BOOTS HAUL!!

It came to that point last week...that point were a massive Boots Haul was upon me and I was SO excited! Every girl will get to that stage, where she is genuinely running out of every product and toiletry known to man and a trip to Boots needs to be scheduled imminently.

Now we all know that I love shopping for beauty products (well duh, I dedicate most of my blog to beauty) but I also love shopping for toiletries too. I love the thrill of running around Boots with my basket over-flowing with the premise of me getting to try dozens of new products.

Like I said, I got to that point last week, so I took myself off to Boots with points card in hand, ready to do some serious product-related damage. I ended up getting quite carried away with myself so I thought I would share with you, a few of the things that I bought that WEREN'T on my list. I don't know why I find it surprising because this happens to me every single time I go to Boots, but as long as the things I buy that aren't on my list are less than the things that were I am not too worried. Anyway, here it goes;

Nivea - In Shower Body Moisturiser - I haven't seen this advertised much. I have seen a couple of adverts on TV, but not half the hype I would have expected. This product is completely up my street because I am super lazy when it comes to moisturising as I hate getting out the shower and being cold and wet and then having to apply moisturiser - which is bad because I suffer from dry skin. I have used this every day for around 10 days now and I have actually noticed a difference! My body is feeling hydrated and moisturised and I love the convenience of it. It has no scent, which is good for me when I already use a scented body wash. It retails at £3.69

Aussie - Miracle Recharge Conditioning Spray - I often buy the Aussie conditioning sprays as I feel they just make my hair feel so much more alive. This one is new so I thought I would give it a try. I have to say I am not a massive fan of the scent, but I have noticed that my hair is more volumised and soft. Retails at £4.69

Simple Miceller Water Cleansing Wipes - Everyone has raved about Miceller water and I have really wanted to try it. The toner I am currently using has not run out yet so I couldn't justify buying it ,but I did need cleansing wipes...so I was really happy to see these (and on offer too). I often use a make-up wipe to take the first layer of my make-up off and then continue to do the rest of my routine. Simple is always really great for my skin and I have found these really fresh and hydrating. Retails at £3.99

Simple Eye-Makeup Remover Pads - I find eye make-up a real irritant to take off, so I think these are brilliant! I use these straight after the cleansing wipes (one pad for each eye) and it removes my eye makeup instantly. Would really recommend them. Retails at £3.99

Bourjois Cream Blush in Rose d'Or - I bought a new blush recently but Bourjois was on '3 for 2' at Boots so I couldn't resist and to be fair I have always wanted to try Bourjois blusher! I do really like the colour of this, it has quite a dark pinky tone and is really pigmented, so you don't need a lot to get a blushed cheek look. It also has a slight sparkle to it which I think is a nice way to highlight the apple of your cheekbone. Retails at £7.99

L'oreal True Match Concealer - I wasn't supposed to buy a new concealer, but I did and so I went for an old favourite! I do really enjoy this concealer, it matches my skin tone really well and provides great coverage. Retails at £6.99 

Bourjois Bronzing powder - Massive admission alert, but I have never bought a hight street bronzer! For some reason, it's the one product that I have just automatically gone for a luxury brand. So when I saw 3 for 2 at Bourjois I thought I would give it a go! I really like the packaging purely because it looks like a chocolate bar and I have found the bronzer itself to be really good at sculpting my cheekbones. Hoola is still my go-to bronzer, but this is a great high street backup! Retails at £7.99

Bourjois Rouge Edition Lipstick in Natural Rose - I am absolutely and completely obsessed with this lipstick and as soon as payday roles by, I am going to buy it in all the colours I can get my hands on! I love that it feels super hydrating (like a gloss) but has a beautiful matte finish. It's really long lasting and I love the applicator. Go out and get it now ladies! Retails at £8.99

Have any of you done a cheeky Boots haul?

Much love

#NationalLipstickDay

Phew, we are half way through the week ladies and its only two more sleeps until Friday...all I can say is BRING IT ON!

I had planned to do a different post today, but seeing at it was #NationalLipstickDay, I wanted to share with you all one of my favourite presents that I got for my birthday!

I was really lucky to receive the 'Kendal Jenner - Restless by Estée Lauder' lipstick. I am a massive fan of Kendall Jenner, purely because she is absolutely beautiful and seems to have a really sweet and kind personality, so I was intrigued when I saw that there was a limited edition lipstick with her name on it. I knew I really wanted it!

