28 February 2014

H&M, New Look, Boots, & Lush HAUL

This is my first haul post and i already vow never to do one again, i have had so many problems with this from the photographs to blogger constantly deleting this that I'm praying to god it doesn't happen again. That being said, i went on a little shopping spree and bought some lovely things that i thought i should share this with you, some of these things you may have already seen on this blog because this post has taken so long to do so sorry about that! 

Half my bags got battered in the rain so i had to improvise.. hate British weather!
The more fashion-y side of the haul..
New Look Tops
Black Top Lace Trip
Aztec Top Detailing
The first shop i went into was New Look, which is slowly becoming one of my favourite places to shop, and i picked up these three tops. When i bought them i was thinking of summer and they pretty much reflect that considering how think and short they are! Never mind, wishful thinking..

The first top i bought was the Black Crochet Hem T-Shirt for £8.99. I chose this because its so casual and comfortable, yet the crochet hem really adds a lovely touch to it. It slightly cropped and the end of the hem comes up to my belly button but this just means it will be perfect for summer! 

I then spotted the Monochrome Aztec Swing Cami also for £8.99, which i currently can't find one the website. This is such a light piece with a lovely pattern and can  see it being paired really well with some chunky boots and black skinny jeans. 

The last top i bought was the Red Pixel Aztec T-Shirt for £7.99. This i had more in mind for wearing to college because its so casual but adds a little bit of a twist with the bright pattern. The zip detailing is especially lovely and makes it feel more expensive than it actually is.

Horrible photo, sorry! 
Zips..
More Zips..
Ive been lusting after a leather look jacket for a long time now and when i saw this in the sale i knew i simply had to have it. I can't find this on the website probably due to the fact this was in the sale but its such a gorgeous warm jacket and I'm so glad i finally manage to pick one up. This cost me £23.

apologies for them not being clean, as i said they're so comfy and its taken a long time to get this post done..
My next purchase was the Black Leather Chunky Sole Chelsea Boots for £41.24. Id seen these online at a higher price and when i saw them in store cheaper i had to have them. They're such comfy and warm shoes that are perfect for winter and so versatile! 

Aren't they just gorgeous?! The black is definitely more black than this post shows..
Say what you want, but this always makes jeans feel more expensive. 
So cute! 
I ventured into H&M next, a shop i don't normally go for but seeing as it was raining it became my safe haven. I picked up these 2 pairs of jeans which i currently can't find online, for £8.99 each. What a bargain! They're so comfy and i needed some as with all this windy weather my skater skirts aren't really doing their job.. These are such good quality and I'm definitely going to purchase some more of these! 

Beauty section, like my new style of photos? I dont..
Boots haul!
I took a trip to Boots next as its my favourite place to go when its raining, hey, don't judge me. I can literally spend hours in there just looking at all the different things they have to offer.  I only really got a few things in here because id already spent far too much, but what i did i thought i would share with you!

First up is the Sure Cool Pink Anti Perspirant  for £3.15. This is something i need and the pink packaging definitely made me buy it. The scent is rather lovely too. 

Next i picked up the Montagne Jeunesse Hot Chocolate Face Mask as i pretty much just couldn't resist! It only cost £1 and all the others i had tried before were so could i simply couldn't walk past this.

Lastly i got the Simple Exfoliating Face Wipes for £3.55. Ever girl needs face wipes, but what really caught my eye was the exfoliating part.  I ender if they'll actually be any good or just gimmicky? 

Lush Haul.. 
Lip Scrub, yum!
I don't usually venture into LUSH due to the smell, but id been looking at these two for a while and when my friend said she wanted to go in i couldn't refuse. They always have such lovely products in there and i think i need to start visiting more often.

Im probably the last blogger to buy this but there you go, the first product is the Popcorn Lip Scrub for £5.50. I preferred the smell of this over the bubblegum and mint one, and needed something for my lips so bit the bullet and went for it. This is in such a lovely pot and is perfect for carrying around with you too.

Lastly i bought the Lush Sea Spray Hair Mist for £9.95. Id been looking for something for my hair for a while now and this kept cropping up in my searches so bought this on an impulse. The smell of this is lovely and i have high hopes for this product!

So thats the end of my first haul post, hope you've enjoyed it! Have you tried any of these products? What did you think? Id love to know!






