New Years Eve Make-Up

I thought I'd do a little post on my NYE make-up that I'm planning on rocking to bring in the New Year with my lovely friends.

We generally keep it simple for NYE and have a chilled evening just enjoying being around each other. This year we're going out for dinner before going back to our friends to get the party started and I'm excited!

The Products -

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer

Boujois 10 Hour Sleep Effect Foundation in 071 Abricote Clair

L'Oreal Glam Bronze & Highlight Duo in Brunette Harmony 

Bourjois Creme Blush in 02 Healthy Glow

L'Oreal Lumi Magique Touch of Light in 01 Light

Rimmel Eyebrow Pencil in Hazel

Rimmel Brow This Way in Blonde

Naked Palette in Naked & Buck

L'Oreal Colour Riche Eyeshadow in Quartz Fume

L'Oreal Super Liner Mat-Omatic in Black (Not Pictured)

Rimmel Scandal Eyes Kohl Liner in Bronze

Max Factor Masterpeice Transform in Black

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer in Ivory

Topshop Lip Liner in Deception

Topshop Velvet Lips in Velveteen Ribbon

 

What do you think? What look are you doing to go for on New Years Eve?

Toodles!

x

Manic Museday #46

[Image Source: Pinterest] 

So I, ashamedly so, forgot that it was Monday yesterday! I was even writing pre-planned posts yesterday but it didn't even once cross my mind that it was Monday. The last Monday of the year, I didn't want to miss this post at all, so here it is...a day late! Do you see what I did with the title?

I cannot quite believe that this year is already coming to a close, it has come around so quickly that I don't think my mind can quite handle it! I still feel like we should be in October, not at the end of December! 

New Years Eve is creeping up quicker than I can fathom and tomorrow night shall be spent with some of my favourite friends for a night of festivities!

I wanted to say a quick thank you to everyone that has read my blog over this past year, I have really enjoyed writing the posts and I really appreciate that people take the time to read my posts!

I really enjoy having this outlet, sometimes I write posts just for some catharsis and it surprises me that people actually read my some of my ramblings. 

This year has had a lot of ups and downs, mostly ups which I appreciate, things are great with Ben, my family, my friends. Our trip to Costa Rica was absolutely incredible and I thoroughly enjoyed visiting such a wonderful country. My little niece turned 10 (say what?!) and I enjoyed our little family trip to Minehead for the celebrations, I visited London properly for the first time in my life to see a friend and had an amazing day, Ben and mines impromptu visit to Alton Towers, my running trips, get togethers with friends, BBQ's, barge trips, walks, dinners, drinks, drinking games, hangovers...the lot. 

I've had a spectacular year and am very much looking forward to what may come in 2015!

Thank you all again for reading, I hope you all have an amazing New Years Eve celebration no matter what you are doing.

See you again on Monday for the first Manic Monday of 2015! 

I have a couple of planned posts tomorrow and Thursday, so keep your eyes peeled! One is my first make-up look post, so please let me know what you think! 

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Toodles!

x

Wonderful Christmas Gifts

I was a lucky lady this year and got some very thoughtful gifts from my family and friends, I love reading these posts and thought I'd par-take in the festivities this year*!

I think my favourite gift of this year is the photo frame, Ben bought the frame from Tiger and had photos printed from our recent trip to Costa Rica.

Topshop Velvet Lips - Velveteen Ribbon

I heard about this elusive lip product last year but every Topshop I visited had sold out...I was gutted as I really wanted to try it!

Topshop pulled it out of the bag again this year with their Autumn Winter collection and I managed to get my hands on one! There were limited supplies left in my local Topshop when I did actually manage to find it.

The Velvet Lips in Velveteen Ribbon is a wonderful deep red with blue undertone, I find those reds suit my skin tone the most so it's a great colour for me.

The texture is slightly too powdery for my preference and I can feel it sitting on my lips, but I have now found a little routine that makes it more comfortable for me to wear.

I like to start by priming my lips with a lip balm, while applying my base and eye make-up, so it has time to sink in, once the product has nearly disappeared I line my lips with Topshop's lip pencil is Deception, it is a berry, wine colour...completely wrong for a red this but it does the job! Then I apply two coats of the Velvet Lips on, which does fully conceal the colour of Deception, I let the first coat dry fully and then reapply.

This stuff lasts and it is a mother to remove!

It's a great addition to my ever growing collection of lip products. If you want to get your hands on one, I'd recommend not waiting as it'll be gone before you know it!