I love lipsticks, especially bold, red and orange colours, but I have never found a lipstick that incorporates the two colours so well. Now, I have to admit, I haven't had the occasion yet to wear it out and about, but I did wear it around the house on Sunday just to test it out (anyone who knocked on my door on Sunday afternoon would have certainly got a surprise!). I was so happy and shocked that they had managed to get that awkward shade that everyone wants down to a tee! When I want a really bold, vibrant colour, I often find myself mixing tones of red and orange on my lips to try and achieve it, but no need to that with this at all - it's perfect and nothing like any of the other colours I have. I have also found that it is a really flattering, when applied well, it has the power to make your lips look really voluptuous and defined (which we all know is every girl's dream). It's like she took a leaf from her sister's book, trying to achieve that famous Kylie Jenner pout!

I wore the lipstick all afternoon and it has to be said...it didn't budge. At the end of the day it looked like I had just applied it and I love that. I often find with lipsticks, especially bold colours like red that without constant re-application it becomes really faded and washed out. This was not the case here at all. On top of that, it was super hydrating, which is great for someone like myself who gets dry lips. This made them feel super silky soft! It has a really nice matte finish, and even without lip liner...it doesn't bleed around my lips (which is always a massive risk with a red!).

Finally, I really loved the packaging...a magnetic click seals the lipstick and the dark navy blue gives a regal, classy appeal to the product and lets be honest, everyone is a sucker for a celebrity signed product...I know I am! 

Overall, I am really happy with the product and super thankful to my fave galpal Jenny for buying it for me...she really does know me just too well!

Have any of you tried this product, what did you think?

Much love

MY WEEKEND IN PICTURES !!

I haven't done a post like this yet, but I really think that it is a nice addition to a blog and as this past weekend was my birthday, I had lots of pictures I wanted to share with you all.

This weekend I turned 22 *cue the Taylor Swift tunes* and had an amazing time with friends and loved ones with some delicious food and amazing drinks! I feel so lucky and grateful that I had such a happy time and wanted to document the moments on my blog! 

I started off my day at this beautiful cafe by my house called 'The Drawing Room'. I have wanted to try if for ages and what better time to go than on my birthday.

This was an incredible tuna, olive and rocket multi-seed baguette and it was absolutely delish!

I absolutely love the way it was presented and the teacups with the salad and coleslaw was such a nice touch. I don't think you can really see it but the teapot in the back was in shape of a house...it was so beautiful and quirky.

We absolutely love driving into London, but living so close it never makes sense because it is only 14 mins away by train, but as it was my birthday I was a bit of a princess and wanted to drive in. This photo makes me so happy, although you can't see his big flashing smile, you can see St Paul's Cathedral.

This photo makes me love London so much and people will think I am crazy for saying that, because its grey and rainy...but I love that. It optimises London and I just think its so pretty. I love rainy days and I love London site seeing...perfection in a picture.

Again, another rainy day photo, I felt really artistic after I took this purely because of the rain drop that I managed to catch on the lens.

 This is another photo that just makes me so, so happy. My girls. Nothing more that I can say really, they made my birthday so amazingly special and I am so grateful. Oh and we had no option but to have a glass of prosecco of course?

The gang's all here. We managed to get a sneaky spot on Tom's Terrace' at Somerset house. It was a perfect way to start the evening and I would really recommend it for beautiful sunset drinks. The waiting staff were so lovely and accommodating...considering I hadn't even booked!

Having my best buddies and my boyfriend in one picture in the middle of London is just pure perfection. It sounds super cringy but we all look so happy and I absolutely love it. I am so lucky to have them in my life.

I was able to go to my favourite restaurant for my birthday - Benihanas on Sackville Street. For those of you who haven't been its the best place EVER! Its Japanese cuisine that is cooked in front of you...literally (you can see our wine glasses at the table). We had such an amazing chef who wasn't just an amazing and talented cook but who was also an absolute joker! 

 Exhibit A, he fell in love with my friend and this is what he did for her...whilst singing James Blunt 'you are beautiful'. Talented just doesn't quite do it justice!

My boys - again there is nothing else to say. I am so glad that my boyfriend and my best guy friend are so close and they both are the greatest people on the planet. I know either of them would be there for me at the drop of a hat. Must point out that they are both slightly sozzled here. 

I can assure you that I ate ALOT more food than this, but apparently I forgot to carry on taking pictures it! Here I have prawns, onions and courgettes which were delicious (oh and you can just about see the remains of my salad bowl).

