Beauty Fashion Lifestyle

Tuesday 30 September 2014

My Zoella Beauty Purchases


Ever since her launch night last Thursday where the long awaited products were finally revealed, Zoella's (Zoe Sugg's) beauty range has taken the world by storm! I cannot go on Twitter or scroll down my Bloglovin' feed without seeing a photograph or a mention of Zoe's new bath and body line. With just under a week since their release, the products have been selling like hot cakes on both Feel Unique and Superdrug. In fact, when I went into my local Superdrug today, the sales assistant told me that they have already had to restock multiple times since their official release in stores yesterday! 

As all of you are probably fully aware by now, the Zoella Beauty range contains 7 amazing products; a Blissful Mistful body mist, Creamy Madly Dreamy body lotion, Let's Glow candle, Soak Opera bath soak, Fizz Bar and two very cute make-up bags (one featuring a guinea pig and another featuring Zoe's eyes.) The products range from £5 to £8, which means that they are all extremely affordable!

I was really excited to have a look at the collection on the shelves and give everything a good sniff. After much deliberation on which products to buy, I finally settled on the 'Let's Glow' fragranced candle and 'Soak Opera' bath soak & shower cream. Although I only bought these products earlier on today, I couldn't wait to share them with all of you. As I haven't had the chance to test them out properly yet, this is just going to be a mini review describing the scents of the products and so on. Let's get started!

First up, the Let's Glow candle (£5.00) smells absolutely amazing! It's fruity yet sweet at the same time without being too over-powering, which is everything that I look for in a candle! I am really looking forward to using this candle as part of my pamper night routine. There's nothing I love more than having a relaxing bubble bath and lighting a candle, hence why I have chosen these two Zoella beauty items to try out first! Not only do I love how affordable the candle is but I love the packaging too. It's so cute and dinky! I have actually had an idea that once I finish the candle, I can use the tin as a little trinket box to store rings or hairbands/clips in. I think it would look super cute on my bedside table!



The second item that I purchased from the range is Soak Opera (also £5.00,) which is a bath soak and shower cream in one. I love multi-purpose products as you get more for your money, it looks like Zoe has really put a lot of thought into this product! Soak Opera can be added to your bath water or applied straight onto your skin. Just like the candle, the scent of this bath soak is lovely! It is sweet and floral smell that is very calming and it's perfect for when you need a long soak in the tub! It also contains aloe, vitamin E and shea butter to soften and condition your skin too. I can see this item being one of the most popular in the range as it's simply gorgeous!

So, those are the two products that I purchased from the Zoella Beauty range earlier on today. I am obsessed with them already and I cannot wait to try out some more of the range soon, the Fizz Bar is definitely next on my list! I can see these products being very popular for a long time to come and I cannot wait to see if Zoe adds more to the range in the future as well! What do you think of the range so far? Have you tried any of Zoella's range yet? Which product is your favourite? Let me know by leaving a comment below. Thank you!

Thursday 25 September 2014

My Recent Fashion Finds | H&M


Hi guys. Today I wanted to share with you the two amazing purchases that I made in H&M yesterday. I am making a major effort this year to get rid of any unwanted or unworn clothing of mine by putting them on eBay or taking them to my local charity shop. This is enabling me to buy some newer, more up-to-date items to add to my autumn/winter wardrobe. H&M have some amazing clothing in at the moment and I ended up having about 10 items to try on in the changing rooms yesterday! After a lot of deliberation, I managed to whittle it down to just two items as I am on a tight budget at the moment. So, without running the risk of rambling on, here is what I bought!


First up is this super cute jumper! I have been after a jumper like this for quite a while now as I just love the quilted effect that it has, which will add something a little new and different to my wardrobe. I also love the fact that it is cropped too, which means that it will go perfectly with my Topshop Joni jeans. Although this just looks like a light grey jumper from afar, the lines that create the diamond pattern have a slight blue tinge to them, which is a really unique and interesting extra detail. Not only this but the jumper itself is so soft and comfortable and at an afforable £14.99, I just couldn't resist!

My second purchase was this lovely little smock dress that was actually in the sale for just £7! I do not have that many casual dresses that are ideal for colder weather in my wardrobe, as most of my dresses are for clubbing and going out. This dress caught my eye immediately and if any of you have been reading my blog for a while, you will know it's because I love anything floral! I tend to be drawn to flowery patterns at all times, they're just so cute and feminine. I was a bit dubious about buying a smock dress at first because I thought that it could be too loose and drown my petite frame but this one is perfect. It's just the right balance between being flowy and fitted. I cannot wait to start wearing this dress as the cold weather draws in with tights, boots and a cosy knitted cardigan!

