Glittery Teacups

grief.

2015-06-21T18:46:00.001+01:00

This is one of the hardest posts that I have ever had to write, in fact it has taken me a good few attempts to even try and write it. Some of you may even wonder why I am putting myself through writing it, but for me I just need to chat and want to explain my absense/express how I am feeling etc. and I always feel that there is no better place than my blog.

A few weeks ago, my beloved nan passed away.

Even though we knew the end was coming, nobody could prepare for the absolute heartbreak that would be left behind. I visited my nan on the Saturday before my birthday and never in a million years dreamed it would be the last time that I would ever see her. The next day, she fell and broke her hip and after catching pneumonia just after a week later she was gone. It still seems so unreal.

I know as you get older people come and go, but there is a sense with grandparents that they will be around forever. I was always so close to my nan. Numerous attempts at trying to teach me how to knit (we got there in the end!) to having an 11o'clock cup of milky coffee and Rich Tea biscuits religiously. My nan was a huge part of my life. After having a stroke in March last year, she started to suffer from dementia but fortunately never forgot any of the family. In a way we lost part of nan then, her shell was there and every now and then you would catch a glimpse but never for more than a few treasured moments.

Lately I have been struggling to focus, even the smallest thing set me off. Everyday things like writing a blog post or getting ready in the morning, I started to think..whats the point?! Luckily everybody around me has been so understanding, not that I expected anything less and after a few weeks slowly but surely things are becoming a little easier.

My friends, family and Lewis have been the absolute best and there is nothing like the sense of unity that happens within a family when something like this happens, even though it is a shame that sometimes it does take a tragedy for people to really come together.

Luckily I have a few things to look forward to, which I know will help me through. I have a few theatre trips planned with my mum and in 2 weeks I go on holiday. I don't think I have ever needed a break so much in my life. I know that my nan would have hated all of this sadness, so I know we will all get through this, especially for my nan.

I know I may flit in and out of the blog for the next few weeks, but just want to thank you all for being so patient. ♥

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urban decay black magic eyeliner set

2015-05-25T14:04:00.000+01:00

I got this eyeliner set back when I shared my haul post in April, but it has quickly become part of my everyday routine, that I actually forgot that I hadn't posted about it on here, whoopsie! There are 8 eyeliners included and they are all Urban Decays 24/7 formula which from previous experience is amazing. Looking at the set, I did wonder at first why it was called 'Black Magic' as all of the liners are not black, but then I suppose a box of 8 black liners would be a bit boring.

Each of the eyeliners are double ended, on the first end you get...

Black Velvet

A very, very bold black almost like Charcoal. I have found that you really have to get it going before the colour comes out smoothly otherwise it starts to crumble slightly like you can see in the picture.

Black Market

This reminds me of a watered down black, not quite grey but isn't as bold as Black Velvet. I use this one when I need to more muted eye.

LSD

This is one of my favourites, the liner is blue/black with navy glitter pieces in that really catch the light. Although I do find it a bit on the messier side, so I don't always get the most accurate flick and you can tell by the heart swatch being huge compared to the others.

Zero

This is my staple black that I always go back to with Urban Decay, it is perfect for any look and super soft.

And on the opposite end is...

Smoke
This is a lovely grey shade. The liner itself is extremely soft, very accurate and so easy to create a smokey eye with. I use this one daily.

Tornado
This is a lovely aubergine shade which makes a nice alternative to black, when you fancy a subtle pop of colour. This shade is always being stolen by my mum.

Perversion
The darkest, silkiest eyeliner of them all. I use this all of the time when I fancy a bold cat eye as it is so opaque in just one flick. It's like drawing with a marker pen.

Demolition
I love a brown eyeliner and this shade is perfect. I used to use Bourbon all of the time before I wore black eyeliners and this is a very similar alternative.

This set has absolutely everything in and makes me wonder how I survived without it. There is something for every look and it is definitely a staple item for me now. I haven't even gone anywhere near my other liners since I have had this.

