A Trip To The Med - NOTD #5

 

If you haven't seen my review of this nail polish here then i suggest you go check it out as it's such a lovely polish. Trying to capture all the afferent colours in a photograph without throwing the rest of the image out was so difficult and i still don't think they express how truly gorgeous the colour is! 

Since we've been having lots of sun lately I've been straying away from the pastel nail shades and heading more towards bright summery colours and these gorgeous duo chrome offerings from Barry M. The shade pictured is Mediterranean and just makes me think of sitting on the beach watching the sun set, being able to carry that image around on my nails with me is just perfect and brightens up my day instantly when i see my nails!

The CC Cream to top them all?!

I can remember the exact moment i decided i wanted this CC Cream, i was strolling down the aisles of boots and for the first time i noticed the Bourjois stand properly and was instantly drawn to the 123 Perfect CC Cream. I have a love hate relationship with base makeup and know instantly after a few uses whether something will be right for me or not and this is possibly my favourite thing yet. 

123 Perfect Colour Correcting Cream // Bourjois // £9.99

Now let me start by saying the photo above is of me wearing the CC cream with no other makeup at all, i have naturally very pink and dry skin and it has toned it all down completely as you can see. I absolutely adore this cc cream, it works as a fabulous base for everyday makeup and works well when coupled with a foundation or a powder. 

This has a really runny texture and is more like a liquid than a cream but this just means that it's so easy to blend and spread over the whole of the face. It dries to a really lovely matte finish but i still go over this with a powder because its just what I'm used to. It has low - medium coverage but is definitely build able however with a cc cream you don't really want layers caked on so i just couple it with a concealer under my eyes and around my nose for a more finished look. 

I use this on days out to the beach and town as it has SPF 15 and is better than wearing nothing, it also seems to cope quite well when its sunny and doesn't slip at all even after wearing it all day. Have you tried any CC Creams yet? Which was your favourite and why? I'd love to try some more!

JLo's Nude by L'Oreal

I feel like i haven’t blogged in forever but oh well. Im back now and I’ve got more post ideas than ever before! I was on holiday last week in Turkey hence the late upload but the week before i had a job interview and i was looking for the perfect nude lipstick to wear for it, cue J Lo’s Nude by L’Oreal. I picked this up on my latest shopping spree in London, and although its a little more expensive than most drugstore lipsticks its definitely worth the price. Also, apologies for the greyish photos, i don't know whats up with them but i can't get them any whiter? 

JLo's Nude // L'Oreal // Boots // £9.99

The packaging of this is so luxurious and doesn't feel at all like a £9.99 lipstick, the gold detailing of the signature and the band around the middle just give it just a nice, more expensive looking finish. It doesn't stop there though, L'Oreal have even engraved their brand name onto the lipstick similarly to those found on higher end brands! It's not particularly useful but it sure does look good. The packaging is sturdy and the lid clicks on so won't be falling off in your handbag anytime soon, the only thing i have notice though is that when applying the lipstick the bullet move a little in it's casing and as a result its scratched the bullet, if that makes sense. It's not a horrible thing to happen, its just something I've not experienced before and isn't that pleasant to look at. 

When applying if i don't use a sugar scrub on my lips before i find its clings to and accentuates dry patches, but this really is an easy fix with a bit of exfoliation and a moisturising lip balm. This is such a subtle pinkish/brown baed nude and looks so flattering on the skin and its so close to my natural lips that i feel comfortable enough to wear it on a day to day basis, whereas some of my other nudes are a little more noticeable. It has such a creamy formula and applies like a dream and applies to a semi matte finish. Im going to be honest though, this doesn't have the most pleasant scent or taste to it but after a little bit of wear you get used to this and it's barely noticeable, just not particularly nice in the beginning. 

Im very fussy with the types of lipsticks i like but this is a complete winner for me and i definitely want to try more of the Collection Privee lipsticks by L'Oreal as I'm so pleased with this one. Whats your favourite dad to day nude lipstick? 

