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Friday 28 November 2014

Review: Taylor Swift Enchanted Wonderstruck

Another post where I mention the love of my life? Of course.
I can't believe I haven't written about the Taylor Swift Enchanted Wonderstruck perfume yet! I've had it for a good few months now and I think its time to tell you all what I think.


Firstly, the packaging is extremely similar to the original Wonderstruck perfume, (which I believe I am on my fourth bottle of now...oops) but it has a red colour theme rather than the original purple. The bottle is still one of my favourite perfume bottle designs ever, perhaps I am a little bit bias, but I do just love the shimmer that runs through the bottle, and the intricate charms.


Onto the scent, and it is slightly more musky than the first, and I think its more of an acquired taste. Initially I thought it smelt a tiny bit (only a tiny bit) of Air Freshner, but it has really grown on me and I wear it nearly everyday. There is still a very floral and fruity hint to the fragrance and I would still say it is aimed more at the younger audience. Similarly to Wonderstruck I would say that it is more of a daytime fragrance. 


Considering it is an Eau De Parfum, the lasting power is absolutely amazing, and I can always still smell it by the end of the day. I do however have to say the original Wonderstruck is more my thing, but if you prefer more musky and mysterious scents then you would probably love this. Don't be put off by the fact its a celebrity fragrance, because it really is so much nicer than you'd think. 


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Monday 24 November 2014

Current Favourite: Benefit They're Real Mascara

Firstly, I'd like to apologise for the lack of blog posts around here recently, I've been finding it hard juggling uni life and blogging etc so please bare with me.
 Anyway I decided that I wanted to start a new series on my blog simply called  'Current Favourites', where I will post one favourite every fortnight. I've been lacking on the monthly favourites posts and videos recently so there's quite a lot of new and old favourites lurking around my makeup stash. The first being the Benefit They're Real Mascara.


This lil' old mascara had so much hype surrounding it when it was first released, and I'm pretty sure its a blogger cult favourite, with good reason. At first I did just think it was an overpriced mascara that probably wouldn't even work that well, but trust me, its the best mascara ever, especially for those of you with straight and short lashes like myself. It definitely holds a curl well.

 The formula is not too wet, and I find that it is extremely easy to layer and work with. It normally only takes two layers for me to create the perfect lashes and to get enough volume and drama. I love how there are bristles on the end of the wand too, as this makes separating corner lashes so much easier and you can use the wand much more precisely. One thing I don't recommend doing is blinking whilst doing your lower lashes. It sounds pretty self explanatory but sometimes you just cant hold that blink, and I've blinked on this wand far too many times, and it is painful as *insert rude word of choice here*!


There is only one slightly negative thing I can think about this bad boy, and thats that it is so hard to remove. Even when you think its all off, you'll still wake up in the morning with panda eyes! The best thing I have found is to use an oil based eye makeup remover and a fairly oily cleanser afterwards - that usually does the trick.

Truly one of my favourite mascaras, it's just a shame about the non-student friendly price tag that it comes with. What's your all time favourite mascara?
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Wednesday 19 November 2014

My Picks: A/W Coats 2014

There are so many beautiful coats out in the shops at the moment and so many have caught my eye whilst I have been online shopping. A lot of them are fairly pricey, but for a decent winter coat I'd expect to pay at least £60. 
Here are my top 6:



1. Camel Faux Fur Collar Boyfriend Coat - £59.99
How snug does this look?! Camel has never been my favourite colour for coats but this one really screamed out to me, mainly because of the huge fur collar. I am a sucker for anything with fur, and I think the fur really adds something chic to this coat.

2. Green Check Faux Fur Collar Coat - £64.99
This is probably my favourite out of all my picks because I adore the tartan pattern. With black ripped knee skinny jeans this coat would look so edgy, but the fur softens everything down at the same time. 

