Summer Holiday Clothes Haul

So I've been doing lots of clothes shopping for my holiday during the summer :) here's what I've been buying!

 

H&M

 

I picked up a lovely royal blue slouch vest from H&M for £3.99, which is a lovely holiday essential as it's cool, casual and can be teamed with so many different outfits. They sell these in various colours so I am debating whether to go back and buy more. £3.99 is such a bargain! I also purchased a stunning pair of mono animal print shorts which I just couldn't leave behind (the vest goes really well with these too). I also bought a plain teal coloured loose dress, which has a pocket on the front and ties around the waist.

 

Topshop

 

I fell in love with these pastel blue polka dot shorts - they are so, so cute and Topshop also stock shirts and trousers with this design on them too. I also purchased two tops which I believe go really well with them; one is a white vest top with a textured white floral and tribal design with a sheer under vest. The other top is white with a subtle floral design and a high neck collar and I am really going through a collar phase at the moment so couldn't leave this behind! They stocked the collar top in a few colours but I purchased white because it's easier to put with outfits.

 

Next

 

Oh look - I've managed to combine my collar obsession with my polka dot obsession with this cute, bright blue, vest-style shirt. I think that this shirt will look great with a pair of denim shorts - maybe even undoing the top few buttons and wearing a white vest top underneath? I also bought this navy, polka dot skirt which is sooo pretty. The skirt comes with a simple, thin brown belt which looks great.

 

Forever 21

 

So much holiday shopping yet I've only bought one bikini - it's crazy right? Forever 21 have a fabulous collection of bikinis like this in pretty much every colour and I managed to purchase both parts for under £10, which is incredible. I love yellow and wanted something really bright and different for those beach days and to be honest, I think i may go back to purchase this bikini in a few other colours too.



Tag | Would you rather? Beauty Edition

I've been tagged by the lovely Amie @ belle-amiebeauty to do this post. I always love reading things like this as it's a great chance to get to know the blogger, because usually we don't often know a lot about them as a person. I've never done anything like this before so it's a refreshing change I suppose!

 

*I TAG ALL OF YOU TO DO THIS*

Remember to leave me a comment below if you decide to take part as I'd love to check it out :)

1. Would you rather lose all your mascaras, eye liners, lipsticks and lip glosses or all your palettes and eye shadows?

There's no doubt about it - I would rather lose my palettes and eye shadows because they aren't 'essential' pieces of make-up which I use everyday and I could easily live without them. Whereas, mascara and eyeliner are like a necessity to me which I can't leave the house without wearing.

 

2. Would you rather chop off all your hair or never be able to cut it again?

I would actually say to never be able to cut it again. My hair tends to go grow at snails pace anyway but I would just take extra care to keep it in top condition.

 

3. Would you rather have a coral cheek or a pink cheek?
Coral cheek because I prefer natural, subtle make-up.

 

4. If you had £1000 to spend, would you rather buy clothes or makeup?

 Clothes, clothes, clothes! Id be on the next train to Manchester to buy anything I want.

 

5. Would you rather apply lipstick as eye liner, or eye liner as lipstick?

 For some reason I think that eyeliner would work better as lipstick as opposed to lipstick as eyeliner. The thought of having lipstick on my eyes is... weird.

 

6. Would you rather only shop at MAC or Sephora?

 MAC.

 

7. Would you rather only use one eye shadow or one lip colour for the rest of your life?

 I would rather use one eye shadows for the rest of my life because to be honest, I'm not massively adventrous when it comes to eye make-up; I like to keep it simple. Smokey eyes are my favourite!

 

8. Would you rather wear Winter clothes in the Summer, or Summer clothes in the Winter?

 I love summer clothes over winter clothes any day so that's what Id have to choose.

 

9. Would you rather wear dark nails or bright nails all year round?

 I usually opt for darker, bold coloured nails anyway - I love purple, blue, red or green nails! I really can't stand pastel shades, so I guess that's what Id choose.

 

10. Would you rather give up your favourite lip product or your favourite eye product?

 My favourite lip product is the Elizabeth Arden Lip Protection Stick which I seriously don't think I could live without - it's an absolute God-send! So Id have to live without my favourite eye product... *sob*

 

11. Would you rather only be able to wear your hair in a pony tail or a messy bun?

 I rarely wear my hair up but if I had to, I would coose a messy bun.

 

12. Would you rather never being able to paint yours nails again or never use lip gloss?

 I feel naked without painted nails so I would rather never use lip gloss again - besides, that means I could still wear lipstick and other lip products.

