Saturday, February 28, 2015

Lifestyle ¦ Baker days letterbox cakes

 Baker days letterbox cake £14.99 //Here//

Some mums are super hard to buy for so when it comes to mothers day it's not so easy to get her something that she's going to love and that is a little bit original. That is where baker days come in! You can surprise your mum/other important women in your life with one of theses cakes straight onto her doorstep. I wasn't sure if the cake was going to get here in one piece and I was a little bit skeptical however the cake arrived in perfect condition and it was very well packaged. Onto the actual cake it was really delicious it wasn't overly sweet which was what I expected. It was really moist and overall a really tasty cake. 

There are so many patterns to choose from and there are some that can be personalised with text and photos. In the box came a packet of love hearts, a little card and the cake in this really beautiful pastel tin. Baker days don't just offer letterbox cakes, they also offer larger cakes and small cupcakes //Here// The cakes stay fresh for 14 days and they can be delivered the next day if you order them before 2pm. You can also design your own cake if you don't like any of the designs. 




Friday, February 27, 2015

Beauty ¦ The glitter gradient


I'm not sure if i've talked about this nail combination on here before but I really love it! The perfect spring nail look, I adore the Barry M gelly polishes but I think this has to be my favourite shade. A very pale pink that looks almost white in some lights it paints beautifully and is totally opaque in 2 coats which you don't get very often with such a pale shade. I think i'd have to say that Models own Pink fizz is my favourite nail polish ever. It's the most beautiful really opaque glitter and it works really well for glitter gradients as it's so jam packed with glitter. 

I'd love to know what your favourite shade and glitter combos are! Let me know in the comments! 

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Beauty ¦ The face - Winged liner

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Sunday, February 22, 2015

Giveaway ¦ Miss sporty in partnership with Orchard books

Ally Carter All fall down* 

Today I've got a very exciting collaboration for you, teen makeup brand Miss sporty have recently announced their collaboration with Children's book publishers Orchard books in conjunction with internationally best selling author Ally Carter.

Ally Carter is the bestselling author of the Gallagher girls and the Heist society series. Carters newest book All fall down will have makeup tutorials for the main character in the back and the first 17,000 prints of the book will have a free Miss Sporty mascara. There will also be a  Miss sporty goody bag competition in the back of All Fall down and in the re-issued Gallagher girls.

When this dropped through my letter box I thought it may be a little young for me but I actually really enjoyed it. It's a super easy read and I managed to read the entire thing in about two days. It has a nice plot and the story is structured nicely. I really thing this book would be brilliant for 10-13 year olds although like I mentioned before I really enjoyed it myself as a light read.

Miss sporty are giving one of my lucky readers a chance to win a copy of Ally Carter's brand new book All Fall down with a free fabulous lash mascara. For a chance to win enter via the rafflecopter gadget below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
This competition is open to UK residents only, you must be over 16 or have your parent or guardian's permission to give out your address. The giveaway will be open for one month and will close on the 22nd march at 12 am GMT time, if the winner does not respond to the email in 72 hours a new winner will be chosen 





Saturday, February 21, 2015

Beauty ¦ Insta-natural eye gel


 Insta Natural Youth express eye gel £16.95* //Here//

Now I'm fully aware I have absolutely no need for an anti aging eye cream but apart from the wrinkles I have all the things this little bottle of amazingness is good for. I've always suffered badly with puffy, sore and dark under eyes (Thanks genes) I've been using this for a couple of weeks and I've seem a massive difference. Due to this product being a gel it's really cooling and helps calm down any redness and refreshes tired eyes. The overall texture is really lovely and I'd happily use this all over my face if I needed it. It's made no massive difference to the overall darkness under my eyes but due to the skin being in much better condition I've found that they have been covering much easier and my concealer is going on much smoother and also creasing less. I've found it to be really nice and hydrating and overall I'm really impressed. 

I like the packaging, when I first opened the package I was a little worried about the pump dispensing too much product however I've found it is just right. I seriously recommend that if you suffer  from sore and puffy under eyes you give this ago. It's also a massive size so the £16.95 is well worth paying as not only is it really effective it's also super inexpensive. 


Friday, February 20, 2015

Blog ¦ Keeping organised


Something I wasn't aware of when I first started my blog was how much hard work it takes to keep it organised and regularly updated. Today I thought I'd talk to you about some of the things I do to keep myself organised. 

Blog post calendars 
This is a quick and easy way of finding what I've already written about and making sure I have a nice balance between my posts. By using these I can see easily how many of each type of post I've put up. It's also just nice to look back on my previous posts and see what I liked writing about 6 months ago. 

