Monday 29 September 2014

What Is In My Makeup Bag?


If you are all just as nosey as I am, then you LOVE posts like these. Ones where you get to delve into peoples makeup bags and see what items they use on a daily basis. I thought I would share what is in my makeup bag..I hope you enjoy :)

My make up bag is from Harrods as you may be able to see (durr). I bought this around a year ago and I am still very much in love with it, though I am not too sure if it is still in stores. The best thing about it, is that it has on it every stereotypical London "thing" you can think of. :)


Let's get onto the makeup. The first few things I have in my bag is of course mascara...a staple in every girl's makeup bag. This particular one is one of my favouirtes. It is Maybelline's falsies volume express mascara, it lengthens and thickens lashes just as you would want and doesn't cost a fortune. I also have my l'oreal liquid super liner eyeliner pen. I love eyeliner pens recently, I feel you get more precision especially if you aren't too good at applying eyeliner on the upper lids. Other than upper lid eyeliner, I have normal liner that I use in the waterline. This is Rimmel's exaggerate eyeliner. I prefer roll up eyeliner to ones you have to sharpen yourself as I feel it is just too messy and they break more easily too.


Onto the face bits and bobs! :) One thing I cannot live without is my Elizabeth Arden, 8 hour cream. I have nearly ran out this and it has been going strong for over a year now. I mainly use it on my lips as an alternative to a regular lipbalm as this one is much more moisturising. The great thing about this cream is that you can use it for dry patches on your body and even on burns. The next product is one I live by. This is Dior's BB creme. I have been through 4 bottles of the stuff within a year and a bit and I really can't find anything better. I'm not a massive fan of full coverage makeup as I don't like the feel of it on my face but this is perfect for giving a light coverage and colour correcting too. I LAV IT! Rimmel's stay matte powder is a staple of mine and has been for years now. I have tried so many different powders and for the price of this one, you cannot go wrong!!


As for concealers, I have two that will always be in my makeup bag. MAC Studio finish concealer has amazing coverage and is great for brightening up the area around the eyes, however I feel it can get a little cakey. I think this is personally a great concealer for blemishes! My other concealer is slightly darker and nearer to my skin tone. This is Benefit's Boi-ing concealer. This also has brilliant coverage, if not better than the MAC one. This concealer is also antibactieral so it makes you feel less guilty about wearing makeup on a very bad and very spotty skin day.


I do have my favourite eyeshadow palettes but they can be a right nightmare carrying around all the time, so they stay away from my everyday makeup bag. Maybellines Color Tattoo's are just simply amazing products. You can use them as a primer for eyeshadows such as the Rimmel one pictured below, but you can also apply them on their own as a wash of colour on the lids. I also use the shade Permanent Taupe for my eyebrows...try it! :P


I also have regular eyeshadow primer, this one by Urban Decay is amazing. It makes eyeshadow last all day and you don't even have to use that much of it. This one bottle has lasted me over a year and a half! I also have MAC harmony, which I use for contouring. This one I feel is slightly too dark for me now though  (sad times). I finally have a duo eyeshadow palette. I won't go into too much detail on this baby as I have written a blog post on this a couple months back, which you can read here


So that is basically what is in my makeup bag and items I reach for day to day. I hope you enjoyed reading! What item of makeup do you reach for on a daily basis?

Friday 26 September 2014

The Bullet Journal..


Hello guys!

So it has come to that time of the year where most students are heading back to school or starting uni and everything can get a little too hectic, especially if you have a load of things to do..deadlines, shopping lists etc. Some people like myself, tend to write lists and notes in many different books and it can be hard to follow all of them and still get everything done. I had been browsing the interwebs (pinterest) and found many people use this "Bullet Journal" method, where everything can be easily written down in your own layout in just one little book. 


As said on the website which you can view here, it is simply rapid logging. A technique that can help you easily identify what is important and weed out the stuff that just isn't. It's the difference between being busy and being productive. 


