October Favourites

I know this is really late and I apologise for not posting since my September favourites! I thought I would really quickly show you what I've been liking throughout October before it gets to the time I should be writing about my November favourites!

Estée Lauder Signature Lipstick - 01 Pink Sand LINK

I picked this up a few months ago and it is the perfect everyday/nude lipstick. It is a very natural pink with a slight shine and will suit almost all people with lighter skintones.

Estée Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying Volume Mascara LINK

I'm not a massive fan of using this alone but I've really liked applying a layer of this after my main mascara just to add a little more length.

Rimmel Lasting Finish Mono Blush - 010 Santa Rose LINK

Sleek Romance Collection Blush - 142 Antique LINK

I really like the shade of the Sleek blush but I think I prefer wearing it with the Rimmel blush to add a little pink hint and make it look a little more natural

L'Oreal True Match Foundation - C1 Rose Ivory LINK

I wasn't a massive fan of this before but I have really enjoyed mixing a little bit of this with my Bourjois foundation to make a better shade for me and add some extra coverage

Essie Nail Polish - Exotic Liras LINK

Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat LINK

I have been loving this Essie shade and it seems like the perfect colour for autumn! I have also really been likely the Seche Vite top coat after hearing all the hype surrounding it

Garnier Intensive 7 Days Aloe Vera Hand Cream LINK

I don't usually use hand cream but after completing the manicures aspect of my college beauty therapy course, I decided to pick this up on discount and I definitely notice a difference when I use this!

L'Oreal Elvive Nutri-Gloss Light Shampoo LINK

I don't tend to be fussy with what shampoo I use but when I find something I normally stick to it until I get bored or my hair gets to familiar and used to it. I picked this up half price and I really like how it softens and cleans your hair well but also gives a natural hint of shine.

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. LINK

The Escape Artist LINK WATCH ONLINE
Both of these programmes I have really been enjoying watching! The Escape Artist reminds me a little of Broadchurch and although it only started at the end of October, I knew I would enjoy the other episodes. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is an action/adventure type of programme, I'm not sure how to describe it but watch the latest episode online here and read about it on wikipedia here :)

♥

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September Favourites

You may have noticed that I didn't write an August Favourites for all you, this was because I didn't really use too many products and as I have mentioned a few times now, my laptop broke meaning I wasn't able to write an posts for all of you.
Anyway, today I am going to be telling you about my September favourites and also some from August :)

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo LINK

This is one of the most blogged and reviewed skincare products available at the moment. I finally gave it a chance and I'm glad I did! I have been using this as my night moisturiser. You can use this as a spot treatment rather than a moisturiser and either way I could see a difference in my skin!
  

Soap & Glory Bright Here Bright Now LINK

Recently Soap & Glory sent me this and one other product, I didn't know I was going to be receiving either of these products meaning Soap & Glory aren't asking me to write this and it is my own honest opinion. I have been mixing some of this with my other moisturiser before I apply my makeup and I really like the effect it gives! It gives your skin a very subtle glow without looking too shiny and just gives your skin a little more life even after setting your makeup :)
  

Estée Lauder Take It Away Makeup Remover Lotion LINK

A couple of months ago John Lewis had an offer for if you buy two items you receive a free makeup bag full of products worth £60. Inside there was a 30ml tube of their new makeup remover lotion which I believe is replacing their 'Total' makeup remover. I was really struggling to find a makeup remover that I really enjoyed using and starting using the same micellar water that I use for my eye make-up on my face aswell but I didn't like the feeling of it on my skin and I didn't feel like it was removing all of my foundation. I tried this out everyday and I really liked it! I felt like it removed all my makeup with only a little left for my cleanser to remove afterwards!
  

