A Christmas Lip & Nail Combo

Hi guys. The other day, I picked up a few new products from Boots in order to update my make-up collection for the festive period. I was seriously lacking both a long-lasting and reliable red lip, as well as a cute metallic and glittery nail polish. So, I picked up these two absolute beauties!

After trying the shade 'Frambourjoise' from Bourjois' Rouge Edition Velvet (£8.99) range when it was first released, I had been meaning to pick up another shade for quite some time. So, this time I have opted for the shade 'Personne Ne Rouge' which is a classic, vivid red colour. The main reason that I love this particular product is that even though it gives a matte finish, it does not dry out my lips too much unlike other brands do. Plus, the formulation of this liquid lipstick is so lightweight that it barely feels like I am wearing anything at all! The fact that this product is a long-lasting stain also means that it is perfect for this time of year, where you tend to be out eating, drinking and partying the night away! Most of the time, I do not have to reapply this product at all so it is perfect for creating a fuss-free yet glamorous make-up look for around Christmas time.

To go with my red lip, I wanted to buy a glitzy and metallic nail polish to go alongside it. I do not wear glitter nail varnishes that often but of course, Christmas is the perfect time to do so. You can never have too much sparkle at this time of year. So, I picked up Sally Hansen's Complete Salon Manicure (£6.99) in 'Shoot To The Moon,' which is strangely not available on the Boots website but it is definitely available in store! I have owned a few Sally Hansen polished in the past and I have loved all of them. They go on evenly, dry relatively fast and the flat, wide brush makes application an absolute breeze. This striking silver shade is perfect for this time of year which has a lovely metallic finish with fine particles of glitter running through it, so you get the best of both worlds in that respect!

I think that these two product combined make the perfect lip & nail combo for this time of year. What do you guys think? What make-up you will be wearing over the festive period? Please let me know by leaving a comment below!

My Monthly Favourites - October 2014

Hi guys. As always, I cannot believe yet another month is has flown by. In a few days, Halloween will be over and we will then be turning our attentions to Christmas and all things festive! Seeing as I haven't done a favourites post since August, I thought that it was about time for me to do another and share with you all of the products that I have been loving lately. Let's get started!

Herbal Essences Uplifting Volume Conditioner - £3.99
After running out of my John Frieda volume conditioner, I wanted to find an alternative product that was less expensive. I've decided that there is no point in me splurging out on a conditioner anymore because I do not use one every day, as my hair is so fine and it goes limp if I condition it too often. So far, this number from Herbal Essences certainly gets the job done for me! It adds volume to my hair without weighing it down and it leaves it feeling very soft and manageable. Not only this but the orange scent leaves my hair smelling lovely too, which is a complete bonus.

O.P.I Nail Polish in O.P.I Scores A Goal! - £8.55
Next, this nail varnish has been on my fingers for almost the entire month (I have re-painted, of course!) This gorgeous deep brown/purple colour is so autumnal and is perfect for this time of year. I love O.P.I polishes because the formula dries really quickly and their wide brushes make application an absolute breeze. With only two coats, you get a really opaque and glossy finish and overall the polish is pretty chip resistant as long as you use a decent top coat alongside it too!

Rimmel Provocalips Lip Colour in I'll Call You - £6.99
I recently did a full review of this product at the start of the month (which you can read here,) so I will keep this short and sweet! This gorgeous pink shade packs a real punch and is still very wearable at the same time. Its two step system is excellent; the colour itself is matte and stains the lips perfectly, where as the top coat seals in the colour and adds a glossy shine. This product stays on your lips all day which is perfect as you can avoid touch ups and it has great staying power for nights out as well.

Rimmel Lash Accelerator Endless Mascara in Black - £7.99
I'm going to get straight to the point, I am in love this mascara! Due to the fact that I have short, sparse and fine lashes (I'm not very lucky in the lash department,) I find it very hard to find mascaras that work well for me. However, this one has already become one of my favourites! It adds length and volume without becoming clumpy or weighing down my lashes too much. Plus, the plastic brush isn't too large which means that I can get to the root of my lashes properly and coat every single one easily. This one is definitely up their with my beloved They're Real! mascara.

Zoella Beauty Let's Glow Candle - £5.00
Last but not least, I was so excited about Zoella's product launch that I went and bought this candle and the bath soak almost immediately! Out of the two products, I have been loving this candle an awful lot. Whether I have been relaxing in the bath or having some me time in my room, this candle has been used the majority of the time. I love its sweet yet subtle scent as it is really relaxing and soothing. Plus, I love the look of the packaging and it looks great on display in my bedroom! Not only this but the candle burns pretty slowly, which means that I will be able to get a lot of uses out of it too.

So, those are my top five favourites for the month of October! I hope you have enjoyed reading about the products that I have been reaching for a lot over recent weeks. Which products that I have mentioned above do you like the sound of? What are your own monthly favourites? I love getting recommendations and feedback, so please do not hesitate to leave your thoughts and opinions below. Thank you!