My Filofax 
I wrote an entire post about my filofax //Here// I find it so handy as I can write ideas down whilst i'm on the go but I also put in all my posts and any blog achievements like 1200 followers on bloglovin and so. It's really nice to be able to flick through and see when I hit big milestones and I also find it really handy for if I'm out and I want to know what post has just been published. I also have a little section for my blog where I write down all the series I have going so I always know what number I'm up to and a little section to write down all of my favourites. 


A post planner
This is something I started at the beginning of January and I've found it's really helped keep me organised. Before I had a habit of taking photos for a blog post and then never actually writing said post. This way I write down the post idea take the photos and then I can see what posts I have to write, it's also good for if I have a bit of bloggers block because I know if i've got any post ideas already! I can also mark on here if i've put reviewed products on my product directory as I tend to forget to do that. 


Ideas bubbles 
I tend to go through stages with ideas for posts, for one month I'll have 50 ideas and then for the next I will only have 5. I never used to write down my ideas and by the time I got to taking the photos and writing the posts I had either forgotten them or decided I didn't like the idea. By writing them onto idea bubbles I've realised I can now easily go back to the bubbles if I'm feeling a little uninspired but it also helps sift out the good ideas from the bad ones. 


I'd love for you to let me know if you have any blog organisation tips and if you've written a post like this i'd love the link. 

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Beauty ¦ Revlon Photoready Primer, shadow and sparkle palettes.


How beautiful are these palettes! I picked them up on an amazing deal in boots, and I am so glad I did. I don't think i've ever read anything about these which is crazy as they are incredible! Each palette contains a primer shade which was not what I expected as it's just another powder shadow, a lid shade, a crease shade, a browbone shade and a stunning glitter to pack on top of the shadows. 


The quality of the shadows is gorgeous, they are really buttery and the pigmentation really packs a punch. The shades aren't overly glittery so when you pop the glitter on top it doesn't look too over the top. I can't say I've used the primer shade a lot as I need quite a strong eye primer. I did use it once and I just found that it really didn't help with creasing which occurred within around four hours however with a primer (Mac bare study if you were wondering) these shadows lasted all day. I really like the colours in the palettes and they all work really nicely together. 

On the back of each palette there is a little diagram to show you where to apply the shadows. The casings are nice and sturdy and I like the way you can see the shades through the little window as it looks really pretty in my collection. Impressionist is my favourite for everyday as it is gorgeous neutral palette with some beautiful shades. Metropolitan is brilliant for a more dramatic evening look. The sparkle shades in the palettes are my favourite shades in the palette as they really make the looks pop. 

Overall I really like these palettes and I seriously suggest you give them a go. They are really lovely drugstore palettes! 


 505 Impressionist

501 Metropolitan 

Sunday, February 15, 2015

Beauty ¦ The Muji files part 1



If you read my Makeup collection post back in November (If you didn't you can read it //Here//) I said about doing a little series about my muji drawers which house all of my lip products. I finally got round to taking the photos and I decided to do it draw by drawer instead of doing one really long post! I hope you enjoy this and I'd love it if you could link me to any lipstick/makeup collections or just lipstick reviews in general! 


So in the top draw I have all my lip stains/ lacquers, lip liners and a couple of lipglosses. Some of my favourites out of this draw are the Essence xxxl matte lipglosses are a really lovely long wearing and comfortable matte shades. I also love the OCC Lip tar in NSFW this is the most amazing bright red and once it's on the lips it's not going anywhere. I seriously need to get round to trying more of these. Other favourites include the Catrice Made to stay smoothing lip polishes, the Essence lip liners and the Collection Cream puffs. Also an honourable mention has to go to the Benefit Ultra plush lipglosses, they aren't something I use very often but they are really lovely glosses and that's coming from someone who hates glosses. 
So that's draw number one! I hope you enjoyed this post and I'd love to know if you'd like to see the other 3 drawers. 


Friday, February 13, 2015

Beauty ¦ The face - The Everyday look


I feel like I haven't shared a proper makeup look in forever so today I thought I'd talk to you about some of the products I've been reaching for and using on a regular basis. 

So I started off with the L'oreal true match foundation and then popping the Seventeen stay time concealer under my eyes and on any blemishes. I love this base combination, it's leaves my skin looking flawless and lasts all day. For my cheeks I've been wearing Clinique's cheek pop in Berry pop constantly for the past couple of weeks and I've been loving it. It just adds a gorgeous flush to the cheeks then I put a little bit of Benefit high beam on the tops of my cheekbones. Finally to finish off my face I've been using Nars laguna to add a bit of colour to my face, mainly focusing it on my cheekbones and around the edges of my face. 

