Benefit's Total Moisture Facial Cream

Before I tell you about this moisturiser, know that I have areas of really dry skin - like so dry it cracks. This is mostly down to my eczema, and some areas of my face (like my chin) do stay oily and are prone to the odd spot, however my eczema really bothers me, especially in winter as it worsens, so I'm always on the lookout for new hydrating products (as you may be aware if you read some of my previous skin care posts). 

I came across this moisturising cream by chance, after being approached by a Benefit sales assistant who wanted to show me their new eyeliner (it really doesn't budge once you've put it on, which many people love about it but I hate). She then started encouraging me to try lots of the other Benefit products, at which point I panicked slightly - I'm not made of money! These included the Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow foundation (love) and the Total Moisture Facial Cream. 

When the sales assistant began applying the moisturiser the first thing I noticed about it was how refreshing it felt on my skin, then there was the smell. Something smelt lovely, fresh and fruity in a such a soft, subtle way. I spent a good five minutes trying to figure out if what I could smell was the facial cream or a perfume the lady was wearing on her wrists! I didn't know what it was but I loved it, and was about to ask her what perfume she was wearing when she mentioned that the ingredients included mango seed butter. Mmm mango.

Not only does the cream feel great and smell fabulous (I've never had a moisturiser that smells so fresh!) it works amazingly too. Most moisturisers keep my skin hydrated for the good part of an hour, then my skin goes dry and flaky. This one however lasts a lot longer. Due to the consistency of the cream I usually apply it to my face then leave it for about 10 minutes to let it sink in properly before putting on my make-up - otherwise it sits on the surface of my skin and leaves my foundation looking shiny and feeling moist, which isn't fun.

As with all Benefit products, this cream aint cheap. Despite this you do get a lot of cream in this one little jar (and how gorgeous is the jar may I just add?) and it works wonders so you are definitely getting what you pay for. I highly recommend this cream to anyone with problematic dry skin, if you want to try it head over to the Benefit counter and ask; they are usually happy to let you try the products there and then, and will sometimes give you a free sample too. 

I don't usually like to pay a lot for skincare, however I think it's worth investing in a product if it does you good. I couldn't quite justify purchasing the foundation to go with it however! 

Liebster Award

THE RULES

1. Post the award on your blog

2. Thank the blogger who presented you with the award and link back to their blog

3. Write 11 facts about yourself.

4. Nominate bloggers who you feel deserve this award and who have less than 500 followers.

5. Answer 11 questions posted by the presenter and ask your nominees 11 questions.

I've been nominated by several people now, so thought it was about time to do this post! The following bloggers all nominated me:

Frae
Zhixin
Laura Emily
Elizabeth

FACTS

1. I love staying in hotels.

2. I'm addicted to Dance Moms

3. I eat Nutella straight from the jar.

4. I haven't properly read a book in about 2 years.

5. I've recently developed a new love of baking

6. At school my favourite lesson was Art.

7. At college I hated Art.

8. I keep changing my mind about which career path I want to take :(

9. I was a bit of a tomboy when I was younger.

10.If I could get a dog I think I would choose a Beagle.

11. I wish I could do ballet!

-x-

For the sake of saving everyone the boredom of scrolling through 44 questions, I'll answer 3 from each blogger.

Zhixin's Questions

1. If you could marry one celebrity, who would it be?
Aaron Paul

2. If could master one dish, what would it be?
 Creme Brulee
3. Who has inspired you and why?
Cara Delevingne. She's just so zany she reminds me to be myself.

Frae's Questions

4. How important is “original content” to you?

In terms of photography, very. I never post photographs that I haven't taken myself unless it is essential to the content of my post.

5. Do you write regular features to keep yourself motivated?

I've just started doing Inspiration Wednesday!

6. What would be your last meal?
I can't think of a more morbid dilemma! No idea, sorry!

Laura Emily's Questions

7. If you were to be one Disney princess, who would you be and why? 

Elsa - only because I think she's the one I look most like.

