First Purchases of 2014 (Makeup Haul)

 

So with Christmas over for another year and having received my bank statement for December (ouch!) it's that time of year where you decide that you really need to save some money after spending so much during the festive season.

Apparently I didn't get that memo and I've been out shopping over the past few weeks and have brought some amazing cosmetics which I'm going to share today.

 

The first thing that I've purchased were these makeup wipes from Superdrug. Recently I've been using some Sainsbury's own branded wipes just because they are cheap and easy to pick up, but I decided I should probably invest in some wipes that are actually designed to be used to take off makeup. These were also a complete bargain at only about £1.50 and although I have never used them before I thought that they would be worth the risk.

 

My obsession with nail polish continues. Barry M have recently released a new collection of matte polishes in a variety of colours. Their new polishes always intrigue me and after buying loads of their standard as well as jelly polishes I just needed to try this one. I picked up the shade 'Vanilla' costing me £3.99 from Superdrug.   

 

As Superdrug were having a 3 for 2 offer on all their Barry M products, it would be rude for me not to buy two more polishes. For my second polish I decided on this gorgeous burgundy shade called 'crush' from the new matte collection, which also retails at £3.99.

 

To complete the three for two offer, I needed to decide on one final polish. On the Barry M stand they had a picture of a model showing off one particular shade. I fell in love with it and decided that this would be the final shade that I would buy. This polish is part of the Hi-Shine jelly collection and is called 'Guava', also priced at £3.99 in Superdrug.

 

I actually brought another nail polish from Barry M a few weeks ago whilst I was shopping in Cambridge and totally forgot about it. At the time Superdrug were doing a 2 for £6 deal on all their nail polishes and so my friend and I got one each. I picked up this shade called 'blackberry' from the jelly range, saving myself 0.99p!

 

Living in a small town means that my local Superdrug doesn't sell any sleek products. After buying a blush and the contour kit online, I was desperate to get my hands on some of their other products, but wanted to be able to see what I was buying first. Luckily Cambridge had a whole stand of Sleek products, and it's fair to say that I went a little crazy.

 

The first thing that I picked up from Sleek was this gorgeous lipstick in the shade 'barely there.' Although I haven't used this product yet it claims to be a highly pigmented non drying and conditioning lipstick, which sounds pretty good to me! Costing only £4.99 it is also a bit cheaper than some of the other drugstore lipsticks out there so thought it would be worth a try.

 

After buying and falling in love with the Sleek blush in the shade 'flamingo' I decided that I would definitely need to expand my collection. With 11 shades in the collection it wasn't easy to pick just one so I brought two on this occasion, but could have easily brought them all! Oops.

 

I decided to go for two more pink shades, but these are no way near as bright as 'flamingo.' The blush pictured above is a lovely dark pink almost red shade with the slightest bit of shimmer in called 'flushed.' I can't wait to start using it and with it being priced at only £4.49 it is a serious bargain in my eyes.

 

The other blush I picked up for £4.49 was the shade in 'rose gold.' I've seen so many other beauty bloggers and vloggers rave about this shade of product and thought it was about time I got my hands on it too. It contains more shimmer than the other two blushes I have, yet will be a welcome addition to my collection.

 

This is where I think I got a little bit over the top and went a bit crazy with the sleek products. But whilst I was there I decided to pick up one of Sleek's eyeshadow palettes.

 

Typically of Sleek, the have kept their gorgeous black packaging for the palette and I'm so excited to try it out. They have a variety of palettes available but I got the 'Au Naturel 601' palette as I thought it would be one that I'd use the most.

 

Although I haven't used this product yet, I am seriously impressed with it at first glance. The colours inside look absolutely gorgeous and I love the mixture of both matte and shimmery shades in there. I also love the fact that each shade has it's own name and that there isn't one colour in the palette that I don't like. Perhaps the biggest bonus is that this cost only £7.99!

 

 

My final purchase over the past few weeks have been some new make-up brushes. I've had my eye on real-techniques brushes for ages and after receiving some for Christmas I decided to expand my collection. This resulted in a trip to Boots!