I managed to pick this up for £10 in Debenhams, so it may be worth having a bit of a hunt around if this is your kind of thing. ♥

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grey days

2015-05-24T19:23:00.000+01:00

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I have been a bit of a hermit lately and I do apologise. All of a sudden it feels like I take one step forward and 400 hundred steps back. You know when it feels like as soon as one thing starts to look up another gets worse? Well, that. I don't want this to turn into a woe is me kind of post, so i'm not going to go into any detail, but just wanted to let you know that I am still here and haven't neglected you all.

I really hate not blogging but sometimes when your mind isn't there, you simply cannot write. I'm just trying to plough through my bad luck and I'm positive that blogging should resume as normal from now...

Love you guys.

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bargain alert: nails inc at house of fraser

2015-05-04T14:45:00.001+01:00

My love for Nails inc. is well documented on this little blog, so when I popped into House of Fraser yesterday and spotted a clearance corner of Nails inc. shades for £2.50 each it's safe to say I got a little excited! Naturally, I couldn't resist buying a few shades, especially as there was still a pretty good selection to choose from. After getting over my initial excitment, I managed to pick up: Devonshire Row, Westbourne Grove, Notting Hill Carnival, Haymarket and Hammersmith which are perfect spring/summer shades!

Now I am gathering the discount is because the shades are a bit of an older selection and that the packaging has changed to the new square type bottles, but that kind of thing really doesn't bother me at all! I have looked online and the discount is not on the House of Fraser website, but I am thinking if you live local to a store it may be worth popping in to see which bargain shades you can pick up!

Sorry for the lack of swatches, I just wanted to share this discovery as soon as I could as I'm not too sure how long this offer is on for!

Have you picked up any Nails inc. shades for £2.50 yet? ♥

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l'oreal color riche nails - scarlet tinsel

2015-04-28T22:18:00.000+01:00

Sometimes a glittery pick me up is needed in life! I was feeling a bit on the dull side, so thought I would jazz myself up with a bit of a midweek glittery nail session..rebel! I chose Scarlet Tinsel by L'Oreal when looking at my box of nail goodies, as it glistened the most.

Available from Boots.

I love the sparkle that this nail varnish has to it, it's glittery but isn't too in your face. It catches the light, but in a more subtle way than a holographic glitter. I think because the shade is quite a dark fuchsia it creates a bit more depth.

I do find it a bit rough to touch though, even with a top coat on I managed to ladder a pair of tights putting them on this morning! Saying that, I am that clumsy I probably would have found another way of laddering tights as I seem to be a world champion at it anyway.

This definitely makes me feel a little less dull and is perfect for days when a bit of sparkle is needed.

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MAC powder blush - peachykeen

2015-04-27T21:54:00.001+01:00

I very rarely buy blushers, whenever I go make up shopping it is usually a lipstick or an eye product that I leave with. I kind of get stuck in old habits when it comes to blushes and when I find a shade I like, I usually just end up sticking with it. As spring usually means new make up for me (any excuse!) I decided to get a lighter more shimmery blush to take me through to summer.

I don't know why, but I find buying blushers really hard. Swatches look completely different and I just have trouble knowing how it is supposed to look. Let's face it, I am already one step closer to looking like The Joker with green hair, I probably shouldn't take it any further in terms of make up! In the end, I usually pick a shade that I just like the look of. I know, worst blush buyer ever!

Available from MAC and Debenhams.

I ended up choosing Peachykeen after staring blankly at the blush section for ages with my mum losing the will to live behind me. The blush itself is a lovely pastel peach shade with a slight pale gold shimmer running throughout. You only need the tiniest amount before it looks a bit OTT but is perfect for that everyday glow that I was looking for.

If anybody has any tips on choosing the right shade, please let me know! ♥

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urban decay moondust eyeshadow - zodiac

2015-04-20T07:30:00.000+01:00

Fresh from the haul post that I shared before, I thought I would show you the second Urban Decay Moondust eyeshadow that I purchased. The first can be found here. After opting for the lightest shade there with Cosmic, I then picked the darkest with Zodiac. Typical me, one extreme to the other!

