Lush Haul!

 

Hey girlies! Hope you're all doing well! Today I bring you a post on my most recent Lush purchases! I'm really getting in to Lush at the moment, I love the luxuriousness (is that a word?!) of their products and the different array of scents they carry, especially around Christmas time!

I'm trying to be sensible with my spending at the moment so only picked up 3 items, but could've spent hours and ££££ in there!

No Drought Dry Shampoo £6.50:
I flipping LOVE this product and have used it for about a year now. I've done a full review on it so won't ramble on too much but I will just say it lasts agessss (1 bottle lasted me about 10 months and I use it almost every day!), it smells lovely and really gives me volume and eradicates all grease. I HIGHLY recommend this product. I've tried a lot of dry shampoos (Batiste, Superdrug's own brand, Boots own brand) and this is by far my favourite and the best value for money.

New Shampoo Bar £5.25:
Another love. I was a bit sceptical about a shampoo in a bar form rather than liquid but it's so easy to use, smells lovely (like cinnamon) and leaves my hair feeling soft. The idea behind this is that it stimulates your scalp to encourage hair growth and reduce hair fall out. I've only used it a couple of times so can't tell you if it works yet but I really enjoy using it and how it makes my hair feel. I just lather it up by rubbing it around my hair a few times and it works just like a regular shampoo!

Lip Scrub in Sweet Lips £5.25:
I've been wearing a lot of darker lipsticks recently and as you know it's so important to have smooth lips when wearing lipstick as every crack shows if not! This lip scrub smells and tastes flipping amazing (like chocolate and vanilla) and leaves my lips feeling lovely and smooth. The shop assistant told me they are discontinuing this particular flavour (sad face) so if this sounds like you're kind of thing then whip it up quickly! If not they've also got other yummy flavours like Bubblegum and Popcorn!!

What have you bought from Lush recently?! Xxx

Essie Haul

Hello readers! Long time no blog! Sorry I've had such a hectic week with uni, a new job and a friends birthday! So as I'm sure you all know by now, Boots now stock Essie wahey! I've always loved Essie polishes, I think they have a gorgeous variety of colours, the consistency always impresses me and I love the packaging! I also love that for a higher end brand they aren't too expensive (£7.99) in Boots.

I picked up three shades the other day as Boots were having one of their 3 for 2 offers (thanks Boots!) The colours I chose we're Sew Psyched - a muted murky medium green, Lapiz Of Luxury - a gorgeous mid blue colour and Bordeaux - a deep, autumnal red.

I will say I'm wearing Sew Psyched on my nails right now and I'm a little disappointed. The colour transfers to the nail a little darker than it looks in the bottle, I still like the colour but it's more of a khaki green than I had thought. It was still nice to apply though and opaque in 2 coats.

What's your favourite nail polish brand?

 

Autumn Fashion and Beauty Essentials!

Hey girlies! Hope you're all doing well!

So it's that time of year again - the days are getting shorter, the mornings are darker (and colder!), the leaves are turning different shades of brown, red and gold and my skin is getting considerably drier by the day!! We all know that the autumn and winter months often require a bit more effort in the fashion and beauty department! So here are my top tips and products to help you survive and look your best in the upcoming months!

Fashion

 

 

Knitwear

Invest in some good quality, thick chunky knitwear - jumpers, cardigans, scarves etc. I couldn't live without these in the colder months! When buying chunky cardigans and jumpers I like to go one size up so I can wear loooads of layers underneath on the really cold days! The snood pictured above is from Primark and was about a fiver. I looove it! It's a beigey cream colour with gold thread running through it. I can't remember where the cardigan is from sorry it's about 5 years old! Just goes to show though if you invest in quality pieces they will last years! 

 

 



 

Boots

I would advise buying one pair of black boots and one pair of brown so you're covered for pretty much everything everything in your wardrobe. Both these pairs are from New Look (this season), the black pair were £29.99 and the brown pair were £34.99 and I love them both so much! I love the studding detail (so on trend) and they are both really comfortable and easy to put with most things in my wardrobe. I like these better than uggs because I think they'll hold up better in really bad weather conditions like snow and rain!