3. Khaki Faux Fur Hooded Trim Parka - £64.99
I was quite surprised at the cost of this coat (I don't know if thats just because I am a super tight student at the moment or..) especially since it is from New Look. Nonetheless I think everyone needs a stylish parka in their life for the colder months, and the leather detailing adds something different.

4. Burgundy Faux Fur Collar Biker Jacket - £55.00
Obviously more of a jacket than a coat, however I still think it would be really warm in the colder months because of the fur collar. I would never really think of Burgundy when looking for a leather jacket, but it's nice to have a change from black, and I definitely think this one will be creeping into my wardrobe around christmas time. 

5. ASOS Cocoon Coat - £85.00
How could I write this post without a baby pink, oversized coat thrown in the mix?! I actually bought a similar coat from Dorothy Perkins in their sale last year, but it definitely isn't an oversized fit. The oversized look is really in this year and it is definitely a flattering coat for most shapes. Pink is certainly not for everyone but I absolutely love it!

6. Vero Moda Smart Wool Mix Coat - £85.00
This one is probably not the warmest of all the coats but it is super smart when done up, but can also be worn undone for a more casual, day to day look. Again I think this coat is slightly expensive for the way in which is looks, however I do find that Vero Moda clothes are very high quality so that is probably reflected in the price.

Which is your favourite coat?
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Friday 3 October 2014

My University Experience: Moving Out & Moving In

I know most of my readers may have already experienced moving out for the first time and setting off to University, and for some of you this may be a distant thought. However, I was super curious about the whole process myself, and just other peoples experiences of moving out for University, so I thought I would document my experience for any of you nosey people.

Now, as a girl, I do always have those "I have nothing to wear/I have no clothes" moments, however packing all my clothes up has made me realise just how many clothes I actually do have. 5 Vacuum bags later, and there was still a ton of stuff that needed to be packed in the clothing department. It was super awkward because obviously I won't be coming home till December, so the clothes I packed had to suit from September till December, and the weather changes quite a lot between now and then, hence why so many clothes had to be brought along. Unpacking them all was a bit of pain considering I had to fold and hang nearly my entire wardrobe, although luckily my parents stuck around to help me. As soon as I had unpacked I pretty much made my parents leave and I went and sat with my flatmates and got to know them.

Flat picture ;)

I think my biggest piece of advice is to put yourself out there, don't hide away in your room (mines looking messy might I add). The idea of getting to know all these new people is super daunting I'm not going to lie, but just put the nervousness to one side. I've been in my flat for not even a week now, and I feel completely comfortable around all my flatmates and I've even made friends with people on the floors below us. Also another piece of advice I have is to go to as many events as you can! I bought a Freshers pass which got me into all the events for two weeks and it has been worth it so far. Going out is the best way to meet new people and socialise outside of your flat. Also be sure to join relevant facebook groups before you head off, you'll be surprised how many friends you will make!

The highlight so far? Hodor from Game of Thrones DJ'ing. Damn he was good, and surprisingly I do remember all of it! Last thing I wanted to say was don't worry about leaving everyone behind. You will be so busy with other things that you just won't have time to think about anyone back home. The only time I even got a tiniest bit upset was when I thought about Rex (the puppy). Moving out and being independent is something I have wanted to do for years, not for any negative reasons but just because the idea excited me so much. I won't lie to you all though, doing your own weekly shop is stressful!

P.S Sorry if my posts aren't sticking to my normal schedule at the moment, but obviously with freshers fortnight and my classes starting on Monday I have a lot of things to concentrate on.
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Friday 19 September 2014

Stay Bright, Look Awake

With the summer holidays distant memories and the school term well underway, I thought this post would be appropriate. Personally, I used to really struggle with getting up for school and looking and feeling my best, particularly in my GCSE years. For a few years I struggled to fall asleep at night, and my eyes suffered in the morning, with my dark circles even more enhanced (they're pretty bad naturally anyway so lack of sleep doesn't help much). Here are a few tips I have if you find it hard to fall asleep on school nights, or wake up looking super tired!