8. If you were only allowed to choose between blush and lip colour, which would you choose? 

Lip colour.

9. Where would you most like to travel to either home or abroad? 
Italy or America.

Elizabeth's Questions

10. What are you most proud of?

My photography.

11. What is one thing you like to do "the old-fashioned way"?

Keep a diary.

12. Name your favorite YouTube channel(s).

Zoella, Watchusliveandstuff, PlanetGabb

-x-

I nominate...
Victoria G
Stephanie
Karolina Anne

My Questions

1. If you could only use three make-up products every day, which would they be?

2. What is your most played song on iTunes?
3. What is your favourite item of clothing to go to when you need comfort?
4. Favourite season?
5. When it comes to your blog if you had to choose between great content or great photographs which would be your priority?
6. Favourite lipstick colour?
7. What is your least favourite TV show?
8. Heels or flats?
9. Your favourite healthy meal?
10. Your favourite Disney film?
11. One thing you are proud of?

Velvet Gh0st Phone Case

I've recently become addicted to Gabriella Lindley's videos on Youtube channel Velvetgh0st, and her side channel PlanetGabb. In a recent video Gabby mentioned her phone case which was designed by Polly from Sighh Designs and created to match her channel header. I was intrigued to see more of Polly's designs and can I just say how awesome they are?! If you haven't visited the website go and have a peek at the case designs which range from cute and colourful to stylish and witty!

The Velvetgh0st case was available only throughout August 2014 so after falling in love with the design I quicky ordered myself one of the cases for my Samsung! (There is however a similar design in baby blue which also looks fab). I think the case definitely suits iPhones better (as most phone cases tend to) however I can't get over how cute it is! It brightens my phone up and gives it a sprinkle of personality. Thanks Polly :)

Polly's Website: 

http://sighh.bigcartel.com/

Gabby's Channels:

https://www.youtube.com/user/velvetgh0st

https://www.youtube.com/user/PlanetGabb

Inspiration Wednesday #2

'Sometimes we need to stop analyzing the past, stop planning the future, stop figuring out precisely how we feel, stop deciding exactly what we want, and just see what happens.'

-Carrie Bradshaw (Sex and the City)

Ever feel like you spend too much time just thinking about everything, worrying about things so much it begins to make you feel a little ill? I think this is something we all do from time to time (or in some of our cases, all the time!) therefore this week I like this quote and thought I would share it with you all. It's important sometimes to just take a step back, take a deep breath and consider our life as it is in that moment. This can be applied to life's smaller problems (I think Carrie was more specifically referring to dating) however it is a good motto to consider when over-thinking is hurting your head and causing you more problems than you had in the first place. Live in the moment!

Hope you all have a great day,

Lil x

Inspiration Wednesday!

It's the middle of the week and I don't know about you but it's at this point that I can usually do with a little uplifting or a moment of positivity to keep me going! So let me share with you a quote I find inspirational in the hope that it helps you in the same way it does for me.

"There will be people that will say you can't make a living out of something you love to do. But are you really living by not doing it?' - Olan Rogers

Olan is a youtuber/actor amongst other things, and has overcome many things in order to make a living out of what he loves to do. He has an amazing attitude towards life and this quote is very relevant to the point in life at which I currently stand - I have completed my degree but haven't yet graduated and am beginning a new era of my life. When making decisions which may determine my future career this quote is proving incredibly important. I think doing something you love and being able to earn a living from it is the one of best possible things you can accomplish. Although this is not necessarily possible for everyone, what's to stop you trying? I think everyone needs something to dream about and strive towards! If you don't give something a go, how will you ever know if it worked or not? :) 

Have a lovely day,

Lil x

Natural Goats Milk Soap!

Natural soap from The New Forest and its key ingredient: Goats milk.

So many of us are a sucker for a soap with a gorgeous scent (myself included), and are often won over by the smell of the product rather than its qualities. Although some products smell great and claim to do wonders for your skin, they can contain harsh chemicals and fragrances which irritate sensitive skin or evoke allergies with their overpowering scent.