 

13. Would you rather shave your eyebrows and have none at all? Or Sharpie them in everyday?

I can't decide on this one - sorry! I have an evergrowing hatred for drawn on eyebrows. They just freak me out and look so, so ugly. But then the thought of having no eyebrows at all is really scary too... hmm.

 

14. Would you rather live without makeup or nail polish?

 Oh gosh - I always have to have my nails painted and my make-up on; they're both such huge necessities to me. What a hard question! However, I think I would rather live without nail polish (I could use falsies hehe).

Glossybox UK May: Opening & Review

HAPPY 2ND BIRTHDAY GLOSSYBOX :)

 

It's that time of the month again - our Glossybox's have arrived! This month is more special than most however as it is Glossybox UK's 2nd birthday - so the theme for this month is a birthday theme, where we get all the treats. It's a brilliant combination of Glossybox's most raved about brands, which has converted us to them, and there's even a sixth item.

 

I was a little confused though as I read in the leaflet which comes with the box that girlies who have been subscribing for over a year receive an extra treat. However, I noticed that there is no mention at all in there about the sixth item, so I'm not sure if that was the extra treat or if there is supposed to be another as well - as I have been subscribed for less than a year. Let me know?

 



From the outside, it just looks like the average box but when I opened it I was so excited when I saw the cute packaging. The paper is white with lots of little cakes, number 2's and other birthday things and an adorable '2' sticker, which is wrapped up with a fuschia ribbon. Again, Glossybox have stuck by their birthday theme by providing surprise when you open the box.

 

 

I just love love love the shredded yellow paper inside the box. It's so vibrant and pretty - really wasn't expecting this. This month's Glossybox is one of my all time favourites; I feel as though Glossybox have taken notice of our beauty profiles for once, rather than sending us a random selection of products which we probably will never use. They have celebrated their 2nd birthday by sending us their favourite products for us to try out - love it. Of course, a sixth item is always a bonus too!

 

 

Jelly Pong Pong - Fairy Lashes Mascara - £15/Full Size

 

I received a different Jelly Pong Pong product in the March Glossybox but wasn't overly thrilled by its quality so though I wasn't optimistic about the quality of this mascara at first, I wanted to try it out. I have to say that my impressions on this brand have completely changed because I really like this mascara now that I've tried it. The packaging and name are really cute too. It made my lashes longer and thicker but no where near as clumpy as most mascaras. Also, it is waterproof so getting this off was hard work - but I really like the product. I'm still not sure whether this is the full-sized product or not, but it is a very generous size!

 

 

 

BM Beauty - Prime & Create Mixing Medium - £20/20g

 

So at first I thought "what is Beautiful Movements Cosmetics?" and then I realised that it is BM Beauty, which they are most commonly known as. I've noticed that everytime BM Beauty products are featured in a Glossybox, they are always teeny tiny. However, I am already a fan of their finishing powder so couldn't wait to try out this primer. I'll be honest, i'd never tried out a primer before now (uh-oh) but I applied it as a base coat before applying foundation and loved the results. The leaflet contains different ways to apply it, including mixing it with foundation for a flawless finish.

 



Awapuhi Wild Ginger - Shine Spray - £18.95/125ml

 

I haven't heard of this brand and I don't usually use shine spray's anyway but I'm sure I will try this out some day. I love the design of the bottle and I believe that we have received the full-sized product, which is a lovely surprise once again. However, I think that £18.95 is expensive for a shine spray - so definitely have high hopes for this product.

 

 

Headline Colours - Poolside Party Nail Polish - £9/10ml

 

Oh look - another full-sized product; Glossybox have been extra generous this month. I've noticed that everyone has receieved different shades of this nail polish - some I love and some I wouldn't wear so I am very happy that I have received this light turquoise shade, as it is a shade I would choose anyway. I don't often wear bright nail polishes but this shade is just too stunning to shove in a drawer. The application instructions state that you should apply two thin coats; the first one to fix the polish to the nail and the second one to give it a glossy finish.

 

 

Collection - Fast Stroke Eyeliner - £2.99/6ml

 

I was very surprised to see this product in a Glossybox because I use this eyeliner almost every day. It is the full-sized product so receving this means I don't have to buy another just yet (yay!) As much as I love this eyeliner, I do like to receive new products that I have never tried before - but I really can't complain. It is just a standard liquid eyeliner which I see as a huge essential to have in your make-up bag - and very cheap too. Im sure other girls will be converted!