Exhibit B of pure talent. This is his Japanese volcano. It was so exciting to see this right in front of our eyes. I wish I could do something cool like this! I would really recommend this restaurant for all ages, couples, families, special occasions or just Friday night dinner. The food is incredible and the atmosphere is buzzing. 

The gang at the dinner table. Again I am so glad that I was able to share my 22nd birthday with them. Aww, they just make me so happy.

And finally, I had to finish with this...a big thank you to this guy for making my weekend so special.

Hope you don't mind me sharing these with you, I had such a lovely birthday and wanted to document that forever on my blog.

Much love

MY DAILY FACE!!

I love reading about the makeup that people wear daily because it differs from women to women and no blog is complete without a 'daily makeup look', so I thought it was about high time that I got on with mine. This is the face that I usually wear on a day-to-day basis to work or during the day at the weekend. This is my full make-up look if I have enough time, sometimes I will switch it up and wear less; maybe use a BB cream or tinted moisturiser but this is my usual look. 

Primer: the primer that I use is the Nivea 'Daily Essentials Hydration' primer because it is just so good. It is super hyrdating and keeps my make up in place all day. Because of its hydration, it makes my makeup look really dewy and natural. Its really reasonable as well, as it retails at £4.99 and the tub lasts forever. I like to prep my lips for lipstick with Blistex daily lip conditioner and I use Clarins instant smooth perfecting touch on my eye lids as an eyeshadow base.

Foundation: the foundation I use at the moment is the Clinique 'Even Better' in number 4. I have been using this foundation for around 3 years now and have never strayed. It just suits my skin really well, its really long lasting and provides flawless and even coverage. It evens out my skin tone as well and covers any problem areas really well.

Concealer: I use the L'Oreal 'True Match concealer' and I have really enjoyed using this product. It provides good coverage to any blemishes and its really brightening and doesn't go cakey. I also use the YSL Touche Eclat see my review here.

Powder: my go to setting powder is the MAC 'Studio Fix Powder Plus'. It provides that extra coverage and sets my foundation and concealer really well. I have been using this product for years and would really recommend it. It can also be used on its own as a foundation powder on really good skin days.

Bronzer: the bronzer I am using at the moment is the Benefit 'Hoola' bronzer and I really like it. Its really good for contouring with, especially around the cheekbone area and this is something that I really look for in a bronzer. It's also a really nice colour, some bronzers can look really fake but this has a natural element to it. 

Blush: the blush I have got here is the L'Oreal 'True Match blush' in 145 Rosewood. This is nearly finished and I really need to get a new blush as its not something I ever really buy but always mean to. This product does its job for that perfect pink on the apples of your cheekbones but I would probably try a different brand and experiment a bit more.

Highligher: highligher it my favourite part of doing my makeup as I love the glow it gives my skin. The one I use at the moment is the MAC 'Mineralise Skin Finish' in Soft and Gentle. This has been a perfect highlighter for me and I have repurchased it numerous times. It really gives you that perfect natural glow to your skin.

Eyeshadow/Eyebrow: I am obsessed with Urban Decay eyeshadow palettes, my absolute faves are the Naked editions. At the moment I have gone back to the original Naked palette. On a day-to-day basis I like to use 'Sin' and 'Toasted' on my eye lids and 'Buck' to define my brows.

Eyeliner: For my bottom water line I like to use the Barry M 'Super Soft eye crayon' in black. Its really easy to use and glides onto my water line really easily. On my lash line I use the L'Oreal 'Super Liner' in Intense black. I am awful at using eyeliner on my lash line and this has made it so much easier for me, it goes on really well and lasts for hours. 

Mascara: I am absolutely loving the Benefit 'They're Real' mascara. It makes my eye lashes look super long and is really long lasting. It stays on all day without me having to apply another layer. I love the look it gives my eyes, it really makes them pop!

Lipstick: the summer months is a perfect time for a nude lip, and I absolutely love a nude lip on a daily basis. I think its really understated and perfect for any situation. At the moment I am using the MAC lip pencil 'Boldly Bare' to line my lips and then the MAC lipstick in 'Angel' which has been super moisturising for my lips and stays on well.

I then like to set my makeup with Urban Decay's 'Chill - Cooling and Hydrating makeup setting spray'. It does wonders to my face, it finishes my makeup with a perfect dewey glow. Its ultra hydrating and keeps my makeup in place for hours.

