How I Deal With Spot Breakouts

Hiya lovelies!

Recently, I've had breakouts of spots around my mouth and chin so I thought I would share with you guys my tips & tricks for getting rid of spots!

• Always take off your makeup before bed - I know some people won't bother but it's such a crucial step to keep your skin clear. You don't have to repeat your entire morning face routine, just take off your makeup with a makeup wipe so it doesn't clog your skin. My current favourite makeup wipes are the oil balancing ones from Simple as they also help control excess oil on my skin :) These wipes are currently on offer in Superdrug, found here.

• Drink lots of water - everyone knows this one! Drinking water is not only good for your body but will keep your skin hydrated, healthy and glowing.

• Exfoliate the skin regularly - By regularly, I don't mean everyday, but fairly often. Exfoliating clears off the dead skin cells from you face and allows new cells to be made. If you use a good exfoliator, your skin should be left soft and glowing after using it. One of my staple favourites is the Garnier Pure 3 in 1 Wash/Scrub/Mask which I usually only use as a scrub. It exfoliates my skin well and has salicylic acid in for an added spot treatment. 

• Have 'no makeup' days - I love my makeup (both wearing and applying it), but when I'm not going out or doing much there's not much point in putting on a full face of makeup that will clog your pores. If you leave your skin alone once you've carried out your skincare routine and just let your skin breathe once in a while you'll notice a difference.

• Try BB creams or tinted moisturisers rather than foundation - Foundations can be thick and can clog pores and make spots worse. By using a BB cream or tinted moisturiser, you can add a little bit of coverage, but your skin can still breathe :) my current favourite is the Garnier BB cream for oily skin.

• Try face masks - I love face masks! And what's great is that you don't need to spend loads of money on them (although some may be worth the money). The ones I recently been using are from Superdrug's own line, and they've recently released loads more formulas so check them out if you haven't! My favourite one is a dead sea clay mask that's great for oily and spot prone skin :)

• Invest in a night cream - I don't always use night creams, but recently I've started using one that I've had for a while and I already see a difference in my skin! Applying a night cream will keep your skin hydrated throughout the night and should leave your skin soft and radiant when you wake up. All night creams are formulated to be worn for hours on end, so don't worry if it doesn't absorb into your skin as quickly as your day moisturiser. My current night cream is Angelique Aromatic Balm by Decleor however I think this particular formula has been discontinued. You can find what else Decleor have to offer here, there's lots of similar products :) 

• Keep your skin moisturised - I try my best to stick to my morning skincare routine and if I don't manage to tone, put serum and eye cream on etc the one thing I do always put on is my face moisturiser. My solid favourite for years now has been Estee Lauder DayWear, both the normal and oil free formulas are great. Keeping your skin moisturised helps to keep it looking and feeling healthy and can help calm and prevent future breakouts.

Thanks for reading! What tips do you have for spot breakouts?
xoxo

Mini Uni Haul: Mainly Clothes & Some Accessories!

Hiya guys! I've been shopping a bit lately and thought I'd show you what I've been buying (I say that, but my mum has bought me most of these things for uni!).

I'll start with clothes, as that's what I have the most of (I've been throwing out loads lately)!

CLOTHES

Dorothy Perkins (my favourite store, can you tell from the amount I buy from there?!)


Cream Cocktail Rings Snood; £9.50 (here)

Isn't this adorable? I love wearing scarves, and think this can go with anything because of it's cream background and black print. It's easy to wear and I really like it!

Navy Lace Back Cami; £16 £10 (here)

This little vest top is going to be a staple in my wardrobe. It can be dressed down, with a cardigan and jeans or dressed up with shorts or bodycon skirt and showing the lacy back! 

Damson Heart Motif Sweat; £16 (here)

This jumper may not look like much, but it's so soft and comfy and perfect for Autumn/Winter!

Eden Black Ultra Soft Jeggings; £23 (here)

I've never been a lover of jeggings... until I tried these. Ohmygod, they're so so so comfy and feel so soft but look like a pair of black skinny jeans! I also love the 'jean like' detail on the waistband, that makes these look like proper jeans.