1) Download an app called Digipill. I think I have spoken about this app before, maybe in a favourites post, I can't really remember. Basically, it is an app with a few recordings on it to help with different situations, for example stress. You get one free recording when you download the app, and after that I believe they range from £2.00-£5.00. I haven't actually paid for any of the recordings as I primarily use it to de-stress and calm, which happens to be the 'pill' I got free when I downloaded the app. Its sort of like meditation and I cannot describe how helpful it is - really, just download it and see! I recommend you listen to "T-Break" before bed when all your electronics are turned off, it just sends me straight to sleep.

2) Now, I am going to sound completely like a parent here but its such a helpful tip and I really wish I had done this in my earlier school years. Turn off any electrical devices or at least put them aside half an hour before you intend to fall asleep, and pick up a book instead. I used to think my Mum and Dad were joking when they told me to put my phone away when I was in bed, but I have really noticed a difference now when I come off my laptop earlier and put my phone away half an hour before bed.

3) Before you go to bed put a teaspoon in your fridge to keep it cool. In the morning put the teaspoon under your eyes, this will just help to keep any puffiness at bay, and will also make you feel a hell of a lot more awake. 

4) Line your waterline with a nude liner like the Rimmel Scandaleyes Liner in Nude. It just helps to cancel out any redness and really brightens up the eyes! The liner is also waterproof so it works perfectly well on the waterline.

5) Lastly, make sure you curl your eyelashes! If you have naturally curly lashes then you wont need to bother, but I don't, so when I do curl them I really notice a difference in my eyes. It helps to just lift the eyes and makes the eye area look more alert and awake. 
That's all for my tips, but trust me all of these will really help and will make you feel 100 times better when you're sat in school!

I hope that these tips are helpful and actually work for you!

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Wednesday 17 September 2014

Garnier Ultimate Blends: The Silky Smoother

Now I feel like every blogger and their Mum has reviewed the Garnier Ultimate Blends range, but I wanted to give my opinion regardless. I figure everyone has reviewed a different range in the collection anyway. I got through one bottle of the shampoo and the conditioner before I decided to review the product, because I felt that giving my hair this length of time would allow me to gather my thoughts on the product, and to see whether it actually did what it said on the tin. 


The marketing campaign for the Ultimate Blends range was insane as Garnier spent a long time creating the collection. There is something to treat every hair worry you could have, for example dry and dull hair, split ends, frizzy hair, in fact there are six different ranges. Since I am very prone to split ends, and my hair was feeling particularly dry after bleaching the ends, I tried The Silky Smoother range.

The Silky Smoother is infused with Vanilla Milk and Papaya which are supposed to help to make your hair much smoother and silkier, all the way down to your split ends. Not only this, but the products claim to treat and and improve the appearance of split ends. After using the product for a month, I can honestly say I haven't noticed too much of a difference in terms of my split ends being softer or at all reduced. However, after each wash I did notice that the top half of my hair did feel relatively smooth. The products definitely did their job at cleaning the hair and making it more manageable to start with, but after a while I actually noticed that after washing, my hair still felt greasy, and almost 'clogged up'. 

Overall I was actually slightly disappointed with the Silky Smoother range, as it had had so much hype and I was expecting quite a lot from the products. They would definitely be worth a try if your hair is super dry though, perhaps mine was not dry enough to see the full effect.

Have you tried the Garnier Ultimate Blends range? What did you think?

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Monday 15 September 2014

My Picks: ASOS Basics

Basic tops and jumpers are such staples for around this time of year when autumn is drawing in and the weather isn't quite as warm as it was. I absolutely love the ASOS basics, they're perfect for layering and they're so reasonably priced. Here's my picks from the range.


I don't really own many long sleeved tops, or clothes for the colder weather to be honest. I really like tops with dip hems because I wear a leggings a lot and you know how hard it is to find leggings that aren't see through!