What products do you use for your daily face?


Much love

**This post is not sponsored and all opinions are my own

PRODUCT OF THE WEEK - CLINIQUE MAKEUP BRUSH CLEANSER!!

Well here we are again ladies! This week has flown by and its time for another one of my product recommendations!

Again, this is a product that I have loved for quite a while now and have purchased numerous bottles time and time again. I really do love when you find a product that just works; a product that you can rely on for always doing the job and doing it well! So this week I am going to talk about the Clinique makeup brush cleanser!

 I think cleaning your makeup brushes often is really important because the build up of product on your brushes can cause the growth of bacteria, that we then smear on our faces, this can cause unnecessary breakouts on your skin and then the cycle just starts again.  I aim to clean my brushes at least once a week, but this can be unrealistic sometimes, so as long as I have done it once every 10 days to a fortnight I am happy! Right…now on with the review.

I was really attracted by the concept of a brush cleaner by Clinique because as they do a range of skincare products, their brush cleaner must ensure that your brush is cleaned with products that are safe to use on your skin…I am not sure if my thought process is logical but it made sense to me!

I was really impressed when I first used this product because of how thoroughly it cleaned my brushes. You are instructed to pump a couple of sprays on either side of your brush, gently massage it through and then wash it off under running water. What I tend to do is, spray a couple of pumps, massage, rinse and then repeat that process a couple of times depending on what brush I am using! I often find it really difficult to clean my foundation, cleaner and powder purely because of the amount of residue that builds up on them, but I was so happy that after only around 6-7 sprays on the brush it cleaned it so well and left it looking almost brand new!

The spray is advertised as being odorless, but I did notice a sort of clinical smell if that makes sense…very subtle but I did notice it. This did not  put me off because to me it just means that it is strong enough to do its job. I have never had a bad reaction to the product and I have super sensitive skin so it has worked really well for me.

The bottle and packaging is simple but I love it because it’s pink! I bought the 200ml bottle for £14.00, which may seem on the pricey side but I think it is really reasonable considering how long it will most likely last you. A bottle tends to last me around 6 months which is really good! I am completely aware that you don’t need to buy a brush cleanser to clean your brushes and there are other more money savvy ways to clean them but for someone who has really sensitive skin using a brush cleanser from a brand that specializes in skincare is just a no brainer to me.

I would really recommend the product, but more so, I would really recommend keeping on top of cleaning your brushes and making sure that they have been cleaned at least every fortnight but if you can once a week would be the best.

What products do you use to clean your makeup brushes with?

Much love

THE BLOGGER LOVE AND HATE TAG!!

I had the privilege of being nominated, this week, by H from The Small Things of Life to take part in the Blogger 'love and hate tag'! I have never been asked to do anything like this so I was super excited when I got a tweet from her! 

The concept is that once you have been tagged, you list 20 things about yourself; 10 of which are things that you love and 10 are things of which you hate. You then tag 10 other bloggers to have a go at it too!

Surprisingly, I actually found this really hard which sounds weird, considering I am only listing things about myself, but to pick the top 10 things I love and hate is not as easy as it sounds. Anyway, here it goes:

Loves

1. My Boyf - I really can't thank him enough for everything he has done for me.

2. My Family and Friends - I am really grateful for everything my family have done for me and to my friends for always being there for me.

3. My Puppy - She turns one next week! She really is the cutest most loving little Shih Tzu there is.

4. Blogging - Blogging has become such a huge part of my life and I absolutely love it. I love writing and sharing my thoughts with others.

5. Makeup and Fashion - this is a bit of a given really. I am such a girly girl when it comes to all things beauty and fashion

6. Babies - must be my evolutionary maternal instincts but I absolutely love babies, I just always want a cuddle with them.

7. Winter and Rain - winter is my all time favourite time of the year, I love wrapping up warm and feeling the cold air on my skin. 

8. Reading - I really love it when I get into a good book, so much so that I can't put it down and I genuinely get excited to read the next chapter. I think that it is just such a nice way to spend time. 

9. Peonies - I don't really know much about flowers but I really love peonies. I think they are so beautiful and have such an elegance to them,

10. Movies - I am a complete movie geek,  I love watching all kinds of movies and can watch the same movie over and over again.

Hates

1. Wasps and Spiders - I hate all insects really, but I especially hate wasps and spiders! I just don't understand their existence.

