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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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