Beauty Fashion Lifestyle

Monday 28 July 2014

Mini Haul | Forever 21, Play.com, O.P.I & China Glaze


Hi guys. I have bought a few random bits and bobs lately, so I thought it was only right that I did a mini haul on my blog! Hauls are one of my favourite types of blog posts to write as it enables me to share some great finds with my followers too. All of these purchases have been made over the past month or so and I am really excited about all of them. So, let's dive straight in to this mini haul!

V-Cut Floral Dress - £12.00
First up is this gorgeous dress from Forever 21. I am a huge fan of bodycon styles as I feel that they suit my petite frame and do not overwhelm me, plus the v-neck cut is very flattering. I am also a huge lover of floral patterns and the colour of this one combined with this kind of watercolour effect is really pretty and unique. Considering how affordable this dress is, the quality of it is amazing! The material is very thick yet stretchy and there is even boning around the deep V to add some more support. This dress comes in another colour too, which my best friend bought as we loved them both, so we actually got one each to swap and share!

Faking It by Cora Carmack - £6.99
I recently bought this book by the author Cora Carmack. 'Faking It' is the second book in a three part series that I discovered at the end of last year. In the first book 'Losing It,' a girl studying at university is aiming to lose her virginity. She eventually meets the perfect guy but it is soon revealed that their relationship is forbidden and the story unravels from there (I don't want to give anything away!) The second book, however, is kind of a spin-off as it follows one of the other characters featured in the first book on his own quest to find love. I became addicted to the first book and so I am really excited to start reading this one too!


As I completed a three day intensive nail course in October last year, I have been slowly building up my collection of professional nail polishes so that I can eventually start my own mobile nail technician business. As I completed my course at my nearby Sally's store, I have a trade card which enables me to get products at a cheaper price than they are sold to the general public. I actually picked up these five polishes on a VAT free day too, which means that they were even cheaper than usual! Even though I cannot remember the exact prices (they were all around the £5 mark,) I wanted to share these beautiful colours with you all.

O.P.I Nail Polishes
The first O.P.I nail varnish that I purchased is 'Live.Love.Carnival,' which is a stunning coral colour. It is incredibly bright, opaque and I think that it suits every skin tone. It's a great all-rounder! The gorgeous blue colour that you can see above is called 'Teal The Cows Come Home.' I really love this polish as it has a lot of shimmery particles running through it and sometimes is nice to choose a rarer polish to wear instead of your typical reds, pinks or neutrals, which most of us wear the majority of the time! The last O.P.I polish in this mini haul is 'Cajun Shrimp,' a striking orangey-red that really packs a punch. I think that this colour is a nice twist on a classic red and the slight orange hue makes it perfect for summer!

China Glaze Nail Polishes

The first polish I got is 'In A Lily Bit,' which is a really pretty pastel lilac colour. I am really into milky colours at the moment, despite the fact that they are quite difficult to apply, and I have a feeling that this colour will be a popular one amongst my future customers as it is quite unique. The second China Glaze polish that I bought is a very bright fuchsia/purple shade called 'Dune Our Thing'. I think this shade is a nice twist on a classic pink shade that a lot of people reach for, so I have a feeling that this one will get a lot of use too.

So that's it for my mini haul! I hope you all enjoyed reading some quick reviews on what I have purchased over the past few weeks. Which item is your favourite? What have you hauled recently? Let me know by leaving a comment below. Thank you!

Tuesday 22 July 2014

The 'Sunkissed Summer' Tag!


The weather here in England has been amazing (although slightly muggy) lately, so I am most definitely in the mood for summer! Therefore, I thought that doing the Sunkissed Summer tag would be a great way of sharing everything that I love about this beautiful season with all of you. I recently saw Miss Glamorazzi's video and her responses inspired me to try this tag out for myself. I have really been enjoying doing more tags on my blog lately, as I feel that they enable my followers to get to know me a little bit better. Plus, they are really fun to type up, so let's get started!

1. What is your go-to product for a sun kissed summer glow? 
I am not big fan of fully-fledged fake tanning products because I do not think that they look very natural on me. However, I have been loving Garnier's Summer Body Moisturising Lotion. I can build it up gradually to my desired colour, it glides on seamlessly and just gives me an all round healthy glow!

