July Playlist

I can't believe i'm already picking out my favourite songs for this month - how fast has it gone?! I'm so happy to have finally finished 6th Form for this year although that does mean results day is getting closer!

1. Tired Pony - Dead American Writers
Being a massive Snow Patrol fan I was quite optimistic about Gary Lightbody starting a new band. I love their newest single which has the same kind of sound to Snow Patrol and i'm really enjoying listening to their album.

2. Eliza Doolittle - Pack Up & Skinny Genes
Eliza is amazing and although i've only just descovered her i'm addicted to her catchy songs! I also can't get over how much she sounds like Lily Allen - is this just me?

3. Shine - Ross Copperman
I've always loved Ross Copperman and when my iTunes was on shuffle earlier this week I rediscovered him. Shine has to be one of the most beautiful songs i've ever heard and the lyrics are so well written. I know not many of you will have ever heard of him but he deserves so much more recognition as he's one of the most talented artists i've ever listened to.

4. Bombay Bicycle Club - Always Like This
This band have been around for a while but i've only just started listening to them properly. I don't really know why I like this but it reminds me of summer.

5. The Script - For The First Time
This song isn't out yet but I already love it, big love for The Script! ;)

(click on the pictures to watch the videos)

EOTD

I promised i'd do a look using the Sleek MakeUP Circus Palette. I thought it was going to be a bit of a challenge to create a wearable look as it's packed with so many bright colours. I had a search through some blog posts to see if I could find some inspiration or a look to re-create. 

I stumbled upon this look on Danielle's blog which I decided to re-create. It is actually really simple and easy to do and is something I would happily wear in public. Danielle's look is a lot neater than mine but I was really pleased with how it turned out and I think it's a really nice summery look. It's quite tropical and reminds me of Hawaii! 

I would have made this a FOTD but I was having a bad hair day!

The shadows were really pigmented and weren't chalky. I found that I only needed a tiny bit of each colour to get a good payoff especially for the pink in my crease. I also used the white as a highlight under my brow.

Here are the colours I used:

Thanks for a brilliant tutorial Danielle!

x

8 Questions Tag

I was tagged by the lovely Holly to do this. It's quite simple, you have to answer 8 questions by the person that tagged you and then make up 8 of your own and tag other people to do them. I love this idea as it means everyone will answer different questions so the tag could go on forever!

My 8 Questions from Holly are:

1. Did you ever fancy a cartoon character as a child and if so which one?

I don't think I ever really fancied anyone from The Rugrats or The Wild Thornberrys haha!

2. If you could look like anybody in the world who would it be?

This is such a hard question! I think i'll choose Coleen Rooney and America Ferrera as they have really nice figures and actually look like real women with curves. Pixie Lott always looks happy and has a gorgeous wardrobe!

3. What is your favourite film of all time?

The Hangover, I love comedies and this one has so many good laughs in it!

4. What is your holy grail mascara?

I've been trying a few new ones recently so probably Maybelline Colossal although I still love Rimmel The Max Volume Flash.

5. How would you describe your personal style?

Boring! haha I only really dress up when i'm going somewhere special; day to day I don't really make an effort and stick to jeans and a tshirt.

6. Who is your favourite Kardashian sister and why?

I've never watched their programme but i'm really envious of Kims figure!

7. What is your favourite song of all time?

I really can't pick just one so i'm going to pick my favourite one this week which is Heartbeat by Enrique Iglesias / Nicole Scherzinger - this is on Enrique's new album and is such a nice song! I only recently downloaded the album but every track is brilliant, i'd really recommend it!

8. Which 3 things are on the top of your wishlist?

-A new phone! Mine is 3 years old so I could do with a new one! I'm thinking of getting an iPhone for my birthday :)
-Marshmallow Fluff. I really need to try this stuff, I think I might order some as a treat - I wish you could get it easily in the UK!

-A Little Black Dress. I really want one as it would be a nice staple in my wardrobe; I got one from BooHoo which is really nice but it doesn't fit :(

My 8 Questions are:

1. What magazines do you read?

2. Do you have any pets?

3. What is your biggest achievement?

4. If you could only wear one nail polish colour for the rest of your life what would it be?

5. What are your ambitions for the future?

6. What is your favourite food?

7. Share your favourite photo from Tumblr or We♥It (if you don't have one of these just share your favourite photo)

8. What was the last song you downloaded?

I'd like to tag:
Hannah
Sian
Rachel
India
Charlotte
Vicky
Emma
Lily
& anyone else who wants to do this ♥

Liz Earle Review: Mineral Suncream

I was sent this suncream to review a few months ago by Liz Earle but i've only just got round to reviewing it properly as Britain isn't the best place for sunny weather!