So, those are the two gorgeous items that I picked up in H&M yesterday. The store has lots of new and exciting pieces in at the moment, so I highly suggest you go and take a look for yourself. Who knows what you might find! Thank you for reading and as always, please do not hesitate to leave a comment below telling me what you think of my fashion finds!

Monday 22 September 2014

The 'I Heart Fall' Tag


Now that it is officially autumn here in the UK, I thought it was only right that I did the 'I Heart Fall' tag today. As I always say when I complete a tag here on my blog, I really enjoy doing them as I feel that they allow my followers to get to know me a little better and take a peek into my personality and my likes/dislikes. Many bloggers and YouTubers have done this tag but I got the questions from Beautycrush's video (watch here.) So, lets get right to the questions!

1. Favorite fall lip product?
I love wearing dark lip products during autumn. A few of my favourites are Revlon's Just Bitten Kissable Lip Stain in Crush and Rimmel's Moisture Renew Lipstick in Dark Knight Water-loops! They are both gorgeous berry shades that a perfect for this time of year.

2. Favorite fall nail polish?
I love wearing dark reds and purples on my nails during this time of year. One nail polish that I picked up recently is Maybelline's SuperStay Gel Nail Colour in Deep Red. It is the most perfect autumn colour and it is really glossy and chip resistant too!

3. Favorite fall candle?

I am not much of a candle addict, so I only have two Yankee Candles in my house which are Black Cherry and Soft Blanket. Black Cherry is a really lovely yet strong scent that can instantly make your entire room smell amazing. Soft Blanket, which is my actual favourite, is a lot more subtle. The scent is very clean yet relaxing, I love lighting it at night time and getting all cosy under my duvet.

4. Favorite fall scent or perfume?

I do not tend to wear different perfumes or scents according to the season, I just like to go with the flow. My favourite perfume in my collection at the moment, however, is Rihanna's Reb'l Fleur.

5. Favorite fall drink?

I honestly do not think that you can go wrong with a nice cup of tea. I am not a coffee drinker and am not into all of these pumpkin-spiced lattes etc, so tea is what I go for when I want a hot drink. Plus, I love having a cup of tea as an excuse to dunk some biscuits in it too!


6. Favorite fall scarf or accessory?
I have a really chunky pale pink scarf that I love to wear during both autumn and winter. It is great for layering, plus it keeps me nice and warm what with England's unpredictable weather! I also adore my maroon coloured beanie hat.

7. Favorite fall hair style?

I tend to alternate between three hairstyles all year round to be honest. My hair is quite fine and doesn't hold styles very well. So, the three I usually stick to are loose waves, a messy bun or a simple ponytail to keep my hair out of my face.

8. Favorite fall activity?

I am not a huge fan of the weather getting colder, so a lot of my favourite activities at this time of year are usually based inside. One thing I love to is discover new recipes and bake some yummy sweet treats in my kitchen. Cupcakes, brownies, cookies - you name it! I also simply like to snuggle up and watch films/TV with my friends, family or my boyfriend.

9. What is your favorite thing about fall?

I like the beginning of autumn best when the air is crisp, it isn't too cold outside and the leaves start to turn orange and red. I think that the scenery in the UK in autumn is really gorgeous.

10. Best fall memory?

No specific autumn memories jump out too me as I am much more of a summer kinda girl. However, I love getting excited about Halloween because me and my friends always dress up and go out clubbing.

11. Hottest fall trend?

As you can probably tell from the first question in this tag, a trend that I really like is berry coloured lips. I also love wearing check shirts in the autumn, tartan is a huge trend right now!

And those are all of my answers to the 'I Heart Fall' tag, I hope that you enjoyed reading them! I would like to tag ALL of you to give this tag a go for yourselves and remember to link your responses below so I can check your answers too!

Friday 19 September 2014

Maybelline 3 for 2 Boots Haul


Last Monday, I popped into my local Boots whilst out shopping with my parents. I was determined to purchase one of Maybelline's new Color Elixirs but when I saw it was also 3 for 2 on all Maybelline products, I couldn't resist having a little spend up! That's the typical thing us beauty bloggers do when we go into Boots, right? We come out with way more than we originally needed! Due the the 2 for 2 deal, I have discovered two new products that I would have otherwise ignored, so I guess I can justify my spending more than I wanted to! After my splurge, I though it was only right that I shared what I bought with you guys on my blog. Let's get started!

Maybelline Color Elixir Creamy Lip Lacquer in Rose Redefined - £6.99

First up is the product that I actually wanted to purchase, one of the new Color Elixir lip lacquers. I have a lot of lipsticks and lip crayons in my make-up collection, so I thought it was about time that I bought a few more glossy formulas to add to my stash. I had heard nothing but good reviews about this product and I can confirm that everything I heard is true. The consistency of the lacquer is very smooth and not at all sticky or uncomfortable to wear. The doe foot applicator makes applying this product a breeze and not only this but the colour pay off is brilliant. It definitely has more pigmentation than a normal gloss does. The colour I chose is 'Rose Redefined,' which is gorgeous yet natural pink shade with a slight peachy tone to it too. I just love it and I definitely want to pick up another shade soon!


