The Sunshine Award.

Although the sun may not be shining right now, it's actually really cold, I was nominated by Maddie to do this award and thought it was a good post for you to find out a little bit more about me. So here we go...

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Here's the rules for each nominee:

• Share 11 facts about yourself.
• Answer 11 questions by the nomination blogger.
• Nominate 11 other bloggers.
• Include 11 questions to ask your nominees.

11 facts about me...

1. I'm in love with the band Hurts.

2. Cats are my favourite animal.

3. I hate my things being untidy/messy, I'm pretty sure I must have OCD!

4. Christmas is my favourite time of the year.

5. I must own, at least, 30 nail polishes and yet I still buy more.

6. I took business studies for one of my GCSE options.

7. I'm good at saving up my money.

8. I love vintage/shabby chic things!

9. I used to play the recorder, when I was at primary school.

10. I hate creepy crawlies, especially spiders.

11. When I was younger, I used to have a huge collection of my littlest pet shop toys.

My 11 questions were...

1. How is the weather where you live and what are your current favourite clothes to suit it?

The weather where I live isn't great, it rains quite a lot. My current favourite clothes to suit the weather are either super cosy tights and a skater skirt with a top or some jeans with a plaid shirt.

2. How did you come up with your blog name?

I just wanted a very simple and easy to remember name for my blog, sometimes I wish I had a more creative name though. Although I quite like the name 'Amy's Beauty Journal' because it's like I'm writing a diary of products I've tried out.

3. Name something on your bucket list?

The thing right at the top of my bucket list would be to travel around various places in the world and just explore new places. 

4. What is your favourite brand of clothing?

The main places I buy my clothes from are Newlook and Primark, with the occasional thing from Topshop or River Island. I know Primark is Atmosphere but I'm not sure about Newlook?

5. Jeans or leggings?

It depends on what kind of day's ahead but, if I had to pick one, I'd go for leggings.

6. Do your family and friends know about your blog? If so what do they think?
No, actually, my friends and family aren't aware of my blog but if I told them, I'm sure they wouldn't mind.

7. What is your favourite candle scent?
Hmm, this one is tricky because candles are one of my obsessions. I'm loving the merry marshmallow and fireside treats Yankee candles at the moment.

8. If you could pick any three make up items to get for free what would they be?
Firstly, I'd pick a MAC foundation because I'd feel so guilty buying one for myself. The second would be one of the Hourglass ambient lighting powders, after seeing Anna (from ViviannaDoesMakeup) rave about them so much, I would love to get my hands on one! And finally, I'd pick the Ciate mini nail polish advent calendar, it looks amazing plus I just couldn't spend £42 on an advent calendar.

9. What is your favourite pair of shoes? Why?
My favourite pair of shoes are my white high top converse because they go with anything and are great to wear any time of the year. They also last for ages.

10. Heels or wedges?
I don't really wear either of these but I think I'd go for wedges because I think they look gorgeous and wedges go with a lot of different outfits, even on casual days.

11. Mac or Urban Decay?
Even though Urban Decay have the famous Naked palettes, I'd plump for MAC because I like a lot of their products for face, eyes and lips. Whereas with Urban Decay, I only really use their eyeshadows.

The nominations...

1. kkkiranxoxo
2. Ros Tinted
3. Ashleigh Beauty
4. A Day in Beauty
5. A touch of velvet...
6. A Is For Ayla
7. Style & Starbucks
8. Carrie:Brighton
9. Talk Pretty
10. My Vintage World
11. Laura Through The Lens

My 11 questions...
1. What's your favourite TV program?
2. What's one thing you can't stand?
3. Who's you favourite singer/band?
4. What is at the top of your Christmas wishlist, this year?
5. Do you have a pet? 
6. Do you love or loathe marmite? (random question there!)
7. What's your favourite shop to buy from?
8. What's your favourite perfume?
9. If you could pick one piece of technology to use, for the rest of your life, what would you pick? (For example: iPad, laptop, camera)
10. What made you want to start blogging?
11. Who's your favourite blogger?

Thanks for reading this, incredibly long, post!

Instagram #2

Lush shopping // Birthday card from my friend // Newest addition to my RT family // Yankee candle lovin' // Pumpkin carving with my sister // Naughty...

Feel free to follow me on Instagram: @theperksofbeingamyy

Free Hand Cream From The Body Shop?!

Yes, you did read that title correctly. The Body Shop are giving out free 30ml hand creams worth £5 to people who bring in a voucher, which you can get here. You can either print off the voucher or just show it to them in-store; whichever is easiest for you.

There's four to choose from; Hemp Hand Protector, Wild Rose Hand Cream SPF 15, Almond Hand &Nail Cream and the Absinthe Purifying Hand Cream. I decided on the Hemp Hand Protector.
  The Hemp Hand Protector is The Body Shop's best-selling hand cream, that helps to soften and protect your hands. As it says on the website, it's been dermatologically tested for very dry hands and contains Community Trade hemp seed oil to keep your hands in good condition. Simply, squeeze a pea-sized amount onto your hands and massage into your skin.

