November & December Favourites

Advent Calendar

If you follow me on Instagram, you're probably sick to death of seeing this advent calendar! If not, then keep an eye out for my blog post coming in January, reviewing all the bits I got! I've absolutely loved opening this every day through-out December & I'm extremely sad it's finished.

Candles

If I had a life time favourites, candles would feature for sure, but this month I've fallen back in love with Yankee Candles. James & I were kindly gifted a pine scented one at the beginning of December from my mum & we've already burnt through it! I'm so sad, but perfect timing to say goodbye to Christmas & start a fresh for the New Year.

Blood Orange Bodyspray
This was one of the items I got in my advent calendar & I've been wearing it most days since opening it. It smells so Christmassy & not surprisingly.. quite orangey! Who wouldn't want to smell like a chocolate orange at Christmas time?!

Clinique Lipstick

I mean, nothing beats a red lip at Christmas time. It just completes every outfit in my eyes & makes you look like you've put in so much more effort than you actually have! This one from Clinique is never far away from my lips, it's such a lovely formula.

Matte Pink Lipstick

I've never bought anything from the brand Stila before, but loved the look of their products, especially the lipsticks. When this one popped out of my advent calendar, I was so excited! I started wearing it the next day & haven't taken it off my lips (apart from when I'm wearing the Clinique red lipstick!) 

Mince Pies & Cheese
I mean, not together obviously, but who doesn't love a mince pie & cheese & crackers at Christmas! I've lost count of what I've consumed this year.. oops!

Music

Ed Sheeran - Shape Of You (remix)

Christmas songs!

TV

Vampire Diaries 
James & I have started watching this from the beginning & are loving it. I'd watched up to season 5 a few years ago, but forgotten so much of it! 

Events

Grandad celebrated his 90th birthday in the middle of November! 

James & I celebrated our 5th anniversary with a trip to Kingston-Upon Thames.

As well as meeting up with friends & family in December, the girls & I went to Wakehurst Place for the Glowalk, we had a group meal at Elisa & Jamie's & I organised our work Christmas do at Bills. It has definitely been a month of eating, drinking & social gatherings!

& finally, it was Christmas! From start to finish, Christmas is always so busy. James & I started off with Christmas Eve at Valerie & Barrie's, my Grandparents' on Christmas Day & then Boxing Day at Allan & Maria's. I still haven't managed to sort through all my presents yet as it was so manic, but I wouldn't have it any other way!

How was your Christmas'? Hope you all had a lovely time however you celebrated & I hope you all have a very Happy New Year! : )

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July & August Favourites

"Go-Pro"

Ok, so this isn't an actual go-pro. It's a replica I purchased off Groupon about a year ago, but seriously, it's perfect for what I wanted it for. I took it on holiday to Lanzarote & got some brilliant underwater shots & the wide angle lens is perfect for capturing those long sandy beaches. I couldn't be more pleased with it. (Keep an eye out for a Lanzarote vlog soon that was filmed using this camera!) 

Revlon Foundation
I've been using this foundation for a couple of months now & am so pleased with how flawless my skins looks when I use it. I usually mix it in with the Youth Lift Glow-Plexion & it creates the most beautiful texture on my skin. I can't recommend it enough.

Studio 10 Youth Lift Glow Plexion 

This has to be my favourite product I've tried in a long time. My mum got a free beauty box when she ordered over a certain amount with M&S & this was one of the products. It's an all-in-one primer, radiance creme, illuminator & highlighter.

Heat Protect Spray
I actually picked this up when I went into Boots to replace my VO5 heat protect spray, but this one caught my eye. It's almost £2 cheaper & smelt incredible. I'm totally converted. I've used it a few times on my hair so far & it's helped tame the frizz as well as protect my hair against my dryer & straighteners.

Dachshund Stationary
Ok, so I've always been obsessed with stationary & making notes, but since I've found these adorable Dachshund notepads / sticky notes in The Works, I've become even more obsessed. And of course, the best part is they are covered in dogs! What more could you want.

Matte Lip Crayon
This is my absolute favourite lipstick at the moment. I have the shade Raspberry Wine & it's the perfect dusky pink that seems to compliment every outfit. I wore it every night on holiday & most days at work. Even though it's quite a matte shade, it's also incredibly moisurising.