There is something about the lighting at make up counters, they stand out so much that I just get drawn in and I want to buy everything. These eyeshadows glisten just like fairy dust and you know me when it comes to glitter, hooked!

Zodiac is a lovely khaki green shade which has amazing glitter particles. Sometimes this looks grey, sometimes brown, sometimes green it's one of those shadows that is perfect for a smokey eye. I found this applies a lot better with a wet brush as the glitter seems to stick to the eyelid more and doesn't have so much fallout. Although it is nice and buildable if applied dry too. I am so impressed with the lasting time of these, they do not budge or crease at all!

I will definitely be returning for a few more colours when I can! Have you tried anything from the Moondust range? ♥

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quit slackin'

2015-04-17T16:05:00.000+01:00

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This quote is so me at the moment. I have had the week off from work which has been lovely, but I have been a bit lazy and done absolutely nothing (as you can probably tell by the lack of blogging!). In a way it has been lovely to slob out and watch Daredevil on Netflix (which is amazing btw) and occasionally leave the house, but now I actually feel more tired than I did before I was off! So starting from now, I am aiming to get more motivated! ♥

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MAC + urban decay haul

2015-04-07T22:19:00.002+01:00

My name is Emily and I have a serious addiction to make up. After taking the photos for this post, I have realised how much make up I brought recently and feel like I need to join some sort of Makeup Anonymous support group. I mentioned a few posts ago that I went on a little shopping spree with my Christmas voucher's and thought I would do a little haul to show you what I picked up. I picked a good day to go shopping, as I went whilst Debenham's had their 10% off beauty days so got more for my money!

Here is what I got:

MAC '5 Alarm' lipstick

This is part of the MAC Red collection and I instantly fell in love, you can never have too many reds!

MAC 'Breathe of Plum' blusher
This is a nice winter/spring transitional colour.

MAC 'All about Coral' look in a box
I brought this from Bicester Village when I went and was so excited as I have never seen anything like this before. I'm sure it only cost me around £20 too!

MAC 'peachykeen' blusher
I love this shade, it is perfect for spring and gives a really nice glow!

MAC 'Up The Amp' lipstick

I love this as a bit of an alternative to nude.

MAC 'Sea Worship' eyeshadow
I also brought this from Bicester and talk all about it in my post here.

Urban Decay 'Black Magic' eyeliner set
This set was such a bargain, it was in the sale and only cost me about £10. Urban Decay eyeliners are seriously amazing, so I was chuffed to spot this!

Urban Decay 'Naked on the Run' palette

This set has everything I would ever need and will definitely be coming away on holiday with me.

Urban Decay 'Zodiac' eyeshadow
I fell in love with the sparkle of this completely and now it matches my hair which is a complete bonus!

Urban Decay 'Cosmic' eyeshadow

I love the shimmer in this eyeshadow and have swatched it over here.

Urban Decay 'Noise' eyeliner

This was actually in a bargain bin in Debenhams, so it would be rude not to pick it up.

Phew! See what I mean, this post has felt like some sort of confession ha but I would say at least 85% was brought with vouchers so I don't feel so bad!

Everything here was either purchased from Debenham's or Bicester village and will all have a full review up soon (if it isn't on here already)!

Have you splurged on make up lately? ♥

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MAC extra dimension eyeshadow - sea worship

2015-04-03T21:44:00.000+01:00

A few weeks ago I went to Bicester Village and went a bit mad in The Cosmetics Company Store. I used to walk straight past this shop before, but now I have discovered it, it is my go to shop in Bicester. If you don't know this store sells discounted MAC, Bobbi Brown, Clinique and Estée Lauder products and I managed to pick up a few little bargains. One of the bits I picked up was this lovely eyeshadow.

I wanted to try The Alluring Aquatic Collection when it first came out, but was never quick enough to snap anything up. I saw Sea Worship and grabbed it straightaway, with a gleeful look on my face.