These soaps were actually a gift from my mother who is always on the look out for natural products I can use on my overly sensitive, eczema-prone skin! Goats milk and donkey milk are known for being delicate ingredients that are suitable for people with eczema and dry skin so we are always looking for products that make use of them! The soaps are handmade in The New Forest in Hampshire and have only a handful of ingredients in each soap. I was given a simple bar of unfragranced soap, made using only FIVE ingredients (see image below) which I was pretty impressed with. 

Although this soap is unfragranced it definitely has a soft, pleasant aroma (you have to give it a good sniff) which is so refreshing from all the overpowering scents you usually get with soaps these days. 

The second soap I was given was the Honey, Oats & Goats! bar. While this one has seven ingredients, the two extra are in fact just honey and oats. Brill! Like the unfragranced soap, this one has a very faint  but pleasant scent which I really like about it. Both soaps work really well. I have been using them in the shower however I find that I can quite easily use them on my face without irritating my skin which is wonderful.

To find out more and have a look at their full range of products check out the website here!

I hope you enjoyed this post - I always love reading about products that aren't in high-street shops but definitely need trying for their amazing qualities! Are there any products you have tried and found to be surprisingly wonderful? Let me know!

July Favourites!

July has been a lovely (mostly) sunny month in England; I've enjoyed walks in the sunshine, spontaneous ice cream van visits and I also got my degree results back! Graduation isn't until winter, so I have a while until I get to don my gown and mortar board, but I'm already excited. Now that August has arrived and the air is feeling a little more chilly and crisp, I thought I'd share some of the products I picked up during the month of July and have ended up loving!

Rimmel Stay Matte Long Lasting Pressed Powder in Transparent

Due to temperatures reaching new highs in the UK this month I was in need of a powder I could apply over my foundation to mattify my face and get rid of that awkward sweaty shine that I get when enjoying the glorious sunshine! My friend recommended this powder and that fact that I didn't have to choose a shade of skin tone to buy it in made my life even easier. 

Real Techniques Powder Brush

I have been after one (or all) of these brushes for god knows how long now (being a student/graduate = being penniless) and purchasing the powder gave me the perfect excuse to pick one of these up. The powder brush is incredibly soft and works better than any other brush I currently own.

Benefit Lemonaid Eye Primer

Do you ever find that you apply your eyeshadow just how you like it, only for it to disappear within hours? Using this eyelid primer creates a base for your shadow which allows not only for your eyeshadow to last much longer without budging but also lets the shadow cling on hence building a thicker layer and greater pigmentation.

Rose Gold Jewellery

I am really bad at looking after rings. I don't own a single ring I haven't lost or dropped down the back of my desk at some point. For this reason I went out to buy myself a new ring or two, and found a set of plain band Topshop rings in different sizes and colours (gold, silver, rose gold and black). I have always been a sucker for rose gold and it is for this reason that this ring has become my fave! Now I just need a bracelet to match...

Topshop Kohl Eyeliner

It took me a while to come round to the idea but I'm now loving the bright eyeliner trend and couldn't resist picking one up in Topshop. The pigmentation is much better than I thought it would be and the colour lasts hours and hours! Swatches below.

What has been your favourite thing about July? Let me know in the comments :)

Lil x

Cara Delevingne and Essence Goodies!

Very recently I won a competition on the Essence UK Facebook page (what? I never win anything!) In order to win you simply had to comment on the post and state which celeb's style you loved most - I wrote about how much I loved Cara Delevingne's casual yet glamorous style! In the post I received a selection of cosmetics by Essence (as shown above) and some of these are absolutely gorgeous. Here are my thoughts on some of my favourites.

Nail Polish

Unfortunately I am allergic to a chemical in most nail polishes so I can't use the nail art paper or the lovely sparkling nail polish that Essence have sent me, as much as I love the way they look! I will however be giving them to my friend Millie (check out her blog, Becoming Mrs P!) who I know will put them to great use!