2. What book would you recommend for a summer read?

I have recently read two books in a series of three called 'Losing It' and 'Faking It' by Cora Carmack, which was a really great read. I need to buy the last book pronto! I also love anything by John Green too, especially Looking For Alaska.

3. What's your signature summer scent this year?

This is definitely a toss up between Vera Wang's Lovestruck Floral Rush or Marc Jacobs' Honey perfume. Both of these scents are very appropriate for summer as they are sweet, light and fresh!

4. The sun is shining and it's time to get outside! What's your favorite thing to do?

To be quite honest, I just like to sunbathe and relax in my garden with a good book. I love topping up my tan and that is my main aim when I'm outdoors during the summer. I also really enjoy having barbecues with my friends and family.

5. You're on the boardwalk and your stomach is grumbling. What's your go-to summer beach food?
Without a doubt, the first thing I would go for is an ice-cream or an ice lolly. I especially love Cornetto's, Maxibons or Fruit Pastille Ice Lollies.


6. Sunscreen is always important, but it's a MUST in summer! What's your favorite? 
The two bottles I have on the go at the moment are Garnier's Ambre Solaire Light & Silky SPF20 and Piz Buin's Ultra Light Hydrating Sun Spray SPF30. I like both of these formulas because they are lightweight, not overly sticky and leave a nice sheen on my skin.

7. After a day in the summer sun and heat, what do you do to cool off?

I like to take a cold shower to remove any suntan lotion I have on and to cool myself down. I also like to take the time to look after my skin and thoroughly cleanse it etc, as it can get very clogged up throughout the day.

8. How do you wear your hair in the summer? 

I either have my usual style, which is loose beachy waves, or I have it up in a high ponytail if it is particularly hot outside.

9. Must-have nail polish for summer 2014?
There are two shades in particular that I have been wearing lately; China Glaze 'In A Lily Bit' and OPI 'Cajun Shrimp.' The China Glaze polish is a really milky lilac colour which looks great with a tan and Cajun Shrimp is a bright orange-y red shade that is very striking!

10. Sometimes it just feels good to chill out and watch Netflix. What shows/movies do you recommend for summer?

I am into a lot of programmes at the moment, so here are a few of them; Pretty Little Liars, Hart Of Dixie, Keeping Up With The Kardashians and How I Met Your Mother.


11. Do you wear liquid foundation, BB cream, or tinted moisturizer in the summer?
I still tend to wear my liquid foundation during the summer but if I do want to opt for a lighter base, I use Maybelline's Dream Fresh BB Cream - which has an SPF of 30 too!

12. It's super bright outside! Do you reach for sunglasses or a hat?

Definitely sunglasses. I know that wearing a hat in the sun is very beneficial and it protects you but they just do not suit me at all!

13. What is your summer jam this year?
Over the past two weeks, I have been non-stop listening to Ariana Grande's new single called Break Free. It's so catchy and it always puts me in a good mood when I listen to it!

14. Do you have a summer bucket list? If so, share some things on the list.

I do not have a bucket list, in fact I do not think I have ever made one! My only aim is to spend lots of time with my friends, family and my boyfriend.

15. Bikini, tankini, or one piece? Show us your fave bathing suit this year!

I am definitely a bikini girl and I recently bought a gorgeous one from Forever 21 (see here.) I just love the blue and white tie-dye pattern! Plus, I love all of the little cut-outs which make me feel more sexy and womanly!


16. Summer means heat... and sweat! What's your favorite sweat proof product this year? 
I have two main products that help me stay sweat free throughout summer. The first one is Sure's Maximum Protection Deodorant which is a cream formula that you oddly apply at night time but it works wonders, I highly recommend it. I may even do an in-depth blog post on it soon! The second product that I like to use is Urban Decay's All Nighter Make-Up Setting Spray. It makes sure that my make-up does not slide or melt off all day, it's seriously amazing!

17. Summer wouldn't be complete without a scoop (or two) of ice cream! If you could create your own ice cream flavor, what would it be?

I really like chocolate orange flavoured things like Jaffa Cakes or Terry's Chocolate Orange. So, I would really enjoy some kind of vanilla ice-cream with chocolate and orange running through it. Yum!