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!

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!

What I Got For My 20th Birthday | Part Two

Hi guys. It was my 20th birthday last Wednesday and I was very lucky to get lots of lovely presents from my loved ones. I have already posted part one of what I got for my birthday (which you can read here,) but today I thought that I would share part two with you all. Part One was focused on what my family and my boyfriend got me but today features the gifts that were given to me by my closest friends. As I mentioned in my previous post, I am extremely grateful for all of the presents that I have received and I am really excited to share all of these bit and bobs with you all. So, let's get started!

First up, my best friend Sarah got me a lovely array of gifts! She knows that I absolutely adore both floral patterns and crop tops, so she got me this cute little number from H&M along with a gift card too. As well as this, Sarah also bought me a Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in the shade 'Dark Knight Waterl-oops!' The story behind this is that I bought this lipstick for both of us to wear on Halloween as part of a vampy make-up look but I lost it whilst we were out clubbing. So, she kindly bought me a new one! To top everything off, Sarah also got me a Moringa set from The Body Shop which features a shower gel, a body milk and a mini loofah. I think it's safe to say that I was thoroughly spoiled by my best friend!

My other best friend Laura got me these two amazing gifts. The first gift is this set of three moon candles, which are basically flameless glass candles that change colour. They are controlled by a little remote control which can change the candles into 13 different colour settings and different lighting modes too. Laura knows that I often have relaxing pamper nights and she thought that these cool little candles would help set the mood. Not only this but she also got me two Lush products; the Creamy Candy Bubble Bar (my favourite ever Lush product) and the Sex Bomb Bath Bomb, which I am yet to try. I cannot wait to use them!

Next up my friend Chloe, (whose blog is Coco Mykel,) bought me these lovely bits from Clinique. As Chloe works for Clinique, she loves their products and thought that I would too! First is their Universal Face Primer which I got a tube of at Christmas and I absolutely adore it, so Chloe got me another lot so that I fully stocked for a while! As I am a bit of a lip crayon addict, she also got me one of their infamous Chubby Sticks in the shade Woppin' Watermelon - which is a nice and natural sheer pink colour. Last but not least, Chloe also bought me two nail enamels in the shades 'Party Red' and 'Hi Sweetie.' I absolutely love them and I do not own a lot of high end make-up, so this very exciting for me!

My friend Lucy got me this amazing bundle of goodies! She bought me this really cool journal called 'F*ck! I'm In My Twenties,' which has lots of different sections and subjects within in that you can write about and document as time goes on. It even has a section for a self portrait! As well as this she also got me two cute and dainty Urban Outfitters bracelets, some adorable cat socks with little ears and a vivid neon nail varnish. Plus, some Dairy Milk Oreo for good measure - yum!

My good friend Charlotte bought me this really interesting book all about nail art which includes hundreds of really cool and pretty designs for me to try. For those of you who do not know, I carried out a nail course near the end of last year and so even though I am still a beginner, I love all things to do with nails and nail art! To accompany the book, she also got me three nail varnishes from Natural Collection; a bright pink, a deep purple and a white (which will come in very handy for a lot of designs!)

Last but certainly not least are the presents from my friend Danielle. She bought me this gorgeous set of products from Baylis & Harding. In the set is a cream wash, a body cream and some soap. All three of the products have a sugar cane, basil and lime scent which is incredibly fresh. As well as this, Danielle also bought me a cute little BFF Me To You teddy and a bottle of vodka, which is my drink of choice!

I hope you all enjoyed reading part two of 'What I Got For My 20th Birthday.' If you haven't done so already, check it part one here! I am absolutely in love with all of the gifts that I have received and cannot wait to start using them all. I am well and truly overwhelmed with how amazing my friends & family are and how generous they have been. I am extremely happy and grateful! Thank you for reading :)

My Current Beauty Wish List

Hi guys! Today I thought that I would share with you a couple of items that are currently on my beauty wish list. I have vowed to keep my expenditure of new products to a minimum until I have used up what I already have but the occasional treat can't hurt, eh? I am hoping to get my hands on these products very soon! So, without any further ado, here's what I have been eyeing up so far in 2014!

1. Essie Luxe Effects Nail Polish in Set In Stone - £7.99
First up is this gorgeous polish from Essie. I first mentioned this nail varnish in my November Favourites because my Mum bought me the pink shade, A Cut Above, as a little treat. Now, I am just itching to get another colour from the Luxe Effects collection. Although this product is designed to be used as a top coat on top of another polish, I like to build it up with a couple of coats to achieve an opaque look. The end result is really glitzy and makes me feel glamorous. Plus, it's chip resistant for roughly a week which makes it a winner in my books!  