I'm thinking of rocking this lip on New Years Eve with a messy, undone smokey eye.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, enjoy yourselves!

Toodles!

X

Manic Monday #45

I'm quite pleased that this Monday is coming to a close. It has been possibly one of the worst Monday's on record for quite a long time. 

A lot of angry words have been exchanged today, things have been said that really shouldn't have been and consequences are now being paid for. 

The only things that have been going through my head is to 1) keep out of it as much as possible, which I am finding increasingly hard as members of my family are involved and 2) that what goes around really does come around. In this case, it might be coming around a little sooner than expected.

I am a firm believer that every action has a reaction. Actions like that I witnessed today will definitely have a reaction. 

Karma will always pay her dues. Eventually.

I'm sorry this isn't more upbeat and positive.

A heads up, I shall be posting tomorrow, Wednesday and again on Saturday or Sunday in lieu of Christmas and festivities. The schedule should commence again as normal as of next week!

Toodles!

x

Appreciation

Taking things in life for granted seems to be a common issue among humans.

We get so caught up in the whirlwind of life, the general routine that the majority of us are in that we forget to appreciate the wonderful things that we are granted.

Being surrounded by my family, sharing memories, making new ones,

L'Oréal So Couture

I know, I'm terrible, I missed yesterdays post. I was out having dinner with my friends for our Christmas celebration and I hadn't planned far enough ahead to prepare a post.

On with the show.

Another Boots advertisement for you, just in case I don't mention it enough as it is!

They're currently running all of their 'free box of goodies when you spend money with this brand of makeup' campaigns and I was suckered in to buying one...That is not to say that I only wanted just one, I'm not going to lie, I want them all but I do need to buy presents for other people as well!

 

After a little deliberation, or quite frankly, not much at all I was coerced in to going for the L'Oréal option. Only because they have designed this particular offer to go hand in hand with their La Pallet Nude launch, which I needed in my life.

The offer was very specific - Spend £14.99 on L'Oréal products and get this oh-so-snazzy box of make-up for free! La Palette Nude is £14.99 and all of the other box offers are marked up at £15 exactly...imagine that...

When I arrived at Boots, there was one, yes one palette left so I had to have it and grabbed my box too. 

The contents are actually really great, I think I read somewhere the contents is worth around £28, so needless to say the offer is an absolute bargain. Inside you get a Volume Million Lashes So Couture in So Black, Color Riche Le Khol in Immaculate Snow, Color Riche Lipstick in 461 Scarlett Creme and a Color Riche Nail Varnish in Exquisite Scarlet

You have all you need in this little box, along with your necessary purchase of La Palette Nude (more about that at a later date) to make a killer Christmas Party look or perfect red lip Christmas Day make-up!

I may even do a post using all of the products provided, let me know if you'd like to see it?

In other words from this quite oddly written post, get to Boots...erm, now and grab yourself a box bargain while they're still around!

Toodles!

x

Manic Monday #43

 

I nearly wrote the title post as Magic Monday as I'm currently listening to David Bowie - Magic Dance. Epic song for an epic film.

Anyway, on with the show...

Today was slightly calmer at sea than the past few! I managed to keep on top of myself today, wrote more than decuple the amount of emails as my so-called, self appointed Sales Director, answered 90% of the calls for the day and generally kept up the whole "Act like a boss*, think like a boss" ideal. *I changed slightly for this day.

 A few passing comments and acts today got me thinking about logic and common sense. I think I am pretty clued up with my common sense and my logic, though very backwards sometimes, is on form on many occasions. 

However, it amazes me that some grown adults have failed to have picked up these two traits.

Words utterly fail me with the thoughts they have, the questions they ask, the way they handle situations and generally how they live their lives without common sense or logic at their arsenal. 

I think I have picked up the majority of my independent attitude and the way I handle situations in life, by living my life and making mistakes. I don't like to have to rely on anyone and have always been incredibly independent. I would rather find my own way and make a mistake along the way than get there by simply relying on someone else to do that for me. 

How do you find you best learn your life lessons?

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and a great start to your week!

Toodles!

x

Saw this quote while searching for my image, it's so apt for my life - "I was raised on sarcasm and common sense."

My parents did all right...! 

Soad & Glory Extravaganza!

It's that time of year when Boots do their magical reductions on the huge Soap and Glory set and this year is definitely no exception!

 

This years Soap and Glory The Next Big Thing box was designed by Hattie Stewart, there are two designs, one for the shops and one for online. I was too impatient to order (it looks like the online exclusive has already sold out) and wait for mine, so I went for the shop version, they're both cute designs, with elements of manga influences.

