As winter is officially upon us, I thought that it would be highly appropriate to share with you some of my staples that get me through the cold weather.
Firstly, a very obvious choice, is warm hats, scarves and gloves! I can never go anywhere in the winter without a scarf and this one here is from Zara (£19.99). It's got big black and white checks and goes with any outfit, mainly because all my clothes are monochrome...moving on, we can't forget about keeping our little heads warm, and I recently picked up this super cosy grey bobble hat from Primark. It was only a few quid, so a definite must! As far as gloves go, I always opt for the ones that you can use with touch screens. I'm always on my phone and it's a pain to have to take off your gloves whenever you need to use it. These you can also pick up from Primark!

My skincare routine always gets a little bit of a boost in winter, especially in the moisture department. For me having a good serum and moisturising duo is a must. I love using my Kiehls Midnight Recovery Concentrate (32.40) first, followed by the Origins High-Potency Night-A-Mins Moisturiser (£31.05). Both of these give me the perfect amount of moisture my skin needs in the colder months and leaves it looking youthful and revived by morning. Another step I tend to do weekly in the winter is a face mask. My skin can look very dull so I tend to opt for one that will really nourish and cleanse the skin. The LUSH Oatifix Mask (£6.50) is a great one for leaving your skin feeling very soft and fresh!
A new discovery for me is the LUSH Mask Of Magnaminty Face and Body Mask (£9.75). The idea of a body mask really appealed to me, as the skin on my arms and legs needs just as much attention as the skin on face! It has a strong peppermint scent which claims to help diminish outbreaks and wake up slug like skin. If you suffer with little bumps on your arms and maybe acne on your back then I would recommend giving this a whirl.

As winter is the season for dark lips, I couldn't miss out one of my favourite reds this season! This is Cruella Velvet Lip Pencil by NARS (£16.20) and I love it! The formula is so creamy and glides on like a dream even though it is matte. It lasts for a long time and goes great paired with simple eyes. It's also one of those colours you can throw on and people think you have spent ages on your makeup, when really you haven't.

Winter Staples


As winter is officially upon us, I thought that it would be highly appropriate to share with you some of my staples that get me through the cold weather.
Firstly, a very obvious choice, is warm hats, scarves and gloves! I can never go anywhere in the winter without a scarf and this one here is from Zara (£19.99). It's got big black and white checks and goes with any outfit, mainly because all my clothes are monochrome...moving on, we can't forget about keeping our little heads warm, and I recently picked up this super cosy grey bobble hat from Primark. It was only a few quid, so a definite must! As far as gloves go, I always opt for the ones that you can use with touch screens. I'm always on my phone and it's a pain to have to take off your gloves whenever you need to use it. These you can also pick up from Primark!

My skincare routine always gets a little bit of a boost in winter, especially in the moisture department. For me having a good serum and moisturising duo is a must. I love using my Kiehls Midnight Recovery Concentrate (32.40) first, followed by the Origins High-Potency Night-A-Mins Moisturiser (£31.05). Both of these give me the perfect amount of moisture my skin needs in the colder months and leaves it looking youthful and revived by morning. Another step I tend to do weekly in the winter is a face mask. My skin can look very dull so I tend to opt for one that will really nourish and cleanse the skin. The LUSH Oatifix Mask (£6.50) is a great one for leaving your skin feeling very soft and fresh!
A new discovery for me is the LUSH Mask Of Magnaminty Face and Body Mask (£9.75). The idea of a body mask really appealed to me, as the skin on my arms and legs needs just as much attention as the skin on face! It has a strong peppermint scent which claims to help diminish outbreaks and wake up slug like skin. If you suffer with little bumps on your arms and maybe acne on your back then I would recommend giving this a whirl.

As winter is the season for dark lips, I couldn't miss out one of my favourite reds this season! This is Cruella Velvet Lip Pencil by NARS (£16.20) and I love it! The formula is so creamy and glides on like a dream even though it is matte. It lasts for a long time and goes great paired with simple eyes. It's also one of those colours you can throw on and people think you have spent ages on your makeup, when really you haven't.

Thursday, December 11, 2014

I love talking about my favourite affordable products as I know not everyone has the cash to splurge on a £40 foundation, and being a student I now fully appreciate the power of the drugstore! There are so many great products from Boots and Superdrug ect that I could write these posts for days, but today I'm going to talk you through my current favs!