2. Tangle Teezer in Pink - £10.99
Next up is the infamous Tangle Teezer. The main reason that I want to purchase this particular brush is because 1) I have heard great things about it and 2) my wide tooth comb has seen better days. As I have fine hair, it tends to get knotted very quickly - especially because I curl my hair most of the time. So, I want to purchase a high quality brush that is great at untangling both wet and dry hair. I will definitely be buying this product in the near future!

3. Benefit Erase Paste in Fair - £19.50
This concealer has been on my wishlist for quite a while now. Even though I am young and sleep well, I am prone to dark circles under my eyes and so I always look for concealers that are brightening. Up until now I have been using Rimmel's Wake Me Up Concealer (which is a great and affordable product) but I have heard that this particular Benefit product has a much higher coverage, which is what I need. Plus, who can resist Benefit's adorable packaging? I know I can't!

4. Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balms - £7.99
Last but not least, and the product that I am most excited about buying, are the Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balms. The reason that I haven't purchased this lip product is because they are not available in the UK for another week or so. Anybody that has been reading my posts for a while will know that I am obsessed with the brands Just Bitten Kissable Lip Stains, so I cannot wait to try the matte version of these lip crayons. After reading a very detailed review of this product on Lily Melrose's blog, the colours I am most drawn to trying are Sultry (a muted, pinky nude) and Shamless (a blue-toned deep purple.) Not only are Revlon bringing out ten matte crayons but they are also re-branding the Kissable Lip Stains, (now named ColorBurst Lacquer Balms,) and are bringing out ten new shades of those too. Revlon are on top of their game at the moment and I cannot wait to try them!

So, those are the four products that are currently at the top of my beauty wish list. Which products are you lusting after this month? Please let me know by commenting below :)

New Years Eve Pamper Tips

Hi guys, I hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas! I have had a little bit of time off from blogging due to being incredibly busy over the the past week or so. However, now that all of the festivities are over, hopefully my posts will become regular once again. So, seeing as New Years Eve is only two days away now, I thought that I would share with you all some of my favourite things to do to pamper myself prior to nights out. Making sure that you are fully prepared will ensure that you are feeling and looking your best, as well as keeping last minute stress and worries at bay. So, let's get started!

1. Exfoliate your skin
Prepping your skin the night before is a really great tip as everybody wants their skin to be silky smooth, especially if your New Years outfit is a little revealing. In addition, if you are planning to apply fake tan before the big day, exfoliating is a key step to include. As most of you will already know, fake tan clings easily to dry patches on your skin and that is not a good look! I simply like to use some exfoliating gloves which are pretty inexpensive or a body scrub, (my favourite is Soap & Glory's Sugar Crush Body Scrub,) and gently buff my skin in circular motions before applying some body butter and viola... smooth skin in seconds! 

2. Look after your lips
Making sure your lips are prepped before applying your lip product of choice is another crucial step. There is nothing worse than flaky-looking lips, especially if you are planning on puckering up at midnight ;) A great way to banish flakiness is to use a lip scrub and Lush do some great ones, (Bubblegum and Mint Julips,) which are extremely popular amongst beauty bloggers. However, an excellent and cheap alternative is to make your own lip scrub. I simply slather a little bit of Vaseline mixed with some sugar granules on my lips to make a simple (and tasty) scrub. Afterwards, I apply a liberal amount of my favourite lip balm, Carmex, and my lips are really smooth and plump in no time!

3. Prime the face
As many of you are probably aware by now, using a primer before applying foundation is a great way to ensure that your make-up stays put all night long. All you have to do as apply a layer of primer onto your face and then do the rest of your make-up as normal. For Christmas, my parents bought me Clinique's Universal Face Primer (£20.00,) which I have had a tester of before and I absolutely love it. If this primer is a little too expensive for you, there are some great high street alternatives out there. A few of my favourites are Revlon's Photo Ready Primer (£11.00) and Rimmel's Match Perfection Primer (£6.99.)

4. Paint your nails
Last but certainly not least, having nicely painted fingernails and toenails is essential on a night out on the town! In my opinion, having a pretty manicure really finishes off your look and pulls everything together. There are typically five steps to a manicure/pedicure that you can do at home, which are; pushing back the cuticles, filing the nail, applying a base coat, applying two or three coats of polish, followed by a top coat. Alternatively, if you fancy treating yourself, do not have a steady hand or you have a bit of extra cash, getting your nails done professionally could be another way to go!

I hope that these tips help you to prepare for whatever you are going on the 31st. Also, I would love to know what is your favourite thing to do to pamper yourself? I love listening to your suggestions and sharing tips with fellow bloggers. I hope that you all have a fabulous New Years and I wish all of you the best of luck going into 2014! 

