Glamour Beauty Power List Box 2014//Review of Bourjous Volume 1 Seconde Mascara

My go to pay day treat is always a beauty box of some description! This month I had been eying up the Glamour Beauty Power List Box which can be found on Latest In Beauty. 

 Glamour Beauty Power List Box//£15.99 from Latest In Beauty

This box comes with:

• Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser (30ml)
• Eyeko Eye Makeup Remover Wipes (22ml//10 pure cotton wipes)
• Philip Kingsley Daily Damage Defense (60ml)
• Laura Mercier Foundation Primer (30ml)
• James Read Sleep Mask Tan (25ml)
• Bourjois Volume 1 Seconde Mascara (12ml)
• Maybelline Stripped Nudes by Colorsensational (full size)
• A one year subscription to Glamour for iPad/iPhone through the Glamour app!

This blog will be about the Bourjous Volume 1 Seconde Mascara as I've yet to try out everything enough to warrant a review, but this product I've used every day since I got it!

 

I am a mascara junkie. My everyday, favourite mascara is YSL False Lash Effect (obviously with a lick of Estee Lauder Lash Primer Plus underneath) My eyelashes are sky high, and I've had many people asking me if I actually had falsies on. It also comes in a waterproof version which is good for everyday antics, however I must say it isn't the most waterproof mascara in the world, and the texture is rock solid, so it is quite tricky to get off. As my YSL one was running low I received this Glamour box just in time! I've used Bourjois mascaras in the past and have been impressed by darkness of them but they never really gave length or volume to my lashes. I was slightly suspicious of this mascara, I wasn't expecting it to be my new miracle mascara but I was very impressed. I can even use it without my trusty lash primer.

 

Bourjois Volume 1 Seconde Mascara//RRP £9.99

 

 

Please excuse the fact my eyes are bright pink and I don't even have eyeliner on! I've had a horrible chest infection for the last week! The results are the same, if not better than the YSL mascara, and a damn sight cheaper with change from a tenner. The mascara feels very light and lashes feel soft - usually to get results of this caliber, I resort to chiselling my mascara off before bed as my lashes are rock solid, but not at all the case here. The only downside is the fact that it is not waterproof, and it can flake a little bit, but only if I absent-mindedly rub my eye. For an every day mascara I feel like this may be my new winner. It has actually made my lashes grown longer, and I feel like this is largely due to the fact that I'm not having to scrub away at them with a cotton pad to get the mascara off at night. So for the moment this is my new favourite mascara.. but I just took delivery of Younique 3d Fibre Lashes.. so I feel like that is all about to change!

What's your favourite mascara?

xoxo

 

 

Viva Aveda!

I am so poor at doing anything on time. Seriously. I got my hair cut and highlighted a solid two weeks ago, and only now I am finding time to blog about it. 

So living in the big city, getting my hair done is an expensive necessity. Not being a natural blonde (yeah like you didn't know!) my roots come in pretty fast, and there is actually nothing worse in life than blonde hair and dark roots, so I visit my hairdresser about every 6 weeks. I have a lot of events coming up, I spent more than I earn on dresses and shoes and then there was the sudden realisation of how close Christmas actually is and how many presents I need to buy.. My funds were low and then suddenly my roots were back and required urgent attention.  Oh adult life, how I loathe you.

I'm pretty fussy about what I use in my hair, especially with dye as I hate that dull, brittle, brassy look you get after about a month and a half, so in recent years I've only being going to places that are Aveda trained. Aveda hair colour is up to '99% naturally derived from plants, non-petroleum minerals or water', the dye is non-drying and uses 'gentle, sustainable water as it's solvent, instead of alcohol'. It has conditioning elements such as 'sunflower, castor and jojoba oil'. Also,their packaging is 100% recycled. They just make you feel like you're doing good, while making yourself look great. 

My usual hairdresser was fully booked and my roots were darker than the night sky, so I frantically started googling Aveda salons near me and I found a new hairdresser called SpoilMe - and that they did. I went in armed with photos on my phone of celebrities with great hair (everyone does this, right?) and showed Rhea exactly what I wanted. I wanted to go a little bit darker now that the winter months are upon us and I can no longer be the tanned blonde I was in the summer. She suggested adding some highlights of my natural colour that would not only give me the darker colour I wanted, but would also help me when my dreaded roots made a reappearance. I placed my life (okay, it was just my hair, same thing) in her hands, and I can honestly say it is the best colour and cut I've ever had in my whole life - hens the entire blog on one hair cut. 