Starting with Soap and Glory, their makeup range has taken us all by storm and their products are rather excellent! The Solar Powder was definitely a Lily Pebbles enabled purchase and I will forever love her for it. It comes with two different shades, a lighter more shimmery bronzer and a darker one and I tend to mix the two together for a perfect bronze glow. I've also been on the hunt for a new liquid liner and the Supercat Liner is definitely one to try out if you love to achieve a cat eye the easy way. It has a little nib that tapers at the end making it super easy and allowing you to get great control over that line.

Hair is something I don't tend for venture out of Boots for, as I find I use hair products up so quickly that a trip to Space NK for the Oribe Dry Texturising Spray is no longer worth it. Instead the Toni and Guy Sea Salt Texturing Spray has been doing the job quite nicely. This is very comparable to the Bumble and Bumble Sea Salt Spray but for a half the price. These are very popular in the summer but I feel like textured hair is an all year round thang.

As we are moving into the colder months keeping those lips chap free has never been so high on our list of priorities. Although you can't find this product at the drugstore, for £5.50 I think it still qualifies for a mention . The NUXE Reve De Miel is a much loved lip balm among bloggers and I have the one in the little twist up tube as I find it a lot easier to take out and about with me.

Beauty On A Budget no3


I love talking about my favourite affordable products as I know not everyone has the cash to splurge on a £40 foundation, and being a student I now fully appreciate the power of the drugstore! There are so many great products from Boots and Superdrug ect that I could write these posts for days, but today I'm going to talk you through my current favs!

Starting with Soap and Glory, their makeup range has taken us all by storm and their products are rather excellent! The Solar Powder was definitely a Lily Pebbles enabled purchase and I will forever love her for it. It comes with two different shades, a lighter more shimmery bronzer and a darker one and I tend to mix the two together for a perfect bronze glow. I've also been on the hunt for a new liquid liner and the Supercat Liner is definitely one to try out if you love to achieve a cat eye the easy way. It has a little nib that tapers at the end making it super easy and allowing you to get great control over that line.

Hair is something I don't tend for venture out of Boots for, as I find I use hair products up so quickly that a trip to Space NK for the Oribe Dry Texturising Spray is no longer worth it. Instead the Toni and Guy Sea Salt Texturing Spray has been doing the job quite nicely. This is very comparable to the Bumble and Bumble Sea Salt Spray but for a half the price. These are very popular in the summer but I feel like textured hair is an all year round thang.

As we are moving into the colder months keeping those lips chap free has never been so high on our list of priorities. Although you can't find this product at the drugstore, for £5.50 I think it still qualifies for a mention . The NUXE Reve De Miel is a much loved lip balm among bloggers and I have the one in the little twist up tube as I find it a lot easier to take out and about with me.

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

It's no secret that moisturising post shower is a dreadful, yet necessary task. If I skip the moisturiser for one day my skin feels tight and dry, and as we are moving into the colder months adding that extra bit of nourishment is important for most. 
Wondering around Boots I came across this Vaseline Spray and Go Moisturiser, and as far as marketing goes they hit the nail on the head here. The phrase 'Spray and Go' was not one to go unnoticed and it certainly entised me greatly along with the ever so useful aerosol can design, and let me tell you moisturising has never been easier. Although this is far from the much loved Body Shop Body Butters formula wise, this is the perfect everyday boost my skin needs. Its quite liquidy when it first sprays out but it sinks into the skin really well and leaves it feeling very soft.

This come in three different scents and I picked up the Cocoa one and I find the scent does stick around for a good while, which I know some people love and some people hate, I for one don't mind it too much! 

For £4.99 you can't go wrong with this, it's a great easy way out of your typical moisturising routine but the results aren't all that different. I think I would still use a more rich butter or lotion from time to time, however this does do the job if time is of the essence. 



The moisturiser every lazy girl needs


It's no secret that moisturising post shower is a dreadful, yet necessary task. If I skip the moisturiser for one day my skin feels tight and dry, and as we are moving into the colder months adding that extra bit of nourishment is important for most. 
Wondering around Boots I came across this Vaseline Spray and Go Moisturiser, and as far as marketing goes they hit the nail on the head here. The phrase 'Spray and Go' was not one to go unnoticed and it certainly entised me greatly along with the ever so useful aerosol can design, and let me tell you moisturising has never been easier. Although this is far from the much loved Body Shop Body Butters formula wise, this is the perfect everyday boost my skin needs. Its quite liquidy when it first sprays out but it sinks into the skin really well and leaves it feeling very soft.