Kindle
I have a continuous love affair with books. The only problem is, I never find time to read them. I only ever tend to read when I'm on holiday, so Lanzarote was a perfect excuse to blow the dust off my kindle!

Music 

Britney Spears
Ever since Erin did a poll on Twitter to find the best Britney song, I've been obsessed with listening to all her tunes. Yes I blame you girly ; ) There were so many amazing songs that I'd forgotten about, it was the best trip down memory lane.

Disney
This past month I've found myself sitting there not knowing what to play on my ipod & everytime going back to the same playlist, Disney. It's perfect for lifting my mood, or for just putting on while I'm doing the house work.

Events

All my friends came together for my annual Summer BBQ, which was incredible. It's always one of my favourite days of the year.

I got a new car! I've had Connie just over a month now & I can't wait to have lots of adventures with her.

James & I visited The Harry Potter Studios in London. I absolutely loved the whole experience, I'd definitely go again!

& finally, I went on holiday to Lanzarote with my girls! There will be a full post coming soon but I can safely say it was a massive highlight of this year so far!

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Little Steps To.. Relieving Stress

Hello lovelies,

This post is part 2 of my "Little Steps To.." posts. I blogged about ways to find happiness last week, so today is all about de-stressing & how I find ways to switch off at the end of the day.

1. Go outside

I find at the end of the day is when I'm most stressed. I'll come home from work & immediately think 'I've done nothing today, if I was at home I could have done all these things & now I have such a lot to do'. Sound familiar? Yeah, I know right. My job means I am stuck behind a desk for the day, I do get to see the outside world, but I'm unable to actually go out & enjoy it, so I find when I get home all I want to do is go outside. This is obviously a lot better in the summer when the sun is shinning & you can feel those rays on your skin. However, sometimes it is just nice to have a walk in the chilly, frosty air & come back to a nice warm house.

2. Animals

Ah where do I start with this one? I am so grateful every day to have animals in my life & to have been brought up around them. My family have had chickens, cows & horses since I was born. We got our first cat when I was 5 & a few years later, we got our first dog. Since then, we've had dogs ever since & even though we no longer have cows or horses, we still have chickens. All I remember when I was younger was whenever I was upset, my mum would give me a chicken. I'd sit with the chicken & stroke it while it sat on my lap & it immediately calmed me down. Now I don't understand exactly how animals do it, but they are just the most comforting, reassuring things ever. Honey gives me so much love every day & I can't thank her enough for it.

3. Read

I'm hopeless at picking up a book. The only time I really read is on holiday where I get stuck into a book & will get extremely excited & say to myself I'm going to continue this at home, but I never do. It's such a shame because there are so many books out there I want to read but just haven't gotten round to it. What I do manage to pick up & read is non-fiction books. I mentioned the book Calm in a blog post last year which I'm still obsessed with, but I'm also currently loving Hygge (I'm going to do a full post on this in a few weeks time) but I'm addicted to it, anyone else?

4. Colouring

I got some new pencils & a colouring book for Christmas & I'm loving sitting down with it in the evening. You can pick up some beautiful books from The Works at the moment (they have an amazing sale right now!) but I know most places will sell them now as they are making a comeback! 

5. Meditation

Ok, so I touched on this in my Calm post last Summer, but meditation has become such a big part of my life. I sadly don't manage to practice it as much as I'd like, but I can't believe how amazing it is. If you haven't tried, I'd highly recommend it. Calm & Headspace are my favourite apps to use.