I am most definitely not a crop top type of gal but I love the high neck style of these ones, and they'd be perfect just for layering under jumpers and would look lovely with high waisted jeans or a skater skirt. Navy is such a nice colour for autumn as well, and I don't really own anything in navy. 

This is the same as the navy one, but I think black is a weenie bit more versatile and goes much better with my current wardrobe. Again, perfect for layering and great to wear with high waisted things. 

I used to have a huge hatred for high necked tops, but I actually really like them now. They have such a vintage feel to them and they look lovely with Mom style jeans. Not only that but they will keep your neck warm in the colder evenings. 

How cute is this top?! I love sweetheart necklines, they're so flattering if you don't have massive boobs. Burgundy is my favourite colour for A/W and this top would be great for nights out - no one would know it was so cheap. 

Big, baggy jumpers are a huge must for me when the cooler weather comes in, and this one is gorgeous. I like wearing cropped jumpers over skater dresses to keep warmer. I remember last year I paid almost £22 for one in topshop, and its almost identical in shape to this one, such a bargain!

These are in my Saved Items on ASOS - they will most definately be purchased when my student loan comes in ;)

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Saturday 13 September 2014

LFW: Bora Aksu S/S15

First of all, I am aware it is a Saturday and I don't post on Saturdays, but this just had to be done! Yesterday I was lucky enough to attend London Fashion Week to see Bora Aksu's S/S15 show. I actually won a competition with Vodafone via their Twitter page, which was completely insane. I bought my mum along with me because, well, I'm a nice daughter.


The show itself was only 20 minutes (if that), so the whole thing was over in a flash, but I did manage to grab a few pictures. It is insanely hard to get good pictures from the 4th row, trust me, the models just move so fast and you get heads in your shot and all sorts. Bora's new collection was called "A Dancer With Wings", what a beautiful name.






 There were a lot of blue tones and creams, with crochet patterns and floaty materials being used which I adored! The whole collection definitely had a romantic feel to it. A few pieces towards the beginning were peachy in tone and reminded me very much of a ballerinas outfit, linking to the title of his collection. I didn't think that many of his pieces were too 'out there' which was great because it was quite easy to imagine the sort of clothes that will be out in S/S15. 

As for the makeup it was so beautiful and definitely not over the top. I believe he took inspiration from dolls, or at least thats the impression I got. The skin on each model was incredibly flawless, with a small coating of mascara and very peachy cheeks. I really hope that this look will be an upcoming trend, it just looked so effortless.

I suppose I cannot go without addressing the models hair. Well, personally, I wouldn't ever have my hair like that, but for the purpose of the catwalk it was beautiful, and helped display the collection well without hiding it at all. I did spot a few familiar faces hanging around Somerset House, including Laura Whitmore and Millie Mackintosh (whose clothing range I am desperate to get my hands on!).

I really hope I can attend LFW again in the future, its just so inspiring!

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Wednesday 10 September 2014

MAC A Novel Romance Haul

I say "haul", I only bought two things (which I am super proud of myself for!), and I am absolutely in love with! When the preview for the collection was released I really wanted to buy everything, but obviously I am a student, I cannot afford an entire limited edition MAC collection, so I limited it down to two lipsticks: Lingering Kiss and Hearts A Flame.

  

Lingering Kiss is a very deep red toned purple colour and has a matte finish which I think is better for bolder colours. It's definitely more of an Autumn/Winter colour, but I think I shall be making an appearance with it at London Fashion Week next week. 



As for Hearts A Flame, its yet another red lipstick, but again it is a very Autumn/Winter colour. It is a medium-dark red which are my favourite types of red as they really flatter my skin tone. I definitely didn't need another red lipstick, but how could I turn this beauty down?!



 Neither of the lipsticks are drying on the lips, which is quite surprising considering that they are so matte. Both are also extremely pigmented and leave a slight stain behind once the initial colour has come off. 

Did you buy anything from the Novel Romance Collection? The single eyeshadows looked absolutely gorgeous!
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Monday 8 September 2014

eBay Wishlist #3

My third eBay Wishlist of bargains! I absolutely love writing these posts because  it gives me a chance to mooch around eBay, window shopping, for a good few hours (although it usually also ends in me purchasing something...).