The box is currently priced at £29.00, it's RRP is £60 and the products, if bought separately are worth £76. Needless to say, this is an utter bargain. Any beauty addict needs this in their lives.

This years selection had quite a few products that I hadn't tried before and others I have tried and loved. I grabbed one on the second day of release and am feeling quite smug at my Soap and Glory loot!

I was pleased they put a couple of make-up items in this one, the lip lacquer, though quite sticky for my taste, is a lovely shade and I'm looking forward to trying the Thick & Fast mascara out.

These lovelies are limited edition, until stocks run out, but I would recommend buying now rather than going in the day after the offer has ended and finding a lonely 2 boxes left priced at a hefty £60...not that I'm speaking from a bitter experience last year or anything...!

 

 

 ...It still haunts me.

Grab one while you can and enjoy smelling beautifully sweet for the next few months! These products go far and wide and I'm now starting to build up quite a stash of lovely body butters. 

Let me know if you get one! What's your favourite product in this years stash?

Toodles!

x

Letters to Friends #3

Dear Friend,

I'm glad you're happy. I'm pleased that you seem to have finally found some contentment in your life.

You have so very easily in the past had the tendency to wallow in self-pity and focus on the negative, it's quite refreshing to notice this side of you. 

Manic Monday #42

[Image Source: Pinterest] 

I feel like I have too much to say, but I can't quite string the words together. 

I've been staring at a blank page, so to speak, for a while now. 

I had some news today, that didn't particularly shock me, but it started me thinking about how people conduct themselves towards others and how, even if you are the nicest person to them to their face, that your body language if you feel any different is quite a subtle hint to your true feelings if people are reading you correctly. 

It wasn't only body language that I was thinking about, it is however a huge give away, but I think that people, especially in the work place, really need to think about how their actions, words and passing comments can really effect another person. 

I am terrible for not putting the following in to practice myself, but I wanted to ask the question, "How would you feel if someone you worked with treated you or spoke to you in the same way that you have spoken to them?"...People don't go to work to be reduced to tears, or to be berated and belittled by their management or supervisors.

I'm going to make a wild guess and assume that the people I am referring to, would be highly offended beyond words and would be the first to turn around and say they had an issue with how they were being treated. 

There is a lot of double standards going on at the moment and I'm not sure how keen I am on the idea. 

I think it's a shame that the above mentioned has now come down to 2 individuals handing in their notice in the space of mere weeks.

I really think people need to reflect on how they treat others more often. 

I have a fiery temperament, but I would never dream of taking that attitude in to work. 

It is something to think on at least.

Have you ever been on the receiving end of this type of behaviour? If so, how did you deal with it? It would be interesting to find out.

Toodles.

x

Night Sky

[Image Souce: Pinterest] 

 

This time of year is the perfect time to enjoy the night sky. 

Standing in a frosty garden, listening to the muffled sound of life going on around you, staring up at the night sky. 

The velvet black sky, with the stars sparkling, the moon illuminating the darkness around you. 

Do you ever wonder who else is looking at the same sky as you?

Toodles. 

x

December

You've arrived all too quickly, December. 

I wasn't quite prepared for your imminent and rather rude, if you ask me, arrival. I was enjoying October and November, but you muscled your way in and we're well and truly on our way with each other. 

I'm getting used to you now.

Rimmel Exaggerate Full Colour Lip Liner

 Let's move on from the incredibly long name.

I bought this little lovely on the weekend on one of my regular Boots trips, on a side note, I have found my new favourite Boots store, it's the one in Merry Hill, it's amazing! I wish my local ones were as huge and well stocked. 

I've finally moved passed my fear of lip liners, I have had a fear of them since the 90's and the incredibly obvious lip lining fascination! Clever lining is definitely an asset to the make-up routine!

I'd heard some talks of this particular lip liner in the beauty world and it soon made it's way to the top of my wishlist. 

At £3.99 it is an absolute bargain, most of Rimmels products are bargain prices to be honest! 

 

I went for the shade 063 Eastend Snob - love the name, I had a rifle through the pens as Rimmel don't put any protective packaging on their make-up and I have arrived home on many occasions to find my make-up had already been tried and tested.

The shade is fantastic, for me, it's a real "your lips but better" shade it really enhances my natural lip colour and shape. The product can be layered up quite dramatically and if left creates quite a nice matte lip colour. 