6. Planet Earth

Ok, so you've probably got to this one & thought, what the actual **** but hear me out! As I've already mentioned, animals & being outside are two of my stress relievers, so why wouldn't a program all about animals in the natural world relax me as well? I'll give you an example. For my birthday, I'd organised a night out at the local pub for my group of friends to go for drinks on a Saturday night. So, if I'm honest, I put up the event on complete auto-pilot & it was only after I'd selected the people to invite, made the event & posted it on Facebook, my heart sank. I'd organised something on the busiest night of the week, surrounded by people drinking. My head was screaming 'WHAT HAVE YOU DONE'. If you haven't already guessed, this was one of the worst scenarios for me to put myself in, which is silly because I used to do it most weekends when I was 18/19, but I'm in a completely different frame of mind now. I was ok up until 3 hours before we were due to meet everyone & I sat down with James, almost in tears, saying I couldn't go. Being the amazing man he is, he wrapped my up in his duvet & put on Planet Earth on iPlayer & we sat in silence & watched it. Half way through I realised I was ok. My chest felt lighter & I could breathe again. My head was saying 'you can do this, it's your birthday, nothing bad is going to happen'. & I listened. The program ended, I got ready & went out & I had one of the best nights out I've had in ages. So yes, Planet Earth is my saviour.

I would love to know what you do when you're stressed & how you find ways of calming yourself down. Remember to check out my "Little Steps To.. Happiness" post as part of this series if you liked this one : )

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Little Steps To.. Happiness

Hello lovelies,

I absolutely love reading these posts, so I thought I'd share what I do to boost my mood when I'm having a down day.

1. Pamper yourself

You know that Lush bath bomb that's been sitting in your bathroom, just waiting to be used? Run a bath, light some candles, put on some music & dunk that bad boy in! Nothing makes me happier than seeing a bath bomb whizz around the water! 

2. Try doing your makeup / hair differently

So, at the beginning of the year I saw on Twitter some bloggers deciding they would stop wearing makeup everyday. I used to be that person that wouldn't leave the house till I had a full face of makeup, but since the beginning of the year (thanks New Year's resolutions!) I've been wearing a lot less makeup each day, only putting on a full face if we're going out for dinner or for a special occassion, but also trying different makeup has made me feel like a new woman. Silly really, but such a small thing can really brighten your mood. Same with changing your hair up a bit. I had mine cut at the very end of last year & I love it, but it can simply come down to how you style it if you aren't comfortable with having a chop. Why not curl it today? Or try out that space bun trend that has always seemed a bit wacky? I find looking online, there are soooo many tutorials now. Why not have a search on YouTube for a step-by-step guide or look up some images on Pinterest.

3. Retail therapy

This one is just my favourite thing to do. Ok, so firstly, I don't mean spending hundreds & thousands, I just mean treating yourself to that pair of boots that have been sitting in your ASOS basket for the past few weeks. Just something to look forward to coming in the post is the best feeling.

4. Netflix

Since James & I got Netflix, I've been obsessed. I've been watching things I never usually watch (The OA for example, which I've reviewed recently & Making A Murderer which we are half way through!) but I find when I'm feeling low, all I need is a bit of time spent with my favourite tv characters. Big Bang Theory is one of our favourites when we need a laugh. The episodes are only 20 minutes long & are extremely funny!

5. Be social

I find meeting up with a friend or group of people will instantly brighten your mood. I know when I'm feeling down, all I want to do is sit at home & not socialize, but it really does help if you can get our the house & see people. My girls always know how to put a smile on my face, no matter what.

6. Plan a trip

So, you might not live close to friends or maybe you've texted around & everyone already has prior commitments. No worries, why not plan a trip to see them? I always find if I have an event in my calendar, it's something exciting to look forward too. James & I are potentially looking at going to Wales soon to visit his friend Tom & I can't wait to start planning our adventure.

What do you do to brighten your mood? I would love to know in the comments below!

& don't forget to pop back to see my next "Little steps to.." posts. I'm going to do at least two more; how to relieve stress & how to reduce anxiety.

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September & October Favourites

The Sidemen Book
Ok, this book makes me seriously happy. James & I are massive fans of The Sidemen, so when we heard there was a book coming out, I went straight onto Amazon to pre-order it. It arrived on 18th October & we haven't put it down since! Yeah, we are hard-core fans.. ; D

Elizavecca - Milky Piggy - Carbonated Bubble Clay Mask
I'm not going to write too much about this mask, as I've already written a full post reviewing it, but you can probably guess as it's in my favourites how much I love it. It's just such good fun to use & leaves my face feeling so soft & revitalised. Like I say, make sure you check out my full post about it (even if it's just to laugh at my moon face..)