Estée Lauder Eyeshadow Duo 'Raisins' LINK

I have had my eye on this eyeshadow duo for a while now but I couldn't justify spending £23 on two eyeshadows. However, when I found out this specific shade was being discontinued so I knew I had to pick it up before I missed my chance like with the EL Gelee Blush! In September I have been using the shade on the left which is a really nice peach shade with some gold shimmer which is perfect for everyday or if you wanted to wear a brighter lipstick and don't want too much focus on your eyes. The pigmentation, texture and lasting powder justify the £23 so that you know you are getting your moneys worth! If you can find this then definitely pick it up :)

MAC 239 Eye Shader Brush LINK

For my birthday this year I received a £15 MAC gift card from two friends and I finally decided to pick up the 239 brush just after I purchased the EL Raisins Duo. I feel that although £20 for one makeup brush is expensive but with the quality you get with these brushes then it is definitely worth it! I feel like this blends any harsh lines seamlessly as well as applying eyeshadow effortlessly as well as giving you the amount of pigmentation you are looking for

Sleek Blush '926 Rose Gold' LINK

This was my go to blush for the last couple of months and it has an amount of pigmentation that you would not believe. For a highstreet/drugstore blush under £5, this is as pigmented as a blush from high end cosmetics. To add a hint of colour to your cheeks with some subtle shimmer I definitely recommend you try this blush if you get the chance!
  

Bourjous Color Boost Lip Crayon '03 Peach On The Beach' LINK

It seems like a lot of cosmetic brands are jumping onto the chubby stick bandwagon recently and the ones available from Bourjois are the only ones that caught my eye and I really wanted to try out. I have been using their peach/pink shade since I purchased it and I'm glad I picked these up. They have great pigmentation and formula whilst being moisturising on the lips but staying power depends on how much you will be eating/drinking whilst you are wearing this

17 Wild Metallics Eyes Cream Eyeshadow 'Wild Nude' LINK

A lot of brands are also following in the footsteps of Maybelline since they released their Colour Tattoos. I really liked this shade from 17 and for £3.99 you can't say no! The first day I tried this I was shocked by how creamy and pigmented this was, if you are looking for a cream eyeshadow but want to pay a little less than the price of the Maybelline Colour Tattoos then I would definitely recommend the 17 cream eyeshadows :)

Topshop Peach Knitted Quilted Jumper LINK

Lastly, I have really liked wearing this jumper from Topshop. There is stitching detail which creates a quilted effect but still having the warmth and material of a normal jumper. I have liked wearing this with another top underneath and poking the collar out as it gives a still fashionable look whilst still keeping with winter clothing.

What have you been loving throughout September?
Thanks for reading :)

Beauty & Fashion Haul

Hi everyone! It feels like I haven't blogged for a year but starting at college and a new job were completely new experiences for me and took some adjusting! When I have my work experience a couple of weeks ago I wanted to write a blog post about it but my laptop broke and corrupted my entire user so blogging wasn't even possible.
However, I'm back now with a new haul post showing you what I have purchased in the last month or so and I have many more posts lined up for you in the near future :)

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo £13 LINK

I've heard a lot of positive things about this product and I completely agree with the quality that was claimed. This is a really nice product to use a moisturiser in the evening and it sinks into your skin really well. I started to see a difference pretty quickly, I definitely recommend this!

Nivea Daily Essentials Double Effect Eye Make-up Remover £2 RRP £3.25 LINK

I was in need of some more eye make-up remover and although I usually research products online before I purchase them but I didn't have any internet so I purchased this on a discount offer for the one reason that it claims to be tested and formulated for sensitive eyes. Unfortunately this didn't work for me! This product made my eyes feel like they were burning and the skin on my eyelids soon started to flake off. If you have sensitive eyes, be careful!

  
Garnier 7 Days Aloe Vera Hand Cream £1.99 RRP £2.99 LINK

I've had my eye on this hand cream for a while as I'm a massive fan of the Garnier 7 days body lotion.When I saw it had £1 off in Superdrug, I picked it up straight away :)
  

St. Ives Gentle Apricot Scrub £2.14 RRP £4.29 LINK

Now I'm studying beauty therapy, I have learnt a lot about many different products. As much as I can't stand the feeling of scrubs on my skin, I picked this up to add an extra stage into my skincare.