 

 

THE SIXTH ITEM!

Glossybox - Nail Files

 

It's always lovely to receieve a sixth item, especially seeing as it is Glossybox's birthday this month. You can never have too many nail files! Again, they are such a huge essential that every girl needs so I'm sure that this product will never go to waste.

 

 

What did you receieve? Are you happy with your products? Let me know!

I've reached 100 followers & *Glossybox SPOILER*

What a lovely surprise to come online and see that I've reached 100 followers! I have only been blogging for around 3 months so to achieve 100 followers already means a lot to me. I would like to say a mahoosive thank you to all of my followers and to everyone who has dropped by along the way! I apologise for not blogging as often as I used to but this is down to my work schedule and whenever I get spare time I will always be blogging. I miss you all!

 

Also, I've just recieved my Glossybox! (YAY) so I will be writing a full review on that soon - most likely on Wednesday. Of course, this month we are celebrating Glossybox's 2nd birthday so the box is dedicated to the birthday theme. It is the usual pink box but when I opened it I squeeled with excitement when I noticed the lovely decorative wrapping and yellow (yes, yellow) shredded paper. Also, we receieved a sixth gift this month. The products are fantastic and I can't wait to tell you about them in more detail! HAPPY BIRTHDAY GLOSSYBOX :)

 

Here's a cheeky little spoiler for you!

 



Elizabeth Arden Smokey Eyes Tutorial

It occured to me the other day that I have never actually done a make-up tutorial so I thought I would show you my favourite eye make-up style; my own version of a classic look, using the amazing Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Colour Eyeshadow Quad.

In this pallette (from left to right):
- Sterling
- Sugar Cube
- Black Tie-Contour
- Graphite

 

 

Firstly, I applied concealer under my eyes using my middle finger; I've always prefered to apply concealer with my finger as opposed to using brushes because I believe it is much more accurate.

 

 

 

Then, I swept the Sugar Cube shade across my eyebrow bone to act as a highlighter - this really brightened up my eyes, which is needed considering it's such a 'dark' look. Then, I brushed the Sterling shade - which is light grey - all over my eye lid using the eyeshadow brush which came with the pallette.

 

 

I then began to darken the outer corners of my eyes using the Graphite shade, which is a lovely dark grey colour. Again, I did this using the eyeshadow brush which came with the pallette by brushing from the outer corner of my eyes and blending into the centre of my eyelid. Applying a darker shade to the outer corners of your eyes is probably the most vital part of achieving a smokey eyed look.

 

 

 

Then, using the darkest shade - Black-Tie Contour - which is a glistening off-black. I applied a small amount into my outer corners and into my creases. To complete the look, I brushed this shade along my water line, as opposed to using eyeliner.

 

 

 

Eyeshadow completed! I then applied a very thin line of black liquid eyeliner - I used Collection 2000 Liquid Eyeliner. If you wanted, you could also draw a flick too - but this isn't my strong point so I missed that part out. Finally, I applied a coat of my favourite mascara (Collection 2000 Extreme Mascara) to my top lashes only.

 

I've become a massive fan of Elizabeth Arden products after I recieved a goodie bag worth £77 for free! (Click here to read that blog post) This eyeshadow pallette was part of the gift, however I believe they don't usually sell these shades as a set of four but only in duos or as a single shade - however, I love them and seriously recommend them!

Ask Leanne... Braces & Retainers!

So I've decided to step aside from beauty and fashion blogging for once to write more of an 'advice and guidance' post which I know will apply to many of my readers. I've had my braces off for a year and have been wearing retainers (only at night - I'll explain why later) since then. I've been rooting around for a photo of me before my braces but can't find one anywhere, argh!

 

Truth is, you don't really know what to expect with braces until you have them. There's so many myths around which made me feel so worried but now I believe that having braces for 2 and a half years of my teenage life was one of the best things I've ever done. My teeth were incredibly wonky and messy beforehand, which made me very self-conscious of my smile - which is difficult considering I'm a very smiley person!

 

Having my braces fitted took around 45 minutes and no, it didn't hurt. Of course, I appreciate that everyone will have unique experiences but mine was pretty good. However, my mouth ached for around 5 days afterwards and I was limited to softer foods which took me ages to eat. After that though, I didn't really have any problems. I was told that I couldn't eat a large number of foods including chocolate and crisps but I was naughty and rebelled as usual and did exactly as I pleased. The way I see it, you can eat and drink whatever you like as long as you look after your braces properly and take extra care when chewing.