The thing I love most about Aveda dye is that if you are a blonde, or like me you're just pretending, the colour doesn't go brassy like other colours will. It's also a lot glossier and leaves my hair in a much better condition than any other ones I've tried. Also, it smells a lot better. I know this isn't a reason to swap hair dyes - but it should be. 

I couldn't recommend Aveda enough and urge all you ladies to get out there and try it. The colour stays true all the way through the 6 weeks I wait before my next colour. 

Oh, and everyone should go to SpoilMe and ask for Rhea - she is a miracle worker!

xoxo

Clinique Anti-Blemish Solution 3-Step System Set Review

You know that song by Day One that goes 'It's gotta get bad before it gets good?'

If Clinique make an advert for this product - this should be the theme tune. 

I persevered. I really did. I tried. But there is only so much bad skin I can go outside with.

Clinique Anti-Blemish Solution 3-Step System Set//RRP £25

Grab it now at John Lewis for £22.50!

My skin got really bad again when I came back from Greece, the lack of sun and the sudden return of my foundation was enough for it to freak out. I'd read a few blogs and seen online that everyone was raving about Clinique's 3-Step Anti Blemish set, so when it went on a price match, I snapped it up with my discount. I was so excited to try this product, and at £18 for the travel set size, I wasn't expecting to be disappointed. I'm very much a 'you get what you pay for' kinda girl, but a £3 face wash from Neutrogena would have, and is better. For me anyway. You might be lucky and find this is the wonder product that you've been looking for.

The only thing I can say about this 3-Step Set is that it really cleans your face. It got every single little trace of make up off. I took all my make up off with my trusty Simple wipe first and let the foaming cleanser get to work. It didn't smell great, but it was light and it made my face feel squeaky clean. Next, we were on to the clarifying lotion. The first thing that will hit you about this product is the smell. I put a small swatch onto a cotton pad and swiped my face with it. I felt like someone had thrown a glass of vodka in my face. The smell of alcohol is overwhelming and as i have quite sensitive skin, I think this was the culprit that aggravated my skin. The clearing moisturiser is quite pleasant after having the clearing lotion which is quite stinging. After reading reviews online, they had said that I should expect to see an improvement even within the first week. All I saw was my skin getting worse and worse. I broke out all along my jawline and I thought okay - I'll give it another week, maybe it gets bad and then it clears up. It really didn't though. It just kept getting worse and worse, even my make up started looking awful. It was going patchy during the day, my skin looked dry under my foundation. As soon as I ditched it, bang! Skin was back to normal, make up looked better than ever and my jawline cleared up within days. 

I might give this product a try further down the line - at the end of the day, it wasn't the cheapest skincare I've ever purchased and it seems a shame to let it go to waste, but for the time being, I'm going to stick with what I know - and maybe give the Body Shop one a shot instead.. 

Have you tried this product? 

xoxo

Liebster Award//Part 2

Thank you to Samantha who has nominated me for the Liebster Award. Even though I have already taken part in this, I will still answer her questions, however I won't be renominating as I've already done it :)

Here are the questions that Samantha asked me:

Questions for the people I nominate :

1. Where would you like to travel?

I really love America so would love to start in Florida and drive along through the Deep South, round to California and then finishing in Las Vegas. Would take a huge chunk of time to do that though! I also really want to go to Koh Samui and also Japan - hopefully that will be next summers vacay!

2. Comfy or Classy?

Always classy! A high pair of heels and a statement bag is always a must.

3. What's your favourite lipstick?

At the moment my favourite is MAC Creme D'Nude and MAC Blankety. They are such nice colours for fall and are a lot lighter now that I've pretty much lost my summer tan. 

4. Night or morningperson?

I would usually have said night! However I have recently changed jobs and I start work before 6am now, so I am definitely more of a morning person at the moment!

