Hurrrl | Beauty Crowd | Gerard Cosmetics | Fragrance Direct | Superdrug

Aaand I have returned! I'm so sorry for being gone so long! There's a few reasons for my absence that I won't bore you with but I'm back and will hopefully continue to post regularly!

I'm kicking things off with a beauty haul! I've had various splurges over the past month and thought I'd pull everything together to show you! 

I discovered the site BeautyCrowd this month and couldn't help but get a few things. 

These are single eye shadows from the brand Freedom, I believe they're a relatively new brand and I think I first heard about them watching one of Mikhilas videos (MissBudgetBeauty/Dairy of a Spendaholic). They were only £1 each and look absolutely stunning. I'm planning of posting some swatches once I've opened them. 

This is L.A. Girl Pro HD Setting Powder and I couldn't help using this the minute it arrived! It is a stunning setting powder! It's pure white when you open it and sets makeup without drying out your skin - only downside to this product = once opened it gets everywhere! xD

I also got some new brushes from BeautyCrowd. The top one is a blending brush from Nicka K. The bottom one I like to use together with the L.A Girl powder and its actually a bronzer brush by Fancy Witch. 

Arrgg! These are 'Jaclyn's Babies' from Gerard Cosmetics, I've wanted these for ages! Using Jaclyn's code for Gerard I managed to get these including shipping for less than £18! Left to right is Rose Hill, 1995 and Butter Cream. 

I've heard a few people rave about the One by One Mascara from Maybelline so when I saw it on Fragrance Direct I new I had to nab it while I could. 

I haven't yet tried the Fit Me Foundation but have been looking for a foundation to wear when I've self-tanned. I'm really looking forward to trying this out; I know it's meant to have a dewy finish so fingers crossed this will help to bring some life to my dry skin!

Fragrance Direct have Mac Lipsticks for just under £14! I knew I couldn't have all of them so I settled for CremeCup. It's a lovely subtle pink, perfect for summer!

After searching for a brown based palette in Superdrugs one day, I decided on MUAs Heaven and Earth. This palette was £4! MUAs undressed highlighter is gooorgeous so I thought I'd give this a go! 

I really wanted to get a matte palette from Morphe but having splurged a fair bit already l opted to get Makeup Revolutions Matte palette. 

It has such a wide selection of colours, I'm gunna have so much fun playing with these!

I got myself another mascara, though I picked out the Brown one by mistake! :( This is Seventeens Falsifeye and it's not a bad mascara, just not a particularly great one either (imo)

 This is Collections Speedy Blush in Tickled Pink, its a lovely peachy pink shade and blends beautifully although its not THAT pigmented.  

After hearing Melanie Murphy recommend this I had to go and get it! Its Doves Dry Oil for mature hair. It claims to be restorative and while I don't think I'd go that far, it is definitely making a difference with my hair. 

I've been extreeemely pale all my life and have often dabbled in self tanning but every time I would end up looking like a wotsit! This is completely different, I'll have to post some before and after pictures. This gave me a natural golden streak-free tan that I've always dreamed of! It lasted for a week and did become slightly blotchy as it faded but it wasn't obvious. I really recommend this for any tan addicts out there!

This is also from Superdrugs and I haven't yet tried it but it smells wonderful! This is designed to help accelerate the tanning process and I will let you know if its any good!

 

I also got some bits from amazon, above is a 3D mascara from Royal Beauty. This does have a fair bit of fall out during the day but it dramatically lengthens my lashes!

I've had the Love Spell body spray from Victoria's Secret before and thought I'd give this one a go too. It does smell lovely but fades after a few minutes.

And of course I just had to get myself some perfume (I also ended up getting a bottle of Vera Wang's Princess and Paco Rabannes Olympea). 

This is definitely a summery smell and reminds me of fizzy sweets. Its very sweet and fruity but not overbearingly so and its still refreshing. It is a young scent but I would say its wearable for any age. Again though this does fade very fast :/

Thats everything! Thank you so much for reading and I hope you're all well. I will do my utmost to post at least once a week! I love blogging and have felt so welcomed by the community!

Have a great week! Much love xxx

Revision, revision, revision! | Word heavy; be warned!

Hi all!

I'm really sorry its been so quiet on here this month! My exams are right around the corner and I've been focusing on revising (ahem well trying to). 