Sea Worship is a lovely muted gold shade, which has nice antique tones to it. Even though it is a powder, it is so pigmented that it looks like a liquid which I love. The packaging of this is the best too, the colour is beautiful (matched my hair, whoop!) and has the effect of water drops on it to match the aquatic theme. I am a bit of a consumers dream when it comes to quirky packaging.

This is perfect for everyday wear and has quickly become one of my daily eyeshadows. It lasts all day and doesn't crease either.

If you live near Bicester, this shop is definitely worth checking out. This shop is always stocked up with older MAC collections that always seem to sell out elsewhere.

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mermaid hair

2015-03-30T19:30:00.000+01:00

I have always wanted funky coloured hair. Ever since I was younger, I went through a stage of wanting pink, purple, red, teal, blue hair but was always too scared or worked in a place I couldn't do it. Just after Christmas I had a sudden burst to make my hair teal, I checked it over at work and they were fine with it (phew!) and last week I made the plunge to get teal mermaid hair. For once, I remembered to take pictures as I went along, so thought I would show you the process. Exciting!

Below is my natural hair as you have seen on this blog quite a few times. I have added a picture though just incase you somehow haven't!

Now having never bleached my hair before, I got it done professionally. I was way to scared to do this myself, I would end up doing something wrong and be left with no hair! I went to Regis Hair Salon, this is where I always get my hair cut and I have had the same hairdresser for years so she was the person I trusted most to take the coloured life out of my hair.

After what felt like an eternity, the bleach was washed off. Now as I have never used bleach I really didn't know what colour to expect at all..

Lady Gaga in the Telephone video anyone? We can safely say that I will never be going blonde! Customers were staring to the point that the hairdresser had to keep telling them that it wasn't staying this colour, which did make me chuckle slightly..

I knew I wanted to use Directions hair dye, but this wasn't allowed to be used in Regis. So they made the best green they possibly could using the dyes they had. The green at the roots was pretty much perfect, although I knew I wanted it to be a bit more teal so I waited a week and created the perfect colour using Directions dye to put over the top.

My lovely mum helped me apply the dye, probably to save the bathroom from being destroyed! And here is the finished result...

I absolutely love the colour and can't stop swishing my hair around, I feel like a mermaid! I don't think I am going to have normal colour hair for a good while now, I definitely have the coloured hair bug! ♥

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urban decay moondust eyeshadow - cosmic

2015-03-29T15:21:00.000+01:00

I had a bit of a make up splurge at the beginning of the month, I finally managed to spend all of my Christmas vouchers. Normally they are spent by the end of January, but this time around they lasted, I must be growing up!

Urban Decay have always been one of my favourite brands in terms of eyeshadows and eyeliners, the formulas are always amazing and they are completely on point.

I picked up cosmic after having a play around with the testers and falling in love with the sparkly goodness. Ever the magpie, I soon had this in my hand and was at the till buying.

Available from Debenhams and Urban Decay.

Cosmic is a silvery white iridescent eyeshadow made up of super fine glitter pieces. This is the most sparkly/glittery/magical/fairy-like eyeshadow ever and the pictures really do not do it justice. I am really impressed with the lack of fall out too as I wore it for a night out and fully expected glitter all down my face by then end of it but it actually stayed put! I have been applying it a few times to create a full on glitter layered effect but even one sweep is enough to create a nice sheen.

I am so in love with this eyeshadow that I have purchased Zodiac too! ♥

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MAC semi matte lipstick - hearts aflame

2015-03-18T20:44:00.000+00:00

Every now and again a lipstick comes into your life and you end up wondering how you lived without it. Hearts Aflame to me, is one of these lipsticks. Lipstick is my Achilles heel when it comes to make up. I can never have enough and seem to pick up a new shade on every shopping trip. The darker the better. I always prefer a darker lip but I feel I can get away with it a lot more in winter. I picked up this lipstick way back in September but somehow have become so obsessed with it, that I completely missed writing about it.