5. What's your favourite music album?

This is so difficult! I would have to go with Rumours - Fleetwood Mac. They are my favourite band in the whole world and I was lucky enough to go and see them last year in Glasgow - my boyfriend got me the tickets for my 21st! 

6. What's your favourite thing to eat?

I like a lot of food! Anything that's really spicy. I do love a good pizza though!

7. What's your favourite season and why?

I think I would love summer more if I didn't live in the UK! We never really get a good summer, although the last two years we have been pretty lucky with the weather. Winter is definitely my favourite. I love it when it's cold and you can wrap up warm or stay in with the fire on and a big cup of hot chocolate. Also I love the snow - I'm counting down the days until I can go skiing again!

8. Are you reading a book, if so, what one, if not, what was your last book?

The last book I read that wasn't for my degree was the Wolf of Wall Street. It's amazing - everyone should read it. It was my lying-by-the-pool book this summer and I loved it.

9. What's your favourite movie?

This is so tricky! Bridesmaids is probably the chick flick I've watched the most in the last year. Pearl Harbour or Titanic is probably one of my favourites though. 

10. Why did you start a blog?

Everyone kept asking me what make up I use and what products I use and I thought this would be a good outlet to discuss that! Also sharing lifestyle tips and funny stories from my day to day life too. 

11. What's your favourite series?

This is far too difficult! I have so many tv shows I watch religiously. Friends is probably my favourite of all time - I can watch it time and time again and never get bored of it. My favourite new series is probably Californication though, I don't know how many times I've rewatched it now! I also love Modern Family, it's so funny! My boyfriend and I have watched all 6 seasons a ridiculous amount of times this year!


xoxo

Holy Zaggora!

So in my October bucket list number 1 on my list was joining a new gym - which I did! 

I've been really good and I've gone 5-6 days a week for a minimum of an hour in an attempt to get the six pack I used to have back. I can already feel the work paying off and although a lot of this is down to my hard work, I also should give some credit to my Zaggora's.

If you are a gym rat like me - rush out and buy some now. I mean it! Even if you're not, go get some right now. They will change your life. I've had mine for quite a while now and I've yet to see another person in my gym (old or new) wearing them. Everyone should own a pair, they are a-m-a-z-i-n-g. 

Zaggora Atomica Pants//RRP £49
Get them on sale now for £34 at Zaggora

I have the Zaggora Atomica pants which have a great little fold over bit at the top which gets to work on any love handles or muffin tops you might want a little help with. It also holds you in really well, and I definitely attribute these particular pants to my diminishing waistline. They have signature fabric that warms you up and I'm not gonna lie they really do make you sweat. You would sweat less in hell than you would in these pants, but in my eyes that just means they are working. The only thing I can liken these pants to is a scuba suit that you would wear if you were diving or surfing. They are a really odd material, but this heat helps you to burn calories in ways you didn't even know was possible. If I work out wearing my regular Nike work out pants I still feel the burn the next day, but with my Zaggora's I feel it ten times worse.

The best way to see results is to measure yourself before you start using these pants to work out. Get a fashion tape and measure your thighs, bum and waist and then compare it every week. They really do work and I bet that you'll see a different after a few weeks for sure - I definitely did. You don't need to go balls to the wall at the gym either - they are also great for just going out on walks, or even doing housework. The only thing I would say about them as they are noisy as hell. I tried sleeping in them one night - that was a total no-go. Every time you move, they make a really loud swishing noise that could wake the heaviest sleeper. Also, beware of the stares you get in the supermarket. No matter how big your thigh gap is, walking is not going to be a quiet activity in these pants and you will get odd looks from people in Tesco. But hey, while you're getting evils, you are getting thin. We will see who has the last laugh (mwahahaha)

Have you tried these pants out? If not you should. But I'd love to hear! 

xoxo

October empties

So now essays are done and I have some downtime I can finally blog about some empties I've accumulated this month.

Here are my three favourites:

OGX//Ever Straight//Brazilian Keratin Smooth Shampoo and Conditioner//RRP £6.99

Grab it now at Boots for 1/3 off and browse the whole OGX range!