I do have to say the formula is quite dry and powdery feeling, I like to put on a balm before application as it does tend to tug quite a lot on bare lips. However once sufficiently balm'd up, it applies better.

I love pairing it with my Bourjois Rouge Edition in 04 Rose Tweed, the finish is simply lovely. Great for day wear or even more fantastic with a sultry, smokey eye for the evening. I'm planning on wearing the combo for my works Christmas party.

I've had this liner on every day since I purchased it and can't see myself getting sick of it anytime soon. I've gone through a lot of the product already... 

Oops. 

If you're looking for a bargain lip liner, or you're just testing the waters with lip lining like I am, definitely try out one of the Rimmel ones, at the price you can't really go wrong!

Let me know if you try it! I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Toodles!

x

Manic Monday #41

Today has been one of those days. I haven't even had a second to take a step back and breathe today.

I started these posts initially because Mondays were in fact very manic, I think so far since starting this "series" today has been the manic-est Monday ever.

I couldn't quite believe my eyes every time I looked at the clock, time literally disappeared in the blink of an eye.

On days like today, I struggle to switch off, I think

Treasures & Trinkets

 [Image Source: Pinterest]

De-cluttering has evoked some memories from my childhood. Items and trinkets that I've come across that have instantly taken me back to that moment in time, remembering the feelings and moments shared with family and friends.

Clearing out the unnecessary is good for my mind. However, the little trinkets and memories found in amongst the chaos are wonderful.

Toodles.

x

Manic Monday #40

 Another milestone for Manic Monday! It doesn't feel like two seconds ago I was writing my 30th MM before I was flying to Costa Rica. 

How time is flying.

Recently I've been getting clutter-head. My description of what my head feels like when it realises I have too many possessions, with the added combination of squashing the majority of my things and Ben's in to one semi-large bedroom, which now basically consists of a bed, two desks and two computers. 

 Bye, bye books.  

They are now sadly tucked away in the spare room. 

Every now and then my living situation gets to me and stresses me out. I feel like I just want to have a massive life cleanse and rid myself of unnecessary items that I have collected over the past few years.

 I've been feeling like that quite a lot recently, I am slowly tidying and sorting through things I don't need. Such as letters from last year, why do these things just seem to collect in the strangest places?!

My addiction to all things make-up and skin care related with the addition of buying mountains of books and the odd lantern doesn't make this room thing any easier. 

Must ask self when buying things; do you really need this, Adele?

The answer will probably be no. 

I am planning on having a huge clear out on the run up to Christmas and the imminent arrival of decorations.

Wish me luck!

I hope you all had a lovely weekend? Did you have any exciting plans? Or stress over your living situation like me?

Let me know!

Toodles!

x

* I realise this is a very trivial point to be making and I want to be clear, that yes I understand I am very lucky for what I have and that I have a roof over my head. Just a small disclaimer.

Moments

[Image Source: Pinterest]

Days like today make me really appreciate family and remind me to take notice of the small things.

Remember their little smiles, things that make them laugh, their shrill giggles and cute little moments spent with them.

Lucky, really.

Toodles.

x

Zen

 I have a hard time relaxing and switching off. 

Especially at the moment, things are in full crazy mode at work and I often feel like once I leave for the evening, I blink and I'm back there again the next morning. 

Manic Monday #39

[Image Source: Pinterest]

I feel like I'm in a time portal that revolves around me writing Manic Monday posts. Not that I'm complaining, I know it sounds like I am, but honestly it's like therapy for me.

We're getting quite scarily close to Christmas now and I haven't even taken a second to comprehend that yet. I don't feel festive in the slightest and feel slightly drained at the moment.

I'm in a funk today and don't want to, yet also can't, go in to detail as to why.

One the one hand, today disappeared in the blink of an eye and didn't feel like any time had passed at all when my clock was flashing 17.2, prompting me to flee the scene before any other problems cropped up for me to fix.

On the other hand, it passed slowly. Allowing me time to think about my reasoning for said funk mood and feeling quite sad about it. 

It's frustrating me that I have no power over it, that the decision was made and I'm choosing to not be selfish and step away. Even though, how today went, I feel the complete opposite to the doing the latter.

I feel a little like I'm floundering at the moment in life, but also feel like I'm being an absolute boss at handling everything that is thrown at me.

I just want to cry, watch a sad film and eat an arctic lorry full of crisps and sweets.

I need to wallow for a day or two. 

As my lady Jessie says, 'it's OK not to be OK.' I need to accept that sometimes. 