Hearts Aflame is a typical vampy red and I absolutely love it. The shade itself is like a deep brick colour which has a nice burgundy hint. Being a matte formula, I was worried that this could be really drying, however it actually has a nice creamy texture to it which is such a bonus!

Sadly, this shade was part of the 'Novel Romance' collection so is no longer available although I'm sure it will reappear as part of a different collection at some point. ♥

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l'oreal miss manga punky mascara

2015-03-12T22:15:00.002+00:00

I have been meaning to post about this mascara for a good few weeks now. I purchased it when I brought the Smokissime eyeliner and have been in love with this ever since. I have to admit the packaging is so hard to photograph though! It seems to reflect everything and be a bit of a fingerprint magnet..grr!

Available from Boots and Superdrug.

Enough about the packaging though as the actual mascara is perfect. It provides a great mix of length and volume, which is suitable enough for daytime. This has fast become my everyday mascara as it is great for those days where you don't want to wear a lot of eye makeup but still need a bit of 'pop'. I own the original Miss Manga mascara too and prefer this so much more, as it seems to have that wow factor that I feel the original lacked!

The wand to apply this is quite thick and dumpy, but full of bristles which seem to capture every lash still. If you are a fan of clumpy, long lashes then this could be for you! ♥

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bournemouth baby!

2015-03-08T19:31:00.000+00:00

So earlier today I got back from a fab weekend away in Bournemouth. It was my work friends birthday so all of the work guys and gals took a trip to the seaside to celebrate. I have never been to Bournemouth before but I seriously loved it. We managed to fit lots into the day and although I feel so drained now it was totally worth the laughs. It's nothing 400 cups of tea won't fix anyway. I didn't end up taking that many photos, but thought I would show you a few of what I did snap...

Pictures like this always make me wish I lived close to the sea.

View from the pier.

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside...

These rocks kept making me think of Jurassic Park.

No trip to the seaside is complete without Fish and Chips!

Harry Ramsden's of course.

I do love the seaside, it's one of my favourite places to go. Just the whole atmosphere is completely different to a city. Although I was a bit gutted the 2P machines didn't have any prizes to win here, simple things eh!

Hope you have all had a lovely weekend too. ♥

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rimmel the kate collection lipsticks

2015-02-19T07:00:00.000+00:00

I received this lovely lipstick set from Santa Claus. I don't think I could be any slower on the blogging turnaround right now! It just seems like Christmas was only 5 minutes ago, I kinda blinked and now its February. Sorry!

I was so excited when I opened this set, the colours couldn't be more 'me' and I had never tried any of the Kate Moss range before so this was a good first. I was a bit dubious about the pink shade, but after I put it on it was nowhere near as bad on me as I thought it would be..phew!

Lasting Finish Lipstick - 107

This is my favourite of the 3 shades included. This is the kind of red that I think everybody can get away with. A perfect raspberry red!

Lasting Finish Lipstick - 28

I don't normally wear this vibrant shade of a pink, but I actually kind of like it! I think I will wear this a lot in the Spring.

Lasting Finish Lipstick - 01
Two words - Statement Red. This is the typical, in your face pillarbox red, perfect for days that a classic look is on the agenda.

I did think that the pink was a bit of a random addition to the set, but actually 3 reds might have been too much so it was nice to have another colour in there too. I can say that the formula for all these lipsticks is spot on. They feel so creamy on the lips and the pigmentation is amazing, I have become a bit of a fan especially of the fruity scent too.

Excuse me while I run to the shop to buy more! These lipsticks are available separately from Boots and Superdrug. ♥

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l'oreal smokissime eyeliner - brown smoke

2015-02-17T20:51:00.000+00:00

I must apologise for my lack of blogging yet again! My organisational skills seem to be fading away with old age, but alas I am finally back and with lots of posts planned in the diary too! So in the words of Take That, hopefully i will be 'back for good'.