I just found my new favourite shampoo and conditioner! I'm going to reveal something that might shock and astound you - I'm not a natural blonde! (har-har) My usual shampoo is John Frieda Sheer Blonde and I sometimes mix it up with a Herbal Essence one when my hair gets too used to it. Due to my hair being highlighted, it sometimes gets a little dry and I'd heard Argan Oil was the best thing to revive my dry hair and help my split ends. I was perusing the ailses when I spotted OGX's Argan Oil shampoo and conditioner. I did the usual sniff test and was overwhelmed by how amazing it smelled, so naturally I started having a sniff of all of them. This was the one that I liked the smell of the best, and I knew keratin would make my hair so much softer, so I plumped for this one and the Anti Breakage Healing Oil which is also lovely - it does make my hair feel a little greasy. This shampoo and conditioner made my hair noticeably softer and the smell was incredible. I felt my hair had improved so much since I had started using it and when I went to the hairdressers yesterday, the proof was in the pudding as she hardly had to trim anything off the ends due to it being so healthy! As they have just finished, and as I am a firm believer of switching up your hair products, I purchased the Biotin and Collagen shampoo for thicker and fuller hair by OGX and this one smells even better that the keratin one (I buy products based on how they smell quite a lot!) I'm hoping this one will be as good as the keratin one.. but time shall tell, but I feel I won't be disappointed. 

My next empty is Bronze Glow Mosaic by Collection

Bronze Glow Mosaic//Collection//RRP £2.99

Available at Boots

As a MAC fanatic, when I couldn't find MAC Skinfinish in Gold Deposit anywhere in stock, I started hunting for a new highlighter. I love a bit of shine to my temples and cheekbones to give me that healthy glow, so when mine ran out in Greece, I was devastated. On my return to the UK everyone seemed to have purchased it and no one had any stock. I went to Boots again to have a look and walking past this one glittering away in the Collection counter caught my eye - and so did the price! 

Bronze Glow Mosaic Swatch

This may just replace MAC as my new favourite. It's not quite as dark, and it goes with my hair a lot better now I've dyed it lighter. It's light and frosty and gives me a nice shine without being too dark or too heavy. My only complaint is it is a little bit more glittery than the MAC one and the glitter goes everywhere. But, for nearly £20 less than it's rival - I feel like I'll be sticking with this as it gives me a healthy glow and doesn't break the bank.

What products were you loving this month?

xo

6 ways in which I've ruined my life this week

It's only Thursday.. and it's not looking good!

I am the Queen of procrastinating. This week, I have procrastinated until the cows came home.

Here are 6 ways in which I've ruined my own life this week.

1) I have two essays due. One for Friday, and one for Monday. I'm positive and optimistic for Monday's essay as I can create my own question for that.. but the one for Friday. I've nailed 750 words. Only another 2000 to go, oh and it's due tomorrow. It's okay though, I'm taking a blog break.. it's more creative than staring out the window for an hour. And plus, I already did that yesterday.

2) I am currently on episode 15 of The Real Housewives of New York City Season 6.. and I only started on Monday night! What is wrong with me. I have two essays due people! Wine glasses have been thrown.. it's too intense to stop now.

3) This is poor week for me this week. I hate the week before I get paid. I basically have £1.50 to last me a week. So naturally, I have spent a lot of the week looking at the things I'm going to buy when I once again am financially stable. Which will last for about a week. And then I'll spend the next 3 weeks eating noodles, crying into my new plush throw that I just had to buy because it was cute.

4) Tidying for my first weekend as a grown up. I moved into my new flat in June, and while my mum has visited me once, my dad still hasn't seen the new pad yet. So being the responsible grown up I now am (har-har) I have invited the folks up to stay with me this weekend. What I didn't factor into my plan was the fact that I need to tidy, organise, stock the fridge - all while writing my essay - and undertaking a 9 hour shift on Saturday. I do it to myself. I really do. 

5) I have had 2 takeouts already this week. My name is Vicky and I am disgusting. But hey, the time that I'm not spending on cooking - I'm spending on writing my essay doing absolutely anything other than being academic. Plus, that Papa Johns lasted me two days. It was a good investment. I'll go to the gym next week, promise, mean it.