(Top: Maybelline Color Elixir in Rose Redefined - Bottom: Maybelline Color Drama Lipstick in Minimalist)

Maybelline Super Stay Gel Nail Colour in Deep Red - £4.99
Next up is a nail varnish that I have often overlooked because I do not tend to buy drugstore nail polishes anymore. This is because since I did my nail course last year, I have been buliding up my kit with more professional bands such as China Glaze. However, as I was doing the 3 for 2, I thought that I would give this gorgeous aptly named deep red colour a go. It's the perfect shade for autumn! The wide brush makes application incredibly easy and the colour comes out extremely opaque, it is definitely a two coat job. The only thing that I would say is that this formula does take quite a while to dry, so you need to make sure that you have enough time to sit around and wait for them to completely dry. However, once dried, this polish is incredible. I forgot to put on a top coat and it took 5 days for chips to appear (and they were only very small.) It gives you a glossy, gel-like finish that makes it look like you have been to the salon too. This is a must-have product!

Maybelline Color Drama Lipstick in Minimalist - £4.99
Last but not least, I spotted this lip pencil on a fellow beauty bloggers page recently in a berry colour and I knew I had to have it, but that shade is sold out in all of my local stores. So, I decided to try out the shade 'Minimalist' instead which is a neutral pink shade with lots of glitter running through it. I must admit that I am not a huge fan of the amount of glitter in it but it does look very pretty on the lips. It is a great daytime colour for when you don't want to go too overboard. When I first used this pencil, it was a little hard and was dragging my lips as I tried to apply it. However, I just rubbed the pencils tip between my hands a little to soften it and that worked a charm. I wouldn't say that this product is worth buying for the reasons I have stated above but it is pretty nonetheless and I will still wear it from time to time.

I hope that you have all enjoyed reading my Maybelline 3 for 2 Boots Haul. Overall, I am extremely happy with the Color Elixir lacquer and the Super Stay polish but I am slightly disappointed with the Color Drama lipstick pencil, although that was my free item. Without the 2 for 2 deal, I would have spent £16.97 but instead I was only £11.98 out of pocket! Have you tried one of the product above? Which one is your favourite? Please let me know by leaving a comment below!

Monday 15 September 2014

A Twist On Tanya Burr's Cookie Recipe


Hi guys. I haven't done any food related blog posts in quite a while, so I thought that it was about time that I posted another recipe for you all. Many of you may have seen Tanya Burr's recent YouTube video making White & Milk Chocolate Cookies and I'm sure you'll agree that they looked really tasty, so I wanted to make some of my own. The only difference is that I wanted to change up the recipe just a little so I swapped out the white chocolate for some orange flavoured chocolate instead. The beauty about this recipe is that you can substitute the chocolate to whatever type you like, so feel free to experiment yourselves or just simply follow the instructions below. So, without any further ado, here is my recipe for Orange & Milk Chocolate Cookies. Enjoy!

Here are the ingredients that you will need:

325g self-raising flour
300g caster sugar
200g unsalted butter (at room temperature)
1 egg
200g milk chocolate
200g orange flavoured milk chocolate (mine is from Mr Simm's)
Dash of milk

Before you begin, you will also need to preheat your oven to 200°c and line two baking trays with grease-proof paper.

1. Using an electric whisk, add both your sugar and butter into a bowl and whisk until they are fully combined. Then add your egg into the mixture and whisk until smooth.

2. Next, adding a little bit at a time, whisk your self-raising flour into the mixture. Once combined, your mixture should look crumbly and dough-like. At this point, if it looks a little on the dry side, add a little dash of milk to your mixture too. Use your hands to form the dough into a ball.


3. Then, it's time to add up your chocolate. Break up both your milk chocolate and orange flavoured milk chocolate into squares and then add it to your dough. Make sure you disperse the chocolate evenly throughout your dough so that your cookies are even and all have a good amount of chocolate in them later on.


4. Grab little handfuls of the completed dough and roll them into balls and place them on the baking tray (I managed to make eight large cookies but you could make smaller ones if you would like, as long as you adjust the cooking time.) Ensure that the cookies are spaced out as they do spread out a lot whilst in the oven.


5. Place your cookies into the oven and cook them for 10-12 minutes but no longer. The cookies may look not fully cooked when you take them out but I can assure you they are, plus the continue to cook outside of the oven. The cookies should look crispy around the edges but nice and gooey in the centre.