  
L'Oréal Paris Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution £3.25 RRP £4.99 LINK

I've used this once before and picked it up again because the other eye make-up remover was too harsh on my eyes and I currently can't get hold of my favourite which is the Taaj Micellar Water
  

Dr Bronner Magic Soap - Baby Mild £7 LINK

This product has 18 uses from shaving, shampoo alternative, body wash, and hand soap to washing make-up brushes. I have been using this to clean my make-up brushes and I really like it although, it tends to cause the drying time to increase by much more so maybe clean them earlier in the day.

  

L'Oreal Elvive Nutri-Gloss Light Shampoo £1.99 RRP £3.99 LINK

Both my shampoos run out and I wanted to try something new. This is specifically designed for long/dull hair which can get greasy and this seemed perfect for my hair. This is really nice and leaves your hair with a slight shine and very soft :)

17 Wild Metallics Eyes Cream Eyeshadow 'Wild Nude' £3.99 LINK

I saw this on Zoe's (Zoella) haul and loved the colour. It reminds me a lot of Maybelline's colour tattoo in the on and on bronze shade. I find the 17 one to be a lot creamier and easier to apply
  

L'Oréal Colour Infaillible Eyeshadow - 021 Sahara Treasure £6.99 LINK

These eyeshadows have always been on my wishlist and decided to pick one up as Boots had a buy one get one half price offer. These are nice but I feel like you have to work hard to get the true shade, maybe applying them wet will show more of the pigment.
  

Bourjois Liner Pinceau Liquid Eyeliner - Black £3.49 RRP £6.99 LINK

This is my favourite liquid eyeliner and needed a new one. Very quick and easy to apply and is also very pigmented!
  

Collection Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Concealer - 1 Fair £4.19 LINK

If you haven't tried or heard of this concealer then you must be under a rock! I have purchased 4 of these now and really love the product! Be careful of the shades as the difference between 1 and 2 is very big

Two weeks ago I went to the Olympia Beauty Show with my mum and brought a lot of nail varnish as they were all discounted.

Pro Impressions 25 Pack Boomerang Nail Files £7.99 LINK

These are some of the best nail files you can find! Sounds weird but the boomerang shape fits the nail so much better than a traditional straight file.
  

Pro Impressions Cuticle Remover £3.50 LINK

We use this at college as part of our manicures and thought I would pick some up to practice the manicure routine on my family :)
  

Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat Approx. £5.50 LINK

I stopped myself from purchasing this until the beauty show to get the discount and I already am really impressed by the quality!
  

Colour Club Professional Nail Lacquer - East Austin £5 LINK

I was looking for 'Reign in Spain' to be told it was limited edition however I was told this is the same shade so pick this up if you were looking for the other shade
  

China Glaze Nail Lacquer - Shell-O £4.70 LINK

I originally wanted 'Flip-flop Fantasy' but the company had to back order the colour because it was so popular. I thought this looked very similar and it is one of the brand's current biggest sellers so I thought I would give it a go.
  

Essie Fill the Gap! Ridge Smoothing Base Coat £5.95 LINK

On my thumb I have some indents that is naturally re-ocurring when my nail grows. Under nail polish the ridges are still visible so I thought this would help to create a smoother canvas
  

Essie Nail Polish - Mint Candy Apple LINK, Saturday Disco Fever £4.45 each LINK

O.P.I Nail Lacquer - Lights of Emerald City LINK, Alpine Snow LINK, Heart Throb LINK, And This Little Piggy £6 each LINK

O.P.I Liquid Sand Nail Lacquer - Silent Stars Go By LINK, Kiss Me At Midnight £6 each LINK

I didn't get any Autumnal or Wintery nail polishes from Essie or O.P.I but I'm happy with the shades I did chose! The O.P.I liquid sand polishes are textured on the nail

New Look Tan Low Buckle Wedge Boots - Size 4 £24.99 LINK

I'm not one to go shopping for more shoes, especially boots as I'm fairly tall and don't need anymore height! I saw these and fell in love with them. The wede heel is fairly low and they are really comfortable.
  

