, I think it works. The end effect is a sort of bobbly, grainy, glittery fire which I think captures the feel of the outfits perfectly!


Source: Google Images.

If any of you guys end up watching Catching Fire, let me know what you thought of it!

xx

Wednesday 20 November 2013

Review: Lush Candy Mountain Bubble Bar


As I'm sure some of you know if you've followed my blog for a while, I'm a little bit obsessed when it comes to Lush products. In fact, one of my very first posts was showcasing their Seanik Shampoo Bar and I've featured several of their products since then.
 
 
 
Today I'm here with a review on one of their limited edition Christmas products: the Candy Mountain bubble bar. As I've mentioned previously, I don't really like buying limited edition products simply because I get way too attached to things if I like them and then it leads to bulk buying which leads to me not actually ever using the things because I'm terrified I'm going to run out.
 
Craziness aside, this is my very first trial with one of Lush's bubble bars. I'm not sure why it's taken me so long to try one out - but I'm glad I started my love affair with this beauty. I picked it up simply because of it's pretty pink, sparkly appearance and with the promise of the Sales Assistant of it's sweet candy scent. I was going to cave in to the hype and buy a bottle of the infamous Snow Fairy shower gel but decided against it for the reasons above and for the fact that it was around £4 for a tiny little bottle! This bubble bar offers the deliciously sweet scent but with sustainability and bubbles!
 
To use, you simply crumble a little chunk under running water to create frothy, foamy bubbles and lovely pink tinted water. Truth be told, I prefer to use this for it's scent and moisturising properties - I can't stand bubbles in my bath! They always work their way into my hair, especially when I don't want them to. So I can't give you guys any promises on a crazy Disney-movie-overflowing-washer scene but I can tell you that this smells divine. I got my baby sister to smell it and she described it as 'lemonady with a berry smell' which is pretty much on point. It definitely also has a hint of candy-floss-ish scent which isn't too sweet. The Lush website says it contains a vanilla fragrance but I honestly can't pick up on it!
 
Another reason to love this is because of it's gorgeous moisturising qualities. My skin feels super smooth and soft after use which isn't oily or greasy at all.
 
Overall I adore this bubble bar and I'm certain it's sparked a long love affair with them (next on my list is Karma). I've had 4 baths with this so far and I think I've got another 2 uses left with it but it of course depends on how much you use! An absolute bargain for £2.65, I'd love to see this in my stocking this Christmas!
 
xx


Friday 8 November 2013

Five Gifts Under £5: River Island

 
 
Hello everyone!
 
I don't know what it is, but as soon as Halloween and Bonfire Night are out of the way all I can focus on is Christmas! I've started my Christmas shopping already and I'm really excited about all the things I've got so far - every year I'm always more excited for everyone else to open their presents than I am to open my own! So I thought I'd share with you guys my top five picks under £5 from a range of different stores. You can use this guide as inspiration for your sister/mum/best friend or you can even use it to give hints to your parents for what you want to receive yourself!
 
I'm also going to show you guys what I've been buying for my family and friends this year - none of them read my blog (most of them don't even know I have one!) so don't worry about blowing surprises! I have a few things tucked away for my baby sister, my dad, my boyfriend and my best friend so keep a look out for that post!
 
I thought I'd start this 'Five under £5' series with one of my favourite stores: River Island. To be quite honest with you, I'm not a massive fan of their clothing but their jewellery and bags are drool-worthy. My finds below are available from most River Island stores and can definitely be found online and all of them come in a variety of shades and sizes, so you'll be able to alter each one for a certain person!
 
1. Gold Tone Triangular Midi-Ring Twin Pack - £2.00
2. Bright Pink Zip Around Mini Purse - £5.00
3. Cream Fair Isle Mini Hand Warmer - £5.00
4. Cream Faux Pearl Stud Earrings - £2.00
5. Black Frill Cable Knit Ankle Socks - £4.00
 
 
My personal favourites from these picks are the bright pink purse and the cable knits socks - perfect stocking fillers. I can definitely picture myself bundled in an all-black outfit clutching that bright purse! The mini fair-isle hand warmer is a must for winter days - just tuck it into your pockets to keep hands warm when walking around town/to school. Finally the two bargain jewellery picks - I actually own the midi rings and can tell you they're lovely and a perfect fit. As for the pearl studs, well, every girl needs a pair of pearl earrings!
 
xx
 


Saturday 2 November 2013

Review: New MUA Matte Effect Lipsticks


Hello everyone!
Today I have a review for you guys, featuring a new exciting release from bargain make-up brand Make Up Academy. I'm a dedicated lover when it comes to all of their products so of course when I saw these new Matte Effect lipsticks I had to pick up one... or three.
The first thing I noticed about these was the packaging. It's very clean and simple - basically the same as their regular lipstick tubes but instead of black these are white. The next thing I realised was that they've finally finally given their shades names. I don't know why this is such a big deal to me, but I hate it when companies use numbers instead of words to distinguish their shades. The three I got are named 'Pouty Pink', 'Scarlet Siren' and 'Wild Berry'. Definitely not the most imaginative but at least they've given us something to work with.
Anyway, on to the lipsticks themselves. I'm really depressed to say this, but I'm not a fan. Many matte lipsticks are drying and chalky and these are no exception - they sit, flaky, upon even the most moisturised lips. Weirdly I found the pink to be more drying than the other two, and the red the nicest to wear. I'm also very disappointed with the pigment of these shades. The pink appears to be a lovely, bright colour and the purple/brown shade very dark and vampy but they simply do not come across this way upon lips. You have to apply quite a few coats before the colour even becomes noticeable.