And those are all of my answers for the Sunkissed Summer tag, I hope you enjoyed reading my answers and got to know me a little better. As always, I would like to tag everybody who would like to give this tag a go for themselves. However, I would also like to tag the following blogs; Sailor Jennie, The Imperfect Beauty Queen & Efflorescent Dream. Thank you for reading and please link your responses below if you complete the tag yourselves :)

Thursday 17 July 2014

Top Of The Crops | My Current Favourite Crop Tops

Hi guys. Crop tops have become a major trend over the past few years and there is no sign of their popularity slowing down. With so many different patterns, colours, cuts and fits on the market, there is definitely a flattering and suitable crop top out there for everyone. The high street have got some amazing summer pieces at the moment, so today I thought that I would share some of my favourites with you. Let's get started!

90's Blue Floral Crop - £12.00
First up is this cute little number from Miss Selfridge. I am a huge fan of floral prints (as you can probably tell) and I love the blurry, watercolour effect of this particular crop top. I think that it is really pretty without being too in your face. This high neck line is all the rage at the moment too and I think that it would look great with my high-waisted Topshop jeans. Plus for £12, it is quite the bargain!

Pretty Lace Trim Crop Top - £28.00
Next up is this white, embroidered crop top from Topshop. I absolutely love this top because it has a different fit and style compared to the majority of the the items that I have included in this post. The cut of this is very unique, as it goes up into a slight point at the hemline - which is a great extra detail, as well as the feminine trim around the hemline. 

Purple Floral Tee - £30.00
I am in love with this top from Miss Selfridge! Purple is my favourite colour, however, I do not have a lot of it in my wardrobe for some reason. I love this top mainly for its bold and colourful print, it's just gorgeous! I also really like the fact that this top has a slightly looser fit and isn't bodycon, like most crop tops are. I think this piece is very versatile and could definitely be dressed up or down.

Tropical Seamed Bralet - £12.00
This number from Topshop is bang on trend at the moment. Tropical print is all the rage this summer and the colours of this crop top are simply gorgeous! I love that this top is so versatile and I think that it would look great with either a pair of denim shorts or a flowy, black maxi skirt. I think that this top would be perfect if you are going abroad this summer!

Yellow Daisy Print Racer Front Crop Top - £12.00
This daisy print top from River Island is next on my list.Although I am personally not a huge fan of wearing yellow because I'm blonde, I think that colour would look absolutely gorgeous with a tan. I also love that the monochrome daisies are all different sizes, I think it gives a really nice effect. As with the blue floral top above, the neckline of this is really fashionable at the moment too.

Miami Bra Top - £30.00
Last but not least is this beaufiful pastel, tropical print crop top from Miss Selfridge. I would definitely say that this top is more appropriate for night time occasions due to its V-neck shape, which will obviously expose your cleavage a little. There is also a matching skort to go with this bralet on the website for those of you who love the co-ordinate look!

I hope you all enjoyed reading about the crop tops I am loving and that are available on the high street at the moment. Which one is your favourite? Are you a fanof the crop top trend? Please let me know by leaving a comment below. Thank you!

Monday 14 July 2014

I'm A Lush Addict!


Hi guys. I think it's safe to say just by the amount of posts I have written about Lush products so far this year that I am well and truly a Lush addict! There's nothing I love more than taking a long bubble bath and these products make the entire experience a lot more fun and special. These five products were given to me for my birthday a little while ago and although I briefly mentioned them in my 'What I Got For My 20th Birthday' posts back in May, I wanted to talk about each item today in more detail. So, let's get started!



Creamy Candy Bubble Bar - £2.60
First up is my favourite ever Lush product. Creamy Candy is a gorgeous bubble bar that turns your bath water a cute pale pink shade. I normally use half a bar per bath and crumble it under a running tap to create the perfect amount of bubbles. The main reason I love this product so much is due to the fact that it smells of candy floss and all things sweet and yummy! This var also contains a mixture of cocoa butter and almond oil too, which leaves you skin feeling silky soft.

Sex Bomb Bath Bomb - £3.25
Next up is the infamous Sex Bomb bath bomb, which is one of Lush's most popular products and rightly so! This jasmine, ylang ylang and sage scented bomb claims to ease stress and 'get you in the mood.' Although I wouldn't say that those statements are true, I did enjoy using this product and it does smell heavenly. As it fizzes, it turns your bath water a bright pink colour which makes Sex Bomb the perfect product for a pamper night.