BB Cream

I have been after a good BB cream for a while now so I was delighted to receive this! I was given the cream in the shade '02 natural' which is a little darker than my natural complexion, however it matches the darkest tones of my skin and therefore is perfect for summer and gives me that natural slight bronzed look! The BB cream claims to be hydrating, and while I can't say I have found it to be worthy of this I have not found it to be drying on my skin either - perhaps this would work best after using a moisturiser.

Lip Tint

After debating with my boyfriend over whether the colour was red or pink, I can definitely say I love it regardless! You can layer this to give as light or as bold pigmentation as you want.

Sun Club All-in-one Bronzing Highlighter

I have bronzers, I have highlighters and I have blushers. Since I found Sleek's Face Form palette I had no need to be carrying around each in a separate pot and I love having all three in one palette. This all-in-one bronzing highlighter offers something a bit different in that it has several shades of bronzer, blusher and a highlight which can be blended together with your brush to create your desired effect! Love it.

Eye Pencil in Black

This eye pencil is absolutely fab for creating a dark smokey eye effect like Cara's. This inspired me to re-create her look using my new make-up products, and some current favourites! 

Cara's Look

L-R: Rimmel Eyebrow Pencil, Essence Smokey Eye Pencil, Rimmel Scandaleyes by Kate Moss, Essence BB Cream, Essence lipstick, Essence All-in-one Bronzing Highlighter and Natural Collection Blush in Pink Cloud.

I used the Smokey Eye Pencil over my eyelids and along the crease to re-create Cara's signature dark smokey eye look. I then applied the Kate Moss Scandaleyes Mascara in Jet Black (current fave mascara) and the Rimmel Eyebrow Pencil for her dark eyebrows she is so well-known for.

I also used the brown tones of the bronzing highlighter to contour beneath my cheekbones, then blended a mixture of the blush and highlighter together with my Natural Collection blush (which is pretty old now but I still adore the shade). I applied these lightly to the apples of my cheeks and along the cheekbones to create a soft, subtle blush. Lastly I used the pink lipstick for a subtle neutral lip that Cara so often goes for!

Let me know in the comments your favourite celebrity looks and whose style you most admire! :)

Lil x

Summertime Music Picks

Here are the summer 2014 tracks that I am currently loving and can't stop listening to! I love it when bloggers share their music on their blogs so hopefully you will find something you like or something you haven't heard before. Click here for the playlist!

For that summer vibe:

I Got U - Duke Dumont

Waves - Mr Probz

We Are Done - The Madden Brothers

Feel - Bombay Bicycle Club

For girl power:

Break Free - Ariana Grande ft. Zedd

Ugly Heart - G.R.L

Salute - Little Mix

For the boyband cravers:

Somebody to You - The Vamps ft. Demi Lovato

Don't Stop - 5 Seconds of Summer

Something catchy:

Maps - Maroon 5

I Will Never Let You Down (R3hab Remix) - Rita Ora

Sing - Ed Sheeran

Braveheart - Neon Jungle

Let me know in the comments your current favourite tracks! :)

Lil x

PS. Check out my new Twitter account!

Moving Mayhem!

Apologies for the lack of posts recently! I've just finished my degree and have been all busy starting new ventures, doing an engagement photoshoot and moving house! Unfortunately I am in between houses at the moment - staying with my boyfriend - with no internet (boo) and have more moving to do in the near future so it's all go at the moment. Man I have missed blogging! Hope you have all been well and are enjoying the summer, I'll be back with new things to talk about soon! In the meantime head over to my Instagram to check out what I've been up to :D

Lil x

PS. Head on over to Millie's blog to have a peek at the engagement photo shoot I did for her!

Summer shades

 Sleek Del i-Divine Del Mar Volume 1

My favorite product for summer:

the Sleek Del Mar palette!