 

 

 

Coat

Obviously a good quality, thick coat is essential in Autumn and Winter (especially if you live in the UK! This one is from Primark (this season) and was £25 - bargain! It's really warm and cosy, has a hood and is waterproof! I really like the laid back, casual feel of it. My next purchase is going to be a more dressy coat as I think it's pretty important to have a day time coat and a night time one! 

 

Beauty



 

Nail Polish

Obviously as the colours differ from season to season in clothes, they do in beauty trends as well! I love wearing deeper shades on my nails during the colder months. Some of my favourites pictured above are: (from left to right) No7 Betty Blues, Rimmel Desire, OPI You Don't Know Jacques, Barry M Grey, Barry M Red Glitter (gorgeous at Christmas time over a red polish!) and Barry M Gelly Nail Paint in Watermelon.

 

 

Lipstick

Again, trends in lipstick colours change as Fall comes. My favourites are (from left to right) Revlon Matte Lip Colour in Mauve It Over (a dark nude), MUA lipstick in Shade 10 (a deep red with very subtle gold shimmer), Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Vintage Pink (a deep purpley pink) and Revlon Matte Lip Colour in In The Red (a very dark matte red).

 



 

Skincare and Tanning

My skin gets soo much drier in the cold weather and obviously so much paler haha so I definitely have to make more of an effort to keep the tan topped up and make sure I keep moisturised! My favourite self tanner of all time is St. Moriz (available herefor only £3.08!!) and favourite winter body lotion is The Body Shop's Warm Amber body lotion (like Christmas in a bottle!). I also like good old Nivea Cremeif my face is rrreally dry (it's VERY thick!) and I always keep my trusty Vaseline on hand for any chapped lip moments!

 

I hope this post was helpful! What are your top autumn/winter must haves? xx  

Just Another Manic(ure) Monday!

Hey ladies!

 

 

Hope you're all doing well! Today I bring you my nails of the week! Although I've owned this shade for ages (I think over a year!) this is the first time I've actually worn it and I have no idea why! It's a really gorgeous deep emerald green shade and like all the other Barry M nail paints that I own it is an absolute dream to apply - opaque in 2 coats, easy to work with and lasts enough time without any chipping (about 4 days). Oh and they're only £2.99! Love!!

I think it's the perfect autumnal shade! It's called Racing Green and can be purchased here
or in Boots and Superdrug stores!

What are you wearing on your nails this week? xx

10 Things That Have Made Me Happy This Week!

Quite an ironic photo for this post as I don't look very smiley at all do I?! Haha

Hey girlies,

I stole this idea from Rosie's gorgeous blog Cider With Rosie as I thought it was a lovely way to remember the little things in life that make you smile! Something I think we all forget to do from time to time. So without further ado here are the 10 things that've kept me smiling this week!

1. Cosy nights in snuggled up under a blanket watching my favourite TV! (Towie, Fresh Meat, Eastenders, Coronation Street and X Factor at the moment!)

2. Getting a job! I'm only in uni 2 days a week this year so decided it was time to do something else with my time! And I can't wait to start earning money!

3. Looking at photos from my 3 amazing months in South Africa.

4. Having a fun night out with my besties.

5. Finishing the 1st chapter of my dissertation!

6. Skyping my mum and dad (and the dog!!)

7. Finally realising that it's better to be single than with the wrong person!

8. Hitting over 200 followers on my blog!

9. Making new friends at uni.

10. Planning my birthday weekend!

What's made you smile this week? Let me know in the comments below! xx 

Week In Pictures #2

Hey lovelies! Hope you're all enjoying your weekends so far! Mine's going to be spent in the uni library! Lucky me...NOT!