 

I decided to purchase the core collection, costing me £21.99. Working out at only about £5 a brush, they are seriously good value for money and even the woman in Boots told me that they are amazing!

Featuring a foundation brush, a brush for concealer, powder and contouring, I'm super excited about using these brushes alongside my new and old purchases, although I don't want to get them dirty! Haha.

Wow, it seems as though I've gone a bit overboard recently on products. One day I will learn to resist. (I hope)

NOTD: Ruby Fruit

To get in the spirit of autumn and to have a change from my usual go to nail polish brand of Barry M today I've used a polish by Max Factor. This is the only nail polish from max factor in my collection and it is a dark red, almost black shade called 'Ruby Fruit.' I think I've only actually worn this a couple of times previously and when I was looking through my collection it caught my eye. I think it is a perfect colour for autumn and it certainly contrasts to the brights and pastel shades that I was wearing during the summer.

I found that the consistency of this nail polish was really lovely, not too thick or thin and the brush can hold a fair amount of polish. Also the brush is really long, so you can easily reach all of your nails without getting it on your skin. I also applied two coats of this polish, but I think you could easily get away with one, but two coats makes the colour look very intense. 

Another thing I really love about this nail polish is that in some lights it looks really dark and almost black whilst in others it looks red. It makes it seem as though you are wearing two polishes at once! One thing I'm not looking forward to though is taking it off because I'm pretty sure it will stain my nails, so I'm planning on keeping it on as long as possible.

Nail Tutorial: Ombre

It's always exciting when you find a new nail art technique to experiment and try out. The fashion world has gone crazy with everything ombre over the past two years and if your not sure whether or not to try ombre hair, ombre nails are a much quicker, reversible solution for all your ombre needs!

  This effect can take a while to perfect and I am still trying to perfect it myself, so my finished result may not look as amazing as it can do, but it shows that this can be a difficult technique to master. Anyhow, like with other nail effects, you can use pretty much any colour that you want and a contrast between the two colours can make it look really effective.

Items needed to create the ombre nail effect

For this tutorial you will need:

• A base colour
• A different colour to create the ombre effect with
• A small sponge, slightly larger than the size of your nail
• A plastic sheet or poly-pocket
• Something to mix the two colours together such as a toothpick or nail art tool
• Base/Top coat (optional)  

Barry M Nail Paint in Blueberry

Step 1

1. Firstly you need to apply a decent base coat, especially if you are using nail polishes which are likely to stain your nails. Once this is dry, you need to apply a base colour to your nails. For this tutorial I am using the Barry M nail paint in 'Blueberry.' 

Step 2

2. Next, on the sheet of plastic you need to paint a thick layer of the base nail polish onto one side of the sheet. Then next to it as close as possible without allowing the two nail polishes to touch, you need to apply a thick layer of nail polish which will be used to make the ombre effect, as shown above. The nail polish which I am using for the ombre effect is Barry M nail paint in 'Bright Pink.' You will need to make sure that the combined nail polish is the length of your nails to ensure that your nails will be covered effectively. 

Step 3

3. Before the nail polish has time to dry you then take your toothpick or nail art tool and gently mix the two colours together in the middle so you are left with one colour on the left, the mixture of colours in the middle and the other colour on the right. This creates the ombre effect on your nails.

Step 4

4. Next, you need to take the sponge and put it into the nail polish mixture. At this stage you should have the base colour at the bottom of the sponge, and the ombre colour at the top, with the mixture of the two colours in the middle. This is shown below. You will need to work quite quickly to ensure that the nail polish doesn't dry. 

Step 5

5. Once the sponge has been dipped into the mixture, you then press it onto the nail. You need to ensure the top of the sponge is applied to the top of the nail in order to create the ombre effect. You will find at this stage the nails will look rather messy because of the sponge but this will be cleared up later in the tutorial. Repeat this stage until all your nails have been painted, which may mean you might need to apply more nail polish to the plastic sheet.

Step 6

6. Once you have applied the sponge to all of your nails it is important to allow the nail polish to dry. When you are satisfied that it is dry, take a cotton bud and dip it into nail polish remover. Then use the cotton bud to clean up any nail polish which has got onto your cuticles or skin and you have successfully created the ombre nail effect. Using the sponge gives a textured finish, and you can alter the amount of ombre by the amount that you mix the two colours together. At this stage you can also apply a top coat if desired. 