New Look

AX Paris Black Dip Hem Strapless Dress; £35 (here)

Can't find this in black on the website, but my one is definitely black! I saw this in New Look, a shop I rarely go in, and fell in love with it! With the dipped hem and floaty material, I feel like a princess when I wear this! The bust part is perfect for me, which I was originally sceptical of as I have big boobs and sometimes struggle to squeeze them in tight fit dresses like this! I honestly don't think pictures do this dress justice, it looks so much better on and I can't wait to wear it out and about at uni :)


ACCESSORIES

Accessorize

Peacock Feather Owl Pendant; £12 (here)

Me and my mum saw this adorable necklace and we just had to get it! It's so cute, and can be worn with anything (e.g the black dress above to brighten it up!!).

Lace Overlay Clutch; £25 (here)

I needed a going out clutch bag and thought this was perfect! It comes with a strap, which I probably won't use but it's a handy option. The pattern is lovely and elegant and I love this because it will go with everything!

That's it - thanks for reading! What have you been buying lately?
xoxo

Essie's 'Cute As A Button'

Hiya lovelies!

Thought I'd share with you my thoughts on Essie's 'Cute As A Button' nail polish :)

Words cannot describe how much I love this nail polish! The colour is the most perfect bright coral pink, nothing like anything else in my collection and absolutely perfect for summer.

The formula of this is to die for, it feels like a really high end polish like OPI. After 1 coat it's opaque however, I tend to apply 2 coats to make the colour more bright. The brush is big, flat and easy to use - even on my short nails!

Even though the price is higher than other nail polishes found on the high street, the quality is so much better and you get 13.5ml of product compared to the standard 10ml or 11ml you tend to get in other high street brands.

I highly recommend these nail polishes, they're worth the money and will last you ages!

I already have my eye on buying two more; 'Mint Candy Apple' and 'Bikini So Teeny'!

Do you have any Essie nail polishes? What are your favourite shades?

Thanks for reading!
xoxo

You can buy Essie from larger Boots and Superdrug stores or online for £7.99

Wishlist: A/W 2012 Fashion Trends

Sorry that this post is another wishlist :( I'm in the process of writing a big veggie diet post though so keep your eyes peeled for that!

Hiya lovelies!

I'm loving some of the autumn/winter 2012 trends that brands are coming out with so thought I'd share with you guys my favourites!

Wow the majority of the clothes are dark and vampy though. I love this, but I understand that it may not be everyone's cuppa tea so sorry for the dark theme!

Left to right, top to bottom:

• Topshop Nails in Lead; £6 (here)
• Topshop Leather Quilted Chained Clutch Bag; £48 (here)
• River Island Sleeveless Shirt; £25 (here)
• Topshop Midnight Velvet Playsuit; £45 (here)
• River Island Black High Waisted Shorts; £30 (here)
• River Island Grey Love Cross Print Lace Tank; £18 (here)
• River Island Silver Metallic Glitter Leggings; £22 (here)
• Oasis Matt & Shine Sequin Top; £35 (here)
• Lipsy Embellished 2in1 Dress; £55 (here)

What's on your wishlist? Do you like the look of some of the A/W 2012 fashion trends?

Thanks for reading!
xoxo

Uni: Beauty Wishlist #1

Left to right; top to bottom:

• Maybelline The Falsies Flared Mascara; £8.49 £7.99 (here)
• MUA Professional Eye Primer; £2.50 (here)
• Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey; £7.99 £5.99 (here)
• Real Techniques Core Collection Brush Set; £21.99 (here)
• MAC Lipstick in Creme Cup; £14 (here)
• Essie 'Bikini So Teeny' Nail Polish; £7.99 (here)
• Essie 'Mint Candy Apple' Nail Polish; £7.99 (here)
• Maybelline Eye Studio Master Drama Khol Liner in Ultra Black; £4.49 (here)
• Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzing Powder; £6.99 (here)

That's it for now, there'll probably be another wishlist soon though... because I'm too obsessed with makeup :(

Thanks for reading!

xoxo

FOTD: Clean, Fresh & Simple!

Lol at my dopey smile!

Hiya lovelies! Another FOTD post - sorry! Let me know if you're getting sick of seeing my face ;)

Anyway, I'm off round the boyfriend's tonight and he likes natural looking makeup which I think I've achieved here (aside from my lashes but I'm a mascara addict!).