1. iPhone Case - £4.45
I am in desperate need for a new iPhone case! The one I am using at the moment is my sisters old one and its just so dirty and yeah, just needs replacing. I love the vintage look of this one and I also love the pastel mint colour, pastels are my fave!

2. High Waisted Shorts - £6.79
These shorts are super summery, and I am aware summer is coming to an end, but what's the harm in buying for next year?! They're such a gorgeous pattern and I think with a crop top or just a black vest top these would look super cute.

Super hipster I know, but I love the more grunge take on the Disney characters! As a huge disney fan I wish everything I wore had a Disney princess on or something, but realistically that isn't going to happen. I think this sweatshirt would be lovely for the winter when you just want a nice, large, oversized and snuggly jumper.

4. Selma Style Bag - £18.99
If only I could afford a real MK Selma bag *cries*. I do like this one though because it doesn't have that ridiculous fake "MK" dangly charm on it. It looks like a really smart bag and I actually don't own many handbags at the moment so I want to build my collection.

5. Choker - £1.99
There is one person that has made me want this so much - Sabrina from LoveLaughAndMakeup. I adore her style (and we have similar hair) I just draw so much inspiration from her outfits and her makeup. These chokers are around £8 in Topshop so this is a bargain! Also I used to wear a rainbow one like this when I was approximately 8 years old...good times.

6. Lilac Heels - £19.99
These shoes look like something New Look would create, although unfortunately they haven't so I am still without a pair of Lilac Platforms. I am absolutely rubbish at walking in heels, and I am fairly tall so I can't wear heels that are too high. These ones are the perfect height for me, and also they're a pastel colour so....need!

Have you spotted any beauties on eBay?!

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Friday 5 September 2014

REVIEW: Sleek Californ.IA Blush Palette


L to R - OC, The Surf,  Newport Beach 
 This is one of the most recent blush palettes released by Sleek. Although it was released back in Spring this year, I have only recently got my hands on it and though I would let you guys know what I thought (duh!).


Firstly, I just love the Sleek packaging, I own so many of their products and not once has the packaging broke - it's very well made and sturdy. The consistency of each blush is super light but also very creamy and blendable. I find that these blushes do not slip around on my face, but in fact stay for a good amount of time unlike a lot of other cream products. I do have oily skin, so it can be very hard to find a good cream blush, but I think I found the perfect ones right here.

 As for the colours, each shade is a different tone of coral, but yet they all appear very different on the skin. The first shade is called OC and is a very pinky shade with a tiny amount of shimmer, which really brightens up the cheeks whilst still looking natural. The Surf is probably my least used shade, as on my skin tone it doesn't really show up, however it would look gorgeous on paler skin tones. It's a very shimmery pale peach colour, but works well as a subtle highlight. Lastly Newport Beach, which is probably my favourite. Its a gorgeous coral colour, with not too much red so it is very flattering on the cheeks. Newport Beach and OC are both super pigmented and can be worn as a sheer wash of colour, or can be built up for more of a dramatic blush.

If you love cream blushes then this is definitely for you, as you get a beautiful selection of colours for under a tenner! What a bargain. 
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Monday 1 September 2014

Missguided A/W 14 Wishlist

1. Roxanne Geo Contrast Print Shorts Cream - £17.99
I'm definitely not a huge shorts wearer, but these look quite smart and you could definitely get away with wearing these with tights on a night out. Its so hard to find decent clothes for a night out in A/W, as you obviously don't want to be cold when you're waiting around in queues, but you still want to look nice. These shorts would be perfect with tights for those colder nights.

2. Verity Crepe Scallop Shift Dress - £24.99
How gorgeous is this dress?! I don't know if I can pull of shift dresses because you definitely have to have the right figure for them (which I don't think I do), but I still desperately want to buy this dress and give it a shot! I love the mesh cut out at the waist and the sleeves, it just makes the dress more young and modern. 