I picked up this eyeliner from Superdrug a few weeks ago after rifling through to find one that hadn't been opened or tampered with. I hate it when that happens, they're called testers for a reason haha! Anyway, I am always in search of new eyeliners and this looked like my kind of colour so I picked it up.

Available from Boots and Superdrug.

After applying, I wouldn't really say it was much of an eyeliner but more of a powdery eyeshadow. The actual nib is very thick, so you can't get too much precision if you was looking to use it as just an eyeliner at all. In my pictures, I have tried to line my eyes as neatly as I can to show you but it is better used all over the eyelid for the smokey look.

All of the product is stored in the lid, so whenever you need more you can close it up and the sponge will pick up some more powder. I chose this colour instead of black and I am really glad I did, I love the copper/metallic tones and when used all over the lid it does create a nice smoked look. The staying power of this is really good too, I wore it for a whole day at work without it budging once.

Overall I do really like this, it is perfect for a quick and easy, smokey look, although I do like it more as an eyeshadow as it lacks the exactness of an eyeliner. ♥

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the jersey boys

2015-02-06T21:41:00.000+00:00

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On Wednesday I went to see The Jersey Boys with my mum. The advert being played on my local radio station was too much to bear and we finally caved and brought tickets. Initially I was only going to keep her company, but I think I actually enjoyed it more than her.

If you don't know, Jersey Boys tells of the life of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. I'm not going to lie, I knew of Frankie Valli but not in depth. It wasn't until the songs began that I realised how many I actually knew of that I didn't even realise were them. I sat there singing along in my head at the top of my voice, although i think the lady behind me missed the 'in your head' memo and literally sang at the top of her voice. Much to the annoyance of everyone else.

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All of the actors were amazing, both in singing and telling their own stories. Without giving too much away, I didn't realise they all had such an eventful life. This show has such a mixture of laughs and feel good factor. I honestly don't think anybody could walk out of this without singing 'I love you baaaaaaaby' at the tops of their voices.

If you have a spare afternoon and fancy a trip to the theatre then this is definitely worth a look! Jersey Boys is currently touring the UK and is still in Milton Keynes for a few weeks yet. Full tour dates are here. ♥

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mac in extreme dimension 3D black lash mascara

2015-02-03T07:15:00.000+00:00

I received this mascara for Christmas, from the lovely Santa (my Mum) after I mentioned that I had never tried a MAC mascara before. Like most other Beauty Bloggers, I do love a bit of MAC, I've mentioned before how I can never walk past without a cheeky little purchase (normally a lipstick), so I was really excited to test this baby out.

MAC claim that this mascara 'adds volume, extends length and creates curl' so I was excited to see if it did...

Available from MAC and Debenhams.

Lets start with the good. I found that this was perfect for adding length, my lashes really did improve length-wise but other than that I am really disappointed. This didn't really add any volume or curl at all and it clumped my lashes together A LOT! The wand picks up way too much mascara and even after wiping some product off I had to separate my lashes afterwards which defeats the object a little bit. The pictures above are the third attempt at declumping, sad times!

The wand was a bit hard to use because it is so straight, I couldn't really get any movement at all and I found some of the lashes were completely missed when applying. I find them so much easier when there is a bit of a curve to the brush, but that's just what I am used to I suppose.

Now I know I can be a fussy little madam when it comes to mascaras, but I have really tried to love this and I just can't. Probably because it is MAC I expected it to be amazing, but I think I will just brush past this little blip in my MAC love and just stick to my trustworthy L'Oreal mascara's instead. ♥

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tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme

2015-02-01T19:28:00.000+00:00

Tee - Primark

Jeans - F&F

Vans - USC

I was so excited when I discovered this tee in Primark yesterday that I knew I needed to blog about it straightaway. Beauty and the Beast is one of my favourites, up there with The Lion King and Aristocats. I won't go into it now because that discussion is definitely a much longer Disney themed post. This has been my lazy Sunday outfit today, comfy but cute is what I like to call it. It is the perfect outfit for shopping, which is what I attempted to do earlier, before shoppers started to annoy me and I returned home grumpy..not good!

