Happy Halloween!!

Hi everyone,
I'm so sorry for the lack of posts recently, I've been adjusting to life as a Year 11 and trying to deal with the stresses that come with your final year of school. I decided to do this to post to try and ease me back into blogging. Also, just a note to say sorry for the bad quality photos, I used my phone instead of my camera!!

My cat pumpkin

My brother's amazing pumpkin inside a pumpkin

Another one of my brothers creations, a spooky graveyard cake

Getting in the Halloween spirit with fondant and food colouring

 

Lj x

Autumn tag

With the days getting shorter and the boots and coats making an appearance, I think it's finally time to say goodbye to summer. After seeing this tag on Alovesvintage's blog here, I decided I wanted to try my first ever tag post!!


What is your favourite thing about it?
I love going for dog walks on those crisp and slightly chilly days with my family and then heading home, putting on something cosy and watching films.

Favourite drink?
It has to be a hot chocolate with all the toppings- cream and marshmallows galore!!

Favourite candle/scent?
My all time favourite candle is a Yankee candle in Clean cotton or baby powder, I love those sort of scents to relax me.

Best lipstick?
In the Autumn, I love using berry colours and more dark shades.

Go to moisturiser?
I use something with a medium-thick consistency as my skin can go very dry as we start to go into winter.

Go to colour for the eyes?
All year round, I love using neutral colours and my go-to palette is definitely MUA's heaven and earth. In my dreams I would own the Urban decay naked palette!!

Favourite music or band to listen to?
I find that in the Autumn, artists like Ben Howard, Ron Pope and One Republic are really relaxing to listen to.

Favourite outfit to wear?
Jeans, a cosy jumper and boots or for a more dressed up look, disco pants, pumps and a nice blouse.

Autumn treat?
My autumn treat is probably buying loads of lovely candles and then sitting in my room with them all lit up, fairy lights on, watching a film.

Favourite place to be?
I love being cosied up in my bed but I also love going on crisp, autumn walks.

Lj x

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Weekly wants- Week 2

 

Matte nail varnish in 'Whisper'- Topshop £6.00

Feather nail varnish in 'Cornwall'- Nails inc £11.00

Nail art set- Topshop £10.00

Nail wraps- Boots £6.65

Gelly nail varnish in 'Dragon fruit'- Boots £3.99

 

So this weeks 'Weekly wants' have a nail theme!! I've decided to do themed weekly wants for a while so these sort of posts will be carrying on which I hope you don't mind. I love nail art and painting my nails and all of these things inspire me so much and I'd love to purchase them in the future.

 

Lj x

Weekly wants- Week 1

Candle- John Lewis £8.50

Jumper- New Look £19.99

Soap and Glory body wash- Boots £6.50

Cat cushion- Etsy £9.99

Essie Mint candy apple- Superdrug £7.99

So this is my first 'Weekly wants' post everyone!! I wanted to start a weekly blog type thing as I've been having serious bloggers block (Is that a thing?) and therefore have been lacking post ideas. I can't wait to carry on with this and if you have any ideas for what I could post please comment below.

Lj x



NOTD: Barry M

This Barry M pure Turquoise is perfect for the sunny weather!!

Lj x

L'Oreal Preference Wild Ombre Kit

I've always loved the ombre/dip dye trend and when I first saw that L'Oreal had launched a do-it yourself kit, I couldn't wait to try it!! After putting it off for quite a while, I finally decided to purchase it - and I'm so happy with the results!!

Before:

 After:

I went for shade 2, for dark blonde to medium brown hair. The kit was really simple to use and the instructions easy to follow. I started off with the very tips of my hair, and left it on for 10 minutes, then I moved a bit further up my hair, starting from the bottom and going up to about my shoulders, and left that on for 40 minutes. I'm really pleased with the overall effect as it looks exactly how I wanted it and I have to say I'd definitely purchase this kit again, at only £6.99, it's amazing value for money!!

Lj x

Shopping Haul

I went shopping recently for summer and also an upcoming trip to Spain!!

 

High waisted denim shorts- New look

Acid wash studded denim shorts- Primark

Navy blue vest- Primark

Silver spikey necklace- River island

Blue jacket/blazer- New look

Blue shorts- Primark

White converse- Footlocker

 

I also picked up a few travel cosmetics which included face wipes, sun cream, toothpaste and shampoo and conditioner.

 

Lj x

Sun Sun Sun!!