Here's a bit of what the past week has looked like for me:

 

Love my new hat . Yummy brunch . Cosy slippers . Delicious sushi . Preparation for Saturday night . Drugstore haulin' . Winter PJs . The love of my life . Bed time reading 

Link me your week in pictures in the comments below! Xx

OOTD: Guns 'n' Roses

Hey ladies!
Today I bring you another OOTD. I am soo sorry to tell you nearly everything I'm wearing here is from Primark too! I didn't realise how much Primark I wear until I started doing these posts! I promise not everything I own is from there so there will be some more interesting OOTDs coming soon!!

Outfit:
Bobble hat: New Look
Guns 'n' Roses Tee: Primark
Black Bandeau (worn underneath): New Look
Pink jeans: Primark
Black ballet flats: Primark

Face:
Collection Lasting Finish Concealer
Maybelline Fit Me 125 Foundation
Bourjois Chocolate Bronzer
MUA Heaven and Earth Eyeshadow Palette (love!)
NYX Matte Black Eyeshadow used as liner
Darkest Brown from Coastal Scents Warm Palette on eyebrows
MAC MSF By Candelight as highlight
MUA Lipstick Shade 11

What are you wearing on your face and body today?!

My New Skincare Routine

Hey girlies! So while I was away this Summer I noticed a bit of a change in my skin. I've always been quite lucky, never suffered from acne or had overly oily or dry skin so I've never had to try particularly hard with it. However, while I was in South Africa for 3 months earlier this year I noticed my skin wasn't behaving itself as it usually did! The texture wasn't as smooth...it was kind of gritty and bumpy. I also developed way more spots that usual! So when I came home I immediately began the hunt for some new skin care products that weren't going to break the bank.

I decided on the Boots Botanics Organic range. I figure the less impure ingredients you put on your face, body, hair and in your mouths the less impure you'll look and feel! And so far I'm really liking these products. They cleared up my skin a treat and feel gorgeous, fresh and silky to apply.

The products I opted for:
Botanics 82% Organic Softening Cleanser - £4.99 for 250ml
Botanics 100% Organic Rosewater Toning Spritz - £4.99 for 150ml
Botanics Radiant Youth Super Serum (I didn't see an organic one) - £9.99 for 30ml

All available from here or in Boots stores.

I also managed to pick these up while a 3 for 2 offer was on so got the whole lot for under 15 quid! Bargainous!!

What are you using on your skin at the moment? Any recommendations?

Thanks for reading!! Xx

Hair Growth - What Works For Me

Hey girlies! I have dyed, straightened and processed my hair for about 10 years now and boy oh boy has it taken its toll!! My hair used to be thick and long but after years of abuse it became thinner and very brittle. So for a looong time I've been on the quest for longer, fuller hair (haven't we all?!) and I've tried all sorts of lotions, potions and pills to try and reach my aim! Only recently have I started to notice a drastic difference in the condition of my hair and how fast it grows. This is what's been working for me during the last 6 months...

1. I know you've heard it a million times but you've gotta stop with the heat tools if you want healthy hair. I used to straighten my hair almost everyday and it completely killed the condition! If you absolutely insist on using heat it is IMPERATIVE that you use a heat protectant. I really like TRESemme's Keratin Smooth (pictured below). It's reasonably priced and makes me hair feel healthier and smoother than the regualar TRESemme heat protectant.

2. Dry shampoo has become my best friend during my quest for healthy locks! I try to avoid washing my hair more than twice a week - I know it sounds a bit dirty but washing dries it out soo much, not to mention adding a good half an hour to my morning routine! I have tried many dry shampoos in my time but without a doubt my absolute favourite is No Drought by Lush (pictured below). It smells so fresh and lovely, absorbs all the oil from my hair, adds volume and texture AND is good value for money. £6 a bottle and one bottle lasted me a whole YEAR!!! (using it almost everyday!) WIN!