My Favourite Festive Nail Varnishes

The festive season is well and truly in full swing now and I absolutely love it! For me, my favourite thing about this time of year is all of the gorgeous decorations and lately, I have become obsessed with all things sparkly. So, I thought that I would share with you some of my favourite glittery nail varnishes that I will be wearing over the Christmas period. I have always been a hoarder of nail polish from a young age and now that I have recently acquired my nail qualification, (which you can read about here,) my collection is always increasing. Three of the polishes I will be talking about today are from a China Glaze Christmas set called 'Be Merry,' which I picked up from my local beauty supplier but you can also buy it from Beauty Bay. In my opinion, sparkly nails are a great edition to any outfit over the festive period and it really adds a little something extra. So, without any further ado, lets get started!

China Glaze Nail Polish in Santa Red My List

This magenta pink polish is the first from the aforementioned 'Be Merry' China Glaze Set and it is gorgeous. The glitter is very fine and is the most understated of the bunch, which is great if you only want a subtle shimmer as opposed to going the whole hog!

Barry M Nail Paint Limited Edition in 347
Next up is this extremely bright silver shade. I got this product free in Boots as I spent over £6 on Barry M cosmetics whilst picking up some little gifts for my friends Christmas goodie bags. The glitter in this polish reflects a whole bunch of colours and gives a really pretty, rainbow effect in certain lights.

China Glaze Nail Polish in Be Merry, Be Bright
This polish has both bright pink and violet/blue glitter running through it, which gives such a lovely effect. This is another one of the colours from the China Glaze set and it is definitely the most in-your-face of the bunch. This particular varnish would look great either as a built-up colour after a few layers or simply as a top coat over another polish.

China Glaze Nail Polish in Mingle With Kringle
'Mingle With Kringle' is a very traditional gold-coloured polish with an extremely fine glitter. This particular gold is quite bright and could be seen as a little garish, but I think it is perfect for this time of year as it really makes a statement!

Essie Luxe Effects Nail Polish in 'A Cut Above'
This polish was mentioned in my November Favourites post recently and I absolutely love it! The baby pink glitter is really pretty and as this varnish has the chunkiest glitter of the bunch, it doesn't chip and is very long-lasting. I highly recommend this product and there are a few colours in this range, so there is one to suit everybody's taste!

China Glaze Nail Polish in Put A Bow On It
The third and final polish from the 'Be Merry' China Glaze Set is my favourite of the bunch, as purple is my all time favourite colour. This varnish builds really quickly and so it is hassle-free in terms of application. This polish probably has the finest glitter of the bunch and it is very striking on the nails.

China Glaze Nail Polish in CG In The City
Last but not least is this beautiful charcoal-grey colour. The shade is actually a lot darker in real life, however, my camera didn't pick it up so well. I love wearing this nail varnish rather than black, as I think it looks a little too harsh on the hands. I love this product because it goes with every outfit and has just the right amount of shimmer in it.

I hope you have all enjoyed reading about my favourite festive, sparkly nail varnishes. I would love to know what your go-to nail varnishes are at the moment, so please do not hesitate to leave a comment below :) 

My Month Via Instagram - October 2013

Hi guys! It's come to the time again for me to write about what I have been up to all throughout October. Granted we are now a whole five days into November (I cannot believe it is Christmas next month) and I am a little late uploading this post but none the less, let's get started!

1. This month I have been making a conscious effort to come up with a few new recipes to try at dinner time. I think that it is very easy to slip into a routine and end up eating the same things on a regular basis. The dish you can see in the picture is a garlic and herb chicken curry-like dish, which is really simple to make. I simply cut up and cooked a chicken breast whilst boiling some rice (and adding peas in a little later to make it more interesting.) Once the chicken was cooked, I poured over a Philadelphia 'Simply Stir' Garlic & Herb Sauce and let it simmer for a few minutes. Hey presto, a relatively healthy dinner in roughly 15-20 minutes!

2. Secondly, now that the cold weather is starting to creep in, I have been opting for a lot more baths as opposed to showers. Recently, I have been trying to have a lot of 'me' time and I love nothing more than having a nice, long soak in a bubble bath. In conjunction with this, I have really enjoyed lighting my cherry & vanilla Yankee candle to set the mood and relax even further. I have also switched from using my passion fruit Body Shop Body Butter to the vanilla scent instead, as I find it to be a much more winter-y smell.

3. As Halloween was creeping ever closer, I invented my friend Lucy to help me experiment with some cat make-up as she is one of the most artistic people I know. Being a cat for Halloween isn't exactly original but my funds are pretty low at the moment, so simplicity was key. For the look we eventually achieved, all that we needed was tonnes of eyeliner and an extremely steady hand! I also used some very feline fake eyelashes to make the end result even more striking.

4. On the same day, Lucy also helped me with some photography for my blog (which is featured in the 'My Favourite Autumn/Winter Outfit' post.) As we finished this rather quickly, I decided to then give Lucy a makeover. As she usually wears minimal make-up (eyeliner and mascara only,) I thought that she would be a great person to experiment on and of course, she looked gorgeous! To read the original blog post, please click here.