6) Getting paid today, instead of Saturday. I woke up today and did my usual.. Launching my bank app so I could start the day off by having a good old laugh at how well I am doing at budgeting and to my surprise I had actually been paid already! Drunk on the fumes of burning all my money, I ordered the Glamour Power List beauty box which I have been eying up for a really long time. If you haven't already got one, or have one on order - get one now. £83 worth of beauty products for £15. Do it! Do it now. I ordered it just for the James Read Sleep Mask Tan alone. My face tans so poorly, so I was always really skeptical about dropping £25 on a 50ml bottle that may or may not work. I just couldn't justify wasting more money on a product that would within a week be banished to the back of the bathroom cabinet with all the other products I just had-to-have, never to be seen again. There will obviously be a beauty blog to follow regarding all of these products once I have had the time to ignore all the other responsibilities in my life and try them out. I also finally took the plunge and purchased the Clinique 3 Step skincare range. My skin is in such poor condition right now, and every little helps right?. I got a little tester of the face wash back in August and my skin was glowing - so I am hopeful that this range will work wonders for me. And last but not least and by no means my favourite (cough cough)I have finally purchased MAC Sculpt and Define Powder in Light Plus. I am too excited about this product. It was previously only available to the MUA's out there. So now I can get my paws on this product, I am dying to get it. Only one more sleep (eeeeeee!)

Are you guys procrastinating too? Please say it's not just me..

xoxo

The Liebster Award

Thank you to Eden for the Liebster Award! 

The Rules:

-Acknowledge the blog who nominated you and display the award

-Answer the 11 questions given to you from the blogger

-Give 11 facts about yourself

-Nominate 11 blogs you think are deserving of the award (less than 200 followers)

-Let the bloggers know you have nominated them

-Give 11 questions to them to answer

Here are Eden's 11 questions for me:

If you could live any where in the world, where would you live and why?

I think if I had to live anywhere it would probably be New York City. I love New York and I'd live there because I love places where there is always something happening. It's always busy and there is always something to do or something going on.  It's a place where you'd never be bored. And also the food is amazing and I'm all about living somewhere I can get a good meal! There is also a real sense of community in New York, which being Scottish I like, as that's something we are really big on here!

What is your dream job and why?

I love writing, and am in my final year of an English degree, so my ideal job would be writing a column for a magazine, or just any general writing in a magazine would be nice too!

Follow me on instagram! @eden.amber and ill follow you back! Who else should I follow and whats your favourite instagram account?

Thanks! I'm vicky_chaps on Instagram. My favourites on Instagram are Millie Mackintosh and Victoria Beckham because they are my style icons! Ainsley Rodriguez, Cenna and Sonia because they are my fitspiration and always have amazing work out videos and last but not least Dan Bilzerian's cat Smushball because who doesn't love a badass cat!

My guilty pleasure is coronation street! What's your guilty pleasure?

Reality TV! I am so bad for wasting hours of my life watching Keeping up with the Kardashians and The Real Housewives of New York.. I just love the drama! Oh, and eating pork scratchings.. they are really disgusting but I absolutely love them!

What is your biggest insecurity?

I'm a really, really sarcastic person and I find it hard to filter that sometimes so I'm often worried if I'm talking to - or around a person or people I don't know, that I come off as totally rude!

What is your biggest fear?

Hmm, quite a few! The usual suspects.. heights, spiders, snakes, cockroaches. My weirdest phobia though is wooden spoons. I don't know what it is but I've never been able to have one in my house. I just don't like the texture.. it creeps me out. 

Who is your biggest celebrity crush?

Ryan Gosling. Hands down. No contest. I love him. My best friend bought me a Ryan Gosling colouring book for my birthday last year, and my boyfriend bought me a cushion with Ryan Gosling's face on it for Christmas.. enough said.

What is your opinion on modern day relationships?

I recently uploaded a quote onto Instagram that sums up my thoughts and it says 'I think it's very healthy to spend time alone. You need to know how to be alone and not be defined by another person.' This couldn't be more spot on, people need to learn to breathe without their other half permanently attached to them 24/7. It makes for a much stronger relationship and independence is one of the most attractive qualities in a guy (or a girl). Also what is bae? People need to stop saying bae!

What would your perfect day out be and where?