 

3. I disovered the 3 products below on my travels in South Africa. They claim to make your hair grow faster which I don't know if I believe is possible I do think they have helped to improve the condition so I like them! The idea with each of these is that you massage the product into your roots and then style. However, this leaves my hair EXTREMELY greasy so I sleep with it in and then wash out the next morning. I know the Hair Fertilizer is available in UK and US (you can buy it here for only £3.79!) but unsure about the Mend N' Grow products sorry!

4. I think taking supplements is so important for your health anyway but some I've found good for hair health are Vitamin B, Biotin and Kelp. (I especially noticed a difference when I started taking the Kelp tablets!



 

I do hope these tips were useful for you! Please leave in the comments below your top hair health/growth tips or link a blog post if you've done one!

 

Thanks for reading! xx

GlassesUSA.com

Hey everyone!

Did you know that approximately 60% of all adults wear glasses?! If you are one of them you may be over paying for your eye wear and not even know it! Who wants to be over paying for such a necessity when you could be spending that extra cash on a pretty new lipstick or dress for Saturday night?! I've found a great website which carries all the top brands at a fraction of the price - Tom Ford, Coach, Miss Sixty, Police and loads more!

Now I know what you're thinking, I'm not just going to order some glasses from a website before even trying them on to see if they suit me! Well, that's what's so great about glassesUSA.com, they have a cool unique feature where you can upload a photo of yourself and virtually 'try on' the eyeglasses to see what is best for you! I had loads of fun with this and I think you will too! Give it a go here.

If that wasn't great enough, the company have kindly supplied me with two discount codes for you lovely readers!! To receive 15% off any order + free shipping (orders over $50) simply enter code FS15 at checkout. Or to receive 10% of any prescription eyeglasses enter the code Blog10 at the checkout. Simple as that!

So if you're on the lookout for some stylish and cheap glasses, I urge you to check out GlassesUSA.com and while your at it take a look at their Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date on the latest trends and offers!

SPONSORED POST

Image courtesy of weheartit.com

OOTD: Study Day

Hey everyone! So today I'm bringing you another outfit of the day! I spent most of the day in my university library today...oh what an exciting life I lead! Anyway, sorry this outfit isn't very exciting. To be honest my style isn't very interesting but I always like reading these kind of posts so thought I'd give them a go myself!

Jumper: Primark £12
Blue trousers: Primark £11
Shoes: Primark £5

Told you I was obsessed with Primark!

OOTD: All Primark!

Hello readers! Hope you're all doing well! So lately I have become OBSESSED with Primark. It's actually beginning to concern me a little bit how much time (and money!) I spend in there! I think they've really upped their game recently and although the prices have gone up a little, so has the quality and style of the pieces they carry. So on that note, I present to you my very first Outfit Of The Day post! Apologies for the poor quality and awkwardness of these photos but please forgive me as I'm very new to this!

Everything I'm wearing (except the bag) is this seasons so you should be able to find them still in stores!

Outfit:
Parka coat: Primark £25
Purple hoodie: Primark £9
Black vest: Primark £2.50
Burgundy jeans: Primark £11 (fit like a dream and so comfy!)
Necklace: Primark £4
Black ballet pumps (not seen): Primark £4
Bag: H&M £14.99

Make-Up:
Collection 2000 Lasting Finish Concealer
Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation
Bourjois Chocolate Bronzer
MAC Mineralized Skin Finish in Candlelight
Darkest brown from Coastal Scents natural palette (eyebrows)
NYX Eyeshadow (unsure of name sorry!)
Maxfactor Masterpiece Mascara in Black
MUA Lipstick Shade 10

Review: NEW Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Paints

Hola Chicas! How have your weekends been? I'm currently enjoying a lazy Sunday evening curled up on the sofa with a blanket and X Factor...what more could you want?!

Anyway, as I was perusing my local Boots the other day (a past time I very much enjoy!) I noticed these little beauties on the Barry M display! I hadn't heard anything in the YouTube and blogging world so was surprised to see them! I decided to pick up two shades - Watermelon (a deep turquoise) and Pomegranate (a dark fuchsia). I had a hard time picking between the lovely autumnal colours available.