The Summer Shoe Edit

I know how frustrating it is with all these ‘edit’ posts flying around but i simply had no idea what else to name it so there you go. Its only just beginning to be summer but throughout the last couple of weeks I’ve found myself reaching for a few pairs of shoes more than any others and i thought id share them with you. I also apologise, i haven’t posted in a while due to college commitments, working and also being on holiday in Turkey for the past two weeks but now I’m off for summer so I’m definitely going to get my posting more regular. Hope you enjoy this post, its a little different from what i normally do but its been so fun to put together!

 Cream Lace Flats // Primark // £6

Frieda Lace Up Shoes // Topshop // £26

Tan Sandals // Primark // £6

I live in ankle boots through pretty much the whole of the autumn, winter and spring months so when it comes to summer i end up splurging on loads of pairs of summer shoes that i have something for every type of weather so that i can save my boots for the winter. These are the three pairs of shoes that i find myself constantly reaching for, they're all so wearable and each can style up or down and outfit in their own little ways. 

The first pair of shoes i found was this pair of cream espadrille/toms style shoe with this really gorgeous lace over it. I don't normally go for Primark shoes as i find they never really fit properly and can be quite uncomfortable and hard to wear but these are the complete opposite, once they loosened up after about 2 hours of wearing they're possibly one of the comfiest pair of flats I've ever worn. They're such a dainty pair of shoes as well that they go with almost every outfit I've tried, from shorts and a cami, to maxi dresses it works with them all. 

I bought the next pair on a recent shopping trip in Westfields. The Frieda Lace Up shoes from Topshop are possibly the most gorgeous pair of shoes I've ever laid my eyes on and i had to have them as soon as i saw them. The sizing of them is a little funny, I'm normally a 5 and a half but the 5 fits me perfectly with room at the end although I've heard other people say different. The gold detailing around the eyelets and at the front of the shoes just gives the most luxurious touch to them and makes them look a lot more expensive than they actually are. The fabric on this shoe is so subtle with the pattern and its just a really lovely classy pair of shoes in general, wearing these with sone ankle grazers or skinny jeans would look gorgeous, although i think they might be a bit difficult to keep clean! 

The last pair was again bought in Primark with the first pair. Im not a huge fan of flip flops as i dont like feet and feel like they leave too much exposed and dont give you enough support. I have however been loving sliders lately and thought these would be nice as they have a similar concept to sliders but with a slightly more complex form. The colour of them is absolutely gorgeous, they're such a vibrant browny/reddish colour and dont look like they're going to fade or go patchy like some can. Although the ankle strap doesnt go as tight as id like for just wondering down to the beach or sitting in town for the day these shoes are absolutely perfect, they fit my feet so well and as so comfy. Either Primark has stepped up their game or i just got incredibly lucky.

Other than Converse which I'm pretty sure everybody has a pair for summer these are my three favourite pairs of shoes at the moment. What your favourite type of shoe to wear for summer?

The Eden Project

Not long ago i visited The Eden Project as part of my coursework for college and had such a great time i thought i should share it with all of you. I love seeing these types of post and i really love sharing them too. Visiting The Eden Project was such a great experience and I'm so glad i was lucky enough to go! 

The Eden Project is all about sustainability for the future with facts and figures all dotted around, but this definitely isn't a high school geography type of thing, the displays art thought provoking and really do inspire you to do something about it. I mainly visited for the plants and colours as thats what my course is about but there was so much more to see than that, the biomes were so interesting and unique and a once in a lifetime experience, unless you go there again that is. The biomes are the largest in Europe too so you're definitely not going to find better elsewhere! 

All of the staff at The Eden Project were so lovely and helpful with an upbeat spirit and can-do attitude, they really went the extra mile to help you out and keep you happy! The food as well was also to die for, it all looked amazing and tasted so yummy as well as being sustainably sourced! I really loved my trip to The Eden Project and i really want to go back again! Have any of you ever visited?