Getting in the car and going somewhere I've never been before. Somewhere where you can walk about and see something you'd never usually see in your day to day life. And somewhere with a good restaurant and a good glass of wine! 

What influenced you to start blogging and how long have you been doing it for?

I love to write! I've loved to write since I was little but the main reason I started doing it is that things that happen in my daily life don't happen to other people (usually). It's safe to say that I'm a fairly unlucky person, and my misfortune tends to be at the amusement of others, so I thought I could share that with the world! As Marilyn Monroe said 'it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring!' So if my blog brings a smile to someones face, I'll consider it a job well done. Also I get a lot of questions from people asking me about what make up and other products I use etc, so thought that would be another thing I could share! I've been blogging since the beginning of October 2014.

What would you do to make the world better?

Everyone needs to stop fighting. Life is too short! I would love to make it World Pizza and Onesie day and just get everyone to chill out, have a Friends marathon and be pals.

11 facts about me:

• I started off studying Law at University and hated it, so swapped out to study English and Management. I'm currently in my fourth year.
• I have two cats called Purrdy and Pouncer. Pounce is a pretty big guy, he weighs over a stone and we actually had to install a dog flap in our house because he was too large for a standard cat one.
• I've moved house 7 times in 5 years. 
• I have celiac disease which means I'm intolerant to gluten, so going to dinner with me is great fun! It's not something I've always had.. I only got diagnosed a year ago.
• For the last 7 years I have worked in the Electronics industry, starting off in sales and ending up in Technical and IT Support. 
• I went to the same school as actor Ewan McGregor
• My favourite drink is a mojito
• If I could meet anyone in the world it would be Dave Grohl. He's such a cool guy. 
• I love winter, it's my favourite season and this year I cannot wait to get up to the mountains and go skiing, and try my hand at snowboarding again!
• Although you'd never guess by looking at me, I'm really into cars! I am counting down the days until I graduate and can afford to buy something totally ridiculous! It's a good job I love cars as my boyfriend is a total car fan.. he's had 6 cars in 18 months!
• I am a total Red Bull addict. I know, I know.. it's really bad for you, but I usually drink up to 5 cans a day!

11 Blogs I nominate:

• Emily Michelle
• WEAREMONOCHROME
• Now Mary 
• LauraFrankieB
• Atlantic Pacific
• BCosmetics
• Ellie
• Love Lillie, xo
• Lizzy
• Vogue Ego
• Viva La Jenny

11 questions for you:

• What's your ideal way to relax? 
• Where do you see yourself in 20 years time?
• What is your favourite beauty product and why?
• What is your worst habit?
• What is your favourite movie and why?
• You are having a dinner party. You can invite any 3 people in the world, dead or alive. Who would you invite?
• What is your most prized/valued possession?
• If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
• If you could turn back time and listen to one piece of advice that was given to you that you ignored, what would it be?
• If you found out you only had 24 hours to live, what would you do with that time?
• What is the funniest thing that has ever happened to you/or you have ever witnessed?

xoxo

Autumn Bucket List

Is it really Monday again tomorrow?!

So all over Bloglovin' everyone is talking about their Autumn Bucket list, so naturally I'm jumping on the bandwagon (as the name of the post suggests!)

Taken from www.lovethesepics.com

1. Join a new gym

Since moving house in June, I left my old gym behind and it's safe to say that the thought of traipsing all across town to workout was just not appealing, so last month I bit the bullet and cancelled my membership. Since then I've been overwhelmed with the amount of new gyms that are in my area. I really need to get my act together, get back in my Zaggora's and choose which one is best for me!

2. Start running again.. and then take up cycling!

I used to be so fit and then I blinked and I don't know what happened! Now that I have great running routes all around my house, I need to get myself back in the game and stop blaming the weather for my shortcomings! The main reason for running again is that my other half is a keen cyclist and he's always on at me to come along with him, but I just can't keep up with the pace! I really need to build up my stamina again so I can ride up a steep hill without going into cardiac arrest!