This come in three different scents and I picked up the Cocoa one and I find the scent does stick around for a good while, which I know some people love and some people hate, I for one don't mind it too much! 

For £4.99 you can't go wrong with this, it's a great easy way out of your typical moisturising routine but the results aren't all that different. I think I would still use a more rich butter or lotion from time to time, however this does do the job if time is of the essence. 



Wednesday, October 22, 2014


As Autumn is now officially upon us, it was time to crack out an old favourite of mine. This lipstick has been my go to for Autumn for the past few years and one I will constantly be coming back to. The lipstick in question is MAC's Plumful which is a cult from their lipstick range. Although you can probably find a cheaper alternative or even dupe from the drugstore, nothing beats the formula of this one! They're so creamy and I find the colour pay off to be wonderful. This one in particular is a beautiful muted purple, berry shade is a very flattering and wearable day to day colour.
At £15.50 these lipsticks seem to be getting more expensive by the hour but I would recommend them as they are lovely.
What's your go to lipstick for the Autumn?

An Old Friend



As Autumn is now officially upon us, it was time to crack out an old favourite of mine. This lipstick has been my go to for Autumn for the past few years and one I will constantly be coming back to. The lipstick in question is MAC's Plumful which is a cult from their lipstick range. Although you can probably find a cheaper alternative or even dupe from the drugstore, nothing beats the formula of this one! They're so creamy and I find the colour pay off to be wonderful. This one in particular is a beautiful muted purple, berry shade is a very flattering and wearable day to day colour.
At £15.50 these lipsticks seem to be getting more expensive by the hour but I would recommend them as they are lovely.
What's your go to lipstick for the Autumn?

Friday, October 17, 2014

I've heard a lot of good things about the nail brand Formula X, so of course when I was wondering around the mothership that is Sephora, I just had to try them out.
They do a starter set which comes with a nail cleanser, base coat and top coat, and in addition they were also doing a set where you could add a nail polish in for free, so of course I went for that one.

First things first, the nail cleanser. I don't feel like this is 100% necessary as it didn't do too much for my nails. However if I wasn't doing a colour and just leaving my nails natural, this may come in handy for maintaining their 'presentable' state. The one bad thing I have to say about this is that the brush seems smaller than the others, therefore it was hard to work with and meant you couldn't do your whole nail in a couple of strokes. I can already feel myself neglecting this step and going straight into the base coat.
I found the base coat to be a definite step up from the cleanser. The brush was bigger, if smoothed out my nails and overall did a better job at prepping them than most other base coats I've tried. The formula isn't too thick, nor too thin which is perfect for a nice, even coat.
As for the nail colour itself, I opted for the shade Radical which is a beautiful muted lilac shade. This is fairly comparable to Essie's Lilacism, however I find that one to be a bit on the pastel side whereas  Radical is more subtle on the nails. I really like the formula of these and the brush makes it really easy to do one nail quickly, but it's not too big so you still have control. Two coats of this and I was happy with the colour pay off, you could probably get away with one, but always opt for two to get a more opaque finish. The colour range was really lovely, they had a lot of muted colours and neutrals  which are perfect for transitioning into Autumn and for an everyday shade too, so there's definitely a colour for everyone.
Base coat and colour check. Now on to the top coat.
I find it hard to stray away from the Seche Vite top coat, but for the sake of todays post I put that for one side for a moment, and I have to say I'm happy I did. Although nothing seems to compare to my well loved Seche Vite, this one certainly gave it a run for its money. The formulation is quite thick, but I find that adds more shine and really helps to lock in the colour. Again, the brush is a lovely size too, making it very easy to apply. As far as the lasting power goes, I've only had it on for one day, but no chips yet! I'll definitely report back with a full verdict of the lasting power so check back for that.
Quick tip! A couple of days after you've painted your nails, reapply the top coat to help them last a lot longer and prevent chipping!
Have you tried Formula X before?

Formula X Mani


I've heard a lot of good things about the nail brand Formula X, so of course when I was wondering around the mothership that is Sephora, I just had to try them out.
They do a starter set which comes with a nail cleanser, base coat and top coat, and in addition they were also doing a set where you could add a nail polish in for free, so of course I went for that one.