During one of my casual 'not-buying-anything-just-looking' strolls through Superdrug on a sunny afternoon I spotted this palette on a limited edition display and was instantly drawn in by the burst of colour I was seeing. I'm a huge fan of pastels at the moment, and this palette presented a shimmering cocktail of summer pastels, including warm coral, lime green and an ocean-like jadey blue. Then there's 'lounge lovers' - a shimmery pale gold which I knew would add a little sparkle for those summer evenings when matte just isn't enough!

All colours are super pigmented and most are just perfect matte shades for summer. Using this palette you can create an array of different summertime looks - from cool and beachy to warm and tropical - however it is also possible to go for a more natural sandy effect using 'Talamanca' and 'Lounge Lovers'. You can also make your look stand out even more by providing contrast using the Sleek brow kit - read a review of this over on Millie's blog! There are so many fun, summery looks to try with the Del Mar palette - if you own this palette let me know your favorite shades! If not, which colours would you team together? :) Here are some of mine:

For a light everyday look:

1) Sweep 'Talamanca' along the crease and outer corner of eyelid.

2) Use 'Chilled Out' on inner corner of eye and across eyelid.

3) Take 'Feel Euphoric' and put onto outer half of eyelid, blending it in with 'Chilled Out' in the middle.

A hot tropical orange look:

1) Smudge 'Chilled Out' into inner corner of eyelid in order to create contrast and give the bright colours more of a pop.

2) Imagine your eyelid having three vertical sections. Sweep 'Sunset Strip' over first third of eyelid, closest to inner corner.

3) Take 'On the Rocks' and apply to middle third (don't worry if this goes further across the eyelid as it becomes the main colour of this look).

4) Apply 'Talamanca' to remaining third and into crease.

5) Blend!

A cool beachy look:

1) Repeat previous steps replacing 'Sunset Strip' with 'Poolside', 'On the Rocks' and 'Talamanca' with 'Blue Marlin'.

Hope you all have a great summer! 

Lil x

3 Lovely Pamper Treats!

After the stress of my final university assignments I decided it was time to treat myself to a bit of pampering and relaxation, so I went to the magical bathbomb emporium that is Lush and sought out these three lovely treatments.

-Cleanse-

BB Seaweed Fresh Face Mask

Having never tried a Lush face mask before, I asked one of the lovely shop assistants for some advice. I wanted a mask which would cleanse and moisturise without tightening my skin or leaving my face feeling dryer than it already was. She recommended me BB Seaweed and Oatifix. The former took my fancy - it smells of rosemary, essential oils and aloe vera, which makes for a very refreshing scent which is much lighter than most other Lush products (it's no wonder I can smell the shop before I see it!)

After applying this to my face my skin feels clean and soft and lovely! It doesn't do much in the way of moisturising - however my skin is incredibly dry 99% of the time so it takes a great deal to fully moisturise! This is definitely a mask to use if you want something soothing and kind to your skin, and aren't too keen on the fruity, strong scented products. Don't however, let this be one of the products you save because you love it so much - as these have a sell-by date and have to be kept in the fridge to keep them nice and fresh!

-Relax-

Twilight Bath Bomb

This gorgeous looking bath bomb is a relaxing, soothing, fizzing wonder that smells divine and makes your bath look all pretty and colourful. If you've tried one of these before you know how they work - run your bath, add bath bomb, and watch in delight as it swirls and fizzes away. 

-Moisturise-

Ro's Argan Body Conditioner

This is something I only heard about very recently, and was the main reason for my trip to Lush. It's basically a cream you apply in the shower, then wash off, however it leaves a smooth oil on your skin when you get out meaning you don't need to moisturise! 

I was hesitant to buy a full pot as it is pretty expensive and having never tried it before I wasn't sure it'd be worth it. After explaining this to a shop assistant who was helping me she offered to give me a sample to test and see how I liked it! I thought this was great and having tried it I now absolutely love Ro's Argan Body Conditioner - it works exactly as it says and better yet it smells amazing, like rose jam, as the shop assistant described it.