Maybelline - Matte Maker
I needed a new powder to set my foundation & thought I would try this 'Matte Maker' from Maybelline. I wasn't expecting too much from it if I'm honest but I was seriously impressed. It's only £3.99 (from Superdrug) & lasts all day.

Lush
Ah Lush. Not just Lush, but Lush at this time of year! I'm loving everything in store at the moment. From the Autumn bath bombs, to the new sparkly Christmas bath melts, to the products they stock all year, everything is just so perfect. I recently picked up & reviewed the Pumpkin Bath Bomb & the Autumn Leaf Bath Bomb. Reviews of some of the new Christmas bath bombs will be coming soon!

Lists / Meal Planner
Who else loves a good list? I've been obsessed with this meal planner from The Works this month. James & I aren't the best when it comes to healthy eating & planning meals (mostly because of working shifts that stretch into the evening) so we find it hard to have a balanced diet & tend to just grab what ever we find in the cupboard. This planner allows us to sit down & actually discuss what we are eating & what food we need to get in for that week. It's been a life saver!

Essie - Ruffles & Feathers
This polish is one that I keep coming back too & I love using it as a base for nail art. It features in my recent nail art post, which will be coming soon!

Everyday Luxe - Pumpkin Spice
I'm so sorry I couldn't find the link to this candle. (more gutted that I can't seem to find where to buy a replacement for when I burn this one!) I bought it from TK Maxx last year & re-discovered it this Autumn & I can't get enough of the scent. It's so delicious. I keep popping into TK Maxx to see if they have had another one this year, but so far no luck.

Events

Right at the end of August, Mum & I had afternoon tea at The Hickstead Hotel. It was lovely to spend the afternoon catching up with her, alongside endless supplies of tea, coffee & cake. I've written a full post about our day, which will be up very soon!

At the end of September, I decided to have my hair balayaged & cut. I've had it done before, but this time I went for less blonde tones & more brown, warmer tones. I couldn't be more happy with it.

Earlier this month, James took me to meet his giraffes at Chessington. I only posted about our trip to Longleat a few week ago, where I got to feed the giraffes there, but this was a special VIP experience, where we were taken to the giraffes house to feed them & have pictures for half an hour. It was so much fun & they are all so beautiful.

On 19th October, James & I travelled to Gloucester for his graduation. I seriously couldn't have been more proud!

Oh & finally, it was Mum's birthday on 22nd October & we had the most lovely weekend together. We had a family meal in the evening with my grandparents which was so nice, lots of wine was consumed!

Music

The Chain Smokers - Closer

Bruno Mars - 24k Magic

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Halloween Wishlist

Facial Tattoos

If you're like me & scroll through countless photos of people doing amazing Halloween makeup, then go to try it & massively fail.. then this one is for you! I'm not one for overly scary makeup either, so this would be perfect for a non-messy, cute look.

Star Print Bobysuit

Ok, so how gorgeous is this? I have to say I'd never be brave enough to wear it over the top of just my bra (maybe with a black cami or crop top underneath) but it just looks so beautiful. Like I say, I tend to go for a more pretty approach when it comes to Halloween so I was immediately drawn to this.

Off The Shoulder Bat Print Dress

Again, how cute?! You can never go wrong with a black dress, especially one covered in bats.

Skeleton Leggings

These just looked such good fun & perfect for someone who doesn't like to have everything on show. They remind me of those fun leggings Primark do at Christmas that are perfect for wearing around the house or you could jazz them up for a night out, with heels & a black crop top.

Skull Jar

How cute is this little guy? As I mentioned in my Tips & Tricks For The Working Day post, I love to have unusual cups & bottles to drink out of as it encourages me to drink more throughout the day. This skeleton jar is only £3! Complete bargain.

Blood Choker

Who else hates getting messy on Halloween? I always do my makeup & totally forget I've put it on & manage to get it all over my clothes! Luckily, New Look have designed this choker which is perfect for keeping those stains at bay!

Fright Night Coin Purse

& my final item is this purse. It's so adorable & perfect for that night out on the town to celebrate Halloween! I can't resist a bit of sparkle.