The Comforter Bubble Bar - £4.50
The Comforter is a bit of a new discovery for me and I am absolutely obsessed with it. I would definitely say that it is my second favourite bubble bar (nothing will ever replace Creamy Candy for me!) This bar smells like blackcurrant and berries, which means that it is extremely fragrant and makes your entire bathroom smell amazing. This product also creates a lot of bubbles when you run it under the tap. I also like that The Comforter is one of the biggest bubble bars, so you can get a lot of uses out of it too!

Pop In The Bath Bubble Bar - £2.95
The third and final bubble bar included in this post is Pop In The Bath. This cute little bar has a fresh and floral fragrance which also includes citrus oils to add a little zest too. What's great about this product is that it comes in three different colour variations; so you can choose your favourite out of green, white or blue. Like all bubble bars, Pop In The Bath creates lots of lovely bubbles, as well as nourishing your skin at the same time. I'm not too sure if I would purchase it again as I do prefer other ones more but it was still enjoyable to use.

Think Pink Bath Bomb - £2.50
Last but not least is the Think Pink Bath Bomb. I loved its vanilla fragrance and it made my whole bathroom smell incredible. This particular bomb also contains lavender oil, which means that it is a great product to use to unwind at night time. Not only does it turn your bath water bright pink but as it dissolves, it releases lots of little rice paper love hearts - which makes this bath bomb super cute and fun to use!

I hope you have all enjoyed reading about these five lovely products from Lush, as I certainly enjoyed using them! Please let me know if you have tried any of these products before, what you thought of them and so on. Also, I am always open to recommendations and I would love to know of any Lush items that you love and think I would enjoy. So, please feel free to leave a comment below. Thank you :)

Tuesday 8 July 2014

The Lip Product Addict Tag


Hi guys. Today I thought that I would do the Lip Product Addict Tag, which was originally created by YouTubers Amelia Liana and Essiebutton (watch here.) The reason behind me doing this tag is simply because I seem to be lacking in inspiration this week but I still wanted to post something whilst I try to get my blogging mojo back! The beauty product that I obsess over most is definitely lipstick and I always seem to buy a new one whenever I pop into Boots or Superdrug, it's an addiction of mine! Hence, I thought that this tag was the perfect fit me. So, lets get started!

1. Favourite balm/treatment?
I really loving using Carmex to nourish my lips throughout the day or over night. I love its thick consistency as it really feels like it is doing something to your lips. Not only this but this balm is so cheap which is a huge bonus seeing as I have gotten through quite a few tubes of it already and use it almost every day. My favourite flavour to use is cherry as it smells delicious! I also think that there is a hint of menthol in this product as it really makes your lips tingle when you apply it too!

2. Best eye-catching red?

I would have to say that my favourite red to wear is Revlon's ColorBurst Matte Balm in the shade 'Standout,' which is a deep red. I love the matte finish to this product as it is not at all drying on the lips and  think that sometimes super glossy reds can make you look a little over done. This crayon is super long-lasting too - which is great for when I want to wear a statement red lip on a night out and I don't want it to budge!

3. Best luxury & best drugstore?

For luxury, I love my new Clinique Chubby Stick in the shade 'Woopin' Watermelon.' I am a huge chubby stick fan and I just love the colour of this. It is a pale pink shade that is quite sheer, so it is perfect to wear during the day time. I usually layer it over Benefit's Posie Tint and these two product together give the most amazing natural and pretty look. As for drugstore, I think you cannot beat the formulation of Rimmel's Moisture Renew Lipsticks. They are really moisturising and creamy, plus the shade range that they have is amazing. There is definitely something for everybody! One of my favourite shades is 'Dark Knight Water-loops!' which is a stunning dark plum shade which is perfect for creating a vampy make-up look.


4. Best MAC lipstick?
Surprisingly, I only own one MAC lipstick and this is because I am often on a budget and I find that the range of lip products in the drugstore is pretty amazing anyway! However, the one lipstick from MAC that I do own is called 'Crosswires.' It is a gorgeous coral/pink shade which is part of their creme sheen collection. It is a beautiful summer shade that looks great with a tan and instantly perks up your complexion!