First off is the monthly calendar. This is where you write down every day of the week and next to it you can write down important events or dates such as birthdays. On the next page I have written down just things I need to get done in that month. This could be washing the car or just reminders of little things you need to do. You can also change the way you bullet each thing. If it is a task add a box of which you can tick once you have completed it. If it is an event use a circle. If you need to look something up on the internet for school use an eye bullet. If something is of high priority add an asterix next to it. This way you can distinguish each task. On the page after you can use a daily calendar, of which you write down things you need to get done that day, writing them as ideas come. Sometimes it can be nice to read your bullet journal before you go sleep, this way it will keep you organised and prepared for the morning after. 



Then you can write individual lists such as shopping lists etc, this is called collections. I have collections such as blog ideas, and for uni I have portfolio skills. This just keeps me up to date with other important things I need to sort out. Keeping them all in one place is so much easier!


I feel this has really changed the way I organise all my work and I find other daily planners to be a bit hard to stick with. With the bullet journal you can adapt everything to be how you want it to be and you just have a lot more freedom with it. It is taking a while for me to get used to it but it is such an easier concept. Also, this doesn't just have to be for students!

If you are interested in starting your own bullet journal and want more information on how to do it you can here.

My journal is the squared paper moleskine A5 notebook from Amazon if anyone is wondering! :) 

Wednesday 24 September 2014

Lee Evans- Monster Tour NIA Birmingham





Hello guys!

Last Friday was one of the best nights I have had in a very long time. This was obviously because I had tickets to see Lee Evans! I bought these tickets over a year ago and when the day finally came along, I was too darn excited. He is one of my favourite comedians of all time, with his slapstick humour that is just brilliant to watch. Through out the whole night my face ached from all the laughter and the atmosphere was amazing. To think how supportive every one was of him and yet how nervous he still got, shows you he is still a human being!! But then again, he was filming this show for his upcoming DVD (comes out Nov)..MUST GET! As the show was being recorded, I wasn't allowed to record any videos or take any photos whilst he was performing but I did get some good ones of the stadium and the stage on my new iPhone 6 before hand. OOH! 

Other than being extremely hilarious, he is also very musically talented too. His song dedicated to his wife at the end was a real "aw" moment and it was simply a beautiful note to end the show on. 

What a night! Who is your favourite comedian?

Monday 22 September 2014

Dior Addict Lip gloss- Beige Songe





Isn't it the most prettiest thing ever?! 

I know, I know, you are probably thinking yet another nude shade. However, I find that why pay a lot of money on something you won't wear a lot of the time. I said a few blog posts back that I am not the biggest lip gloss fan (Hypocrite xD), but this lip gloss is absolutely stunning on.

I bought this a year or so back, just before heading on the plane to Tenerife (holiday blues). It is the Dior Addict Gloss in "Beige Songe". It is another nude, but it has a slight baby pink tone to it with a subtle golden shimmer which hits the light beautifully. When applied it comes out light beige and the pink isn't too noticeable, so the pigmentation isn't strong at all. If applied on top of a light pink lipstick such as Charnelle by Dior (my favourite lipstick of all time) I think it would personally look amazing. Being a lip gloss, it isn't long lasting but what lip gloss lasts hours on the lips? 

I really like the brush applicator as well. It is basically similar to NARS' Lip glosses in the way it comes with an actual brush and not one of those dome foot spongy ones. This means you can pick up more of the product and apply it more precisely. It also makes blending into the lips much more better. 

I personally LOVE this lip gloss and Dior is my favourite brand of makeup, even though their products can be pricey. I bought this for £18 in the airport. They sell in stores for £22. You can browse the shades on the Debenhams website here

What is your favourite lip gloss?

Saturday 20 September 2014

Gluten Free Bakewell Tarts..




I LOVE bakewell tarts! Seriously..I actually have an addiction to them. As I eat gluten free, cakes and pastrys and practically everything is pricey. I don't know whether it has to do with the added ingredients to make it work or whether it is the whole process behind making them. Either way, if you are a cake lover like myself, it is difficult to afford everything. This is where I have been dying to make somethings for myself to save money and of course they DO taste better, gluten free or not. 

Pastry is a difficult thing to make end of...but with gluten free flour it is a pain in the balls (excuse my language). It is more dry and crumbles whenever you try to work with it, this is even if i chill it before hand. However after two attempts of making these, I finally have alright-ish photos for you. 

I have made a big bakewell tart before using a Phil Vickery's recipe. It is nice to know a well known chef that loves to cook gluten free! You can visit his website here with loadsaa gluten free and normal recipes. 