As I've been spending most of my time trying to get my brain to co-operate with me and study, I thought I'd share some revision tips with you :)

So number 1:

Try a timetable. 
This shouldn't be a strict and rigorous timetable, be lenient on yourself. Allow time for friends, family and even tv (or in my case youtube!). Cutting out time for yourself when studying is just going to make the whole experience worse. Do not overwork yourself. 

2. Take regular breaks.
Trying to study in 14 hour stints isn't good for anyone. Anyone else seen the episode of Inbetweeners when Will sits his exams?  Your brain and you need rest, have a break whenever you need one but maybe limit rest periods to 15/30mins. Just so you don't get too distracted!

3. Stay hydrated. 
There's been plenty of studies to show that the brain performs better when hydrated. So keep a glass of water nearby. 

4. Motivational snacks.
Granted most of my revision snacks are pretty unhealthy but I tell myself I can have a starburst every 2 pages and Ive found that it helps me; moderation is key. 

5. Procrastination is ok. 
But don't let it completely stop you from revising. 

6. If studying multiple subjects try revising each subject in a different room. 
This won't be possible for everyone but if it is, give it a go. It can really help to switch focus to different topics. I'd also recommend writing in different colours or using different coloured post-it notes. 

7. Mindmaps over notes. 
Instead of writing pages and pages of notes and getting hand cramp, maybe try mindmaps. They're easier to read and more visually pleasing.

8. Anagrams anyone?
If you can think of ones that work for you.

9. Background noise. 
A lot of people I know like to study in silence and lock themselves a way without any distractions. But I've found that having the tv on in the background and looking up every 5 minutes or so can make revision less demanding. 

10. Wear shoes.
This may seem strange but whenever I wear shoes in the house I'm unable to get fully comfortable. I guess because I feel like I'll be going out. I've found that it really helps put me in the mind frame to sit at my desk and get working. 

And above all else:

Do not leave everything til the last second!

If you work well under pressure then fair enough but I reaaaally don't xD 

If anyone else is sitting exams soon then I wish you the best of luck!! Make sure to get plenty of sleep the night before (I've made the mistake of not plenty times and paid the price xD ) 

If you decide to try out any of my tips then let me know if they work for you. And feel free to share your own tips below. 

Unboxing!! | Latest in Beauty | Photo heavy!

Hiya everyone! I'm sorry I haven't been uploading regularly, I just finished my last assignment for my current Open Uni module! Now it's just my exam to go and I'm done..until September xD 

I recently stumbled upon Latest in Beauty, a website that sells sample boxes, they've got a few different types on there and they also have an option to build your own box!

I purchased the Glamour Spring Beauty Edit box and the His & Hers Discovery box. 

The box was beautifully presented and well packaged. 

This is a 75ml of MoroccanOil Intense Hydrating Mask. I was so chuffed to receive this, I have been wanting to try MoroccanOil products for a while now and I can't wait to use this mask!

This is Nuxe's Creme Fraiche 24 hour Soothing and Rehydrating  Mask. I suffer from quite dry skin so anything that claims to hydrate your skin I instantly want xD I'm currently using Decleor Life Radiance Flash Radiance Mask which is pretty good but also pretty expensive!

These are Revlon ColorStay Gel Envy Varnishes. I'm not too sure how the beige varnish will look with my skin tone as I'm so pale :/ I've already used the Diamond Top Coat once and it does help make the varnish last longer but not by much. 

I love the shade of this, this is Rimmels Oh My Gloss! Lipgloss. It's not too sticky, there's no offensive smell and the colour pay off is pretty good too. I'll probably end up trying different shades!

This is ModelCo Creme Rouge Cheek and Lips in Just Peachy. I haven't ever really tried a cream blush so I'm really intrigued by this product, I just hope it suits me >.<

This is Kikos Long Lasting Stick Eyeshadow. This really is long lasting, the swatch on my hand did not want to budge xD Its not a shade I would have picked for myself but its a really nice consistency so I'm looking forward to experimenting with it

This is BeautyUKs High Brow All in One Brow Definition Kit. I have been wanted to try filling my brows in with a powder for forever!! I'm currently using Soap & Glorys Archery which is fantastic but I can't wait to use this!

With this box you also get a sample of Elie Saab L'eau Couture fragrance. I'm not a massive fan of this fragrance, it's very floral and a bit too mature for me. I'm planning on giving this to my mum as I think it'll suit her tastes more. 

With the box you also receive a 12 month subscription to Glamour magazine! Pretty damn awesome considering the box is less than £20! I also received really good customer service from them via twitter too! That's everything from the Glamour Spring Beauty Edit, I was going to include the His & Hers box in this post too but I feel like its already getting a bit too long so I'll make another post on that soon!