Do you celebrate Halloween? What are your plans this year? : )

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What I'm Taking To Corfu

Hello lovelies!

As some of you may know, I'm off to Corfu for a week on Monday! I couldn't be more excited. I wanted to share with you what I'm taking with me, this post actually helped me so much when I came to pack & I needed a check list. Hopefully it'll give you a few ideas on what to take as well if you're jetting off on holiday this Summer.

I'll start off by saying I'm terrible when it comes to packing. What usually happens is I'll start packing a week before I need to go. This will include all the clothes, sun cream etc. that I won't need in the run up to leaving. Only problem is it gets to the day before & I have to un-pack everything because I'm convinced I've forgotten to pack something! Silly really, but this year I made a tick list & as items go in, I marked them off & know they are safely in my suitcase.

So firstly;

Hand luggage

- iPhone

- Camera

- Passport

- iPod

- Kindle

- Headphones
- Headphone splitter

- Multiple ended charger

- Purse (with euros, pounds, travel insurance & my debit card)

- Ear plugs

- Eye mask

- Inflatable travel pillow

- Gorilla pod

- Lip balm

- Moisturiser

- Shorts

- Pants

- Puzzle book

-Pen

- Tissues

- Sweets

- Sunglasses

- Perfume

- Deodorant

- Comb

- Tablets

- Glasses

- Contact lens pot & solution

So firstly, the ear plugs, travel pillow & eye mask I actually got in a set from Tiger & they were such amazing value! They come in a range of colours, I bought mine last year in pink & I bought James the set in black this year. Yes, I enjoy being one of those couples with matching accessories, James does not share my enthusiasm..!

I couldn't live without my gorilla pod. I picked mine up from Amazon, they seem to stock loads & in all different colours. Perfect for holiday as I'm planning on vlogging our trip!

Ok, you might be thinking I'm a bit weird carrying pants in my luggage, but my worst nightmare is for my main suitcase to get lost & have no clean underwear! Shorts are a must as well, as I'm travelling in the early hours of the morning (our flight is at 5.55am so we'll be leaving the house around 4am!) so I'll be wearing jeans / leggings on the plane, but I know it's going to be extremely hot when we land & nothing beats the feeling of changing into cooler clothes on arrival!

& I don't know about you, but my ears pop & hurt like crazy when I'm flying & sweeties seem to help a lot so I won't ever fly without them.

& finally, there is nothing worse then feeling ill or headachy on a flight, so I always bring medication just in case along with my contact lens solution & pot, in case my eyes get dry. I'd be completely blind without my glasses, so they have to come too!

Suitcase

Clothes

- Bikini x 2

- Swimming costume x 2

- Shorts x 3

- Tops x 4

- Day dresses x 3

- Evening dress x 3

- Pants x 10

- Bra x 2

- Socks x 2

- Jeans x 1

- Kimono x 2

- Sandals / flipflops x 2

- Jumpsuit

- Jumper

- Cardigan

- Leggings

- Pjs

- Trainers

- Heels / heeled sandals

- Sunhat

All of these are self explanatory & you might think there is a lot of items here.. but I have seriously cut back to what I usually take! I'm planning on wearing shorts most days with a top, or depending what we're doing, maybe a day dress. A lot of the time I'll just be in my swimming stuff as we have a pool at the villa, but will need bras & possibly a cardigan if it gets chillier in the evenings. We're going for 7 nights, so will wear the evening dresses for two nights each, then I have a spare jumpsuit / playsuit for a final night.

I've decided to only take 4 pairs of shoes! Shock horror (I always take too many & never wear them!) One black & one white pair of sandals / flip flops, pair of trainers for when we go exploring & finally some heeled sandals for the evening.

The sunhat is a must of course, whether I'll be able to squash that into my suitcase is another matter.. it might have to come with me in the hand luggage.

Makeup

- Foundation

- Concealer

- Face power

- Blusher

- Highlighter

- Bronzer

- Eyeshadow

- Mascara

- Lipstick

- Lip gloss

- Lip liner

- Eye liner

- Brushes

- Nail polish x 2

Again, pretty standard, I've just got to try to narrow it down & only bring one of each!