6. Allow your cookies to cool for around half an hour and then tuck in!


So that's it for my Orange & Milk Chocolate Cookie recipe. They were super easy to make and were even more delicious, the chocolate just melts in your mouth and the cookie has a wonderful soft and gooey texture. I hope you enjoyed my adaptation of Tanya's original recipe. Please let me know if you give this recipe a go for yourself by leaving a comment below!

Tuesday 9 September 2014

My Current Topshop Wishlist


Hi guys! I think its safe to say that autumn is right around the corner (or is already here) in the UK. Therefore, it's probably getting to the time of year were we are putting our pretty summer dresses and skirts into storage and are looking to update our wardrobes a little as we transition into autumn/winter. I am looking to do just that and there are quite a few pieces from Topshop that have caught my eye this week. So, today I thought that I would share a few of these pieces with all of you. Enjoy!

Mixed Yarn Jumper - £34.00
First up is my favourite item of the bunch! I think that this jumper is absolutely gorgeous. I love that the knit is made up of lots of different colours, which means that there are a lot of options as to what to match it (or accessorise) with. I also really like the fact that the sleeves are slightly cropped too.

Lace Trim Shorts - £34.00
I have been after a pair of black lace shorts for ages and these ones look perfect for me. The lace definitely adds a feminine and dressy edge to an otherwise dull pair of shorts. I also love the fact that they are high waisted too, so they can be paired with crop tops and so on.

Gemini Ring - £4.00
I am a huge of simple silver jewellery and this ring is right up my alley. Of course, this is a horoscope ring and so Topshop do stock all twelve variations of this ring in both silver and gold! As my birthday is on the 28th of May, I am a Gemini. I just think that this ring is so cute and delicate, which is perfect for my small hands too.

Monochrome Tile Print Purse - £16.00
The purse that I have at the moment has seen better days and I have been after a new one for a while. I absolutely love the monochrome design and the purse also looks quite spacious, which is essential for me to store all of my money and various cards. This is definitely high up on my wishlist!

Dogtooth Leggings - £25.00
Last but not least are these really cool dogtooth leggings. I tend to stick to plain bottoms and opt for patterned tops instead but I am starting to think that I should be a little more fashion forward. I think that these leggings are super cute and would lookg reat with a plain black top and maybe a denim jacket.

I hope you have all enjoyed reading about what is currently on my Topshop wishlist. I am so excited to starting updating my wardrobe for autumn/winter. Which item above is your favourite? What is currently on your fashion wishlist? Please let me know by leaving a comment below!

Thursday 4 September 2014

MUA's Hall of Fame Eyeshadow Palette


I have never been a big lover of eyeshadow before as I have never felt like it suits me but recently, I have been thinking about broadening out my make-up horizons and attempting some eyeshadow looks once again. Due to the fact that I am not too sure whether I am going to get on well with doing this or not, I decided that I wanted to buy an inexpensive palette at first so that I didn't waste my money if it didn't work out. I had always heard a lot about the MUA palettes on various beauty blogs and so I headed into my local Superdrug to see what was on offer.

The palette that immediately caught my was the Hall of Fame Palette (RRP £4.00,) which contains twelve of MUA's most popular eyeshadow shades. The reason why I was drawn to this palette in particular is because of how neutral it is. As I am an eyeshadow newbie, I think that creating subtle and natural looks to start with is a good idea. Not only this but there are some slightly darker blue, grey and black shades too for when I gain some confidence and start to experiment with some smokier night time looks as well.


The twelves shades included in the Hall of Fame palette are as follows;

Top Row:
Rose Ash - a shimmery pink
Bare - a matte light peach
Lion - a shimmery gold
Reveal - a shimmery champagne
Tectonite - a shimmery mocha
Hydra - a shimmery blue

Bottom Row:
Shy - a shimmery cream
Catacomb - a shimmery light bronze
Chino - a matte ashy brown
Hustle - a shimmery warm brown
Cool Grey - a shimmery medium grey
Titan - glittery black

Considering how cheap this palette is, the formula of the eyeshadows are surprisingly blendable! The only thing that I would say is that the pigmentation of each shadow within the palette varies a lot. The darker shades are very strong and pigmented whereas the lighter shades need to be built up a lot on the lid for the true colour to be achieved. As for the longevity of the shadows, they aren't the mot long-wearing but they do stay a reasonable amount of time on my eyelids without creasing (as long as I use an eyeshadow primer beforehand.)


Overall, the MUA Hall of Fame palette is a great and affordable product for beginners such as myself. Although it's not of the greatest quality, it is good starting point to enable you to experiment with different looks and shadow combinations without breaking the bank! After I get the hang of eyeshadow application a little more and get used to myself with it on, I will definitely be buying a more high end product like the Urban Decay Naked palette!