If any of these products really wow me then I'll do individual reviews on them :D

I hope you guys have been having a great week, til next time :D xxx

                                                                            Links:
                                                            http://www.latestinbeauty.com

Hair Saviour!

Say hello to this little miracle, this is Fantasia's Inter Cellular Hair Polisher - sounds good right? Well it definitely is and lemme tell you why! 

This is an aloe enriched, alcohol free treatment for your hair. Its ideal for use on damaged and chemically treated hair and helps to moisturise, prevent breakage and help mend broken/split ends. It also contains protective sunscreen!

I've been using this product for about a year now and it really has made a difference to my hair. I use it on damp and dry hair, once it absorbs it gives a lovely shine and makes hair feel silky soft.

What I do is squeeze out a few drops, warm it up in my hands and then run it through the length of my hair, really focusing on the ends. I feel like this has transformed my hair and considering its on amazon for less than a fiver I really recommend anyone with damaged or lifeless hair to give this a try!

I've pretty much run out of it now and am going to purchase another bottle but I'm also trying out Fantasia's Carrot Growth Serum and will put up a review on how it compares to this! 

Thank you for reading, much love! <3

Perfume Collection!

Hiya guys! This post features my ever growing perfume collection!

Beyonce - Heat Rush
Britney Spears - Fantasy
Britney Spears - Circus Fantasy
Britney Spears - Midnight Fantasy
Britney Spears - Hidden Fantasy
Burberry - London
Calvin Klein - Reveal
Calvin Klein - CK Shock
Christina Aguilera - By Night
Davidoff - Cool Water Sensual Essence
DKNY - Red Be Delicious 
Ed Hardy - Original Women
Escada - Born in Paradise

Givency - Very irresistible (mini)
Hugo Boss - XX
Hugo Boss - XX Summer Edition
Katy Perry - Purr
Katy Perry - Meow!
Katy Perry - Royal Revolution
Marc Jacobs - Daisy Dream
Nicki Minaj - Onika
Nina Ricci - Nina
Nina Ricci - L'elixir
NSPA - Vintage Candy Raspberry Sorbet
Paco Rabanne - Black XS

Sex in the City - Lust
Strawberry and Cream
Thierry Mugler - Womanity
Vera Wang - Princess Night
YSL - Cinema
YSL - Black Opium
(I also have samples of Chloe Love Story and Hugo Boss Woman!)

If you would like me to do any reviews on the perfumes mentioned or perhaps a Top 5 just let me know. These perfumes very quite a lot and I find I prefer wearing some at different times of the year. I do still have a long list of perfumes I want to try but I think I'm gunna have to use up some of these first before getting any more (though I have recently ordered a bottle of FCUK Friction to try!)

Hope you all have a lovely weekend! :D x

Simple Moisture Boost Hydro Mist Review!

Hi dudes and dudettes! 

Today I'm doing a review on Simple's Moisture Boost Hydro Mist, I discovered this product early last year after hearing about it in a magazine and had to immediately go out and buy it. 
This product claims to give you naturally dewy skin, on the back it says 'Our Moisture Boost Hydro Mist is a perfect blend of Lotus Flower, multi-vitamins and skin-loving ingredients to give tired, dehydrated and dull skin an instant boost of hydration'. It also states that its suitable for sensitive skin and can be used under or over makeup. 

When using it, the mist is very fine and absorbs extremely quickly into my skin. This product does not aggravate my skin or cause me to break out. I think this stuff is excellent, I have really dry skin and this gives an immediate dewy effect. It does have a slight scent but its not offensive in anyway. I mostly use it over makeup and find that it really does re-awaken my skin and helps to hydrate my poor, dry and flaky skin. 

Also when I've overdone my makeup a bit and I'm looking slightly cakey; this product seems to almost absorb the extra product and leaves my skin looking healthy and vibrant. Its great for use all year round as I find myself needing it more in the winter as my skin gets drier but its so refreshing to use in the summer also. 

I think it normally retails for £5.99 but you can find it on amazon for a lot less and Savers sell it for £1.99. My local 99p store also stocks it!

I fudging love this stuff and I actually prefer it to Macs Fix+! It doesn't set your makeup but its an amazing refresher spray and I really recommend it for anyone with dry skin!!