This time however, I wanted to make smaller ones it order to take them out and about and also I feel you make more with your ingredients. I used and adapted London Bakes recipe! I love London Bakes' blog, so be sure to check it out here

Ingredients

Pastry:

180g gluten free flour
50g ground almonds
2 teaspoons sugar
Pinch of salt
115g unsalted butter, cubed and cold (I used Pure Sunflower spread as a dairy free option)
1 egg
1-2 tablespoons ice cold water

Filling:

115g unsalted butter, softened
115g caster sugar
1 egg
115g ground almonds
Zest of a lemon
Raspberry jam or any of your choice
Flaked almonds to decorate

Instructions

1. Grease a 12 hole muffin tin. To make the pastry add the gluten free flour and ground almonds to the sugar and salt. Then add the butter and using your hands create a mixture that resembles large breadcrumbs. Add the egg and water till you create a dough. 
2. Roll the pastry and cut 12 circles out, big enough to fit in the muffin case. Trim off excess pastry and put them in the fridge to cool whilst you prepare the filling!
3. Preheat the oven to 170C. Beat together the butter and sugar till it is light and fluffy. Gradually add the egg and fold through the ground almonds and lemon zest.
4. Remove pastry cases from the fridge and add a teaspoon of jam into each one. Split the frangipane between the cases and scatter the flaked almonds on top.
5. Bake for around 15-20 minutes, making sure they don't burn (like my first lot). Remove from the oven and let cool before moving them out of the muffin tin!


And...that is it! I hope you enjoyed this little post and let me know if you have any gluten free recipes that I NEED to try out!!

Thursday 18 September 2014

What Have I Been Doing This Summer?- #4 Eminem at Wembley

13th July- Eminem at Wembley Stadium


Hello guys!

Over the Summer, I have been doing a lot of things. Wimbledon, Color Run...the list goes on and you can read some of these posts here and here and here haha (if you are interested).

A few months prior to heading to Wembley, I was umm-ing and arr-ing over whether I could actually afford to go to see Eminem. It was £80 and we all know that isn't the cheapest price for a ticket to see someone live. However, I bit the bullet and gave ticketmaster alllllll my money ha! It was one of the best things I have ever done. Having the chance to experience Wembley all over again after running around it for the Color Run seemed like an opportunity not to turn down..however this time I was actually in the arena and It was simply incredible. 

I have never been in a stadium so big in all my life and once all the crowd gathered in and filled up near enough every seat and all the floor area, I was very overwhelmed (in a good way). Que loads of photos of the back of people's heads ha! Sorry not sorry.





Eminem performed amazing and I have never felt so gangster in all my life! haha! The crowd were going absolutely mental especially at all the old songs such as "My Name Is" and "Without Me". and even when Dr Dre decided to pop out for a few songs! My personal favourite was "Not Afraid" which were played nearer the end of the show. It was beautiful!

I had such a fantastic time and to share that atmosphere with a couple of my good friends were beyond amazing. To think I wasn't going to go because of the expense hah! Lesson learnt..if you want to do something just go for it!! 

Thanks for reading! 


Tuesday 16 September 2014

10 Tips on How to Budget- The Student's Guide..

Hello Guys!!

I know I am not the best person to be giving money advice to anyone, however this budget guide is more for myself to follow and for those who may quickly read and find it helpful.