Dorothy Perkins Black Party Bow Trim Pumps - Size 4 £16.10 RRP £23 LINK

My other black pumps are from Primark for £5 and seeing as it's almost winter it means more rain and the Primark pumps tend to get a lot of water inside. I thought these were really different to anything else I had seen available and with 30% off you can't really say no!
  

Topshop Peach Knitted Quilted Jumper £38 LINK

I was looking through my clothes and I didn't have anything suitable for the colder months at all and I absolutely loved this jumper from Topshop. It is really warm and looks really nice with a collar poking out at the top.
  

Topshop Grey Textured Ovoid Coat £78 LINK

My current coat I have actually had for 3 years and this really reminded me of a coat Topshop used to sell which I couldn't afford to purchase. I love the effect of the different shades and it is really warm so perfect for winter!
  

Topshop Green Guinea Pig Ankle Socks £3.50 LINK

I get so influenced by YouTube haul videos and as I love guinea pigs, when I saw these I knew I had to purchase them!

Primark Cream Jumper £12

I saw this in Primark and liked the design and the fact that it is fairly subtle. Perfect for winter with a statement necklace and is very warm!
  

Primark Mint Jumper £8

I really wanted a pastel blue jumper but I saw this instead and thought it was really nice although it is a plain colour. It has a fairly high nice so again it would look nice either with a collar poking out or with a statement necklace.

Primark Black and Mink Striped Dress £5

I'm not really one to wear dresses unless I'm going out somewhere but I really liked this one and for £5 it was a complete bargain! I thought this would look nice in the winter when it's a bit colder with the Topshop coat, some black tights and the brown New Look wedge boots :)

Primark Christmasy Slipper Boots - Size M (5-6) £6

I have the worst circulation in my feet it's terrible and they always seem to be absolutely freezing and look blue. I have tried so many things to warm them up, even thick thermal socks or having them in the sun for hours doesn't work. I was in Primark and I needed some more slippers and saw these slipper boots. They look very wintery and Christmasy but I really liked the design! The size Small 3-4 wasn't in stock so I had to pick up the Medium 5-6 although they are a tiny bit too big. These have warmed my feet up so well and I definitely will look at buying more slipper boots in the future.

Dorothy Perkins Tan Lace Up Brogues - Size 4 £15 RRP £23 LINK
I normally tend to wear pumps even in the winter but I saw these brogues in Dorothy Perkins and I really liked them. They were in the sale and are really comfortable to wear. I think these would also look nice with the Primark dress!

What have you been buying over the last month?
Have you purchased anything for winter yet?
Thank you for reading!

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Unwanted Blogging Break

Hello everyone!

I haven't posted anything for a while purely for the fact that I needed to take some time out after my AS results and just have some time to myself which after all of the events of this year, I've really struggled to find anytime to myself except maybe a day to meet up with friends or some days out shopping with my mum.

I have recently started a new college to study Level 2 Beauty Therapy rather than finishing my A Levels and continuing to year 13 at the school I have been at for the past 6 years. It was incredibly daunting and actually quite scary for me to leave friends, teachers and an environment that I know so well and feel comfortable to be around to go somewhere I didn't know at all and is completely different to the daily routine I know and am so familiar with.

I start my first shift at my first job this weekend and because all this has been happening I really haven't found the time or energy to sit down and write some new blog posts or take any pictures.

Unfortunately, this blogging break is going to last much longer and it is impossible for me to figure out how long! Four days ago I turned on my laptop to write my August Favourites post and watch my new favourite programme Undercover Boss on 4OD only to find my laptop has broken :( My Grandad is currently trying to fix my laptop but it looks like my user has been corrupted or deleted meaning I can't log on let alone write anything for you all to read.

