Sunday 30 June 2013

The Weekend Post #15: The Natural Eye

Whatever the weather, you'll pretty much always find me sporting light and natural eye makeup. A sweep of eyeshadow, a flick of eyeliner and some lashings of mascara is all I need these days. I thought it would be interesting for you to see what my eye makeup menu consists of on a daily basis.

Untitled | via Tumblr

First on the menu is Mac All That Glitters, the perfect all-over lid shade (full review coming soon!). I sweep this all over my lids and move straight onto eyeliner. Oh, but not forgetting a subtle highlight on my brow bone and inner corner, I use one of my old favourites, enter... Urban Decay Bootycall.
Using a liner brush, I build some of Urban Decay's Blackout up and apply this with a small flick at the end. A good tip is to slightly dampen the liner brush to intensify the line. For mascara I'm currently loving Benefit They're Real, for lots of volume. A few lashings of this on my top - and don't forget the bottom - lashes and my eyes look wider and much more awake.


What's on your makeup menu for a natural look?

Tuesday 25 June 2013

Essie Sunday Funday | Review

I was so excited when I realised Essie had released their new Summer collection; Naughty Nautical and I couldn't wait to check out their new shades. All of the shades really stood out to me, but Sunday Funday (awesome name, I know) in particular.
Almost all of their new shades contain shimmer, which I think is a very pretty and girly effect and there's no extra effort required. On Essie's website Sunday Funday is described as a 'tangerine coral crush shimmer' which is basically this shade in a nutshell. It reminds me of Essie's Cute as a button, just with shimmer.


Sunday Funday is a bright pinky coral, that's perfect for Summer. This shade reminds me of holidays, and it's a great way to inject some colour into your outfit/look. As you know, I am a huge fan of the Essie brushes and formulation and this shade is opaque with two coats (but you could most definitely get away with one). As far as longevity goes, it doesn't last very long before chipping but that depends on what top coat you use. In my opinion every beauty blogger needs a shade like this in their collection, it's a Summer staple.

What are your thoughts on the Naughty Nautical Collection?

Sunday 23 June 2013

The Weekend Post #14: Top YouTubers

I'll admit, I do have a slight obsession with YouTube and although I may not have a channel myself (I probably will do in the future though) I spend a lot of my time watching makeup tutorials, OOTD's, hauls etc.. and over the years - yes, years - I've been watching videos I've got a list of my favourite people to watch.



1. Macbarbie07 | Bethany
2. Millieheartsmac | Millie
3. Whatihearttoday | Lily
4. Viviannadoesmakeup | Anna
5. Zoella | Zoe
6. Allwonderfulthings | Charlotte
7. whatshallicallthis | Hannah
8. icovetthee | Alix
9. Sprinkleofglitter | Louise
10. JustLovesFashion | Britt

So there's my top 10 YouTubers! Who's your favourites?


Wednesday 19 June 2013

"If I Had £50" | TAG

I was tagged by Alex from AlexRocksXO to do the "If I Had £50" Tag, and I was so excited to do this Tag, so thank you Alex for tagging me! 


Here are the rules:

  1. Pick a shop any shop. Whatever that shop is you have £50 to spend. Pick whatever you want. (Clothing shops may not work as well because sometimes it costs £50 for one thing)
  2. The title of the post must be " "If I had £50" TAG " so people know what the post is about.
  3. You must state that this post was created by me AlexRocksXO
  4. Thank who tagged you. It's just polite :-)
  5. Tag at least one person.
  6. Copy and paste the rules onto the top of your post.

For my shop I chose Forever 21, because they have some adorable clothes and accessories to choose from and the're not too pricey either.

Cut Out Geo Necklace- £3.90
I love necklaces, they're a great way to accessorize and add a little something to an outfit. This fun and quirky cut-out necklace is one of my favourites and I can already imagine what I would wear this with!

Stay Chic NYC Tee- £11.50
I love these lightweight t-shirts because they're great to tuck into some high-waisted shorts or wear with some leggings for a more casual look. It's available in both black and white, personally I prefer the white one because I think it's more Summery (is that even a word?) and I already have quite a few black tops.

Starstruck Denim Cut Offs- £14.75
These shorts are gorgeous! The star print and frayed edges make this a Summer must-have, and these would look stunning with a crop top or a baggy top tucked in. I actually don't have many Summer shorts so I need to start buying some!