                                                 Links:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Simple-Kind-Moisture-Boost-Hydro/dp/B00P1I583U

Hauuuull Matalan|Peacocks|WHSmith|Shoezone

Hello all!

Today I decided to spend some time with my mumma, I live with my boyfriend so I don't really get to spend as much time as I'd like with her. But seeing as I didn't have to work this bank holiday I thought I'd take advantage of it and drag her out to do a bit of ye old shopping! 

Originally I only intended to go out to get a new pair of shoes for work (my previous ones have gone to the shoe graveyard) but er I 'accidentally' bought a fair bit.

First we went to Matalan and after trying on endless pairs of shoes I went for these; 

They're black patent T-bar court shoes. I wanted something with decent heel because most of the trousers I wear to work are a bit long for me but as the walk from the bus stop to work takes about 15 minutes I didn't want them to kill my feet either. 

These really fit the bill for me, they are really comfortable and at £15 they're an absolute steal! 

While in Matalan I also picked up a sports bra/crop top (I'm attempting to get fit and I did some cardio yesterday ~ I soon realised the necessity of sport bras) and some knickers because..knickers.

We then popped into Tescos quick mostly just to use the toilets there but I also grabbed some coconut oil, making sure it was virgin and cold pressed.

This stuff is amazing! It has so many uses ~ I'll make sure to do a post on the various uses of coconut oil :) 

I picked up some bits in Home Bargains too

some snacks for work - I'm doing 10 hour shifts this week and reaaally not looking forward to it

 A couple of small cups

The Identity Thief, I've heard good things about this film and as it was only £3 I thought why not?

 AND THESE! OMG, does anyone else remember these?! I used to love these drinks when I was little and haven't seen any in donkeys. Me and my boyfriend couldn't wait to try them again! If you've never tried or heard of a SqueezeIt they're basically juice drinks in squeezy plastic bottles. I'm pretty sure they're full of sugar but they do taste good (aside from the slight hint of plastic xD) I got the apple and raspberry flavour because it used to be my favourite but they also do apple and blackcurrant and I think theres an orange/citrus flavour too.

We went into Peacocks and I found this hat.

I never thought I'd own a sun hat because I've never really liked the style but I tried it on and just fell in love. I'm sorry I haven't taken a picture of it on (I've just washed my hair and have no makeup on, aka not a pretty sight) but I will definitely post some outfit looks incorporating this!

And these gorgeous sunglasses 

 These babies were only £4 and I think they look a lot more expensive

I bought these sandals from ShoeZone just to go with some maxidresses of mine; again I'll make sure to post outfit shots!

My mum actually dragged me into WHSmiths to get a book, she's really into the Mo Hayder books at the mo and needed the next one in the series. I decided to get it for her because I don't really get the chance to spoil her and while I don't class buying one book for her as 'spoiling' but I know she appreciated it :) I got The Last Days of Rabbit Hayes for myself and the first Game of Thrones book for my boyfriend.

I've just finished reading Elizabeth is Missing which I loved and will post a review of it at some point! 

Today has been really lovely and I thought I'd just share what I bought with you guys. I spent more than I normally would today (and everyone was surprised that not a penny of it was on perfume; I have a serious perfume problem which I will tell you guys all about haha) 

 Links;

Matalan: 

Shoes http://www.matalan.co.uk/womens/footwear/heels/s2588765/brogue-t-bar-court-shoes

Sports bra http://www.matalan.co.uk/womens/shop-by-category/sportswear/s2597980/sports-crop-top

Underwear http://www.matalan.co.uk/product/detail/s2569453/5-pack-mini-knickers

Tesco:

Coconut oil http://www.tesco.com/groceries/product/details/?id=280363406

Home Bargains:

Identity Thief http://www.homebargains.co.uk/products/8697-identity-thief-dvd.aspx

Peacocks:

Hat http://www.peacocks.co.uk/lds-floppy-chain-scarf-104494.html?___store=default

Shoezone

Sandals http://www.shoezone.com/Womens/Sandals/All/Womens-Soflites-Silver-Wedge-Sandal-19403

WHSmith

The Last Days of Rabbit Hayes http://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/the-last-days-of-rabbit-hayes/9780552773744

A Game of Thrones http://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/a-game-of-thrones-book-1-of-a-song-of-ice-and-fire-a-song-of-ice-and-fire-1/9780007448036

I couldn't find everything online but here are the links for everything I did find. Thank you for visiting my blog and taking the time to read this! I hope you all have had a great Easter :D xx