2. Hayfever - I think hayfever is the main culprit for me being a bit of a summer scrooge really. I suffer really badly from hayfever and it really does just ruin my whole day.

3. Dirt and Mess - I have a bit of OCD when it comes to dirt and untidiness, I like things to be just so...thats not to necessarily say that I like doing it myself.

4. The Dark - I feel like a five year old for saying it, but I am still absolutely terrified of the dark. I hate being in a dark room...I have to have some sort of light.

5. Being Uncomfortable - In any way, shape or form, I hate feeling uncomfortable. I hate being in awkward situations and like everyone, I hate doing things I don't want to do. 

6. The Heat - Just to set it straight I am not talking about the movie because that is bloody brilliant. I hate being too hot, I just hate it! The only way I can cope with the heat is if I have a swimming pool to hand.

7. Red Meat - I can be quite fussy about my food even when I am not trying to be, but I completely detest red meat. No lamb and no beef for me thanks!

8. Bad Manners - Good manners cost nothing and you don't have to be a genius to have them...it is just common courtesy.

9. Rejection - This is a bit of a cheat because I don't think anyone enjoys rejection but my self-esteem and confidence can really suffer from any kind.

10. Nails on a Chalk Board - Even typing about this gives me the heeby jeebies. I genuinely have come out in goosebumps...its just the world's worst sound!

I hope you enjoyed this little insight into the world that is me. Do any of you share similar loves or hates?


Much Love

My Nominations

Sarah - http://www.sazbomb.co.uk

Jemma - http://www.dorkface.co.uk

Emma - http://www.essaysandwine.co.uk

Zoe - http://stylingthechapters.blogspot.co.uk

Holly - http://www.bisoushollyolivia.blogspot.co.uk

Jo - http://www.theclearlyinane.com

Becky - http://www.beckybedbug.com

Lauren - http://www.laurenselwood.com

Alessia - http://whispersfromangels.blogspot.co.uk

Courtney - http://www.courtzmelv.com

**All opinions are my own and credit is given to google images for the image above. 

THE INCREDIBLE WANTFEED!!

I have been meaning to do this review for quite a while now, but as my birthday is coming up I thought it would be the perfect time to share with you my experience of the next big thing!

For those of you who haven’t heard (and I am not entirely sure why not) of 'Wantfeed', I shall briefly explain. Created by the incredible Stefan Michalak, husband of the beautiful Hannah Maggs, Wantfeed is a social wish list website which lets you list and share items that you want…literally anything that you want! I mean already your thinking what a genius idea! How many times have you been stuck on what to buy someone as a gift. Or you have wanted to share ideas with family and friends of things you have been looking at near gift giving times! Its perfect! I think its so much nicer than giving someone a list of things you want or verbally saying so. This way, you give them the link to your Wantfeed and they can troll through your items and pick from a wide selection of wants you have listed. In this day and age, everything is done through social media and social networking sites and this is just another step in the right direction.

I don’t know about you but I find gift giving can be a massive pain in the backside. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love buying gifts for people, but I do find some people really, really hard to buy for and this is where Wantfeed comes in super handy! A lot of my friends and family say that I am not the easiest person to buy for and they have found my Wantfeed an absolute godsend as they have been able to have a visual list of things that I am really liking at the moment and well for lack of a better word want! It genuinely makes shopping so much easier, you add the link of the website that your chosen item is featured on and you add the price of said item. This allows you to have a wide array of items all of which have different price ranges. This allows a gift giver to find an item within their price range, click on the link to purchase that item and voila – sorted!

Not only is it great for gift giving, its great for the individual! I am obsessed with shopping (a lot of which I do online), I absolutely love the thrill of buying something new and I am forever on the lookout for what I am going to buy next. That being said, it can be hard to keep up with myself sometimes…I forget things I’ve seen that I like, I forget how much they cost or where they are from and that’s why Wantfeed is perfect for me. I can keep track of all things that I love and want to purchase in the near future. I have to admit that I do enjoy treating myself, but then again who doesn’t? Every paycheque I like to pick out what I am going to treat myself to, some months it might be on the pricier side and some months not, but I can keep track using my Wantfeed.

Finally, its another great social media site! You can connect with other people using the site and check out there Wantfeed. Then like twitter you can re-want someone’s item so that it appears on your Wantfeed or you can simply like another users want. Its another great way to connect with like-minded individuals over the internet and I am always up for that! Below are some snapshots of some of the things I have been wanting!

Go on, go and check it out and get wanting!

Much love