24 February 2014

Shabby Chic Photo Frames

I have a little bit of a different post for you guys today, I'm in the process of redecorating my bedroom and am going for the whole 'Shabby Chic' look because i think its just adorable. Ive been on the hunt for various different pieces to put around my room to brighten it up and make it feel more homely and came across this gorgeous photo frame from Matalan for £5. 

Photo Frame £5
The illustration inside is just adorable!
Gorgeous floral topping.
Working in Matalan i find myself constantly browsing for things that would be perfect as gifts or for my room and they always have such cute adorable things for sale. I saw this a couple of weeks ago and was instantly drawn to it, the design is so pretty and i can just imagine how perfect it would look on my bedside table so when i last went in and managed to pick one up! £4 for a photo frame is not bad! I love work discount.. 

I love buying photo frames because it gives me an incentive to actually print out my favourite photos which so often go forgotten in folders on my laptop or my phone. This is such a gorgeous photo frame and thing it will be perfect for a photo of me and my family or boyfriend and such a steal at £5. 





21 February 2014

Forever 21 Wishlist #2

Now i dont know about you guys but i love reading wish lists, and especially ones with something a little different. Forever 21 has long been my favourite clothes shop and recently i delved into their beauty and accessories section and couldn't be happier that i did. Ive spent countless hours looking online at all of their beautiful products and here are a few of my favourites!


Sweet Side Lunch Box Cross Body £18.90 - Ive been looking for a reasonable sized bag to carry around with me for such a long time but never find anything that would be suitable. I carry my life round with me so really need to stop, and when i saw this bag i just fell in love. The embossed polka dots are such an adorable touch and i think this bag would make such a perfect addition ready for spring. 

Arrow Print Midsize Cosmetics Bag £5.65 - My makeup bag is looking a little battered so I've been on the hunt for a new one. This black makeup bag is perfect simply for the dark colour, goodbye mascara stains! The gold arrows on the outside really just tie this bag together and make it so adorable and an absolute must have!

Sketched Circle Eyelash Curler £3.15 - Confession, I've never used an eyelash curler. I have pretty long eyelashes as it is and I've never really felt the need to, or really understand them. This is a nice little, reasonably priced pair and i think would be a good introduction into the world of eyelash curling. 

Weekday Blues Mirror Compact £3.15 - Compact mirrors always seem to go missing for me so find myself buying them all the time. The saying on this one describes me perfectly as I'm always living for the weekend. The gold metal exterior is a lovely touch too compared to my pink plastic one.

Paddle Brush (Similar) £3.15 - You can never have too many hairbrushes, right? 

Floral Rebel Tweezers £2.40 - I bought a pair of tweezers from here before and they were absolutely fabulous. Sadly after a year of use they've suddenly gone walkabouts and i can no longer find them, resulting in some pretty unruly brows. I love the design on these and the price is absolutely brilliant.

So these are just a few thing I've been lusting after from Forever 21. Is there anything in there that you'd like too? Leave me a comment and let me know! 


17 February 2014

SUPERlash Mascara And Eyeliner REVIEW

Hello there everyone, like many others i recently saw this post by Kirstie (A Yellow Brick Blog)  and found myself picking up these 17 products when i popped out for the day. 17 are an ever-growing brand and I've loved them ever since i bought my first felt tip eyeliner from one of their collections, when i saw these i simply knew i had to have them. 

Apologies to anyone with slow internet, this is quite a picture heavy post and may take a while to load.

I found a random basket in my garden hanging from a tree and though 'Hey, what better way to take photos of my products? Im such a loser, right?!
Together, from a different angle.
At the moment, these are on offer in Boots. You can buy the mascara for £4.99, as an introductory price, and get the eyeliner for free. As of the 19/02/14 the price of the mascara will go back up to £6.99, i bought it in black but they also do a black/brown version. I can't currently find a price for the eyeliner, but I'm sure it won't be too expensive. This is an absolute bargain for two products and i have no idea how anybody could resist this offer!

Dont you just love the packaging?! Its so fun and cute!
I wonder whether this claim is true..
Why is it so hard to photograph mascara wands?:(
The packaging of the mascara is rather gorgeous in my eyes, its not sleek and stylish like i would normally go for but has the fun, playful typography and the red and yellow make you think of superheroes like the name 'SuperLash' implies. The tube is not the smallest and contains 9ml of product which is just about average for a mascara. It has a straight bottle with a curved handle for added comfort while applying, and it certainly works.The rounded lid just feels a lot smoother and nicer in your hands and makes applying it a lot steadier and ergonomic.