Budgeting is a big big thing for students at uni. I am moving into a house with a few friends in the next couple of weeks and will need all the advice and tips I can get. What with buying food, paying rent, bills, books and having that extra cash for nights out and fun things..it can get very hectic. I have created a little guide full of tips for students that may have a fair few things to pay out for during the uni year. Boring, I know..haha! I hope you find this helpful.
  1. Buy a notebook and manage spending- I have one where I write everything down that I have bought and how much I have left in my bank. It's a brilliant method to keep up with, so you don't over spend!
  2. Pay off the most important things first- Phone contracts and car insurance and all that boring stuff that NEEDS to get paid, always has priority over other little things.
  3. Plan meals for that week- This saves a lot of money and also a lot of wasted food. Don't buy things that you know you may not eat straight away, especially fruit that may go off fast. Tinned foods are always good!
  4. Students..don't buy brand new books- We all know uni books can be very very expensive. Try amazon or ebay for second hand books, or older editions. 
  5. Part time job- If you have one, write down how much you earn and base living costs off that, rather than breaking into your student finance. Unless you have to.
  6. USE YOUR STUDENT CARD! Everyone loves a good discount.
  7. Try and save a little cash for you. Not too much you can't buy food that week but enough for a couple nights out or some type of pretty clothing. Only take out with you what you will spend on a night out. Keep the debit card at home!
  8. If you have two bank accounts, transfer what you want to spend in that particular week in one and only use that account/card. This is good for keeping on track with your budget.
  9. Drink before you go out...we all know how expensive drinks on a night out can cost. Pre-drinks are the one.
  10. Walk as much as you can around campus and to and from places. If the distance is further, invest in a bike. If you have a car think about outgoings such as petrol, tax, and insurance. 


I hope these little money saving and budgeting tips have been helpful. What tips would you give students or anyone as a matter of fact to be more savvy with their money?

Sunday 14 September 2014

Homeware and Mini Clothes Haul!


As you may or may not know, I am moving into my University house in the next couple of weeks. EEK! Spending far too much money on room decor has become quite evident over the past month or so. I have a few bits and bobs I have bought recently to show you. :) 

The colour scheme I was initially going for was white, grey and black. Very clean looking and very monochrome (of course). However I wanted it to look more homely, so I have added a bit of colour here and there, with the odd pop of purple and pink. 





First off I went in B&M, a shop that sells "everything" quite near to me. This is where I got the black and silver crackled mosaic lamp. "I LOVE LAMP." Seriously though, it is beautiful and only cost £7.99. We all love a bargain. 

The white crotchet pillow and the grey fur pillow were both from Primark. I thought they would look great with the silver/grey bed clothes that I have bought too. Primark is on point when it comes to homeware at the minute. I think both the pillows were around the £4-£5 mark.

The floral lanterns were a must. We all know fairy lights of any type make a room look more cosy and home like. Something a uni room must have, in my eyes! These cute floral ones, I thought would make the room also pop slightly as they add a bit of colour to the room. I need more colour in my life I swear! These cost £6. I also got a matching laundry basket (how cute) for £3.50, and a grey fitted sheet (boring!) for around £4. The cheaper the better I say.

I also nipped into my local dunelm and had a little browse. I caught my eye on a beautiful glass jar. I immediately thought it could hold all my hair brushes and for £2.99, I just had to get it. It would match any kind of decorated room too. I also grabbed a plum coloured tea light holder, to shove on my desk. All I need now is a big ass yankee candle, and I will be happy! :) 

Of course whilst shopping, I had to get a few clothes didn't I? It was also pay day, so ya know. Excuses Rach! 


Primark as I said are on point with their homeware and also their Autumn/Winter range. I couldn't help but notice the amount of collared jumpers they have in stock at the minute. If you are a collar wearer I would get yourself down Primark immediately. The first thing I grabbed was this beautiful grey jumper. It has the softest material ever and the most lovely sparkly necklace collared detailing. Perfect for Autumn/Winter. The purchase just had to be made. I think this Jumper is about £14. Expensive for a Primark jumper but hey ho, I can see a lot of wear will be made of it. 

I also picked up some shoes. These are unbelievably comfy and for £10 they are brill! They have a gold buckle at the front and are very sturdy considering the price! They are also great flats for matching with practically anything! Lav them! 

Finally I ventured back into Topshop and bought another one of the peterpan collared tops. They have them in nearly every colour and they could go with anything too. I have two of these tops now and I love them. With student discount they are £14.40 which I think is really good for Topshop! You can buy it here




That is it from my little haul. Hope you enjoyed! :) 

Friday 12 September 2014

CHANEL- Levres Scintillantes Glossimer- Bonbon







I have never been a lipgloss kind of girl, but for Chanel I definitely am. I have always wanted to get my hands on a Chanel lipgloss and last year I got this little beauty in shade Bonbon. It is one of the most prettiest makeup products I have in my little collection with it's gold sparkles and classic Chanel packaging. 

Chanel has these lipglosses in many different colours, it was so difficult to choose the one. Must add more to my list of products I need to get when I am rich (haha). 