Hopefully this will be resolved soon or I will have to try and find another way to write and publish some more blog posts for you! I'm sorry and please bear with me :) Good luck to anyone starting secondary school, sixthform, college or university this September and to the other bloggers out there, good luck and keep on going :)

♥

Everything Is Going To Be OK

AMAZON - EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE OK £6.47

URBAN OUTFITTERS - EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE OK £8.99

I'm definitely not known to be a constant and frequent blogger but often bloggers like me can have a moment where we lose motivation and inspiration (even trying to remember that word took 20 minutes haha!) when thinking of what type of post we would like to write or even what we actually want to write in the post. Taking pictures for new posts is quite tiring too especially in the UK when there isn't much sun so you need to rely on whatever weather you'll get for natural lighting.

Today I thought I would distract myself from constantly thinking about my AS results from a few days ago and sit down and write another blog post for all of you!

  

'Everything Is Going To Be OK' is a book which I received for my birthday from one of my friends and is full from different uplifting and motivational quotes to inspire you or just to cheer you up if you've had a particularly tough day.

I am a massive lover of quotes and always finding myself searching google and Pinterest for new ones or posting ones I've already found and love onto Twitter and Instagram. Everything Is Going To Be OK includes 66 quotes inside and I'm sure all of you will find at least one inside to cheer you up if needs be!

This is definitely one of you my favourite quotes from the book. I am known to put myself down often and I think this is one of the most uplifting quotes to improve your mood and to help you feel better about yourself

The book doesn't have any specific writer but the people who put together this book have also put together another book of similar style with quotes called 'You Are So Loved' which you can purchase here :)

One quote that I love but isn't in the book is this one, I feel like it gives people some more motivation to keep going no matter what may have happened.

"I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship"

I absolutely love finding new quotes so if you've got any that you turn to when you're down, I would love to hear them :)

♥

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Beauty & Fashion Haul

Hello everyone!

I feel like the majority of my posts seem to be hauls at the moment but today I thought I would show you what I've brought over the past few weeks so sit back and enjoy :)

The Body Shop Eau de Toilette - Mango £8.50 LINK
For my birthday, one of my friends gave me a gift card for The Body Shop and I finally decided to buy one of their new Eau de Toilettes. Although Pink Grapefruit is actually my favourite scent from The Body Shop, I decided to go for something different and purchase the Mango scent instead

Sleek MakeUP Blush - 926 Rose Gold £4.49 LINK
I have had my eye on this blush for a long time now and after seeing it featured in Zoe Sugg's haul video I decided to pick it up last weekend. It is known to be a dupe for the NARS Orgasm or NARS Deep Throat blushers. It is a gorgeous pink shade with a hint of peach and some gold shimmer :)

Bourjois Color Boost Lip Crayon - 04 Peach on the Beach Free on 3 for 2 & 03 Orange Punch £7.99 LINK
Bourjois have recently jumped onto the chubby stick bandwagon and released their own version and dupe for the Clinique original. I picked up two shades, Orange Punch which is an orange shade with some pink and Peach on the Beach which is as it suggests, a peachy pink shade. Very pigmented, very moisturising apply really well!

Bourjois Radiance Reveal Healthy Mix Foundation - 51 Light Vanilla £9.99 LINK
This is a repurchase which I have mentioned multiple times on my blog, lovely coverage, blends effortlessly and lasts a long time :)  Mentioned here

L'oreal Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution £3.32 was £4.99 LINK
My trusted Taaj Micellar Water recently ran out and I couldn't afford to repurchase it for £16 a bottle or a bottle of Bioderma to try it out. I heard some great things about this so I decided to pick it up and so far I quite like it. It doesn't remove as much makeup as the Taaj water did and I'm not a massive fan of the bottle shape but so far I'm enjoying using it

New Look Yellow and Pink Ombre Aztec Swing Crop Top £12.99 LINK
We're getting some more sun and heat in the UK now and after getting sunburnt quite badly whilst waiting outside Wembley Arena for the X Factor Auditions, I really wanted something with thin straps avoid anymore pain! I loved the print on this with the mix between ombré and aztec - definitely a cropped summer staple :)