This features a spiral brush which is fairly thing and easy to manoeuvre. The brush holds quite a lot of product so you may have to wipe it a little before use so you dont come out with spider leg eyelashes. I naturally have fairly long eyelashes and this was easy too apply the mascara with and allowed an even coverage. The product does accumulate a little on the end which you can see in the photograph but this is easily wiped off.

The typography on this is amazing, it looks so chic!
With the lid off..
 A very unique kind of nib!
For a free eyeliner, this is amazing. I didn't have high hopes for it but there is honestly no where i can fault it. The packaging is sleek and slim, its just a little bit wider than a biro. The case is predominantly glossy but it has a matte section to hold onto which is also curved in for added grip and comfort. I like the way this looks, its small enough to keep in a makeup bag without taking up too much room and doesn't feel too bulky in your hands. It such a good free product, and certainly doesn't feel it!

The nib of the eyeliner is probably the most unique part of this product and definitely makes a difference from the normal felt pen tip. It features a flat slanted nib which is commonly found on highlighters, thats the closest thing i can compare it to. Its something i haven't seen before but it definitely should be more popular as it makes thick and thin lines so easy to do. Im not an expert with eyeliner, in fact i find it quite difficult to use but its the only eyeliner i have managed to get a thin line on my upper lid with. 

Just eyeliner, no mascara.
Eyeliner and mascara.
Closeup, makes it a little easier to see eyelashes.
The other eye went a bit spidery oops..
Please ignore my skin, and lack of makeup on the rest of my face. 

Now lets talk about application. The eyeliner is very black, and applies completely opaque and really smoothly. It dries quickly and there is no smudging or transfer to the upper lip. I tried doing a thick wing as well as a thin line and both of them worked really well and the nib made it especially easy to do both of them. 

I used the mascara first on the left eye and as you can see it came out a little bit thick and clumpy in some places, however when i went on to do the right eye it worked a lot more evenly and made my lashes appear darker and longer. 

Overall these products are really great and work well as a pair. I love this eyeliner and its definitely taking one of the top spots in my makeup bag. The mascara while good, just makes my eyelashes a little long and witchy for everyday wear, so will be something reserved for special occasions and nights out. However i do love the mascara, and the packaging and pretty much everything about this product. The eyeliner is pretty much faultless although it will take a while to get used to the different shaped nib, the formula is absolutely amazing and one of the best I've tried for a long time!

Overall, do i like these products? Yes, i love them? Would i buy them again? Of course i would, from the price to the products there is nothing i can fault them on! Are you gonna try these product out? Let me know if you do a post on them and ill be sure to check them out!



14 February 2014

The Valentines Card Post - Scribbler.com

So its Valentines day and i thought i should do a little post, not your typical post but a little couple of days ago i went out to town with my friends and we stumbled into this small quaint shop full of funny cards and joke gifts and it had something in there to suit everyone. The little shop in question was called Scribbler.

This is by no means a sponsored post, but one that i really wanted to write and i thought would be useful for all of you! 

Sickly sweet? Sorry about the bentness, its been in my bag for ages waiting to be photographed! 
accidentally cut the address off, oops! 
This was an absolute nightmare to photograph! Its adorable though..

I had been struggling to find the perfect card for such a long time, well, since Valentines Cards started appearing in shops at least, and even if i did manage to find one i wouldn't buy it because the people behind the tills always looked like they were judging me. There was none of this in Scribbler, in fact the lady was lovely and friendly which made the experience so much easier. 

They have a huge range of funny, pun cards as well as serious and thoughtful ones. The one i got had 2 pandas cuddling on, as pictured above, is incredibly cute and is relatable to me and my boyfriend. It has something thats fun but meaningful at the same time and i think thats more important for cards than something all expensive and fancy. 

Me and my friends spent about 20 minutes in there just looking at and laughing at all of the cards, the person working in there had a lovely chat with us too and we all left having bought something. Ive never felt happier with the card I've bought as i know its exactly what i wanted and exactly what i needed. So if you're struggling with your Valentines cards then I strongly recommend you head over to Scribbler.Com and take a look their amazing range of cards! 





11 February 2014

Valentines Inspired Nails - NOTD #3

Valentines is a good time of the year for me and i always get all giddy with everything Valentines themed, so when my nail polish started chipping off and i had to come up with a new design i couldnt think of anything better than Valentines themed nails! Okay you can stop judging me now.. 