So if you've ever wanted to try out one of The Body Shop's hand creams, then go ahead and get a voucher because, remember, it's while stocks last!

Life #1

I wanted to try and include some more lifestyle posts on my blog, so today I came up with the idea 'Life'. Plain and boring I know but it's simple and to the point, which is what I like about it! Sometimes writing things down can help clear your head so I thought I might give it a go!

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Whilst I'm sat here watching t.v. (The Great British Bake Off, if you must know) and writing this blog post I am also feeling quite nervous right now. -Why? I hear you ask- Because I go back to school tomorrow and although I am counting myself lucky because almost everyone I know has gone back to school already, I am also dreading it. Even though I've been at high school for three years already (starting my fourth) I'm really not looking forward to exams etc, but I'm going to start this school year with a positive attitude and make a fresh start, and most of all try not to worry too much! However, I am looking forward to having a good catch-up with my friends and learning new things.

Let me know in the comments if you like these sort of posts, I won't be doing them 24/7, just once every couple of weeks or something like that.

Have you gone back to school yet? 

Liebster Award!

Today I won't be writing about anything beauty, but I'll be sharing some more personal things with you as I was very kindly nominated for the Liebster Award by Maddie from that place called here.

The award is for bloggers with less than 200 followers and all you need to do is follow these instructions;

1. Answer the 10 questions you've been asked from the person who nominated you.
2. Think of 10 questions of your own to ask some other bloggers.
3. Choose 10 other bloggers to nominate and make sure you let them know you've nominated them (remember they must have less than 200 followers!).

Here's the 10 questions I was asked...

1. If you had to wear just one make-up product on your face for a day, what would it be and why?
Hhhmmm... Tricky one, but I think I'd go for mascara because it just makes such a difference to your face and I never feel ready until I've got my mascara on!

2. What is your favourite High Street/Drugstore make-up product and why?
I absolutely love Rimmel's Stay Matte powder because it does an amazing job of keeping the shine at bay, and stops my face from look sweaty - nice! haha

3. Favourite colour to wear on your nails?
Either mint green or a very pale milky pink. I love Essie Mint Candy Apple and Essie Fiji.

4. If you had your own make-up range what would it be called?
I really don't know for sure, but something along the lines of "Amy's Beauty" or something simple like that.

5. Favourite way to wear your hair?
I pretty much always wear my hair down, but there's nothing more I love that wearing my hair in a messy bun on a lazy day!

6. If you could swap wardrobes with any celebrity who would it be?
Definitely either Kylie or Kendall Jenner. They are both so stylish and have such good taste in clothing and accessories.

7. Who inspires you?
People like Anna (from Viviannadoesmakeup) and Lily (from Lilypebbles) because they both have brilliant blogs and I love to get blogging inspiration from them.

8. What is your favourite motivational, positive or inspirational quote?
I don't have a favourite quote, but one I always think of when I'm feeling a little down is "Don't Cry Because It's Over, Smile Because It Happened". Life has it's ups and downs but it's best to look back and think of happy memories rather than get upset about the bad ones, because what's done is done, and concentrate on your future!

9. What is your guilty pleasure?
My guilty pleasure would have to be makeup shopping, I just love buying new makeup and creating different looks with it when I get back home, haha!10. Who or what inspired you to start and blog and why do you enjoy writing it?
Well I began watching beauty gurus on YouTube a few years ago and since then I've always wanted to make my own channel or write a blog. Lots of people have inspired me to write my own blog though and I really do enjoy writing it! I just love hitting the 'publish' button and of course receiving lovely comments!

People I'm nominating...

1. Loves of Lucy

2. Fashion Etc.

3. Beena's Blog

4. lolajaneloves

5. Clo's Beauty Spot.

6. LollyLou

7. Claire does beauty

8. a tartan tale

9. BeautyLifeMichelle

10. Victoria Jane

My 10 questions...

1. What's one food that you can't stand?

2. Do you have any brothers or sisters?

3. What's your favourite high-end makeup brand?

4. If you were given £100 to spend in one shop, which shop would you choose?

5. Have you ever dyed your hair?

6. What's your favourite kind of book/magazine to read?

7. What's the name of your first ever best friend, and what's one of your best memories together?

8. What would be your dream ice-cream flavour? (It can be as crazy as you like!)

9. What do you love most about blogging?

10. What's at the top of your wishlist right now?

Thanks for reading - I know it's been another long post - and I hope everyone can take part, please leave me a link below to your post if you do take part :)

"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

The Notes: The Seven Deadly Sins Of Beauty Tag

I was tagged by the lovely Annie, from YouMeFriday to do The Seven Deadly Sins Of Beauty Tag, so make sure you check her blog!

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#1 Greed - What is your most expensive beauty item?
That would have to be my Urban Decay Naked 2 palette at £36. To some people, it probably doesn't sound that expensive and I do know that there are more expensive beauty products out there, but to me it is. But I get a lot of use out of it, so it certainly hasn't gone to waste.