What are your favorite pamper treats? Let me know in the comments below!

The Perfect Nude

Introducing my current favorite lipstick - Bourjois Rouge Edition in 02 Beige Trench! 

After spending some time looking around for a simple nude lipstick which would suit my skin tone and give a hint of glam to an ordinary daytime look, I found this! 

Colour

Although I love my bright colours for summer I like to have an alternative for a casual daytime look. I have a rather pale skin-tone and fair hair so I don't tend to suit an orange toned lip and usually opt for more beigey colours. This lipstick really complements the natural colouration of my lips, giving them a glossy deep pink shine. I'd say it borders on purple tones, giving a slightly darker look than your normal pinky nudes. The pigmentation is good, however it fades quite quickly so you do have to re-apply this often (which I do not mind at all due to the lovely texture!)

Wearability

Compared to the others I own this is one very hydrating and smooth lipstick, which I love about it. I find myself wanting to re-apply this hourly because of the way it feels! I also find the colour to be pretty versatile; as it is a nude beige this is a great lipstick to wear for an every-day look, however I have taken this with me on nights out and it can be used for many different styles! The colour also makes it perfect to wear all year round.

To buy or not to buy?

If you are not a fan of a bright or bold lip and are looking for something that will just add a touch of glam without staining your lips or drying them out, this is absolutely perfect. It can be worn for a range of looks, whatever the season and does not cost much so I consider this a very worthwhile purchase! 

I'd love to know your favorite nude lipsticks, let me know in the comments!

Chicwish

 Dress: Chicwish.  Necklace: Topshop.  Flower headband: New Look.

Last week my friends and I attended our university's annual Summer Ball. This of course required a new dress! Having watched one of Marziapie's recent videos in which she featured a lovely bag from Chicwish, I decided to check the site out for myself and discovered they had a flash sale! Yes! For this reason I managed to get this lovely white swing dress for a much cheaper price than it originally was! Delivery took a little while. Fortunately the dress arrived in half the time they said it may take which was a nice surprise! The design is gorgeous; I think the crochet detailing on the top is so pretty and perfect for summer. I chose to go for an outfit with a very summery feel, so I paired the dress with these sandals from Boohoo which I absolutely love. 

Sandals: Boohoo

I had hoped that the weather might have reflected my outfit choice and give us a lovely balmy sunny evening. Naturally it was quite the opposite. On our walk to the ball we were treated to not only a downpour but thunder and lightning too! I had spent the whole day with my hair up in Miley Cyrus-esque buns to get those waves and of course by the time we arrived my hair was dripping wet (this is what happens when you vito the taxi idea because you are being tight with your money - oh the perks of being a student...)

Did you go to any summery events this month or do you plan to? If so what did/will you wear? :)

Lily Lolo

One of my favorite brushes I own is the Lily Lolo eye blending brush. Maybe I bought this because I liked the name of the company, or perhaps it was to do with the gorgeous design of their products, but I knew I was in need of something that would blend my eye-shadow well and this does the trick!

The brand is vegan friendly and have a range of lovely brushes to choose from, including a socket line brush, which may just be the next purchase I make! The eye blending brush itself is wonderfully soft and feels so smooth on my eyelids (which are super sensitive so I appreciate this more than you'd think!). After applying my eye-shadow I use this to blend the separate colours in gently, and to smudge any harsh lines around the corners of eyes, and boy does this make it easy for me. The only slight gripe I have is that while the brush blends really well it does tend to take some of the colour away, which is not ideal when using a light colour or one that is not overly pigmented. This means I usually have to apply a little extra eye-shadow after using this brush.

Despite the one gripe I would definitely recommend this brush to someone looking for a soft brush which won't irritate skin and allows you to blend your eye-shadow with ease.