I just want to apologise in advance, with all this horrible cold winter weather and having horses its very difficult to keep my nails and cuticles in good shape, which results in some pretty gnarly cuticles. 

These surprisingly didn't take too long to do! 
Maybelline Color Show Sugar Crystals 46 // Maybelline Colour Show Nebline 77 // Maybelline Colour Show Candy Apple 15// Barry M Matt White 66 // Sally Hansens Hard As Nails
Maybelline Colour Show // Sugar Crystals // 46
Okay so this isn't as over the top as they probably could be but i think they're inspired enough to not have the mick taken out of me for college, and anyway i think they look cute. To create these nails i first applied my favourite base coat: Sally Hansen's Hard As Nails, i love this because its so thin, dries so quickly and really makes my nails feel stronger.

I then applied MCS Nebline with two coats and allowed it to dry thoroughly before attempting to do any design. When i did start putting the patterns on i started with my little finger and worked back to my thumb, this worked really well for me and allowed a fair amount of drying time for each one. Its just a shame my wrong hand didn't turn out as good..

This is such a girly, pretty manicure that i really love and looks a lot more subtle in person. I love the appearance of this and can't wait to try more themed things as this was so much fun to do. Im no expert when it comes to nail art but boy do i wish i was as some of the designs people come up with are crazy! 

Are you doing anything special with your nails for Valentines day? Id love to know! 






10 February 2014

Peaches And Clean REVIEW

Skincare is something i fail at majorly. I just can't be bothered with all the creams, scrubs, gels, pads etc that claim to do things 99% of them dont do. I also dont have the time to spend hours every evening applying various said creams and products to my face. I probably wouldn't have looked twice at the Soap & Glory Peaches And Clean face wash if i hadn't got it in the 'Yule Monty' but I'm so glad I've tried it as it has simply done wonders for my skin.

Im the type of girl who just washes their face with bog standard soap, lime scented if i can help it, and it leaves my skin feeling awfully dry and raw. After using this for a few weeks though i can tell i'll definitely never be going back to that. You can currently buy this for £5.33 at Boots.



This comes in a clear, sturdy, plastic bottle with a screw off pump style lid. The bottle itself feels fairly firm and has very simple detailing on the front of it.  The bottle contains 200ml which is fair for the price, and i dont think you'll be running out of this too quickly either. The lid is probably the most disappointing part of this product and i still dont know if i've pulled it out right, but never mind. Using the pump i have found that it requires quite a lot of pressure to get only a small amount out which isn't good if your holding it whilst in the shower as its sure to just slip out of your hand. And hit your foot causing a rather unsightly bruise if you're as clumsy as me.

Smelling this product is an absolute dream, is has a sugared peachy scent, almost like peaches and cream and is certainly strong but not overpowering. It leaves the scent on your skin for a little while too which is nice. Again the texture of this is spot on, it soft and creamy and lathers up well. I generally pump it onto my fingers, add a little water and lather it up in my fingers before applying to my face so that i can ensure the product is most evenly spread. It claims it has 'super T-zone decloggers' but i haven't really noticed this too much.

After washing it off and gently patting my face dry i find it feeling noticeably cleaner and drier. Its also helped reduce the number of spots I've been getting as well, all though I'm not sure if its 100% due to this product, its definitely helped! This has definitely become one of my favourite products from S&G and is a brilliant alternative to just a bar of soap and water. I would recommend this product to anyone who's looking for a cheap alternative to soap. 

Overall, do i like this product? Yes, definitely. Would i buy it again? Of course, i may even be tempted to try some other things like this too! 


Whats your favourite Soap & Glory skincare products? Leave a comment and i'll be sure to check them out!


7 February 2014

Long Distance Relationships

Ive been wanting to post about this for a while but I've never really gotten up the courage to do so. Long distance relationships are becoming more and more common however, i still feel like people will judge me for it. 

Yes, my hair went pink/orange at one point!
Today, me and my boyfriend have been together for one year, and I'm not going to lie and say its easy because it isn't. Its really fxking hard. Let me just clarify, i am 16, and we started talking when i was 15 he was 17, and for this reason i've been hesitant to post this due to the criticism i may get. 

We first started talking in December, just before Christmas in 2012; i think it was the 17th? Im not sure, all i remember is he was working a lot, and he didn't reply very quickly at first. I never imagined it would go any further than just talking online, i was 15, what else what i supposed to do? I had plenty of other friends online, how was i to know this would be any different? 