All I can say about this shade is that it is stunning. It is a very sheer light pink. A perfect colour for those who are scared to wear a bit of colour on the lips like myself. I don't wear many lip glosses at the best of time so picking one that was wear-able in the day would be better value for my money. This lip gloss also has gold flecks in it. Swoon. I think the gold sparkles definitely make the product and in the sun it looks amazing, even on top of a nude lipstick. 

The lip gloss has no scent to it, I don't know if I like the fact it doesn't. Dior lipsticks smell amazing and if this product had the same scent, I would be even more in love with the product. It also isn't sticky on the lips, so the formula is bang on in my opinion. I hate those kind of ones that tend to make my lips stick together! The applicator is standard like most lip glosses. I have recently seen Nars lip glosses and I love how the applicator is a brush, which provides precision when applying. I think Chanel could up the ante by following Nars' footsteps. The brush just gives that luxury feel to it, and paying near on 20 pounds for this product it would have been nice to get a better brush. But with a beautiful formula and colour, I guess I shouldn't moan. 

I am a sucker for the packaging and I think Chanel do good in making their products look pretty as well as sophisticated. You can't go wrong with the two C's!

Have you tried Chanel lip glosses before? What is your favourite lip gloss, drugstore and/or high end? :)

Tuesday 9 September 2014

7 Random Things About Me Tag!

I love tags like these. They are fun and you get to know something different about the writer behind the blog.

I was tagged by Embergrey of whose blog I am utterly addicted to at the minute. You can have a browsey browse here. I was tagged to write down 7 random facts and things about myself! When it comes down to thinking about things to write down for yourself, it is difficult! However, I managed to come up with some random facts..I hope you enjoy!


  1. I am an avid note taker. I write lists for absolutely everything. My journal is full of them. My phone is also full of them. I don't feel normal without having a list of things to do or whatever for that day!
  2. I can't eat gluten, so as a substitute I have to smell anything with gluten in it. When my friend orders a McDonald's burger, I have to let them have a bite and then smell the inside of it. It is a weird addiction even if I do say so myself. 
  3. I hate smiling on photos or taking a serious one. Instead I pull faces (the duck face) or stick my tongue out. It just happens okay.
  4. I have a specific routine on when I eat. Everyday at 3pm I have rice cakes with peanut butter on them and a cup of peppermint tea. It is weird and random but I get all edgy if I don't stick with my food routine ha!
  5. Fleetwood Mac are my favourite band of all time. People will probably think they are dated or think why the heck are they my favourite band, but their songs just make me happy and I could listen to them over and over again and not get bored one bit. One of my favourite songs is called "Seven Wonders". One of my friends told me to listen to it a while back and it instantly become one of my faves. <3
  6. I have an utter obsession with Cath Kidston kind of prints. I have around 5 Cath Kidston bags and even created a patchwork quilt using CK fabric. Whenever I venture into the Nottingham shop, I want  need everything in there. One day I say..one day! 
  7. I can't eat my dinner without Ketchup...ever.
That is it, I hope you enjoyed my 7 random facts and now know a little more about me. :)

Tag time!
I now tag these lovely girls to write 7 facts about themselves. Don't feel obliged to do it if you don't want to or have done it before! :) <3

Jordan from Hello Miss Jordan
Jessica from Jess Who

A Grateful Heart #3- Friends


Today I am grateful for my friends.

After starting University, I know how hard it is to keep relationships with some of your closest friends. Moving out and making new friends is amazing but the further you live out the less time you evidently spend with some of your old school mates. However when it gets to Christmas and Summer, I get to see them again and it is like they had never left..it is awesome!

What I am trying to get at (haha) is that this past weekend and Summer I have got to spend time with a few of them that I don't get to see everyday, especially when the gloomy uni term starts. We all decided to go on a "final" night out and enjoy down some deathly drinks (The Jager bomb..urgh). The thing I love about my friends is that despite what kind of mood I am in, they never fail to make me laugh or distract me from the "things" that are going on in my life. I am grateful for my friends. Some of them are probably reading this right now..so thanks guys hah! <3




If you want to take part in this Grateful Heart link up, you can at Embergrey's blog, which you can view here. :)

What are you grateful for this week?