Carmex Strawberry Lip Balm

During the past couple of weeks i was incredibly ill and as a result ended up with very dry, brittle and cracked lips. This lead me on my mission to find something which could help me restore them and i ended up purchasing a Carmex Strawberry Lip Balm. Ill let the following speak for itself.

Im hugely fussy when it comes to lip balms and the results i want to see from them, but i am willing to try many different types to see if i get the desired effect and this is when Carmex came into my life. I chose the strawberry flavoured one as i felt it would be better than the original but even this had a weird chemical smell to it. The texture of this again, weird. Its thick, it looks solid when you squeeze it out of the tube and takes a little bit of working in to get it to spread evenly over the lips, this is when you notice the scent the most. Its not a very pleasant scent but you could probably put up with it if it was actually any good at looking after your lips. After about half an hour of wearing this i noticed that my lips were feeling very dry so i applied some more. Then after a further hour of waiting my lips were flaking, dry and sore. Definitely not something you want from a moisturising lip balm. 

Overall i think this is not really worth purchasing, its a disappointing product and doesnt do what it says either. It may just be that my lips dont work well with this product but I'm not going to purchase this again, nor am i going to continue using this! Sorry for the negative review but i hadn't seen many reviews of this out there and i thought this needed to be said before anyone else had the same problem as me! 

Wish You Were Here

Apologies for the lack of posts last week, i had an incredibly busy schedule and just couldnt find any time to write them up, I'm aiming for that not to happen again though! Im just really loving wearing pink on my nails at the moment so when i popped into topshop and saw this, i knew i simply just had to have it. Im dont own many Topshop nail polishes but this looked so pretty that it wouldn't matter if i liked it or not. Luckily for me its brilliant!

Topshop // Wish You Were Here Nail Polish // £6

First of all i have to say that the formula of this an absolute dream to work with, I'm fairly fussy with how i like the formula to be but this hits the nail on the head. It doesnt apply streaky but its fairly sheer although a second coat completely solves this. The little white flecks spread evenly throughout so theres no fussing about trying to get a nice coverage. While the brush isn't the biggest or of the best quality its easy to use and doesnt hold too much polish so you dont end up with too much polish on your nails.

The colour of this is absolutely gorgeous once applied, its such a pretty, pastel pink with a slight shine to it and the white flecks add a really lovely touch to them. Its definitely going to be my new everyday shade as its just such an easy colour to wear and so complimentary on the nails and to the skin. 

Overall i really love this nail polish and its definitely one of the better ones from the topshop range!

The Fault In Our Stars

When i was little i used to read all the time. I'd always have a book in my arms and would frequently stay up till the early hours of the morning finishing off books. When i went to high school though this all changed as i found myself having far less time to read and far more work than i knew what to do with. Since leaving school and attending college i set it upon myself to start reading more than i had while i was at high school which was one book in four years so it's not particularly hard to beat.

I picked up The Fault In Our Stars last summer when it was still a very much hyped over book but never really got around to reading it until the christmas holidays and even then it was only in short bursts. Recently though, over the past few weeks I've been finding that i haven't been sleeping well so instead of scrolling through twitter before bed i turned my phone off and picked up the John Green book that we all know and love.

This book isn't the kind of book i would typically go for, I'm more into murder mysteries and suspense books but this for whatever reason really got to me. John Green is an effective author who uses flawless techniques to create a sense of realism within the book, making it more of a diary of a friend than a book by an author. The story while sad and inevitable is gripping until the very last page and leaves you feeling slightly lost without having anything more to read.

I really enjoyed reading this book and its something id recommend to anyone, even if you're not an avid reader. It really is a heart warming, easy going book thats sure to catch a few hearts along the way. 