So yes, we started talking a bit, the conversations were a bit disjointed and pointless for the first few days, and then we slowly got to learn a bit about each other. We first spoke on the phone on New Years Eve, and i thought his accent was funny and he pronounce my name wrong, typical man eh? It was a nice phone call though even if i was trying to decipher what he was saying. 

The next couple of weeks were spent endlessly texting, skyping and on the phone to each other. I learned a lot about him and began to like him. We discussed meeting up a few times, i said we should do it in summer as ill be broken up from school but he seemed more eager to do so. We agreed around the end of January to meet up in February, and i can still to this day remember asking my mum if he could stay round. It was after my interview to get into the Arts Uni in Bournemouth, i thought it went really well and they offered me a place, so we got a McDonalds to take home and we sat in the kitchen eating. Thats when i asked her. I can't even begin to describe how scared i was but she said yes and the only condition was that he slept in a different room. I could work with that. 

Anyway, we booked the train tickets and he came down on the 6th of February on his monumental trip from Norwich to Bournemouth. It was a little awkward at first, i didn't really know what to say and the fact he was smoking and i was struggling to stop myself from coughing the whole way home wasn't helping either, but things all began to settle down and we started having a lovely chat. 

We got home and he briefly said hi to my parents. Later that evening he asked me out, and i of course said yes. Well thats how we met and how this all began. I can't really think of anything better that happened last year. 

I generally got to see him once a month, or when my parents went on holiday he used to come down and stay for a few days. It was nice like that, it was like we were actually living together. But having a LDR isn't cheap. Train tickets if booked early enough in advance are £55, and the most we have had to pay is £88. Saving up can be quite difficult but we always go half on things which seems to work well. 

Christmas and birthdays are a bit difficult too though, i don't earn a lot and having to save up for them as well as the train fayre and money for food/days out seems to disappear quickly. We both have expensive taste too which doesn't help. 

I think long distance relationships are hard because you have to completely trust the other person for this to work, i mean, its taken me a year to accept that actually he's not going to go out and get some other girl and we're getting better for that. We talk a lot, every day in fact. Its not always a lot though, maybe a couple of texts after work, or a short phone call before bed but it helps. 

I also find LDR's are quite good for people with busy lifestyles, as i manage to get everything done that i need to without having a boyfriend who always wants to see me/be with me. Well, he does, but he can't which is a godsend! 

Ive never really thought about 'do i want to be in an LDR or not?" its more about the person and how they make you feel and if they make you happy then i think you should go for it, things definitely worked for us! Although you should be careful and make sure the person is actually who they say they are first, just in case. 

This is so far my longest and best relationship, well of course its going to be my best I'm still in it! I couldn't be happier with him, and although I'm moody, and unstable and pretty much always take it out on him he still stands by me and manages to cheer me up. 

Have any of you ever been in a long distance relationship? How did it work out for you guys? Id love to hear your stories! 


6 February 2014

Weekly Roundup - Week 5

Its finally February and we can all start to feel a little less glum. Roll on those pretty spring flowers and warm summer nights! I can't wait for summer. Recently theres been a lot of hype over the S/S14 collections and I'm getting incredibly excited for them too. I know this post is a day late.. *slaps wrist* but I've been so busy the past couple of days that i just haven't had time to get it up and posted.

Yeah, my weeks hasn't really been spent doing anything other than redecorating so..
Thursday was spent in town with my dad, we had a look around a few shops and looked for a new phone for me. Its all exciting stuff when looking for a new phone, minus the price.

Friday was pretty good, i had college but it wasn't nearly as bad as i expected it to be. It did take me two hours to get home though and when i did i was absolutely drenched, got to love British weather, eh?

Saturday was spent out with my dad again which was lovely. I then went to my mums for the afternoon and started prepping my bedroom ready for painting, and i then spent all of Sunday painting my bedroom, as well as Monday. I have a fun life.. 


Monday afternoon was spent at the stables and then work which wasn't too bad as we finished early. Tuesday was then spent in bed after feeling horrible and a lack of sleep.


I actually felt a lot better come wednesday morning so headed off into college. We had a talk from some of the students in the degree courses which was really inspiring and motivated me to get on with my work. I finished my final piece for this project in college then when i got home i wrote up 2 essays, did my theory homework and did a biro study. Oh its all fun in art college isn't it! 

So my week has been fairly dull, hopefully it will pick up for next weeks post! How has your week been?