Doing silly things for charity

For weeks now my friend Chris has been organising a 24 hour space-hopathon in order to raise money for Alzheimer's Society. This is taking place between 10 AM today and 10AM tomorrow (28th May). I agreed to bounce for a half-hour slot this morning, but ended up filling three with my friend Beth (pictured) and Simon. We had such a good time on the space-hoppers and as well as bouncing around we kicked a football back and forth and tried to do a synchronised space-hopper bump in mid-air (this resulted in two of us falling backwards off our hoppers!)

Not only was this great fun but I think this is such a brilliant charity to raise money for and donate to. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia and is currently affecting the lives of over 490,000 in the UK alone. 

Chris is also going to be climbing Mt Kilimanjaro to raise money! Here is his Just Giving page if you want to find out more: http://www.justgiving.com/Christopher-Benson1

Good luck Chris!

Cheerleading!

Over the weekend I was away in Telford taking part in the BCA University Nationals and National Championships with my university squad. With great excitement I took up cheerleading in my first year of university and became part of the Level 2 squad. This year (my third and final year) was the first time we were able to take part in the competitions along with our Level 3 squad (who had been the previous years) and it was absolutely incredible!

Although we didn't place I think I speak for everyone when I say we had the most fun we'd had in ages and loved every second. The rest of our team sat at the front of the mat and screamed like crazy for us the whole way through. We weren't marked on 'spirit' but we had the best, most excited cheer faces going. Performing the routine we'd worked so hard on over the past year was amazing. Our performance at the University Nationals was good but at the National Championships the next day we did so much better and all left the mat feeling a huge sense of achievement. It's a feeling none of us will be forgetting for a while (that is, until we compete again in May!)

Here's a picture from the competition:

(I'm the one not cartwheeling!)

I've had a few mixed responses from people when I tell them I do cheerleading, but when it has given me some of the best friends I've made at university, and some of the most incredible and enjoyable experiences of my life, I honestly couldn't care less about the stereotypes!

I love hearing about the hobbies other people do so comment below about the hobby you enjoy the most!

Sleek!

I mentioned having bought this in a previous post so here is the full review! This is something I had been after for a while. I wanted an affordable contour kit which wasn't too pricey, worked with my skin tone and had a bronzer that wasn't too orangey or shimmery.

I'm always trotting over to the Sleek section in Superdrug to eye up their gorgeous eye shadow palettes, I really love the design of the Sleek palettes but I don't wear eye shadow often enough to justify spending money on one, so I found myself trying to find excuses to buy them, for example my friend's birthday. Then I noticed the little blush, bronzer and highlighter kits they had. I went away and ended up reading many reviews which had recently sprung up on my Bloglovin' dashboard, featuring the Sleek Face Form palettes, so I went and bought one didn't I?

I picked up the Sleek Face Form Contouring and Blush Palette in the colour Fair (looks like Neapolitan ice cream doesn't it?!) and in order of appearance, here's how each of the trio work :

 

Pressed Powder:

To contour I prefer to use a powder/bronzer that does not have an orange tint or shimmer (so that I can use it to create a shadow effect under my jawline and in the hollows of my cheeks) so this works nicely. It's quite pigmented so I have to make sure I blend it in well to avoid streaks.

Highlighter: 

The highlighter is great for a fair skin tone like my own, however it is also shimmery so if you prefer more of a matte look like I do then this one is not so much the one for you. I do love the way it looks when used on the tops of your cheekbones though!

Blush: 

When you look at the photograph below you'll see the blush is a strong pink colour (very on trend right now) but you'll also notice that it has hints of gold shimmer flecked through it, which I think looks so so pretty. On my skin it is quite a bright colour so I thought I would have to mix it with one of my other blushes, however I have found that when used on its own and blended slightly with the highlighter it actually looks gorgeous and definitely creates that cute 'pop' of pink that everyone is talking about for spring!

(This photograph was taken in pure daylight and should show you the true colour of each section in the palette).

Chocolate!