New Look Ruched Front Bandeau - White £2.99 LINK
As of the heat, wearing a full cami underneath a sheer top can get quite hot so I decided to get this small bandeau just to wear under some sheer tops

Primark Aztec and Floral Print Swing Top £5 was £6
Similar to the New Look top, I love the mix between the floral and aztec print on this! It is quite sheer but you could easily get away without wearing another top underneath

Primark Mint Green Top With Zip Detail £10
I love mint as a colour and it is just so summery that I loved this top when I saw it! I really like how the collar has the white fabric around the edge with the black polka dots to give it a different look and the zip down the back gives it something extra :)

Primark Cream Sheer Vintage Collar Shirt £12
Both this top and the next top I fell in love with when I saw them in Zoe Sugg's recent Primark haul! I love this vintage feel to this shirt with the small floral cutouts on the chest and the scalloped edging and small cutouts on the collar

Primark White Sheer Shirt With Floral Collar Detail £5 was £12
I am really loving tops with collars at the moment and I loved the floral detailing on this with the fabric and the little pearls, short sleeves with a little button and would look lovely in summer with some shorts. a skirt or some disco pants :)

Primark Mint and Pink Floral Pyjama Top and Shorts Top £3.50 Shorts £3
Primark has the best choice of pyjamas and they are very afforable! I found this set of mint pyjamas with pink flowers and a cream lacing on the edge. I was looking for some more pyjamas with shorts as it starts to get hotter in UK 

Primark Black Bow Pumps £5
I really needed some more black pumps and once again, Primark was the place to go and they have a lovely selection of clothes and shoes at the moment! These were a bargain at £5 and are made really well! I love the gold metal detailing on the corners of the bow and it adds a little extra!

Thank you for reading and let me know what you've been buying recently and if you've found any summer staples or bargains in Primark!

♥

July Favourites

It is that time again to share with all of you the products which I have been loving for the past month, I have a mix of some beauty favourites as well as some random favourites to show you all!

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Concealer - 1 Fair LINK

It took me a while to jump onto the beauty bandwagon with this concealer and wish it didn't take me so long. You do need to be careful when choosing the right shade as there is about 4-5 shades difference between 1 Fair and 2 Light. However, it gives amazing coverage underneath foundation and blends effortlessly

L'Oreal Super Liner Perfect Slim LINK
I usually use liquid eyeliner on a day to day basis and the one felt tip liner I have tried I didn't get on very well with. I picked this up about a month ago now, after finding out it is Zoe Sugg's day to day eyeliner, and I find it a lot easier to use than the other felt tip liner I had! Compared to liquid liner, this isn't my favourite as I feel it takes a little more time to apply and to create the perfect line

Maybelline The One-by-One Volum'Express Mascara LINK
If you have been reading my blog for a while then you will know that I am a massive fan of this mascara! As soon as I got my sample of Benefit's 'They're Real!' I really didn't turn back to this and preferred the Benefit mascara. I was unable to spend the £19.50 to buy the full size Benefit mascara and turned back to my trusted One-by-One by Maybelline. I have been using this throughout the whole of July and can definitely see once again why I loved it so much in the first place :)

Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Skin-Brightening Moisturiser SPF 15 LINK

I had heard of Aveeno as a brand but never decided to try any of their products. I saw this moisturiser used by Ingrid (missglamorazzi) multiple times and picked it up at the beginning of July and have used it every morning underneath my makeup ever since. I find it to be a lot better than the other moisturiser I have with SPF and have been enjoying using it a lot! It feels a little thick at first but soon after feels very light on the skin!

Zara Eau de Toilette - Black Amber Special Edition

Zara is my new go-to place to look for new perfumes as they have some lovely scents which are very affordable. Black Amber is the most recent one I purchased and I got the 15ml bottle to see if I really liked the scent all that much. This perfume has a very lovely scent and at first it reminded me a little of walking next to the beach at night in Jávea but then reminded me a little of Summer all blended together into one scent (I am the worst person when it comes to describing scents!)