FACE:

• Benefit POREfessional primer
• Revlon Colourstay foundation in Buff
• MaxFactor powder in Translucent
• Estee Lauder bronzer in Bronze Goddess
• Rimmel blusher in Pink Rose

EYES:

• Maybelline Coverstick as primer
• MUA Heaven & Earth Palette
• MUA Undressed Palette
• L'oreal Volume Million Lashes in Extra Black

LIPS:

• MAC Lipstick in Hue
• Estee Lauder lipgloss in Rock Candy

Recently I've been mixing the MUA palettes for eye looks and I love the results I've gotten so far, definitely worth having both of them!

Thanks for reading! Have a nice evening :)

xoxo

Liebster Blog Award

So I was recently nominated for 2 Liebester Awards, one from Hayley and one from Missy! Be sure to check out there blogs and their Twitters!

Here are the Liebster Award Rules: 

1.) The selected bloggers must post 11 facts about themselves. 
2.) They must also answer 11 questions the tagger has asked
3.) and then ask 11 questions of their OWN to 11 other bloggers with less than 200 followers on their blog (Not Facebook or Twitter). Be sure to tell them they've been tagged to participate. 
4.) Remember, NO tag backs.

11 Facts About Me: 

1. I'm a science nerd and proud of it :)
2. I currently have 7 piercings, and want more! Let me know if you guys would be interested in a post on my piercings :)
3. I'm moving to Wales (200 miles away!) in September for university and can't wait! 
4. I'm a nail biter :( but want to stop.
5. I could watch ASDF over and over again and still laugh :) if you haven't watched them then you haven't lived, youtube it now! 
6. I have two cats, Tigger & Lily, and I'm obsessed with them and treat them like they're my babies.....y'know the crazy cat lady off The Simpsons? Yeah, that's me in the future! 
7. I'm incredibly shy in real life around new people, hoping that'll change when I go to uni!
8. I love taking hours to get ready for a night out or even just an evening with the boyfriend! Face masks, hair masks, long showers... mmm :)
9. I had severe acne as a young teen which has scarred me for life (physically and mentally) :(  
10. I've been a vegetarian for 4 and a half years, and I'm determined to keep it up as a uni student!
11. Prezzo is the only restaurant I could manage to eat 3 courses in. I loooooove their food <3

Questions from Hayley:

1. What are your favourite types of blog posts to read? Hauls and reviews.

2. Recommend me a good book? A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini - absolutely amazing.
3. What is the nearest object to you that is yellow? My John Frieda lightening spray bottle thingy.
4. What was the last nail polish you used? Essie's Cute As A Button - love it!
5. What is your favourite perfume? I'm loving a new one I got recently, which is Lily by Stella McCartney, it smells so lovely and is perfect for everyday and evenings!
6. What are your opinions on guest bloggers? I don't mind them, once in a while they're nice to read and you can discover new blogs :)
7. Naked palette or Naked 2 palette? I have neither :( but I prefer the look of Naked 2!
8. What is the most money you've ever spent on a beauty item? Makeup-wise, my Estee Lauder lipstick in Crystal Baby cost £18.50 but general beauty-wise I spend the most on my Estee Lauder skincare :/
9. Cadbury chocolate or galaxy chocolate? Galaxy :) <3
10. What are you most looking forward to this Autumn? Going to uni and having an amazing time as a fresher!
11. What type of posts do you enjoy writing the most? Hauls and FOTDs.

Questions from Missy:

1.) Where do you want to be in life in 5 years time? I wanna be a happy, healthy 24 yr old with my degree and a steady full time job. And I want to have a grown up relationship by then (like living together etc)!

2.) Have you/would you ever create a bucket list? I haven't, but I have a few things I know I wanna do before I die like get married, have kids, travel etc :)

3.) What do think or hope will make you a great blogger? The fact that I'm completely myself, no falseness here!

4.) If you could travel anywhere in the world (money being no object) where would it be? New York, it would be shopping heaven :)

5.) Are you more of a morning person or night owl? Night owl!