Eye wise I've found a look that takes about 2 minutes if that and it's been brilliant for wearing to school. I just slap a bit off Mac Bare study paint pot on my lids to prime and then I sweep Mac all that glitters all over the lid and then just add a little of Satin taupe onto the outer v. I then use the Seventeen Doll'd up mascara and that's eyes done. Then for my brows I use a little bit of the Benefit Instant brow pencil and then I set them with the L'oreal brow artist. Finally to finish off my face I've been reaching for either Mac brick'o'la or the Clarins instant light natural lip perfector in 01. 



Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Beauty ¦ Soap and glory whipped clean review


If there was an award for the best smelling shower product ever this one would win it hands down. It smells like honey and oats and overall just pretty damn delicious. I can't say i've ever seen anyone talk about this but I have fallen in love. I think from what i've read it's a similar concept to the Nivea in shower butter thingy majig. It's meant to be used as both a shower gel and it's meant to be hydrating enough to skip moisturizing so it's perfect for someone who hates moisturizing.

I personally feel like I need extra moisturizer after using this but it must be noted that I have very dry eczema prone skin so I need as much hydration as I can get. That being said when I'm feeling super lazy I don't feel so bad for skipping out on moisturizing. I didn't expect this to lather up but I was surprised to find it actually lathers up really well. Also a little side note it's brilliant for shaving and really helps get a really close shave. I have fallen in love with this stuff and I feel like I'm going to be repurchasing it for a very long time.


Sunday, February 08, 2015

Beauty ¦ Best of - Budget blushes


Along with lipstick blushes have to be one of my favourite makeup products so today I thought I'd share some of my favourite drugstore blushes with you.

Maxfactor Miracle touch creamy blush - Soft pink £6.99

They say good things come in small packages and this certainly fits that rule. This was a Vivianna does makeup inspired purchase as there was a period that she talked about them all the time. This is perfect for adding a natural flush to the cheeks. The formula is very creamy and it blends into the skin well and sets down into a beautiful muted matte pink.

Sleek Blush by 3 Palette - Pink lemonade £9.99

I'm not sure if you can buy this exact palette at this current time however this is just here to represent all of sleeks blushes. They are all incredibly pigmented and last so well on the skin. There is an amazing and the colour range is really nice and varied from peaches to pomegranates sleek have pretty much every kind of shade covered.

Rimmel Lasting finish blush - Santa rose £3.99

This is another really hyped product, it's the perfect peachy sheeny shade which just seems to make you glow from within. I tend to reach for this more in the summer as it just looks gorgeous on tanned skin and it really gives that perfect summer glow.


Essence Blush up powder blush - Pinky flow £3.50

I really can't stand the name of this product, it actually makes me want to be sick however I will push past it as I am so in love with the shade of this blush. It's a sheeny bright pink but what I really love about it is that it can be built up but it isn't major colour if you've dipped more than three bristles of your brush into the pan. I feel like i'm going to be reaching for this one a lot this summer.

Accessorize baked blusher - Sensation (I think accessorize makeup may have been discontinued which makes me very sad)

Now I'm not going to talk about this for too long as I think the entire range has been discontinued as I can't seem to find it anywhere online. But if you can get your hands on it this is such a gorgeous glowy blush and it really reminds me of the hourglass ambient lighting blushes (from the swatches I've seen) It's a great one for bad skin days as it really perks up the complexion and gives that beautiful lit from within look.

Topshop Cream blush - Flush £6.00

So to finish off I had to mention this blush, I think I would go as far to say that this is my all time favourite drugstore blush. I just find it so easy and it blends into the skin like an absolute dream. I love wearing it paired with a BB cream and lots of highlighter in the summer for a really simple base. I just find it works so well with any lip colour and any eye look without making me look overdone. If I could only recommend one of these blushes to you guys it would hands down most definitely be this one! 

Left to Right - Topshop, Rimmel, Accessorize, Maxfactor, Essence, Sleek

Friday, February 06, 2015

Beauty ¦ The nude lip rundown


I love a good nude lip so today I thought I would talk you through some of my favourites from the best gloss to the best lip liner if you are a lover of nude lips this is the post for you!


The best barely there nude - Clarins Instant light natural lip perfector - 01 
I adore these glosses they are so gorgeous, this is the perfect throw on and go shade. Non sticky and just adding a slight tint it's perfect for a barely there makeup look. 

The best budget nude - Natural collection Sheer natural lipstick - Sand castle 
For £2.00 I really can't complain, I actually really like the natural collection lipsticks. They are comfortable to wear and they offer a really nice range of shades. This is a really nice peachy nude which just adds a hint of nudeness to the lips. 

The best nude lipliner - Catrice Longlasting lipstick - That's what Rose wood do
This is a really pinky nude shade but I like to pair it with more orangey nudes to stop concealer lips. It works perfectly with the Essence shade in this post as it tones down the orange tones. 