NOTD: Lychee

I have really been loving this nail polish from Barry M. I've previously featured this particular one in my 'Top 5 Barry M Nail Polish' post, and it is the shade which I am currently wear on my nails.

 

The shade itself is called 'Lychee' and can be found in most drugstores in the UK such as Boots and Superdrug. This one came from http://www.superdrug.com/barry-m/barry-m-gelly-nail-paint-lychee/invt/612353 and cost £3.99

I really like the neutral shade of this nail paint and it looks really elegant and sophisticated. It also compliments my natural skin tone, and it applies evenly and lump or bubble free to my nails. I find that I always apply two coats of this polish though to ensure maximum coverage.

  It doesn't chip easily and I find the wear is good on this polish which makes it really great value for money. 

I would highly recommend this nail colour to anybody that wants a change from bright colours or if you just want to try something new. You won't be disappointed! 

Nail Tutorial: French Manicure

Although I really love wearing bright block colours on my nails, it is always nice to be able to have a simple manicure. It can enhance your natural nails whilst also makes them look sophisticated and is a quick and easy way to change the way your nails look. Here I have put together a quick tutorial on how to create a perfect French manicure. 

  

Nail Polishes L-R:
Rimmel 60 Seconds: Princess Pink
Barry M: Matt White
Avon: Base Coat

For this look I will be using a natural nail colour for the base and then white for the tips. However you can change up these colours and use any combination, which also looks amazing on the nails. Some examples of other combinations that I've used are red with gold tips, purple with silver tips and blue with red tips.
   To create this particular look you will need a base coat, a base colour and then another colour to use for the tips. In this case I am using the Rimmel 60 Seconds nail polish in 'Princess Pink' for the base, Barry M nail paint in 'Matt White' for the tips and an Avon base coat.

1. Firstly I would cut and file your nails using a clipper and nail file to ensure that all your nails are the same length and evenly shaped. Once you are happy with the length of your nails,apply the base coat and allow to dry. 

2. Next, apply the base colour to your nails. Depending on the coverage of your nail polish you may want to apply two coats but it is important to make sure that you do not make the layers too thick. This is so the nail polish dries and doesn't become tacky or sticky. I've applied 2 coats of the Rimmel nail polish in 'Princess Pink' here.

Rimmel 60 Seconds 'Princess Pink'

3. Once the base colour is completely dry, you can then start to do the tips of each nail. My tip for this stage is to take the nail polish brush and use one motion to swipe the brush across the top of the nail. Don't worry if the colour looks patchy at this stage because you can always go back and apply another coat to the tips if necessary. This step may take a bit of practise but don't worry if the tip colour goes onto your skin as it can be easily removed with some nail polish remover. Once you have used the brush to add tips, leave the nails to dry completely. 

4. To make the look last longer and to reduce the chance of chipping you can apply a top coat to this look but it is not necessary. To remove any stray nail polish from your skin, apply some nail varnish remover to a cotton bud and carefully wipe away the nail polish. 

Here is the finished look. Perfect for everyday wear or for special occasions or events, this is a really versatile nail effect and can be achieved using only 3 products and you can easily change the colours which have been used to create your own take on a classic manicure.

August Favourites!

I honestly cannot believe how quickly the month of August has gone. It is one of my favourite months, not only because my birthday falls within it, but also because it is the peak of Summer and it is meant to be hot and sunny. 
  Now that it is the end of the summer, we will be preparing for the Autumn; cooler weather, shorter days and warmer clothing. 
   However, these have been my favourite things throughout this month!

Summer Sun
I love the summer, and we've been quite lucky in the UK to have had a decent summer with a good amount of sun and I've enjoyed just being outside in the sunshine whether it be walking the dog or having a BBQ.

Food:

Strawberries/Raspberries
At the beginning of the month me and my sister went to a local farm shop and picked our own raspberries and strawberries. They are two of my favourite fruit and I find I've eaten a lot more of these throughout the summer. A simple favourite but one I probably won't be enjoying as much throughout the cooler months. 