6.) What 4 celebrities would you invite to a dinner party and why? Aaah I'm so rubbish at these kinda questions as I'm so unimaginative :( how about, Michael McIntyre to make me laugh, Gerard Butler for me to swoon over, Fearne Cotton to have girly chats with (I think we'd get on well!) and Jamie Oliver to do the cooking?? 

7.) How long have you been blogging for? Just over 3 months. 

 8.) What is your favorite piece of clothing and why? Maxi dresses, so comfy yet so feminine too :)

9.) What made you start blogging? I wanted my own space to voice my opinion about a topic which my boyfriend and family find annoying when I babble about it! I wanted to  get to know like-minded people and have a new hobby :)

10.) What are the two things you are most grateful for, that your parents provided for you? Love and trust I suppose.

11.) Who is your celeb dream crush? I have a few lol but recently rediscovered my love for Gerard Butler after watching PS I Love You <3

My 11 Questions:

1. What blog post of yours are you most proud of?
2. Twitter or Facebook?
3. How did you think up your blog name?
4. What's your dream job?
5. What's your favourite food?
6. What is one beauty item you couldn't go a day without using?
7. What's your favourite magazine?
8. Recommend me a good winter lipstick? (all I have is summer colours atm!)
9. On average, how long do you spend blogging a week?
10. What other hobbies, aside from blogging, do you have? 
11. Do you have a saying or phrase that you try to live your life by?

I nominate...

Georgia

Rebekah

Loz

Lucy

Charlotte

Annick

Amy

Rosaleen

Vicky

Kerry

Becky

Thanks for reading, be sure to check out all the blogs I've linked to! :)

xoxo

Uni: Fashion Wishlist

So, as I'm starting to get ready to go to uni and have been clearing out my room and throwing things out, I thought it would be appropriate to make some wishlists of things I need / would like for uni! So this is my fashion-y one, and I'll also have a jewellery one and a beauty one soon :) Enjoy! xoxo

L-R, Top to Bottom:

• Disco Treggings - Topshop; £28 (here)
• Grey Metal Corner Clutch - Dorothy Perkins; £15 (here)
• Lace Skater Dress - ASOS; £28 (here)
• MOTO High Waisted Jeans - Topshop; £40 (here)
• Black Double Zip Shorts - ASOS; £18 (here)
• Heart Suspender Tights - ASOS; £8 (here)
• Monochrome Colour Block Playsuit - New Look; £24.99 (here)
• Black Peep Toe Mid Heel Shoes - New Look; £15.99 (here)
• Galaxy Print Leggings - Boohoo.com; £10 (here)

Sorry for the black/white/blue theme! Thanks for reading :) What's on your fashion wishlist?

xoxo

EcoTools Foundation Brush Review

Showed this baby in a haul a little while back, so thought I should update you guys and let you know how I'm getting on with it! It's taken me a little longer than expected to get the review up, only because I first loved this, then hated it, now I love it again so I wanted to make sure I had used it enough to review it!

Having only ever applied foundation with a sponge or my fingers, I knew it was time to try out a foundation brush. I went to Boots and chose this one as it seemed good quality and was reasonably priced. The bristles are very soft and uniform, and once washed, the brush drys in the same shape and it still soft to use. 

When I first used this with a fairly light coverage foundation (L'oreal True Match) I loved how this brush applied my makeup and the finish it left me with. However, I then used it with my 'heavy' coverage foundation (Revlon Colorstay) and hated the way it applied as it was streaky and uneven. Having had a bad experience I left the brush alone for a week or so before trying it again.

However, I'm glad that I tried it again with my Revlon colorstay as I realised that using less product on the brush gives a more even finish and also means that I don't use as much product as I do when using my sponge or my fingers, yay!

Overall, I do like this brush however I still prefer to use a sponge with my heavier foundation as it gives a better, slightly softer finish (in my opinion). However I still use this brush when I apply a light foundation or BB cream.

Also, I want to invest in other face brushes for me to try, any recommendations would be great - I hear Real Techniques do great brushes :)

Thanks for reading!!
xoxo

You can buy this brush from Boots for £7.99
Bought with my own money.