Floral Chambray Combo Dress- £19.75
This dress is so cute and I could picture wearing this with some Summer sandals (or heels for an evening look) and some simple jewellery. Floral prints are always popular in the Summer and the Chambray bodice with studs, makes it look very grown-up but still cute.

Who am I tagging?

Sophie Said
Fairy Circles
Frecklesandflawsbeatuyblog
honeythumb




Tuesday 18 June 2013

The Fashion Post: Crop Tops

The days are - gradually - getting warmer and I'm beginning to put my jeans and jumpers towards the back of my wardrobe ready to make room for some Summer clothing, crop tops are perfect to wear on warm days (even if you're a little shy). Here's my favourite picks of the crop tops...



1. Newlook Purple New York Crop Top £14.99
This New York print is one of my favourites, it's great to wear with some distressed denim shorts and a pair of summer sandals and you're good to go. It's slouchy and comfy, so it's great for everyday wear.

2. Newlook Neon Pink Tie Dye Crop Top £7.99
Tie dye is very in at the moment and this neon pink shade is band on trend. Work this summery crop top with a high waisted black midi skirt, a statement necklace and some nude ballet pumps (or heels for a party look).

3. Forever 21 Unicorn Crop Top £7.25
This cute and quirky unicorn print is right up my street. Whether you wear this by itself or under a muscle tee it's a must-have for the summer. For £7.25, it's an absolute steal too.

4. Brandy Melville I love you to the moon and back Crop Top £12.74
I am completely in love with the Brandy Melville crop tops, I just wish they were available much easier in the UK! This plain and simple crop top will go with just about anything, and it's light and breezy too.

5. Pull & Bear Crop Top £5.99
This crop top is perfect for festivals or spending a day at the beach. Wear a patterned bandeau underneath to make it look more interesting.


What do you think of crop tops? Will you be picking some up any time soon?

Sunday 16 June 2013

The Weekend Post #13: Guilt-Free Snacking

First things first, sorry for missing out on last weeks 'weekend post' but I was busy, out enjoying the sunshine (which seems to have disappeared right now). But carrying on from last times 'weekend post' I thought I'd share some of my favourite guilt-free snacks with you. I do enjoy a snack in the evenings but finding something that's low in calories and actually good for you can be hard.

Apple Slices with Peanut Butter
Peanuts help boost your metabolism and help stop sugar cravings. Apples are 1 of your 5 a day and help prevent bloating too. This is a great little snack to stop that hunger and requires very little effort!


Kelloggs Special K Cracker Crisps
With less that 100 calories per bag, these are a fantastic snack if you're feeling a little peckish and counting the calories. Much better for you than a packet of Doritos or Walkers.


Granola with Yoghurt and Mixed Berries
This is perfect for a light dessert or as a quick and simple snack in the evenings. You can use low-fat yoghurt or even Greek yoghurt, and mix a teaspoon of honey in with it if you've got a sweet-tooth.


So there was a little selection of snacks that I enjoy, what are yours?

Wednesday 12 June 2013

Maybelline Mega Plush Mascara | Review

When it comes to mascaras you can always rely on Maybelline to release the latest. I had passed over many of their previous mascaras and as soon as I spotted this on the shelves, I thought 'another one?'. But something stopped me in my tracks, with new gel-mousse formula plastered all over the stand I had to check it out. So into the basket it went, and at a very reasonable £5.99 too.
                                                           Maybelline Mega Plush Mascara £5.99

So. What's the verdict? Well I'm a lover of long luscious lashes, and this mascara claims to give you 'Massive & Soft Volume' that's 'Non-brittle' and 'Non-flaky'. I was slightly put off with it having a bendy wand, as I like to have a firm applicator to apply any kind of eye makeup as it's hard enough not to get it all over, but surprisingly this doesn't bother me.
  Now onto the brush, well it certainly is one of the larger brushes I've used before which makes it quite hard not to end up with mascara on your brow bone. In my opinion, a bigger the brush, does not always mean bigger lashes. It usually just equals total mascara mess for me, however I've managed to master this brush reasonably well and I'm happy to say, I don't always end up with it all over (but it helps to have an eye makeup remover handy).
  This mascara says it will give you 'massive and soft volume' but it didn't give me massive volume, it's a very natural looking mascara so it's probably better for people who are just beginning to wear makeup. The new gel-mousse formula is one I haven't previously tried but I don't believe it made a huge difference to my lashes, but they don't feel as brittle as they would with another mascara. Overall, this mascara hasn't impressed me too much and I probably wont be re-purchasing it, however I am glad I got to try it out.