I hope your week has gotten off to a better start!

Toodles.

x

Things I Love #3

 It's time for another Things I love. It's been a while and was in the mood for one. 

We're on to the big guns with this edition. 

I have loved this particular thing since I was...doing some mental maths...10 years old. It has been with me now for the majority of my life. I would be utterly lost without it, I regularly think about it, want to go there and let myself revisit it.

Of course, I am talking about nothing other than the wonderful

Emotion

 Crying and me have always had a close relationship.

Ben refers to me as a delicate flower because it doesn't take much for me to shed a tear, from the downright strange to the incapably beautiful.

I've been thinking about the emotion that I feel building up very quickly inside me before I feel my eyes welling up.

I cry when I laugh, I cry when I'm happy, I cry when

Manic Monday #38

[Image Source - Pinterest]

Today has been a test of my patience and prioritising. 

Of the former, I have very little, and the latter, I am quite good at. I've had the task of strengthening these skills quite a lot today.

A lot seems to have fallen upon my shoulders recently, with certain changes that have happened and this was even more evident today when a whole host of other things seem to have, for some unknown reason, landed under my nose. 

I'm not too sure why these things have suddenly fallen upon me, but I never try to shy away from things that are handed to me.

If anyone asks me to do anything, I am more than happy to go out of my way to help.

I like to be busy and like to be constantly doing something.

Fortunately for me, I see this as a great opportunity to increase my skill set, if I'm handed something that I'm not too sure how to do I like to find out the best way to do it and learn something new from the task at hand.

I enjoy learning new skills, always have done. So I have enjoyed this Monday, even though it has tried my patience on many levels! I am getting better with it, hopefully one day I will be like a patron saint of being patient. 

But for now, it is still something I need work on!

How was your Monday? Have you been tested today or had the opportunity to learn something new?

I hope you all had a lovely, if fleeting, weekend!

Toodles.

x

Equality

I've been wanting to write a post like this for a while, as it's been on my mind for a fair few months and seeing as it's been quite a large topic of debate in the media recently I thought now was a good time to air my thoughts out.

It is about the degrading of women and the attitude that comes along with it. 

I've never, ever thought of myself, as a young girl, a teenage girl, an awkward teenager transitioning in to a young woman as something to be ashamed of or less than a boy or a man. I am not weak because I am a woman.

Of course, I myself have been subjected to the usual jibes of 'Oh you're such a girl, why don't you just do...' Why, yes I am. Clever you.

With the rise of social media and absolute tat on TV,

100

According to my post counter, this will be my 100th post!

It's probably a little belated and should have been earlier in the year, but whose judging?! Except me towards myself...

I feel like I've come a long way since I started this blog, I started out with the idea of just posting about more affordable fashion, beauty and so on and so forth.

But I seem to be leaning away from that slightly, not that I am any less of a make-up or beauty hoarder, but I just feel like I have so many other things I want to talk about, and this feels like the perfect place.

I post quite a variety of things and I'm happy with that, because I think it reflects me quite well. To put it bluntly, I'm pretty flaky. I like a lot of things and think about life a hell of a lot. Where better to write down all of my coherent and well constructed (eh...?) thoughts!

I have thoroughly enjoyed making this blog what it is, I'm looking forward to much more content and a bit a sprucing in the near future!

Thank you all for reading, I appreciate all of the triangles on my stats!

Toodles.

x

Manic Monday #37

Monday;

You dragged today when I didn't want you to, then the moments I want to save slip by too quickly. There is truth in 'time flies when you're having fun'.

I spent the evening with friends tonight, which isn't normally on the cards for a Monday, but it made for a lovely change. Hanging out with the people I love, eating loads of food watching and watching and narrating David Attenborough's Life Story, like we seem to do a lot.

I may have shed a little tear for the poor little goslings, catapulting themselves off the side of the cliff in hopes of finding food. But it was fine, nobody said anything, because I was surrounded by people who know me.

Mixing up the routine of everyday feels great, especially when it means seeing friends I haven't seen for a while.

I do like to think of myself of a bit of a lone wolf and take a definitely solitary stance on life; doing everything for myself and at my own pace. In no way do I mean this in a 'poor me' kind of way, I just enjoy my own space and time.

But hanging out with my oldest friends, doing nothing other than relaxing together, definitely reminds me that I do need people in my life and their nutty company.

They've brightened up my day :)

How was the start to your week? Have you got any plans that normally aren't on the cards?

Toodles!

X