5. If any of you read my 'The Next Chapter Of My Life' post, you may know that I recently completed an intensive three day nail course which focused on manicure, pedicure and acrylic nails. Of course, it takes a lot longer than three days to perfect a craft and so I have been practicing on my friends and family a lot. One of the things I really want to learn, however, is how to create some intricate nail art designs. One evening, I gave my friend Sarah this nude and black leopard print design. I was really proud of the outcome seeing as it was my first ever attempt and I am looking forward to trying other designs in the future. 

6. Last but not least is a photo of what I actually looked like before I went clubbing for Halloween. As you can see, I was not able to fully mimic how well Lucy did my make-up for me earlier on in the week, but I still think that in the end it looked quite good! In the end I opted for a dark purple lipstick as I thought it was quite vampy, as opposed to the nude lip that me and Lucy practiced. Also, dressing up as a cat gave me the perfect excuse to wear my new black dress from Missguided that you can see here. I am obsessed with it and am even looking forward to the next time I can wear it (I'm sad like that!)

So, that's it for this month. I hope you all enjoyed reading about what I have gotten up to during October. Now, let's see what November brings! 

My Monthly Favourites - October 2013

Hi guys! Surprisingly, even though I have been blogging for roughly seven months now, I have never partaken in the ever-so-popular 'monthly favourites' posts. However, this is all about to change! There are so many products I love to use that I have never mentioned on my blog and I thought that doing a monthly favourites post would enable me to include a lot more of these. Though, with this being said, sometimes I go through a phase where I do not incorporate anything new into my beauty regime and so I may skip a month or two from time to time if I have no products to talk about. Now, let's get on with talking about my favourite products that I have been using throughout October!

No7 Beautiful Skin Foaming Cleanser for Normal/Oily Skin - £9.00
As probably many of you beauty bloggers are aware, Boots more often than not have a deal on No7 skincare where by you get £5 off printed on a receipt when you buy any product in the entire store. So, I bit the bullet and decided to invest in a new cleanser. I have combination skin and get a fair few blemishes and so I wanted a product to control the oiliness of my skin. This product is great and I have been using it every day. It foams up nicely (hence the name of the product) and is gentle on my skin too. I have definitely noticed a difference in my skin as it is far less oily of late. I definitely recommend this product!

Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Dark Knight Waterl-oops!- £6.49
Whilst preparing for a Halloween night out clubbing with my friend Sarah, we decided we wanted to buy a really dark lipstick to go with our outfits. We browsed every stand in Boots for the darkest lipstick we could find and eventually came across this amazing, rich purple colour from Rimmel. Although this product has been around for years now, Rimmel have recently altered the formula of this lipstick and have added many different shades into the collection. This lipstick has since been advertised so much and it definitely lives up to the hype! The end result gave us extremely dark, vampy-looking lips that were still really moisturised - which is just what we were after. The only bad thing I have to say about this product as that it tends to bleed out of the lip line after a while which can look a little messy.

Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat - £9.00
I am pretty late in terms of jumping onto the Seche Vite bandwagon, which is surprising seeing as I have been a huge nail varnish junkie for as long as I can remember. However, now that I have just completed a intensive three day nail course (as mentioned in my 'The Next Chapter Of My Life' blog post,)  I decided that I has best invest in some higher quality products. Now that I will be working on clients, I wanted a top coat that makes a manicure last as long as possible for optimum results. So far, I am loving using this product as it extremely chip-resistant with a super glossy finish.

Eylure Katy Perry Eyelashes in Cool Kitty - £5.95
Seeing as my natural eyelashes are quite short and sparse, I love to wear fake ones on a night out to really make my eyes stand out. I really like the effect that these particular lashes give, as they fan out at the end into slight points at the end that look gorgeous when applied. The pair I used to use religiously before these were released are the Girls Aloud Nadine lashes, (also made by Eylure,) which are pretty much exactly the same but for some reason I prefer these ones by a mile. I would also recommend the 'Oh Honey' lashes from the Katy Perry Range if you are looking for a slightly more natural finish. (Disclaimer: I am aware that my photo does not show the lashes as mine were a little mangled and I had to throw them out. However, I have put a link above if you wanted to see what they actually look like!)

Nivea Vanilla & Macadamia Nut Lip Butter - £2.25
I am going to keep this review short and sweet as I have recently spoken about this product in my 'Boots 3 For 2 Lipcare' blog post. All I want to say about this product is that I am absolutely addicted to the scent, vanilla and macadamia but is such a great combination! I love slathering this product on before going to bed at night and waking up in the morning with lovely, soft lips as the formulation of this lip butter is really thick and creamy. This is a must-have, affordable product for any girls handbag for keeping your lips hydrated on the go! 