3. Start Christmas Shopping (seriously..)

I do it every. single. year. I make a list, I know what I'm buying and then I leave it til the week before Christmas to get it all bought, wrapped and under the tree. Well not this year! I'm going to be super organised, buy all my presents this month and next and have them all wrapped and under the tree on December 1st.. because that's just how I roll. Yeah, I put my tree up on December 1st. I have me some serious Christmas issues! #christmasobsessed

4. Start watching Breaking Bad

Okay, so I'm really late to the game with this one! But I just never have had the time to sit down and watch this at all and I wasn't completely convinced it was my kind of programme! Everyone and their mum keeps telling me how good this series is, and now I have my afternoons free to fill it full of a Breaking Bad binge! 

5. Finish my house off!

I moved in nearly 5 months ago and there is still so much to do and so much to buy and so much to paint and I need to stop putting it off. I really want my house done and dusted before Christmas so I can kick back and relax during the festive season. 

6. Start baking/Learn to bake!

I got diagnosed as a celiac sufferer almost 2 years ago so I usually stay clear from most baked goods such as cakes and muffins and so on, so forth. I have such a craving for carrot cake and banana bread so I'm going to the supermarket, stocking up on all things gluten and wheat free and I'm going to spend my afternoons off baking.. and watching Breaking Bad obviously.

7. Make a whole load of stews

Autumn means one thing to me. Comfort food. And I can't wait. I love a good stew and a hearty dollop of mashed potato, and luckily so does the boyfriend, so I think it's time to start hunting for some new stew recipes. I'm excited to get my fluffy socks on, cosy up with a big plate of stew and mash and watch Christmas films on the week day nights.

8. Get a Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks

Everyone is talking about these Pumpkin Spice Latte and I want in on it. I love a good coffee, and while a white coffee serves me perfectly well.. I'm usually a flavour junkie and will always take a good glug of syrup in my coffee - so I feel like I will absolutely love this latte. I am slightly concerned however that I'll become addicted. Good job I live right next to a Starbucks so I can get my fix. 

9. Go as a Unicorn for Halloween this year. 

Enough said. I am never usually a Halloween fan, I can't even remember the last time I got dressed up and this year I want to go as a Unicorn. I don't know why, I don't know where this idea has come from, but I'm gonna make it happen!

10. Enjoy the season!

Autumn always flies by and I want this season to be about becoming more physically fit, cooking and baking lots, meeting up and spending time with friends, and enjoying the fact I don't work weekends anymore and making the most of them!

What are you guys going to be getting up to this Autumn?

xoxo

'I said pour yourself a drink, put on some lipstick and pull yourself together'//MAC Lipstick Review

Happy Saturday everyone!

MAC make up is my go to make up brand for every single product usually. I have never had a MAC product that I haven't fallen in love with. That said, as a MAC junkie, I end up with a lot of empty bottles and compacts. Back to MAC is a program where customers can recycle 6 of their empty containers and receive a free lipstick. 

'In countries where it is permissible, the returned packaging is forwarded to appropriate waste management centres to recycle/reuse through energy recovery.' (Taken from maccosmetics.co.uk)

So now we can look good, get rid of empties, help the environment and get a free lipstick out of it! And that's exactly what I've been doing! These four lipsticks were all obtained through the Back To MAC program and they are as follows;

Cremesheen//Japanese Maple

Cremesheen//Creme Cup

Amplified//Vegas Volt

Lustre//Capricious

(As seen in order in swatches below)

MAC has many different formulas for lipstick including Cremesheen (top two swatches), Amplified (third swatch) and Lustre (fourth swatch) and there will be a blog at a later date to explain the many different formulas that MAC have. 

Cremesheen is very creamy (as the name suggests!) and is quite glossy. It isn't very long wearing however it looks so good on, you don't grudge reapplying it. 

Amplified is quite similar to the Matte formula in that it gives you a full and opaque coverage, however it can be quite drying. It is also reasonably long wearing so it's perfect for a night out and I usually get around 4 hours out of it. 

Lustre gives you a reasonably full coverage, but like the Cremesheen it is not long wearing but it is quite glossy. 