DGJ Organics King Of Colour Glossy Blondes Shampoo and Conditioner Review

Recently, I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to review some haircare products from DGJ Organics! As I had never tried anything from this brand before, I decided to give it a shot :) a great thing about this brand is that all the ingredients in any of their products are organic and contain no harsh chemicals or parabens so should theoretically be better for your hair and leave it in a nicer, healthier condition in a natural way.

I got sent the King of Colour Glossy Blondes shampoo and conditioner which I was really happy about as I have (unnaturally) blonde hair

Both products contain camomile and lemon peel to soften the hair but also enhance colour. They both also contain UVB protection from the sun, which was great as I used these products while on holiday where my hair was permanently in the sun!

The shampoo's scent comes from the lemon peel and camomile, and although the scent isn't powerful, I like it because it smells natural, clean and fresh. I felt like the shampoo thoroughly cleaned my hair and made it feel and look healthier. 

The conditioner has a similar scent to the shampoo and leaves my hair feeling so soft after using it, it's amazing. I can't stop touching it! As I have long, thick hair I usually need to use a lot of conditioner at one time however, I found that I could use less with the particular product as it spread through my hair well and covered all my hair without using as much as I would usually.

The combination of the shampoo and conditioner also enhanced the blonde shades in my hair (but not by adding to and making me more blonde) but by picking up the colour already in my hair and making it look shinier and healthier. I can't stop running my fingers through my hair when I use these products!

Overall I love using these products, and would definitely consider purchasing these on a regular basis!

You can buy these products here for £5.99 each.

Thanks for reading!

xoxo

These products were sent for review however all opinions are my own :)

Holiday Haul: Sephora and H&M

Hiya lovelies!

I recently got back from my family holiday (travelling around France, north Italy, and Switzerland), and thought I'd show you what I purchased when I was in Turin! We didn't have that much time, which is why I only managed to go into two big stores and also, most of the little shops shut during the middle of the day so only the bigger stores were open.

I got some things from H&M, which I'm sure can be purchased in the UK, and a couple of bits from Sephora which can also be bought in the UK but from department stores as we don't have Sephora :( If we did, I'd be so broke though haha! I nearly died in Sephora, it was so pretty :)

Anywayyyy, on with the haul!

SEPHORA:

Benefit POREfessional Primer

After falling in LOVE with this product when I picked up a sample size in Glamour magazine a couple of months back, I had to have the full size. This stuff is AMAZING, I don't know how I ever lived without it! It instantly smooths out my skin and makes it look flawless and creates an excellent base for foundation. It also leaves my skin feeling so soft and improves the staying power of my foundation. It's honestly worth the money!

Lily by Stella McCartney, Eau de Parfum

I have been looking for a new fragrance for a while as the one I currently have for 'everyday/light' use is nearly finished. I originally had my eye on Miss Dior Cherie however, I couldn't find it anywhere? I found the normal Miss Dior but it doesn't smell the same at all :/ anyway as soon as I smelt this one, I knew I had to have it. Its the perfect light fragrance, that could be worn everyday or on special occasions. I'm so rubbish at describing fragrances so if you get the chance, smell this! It's not overpowering at all and I love it :)

Essie 'Cute As A Button' Nail Lacquer

This is a product I've had my eye on for a while, and I'm so glad I bought it! Even though it's pricey compared to other drug-store nail polishes, I think its worth it as the formula is flawless and the colour is absolutely perfect. I would definitely buy more Essie nail polishes :)

H&M:

Isn't this adorable? It just a simple little vest top, made with lightweight comfy material that's just perfect for comfy wear or could be dressed up. And it wasn't expensive wooo :)

I love this! I wore this and the vest top above in my previous FOTN and I love them together :) This is such a pretty lacy pattern and can smarten up simple vest tops for nights out or be worn casually!

I love the collar on this blouse! This is lovely worn open or closed with a black vest top underneath and like the other clothing items, can be worn casually or made smarter in the evening :)

Another vest top - similar to the other one haha but I still love it, it's really easy to wear and it fits perfectly and has lovely lightweight material :) a wardrobe must have really!

That's it! What have you guys been buying recently?

Thanks for reading!

xoxo

FOTN: Results Celebration!

lol I promise my face matches my body!

Hellooooo! 