McDonald's Mocha Frappé
When McDonald's released some new drinks as part of a summer menu, I was excited to try them. My favourite is the Mocha Frappé because it tastes so delicious and is a nice alternative to normal coffee. These are so reasonably priced too at only £2.19. Bargain!

TV Shows: 

Cake Boss (TLC)
This month my sister has introduced me to the channel TLC and the program Cake Boss. (Channel 125 on Sky.) Basically this program is about a man called Buddy who runs a family bakery in America and along with his team they made the most extraordinary cakes and pastries. In one episode they make a life-size car cake and in another they've made a space shuttle cake which takes off! Cake Boss is usually shown every weekday between 7pm and 8pm, but is also on at random times throughout the day as well. 

Storage Hunters (Dave)
Another program that I've loved watching throughout July and August is Storage Hunters, shown on the channel Dave. (Sky 111, Freeview 12.) This show follows a group of bidders at storage auctions, where if the rent has not been paid on storage units for a certain period of time, they go up for auction. At the beginning of each auction, the auctioneer opens up the unit and bidders are able to look at the stuff inside, but are not allowed to touch anything or go inside the unit. Once everyone has had an initial look the unit is auctioned off right there and then. The highest bidder wins the unit and then is able to go inside and see what they've won. The aim is to pay low prices for units and make as much profit on them as possible. There is also rivalries between bidders which makes the program a bit more entertaining.  


Fashion:

Sunglasses
In this lovely weather this month sunglasses have been absolutely essential and out of all the sunglasses I own, this pair from New Look have been the ones I've worn the most. A bargain at £4.99, this is my second pair after my first pair broke and I've worn them most days. I love the studs around the frames and I really love the shape of them as well. 

Sunglasses: New Look £4.99

Maxi Skirts
This summer I have been experimenting with a lot of different clothes. Looking back now I cannot believe that before this summer I did not own a single maxi skirt. Now I have 3! I brought a coral and pink one at the beginning of the summer and last week brought a black one which is a bit more versatile. I have been constantly wearing these throughout the summer and I will be trying to get them into my autumn wardrobe as well. They are so easy to wear, both for everyday wear and during the evening, whilst not being too hot either. Again from New Look, these have been a bargain at £14.99 and I even got the black one in the sale for £8!

Maxi Skirts L-R: Coral, Pink & Black. All New Look £14.99

Espadrilles
I've found espadrilles a very versatile and essential shoe to have in my collection. Although sandals are a good shoe to have during the summer, they are not always the most practical and so I've found these shoes to be a good alternative. I brought myself two pairs of these plimsol type shoes, one in navy and one in this lovely aztec pattern and found myself to be wearing them on a regular basis. They are so comfortable and can be worn with just about anything, leggings, maxi skirts, shorts etc and were so affordable at £7.99 or two pairs for £10 at New Look. I've worn this aztec pair the most as they've added a bit more to a simple outfit on a night out and they've been great for everyday use as well. I've worn these with leggings and peplum tops in the evening and I've paired them with my maxi skirts as well. 

Espadrilles, New Look £7.99

Makeup/Beauty:

Natural Hair
I've found that throughout the summer my hair has needed a break from heat-styling and so I've hardly used my straighteners this month. From this I've learnt how to love my natural slightly wavy hair and it has saved me 10 minutes when I'm getting ready. I've also had my hair up a lot because of the heat so it has seemed rather pointless straightening my hair. I've noticed that giving up the straighteners has dramatically improved my hair and its condition.

Coral Nail Polishes
I've had a slight obsession with everything coral this summer. I've brought a coral maxi AND skater skirt and numerous coral nail polishes. Yet I've loved all of these products and each one is a slightly different shade of coral or orange so that's been my excuse! I've loved wearing these colours on my nails as they've complimented the summer tan that I've had and cannot see myself packing them away for the winter.