Paul Mitchell Freeze and Shine Super Spray (500ml) - £18.25
Last but not least is this amazing hairspray from Paul Mitchell. For years now, both me and my Mum have been using this product to keep our styled hair in place all day long. This hairspray has an incredibly firm hold without making your hair feel crispy or hard, which the majority of lower-end hairsprays tend to do if you are not careful. As I have fine hair that is prone to dropping, this product is perfect for me as I curl my hair the majority of the time. Although this hairspray is pretty pricey, it lasts for absolutely ages and in my opinion, is definitely worth the money! 

I hope you have all enjoyed reading about my monthly favourites for October. I would love to know what your most-loved products have been this month, so please do not hesitate to leave a comment below :) 

The Next Chapter Of My Life

This year I have really struggled with picking a potential career and I came to a dead end. However, after seeing my good friend Sydney complete the same course this time last year, I decided to partake in a three day intensive nail course. I agree that on the surface this may seem like a rather superficial and shallow career to pursue, what with it being part of the health & beauty career field, but there is a method to my madness. I have simply decided to do something that I enjoy, as I am very girly and love all things beauty-related. I have been that person who has been stuck in a dead end job that made me miserable and I do not want to go back there again. 

Some people have said to me that they think that I can do better career wise because I was always quite bright and studious at school, however, I am a firm believer that we can all express our intelligence in different ways. We do not necessarily have to have fantastic, high-paid jobs to be deemed as intelligent. For instance, I like to write and I get great satisfaction out of that, which is why I have my own blog where I can express myself and showcase my passion for writing etc. So, in my eyes, I do not need to be some fancy lawyer or a doctor to be successful in life. 

The skills I learnt on the course include manicures, pedicures and acrylic nails. I also learnt a lot about nail preparation, hand & foot massage, as well as how to use all the relevant tools in my kit. This may not sound like a lot to some but the techniques and stages in completing this course were extremely complex. As you can imagine, I am not a fully fledged nail technician after a mere three days of education. It is going to take me a long time to perfect all of these skills and the only way I will be able to do that is by practicing on my friends and family (which I am sure they will enjoy as they will be getting it all for free to start with!)

Although it may not sound like a big deal to some, I am extremely proud of my achievement over the past three days. It actually took me a lot of guts and courage to go after something that I really wanted because I was so scared of doing so, due to the fact  that I do not have a lot of confidence in myself and I am incredibly scared of failing. The course was far from what I expected but in a good way. Now, I am really looking forward to building up my knowledge and potentially making this into a career for myself. I really feel like this is the next chapter for me. After being out of work for quite a while now, I finally feel like I am slowly but surely getting back on track. In a nutshell, I am just hoping that this course will enable me to start a fresh and to give me something to be proud of doing in during 2013.

My Favourite Autumn/Winter Nail Varnishes

My taste in nail varnish differs a lot throughout the year depending on what season it is, which I'm sure is the same for many of you too. In spring and summer, I prefer to wear bright and fun colours on my nails. However, during the colder autumn and winter months, I much prefer to wear deeper and more vampy colours on my talons. Today, I thought I would share with you my top five favourite nail varnish shades that I will definitely be reaching for this season.

Jessica Nail Colour in Vamp
I got this varnish free in an issue of Company magazine a few months ago. I really adore this shade as I much prefer deep, wine coloured reds as opposed to the more bright and 'true' red colours. This varnish also has a slight shimmer to it, which I think would look lovely during the Christmas party season too.

No7 Stay Perfect Nail Colour in Totally Teal 
Teal nails are an acquired taste but I think that these deep green colour is really sophisticated and is perfect for winter. The thing I love the most about this varnish is it's consistency. It glides on like a dream and as the colour is so opaque and dark, you need only apply one coat. 

Barry M Gelly Hi Shine Nail Paint in Blackberry 
I have a love/hate relationship with this nail polish but I cannot deny that I absolutely love the shade and the finish of the ever so popular Barry M Gelly Hi Shine formula. The only anything thing about this product is that it can stain your nails a little and tends to chip, so I would recommend that you use a base and top coat just to be safe.

No7 Stay Perfect Nail Colour in Vivid Purple 
Purple is my favourite colour and it is also one of my favourite colours to wear on my fingernails, especially during autumn and winter. As this varnish is the same brand and formulation as the teal shade above, it again has a fantastic consistency. The only difference between the two shades is that the teal is a more solid colour, where as this purple has hints of glitter running through it - which adds a little extra something to this polish.

Barry M Nail Paint in Black 
Lastly, you can never go wrong with a coat of black nail varnish. Obviously, there is not much that you can say about a plain black polish but out of all the drugstore brands, Barry M does the best formula in my opinion. I also own Rimmel's 60 Second varnish in black but it is a lot less chip resistant than Barry M's version. It is a must have staple in any girls nail collection!

If any of you have tried any of the products mentioned above, I would love to know what you think of them. Also, I would love to know all of your favourite nail varnishes for this time of year, so please do not hesitate to leave a comment below!