 

You make them your own - I changed the colour of my braces every time I went to get them tightened. You could have them almost any colour; I had blue, purple, pink and green. I had my braces during prom and because my prom dress was royal blue, I had my braces the same colour - talk about co-ordinated!

 

Getting them tightened really isn't that bad! The first few times it does ache but it isn't painful. Towards the end of my treatment, I stopped noticing the ache more and more - I guess I just got used to it.

 

I wore my braces for 2 and a half years, though my treatment was only expected to last for a year and a half. My retainers are clear and fit over my teeth - they're almost invisible when being worn. I am supposed to wear them all the time but I find them very annoying and uncomfortable and they leave you with a yucky taste in your mouth. As usual, me following my own rules, I decided to only wear them at night - which hasn't caused any damage at all surprisingly though I wouldn't openly recommend doing this. However, I would strongly advise that you do wear retainers because I know people who had braces but didn't wear retainers afterwards and their teeth moved back to their original setting. You may not like them but the finished result - something you'll have for the rest of your life - is far more important. My teeth are still straight and I am super happy with the finished result.

April Favourites

Here are all the products I have been loving this month!

 



 

Models Own 'Pukka Purple' nail polish

 

The Boots '3 for 2, mix & match' promotion got me again! This time I purchased 3 nail polishes for the price of 2 - and this one was my favourite. It is a a very daring, bright neon purple shade. I just instantly fell in love with the vibrant colour and I received lots of compliments too. Not only was the colour very pretty but the nail polish itself was really good quality and lasted a good few days without chipping as well as only requiring two coats.

 

 

Original Source Lemon & Tea Tree Shower Gel

 

I posted about this product in my 'What have I been buying?' post a few weeks ago and it's made it into my April favourites - possibly even all time favourites. I love fruity scents, particularly lemon - the smell, the taste - anything lemon, I love. I've read posts by other bloggers raving about Original Source shower gels so when I saw it, I just had to buy it. Nothing wakes you up like this zesty scent! It reminds me of lemon curd and can be purchased from most supermarkets and is an absolute bargain, usually retailing at just over £1! I refuse to shower without this now.

 

 

Rituals Magic Touch Cherry Blossom & Rice Milk Body Cream

 

I'm really bad at using body creams or body butters - I just don't use them enough because I don't like how most of them leave your skin feeling sticky and weird all day. In fact, the Rituals Body Cream is the only one I genuinely enjoy using. The consistency is thin and whipped rather than thick and bulky, so melts into your skin rather than sitting on top - (perfect!) The cherry blossom scent is incredible too; it's perfect for Spring and smells fresh and floral. Skin feels moisturised and smells amazing all day.

 

 

Glossybox Blusher

 

I received this blusher in the December Glossybox as a sixth item but have only just started to use it. I used to be shy of blushers but now I won't leave the house without wearing it. I love the shade and believe that it would probably look great on most skin tones. The product itself is long lasting and blends incredibly well - just what Id expect from Glossybox. They should make their own make-up range!

 

 

**APRIL GLOSSYBOX FAVOURITE**

 

 

Yves Rocher Vegetal 24h Comfort Nourishing Cream

 

My favourite product from this months Glossybox is the Yves Rocher Nourishing Cream. Im using it as a face cream every morning after cleansing. Skin feels super soft after using and remains this way yes - for 24 hours (as promised). Yves Rocher is such a popular, well-renowned brand so I definitely had high hopes. It gives my face a warm glow and is the best moisturiser I've ever used. I will be buying the full-sized product for sure.



WOOOOOO I'm back!

Morning lovelies! My internet has finally been fixed so I am happy to announce that I am blogging again :D It feels like way too long since I last posted properly so I can't wait to make up for lost time and get blogging again about beauty, fashion and just general day to day life.

 

I just want to take the time to say a massive thank you to the lovely Melissa at thelifeofanotsoordinarywife for giving me the opportunity to co-host her Friend Connect Blog Hop this week. It's been great to meet lots of new people and to find new blogs. Thanks to everyone who has linked up and has either followed me or left me a comment - I've read every single comment and will follow all of you back :) the blog hop has had a fantastic response as uaual.

 

I will definitely be interested in taking part in co-hosting any future blog hops so let me know if you have any spaces available!

 

It's good to be back! Anything you want to see? Tell me!