Coral Nail Polishes: L-R. Barry M Hi-Shine in Passionfruit £3.99
Rimmel 60 Seconds in Coralicious £3.69
Both from Superdrug

Lip Tints
I've had a couple of lip tints for a while now but this month I've starting to use them a bit more. In particular I've used 'Timeless Tango' from the Rimmel 1000 Kisses range a lot more than when I first brought it and although I wasn't sure if I liked the colour when I first got it, I've really loved it this month. It is quite a bright colour, so I've kept the rest of my makeup quite simple when I've worn it, but it's great.

Haul: Makeup, Nails & Clothing

So last Wednesday I went shopping. I accidentally brought some stuff and thought that I'd share it with you!

Although I went shopping not needing to buy anything in particular, as I was walking around I soon started to find some things which just needed to be bought. The shops are not amazing near where I live and there isn't that much variety due to the town centre being quite small, but I still managed to pick up some bargains and some necessities.

Maybelline Volum' Express Falsies Mascara
http://www.boots.com/en/Maybelline-The-Volum-Express-Mascara-Falsies_1150618/ 

Although I didn't really know what I was looking for, I knew that I needed to buy a new mascara as my current one is starting to get a bit old so I took a trip into boots. Instead of buying the same one again, I chose to try out the falsies mascara by Maybelline as my sister uses it and she recommended it to me. It was also reasonably priced at £7.99 so I thought that it was worth a try.  

Barry M Hi-Shine Gelly in Passionfruithttp://www.boots.com/en/Barry-M-Hi-Shine-Gel-Effect-Nail-Polish_1281299/

 As I was walking past the Barry M stand I had to stop to take a look and see if there were any nail polishes which caught my eye. With a bit of money left over from buying the mascara I decided to treat myself to a new nail polish, as usual. The shade that caught my eye this time was another from their 'Hi-Shine Gelly' collection called 'Passionfruit.' It is a really bright red colour and this was the first red that I would have brought from Barry M so I decided to purchase it and it cost £3.99.

  

After visiting Topshop, H&M and New Look I came out with three tops and a skirt. For somebody that didn't need anything I brought quite a lot of stuff. These haven't photographed very well, but I'm still going to show you them anyway!

Green skater skirt from Topshophttp://www.topshop.com

When I went into Topshop, they still had a small amount of items on one side of the shop. I find looking through sale rails challenging because sometimes there are some lovely pieces and at other times it isn't worth the time looking through it. However when I looked in Topshop last week, I found this dark green skater skirt in the sale. It had been reduced from £16 to £10 and thought this was a bargain. Although summer is almost over, I still think that I will be able to get wear out of this during the autumn with tights and I can always keep it for next year!

Baseball style top from H&Mhttp://www.hm.com/gb/product/15933?article=15933-A#shopOrigin=SD

When I went into my local H&M I was slightly disappointed with the stuff that they had in there. I had been in there about a month ago just before I went on holiday and found lots of lovely clothes. However, last week I didn't find hardly anything that I liked and the stuff I liked online wasn't in the shop. I did find this baseball style top in there though and this was something different from what I already have and a total bargain at £6.99. I love the grey marl colour and the maroon coloured sleeves and it is slightly oversized so I can easily team it with leggings or jeans. 

Basic t-shirt with rolled sleeves from H&Mhttp://www.hm.com/gb/product/10458?article=10458-G#article=10458-B

The other t-shirt I got from H&M is just a simple white short sleeved top from their basics collection. I've previously brought a grey top similar to this one and it is so comfortable I wanted a different colour and because I don't have many, I decided on white. What I love about these t-shirts are the rolled up sleeves as it makes the top look more interesting and again was a bargain at £7.99. This is also oversized because they didn't have my size so I think I'll be wearing it with either jeans or leggings and I can easily wear this throughout the rest of summer and autumn. 

Peplum top from New Lookhttp://www.newlook.com/shop/womens/tops/red-peplum-shell-top-_284011360

My final purchase of the day was from New Look. Recently in their sale I brought two peplum tops, a dark plum purple and dark green and I've found these so versatile that when I saw this red one I had to buy it. I don't have a lot of clothes which are red so this is a nice change from the colours I usually buy and I can wear this on either a night out or during the day in autumn. It was also a total bargain at £8.99.