January Favourites

I hope you are all having a good 2014 so far and it's back to that time of month where I sit down and tell you about everything I have been using and loving throughout January.

Maybelline Pure Cover Mineral Concealer LINK

I was a really big fan of this a few years ago and I thought I would try it again. This has probably medium coverage, blends nicely and isn't cakey. If you have relatively clear skin or don't like wearing much makeup then you could definitely use some of this, buff it in and you're done! This was discontinued a white ago but it is available on Amazon.

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation - 100 Ivory LINK

e.l.f. Studio Flawless Finish Foundation - Porcelain LINK

I am probably the last person to try the Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation but as my L'Oreal foundation ran out I thought I would give it a try as it was on offer. I got the lightest shade available which is way too dark for me so I have been mixing it with my e.l.f. foundation which is a little too pale. I love the combination of both of these and they last all day. The Rimmel foundation isn't as shiny as I thought it would be and if you set it with a powder you are still left with a natural glow.

Topshop Lipstick - Charmed and Macaroon LINK LINK

The Topshop lipsticks are definitely some of my favourites and I have been using these two almost everyday for the last month or two. They are really moisturising, slide onto your lips and last for hours at a time. Charmed is a peachy orange shade and Macaroon is a coral-pink.

Rimmel Kate Moss Matte Lipstick - 107 LINK

This is definitely one of my favourite lipsticks but don't wear it as much as my others. This is a plum/red shade which is perfect for winter and I have been using this on and off for the last few months. It isn't as moisturising as the Topshop lipsticks as it is a matte finish although the colour will last on your lips for a good 3 maybe 4 hours and fades evenly.

LUSH Ponche Shower Gel LINK

This was one of the limited edition Christmas products for LUSH and as far as I know they bring this out at the end of every year. I really like the scent which is mainly orange juice mixed with a shot of tequila. The product itself is really good and looks like it will last a while even though the size I have is quite small. Look out for this later in the year and give it a sniff!

Mini Laura Mercier Fresh Fig Soufflé Body Crème LINK (Full Size)

I have been using this a lot this month and I got this in one of their Christmas sets with four other flavours/scents. I really liked the Crème Brulee one in the set, although the scent changed when I was moisturising it into my skin however the Fresh Fig smells very fresh, it sinks in really quickly and gives a cooling effect on the skin.

Maryland Gooeys - Triple Chocolate LINK

I have been a little addicted to these for the past 2 or so months after Zoe Sugg mentioned them in her November Favourites. These are chocolate biscuits with white chocolate chips and a gooey chocolately centre. They also do both chocolate and hazelnut but if you see them, give them a try and you won't be disappointed!

What have you been using throughout January?

♥

2013 Flashback

It looks like everyone online has been saying that 2013 was one of the best years of their life and for all you guys, I hope yours was too although mine was the complete opposite. Although it sounds quite depressing and a bit cheesy to say but honestly, 2013 was one of the worst years of my life for so many different reasons with a few good things thrown in now and then.

I started 2013 half way through my AS Levels but not much later into the year, my Nan passed away from Cancer which to everyone was a massive shock to the system after originally improving a few hours before. I was very close with my Nan so luckily I had a lot of support from all my friends to help me and we said our final goodbyes early February. I took the rest of my AS Level exams however, after loosing my Nan and the stress from the beginning of 2013, my results in August meant I wasn't able to continue my A Levels meaning I had to find a whole new path in life. I didn't know what I wanted to do after sixth form anyway but I decided to go on a Beauty Therapy course at college, although leaving all my friends and the school I knew so well was very daunting for me. I started my Beauty Therapy course in September and I am really enjoying  it and as much as I would have liked to finish my A Levels, I am really happy I chose to take this course. I got to visit my Great Nan last year a few months after she moved into a care home which was really nice and she seems to get better by the second! Last year I had to have some physio on my neck and back as in a nutshell, part of my neck popped out of place, created a knot in the muscle across my shoulder and back and was restricting movement in my neck. Anyway it's back in place now haha :)

In July I was able to go with some of my friends to Wembley Stadium to watch some of the live second stage auditions for The X Factor. This was such an amazing experience and definitely one of my few highlights from last year! I met so many new people last year, some of which I am still in contact with and hope to be for a while. Being in Year 12 surprisingly seems like you have so much more independence and last year, I was finally able to start my driving lessons. My blog also turned one last year which meant I tried to continue with posting as much as possible which at times wasn't easy. In September I got given some of the most amazing work experience I could have asked for. My mum was able to get some work experience for me with the make up artist on The One Show. I watched a run through of a bridal make up look and hair styling and then the same for both the presenters and guests for the day. I met Alex Jones, Matt Baker (I watched him on TV since I could remember!) and Adrian Lester from The Day After Tomorrow which is a film I absolutely loved. I had such an amazing day!