I had high hopes for these polishes. I imagined them to be a gel like consistency as you'd expect from the name. I was hoping for something that would kind of give similar effects of a shellac manicure but for a fraction of the price (these polishes retail at (£3.99 each). However, I must say I'm disappointed. I honestly can't tell the difference between these Gelly polishes and the regular Barry M Nail Paints which are £1 cheaper! Don't get me wrong, as nail polish goes these are lovely - easy to work with, opaque in two coats, reasonably priced, colour in the bottle is what you'll get on your nails. BUT, why are they a quid more expensive and why do they have a different fancy name? As far as I can see there's no 'gelly-ness' about them and the effect is no more shiny than other polishes!

I must say, Pomegranate impressed me more than Watermelon did in terms of longevity and shine but neither were what I was hoping for.

Have any of you tried these nail paints? What did you think?

Dairy Free Choc!

As you may or may not know I try my best to eat as healthily as possible...most of the time. However, sometimes you just need to give yourself a break and shove a cupcake or 3 in your mouth don't you?! Anyway as part of my healthy diet I try to avoid dairy as much as possible as I just feel better and slimmer when I stay away from it. I use almond milk rather than cow's milk (the Blue Diamond brand is my fave!) and other non dairy alternatives. Most of the time I can't tell the difference and I even prefer almond milk to the cow's stuff!

However, chocolate and cheese have always been my one vice where I couldn't find an alternative so just had to either give in and feel guilty or do without! So as you can imagine I was pleased as punch when I spotted this beauty in Asda the other day! Dairy free chocolate! And guess what?! It's yummy!!! I can't tell the difference between this and other dark chocolates and I don't feel guilty when I eat it! WAHEY!!! So if you're with me on the anti dairy bandwagon check this little gem out! I think it was around £1.10 for 85g in Asda but pretty sure they sell it in the other big supermarkets too!

Week In Pictures!

I love reading these posts so thought I'd jump on the bandwagon and show you a bit of my life over the past week! There seems to be a bit of a theme running through these photos - food and nail polish, welcome to my world haha!

 

 

 

 

 

1. Chicken Pasta 2. YouTube and a mug of Green Tea...aaah! 3. Cinammon Buns candle from Asda 4. Present from the parents, successfully ruining my healthy eating attempts! 5. My one obsession in life! 6. Nandoooos! 7. Gorgeous Bourjois nail polish - NOTD coming soon! 8. Rainy drives 9. Ready for a job inteview! 10. New Barry M Gelly Nail Paint - more info soon!

 

What have you been up to this week? Let me know in the comments or leave a link to your blog if you've done a post like this! Thanks for reading! xx  

What I Ate Yesterday!

Here's a break down of what I ate yesterday! As I've said before I do try to eat healthily most of the time but as you can see from the dessert sometimes I treat myself! I think that's important otherwise you'd send yourself mad thinking about all the foods you weren't allowing yourself to eat! Leave in the comments what you ate yesterday or if you've done a blog post leave a link as I love reading these kind of things!

Breakfast: Oatmeal made with water (usually I have it with almond milk but I'd run out!) with added banana and cinnamon. This is so yummy and always gives me loads of energy and fills me up til lunch. I have this every day but change up the fruit I had. Of course I have it with a big mug of green tea :)

Lunch: Wholegrain wrap filled with light cream cheese, rocket, tomato chutney and ham. With a tomato side salad and green tea. This was sooo yum! I occasionally make this with bacon instead of ham and cranberry sauce instead of tomato chutney which is delicious too!

 

 

 

Dinner: Pasta bolognese. I usually make this about once a week (sometimes more!) because I love it and it's cheap and fast to make. I always have it with whole meal pasta or spaghetti as I find it bloats me less. And of course another big mug of green tea!

Dessert: Chocolate sponge pudding. Chocolatey yummyness...enough said!