Jewellery

- Watch

- Necklaces x 2

- Bracelet

- Earrings x 3

- Rings x 5

My day-to-day jewellery is pretty bog standard, I always have my watch, a bracelet, (usually Pandora) a necklace, my 5 rings & some earrings. I've recently purchased a pill holder, which I saw on Pinterest in a recent lifestyle hack. I'm going to use it to store my necklaces & earrings in, as I'll be wearing more formal ones for the evening meals. I thought this was such a clever idea!

Other

- Sun cream

- After sun

- Hair ties

- Hair brush

- Deodorant

- Hairspray

- Dry shampoo

- Shower gel

- Shampoo

- Conditioner

- Heat protector spray

- Straighteners

- Toothbrush

- Toothpaste

- Makeup remover pads

- Garnier Micellar water

- Iglu mouth ulcer gel

- Razors

- Moisturizer

- Sanitary towels

- Face wipes

- Nail varnish remover

- Nail kit; scissors, nail file

- Plasters

- Cotton buds

- Contact lens solution & spare pot 

- Beach towel

- Salt (after-care for my new piercing)

I purchased some adorable little travel pots from Primark (only £1) & these will be perfect for taking small amounts of shower gel, shampoo & conditioner. Realistically I only wash my hair twice a week, so a small pot is perfect size.

------

So, I think that's it! I hope this post gave you an insight into what I'm taking with me this holiday season. Please let me know if you think I've forgotten anything! : )

I'd also love to hear where you're going on holiday or if you have been already! I'm always up for finding new holiday destinations!

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W7 Eye Colour Palette - Up In Smoke

Hello lovelies!

Yes I know what you're thinking.. You've seen the title & said "She's bought another one.." & yes you'd be correct! I just can't seem to get enough of these eye shadow palettes. If you are new to my blog, I've reviewed the Lightly Toasted Eyeshadow Palette & the In The Nude Eyeshadow Palette by W7 already, so go check those out if you haven't seen them yet!

Today's post however, is all about this palette; Up In Smoke. I'm actually so excited to share this with you as it's the perfect palette for an evening look, whether you're going for a more natural sparkle or a dark smokey eye, this palette has it all.

Like the other palettes, there are 12 shades. All of them are shimmery, so if you like sparkles & glitter (who doesn't!?) then read on!

So far I've created a number of looks with these shades, the smokey eye being my favourite. I used to default to doing a smokey eye every time I'd go out when I was 18 /19 & since then I've realised there is more to life than just one way to do my eye makeup! However, it is always nice to relive your youth, so whichever mood I'm in, I know I can create the look I want with this palette.

It retails for just under £10, but I managed to pick it up in my recent order to JustMyLook for £3.95! Amazing.

I absolutely adore this palette (& the other two I reviewed here) They are such good value for money!

Have you tried any of the palettes from W7? : )

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Technic ColourMax Lipstick - Dark Purple, Dark Red, Red & Pink

Hello lovelies!

I wanted to share with you today these new lipsticks I picked up from JustMyLook. You might remember me mentioning this website at the beginning of April, when I reviewed the W7 Eyeshadow Palette, which I purchased from the same site. It's an online store that offers free delivery to the UK & has a range of discounted products from well-known brands. I can't recommend it enough!

So onto the lipsticks. I purchased the Technic Colour Max Lipstick in Dark Purple, Dark Red, Red & Pink. These are 4 out of 6 shades that the website stocks. They are all in the sale, retailing at  £1.99 down from £2.99.

First of all, the packaging. To be honest, it's well made & practical, but nothing fancy. I do like how well the lipstick is fitted into the base, it simply rotates round with no difficulty & pushes up the product without any fuss.

This is the summery that's on the website -

"Technic Colour Max Lipstick lasts for up to 24 hours giving you gorgeous colour that will be envied by all! The colour gives a smooth finish with flawless, water-proof juicy shine"

I have to say, I wasn't expecting too much from the price but I do agree that it's very smooth on the lips & applies easily, however, it doesn't last for 24 hours. To be honest, that's quite a bold statement to make! The pink & red only seem to last about 3 hours on the lips before they need touching up, but the dark red & purple last about 5 / 6 hours, which is still pretty amazing in my opinion!