What do you think of this mascara? Have you tried any other Maybelline mascaras?

Friday 7 June 2013

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Gradual Tanner | Review



I bought this after seeing it featured on Kate's blog, and I had to give it a go. Claiming to add a natural glow to your skin that will build up after a few days of application and moisturise your skin at the same time, I knew I was on to a winner. The smooth sweet-smelling lotion contains pure Cocoa Butter and Vitamin E, to keep your skin looking (and feeling) healthy.
It's fabulous to use any time of the year because it's totally up to you how often - and how much - of it you use. Incredibly easy to use, leaving you with streak-free sunkissed skin. Just remember to wash your hands afterwards otherwise you'll end up with orange hands.
The pump on the bottle keeps everything mess-free too. Remember though, it does fade so if you want to maintain that healthy bronzed look, it's probably better to apply it every other day.
It's very cheap at £5.35 from Boots and Superdrug but I managed to find it in Bodycare for an amazing £3.99! so - if you can - go to Bodycare first. Overall, I'm very pleased with this product and I'll most definitely be re-purchasing this and I'll probably use this all year-round from now on.

Thursday 6 June 2013

Monthly Favourites | May

Well it's been a busy month, I've had birthdays, holidays and exams to deal with this month so I've been using a lot of multi-tasking products in order to see me through the - long - days. Here's my favourite picks of the past month...


Bourjois Bronzing Primer £9.99
I've been coveting over the Clarins Instant Smooth Self Tanning for long enough, and I was so close to purchasing it until I spotted this in Boots. This primer aims to bronze, smooth and (obviously) prime your skin, which it does brilliantly. It's fantastic to use on a daily basis and it takes no time at all to get a streak-free bronzed complexion.

VO5 Dry Texturising Spray £3.49
Sometimes my hair just feels so limp and lifeless and I feel like I need to add a bit of 'texture' and 'rough-ness' into my hair in order to style it how I want. This product does thee job perfectly and, in my opinion, sits perfectly between a dry shampoo and a hairspray.

Bare Minerals Original Foundation £25
This foundation provides excellent high coverage - perfect for covering any stress-related spots - and I've been reaching for it a lot this month. A light-weight powder that leaves your skin looking makeup free butt also flawless. I seriously don't know what I'd do without this.

Original Source Lemon & Tea Tree Shower Gel £2.30
This refreshing blend of zesty lemon and tea tree helps to waken me up in the mornings, and it contains pure and natural essential oils to help keep your skin nourished and supple. Can you believe it that 10 lemons go into one bottle of this!

Bourjois Cream Blush £7.99
As soon as I heard about these on a few blogs and read a couple of reviews, I knew I HAD to have one. I went for the lightest (and most neutral) shade. Nude Velvet (01) will add a touch of colour to your cheeks and I've completely fallen for their cream-to-powder formula.

Have you tried any of these products?

Sunday 2 June 2013

The Weekend Post #12: Getting Fit

I've never spoken about fitness on my blog previously, and I wanted to speak about something slightly different for this weekend post. I have been soo naughty this week, I've eaten chocolate, sweets, marshmallows, fast food and other things that you really shouldn't be eating a lot of, but now I want to start eating healthier and doing some extra exercise.



I usually start the day off well but by evening I find myself craving chocolates and sweets, and I've been giving in a lot recently. So I'm going to start the week off by cutting all of those bad habits out and try to do more walking, swimming etc...
It's so easy to sit watching t.v, or read a book and be stuffing your face with a tub of Ben and Jerry's (oh yes, I forgot to mention I'd demolished a tub of that) but it has to stop. Basically, if I carry on I'll end up looking like a hippopotamus, and that is not a good look.
I shall update you on how I get on in a few weeks time, hopefully a lot healthier too.



So what about you? Do you need to up the amount of water you drink? Do more exercise? C'mon ladies, lets do this.