So yesterday I woke up ridiculously early to get my A level results and was over the moon with them, and got accepted into my first choice uni! So obviously celebrations were needed, and this is the makeup look I ended up going out with!

FACE:

• Benefit POREfessional primer
• Revlon Colourstay in Buff (a little too light for me atm because of my tan!)
• Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer
• Max Factor Pressed Powder in Translucent
• Estee Lauder Bronzer in Bronze Goddess
• Rimmel Blush in Smoked Oyster

EYES:

• Maybelline Coverstick concealer (used as primer)
• MUA Heaven & Earth Palette (all over lid & inner corner highlight)
• MUA Undressed Palette (crease & brow highlight)
• Rimmel Brow Pencil in Hazel
• Maybelline Gel Eyeliner in Black
• L'oreal Volume Million Lashes Mascara in Extra Black

LIPS:

• MAC Lipstick in Hue

Thanks for reading! Hope everyone got the results & uni places they wanted :)

xoxo

Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream for Oily Skin Review

Swatched. 

Blended out.

Hiya lovelies! Today I have a review of the Garnier BB cream for oily skin. I bought this a couple of weeks ago as I was getting sick of using my Revlon Colorstay foundation on really hot days so thought this would be a great alternative as its lighter and its also formulated for oily skin.

The first thing I noticed about this product was the consistency - its not as thick as my foundations, and tends to run down my hand. However, once applied, it blends out well and because of its consistency, a small amount is needed to cover my face compared to the amount of foundation I usually use.

I'd say the coverage this gives is light to medium but very buildable and covers most imperfections and evens out skintone very well. (bare in mind I have acne scars and spot prone skin and I think it covers well for a foundation alternative!!). I also found that this product wore well on my skin and did not need frequent application, especially under a primer when I use the BB cream as a foundation substitute rather than using it on bare skin to act at a moisturiser as recommended on the packaging as this does not stay as long on my skin compared to using a primer.

Another great aspect is the amount of product you get as you get 40ml compared to the standard foundation size of 30ml making this great value as you also do not need to use that much as I mentioned earlier. 

The shade I bought was light and this seems to match me well, however now I'm more tanned, it looks a bit pale (but this is easily fixed with a darker face powder and bronzer!). A negative is that I only saw 2 shades for the product (light and medium) so women with dark skin tones or very pale skin tones may struggle to find a shade match in which cares I'd suggest trying another BB cream. 

The only other down points to this product, in my opinion, is the smell as it smells strong and fairly chemically however this does not last on the skin. I also don't like the consistency as I tend to squeeze out more than needed and it tends to run all over my hands and fingers! But I'll get used to it haha probably just me being an idiot and squeezing out too much!

Overall, I really really like this product and think its a great alternative to foundation for the summer if you have oily skin. I would buy this again, once I've used up my tube which may take a while!

Thanks for reading! 

xoxo

All opinions are my own, not a sponsored post. Bought with my own money. 

You can buy this product from Boots or Superdrug RRP £9.99 however currently on offer for £7.49

MUA Undressed Palette

L-R; MUA Heaven & Earth, MUA Undressed

Hiya!

I'm so excited, I wanted this palette for so long and finally bought it a week or so ago to use on my holiday with my family. 

I know this palette, along with MUA's other renowned palette Heaven and Earth, have been heavily blogged about but as a £4 dupe for the Urban Decay Naked palette I see why! Undressed consists of 12 mainly cool toned neutral shades, with 3 matte shades and the others containing shimmer (some more so than others). 

Having used this for a week already I can say that it is a fantastic quality neutral eye shadow palette for the price and I have already fallen in love with it as both natural and dramatic looks can be created unlike the Heaven & Earth palette in which dramatic night time looks can be difficult to achieve due to the lack in dark shades. 

Just so you guys know, this is just an introduction post, when I get back and settled from my holiday I will be posting a comparison between Undressed and Heaven & Earth so be on the lookout for that!

If you haven't bought this palette yet you need to! It's cheap, great quality and excellent to use while travellinng - you can't go wrong! You can buy this palette from larger Superdrug stores, or online (Suoerdrug and MUA both have online stores!)

Thanks for reading!

xoxo

Not a sponsored post - bought with my own money.