Dark Purple

Dark Red

Red

Pink

Swatches; L-R - Dark Purple / Dark Red / Red / Pink

I think if you're on a budget these lipsticks are great & definitely worth the £2.99 price tag! The purple shade is my favourite, it's the first & only purple I've owned so I was excited to add it to my collection.

Have you tried any of the products from Technic? Which shade is your favourite? : )

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Revolution - 144 Eyeshadow Palette 2016 Collection

Hello lovelies,

Let's start by me saying, this palette was very difficult to photograph! The amount of shots I had to take to try to capture all the shades took me forever, so these are the good ones of a bad bunch. Saying that, I couldn't be more excited by a palette, but it's not just any palette.. it's a Revolution palette.

I reviewed the Makeup Revolution Palette - Girls On Film back in February & that's when I realised I had a love for this brand. The shades were extremely pigmented so I was very excited to try this palette that I was gifted for Christmas. (Thankyou Ricka!)

What I love most about this palette, is what ever occasion, I can find the shade I want. There's quite a few natural day colours, but also some darker evening shades & then some completely wacky, out-there shades.

All of the colours that I've used so far are highly pigmented & have lasted the duration of the day. I'm a massive fan of just selecting two shades & a bit of mascara & heading out the door & these colours are some of the easiest I've worked with. They all seem to blend so naturally together.

This palette retails for £20 (I think you can get it cheaper in select stores) but it's such good value for money & definitely worth the price tag!

Have you tried any of the Makeup Revolution Palettes? They are quickly becoming one of my favourite brands! : )

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W7 The Cheeky Trio - Bronzer Blusher Highlighter

Morning lovelies!

I wanted to blog today about this beautiful palette from W7 I picked up last month. I was initially drawn to it because my current makeup routine involves a bronzer, blusher & highlighter from all different palettes & I wanted something that was easier to travel with instead of taking a whole palette just to use one product from it.

First of all, I adore the packaging. (it's pink & gold, what's not to love!?) & it's very easy & light weight to travel with.

I'm going to start with the bronzer. This is quite a dark shade for me so wasn't sure how it would look on my skin, but actually it applies very nicely & isn't too dark. You literally need the smallest amount on your brush, the palette is extremely pigmented.

Onto the blush. I actually adore this colour! Same as the bronzer, you literally only need the tiniest amount on your brush otherwise you end up with bright pink cheeks!

& finally the highlight. I was actually quite disappointed with this. I know I like a strong highlight, but this one was very faint & barely did anything for me. You'd think because the bronzer & blusher are so pigmented, the highlight would be the same but sadly not.

Overall, I'd give this palette a 6/10. Like I say, I wanted it for travelling & just to grab instead of taking more items than I need & it will be great for that, but I'm very disappointed by the highlighter. I think I'll still be smuggling in Sunbeam by Topshop!

Have you tried this palette before? I'd love to hear what you think : )

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March & April Favourites

Accessorize Blusher

This blush, what can I say. I've been wearing it for years but just discovered that I've never posted about it. (well I did feature it in a haul, but never reviewed it) It's the most beautiful blush I've ever used & if you see me out & about, I will be wearing this on my cheeks. It's in the shade Quiver & after searching for it on the Accessorize website, I couldn't seem to find it so I'm not sure if they even do it anymore! It has the most beautiful pink & silver shimmers running through it & looks gorgeous on the cheeks.

Topshop Highlighter

I was shopping with James a few weeks ago & we headed into Topshop because I had a voucher (& there was a sale.. so I really couldn't resist) I hardly ever head to the makeup section in store, but decided to give it a look. I came across their highlighters & found this one. Oh my God, I'm in love. I don't want to write too much about it in this post as I have a full review coming soon, but it's one of the most beautiful highlighters I own. Definitely worth the price tag.

Primark Mug

Let me just start by saying, I'm obsessed with mugs. Like, actually obsessed. I've been slowly collecting them over the past year & when I saw this one in Primark for £2, I knew I had to have it. Even though it is quite a big mug, it does hold the heat very well & of course, holds a lot of tea which is always a good thing! I'm going to stop now, reading this back sounds so boring if your not a mug lover!