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#2 Wrath - What beauty item do you have a love/hate relationship with?
Hmm... this is a tricky one, however, I'd have to go with eyeshadow pigments! I love the fact that they come in a variety of different shades, but it's just the fact that they get EVERYWHERE!

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#3 Gluttony - What brand makes up the biggest chunk of your makeup collection?
I don't own a huge amount of makeup, but Rimmel London probably makes up the largest chunk of my whole collection.

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#4 Sloth - What product do you neglect to use due to laziness?
I'm so lazy when it comes to curling my eyelashes, I only curl them a few times a week, maybe not even that. I'm going to try and start using them more though.

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#5 Pride - Which beauty product gives you the most confidence?
Foundation. I sometimes get redness in my cheeks and a get the odd spot here and there, so I like to cover them up!

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#6 Lust - Which item is at the top of your beauty wish list?
I've recently been lusting after is the Hourglass Ambient Lighting powder. There is only one word to describe this, ah-ma-zing. If there was a Space NK nearer to me then this may have already made it's way into my stash.

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#7 Envy - What makeup product looks great on others but not yourself?
I love the look of  a deep red lipstick, but unfortunately they don't suit me very well.

So there you have it, The Seven Deadly Sins Of Beauty Tag. I tag YOU!

Behind The Scenes Of Blogging TAG!

I was very kindly tagged by Megan from The Beauty Pier, to do this tag so lets get going!

COPY AND PASTE THE RULES

1. You MUST state that this TAG was created by www.thebeaubow.blogspot.com (Lauren)

2. You must use the image I have provided in this post on your post.

3. You must title this post 'Behind the Scenes of Blogging TAG' so everyone knows what it is about!

4. You must tag at least one other person, but there is not a maximum limit! -You will need to comment on their blog to let them know that they are tagged.

5. Thank the person who tagged you and link their blog.

6. You must answer all the questions

7. HAVE FUN!

1.Do you plan for each/some of your blog posts, if so, how do you do this?

Yes, I do plan most of my blog posts but some days I just like to sit down and write about something different, for example: The Weekend Post. I like to take a job lot of pictures, upload them to my laptop and then write about them when I get time. If I get stuck for ideas then I, have a flick through some magazines or have a look at other people's blogs.

2.Do you have a blogging notebook/diary where you write and plan about things to do with your blog? 

I do and I use it to jot down notes and blog ideas in. It makes it easier for me because I can plan what date I'm going to upload blog posts on.

3.Do you feel pressured to buy things so that you have something to review on your blog?

No, I only buy things that I really want and if I'm in need inspiration/ideas, then I'll have a look through magazines. I don't just blog about beauty though, I enjoy writing about fashion and accessories too!

4.Has your style of your blog posts/blog been influenced by someone else. If so, who?

I love Anna from ViviannaDoesMakeup, thats where I got the idea 'The Weekend Post'. I have a blogroll at the top of my blog if you want to check out other blogs I enjoy reading, and I get ideas from all of them really. I like a nice simple layout for my blog too.

5.What are your favourite posts to plan and write about?

I really enjoy writing reviews because they are always so helpful for other people. I love to plan fashion posts as well.

6.Do you think that your knowledge of makeup (and applying it) has improved because of blogging?

My knowledge has definitely improved but I've learnt most of what I know about makeup on YouTube. I've watched makeup videos for years now and have picked up a lot of tips along the way. 

7.Do you test all of products for a certain amount of time before you review them?

I review a product when I feel like I've used it enough, for example a nail polish wouldn't take too long to test out but if it's a products that claims to for example: give you an even complexion in 4 weeks, then I'll test it for 4 weeks and give you the verdict. 

8.Do you have any other websites for your blog? (e.g, twitter, YouTube, Bloglovin' or a Facebook page etc. )

I have a Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Hellocotton and Bloglovin' account. They are all on the right-hand side of my blog, to follow me just click on them. I like to have lots of different accounts so people can follow me on various different things.

9.Do you feel the need to buy something you have wanted EVEN more when you see your favourite blogger talking about it?

YESS! Definitely. I love watching hauls, and whenever I see one of my favourite blogger talking about a product I love already, I decide I NEED to have it!

10.Do you find taking pictures to be a chore, or not?

I get annoyed when I can't get a good photo but most of the time I enjoy taking a few snaps of my makeup for the blog. I don't have a professional camera or anything like that so I don't find it as easy as other bloggers.

Now for the people I tag:

Tasma from TasmaViolet

Ashlee from widewildsky

Natalia from Natalia's Makeup Counter

Annie from You Me Friday

Amy from Amy Perrett Make-Up

You don't need to do it but it's just a bit of fun!

The Notes: Instagram #1

Follow me on Instagram @Theperksofbeingamyy: Which to polish? | RND 2013 | Mini Eggs | About to start new book | Some sneaky purchases | A few old favourites | New blog post | Rimmel Apocalips | Moustache socks | Sisters top | Primark socks | Shopping stash