First things first, the nail cleanser. I don't feel like this is 100% necessary as it didn't do too much for my nails. However if I wasn't doing a colour and just leaving my nails natural, this may come in handy for maintaining their 'presentable' state. The one bad thing I have to say about this is that the brush seems smaller than the others, therefore it was hard to work with and meant you couldn't do your whole nail in a couple of strokes. I can already feel myself neglecting this step and going straight into the base coat.
I found the base coat to be a definite step up from the cleanser. The brush was bigger, if smoothed out my nails and overall did a better job at prepping them than most other base coats I've tried. The formula isn't too thick, nor too thin which is perfect for a nice, even coat.
As for the nail colour itself, I opted for the shade Radical which is a beautiful muted lilac shade. This is fairly comparable to Essie's Lilacism, however I find that one to be a bit on the pastel side whereas  Radical is more subtle on the nails. I really like the formula of these and the brush makes it really easy to do one nail quickly, but it's not too big so you still have control. Two coats of this and I was happy with the colour pay off, you could probably get away with one, but always opt for two to get a more opaque finish. The colour range was really lovely, they had a lot of muted colours and neutrals  which are perfect for transitioning into Autumn and for an everyday shade too, so there's definitely a colour for everyone.
Base coat and colour check. Now on to the top coat.
I find it hard to stray away from the Seche Vite top coat, but for the sake of todays post I put that for one side for a moment, and I have to say I'm happy I did. Although nothing seems to compare to my well loved Seche Vite, this one certainly gave it a run for its money. The formulation is quite thick, but I find that adds more shine and really helps to lock in the colour. Again, the brush is a lovely size too, making it very easy to apply. As far as the lasting power goes, I've only had it on for one day, but no chips yet! I'll definitely report back with a full verdict of the lasting power so check back for that.
Quick tip! A couple of days after you've painted your nails, reapply the top coat to help them last a lot longer and prevent chipping!
Have you tried Formula X before?

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

I thought today I would share with you my makeup removal process and the products I find work the best for taking off all that crap at the end of that day!
Recently I've started taking my eye and face makeup off separately, not sure why, but I do find different products work well for different areas. For my eyes I simply squirt some of the L'Oreal Micellar Water on to a large cotton pad. This micellar water can make your skin feel a bit tacky after, but as I only focus it on my eye area I don't find that a problem. I love micellar waters for removing eye makeup, they're super gentle yet effective. However, if I'm sporting the waterproof mascara that day I may gravitate to something specifically tailored for removing eye makeup, such as The Body Shop Camomile Waterproof Eye and Lip Makeup Remover.
Sticking with The Body Shop Camomile range, the cleansing butter works a treat at melting off face makeup. So many brands have been bringing out cleansing butters and this one is a great, cheaper alternative to the Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm. Although you get less product in The Body Shop one, the price makes it totally justifiable. The formula of this is very hydrating and leaves my skin so soft after. I scoop some out of the tin then rub it into my skin and it turns into an oil and literally melts your makeup off. I'll just rinse this off with a muslin cloth or flannel and bam, your face is ready for a good old cleanse.
What do you love to use to take your makeup off?


The Pre Cleanse


I thought today I would share with you my makeup removal process and the products I find work the best for taking off all that crap at the end of that day!
Recently I've started taking my eye and face makeup off separately, not sure why, but I do find different products work well for different areas. For my eyes I simply squirt some of the L'Oreal Micellar Water on to a large cotton pad. This micellar water can make your skin feel a bit tacky after, but as I only focus it on my eye area I don't find that a problem. I love micellar waters for removing eye makeup, they're super gentle yet effective. However, if I'm sporting the waterproof mascara that day I may gravitate to something specifically tailored for removing eye makeup, such as The Body Shop Camomile Waterproof Eye and Lip Makeup Remover.
Sticking with The Body Shop Camomile range, the cleansing butter works a treat at melting off face makeup. So many brands have been bringing out cleansing butters and this one is a great, cheaper alternative to the Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm. Although you get less product in The Body Shop one, the price makes it totally justifiable. The formula of this is very hydrating and leaves my skin so soft after. I scoop some out of the tin then rub it into my skin and it turns into an oil and literally melts your makeup off. I'll just rinse this off with a muslin cloth or flannel and bam, your face is ready for a good old cleanse.
What do you love to use to take your makeup off?


Tuesday, September 16, 2014

NYC Days 3&4

Monday, September 15, 2014

NYC Day 2

Saturday, September 13, 2014

NYC Day 1

Wednesday, September 10, 2014