Finally I managed to get a job which I actually really like and it has helped to boost my confidence so much! In October, my mum fell ill and all I will say is that I almost lost her too. Luckily she is still here and back to her healthy, happy self :) I don't know what 2013 would've been like to say goodbye to both my Nan and my Mum! I had a really good Christmas with my family and spent my New Years Eve at a family friend's wedding reception and it was so nice to see her again!

There it is, the main events of my 2013 summed up in a small blog post for all of you!

I hope you all had a good 2013 and have a good 2014 as well.

Goodbye 2013 and hello 2014.

♥

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Payday Haul & What I Got For Christmas

It feels like ages since I last posted anything on here but after some time away I have come back with a new blog name and design. I thought I would share with you what I brought for myself with my December payday money and what presents I received for Christmas from my friends and family minus the chocolate (let's be honest, there's not much left). I apologise for the blurriness and lighting in the images.

As it was heading up to Christmas I thought I would treat myself when out shopping with my mum and I also ordered a few things online. I ordered this Zara Polka Dot Dress With Peter Pan Collar (£35.99 LINK) as I thought it would look really nice with some ankle boots and I seem to have a new obsession with collars. When I was in Primark I finally found some of their Tartan Collar Dresses in the sale down from £15 to £7. The colour I wanted they didn't have in my size so I got their purple and green one instead. These have been very popular in the last few months. I also picked up some of the Primark Christmas/Winter Pyjamas Bottoms (£6) with some robins and snowflakes on. I have really wanted the Ted Baker Nude Pink Bow T Top (£45 £23 LINK) since about May last year and I managed to buy it in the sale and get the last one in my size. I think it is a really cute design and I have really been loving the Ted Baker collections recently. Lastly I ordered the French Connection White Water Flower Drape Top (£65 £32 LINK) which was also in the sale. I have never really looked at French Connection as a brand before but I saw this and fell in love with it.

Obviously I purchased some beauty items and I got the Barry M Textured Nail Polish 'Countess' (£3.99 LINK) for the New Years Eve wedding reception I was going to. This is a really nice colour and personally I think it looks nicer with a top coat removing the textured effect. I finally managed to find the Topshop Lipstick 'Charmed' (£8.00 LINK) which is a really nice orange-peach shade and has a really nice texture when being applied to the lips. I thought I would get another bottle of the Zara Woman Eau De Toilette (100ml £14.99) as I really love this scent and always get people asking me what perfume I am wearing. Lastly, I finally found the Laura Mericer Body & Bath Soufflé Body Crème Sampler (£41.50 £20.75) I wanted this in 2012 but couldn't find it and then it sold out on the Space NK and Harrods websites as soon as the sale started. I found mine in Bentalls in Kingston so if you can get there then I would suggest it, they had about 300! It contains 4 mini pots of the Laura Mercier Body Crème Soufflés in the scents; Almond Coconut Milk, Crème Brulee, Fresh Fig and Ambré Vanillé.

I got some really nice gifts for Christmas this year and a lot of what I wanted. I also got a lot of chocolate and sweets but as I said I didn't photograph all of it! From my Dad, I got the Topshop Wool Boyfriend Coat, I saw this in Topshop and fell in love with it, pictures don't do it justice but if you have it/saw it then you know what I mean! For the wedding on New Years Eve, I got the Lydia Bright Swing Dress which I really wanted and I will definitely have another event to wear this for. I also got the Longchamp Le Pliage Black Large Shopper, again I really wanted this as it was the perfect size for college and just a day to day bag to wear with everything. Clearly people know how cold my feet permanently are and I was given this two pack of New Look Polka Dot and Heart Fluffy Socks.

I saw both World War Z and Monsters University in the cinema last year and I was really happy to get the DVDs for Christmas. I also got The Escape Artist DVD, I really enjoyed this 3-episode series and reminded me a little of Broadchurch which again I really enjoyed last year. I think David Tennant really brings The Escape Artist together as a programme and he is definitely one of my favourite actors. I recommend all of these DVDs to all of you.

I got the Official 2014 The Big Bang Theory Calendar as I had the 2013 last year and it is one of my favourite programmes. I also got the Benefit Noelle Perfume which I had a sample of in a magazine from Boots and it just reminds me of my holidays in Spain throughout the years. From one of my friends I got this really nice Homemade Turquoise Ring and some New Look Cat Earrings which are really cute!

I hope you all had an amazing Christmas and New Year and got what you wanted!

♥

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