The only disappointing thing about the T-Shirt is that it doesn't have the main man on himself, but I'm sure I will be able to cope with just Belle..for now! ♥

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tartan wishlist

2015-01-26T21:20:00.002+00:00

Oh January, you have been such a long month! Christmas honestly feels like forever ago and payday seems even further. My wardrobe is in serious need of updating and my new favourite trend is Tartan, I can't get enough of it!

This shirt is the most amazing colour and I think paired with leggings and a trilby, it would be perfect. I can't resist these cute little socks either, I would definitely wear them with black pumps and shorts. I love, love, love this cape! They have become my new favourite thing lately, I hate wearing a coat so I think this may be working its way into my hands come payday. The embroidery on these shorts is amazing and there is a matching crop top too. Although I would have to cut down on the hot chocolate and marshmallows at night for any chance of getting away with that and thats seriously not happening. I love the colours in this dress and think a giant statement necklace would completely make it. This bag is so cute, but being Vivienne Westwood I think it will have to stay on the wishlist for a little while.

For a bit of a Tartan/Check overload, I have so fallen in love with this Tartan nail art tutorial on Illamasqua too! What do you think about Tartan? ♥

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barry m lipstick - genie

2015-01-14T07:00:00.000+00:00

Today's lipstick post is a bit of an unusual one. When I opened a Christmas present to find a Green lipstick inside, I was a bit unsure of what my mum was trying to tell me. She must have noticed a puzzled look on my face as she kept insisting it wasn't what I thought. Intrigued, I gave it a go and actually I was pleasantly surprised..

Genie is not your typical green lipstick, in fact it isn't green at all. Although the bullet is green it actually transforms into a lovely pink shade, which is where i am gathering the name Genie comes from. No flies on me, eh?! This lipstick adapts to the Alkalines that are already in the lips and creates a unique pink colour. On me, it turns into a punchy, tinted pink which I have been wearing as a nice everyday shade.

Available at Barry M and Boots.

I have found this to be a nice alternative to a tinted balm or moisturiser as it feels lovely on the lips and gives them a nice smooth feel. The shade lasts a surprisingly long time too, I found even after a good few hours I still have a nice pink stain.

For a bit of a Novelty product, you can really go wrong for the price and I guess it's a bit of a beauty related case of not judging a book by it's cover! ♥

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benefit they're real! push-up eyeliner

2015-01-12T07:00:00.000+00:00

This one was a bit of an impulse buy for me, my card decided not to work and I had to buy an item to test it out once it was fixed. Obviously, I went for some new make up as I couldn't think of anything else to get..ha! I ended up chosing Benefit They're Real Push-Up Liner as I do love a good eyeliner and have been meaning to try this one out for ages as I have heard nothing but good things about it.

The packaging is typical Benefit, bold and eye-catching but not too bulky either. Within the set you get a little how-to guide which is really handy if you get a bit stuck with eyeliner flicks and thicknesses.

This pen itself is really easy to hold and not too thick like some of the others I have tried before. To start you have to twist the end a fair few times until the black gel starts to come out of the end of the nib. I'm not the most patient person when it comes to things like that, so as nothing was happening I twisted a bit too much and it oozed out a little bit, whoops.

Once I actually got the flow going, I found it pretty simple to apply. The nib is flexible, so bended with the tilt of my hand. The only thing I did struggle with was creating a flick at the end. Because of the shape of the nib, one side looks perfect but the other seems to look thicker so it does take a bit of practise to get a precise flick. I think if you are used to applying gel with a brush after a few attempts you will get it!

The consistency of the gel is quite fluid, slightly thicker than a liquid but not as hard as a crayon. It feels a bit waxy if I'm honest, but in a good way. I do find that this dries super quickly so needs to be applied and blended as soon as possible. I was slightly worried how easy this would be to remove as I find the mascara version of this, really hard to get off. Surprisingly, this comes off like a dream which is definitely what you want when you return from a club at a stupid hour in the morning and need to get your make up off (That's another story though!).