My Month Via Instagram - July 2013

Hi guys, I cannot believe that another month has flown by already - 2013 is going so quickly! This month has been particularly lovely due to England finally getting some hot and sunny weather, which means that I have been out enjoying the sunshine whilst it lasts! This month has also been pretty exciting as yet again I have had quite a few nights out. So, without anymore rambling, let's begin talking about what I have been up to all throughout July.

1. First of all this month, to kick off our spell of nice weather, me and my friend Sarah spent an entire weekend together laying in the sun and eating a ton of yummy barbecue food. One Saturday afternoon, we decided to drive to one of our local parks for a change of scenery as opposed to my back garden. Little did we know that there was a huge event going on in the park and the entrance to the park had this really cute rainbow inflatable and I just had to get a photograph! Inside the event was a charity stall for Lukemia & Lymphoma, which me and Sarah both donated money to and got a free key-ring - that was our good deed for the day complete :)

2. My friend Sydney completed a nail course last year and recently she has been doing my nails for me. This time around, I decided to go for a natural polish as opposed to Shellac or acrylics as my nails are quite weak and damaged at the moment. I chose a lovely aqua blue colour and then went on to pick one of OPI's limited edition James Bond glitter polishes for an accent on my ring fingers. The combination of these two polishes really reminded me of mermaids on the ocean, the end result was so pretty!

3. My friends Danielle, Sarah and I were invited to a house party and this is a photograph that we took before we went. We all decided to get ready together at Sarah's house and do a little bit of pre-drinking too. The outfit I chose to wear was a denim Topshop bralet, which you can kind of see in the photo, teamed with a plain black skater skirt and sandals to keep me cool in the hot weather (it was even too hot to bother wearing heels!) The night was so much fun and I don't think that I stopped laughing all night!

4. This photo is from a a day where I simply stayed at home all day and worked on my tan. As you can see, this year I have tanned pretty well (especially for a fair-skinned blonde, blue eyed girl,) however, I accidentally chose an Instagram filter that made my skin look incredibly orange - oops! I took this quick snap because I thought it was really cute how my dog Sasha decided to come and lie right by me and enjoy the sun too!

5. I took this photo to show my outfit before an impromptu night out with my friend Charlotte. I managed to convince her to come out on a bit of a whim and I put this outfit together last minute. It's pretty simple, seeing as it just a black crop top and some high-waisted denim shorts, but I threw on some accessories and some fake eyelashes and I was ready to go. We went to a a club in my hometown that plays rock and alternative music, which is right up my alley! I love spontaneous nights out as they always turn out to be much better than planned ones and this night was definitely a random and eventful one!

6. Last but not least, and probably my favourite part of the month, is the fact that my best friend and fellow blogger Laura finally came home from Germany. She had been over in Dusseldorf for four months as part of an Erasmus for her university course and obviously, I miss her terribly. To surprise Laura upon her return, me and a few others decorated the front of Laura's house with lots of welcome home banners and balloons. We also wrote her a card and got her a few little gifts too. When Laura turned up and we welcomed her on her door step, it was really funny because me and Laura were wearing the same exact dress from H&M and so we decided to take a picture! I'm so happy that my best friend is home and I am excited for all of the fun we will have for the rest of the summer! 

That's all for this months update! I hope that you have enjoyed reading about my antics all throughout out July. Please stay tuned to my blog as I have lots of posts planned over the next few weeks. Thank you :) 

Nifty Nails!

Hi guys. Earlier on this week, I had a major beauty spring clean - throwing out lots of make-up and nail varnishes that were either used up or old/broken and organising them in to various cosmetic bags and boxes. Whilst doing this, I came across my extensive nail varnish collection which has every colour and brand that you could ever think of. I think it's safe to say that I am a bit of a hoarder when it comes to nail products! I have so many favourites and I thought that I should definitely do a review on some of my varnishes. Consequently, I went on to eBay in search of a nail varnish wheel and I picked up a pack of two for £1.99 and with free packaging - what a bargain! On each wheel is 18 individual nails which you can paint colours and designs on to. I realise that 18 polishes is a lot to review in one post, so I am only going to do a very brief overview of each one. I have also decided to break things down into colour categories to make it easier to read.

Reds, Pinks and Oranges

Jessica Custom Nail Colour in Company Vamp - My Mum picked up this polish at work a while back and we both love it. I had never heard of the brand 'Jessica' until Mum bought this home either. This deep red, shimmery colour is perfect for a vampy evening look. Plus, it is pretty chip resistant. I have a lipstick from Avon which is this exact colour and I love wearing both products together!

Max Factor Nailfinity in Red Passion - I bought this little nail varnish quite a while back, it is a classic bright red shade and looks great with a statement red lip too. The varnish tends to look a little pink upon first application but applying a second coat will cause the finish to look completely red. The name of this nail varnish on Max Factor's website has since been changed to 'Glossfinity' instead of 'Nailfinity.'