5. The most disappointing?

The most disappointing lip product in my collection is Barry M's Ultra Moisturising Lip Paint in the shade 156. This lipstick does not last long on the lips at all and it is quite a pain to have to constantly re-apply it. For me this is a real shame because it's deep pink/berry shade is actually really gorgeous, it's just a pity that it fades so quick!

6. Liner - yes or no?

I do not tend to use liner because lipstick does not seem to bleed on my lips, so I think for me personally, it is an unnecessary step. However, I do love the look of using lip liner if you are doing a bold lip as it gives you a lot more precision and definition.

7. Best gloss?

My favourite gloss at the moment is Revlon's Super Lustrous Lipgloss in Kiss Me Coral. Not only is the formulation of the gloss lightweight and not overly sticky, but the colour itself is gorgeous too. This coral/red gloss has amazing pigmentation for a gloss and it also has fleck of glitter run through it, which makes it even more pretty!

8. Something extra!

I could not do the Lip Product Addict Tag without mentioning Bourjois' Rouge Edition Velvet Lipsticks. Everybody in the blogging community is talking about these bad boys and for good reason! These liquid lipsticks are not only affordable but the six shades in the range are so bright and stunning. I have the colour 'Frambourjosie,' which is vivid pink and this is without a doubt the most long wearing product that I own. It does not budge all day and it's matte finish is really flattering without being drying or patchy.


So guys, I hope you all enjoyed reading my answer to the Lip Product Addict Tag. Rather than tagging specific fellow bloggers to complete this tag, I would like to tag everybody who is reading this post to try the questions out for themselves! If you do complete the tag, make sure to leave a link to it below so that I can check out your answers! Thank you :)

Thursday 3 July 2014

Boots 3 For 2 | Soap & Glory


Soap & Glory is one of my favourite brands ever when it comes to bath & body products for a number of different reasons. Not only do their products nourish your skin really well but they have an amazing range of scents and adorable, quirky packaging too! The Soap & Glory range is exclusively sold in Boots, who have a 3 for 2 offer on at the moment where you get the cheapest item for free. So, I couldn't resist going in there and picking up a few bits as a little treat for myself! Today, I thought that I would write a mini review of each product and tell you what I think of them all. Let's get started!

Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Wash - £6.50
The Sugar Crush range is my favourite scent that Soap & Glory do, so I definitely had to buy this body wash. I have never used this product from the range before but I have used the Sugar Crush Scrub (which I will talk about below.) Of course, what initially drew me in to this item is it's delicious scent which features lime oil and kiwi juice water. I am huge fan of citrus scents as they are really refreshing and are a great pick-me-up in the morning. As for the wash itself, it lathers up really well when I work it into my loofah. A little goes a long way as I only use about 2 or 3 small pumps and this is enough for me to clean my entire body. For the size of the bottle (500ml,) I think that it's £6.50 price tag is very affordable as this is no doubt going to last me for quite a while!

Soap & Glory Foam Call Body Wash - £6.50
As I had already chosen both of the Sugar Crush products mentioned in this post, I decided to buy another body wash to complete the 3 for 2 offer. The reason I did this was to get the most out of my money and the deal by choosing a product at the highest possible price that I could still get for free! Foam Call's fragrance is part of S&G's Fruitigo range which includes orange oil and green fig - which is again another citrus range which I adore! This body wash lathers up very well, just like the Sugar Crush one does too. With two bottles of this body wash, I'm pretty sure that I'm going to be pretty set shower gel wise for a long time!

Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub - £8.00
Last but not least, and my favourite from the bunch, is the Sugar Crush Scrub. Similarly to the body wash, I'm addicted to the scent of this! The scrub also includes brown sugar and macadamia grains which make up its gritty texture, which makes it perfect for exfoliating. Whats great about this product is that it is not too harsh but it is not too gentle either, so it is excellent at removing dry skin from the surface of your body without being too abrasive. I have had a tub of this before and it lasted me a good few months, so again this product is great value for money as well. I am looking forward to using this again especially as I am not getting back into fake tan and exfoliation is a key part of that process!

I hope you all enjoyed reading about the Soap & Glory products that I picked up in Boots' 3 for 2 offer. I'm really looking forward to using them! Have you tried any of these before? What is your favourite Soap & Glory product? Please let me know by leaving a comment below. Thank you!