Zara Messenger Box Bag - Lime Green LINK

I have absolutely been loving this neon yellow bag I got from Zara at the beginning of July. I wear a lot of monochrome very often and wanted a neon bag to help brighten up my outfits, especially in Summer! I found this one after seeing it on one of Zoe Sugg's Instagram posts and then in one of Lily Pebbles' videos and purchased it in the sale. I has a lot of room inside and is definitely a Summer staple for me this year!

Candy Crush Game
I bet I'm not the only person who has become a little addicted to the Candy Crush game recently! At the moment I am on level 102 which compared to some people I know isn't the best but I am still ahead of a lot of others. I have actually started seeing the candles in my sight occasionally and like others I did have a dream about candy crush meaning breaks from playing it have been needed!

Robbie Williams and Olly Murs 2013 Tour

At the last minute my mum's friend pulled out of going to this tour with my mum and my sister meaning I had the opportunity to go and I'm very happy I did! Olly Murs was actually the support act but sung pretty much his entire 'set' of songs, both him and Robbie as well as the look of the stage and arena were amazing, one of the best nights I've had in a while :)

The X Factor 2013 Live Auditions - Wembley Arena
One of my friends won 11 tickets to see some of the live X Factor auditions last week so she invited me and another 9 people to go to London for the day to watch the perfomances :) As The X Factor is one of our case studies for our A2 Media Studies course in year 13, my school allowed us to go to help us with the course next year whilst looking at the cameras which are used and how the programme is put together and filmed before being broadcast on TV :)

Thank you for reading!
What have you been loving throughout July?

Haul | Birthday, Beauty and Fashion

Recently it was my 17th birthday so I thought I would share with all of you what I was given and what I brought with my birthday money. For all the products I purchased, I have provided links and the prices but not for my birthday presents as I don't think it's really appropriate to look at the prices :)

L Plates, Theory Test DVD, Broadchurch DVD

I missed the Broadchurch episodes when they were been broadcast on ITV apart from a little clip from the final episode. I immediately wanted to watch the full series and asked for the DVD for my birthday. It is a really good programme and recommend it to everyone!

Driving lessons, money and gift cards
Now I'm 17, I can finally start driving and was really happy to get some driving lessons for my birthday! I also got some money from a variety of people and a MAC gift card and a gift card for The Body Shop from a few of my friends

Ted Baker Porta Embellished Collar Shirt - Nude Pink
I have had my eye on this for a very long time now and it went into the sale at the perfect time. I love the rose gold detailing on the collar and the style is different from anything else I have seen before.

Real Techniques Powder Brush
I actually got this the weekend after my birthday whilst shopping in Cambridge, I mentioned it to my mum as I didn't have any big and proper powder brushes that I was particularly fond of and brought it for me :)

Accessorize Owl Necklace
I tend to wear the same necklace every day and don't often branch out because it means a lot to me. One of my friends brought this for me for my birthday and means a lot because of the owl which was my Nan's favourite animal.

The Body Shop Chocomania Gift Set
One of my friends got me a gift set with a cream shower loofah, Chocomania body butter and a Chocomania shower cream. These have a gorgeous smell and like the rest of The Body Shop products, are amazing quality!

Everything is Going to be OK [Missing from main image]
I am a massive fan of quotes and am always looking online for more. I saw this book on YouTube a while ago and new it was perfect as it is full of quotes and are all able to pick you up on a bad day.

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder - 001 Transparent £1.99 (RRP £3.99) LINK

This is definitely the best powder I have used and thought I would pick up another when repurchasing the concealer and I had almost finished my current powder

Zara Eau de Toilette - Black Amber Special Edition 15ml £4.99

Zara perfumes are incredibly affordable and the range of scents are lovely, I took a look at the ones in stock in Lakeside recently and decided to pick up the small bottle of this scent - very summery and brings back a flood of memories from holidays in Spain

Maybelline 24hr Colour Tattoo - 65 Pink Gold £4.99 LINK

Out of all the colour tattoo shades, this caught my the most recently because of the pale and neutral aspect of it compared to the rest of the shades available :)

Sinful Colors Professional Nail Polish - 1103 Island Coral £1.99 LINK & 831 Hottie £0.99 LINK

I was purchasing the Aveeno moisturiser and remembered I had a voucher for when you spend at least £10 so decided to look at this brand as I have heard good things about it. I picked up 2 shades because of their buy one get one half price offer - both perfect for summer!