Nails Inc in It's Red, Babez - I absolutely love this colour. Again, it came free in In Style magazine and this colour is a really striking red with orange undertones and is the ultimate summer shade. The only down side to Nails Inc products is that the brushes are not great for painting with precision, so I always tidy up the edges with a cotton bud dipped in polish remover afterwards.

Models Own in Raspberry Crush - This raspberry pink shade really looks great with any skin tone; it is very bright and eye-catching, I always get compliments when I am wearing this particular varnish. I think that Models Own bottles are quite big, so they are excellent value for money. Unfortunately, this is the only Models Own product I own but I really want to try some of the neon Hed Kandi shades soon.

Sinful Colors Professional in Daredevil - I picked up this amazing neon shade in Superdrug the other day. I could not believe that this bottle was a mere £1.99! I believe that this nail varnish would look great with a tan, this is definitely the best neon varnish I have ever tried.

Avon Colortrend in Bikini - I seem to have purchased a lot of clothing with coral on lately, so this polish is perfect when I want my nails co-ordinated with my outfit. The bottle is rather small so I do not use this colour very often and I sometimes use a Barry M dupe instead.

Nails Inc in Atomic - I have never owned a bright orange nail varnish before and I am obsessed with this particular shade! I love Nails Inc's formulas as you can sometimes get away with only applying one coat depending on the colour that you are using, which is handy if you are in a rush or are impatient with letting multiple coats dry!

Barry M Nail Paint in Peach Melba - This neutral peach shade is really pretty and very feminine. Obviously, pastels are a great pick for summer and I recommend this shade to anybody that doesn't want a nail varnish colour that is too 'out there.'

Blues and Greens

L'Oreal Paris  Color Riche in Perle De Jade - I bought this product the other day after I bought an adorable mint-coloured cropped jumper from New Look and I wanted a varnish to match. I saw this L'Oreal one on special and the colour was spot on, yet another great pastel shade to add to my ever-growing collection!

Rimmel London 60 Seconds in Green With Envy - As mentioned in a previous post, I am in love with this varnish and it is probably one of my favourites of all time. The greeny-blue colour reminds me of the sea and mermaids. Every time I wear this colour, I always get compliments on it.

Rimmel London Lycra Pro in Aqua Cool - Rimmel's Lycra Pro formula is amazing. The varnish is just the right consistency with great colour pigmentation, meaning that you only need to apply one coat. This blue is really pretty and also matches my eyes (weird thing to notice, I know!)

Barry M Nail Paint in Cyan Blue - This cyan blue is one of the best Barry M shades I own. Due to it's strong pigmentation, you need only apply one coat of this gorgeous colour. I think that this varnish dries slightly darker than expected but nonetheless, I still love it!

Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine in Blueberry - I recently purchased this gorgeous dark navy polish to go with a tie-dye dress I bought in New Look. I had never tried the hi-shine formulas until now but they are amazing. My nails looked so glossy, however, after one night out they were pretty chipped the next morning, so I might add a top coat next time anyway.

Purples and Glitters

Rimmel London Lycra Pro in Ultra Violet - This über pretty lilac shade looks great with my skin tone. Purple is my favourite colour and I love wearing this polish. As I've already mentioned, I love Rimmel's brushes as they are flatter than other brands which makes for a quick and usually a mistake-free paint job. 

Max Factor Max Effect in Fantasy Fire - This is yet another recent purchase of mine. I was browsing in Boots one day and this colour really intrigued me. As mentioned in a previous post, this purple varnish has a blue, metallic undertone with it and some pretty glitter too. The only downside to this product is that it is so thin and to get a bold colour, I had to apply a whopping total of FIVE coats (which was rather time consuming waiting for each layer to dry.)

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Scarlet Fever - This lovely magenta-like colour is one of the latest editions to my collection. I had never tried any Sally Hansen varnishes before but I can honestly say it is the best brand I have ever used. The wide brush allows for perfect application and it is just the right consistency. I will definitely be purchasing a few other colours asap. 

Nails Inc in Berwick Street - One Christmas, my Mum bought me a Nails Inc set that included this glittery silver colour. This varnish is perfect for parties and nights out, however, its texture is pretty rough so applying a top coat is definitely necessary. I usually apply two coats of this polish to ensure that it really stands out.

Rimmel London Precious Stones in Diamond Dust - Last but certainly not least, this deep silver/grey nail varnish is so eye-catching. I bought this at Christmas time to match a pair of glittery hotpants that I wanted to wear on a night out. There are only two problems with this polish; after a few uses, the remaining polish in the bottle starts to go a little gloopy. Secondly, the finish of this polish is rather disappointing. The glitter is really rough and so a really thick top coat needs to be applied so that specks of glitter do not flake off or chip.

I hope that you all enjoyed reading about my favourite nail varnishes in my ever-growing collection. As always, I would love to know your opinions if any of you have used these products yourself. I love reading your comments and getting feedback on my posts. Thank you for reading :)