The best matte nude - Essence Longlasting lipstick - OH so matt! 
This shade is a little orangey on it's own. If i'm especially pale that day I can sometimes wear it alone but I mostly have to pair it with the catrice liner. Together they make the most gorgeous nude lip which I just adore wearing. 

The best nude chubby stick - Revlon colorburst Matte balm - Elusive
This ones a little bit of a cheat as it isn't really nude it's more on the pink side of things but I love it so I had to mention it as I use it so often. It's a perfect shade for throwing on and forgetting about as the lasting power is amazing. 

The best long lasting nude - Soap and glory Sexy mother pucker lip lacquer - Charm offensive
Again not technially 

From left to right - Clarins, Revlon, Soap and glory, Seventeen, Catrice, Natural collection, Essence, Benefit

Wednesday, February 04, 2015

Beauty ¦ Born Pretty 10 Pan blush palette




When the lovely people over at Born Pretty  asked me about reviewing something of their site I was immediately drawn to this gorgeous ten pan blush palette* ($9.99) I'm having a little bit of a blush obsession at the moment so this was perfect. I will admit there are a few colours i'm not going to use very often. Some of the brighter pinks are far too blue toned for my colouring and the very pale shade is pretty much invisible on my skin. However the middle shade on the bottom row has been one i've used fairly often. 

The formula of these is really lovely and they blend really nicely into the skin. The pigmentation is strong in the swatches however they appear much sheerer on the face (this is a good thing for me as I have a habit of being very heavy handed) The only little gripe I have is some of the shades are very glittery so if you're not one for a little bit of glitter every now and then you might be better going for another of the blush palettes on Born pretty. Overall I think this palette is great for if you are starting out with blush as it has a nice mixture of shades to try out. It's not a palette I'm going to reach for really often but it's one that will be handy to have in my stash! 

Top row swatches

 Bottom row swatches 


This product was sent to me for review by Born pretty, however all opinions expressed in this post are my own and are no way influenced by the fact that this product is a PR sample. 

Sunday, February 01, 2015

Beauty ¦ January favourites


I'll be glad to see the back of January this year, it's been a month full of mock exams and coursework hand in dates. Despite this I've found some real gems this month, some dug from the very depths of my collection and a couple of new bits. 


Revlon Photoready Primer, shadow and sparkle palette - Impressionist £8.99
I picked up two of these as Revlon were having a 2 for £10 offer on eyes and lips. I am so impressed with the quality of these and I'm really glad I picked up two. Impressionist has been the one i've been reaching for on a daily basis as it's a little more neutral and subtle than the other palette I picked up (Metropolitan). The shadows are incredibly pigmented and blend like a dream. Over a primer these lasted about 8 hours before they began to show signs of wear. There will be a full review of these with swatches going up sometime in february so keep a look out for that if you are interested in these. 


Nars - Virtual domination palette (LE) Review //Here//
I know this palette is limited edition so I wasn't going to talk about it but then when I thought about it my two favourite shades in the palette are Laguna and Deep throat which are both permanent shades. I have fallen head over heels in love with Laguna and I've worn it pretty much everyday since I was bought this. Deep throat is by far my favourite blush shade in the palette, it's the most gorgeous corally pink shade with lots of finely milled gold glitter. I've been reaching for this one most days so they've both had a lot of love this month. 


Essence Match 2 cover concealer - 10 Natural beige £2.50
This was something I picked up when I went to germany and it ended up getting left without me even trying it so when I dug it out I was amazed at how much I liked it. The product itself is so creamy and it blends into the skin like an absolute dream. I find it lasts well and works on both blemishes and under the eyes so it's the perfect little duo to chuck in my blazer with a little concealer brush. 

Nuxe Reve De Miel Lip moisturizing stick £5.50 
I was so happy when I won this in a giveaway and I am so in love with it the pot version went straight on my birthday wishlist. It smells amazing but that's beside the point this is a little tube of miracles. I have horribly dry lips and this has just made them so smooth and I also find it makes them look much fuller and just healthier in general! 


Clinique Chubby stick Intense - Plushest punch £17.00
This was another Germany purchase that I didn't get much use out off and then I put it on a couple of weeks ago and feel completely in love with it. The formula of these is so comfortable to wear on the lips and it doesn't dry my lips out in any way. Staying power wise it lasts a good four hours with eating and drinking after this time it leaves a slight stain behind. 

Seventeen Doll'd up mascara £6.29
If you've been reading this blog for a while you will know my love affair for seventeen mascara's has been going on for about two years. I think they really are the cream of the crop when it comes to drugstore mascara's. They are so much more affordable than the likes of L'oreal and Maxfactor and the quality is incredible. This one hasn't let me down I love the arched shape of the wand. It leaves my lashes curled and volumised and has the lasting power of a waterproof mascara. I highly recommend you give this a go over your current mascara and see how it fares. 



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