Left to right: 'Pouty Pink' - 'Scarlet Siren' - 'Wild Berry'
 Their staying power appears to be pretty good, mostly because the colour clings to your lips (which in this case, is a blessing and a curse) but I can't say that I'm going to rush out and buy any other colours from this collection. I would definitely recommend the red as I find it the most moisturising and flattering and possibly the pink if you have an amazing lip balm to pair it with, but I would steer clear of the Wild Berry shade - it's nothing like I expected!
Overall, I think this is the only product I've bought from MUA that I haven't got on with, but at £1 each you can't really argue!
xx 


Friday 1 November 2013

Borrowed From The Boys: Raiding My Boy's 'Beauty' Stash!

When it comes to packing an overnight bag, I am an absolute nightmare. I'll pack that book I haven't started reading yet and that moisturiser I really should work into my routine and the new shower gel I've been meaning to use up for ages and a bunch of other 'I might end up needing that' things.
 
I never end up using most of the things I pack (aside from my daily make-up pieces and toothbrush) which means I lug my prettifyers to and from my boy's house for no need at all. So I've given myself a little challenge: to only bring my make-up bag and change of clothes. The rest is coming from his beauty stash. I have some bits and pieces I've sneakily left behind from previous stays like make-up wipes and a hair brush but other than that I'm totally bust.

 
L - R: Lynx Fever Shower Gel, Joop! Homme, Head & Shoulder's Anti Dandruff Shampoo, Lush Dirty Shaving Cream, Adidas Anti-Perspirant Deodorant, Wilkinson Sword Razor.
 
 
One thing I probably should have considered before embarking on this challenge was my boy's skin type (which is normal/oily) compared to my more sensitive skin. So I couldn't pinch any of his skincare bits, but I managed to dig out a few gems that definitely made me stay a lot lighter luggage-wise!
 
Lynx Fever Shower Gel
 
I swear you guys, I could literally use this every single day. It smells divine. It's kind of fruity and kind of spicy, seriously if you see it in a store go and pick it up and give it a sniff! It's amazing, the scent lasts so so so long on the skin (I can still smell it now and I used it last night) and it's actually really moisturising! I think it's fairly cheap (£1 - £2) so it's also a great stocking filler for the man in your life!
 
Joop! Homme
 
I adore this scent! But really, I've always thought of it as quite a feminine one - I'm not sure why. I've nicked a couple of squirts here and there before and people always recognise it as Joop! but I'm not the only girl I know that wears this! It's a delicious scent, with base notes of Amber and top notes of Orange Blossom, it's quite citrusy which is something I look for in a scent. Again, this would be a lovely present for Christmas!
 
Head & Shoulders Anti Dandruff Shampoo
 
My man actually got this as part of a Gillette gift set for Christmas last year and he hasn't used it yet! So I thought I'd help him out as I'd left my dearly beloved Lush Shampoo Bar at home. I don't know what it is, but Anti-Dandruff shampoos give my hair crazy volume! It leaves my hair softly texturized and it feels thicker without being heavy and clogged with product. Love this stuff!
 
Lush Dirty Shaving Cream & Wilkinson Sword Razor
 
I gave my legs a speedy once-over with these two products and they're the perfect pairing for quick hair removal and super soft legs. The shaving cream is actually a little thick for use on us ladies, but I just applied the bare-minimum and it worked just fine. I also actually use this razor at home as I prefer men's razors over women's as I think they last longer so there wasn't much of a change there! For a more in-depth review of the Dirty Shaving Cream, I did a review a while back here.
 
Adidas Anti Perspirant Deodorant
 
Not much to say about this one! Lovely scent although distinctly masculine, kept me feeling fresh all day!
 
So although I did end up smelling distinctly more boy-ish by the end of my visit, I was very impressed how my man's product held up against my own standards! I don't think I'll be using the deodorant again as the smell was quite strong and I'm going to be using my own Shampoo Bar next time, but the shower gel and razor are going to be firm staples in my 'at the boyfriends' routine. Also, note to self, bring skincare products next time! Thankfully my skin was gracious enough to accept a face wipe for one night.
 
Hope you guys enjoyed this post, I know it's something a bit different but it was fun! And also I hope I've given you some gift ideas for the Christmas time!
 
xx