Available from Benefit and Boots.

I must admit this is a pretty fullproof way of applying eyeliner. After using this a few times, it has now worked its way into my everyday routine! You can safely say i'm in love. ♥

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MAC satin lipstick - rebel

2015-01-05T20:46:00.000+00:00

I have had this lipstick for a good few months now, after I nagged my mum and dad to pick it up for me at duty free before they went away on holiday. I must admit that it has been my go to lipstick so far this winter. I know it has been described as a bit of a blogger favourite this year and I can definitely see why!

Rebel is a lovely plum shade with a nice raspberry sheen to it. I must admit that I did think it was going to be a bit darker when I first applied it, as the actual lipstick looks a lot deeper in the bullet. Don't get me wrong though, it is still a lovely shade. I find this to be a nice and versatile colour as I wear it with heavy or lighter eye make up and it seems to suit both.

The finish of this is satin, which is described as semi-matte but I find that it still has a lovely shine to it. It reminds me more of a Cremesheen finish personally as it has that moisturising feel to it. I did really have to prep my lips first though as it does show up any dryness, which isn't the most ideal for this time of year but it is such a lovely colour I really don't mind.

Available from Debenhams and Selfridges.

For me this is the perfect Wintery colour when you want something a little lighter than plum. That's not to say I won't be wearing it an awful lot in Summer too! ♥

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crabtree & evelyn - a seasonal spectacular hand cream set

2015-01-03T13:58:00.002+00:00

I can no longer find this set to buy, but all scents are still available from Crabtree & Evelyn.

I absolutely love Crabtree & Evelyn hand creams and after last year's set went down such a treat (post here), Santa repayed the favour and got me a different selection this Christmas. Yippee!

As usual with Crabtree & Evelyn, the packaging with this is lovely. So vibrant and perfect for the festive season, I'm still holding on as long as I can as I can't quite believe Christmas is over. This set consists of 6 different 25g scented tubes, each with a floral or fruity scent...

Pomegranate, Argan + Grapeseed

This scent reminds me of something, but I really can't put my finger on what it is! Don't you just hate it when that happens, I have been round to everyone in my house hoping that they would psychically know what I was talking about, but they were no help. This scent has a nice berry tone with a slight spicy undertone so is perfect for winter and lasts ages too.

Tarocco Orange, Eucalyptus + Sage

This really smells good enough to eat. The orange isn't too punchy, its very soft and reminds me of Terry's Chocolate Orange quite a lot. It doesn't have much of a zing to it, but I really like that aspect, I think the Eucalyptus and Sage tone it down quite a lot and make it more subtle.

Citron, Honey + Coriander

This is a zingy as you would expect from being a citrus scent. The citrus really shines through at first and you get a scent of lemon sherbert. After a few seconds, the honey really starts to kick in and you are left with a lovely honey and lemon aroma. It's like having a cold and drinking honey and lemon to feel better, but without the cold.

Verbena + Lavender

This has a pretty typical lavender scent to it and reminds me of the lavender soaps and lotions that you can buy. This is my least favourite of the set, but only because lavender doesn't really float my boat too much. I'm sure this will be a treat to any Lavender fans though!

Pear + Pink Magnolia

I never knew these two scents could work so well together. This is by far my favourite of the bunch. The balance between fruity and floral is lovely and as soon as I close my eyes the smell makes me think of Spring. It reminds me of old fashioned talcum powder that my nan used to use as it has that vintage fruity smell to it.

English Honey + Peach Blossom

I do love the smell of peach and this is another scent that is good enough to eat. The honey doesn't kick in straightaway, but once it does the aroma makes me think of being somewhere in Spain with vineyards and fruit surrounding. (I can dream eh!)

I find sets like this really handy if you are like me for getting bored of the same smell, you can just swap them around when you start to get fed up. In terms of moisturising, my hands feel extremely soft and smell good too! ♥

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