L'Oreal Super Liner Perfect Slim £3.49 (RRP £6.99) LINK
I tried the Maybelline felt tip liner and wasn't much of a fan and when back to liquid liner but I recently picked this up to give felt tip liners another go to branch out my collection

Revlon Lip Butter - Juicy Papaya £7.99 LINK
I was definitely late to join the hype for these lip butters but didn't really see any shades I wanted to try out. I saw this in the collection of new shades and it looked perfect for spring and summer

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Concealer - Fair £4.19 & Light £2.09 (RRP £4.19) LINK
This is another product I was late to join the hype on and originally picked up the shade Light but there wasn't any testers available to took a guess as it looked fairly pale in the tube. After trying it, it was far too dark and went back to purchase the palest shade.

LUSH Grease Lightening Spot Treatment £5.95 LINK

I have had my eye on the Origins super spot remover for a while but couldn't afford to spend £12 on it so decided to research the LUSH spot treatment and read a lot of positive reviews so decided to pick it up recently in Lakeside :)

LUSH Tea Tree Water Toner Water 100g - £3.95 LINK

I have been loving the Botanics rose water toner and purchased the No7 toner when I ran out because I had a discount voucher. I'm not sure about that one and think it has been breaking me out and this also has a lot of positive reviews so picked it up at the same as the spot treatment

Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Skin-Brightening Moisturiser SPF 15 £9.99 LINK

Another product I saw being used on YouTube and wanted to try out a different moisturiser underneath my makeup but wanted something with SPF because of the current heat. The 'evens out skin tone' claim caught my eye the most and decided to give it a go.

Simple Anti-Blemish Moisturiser £4.99 LINK REVIEW
This was a repurchase and have been using this for a while but can't find anything else I really wanted to try at night.

Super Facialist by Úna Brennan Tea Flower Deep Clean Pore Purifying Clay Mask £8.99 LINK
I saw this in a Boots haul on YouTube and had been looking for a face mask to try out. I can't purchase the Úna Brennan range in my local boots store so I picked it up when shopping in Cambridge.

Zara Linen Stripe Top £7.99 (RRP £19.99) LINK
Whilst looking in the Zara sale for a few tops I had my eye on, I saw this and thought because it's quite thin and long that it would be perfect to wear around the house and especially in this heat!

Topshop Petite Cute Kitty Print Tee £16 LINK
I tend to go for the same style and found this which was different to anything else I have and thought it looked really cute so decided to pick it up :)

Ted Baker Donnah Crew Neck Tee £27 (RRP £39) LINK
Yes... another Ted Baker top... (blame the sales!) Anyway, I saw this in store but my size wasn't in stock and went out of stock online before I could order it. Luckily I found it in Lakeside and was different to anything I have and different from the basic colours I normally wear

Ted Baker Jamilia Collar Swing Top - Black £30 (RRP £59) LINK
Another top I have had my eye on for a while and was saving slowly to purchase it and then luckily it went into the sale and purchased it before it went back out of stock again!

Zara Messenger Box Bag - Lime Green £19.99 (RRP £25.99) LINK
I tend to wear a lot of monochrome, especially because I only wear dark shades on my bottom half because I'm not too much of a fan of my legs. I have a lot of black and white tops and needed both a new bag for the summer something to brighten myself up. I saw this in the Zara sale and purchased it for a bargain. Very spacious and excellent quality!

Looking back through all of this it's starting to make me feel a bit guilty and it's definitely time for me to start trying to save some money!

Thank you for reading and hope you found something that caught your eye :)
What have you been buying recently?