So this weekend we finally got a glimpse of Summer and the temperature on Sunday reached about 20 degress!! It was really lovely to have a little bit of warm weather so I made the most of it with a dog walk and picnic. Not only this, but on Saturday it was Eurovision so I made some snacks including Swedish themed chocolate balls!!

 

A summer's walk in the countryside

 

 

Lj x

 

 

 

 

Maybelline Rocket Volum Express Mascara

So I've always loved Maybelline mascaras. I can guarantee I've tried the majority of ones on the Boots Maybelline counter. So, it was no surprise that as soon as the rocket volum express one was released, I bought it straight away. I feel like you can never go wrong with the Maybelline mascaras. I always seem to find they coat my lashes perfectly and make them look super-duper long and thick- what more could a girl want!?

"Clump free volume gets reinvented with our exclusive elastomer brush -the Jet-Glide. Lashes have up to 8 x more volume.The patented Jet-Glide Brush propels smooth volume evenly all the way up every lash in a flash for explosive volume." I completley agree with what Boots has boasted about this product. This mascara fans out my lashes and makes them look so much longer!! Maybelline have lived up to my mascara expectations yet again and I can't fault their brilliant products!!

 

Lj x

Instyle magazine+NOTD

So I don't usually buy 'InStyle' magazine but after reading Ramblings of a Beauty Bird's blog post here about magazine freebies, I couldn't resist!! With this months issue, they're giving away a choice of 3 Nails Inc colours- Totes Pink, It's Red,Babez and You're A Peach which I chose. I think last year they did this offer as well and I picked bluebell which I have to say hasn't disappointed me at all. This was an absolute bargain because at only £3.90 you got the magazine AND the nail polish which is usally worth £11!! Thankyou InStyle magazine!!

Now onto nails of the day, which, of course, was my new Nails Inc one!! I couldn't wait to get home and try it out. It applies really well and after 2 coats, the colour stands out but is also quite subtle at the same time. You're A Peach is perfect for spring/summer and I can't wait to hopefully add to my collection of Nails Inc colours!!

 Lj x

Small shopping haul

 

 

Firstly, I picked up this white/cream lace vest top from New Look. I really like the lace trend for the summer and I love the style of this vest. It's quite short and also has quite a high neckline. On the front, there's flowery lace and at the bottom of this sort of crocheted flowers which I really like. On the back, it's just plain white and has a simple button at the top. I really love this top and can't wait to wear it when Britain finally has some nice weather!!

I also purchased two makeup products which were the Bourjois blusher in golden rose and the Maybelline super stay 24hr in red passion. The Bourjois blusher was on a deal in Superdrug which meant I got it free when I spent over £12!! I love the colour of it and also the slight bronze shimmer which will be perfect for summer. The Maybelline superstay is in an amazing red colour and I love how pigmented it is. I've been wanting to try a bright red lip colour for ages and after many failed attempts of buying one, I hope I've finally found it!!

Lj x

I got my ears pierced!!

I got my ears pierced!! I previously had them pierced when I was about 11 and let them close up because I didn't like twisting them/moving them etc and after thinking about getting them re-done for a while, I finally decided to do it this week. When I first got them pierced, I went to Claire's and was going to this time but decided against it and instead went for a local beauty salon. I'm so glad I made this decision as on the day, the lady doing the piercing was cheerful and friendly and also re-assured me of any worries I had. They were done really quickly and I barely felt it, and afterwards I even got a couple of biscuits!! I'm so glad I now have them pierced and I can't wait to start buying lovely earrings!!

 

Lj x

I ♥ free things!!

I love a bargain, I love free samples and most importantly I love trying new products!! So, saying this, it's only natural that I spend every week googling 'Free samples' and seeing what new wonders come up!! I thought I'd do this quick blog post to tell people about these great deals so here it goes:

Firstly, I managed to get a £3 body shop 'voucher'. With this, you didn't need to spend a certain amount of money to redeem it, you simply picked up your purchase, went to the counter, said the words 'Happy Bunny!' and you got £3 off your purchase, simples!! (Ends March 31st 2013)

I also got a free malteasers easter bunny courtesy of Tesco!! I love these so much and was chuffed when I saw this voucher. All you have to do is find easter eggs near you using google street view (Sounds complicated but is in fact extremley simple) and give them your email address. You can either print the voucher and collect it in store or add it onto your online shopping order- voila, free chocolate, what more could you ask for??