Mini Topshop & Primark Haul

I recently picked up a few things on my trip to to town and i thought some of them were too pretty to not share with you! I also got a really pretty piercing which I'm so excited to share with you all, but that won't be for a little while yet. Anyway, I'm only going to show you the things i bought from Topshop and Primark as they're the only things i bought for myself, hence it only being a mini haul! 

Topshop // Nail Polish // Wish You Were Here // £6

I first popped into Topshop as id heard about their 20% student discount which i believe has now ended, none of the clothing in there really took my fancy but i couldn't resist heading over to the makeup section where i found this really gorgeous pastel pink glitter polish. The shade is called Wish You Were Here and has little white hexagonal glitter pieces in it which makes it really lovely and unique. Im loving wearing pink on my nails at the moment so this is the perfect addition to my collection. 

Next i visited Primark as a shopping trip isn't complete with a little browse in there! I first picked up this earring set for £2. I love Primark earring as they're so cheap and they have so many different designs. Im the type of girl who when they take a pair of studs out they tend to never be seen again, so sets like this are great for me. The second thing i bought in here was this gorgeous daisy print bikini for £4, i really loved the pattern and colours and thought it would be good for lazy days at the beach. This bikini fits so nicely too and is such a bargain! 

I didn't buy too much but i hope you liked seeing what i got! 

The Beauty Cards

I think everybody knows about loyalty cards now but does everybody really know how to make the most of them. I've been using loyalty cards for a good few years now and found some of the best ways to get benefits from them. Im sure everyone will at least one of these in their but i hope i can provide some handy tips on getting the most out of them! 

The Boots Advantage Card: This is my favourite card and the card i use the most as it is so rewarding. Like any other point card when you spend in store you earn points back and with Boots you get 4 points for every £1 spent but they regularly have offers where you can gain more! They also have a Treat Street option where when you spend online you can earn points back at a reduced rate, this is great if like me you shop online a lot or buy a lot of tickets through The Trainline! The only downside to this is that you have to have the full amount of the product you're buying in points to buy it, which is a bit of a pain for those more expensive items! But hey, its still better than nothing..

The Superdrug Beauty Card: This is probably one of the least rewarding cards but is still useful to have as you do still earn points on it. When you use this card you earn 1 point per full pound spent meaning to get £1 back you'll have to spend £100. If you do shop there a lot though or if you find yourself in there buying lunch every day like i do then the points do begin to stack up just not as quickly as you'd like! 

The Body Shop Love Your Body Card: I only recently signed up to this card as i was in The Body Shop looking for gifts for various friends and family members. As i was spending rather a lot the girl behind the counter started telling me about the Love Your Body card and how if i signed up to it today then I'd get 10% off this and all future purchases, the card did cost £5 but i saved over £10 anyway so it was a worthwhile investment. It is a huge enabler to spend in The Body Shop though! With a Love Your Body card you get 10% off every transaction and if you register your card online you can use it there as well, you also get a £5 off voucher when its your birthday month, how lovely. With every purchase over £10 you can collect a stamp and with 4 stamps you get a free product worth up to £5 and with 8 stamps you get a free product worth up to £10, certainly a useful idea if you tend to spend a lot in there!

The Debenhams Beauty Club Card: This is one of my least used cards but it can come in handy at times! It lets you collect points when you spend in store on beauty or fragrance. It also allows you to get free makeovers and consultations at skincare counters as well as getting free gifts and samples and a free brow wax with Benefit for your birthday! The only downside to this is that if you dont use your Beauty Club Card for 24 months then you lose your points balance completely and you have to start again. A bit of an incentive to shop there methinks! 

The House Of Fraser Recognition Reward Card: Although its not so much a beauty card, its still a reward card and a useful one at that! You only get 1 point per pound spent but with some of the prices in House Of Fraser these quickly add up as you can earn them on anything in the store, not just beauty! 

So this is the list of my beauty cards and i hope this has been useful to some of you, after all, whats better than being able to spend your points and getting something absolutely free?