3. Beckie Check Floral A Line Skirt - £14.99
I am very much a skirt girl, and tend to wear them much more than shorts as they just seem much more flattering on my shape. This skirt is very cute and would be lovely for A/W, even paired with tights, boots and a fluffy jumper. 

4. Nancy Premium Floral Skort Playsuit Navy - £29.99
Since I am off to University this month I am in need of some freshers week outfits, and I think I have found one with this playsuit. I like to cover the top half of my arms as I am not too keen on them and the shape of the playsuit just looks so flattering, and the material doesn't look too thin like some of the Missguided clothes.

5. Anya Mesh Panel T-Shirt - £14.99
This probably looks like a pretty standard t-shirt to most of you, and may seem expensive for nearly fifteen pounds, however I think it would be lovely dressed up. The Mesh panels make it less casual in my opinion, and with a chunky statement necklace and black jeans could make a fairly dressy outfit. Ideally I would like the whole sleeve to be the mesh but I still love this top!
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Thursday 21 August 2014

The Best Ice Cream!

This week I spent Monday to Wednesday staying in Brighton just taking some time out with my family. We spent most of the days eating and sitting on the beach - nothing too fancy, but we did visit my favourite Ice Cream Shop and I realised it was just too good not to share with you guys!

 


Boho Gelato is a small independant parlour situated in a small side street called Pool Valley, which isn't the most pleasant looking, or smelling street in Brighton but trust me this is a pick not to miss! It is a very small little shop with only enough seating space for 8 people, but if the weather is nice you can always take away and sit on the beach.


Firstly, can we just appreciate how cute the pots are?! Anyway, there are 24 flavours to choose from, most of which change daily (crazy I know). It took me a good five minutes to decide which two flavours I wanted, but I chose the Violet and Custard Cream Biscuit flavours which were just divine. The flavours aren't too sickly and I just love that there is something for everyone. The Mojito and Cucumber & Rose flavours were very tempting I won't lie...


At approximately £2.40 for one scoop its not exactly the cheapest ice cream parlour but it truly is worth it and the portions are very generous. I do recommend getting two scoops so you can try different flavours though!
Oh, they also make Ice Cream Cakes which you can get personally made from £25...I know where I will be requesting my next birthday cake from!


Do you have any favourite picks in Brighton?

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Friday 15 August 2014

Soft, Straight, Silky Hair


We all want hair like what we see in the L'oreal adverts, but realistically our hair will never look like that. Recently I bleached and dyed the ends of my hair turquoise and blue, so the ends are incredibly dry and brittle. I thought it was near enough impossible to get a shine on my hair now, however it isn't! I have found a good combination of products that work well to help me achieve softer and silkier hair. 
  

 The first is just to use a good moisture replenishing hair mask. The one I have been using is the Pantene 2 Minute Deep Repair Masque which was on reduced in Boots. To be honest I just tend to pick up the cheapest moisturising mask because they all do wonders for my hair. I leave it on for about 3 minutes before I rinse, just to give it time to soak in and do the job. 

Once I have towel dried my hair I spritz it with some heat protectant spray just to stop my hair getting any more damaged, and also some Pantene Overnight Nourishing Spray. I also apply two pumps of the Bed Head Ego Boost Split End Mender which makes my ends much softer. 

Most days I blast my hair with my hair dryer for about a minute and then give up and just let it dry naturally, which is much better for your hair anyway. To straighten my hair I use my GHD IV Straighteners, and then I spray the mid-lengths to ends with my new holy grail hair product, the Batiste Dry Conditioner. After spraying I brush it through just to work it into the hair and even it out. Trust me, it makes my hair feel so incredibly soft and I was mind blown the first time I used it. Et voila!

Thats pretty much it, but trust me these products make such a difference to my hair when I straighten it and I feel like I've just stepped out of the hair dressers! 

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