Makeup Revolution Palette

I reviewed this palette at the end of February so I won't chatter on about it too much here (view the post here if you like) but it's one of the most gorgeous, pigmented palettes I own. There's a mixture of shimmer & matte shades, perfect for any occasion.

Calm 

Ah where do I start? I am going to do a full post on this book & app, but I wanted to feature it in my favourites this month because it has been just that, a favourite. I first discovered the Calm book when reading Kayleigh's blog a few weeks ago & went straight onto my Amazon account & purchased it. It came the next day & I got sucked straight into it. I'm pacing myself though, you know when you're so excited about something, especially a book, you read it so quickly then get really sad when it's over in a flash? Yes, exactly that. So I'm gradually reading a few pages a night alongside listening to the Calm app. Like I say, I'll post properly about the book & app in the next few weeks, so keep an eye out for that!

Primark Nail Polish

You might have seen me mention this nail polish in my recent nail art post, but I seriously can't rave about it enough! Let's start with the price, I know Primark are known for their bargains, but this polish only cost me 80p! & of course, being so cheap, you wouldn't expect the formula to be great, but I only applied two coats & it didn't budge for a week! Absolutely amazing. The feature I was most excited about was how it claimed to be a quick-dry nail varnish. I get so bored waiting for my polish to dry, that I always try to find brands that use quick dry in their advertising. Again, this did not disappoint. It dried within a few minutes & I was ready to get on with my day. I will just say that I recently tried another polish from Primark (not a quick dry) & it did chip within a few days, so not all of the formulas are as good as this one.

Music - This Year, Marger / Hands To Myself, Selena Gomez

Ah these songs! Totally different to what I usually listen to but I just can't get enough of them this month! Selena Gomez' album is just incredible.

Events

At the beginning of March, we pulled of a surprise birthday party for my beautiful best friend Boop. I vlogged the whole day so you can watch it here if you like! We managed to trick her into thinking we were going out for dinner, but actually appeared at a barn we'd hired, filled with friends & family. It was so lovely to see her shocked face!

James & I also went to Crufts at the beginning of March. It's somewhere I've always wanted to go & was such a lovely day. I even got to hug a pug & a Chihuahua!

At the end of March, my grandparents celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary. I still can't get over how amazing that is. They are still so adorable together & we celebrated with a family meal on Easter Sunday. James was also on his Easter break from uni, so we had a few weeks together at the beginning of April.

How has your month been lovelies?

I'm so excited for May & June, there is so much happening. We have Elisa & Jamie's wedding, The Sidemen football match & of course our holiday to Corfu! Make sure your subscribed to my Twitter & Instagram to keep up to date with all our adventures! : )

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W7 Eye Colour Palette - Lightly Toasted

Hello lovelies!

I wanted to share with you this beautiful W7 eye shadow palette I bought from JustMyLook.com. I first heard about this website after reading Jess' post & just like she said, as soon as I found out it was free delivery to the UK, along side further discounts added to products, I quickly grabbed my bank card & made an order! 

I already own the "In The Nude" eye shadow palette which I reviewed here last Spring & fell in love, so I knew I would have to pick up some of the other W7 palettes. 

I also managed to grab myself the "Up In Smoke" palette, which I'm yet to try, but I'll be posting a review when I do.

What I love most about these palettes is how pigmented the shades are. You literally need the tiniest amount on your brush & they last the duration of the day. 

They are so easy to blend together as well. There's nothing worse than having that line across your eye lid that just won't budge!

I love using darker shades in my crease & along side the lighter toned glitter shades, they just look stunning. The nude shades are of course the main focus in this palette, but you also have the two shades at the end (far right) to create a perfect smokey eye for an evening look. 

My favourite combination from this palette has to be the two central shades. The gold & dark brown. (6th & 7th in from the left) They just create such a beautiful look.

Have you tried any of the W7 eye shadow palettes? I really can't rave about them enough! 

Remember to check back soon for a post on the "Up In Smoke" Palette & "The Cheeky Trio" which is a bronzer, blush & highlighter palette. That also managed to slip into my basket.. oops! : ' )

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