Cremesheen//Japanese Maple

Cremesheen//Creme Cup

Amplified//Vegas Volt

Lustre//Capricious

I love a nude shade for work and day to day, out and about adventures so I went for Japanese Maple. It's light but still noticeable and gives me a great gloss and isn't too drying for days when I'm just sitting in the office. I love Creme Cup for date night or quite cocktails with the girls. It's demure and sophisticated but a little darker than Japanese Maple so perfect for those nights when I don't want to rock a bold lip. Vegas Volt was a must have for my summer holiday. I really wanted a bold coral colour and it looked so nice against my new found tan! It's also perfect for nights when I'm wearing black on black on black and need a bit of colour to brighten it up! Capricious is a little darker and I wanted a more vampy, berry colour to add to my collection. I really admired the Heroine colour that Kim Kardashian was wearing this summer and sometimes it can take me a while to build up the confidence to wear a certain colour, especially dark colours! However, I found Capricious to be the perfect bridge to try Heroine out as it wasn't too dark - but it was darker than my usual tones and brought me out of my comfort zone - and I received a lot of compliments on the colour!

What lipsticks are you guys wearing?

xoxo

Spend vs Splurge//NSpa Beauty Rituals Range

Hang in there guys.. it's nearly Friday!

As a student, I typically don't have money to burn on expensive beauty products, so my aim is to look as good as I can, for as little money as I can possibly part with. I splurged a few months back on a facial product that all my friends and co-workers were talking about - Liz Earle's Hot Cloth Cleanse and Polish. The eucalyptus really made your face feel fresh after use and I love that feeling from a product and my skin did improve a little bit while I was using it - but I didn't rush out to buy a second bottle. I really wanted to see a bigger improvement in my skin that what I got. My skin didn't get better, it didn't glow and I was pretty disappointed. 

I was looking for my usual face wipes in Asda one night when I stumbled across the NSpa range. I'd never heard of NSpa before, but the 2 products for £8 deal was attractive. I had been in the market for a new cleanser, day cream and night cream - so I plumped for the Deep Cleansing Face Wash, the Ultra Hydrate Cream and the Night Repair Cream.. and as I still needed one more product, I just had to try NSpa's take on the Hot Cloth Polish. 

NSpa Beauty Rituals Range

(L-R) Deep Cleansing Face Wash//Hot Cloth Polish//Night Repair Cream//Ultra Hydrate Cream

NSpa, Hot Cloth Polish, 150ml//RRP £7 (Comes with Muslin Cloth)

Exclusively at www.asda.com

I really wanted to love this product and I wasn't disappointed! Almost £10 cheaper than Liz Earle's Hot Cloth Polish, I received much better results and my skin was visibly clearer and was reduced in redness. I use this 2-in-1 cleanser and polisher in the evening and the blend of Ginseng, Vitamin E, Cocoa Butter and Sweet Almond Oil moisturised my skin and made it so much softer. The Muslin Cloth helped to exfoliate my skin and I definitely found my skin felt more toned and my pores had definitely reduced. I was initially attracted to this product because it was on offer, however I would definitely repurchase again at full price. 

I follow up my night time regime with the Night Repair Cream. 

NSpa, Ultra Hydrate Cream, 50ml//RRP £6 (Top)

NSpa, Night Repair Cream, 50ml//RRP £7 (Bottom)

The Night Repair Cream is pink in colour and thicker in texture than the day cream and you really feel it nourishing your skin from the minute you put it on. It has the perfect balance in hydrating your skin, but also not leaving it oily (this is my pet hate with night creams!) The day cream is a little lighter which is nice as it feels more lightweight during the day under my make up. It also gives your skin a little wake up call first thing in the morning as it is super fresh. Both of these creams will become a staple product for me - especially during the winter when I really need a moisturising cream to stop my skin drying out. 

The final NSpa product I tried was the Deep Cleansing Face Wash.

NSpa, Deep Cleansing Face Wash, 150ml//RRP £4.50

This cleanser is good, but to be honest, if I repurchased the other 3 products, I'd be trying a different product to get the deal. First thing in the morning (and especially now I start work at 6am!) I need a product that wakes my skin up on contact and this product didn't do that for me. I feel that if I wasn't using the other 3 products this one wouldn't have had any impact on my skin at all. I think when this bottle is finished I'll be on the lookout for a new cleanser to use in the morning that gives my skin the wake up it craves.

What cleanser would you guys recommend I try?

xoxo