Hey, did you know this weekend London celebrates the Chocolate Festival? Sadly, I live in Yorkshire (the home of Nestle!) so couldn't quite justify paying a visit to London purely for chocolate. Instead, to keep in with the theme of my blog, and as the perfect excuse to buy chocolates, I decided to have a movie night and share with you some of my favourite chocolate snacks! (Sorrynotsorry).

When it comes to films my boyfriend and I tend to clash on opinion from time to time. Sometimes I'll be in the mood for a Disney movie and he, well, never is. So we each picked out our favorites for a movie night and this is the result! Whose choices do you like the most? (I personally love Skyfall too but I managed to pick up Elizabethtown for only £1!)

Also, I realise Caramac isn't chocolate, but I hadn't had one in years and couldn't resist!

Christina Grimmie

Listening to this first thing in the morning has put a really positive spin on my day!

If you're feeling stressed, down in the dumps or unmotivated give this a listen, it definitely put a smile on my face.

Spring! (Co-Lab Thursday)

I really don't enjoy winter, so when spring comes around I tend to start getting excited for warmer weather, flowery scents in the air, wearing fewer layers and little groups of adorable goslings waddling about - if you live in York you'll know what I mean! (See above). I absolutely love the sunshine, however whenever the weather severely changes I always feel like my wardrobe needs a bit of an update - does anyone else do the same? So to celebrate spring arriving I did a bit of shopping (oops). A little retail therapy never did anyone any harm, right? Here's what I bought...

Sunglasses: H&M. 

The sunglasses were something I had been after for a while - I had bought the previous pair while on holiday last year, they were white with a beautiful floral pattern and only cost me 10 euros in a mall in Tarragona. These broke while in my bag back in the summer so I wanted a new pair which looked as cute as I thought those did! This pink pair fit the bill I reckon, plus they were so cheap!

Dress: Outfit.

As you are probably aware pastel colours are very on-trend at the moment, and luckily for me, I adore pastels. I love that this dress has a cute white collar and combines my love of blues and pinks together into a cute summery checkered pattern. It's absolutely perfect for spring and summer and I can't wait for the weather to get warmer and brighter so that I can finally wear this. I'll probably dress it with a white or black cardigan and my cream/off-white pumps, it will go great with the sunglasses too!

Rimmel Colour Rush Lip Balm: Superdrug

I love Rimmel Colour Rush, and although I already had two of these ('Fire Red' & 'Keep on Mauving') I couldn't resist getting a third when the Rita Ora range came out. They are extremely pigmented, and the colour lasts a long time. I'd actually describe it more as a super moisturising lipstick than a lip balm. Plus they smell lovely, like vanilla. Can't go wrong with vanilla! Mmm.

Sleek Face Form Contouring and Blush Palette: Boots/Superdrug

This is something I had been after for a while, so I'm really happy to have finally bought it! I needed a better powder for contouring, the shimmery highlighter is a bonus and the blush in a rose gold colour is beautiful. I will be doing a full review on this in a separate post later this month so stay tuned for that if you want to find out what I thought and how the colours look. 

Hair Accessories: H&M, River Island

I have developed somewhat of an obsession with bow accessories. It came to my attention recently, while deciding what I would do with my hair that day, that I had been neglecting the hair accessory department a little. So when I spotted these (two hair-ties, two clips) in H&M I picked them up straight away. The hairbands turn a boring ponytail into a cute, girly, up-do and the clips to add a nice swept-aside touch to my hair when I wear it down (usually looks best when I have it slightly curled). The giant scrunchie meanwhile was something I found in the sale at RI and picked up on impulse! I still haven't found the best way of wearing it yet, (I'm no Cressida Bonas) so any tips or ideas would be much appreciated!

I hope you enjoyed seeing what I bought for spring. I don't know about you but I can't wait for the weather to warm up so that we can bring out our summery outfits! What have you been loving or keeping your eye on this month? :)

This post is part of The Bloggers Collaboration's Co-Lab Thursday! Check out other posts here: