Sunday Stuff #1

I sat down to write this post at the beginning of this week but failed to type anything of interest, I then decided I would do a beauty review post but didn't feel that either. So I put it off and put it off, and now it's Sunday, and I should have put this up already, but I haven't. I didn't want to put up a post I would later want to delete or hate looking at, so I thought I would write something that is relevant to me and too many others at the moment.

I have decided that I am going to introduce a new article, that I will post on random Sunday's if I want to write a bit about life and everyday things or just when I want to chat about things that aren't beauty or fashion. 

Queue...Sunday Stuff! (original I know ;)) 

So on Tuesday my AS level exams begin, and I'm not going to lie, I'm pretty terrified! I've gone through the whole really relaxed I'll-do-fine stage, the procrastination stage and I'm finally at the freaking-out cramming stage, and at the moment I'm taking a break to write this post. Exams are an inevitable and truly hated stage in life that causes stress and anxiety and constant worry (well for me anyway), and it can be really difficult to balance life with work. So I thought I would put together some thoughts and quotes to help myself and hopefully some of you get through this period slightly easier. 

1. Firstly, I like to remind myself that this stress/worry is only relevant for a short amount of time; and this will hopefully produce the path to my future career of choice.
2. After I have put in all the effort and hard work, I will hopefully get in return the qualifications I need to pursue the rest of my goals.
3. Hard work and perseverance really does count. No matter how much you think you don't know something or don't remember the information, if you put in the time, the likelihood is you know it, and when it comes down to it you will know what to write.
4. When you get the results you hoped for, it will all be worth it. You will not regret revising when you receive the results you wanted; however you will kick yourself if you don't try and you don't pass.
5. And finally, you can only do what you can do, this is always the last thing I remind myself. With all the hard work in the world there is no point beating yourself up if you are doing all that you can do. If you come out of it with one thing, knowing that you tried your hardest and did all you could, then you can be pleased with yourself that at least you tried.

If you also need help relaxing and taking time out from work, (which is really important!) you can check out my relaxation and meditation post here!

I hope this post made you think a bit, and was helpful at all. It was definitely therapeutic to write it and to take some time out to do something that really enjoy.

I will definitely be back for my Sunday post, but it will probably be short and something simple :)

Good luck to all of those with exams coming up! I will see you soon my lovelies :)

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#2014BloggerChallenge Topic Nine Music

For me this topic is perfect! I absolutely love music and have such an eclectic taste, I love music that ranges from country to indie rock, drum and bass to pop, I really do just love most types of music.So I thought I would give a few examples from different genres that I like so that you can find new ones that you never thought you would've liked or have never heard of before!

Alternative

• The Kooks
• Red Hot Chilli Peppers
• My Chemical Romance
• Fall Out Boy
• Paramore
• Radiohead
• Blink-182
• Cage the Elephant
• Bastille
• Matchbox Twenty
• Parachute
• Radical Something
• Passion Pit
• Foster The People
• The 1975
• Daughter
• Bon Iver
• ZZ Ward
• P.E.A.C.E

Indie Pop/Rock

• The Planes
• Maroon 5
• The All-American Rejects
• Walking On Cars
• Emblem 3
• McFly
• The Neighbourhood
• Tom Odell
• Ben Howard
• Miley Cyrus
• Ellie Goulding
• The Temper Trap
• Jack's Mannequin 
• The Vamps
• Ed Sheeran
• 5 Seconds of Summer
• Lana Del Rey
• James Blunt
• Soko
• Volcano Choir
• Kings Of Leon (alternative rock)
• Ben Hammersley

Country

• Taylor Swift
• Lucy Hale
• Kacey Musgraves
• Miley Cyrus

Folk

• Passenger
• Maverick Sabre (also R&B)
• Adam Barnes(folk rock)

Rap/Hiphop

• Eminem (old and new)
• Will.I.Am

Pop

• Jamie McDell
• Pixie Lott
• Katy Perry
• Demi Lovato
• Becky Cj

Dance/Drum and Bass/Electro

• Avicii
• Calvin Harris
• Rudimental
• Disclosure
• Swedish House Mafia

After putting together this list I realised that most of my favourites are actually in similar genres and I'm not as diverse as I thought I was. But I hope that was a good enough mixture of new and old that could help you re-find some old loves and discover some new ones!

I love finding new artists so please feel free to drop any suggestions down I the comments below :)

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April Favourites

So April went waaay too fast! This year seemed to be dragging until April came along and now we're in May, how'd that happen? 

I haven't got many new favourites, most of them are reoccurring or continual favourites, however there are some new products that I have been loving which I am very excited about.

So I'll start with an old friend, my Natural Collection Blush in Pink Cloud, it has become the perfect time to grace bright pink cheeks as spring has definitely sprung, and this is my blush of choice for everyday use; sometimes being swapped up for MUA's Lollipop powder blush. It isn't the longest lasting so does require topping up, but the tiny price tag and gorgeous colour makes up for that.

Next up is e.l.f's eyeshadow primer which is cheap and cheerful, does the job and is easy to blend onto the lid. Love this stuff for when I have time to put the effort into my eyeshadow (I'm trying to make it more of a regular occurrence), it's quick and easy and doesn't make my morning routine any longer even though it is an extra step.

Another familiar face (hint hint last month) is Maybelline's Brow Drama, this really is the perfect product for someone either new to daily eyebrow filling or doesn't have a lot of time in the mornings (I fit both of those) as it is so simple and quick. You just swipe a few stokes through your brows and they are tinted and ready to go for the day, however i will say if you have really unruly brows like mine you may need a coat of clear brow gel on top to keep them in place, depending on how much of this product you use.

A new love this month just has to be YSL's Touche Eclat, I am very late to jump on this bandwagon however when I saw the limited edition packaging my worries of overpriced, pretty-but-not-great concealer flew out the window and I was way to willing to hand over the cash for it. I was pleasantly surprised to actually love the product as much as the packaging, and have a review coming soon (probably after exams) about it. 

I was given this little sample size of Clinique's anti-blemish solution by my mum a few weeks ago and I have been using it on those more aggressive spots to calm them down a bit, and I must say it really does show results within a few days, however I think it must be used consistently for it to work it's magic as I have been very hit and miss with it down to time and pure forgetfulness. This is intended to be part of a 3 step process as the moisturiser, however as my skin gets particularly dry around my spots I have just been putting it in specific areas; I have found it to help with tightness and dryness therefore allowing my skin to calm down and reduce the redness caused.

The last returning product this month is Bourjois's 123 Perfect CC Cream, even though I have been using YSL's Touche Eclat, when I need a little more coverage under my eyes this is perfect. It has a liquid-ey texture than does not scream "full coverage" however it really does an amazing job of brightening and covering dark circles and bags. Definitely one of my holy grail products.

Now the one I am most excited about is a new Rimmel Kate lipstick in 20. It is a stunning bright pink/fuchsia and nothing like anything I own or have ever worn. I remember about this time last year I was only just weaning myself into wearing lipsticks let alone bold shades like this! but I just love it and want to wear it all the time. I can see myself getting a lot of use out of it this spring and especially in the summer. It is so smooth, moisturising, not heavy at all, and just so nice to wear. I love it!

Last but not least it No7's Stay Perfect Shade and Define Shadow stick in Cool Mink. I mentioned this in this post here and have been loving it since! It lasts just as long as Maybelline's Colour Tattoos and is a lovely colour that can either be subtle or bolder if built up. It can drag a little on the lid when applying but this isn't a big problem as long as you are gentle, as the pigment will still transfer without a lot of pressure.

Phew that was a long one! Well done for getting here if you did. So those are my monthly favourites of April, let me know if you have also been loving any of these products too or if you want to try any of them :)

I hope you all had a good month and link me any of your favourites posts down below so I can see what you've been loving too!

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Spring Fashion Wishlist 2014

Top L-R: 1/2/3/4 Bottom L-R: 5/6/7/8

Top L-R:1/2/3(shorts)(kimono)/4 Bottom L-R:5/6/7/8

This spring I intend on expanding my wardrobe a little colour-wise and trying out some new things. At the moment I have a very dark and neutral wardrobe as I mentioned in my last post, and as I'm getting my bedroom re-done, a new wardrobe calls for new clothes right?!

So I had a look around the Boohoo website and was shocked at how many items I wanted! As you can see I've gone a little gaga for reddy-orange colours, I just think they are so pretty and flattering. 
I've never really ventured into the play suit region before as I just don't think they suit my body shape and height; being quite short can mean that some clothes accentuate this and make me look really dumpy and not feel too great, so I tend to avoid them. However these three are quite loose around the bottom and look quite dress like, which is almost converting me..we'll have to see.
I know skorts and shorts are popular at the moment too and I really do like them! This skort is so pretty in both shades which is making it such a hard choice, what do you think? how about both? ;) and also these crochet shorts have caught my eye, I used to think it was all about the denim, but I may have been swayed.
I'm also really loving the kimono trend, I loved them before so now that they are in fashion it makes it all the better.
Pleats and sheer are also big contenders this season which has influenced a few of my choices here as I think they are really cute additions to the wardrobe and add a quirkiness to plainer outfits.

So let me know if you like my picks and if you would choose any of these? When I get round to splurging on a new wardrobe I might try and do a look book type post, but that will probably be towards summer, so let me know in the comments if you would like to see that :) 

I hope you enjoyed this midweek post, and just to let you know in advance I won't be able to do anymore of these for a while as I am in exam central! 
42 days until they are all over, I can't wait, yet I don't want the exams to come to soon, anyone else have this dilemma?!

So good luck all of you who also have exams and I will see you lovelies on sunday for my regular post!

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Products I'm Disappointed In #1

I don't like to review products that I don't get along with as I hate to write bad reviews, however personally I know how helpful it is to see the construct reviews as well as those that rave about products. I think that pointing out those not so great buys can help others out by letting them know what to avoid, yet also gives you the reasons why they are bad, and as everyone is different these issues may not affect everyone, meaning these products could be great for you also!

Firstly is the much loved Maybelline Rocket mascara, I know a lot of you will be shocked about this but I just really didn't get along with it. The consistency of the product was to liquidy and clumped my eyelashes together, which is a big issue for me when it comes to mascaras. I think it's the silicone brush and the fact that the bristles are quite short, therefore don't really help the lashes in any way. However with all that said I am going to give this another go as I hate to waste products and want to find out if I can uncover the reason it is so loved here in the blogosphere!

Next up is the Rimmel Sexy Curves mascara, now this one was well loved a good while back, and I remember it being raved about and loved for a really long time. Yet when I went to use it, I just immediately knew it was not for me; the wand is very long and thin with, again, small stumpy bristles that don't really do much with your lashes. I guess it does the job yet I wouldn't say it gave me anything to play with volume or length wise, which was very disappointing. 

Continuing with Maybelline, nothing personal honest!, is the Colour Sensational Popstick in 080 Cherry Pop, I bought this on a whim from Fragrence Direct and actaully really liked it at first, yet it started to dawn on me that the colour really wasn't that appealing and I saw another disappointed review that described it perfectly (I think it might have be Miss Budget Beauty but I'm not sure), they said the colour it came out made them look like they had gotten spaghetti sauce around their mouth, and I couldn't say it better myself; it actually took me a while to pinpoint why I didn't like it before I saw that review. 

And last but not least, MUA's matte lipstick. A lot of people have praised MUA on the ability to create such a great lipstick range for so cheap, so when I heard a matte range was going to be added, I was excited. I immediately picked one up and was so keen to try it until...I put it on. It was so so drying and clung horribly to any dry patches. I hate to say this as I really do like MUA and they have some really good products, however I think with this lipstick, like many other matte formulas, you pay for what you get and that is just the way it goes.

So there we go, out of 4 I am willing to retry 1, oh dear. However I do think it is worth trying out some products even if they aren't to your taste, you can't get any hits with no misses! 
I hope this post was helpful and that you enjoyed reading this; I will try and keep doing these if I find any more products that don't meet my expectations, so stay posted :)

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#2014BloggerChallenge Topic Eight Spring OOTD

Yes, I'm sorry again and I promise that next time it will be up on time if it kills me!! 
But I finally managed to get a couple well lit, albeit poorly taken, outfit photos, that I thought I would share with you for my OOTD for Spring!

It's not the most adventurous I'll admit, but I didn't realise until I attempted to create a spring-y outfit that most of my wardrobe is darks and neutrals, which isn't the best for this kind of challenge. However, it has helped me to realise that I need to add a few more colourful pieces to my selection (hint hint there's a wishlist on it's way).

Firstly sorry about the flecks and reflections in the outfit pictures, the only room with decent natural light in my house is my sister's room (shhh), and I had no one around to take the pictures for me, so I had to use her full length mirror and awkward hand holding of my camera.

Anyway onto the actual outfit! I chose to wear shorts, these I bought last summer from River Island, as the weather has been too nice to not make the most of it here in Cornwall, however it was still a bit to chilly not to wear tights sadly.
I wanted to wear this Topshop top as it hasn't really been nice enough to wear it since summer (obviously) and it's one of the most colourful things in my wardrobe. I like that the back is just the lace material, as it adds a quirky edge to the prettiness of the pattern; I also really like the scalloped bottom as it gives it more of an interesting and girly feel to what would just be another normal top.
As it's only spring and it still gets a bit chilly, it's never the best idea to leave the house without another layer, no matter how deceiving that sun shining through your window may be. So I layered up with this Boohoo Suede-look Aviator Jacket, I think this is the perfect jacket to finish of the look as it's slightly cropped yet is very fitted, it adds a cosier yet edgier finish to the look. 
To finish off I chucked on my black high top Converse and my new nail varnish from Barry M in Mediterranean from the Aquarium Collection.

Better late than never right?! I knew this one would be a challenge for me as I am unbelievably awful at OOTD's but I gave it a go so there you are.
Hope you like the look and enjoyed this post, I'll see you tomorrow for a different type of post that I haven't done before...ohhhh mysterious, check back tomorrow to find out what it is.

Love, 

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Top 5 Mascaras

Hello my lovelies! Sorry for the post being a day late and it not being the one planned (#2014BC Spring OOTD) I promise that that one is on it's way although slightly late again I admit, I have been so busy lately and due to that, mega tired as well! So I'm a bit behind of schedule and no where near as organised as I'd hoped I'd be. 
Anyway I hope you all had a good easter and didn't feel sick after eating lots of chocolate!

Today I am going to be sharing with you my top 5 mascaras at the moment, mascara is one of my favourite products to switch up and find new alternatives so when I find ones I love they tend to be ones I've used for a long time or have really impressed me, I have loved all of these for a while now and each have different qualities that make me reach for them on certain occasions; so I'll dive in (this is not in order of preference).

First (Left to Right) is Bourjois' Ultra Care Volume Glamour mascara, this is the newest of the bunch to my collection and the one with the biggest love hate relationship! Yet it still made it to my top 5 so it's definitely a good'un. It's wand is dense therefore delivers a good amount of mascara in one go, granted this can sometimes be clumpy especially when the tube is new (hence love/hate) yet when it's dried out a little it becomes a brilliant volume building mascara that is perfect for a top coat over another mascara for extra oomph or even when switching day makeup to an evening look.

Up next is good old Estee Lauder's Double Wear Lengthening Mascara, this one has regularly reappeared on here and there's no doubt it's definitely my favourite high end mascara (not that I've tried many). It is amazing on it's own or built up with Maybelline's Colossal (the perfect mascara duo), it's really does give your lashes amazing length and I have had quite a few people ask if I was wearing false lashes with this on, so this is one for those of you who need length but not too much volume, although a few coats can add to that.

Soap and Glory's Thick & Fast just had to be up here with the others, I have loved this since I got a full sized tube free in a magazine, that's right pretty good deal huh?, I was super impressed straight away and that is saying something coming from someone who is quite picky with her mascaras! I gives lots of volume but no clumps and the wand is nice a full so it can grab all of your lashes.

This wouldn't be my top 5 if Maybelline's Colossal didn't appear somewhere! This is just the epitome of the perfect mascara and better yet it is cheap too! I have used this one for years and I can't count the amount of times I've repurchased it. Considering I like to try out lots of different mascaras saying that I've repurchased this one definitely proves the point. I love it, just love it.

Last but not least the infamous Benefit They're Real mascara, I go this one as a freebie in Elle magazine with just about every other bblogger out there and seriously fell in love; it's one that I have to use, then leave, then come back to to realise how much I love it but it really does make your eyelashes look long and full and separates them beautifully. The wand on this one really grabs your lashes from the root and coats them evenly, giving full colour opacity and no clumps at all. I know this one has been reviewed to death so I won't bore you with another rave, however I will state my love for it and when I finish this tube and need a new mascara, (once I've used up my stash) I will definitely repurchase this!

So there you go! My top 5 favourite mascaras, from drugstore to highend, mascara is one of my favourite and the most essential products I use so I love to try out others and find new ones. I've been looking at the Collection Does it All mascara and think I will probably try it out as I have loved the other Collection mascaras in the past. If you have tried it out let me know by email or in the comments below, and drop me some suggestions for others if you have any :)

See you soon for my ever delayed #2014BloggerChallenge post.

Love,

 

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