Lj x

Barry M Textured Nail Effects Nail Paint review

As I may have said before, Barry M is one of my all-time favourite nail varnish brands. It's cheap, lasts a long time and the variety of colours and effects they have are amazing!! I always love to try the new products they have out so picked up a textured nail effect in the colour Kingsland Road.

A lot of brands are realeasing 'grunge-chic' look nail varnishes so I definitley feel like it will be a big trend in the upcoming season.

BarryM says: Textured Nail Effect’s grainy, matte formula creates a unique textured effect for a grunge-chic look. Available in 4 Spring/Summer shades named after famous haunts where Mr Barry Mero began his early working days in the markets of South and East London.'

I really love the colour of this polish and I have to say it is one of the reasons I bought it. The effect isn't my all time favourite from BarryM but I do think it's lovely and subtle and is also very summery!! Overall, I like the colour a lot but the effect isn't very exciting so I don't think I would purchase it again.

 

 Lj x

Superdrug haul

This weekend, I spent Saturday shopping at my (not so) local town centre. As always, I wandered into Superdrug and this is what I picked up. 

 I've heard a lot of good things about these two clean&clear products from various bloggers and youtubers. The product on the left is called deep action cream wash and is oil-free. It claims to 'clean down to the pores for really clear skin'. Reviews also claim that 'the tingling sensation makes it feel like it's working', 'it leaves skin feeling refreshed' and some even said 'it gets rid of all pimples'. I'm looking forward to using this and I hope it lives up to expectations.

The second clean&clear product, in the middle, is called advantage spot treatment gel and claims to 'have immediate action', 'helps reduce spots within 4 hours' and 'helps keep spots away with daily useage'. I only started using this yesterday but I really do hope it does as it says on the bottle.

I also purchased Loreal Elnett hairspray normal strength as I previously only had a boots own brand hairspray and I believe that this product is an essential!!

Lastly, I bought a new mascara. I was given the Yves Rocher sexy pulp mascara for christmas and I've always been told you should change it every 3 months to avoid infections so that's exactly what I did!! Anyway, I bought the Rimmel London volume lash scandal eyes mascara in extreme black.

Normally, when I buy a new mascara, I will always go for whatever new one Maybelline has brought out. You could say I use it to gauge when I should buy a new one!! This time however, I decided to buy Rimmel's as I've had it before and I know what I'm getting. I love the volume it gives to your lashes although the size of the brush can be too big for some. I, however, really dislike small brushes so this is perfect for me.

Lj x

MUA Heaven and Earth palette

 

I'm a massive fan of neutral eyeshadows, so I've always been keen to try Urban Decay's naked palettes. But, with such a high price tag, I wasn't too sure if it was worth it. Luckily, I found the perfect alternative set of eyeshadows in the form of MUA'S heaven and earth palette. I've heard many good reviews of this product so recently asked for it as a christmas present. I was lucky to be given it and started using it straight away!! The colours all last throughout the day when wearing them and they're very highly pigmented and also have a slight sparkle to them. At only £4.00 in Superdrug, it's an absolute bargain for such lovely colours and the amount of use you get out of them.
Lj x

 

Barry M gelly nail effects

I love BarryM nail varnishes and, 99% of the time, when they have a new polish out, I'll want to try it! I've known about the Barry M gelly nail effects for a while now and only recently have got round to purchasing one. After my friend bought one and told me it was 'a bit thick and gloopy', I was slightly hesitant but I wandered into my local superdrug the other day and discovered that not only did they have new colours, they were also on a deal!! After browsing through all the many shades, I decided on Greenberry and tried it out the next day.

 

The colour of Greenberry is a greeny/bluey colour which is slightly turquoise. It comes in the normal-shaped BarryM packaging but unlike the standard colours, it has a shiny silver lid. As I said earlier, the gelly nail effects come in many colours and these are; plum, blackberry, watermelon, blood orange, blueberry, prickly pear, satsuma, grapefruit, pomegranate, lychee, dragon fruit, greenberry and papaya. The effect promises 'an extra glossy finish' and I really do think it does what it says on the bottle. If too much nail polish is applied to the brush, it does end up spreading all over your nail so I think 2 thin layers is enough. With this effect, I don't think a top coat is needed because it's so glossy but if you want to make it last longer, I'd use one. Overall, I think it's a really nice effect and comes in lots of lovely colours so is definitley worth the slightly higher price tag than the standard polishes. I think I will definitley purchase another colour in the future and look forward to seeing if it stays chip-free over the week!!

Lj x