I don't really use suncream much even though I know I should as I have quite fair skin and get burnt easily. The main areas that I tend to burn are my arms and the parting in my hair which can be quite painful! Obviously there isn't much I can do as you can't really put suncream in your hair!

My first impressions of the Liz Earle suncream were good, it had a creamy consistency which had a light golden colour so there was less chance of it being white and streaky. I rubbed it into my arms and found that it was quite thick and it was really difficult to get it to soak in. A few hours later it still felt like it was sat on my skin and felt quite greasy which isn't a nice feeling in hot weather. It did eventually soak in but took about 5 hours and by then there wasn't any sun left anyway. The second time I tried this I used it when it was around 28c and I did get burnt through it. For me i'd like it if Liz Earle offered this with an SPF of 30 or higher so that it is suitable for using in really hot weather both in the UK and abroad. I did like the scent of this as it was quite herbal which is similar to a lot of the other Liz Earle products. 

Overall I was disappointed with this product as i've liked nearly every product i've tried by Liz Earle before so I was expecting a really nice product. I like quite thin suncreams in spray bottles that soak in quickly and have a high SPF so it would be good if Liz Earle could bring out something similar. 

NOTD - Collection 2000 in Dynasty

This is quite an old polish from my collection but I wanted to wear it again as I love the pastel trend for summer. I've always said how much I love Collection 2000's polishes as the brushes are flat and wide and the consistency is usually good too. They're also a bargain at £1.75 each! 

Sleek MakeUP Circus iDivine Palette

I was very kindly sent the new Limited Edition Circus iDivine Palette by Sleek MakeUP a little while ago. 

When I first heard about this palette I wasn't really interested as bright coloured shadows aren't something i'd really use. I have the Sleek MakeUP Storm and Original Palettes which I use quite a lot especially the Storm which has some beautiful neutral colours. I know a lot of people have already reviewed this so I won't be posting any swatches but I thought it would be nice to let you know what I thought of it.

I really like the packaging of the palette; it is really compact and is made of thick plastic so would be perfect for travelling. I love the red colour in comparison to the black of the regular palettes and I think this makes it really distinctive as a Limited Edition product. The box that it comes in is really cute and well designed to fit in with the Circus theme.

The quality of the shadows is brilliant; they are well pigmented which is important especially for the colour range in this palette and they are easy to blend. I love the brightness of all the colours but my favourites have to be the lime green, flamingo pink and shimmery blue. Another thing I like about the Sleek MakeUP palettes is that they are really affordable and are a bargain for 12 high quality eyeshadows!

If you really like experimenting with brighter colours or want to add some more summery colours to your collection then i'd definitely recommend this palette. 

This palette is Limited Edition and was released on July 7th. Get it while you can from Sleek MakeUP or Superdrug for £5.99.
I'm going to have a really good play around with this palette when I get chance and i'll try and post some EOTDs using it if I create anything nice :)

I Love Jewellery!

I haven't had a really good shop since April so last weekend I decided I deserved a good shopping spree! I tweeted about how i'd never been shopping on my own before and everyone said that they really enjoyed going by themselves so I jumped on the train and headed to the shops :) I didn't really have anything specific that I wanted to buy but I did come back with quite a few pieces of jewellery!

Accessorize, Dorothy Perkins & Topshop

Hawaiian Charm Bracelet - £6 - This was half price but I still think it was a bit pricey at £6. I love the little charms though and i'm sure i'll be wearing it a lot this summer!

Clock Charm Necklace - £2.50 - This was a bargain and is super cute and reminds me of Alice In Wonderland! 

Pastel Charm Necklace - £3 - There was quite a lot of jewellery in the sale at Topshop but this necklace was the only thing that really caught my eye. I love the pastel colours and the gold and silver chain.
Pearl Earrings - £1 - These were reduced from £6 to £1 in Dorothy Perkins so I had to have them! I think they look quite expensive and will look really nice with some of the necklaces I have.

Primark

I don't know if i've mentioned about my addiction to jewellery - specifically Primark jewellery but I think this post basically explains it. I went a bit crazy in Primark but I love everything I got and it was all super cheap so im happy! 

I'm in love with colour range for jewellery in Primark at the minute - there are lots of nudes and golds around which are perfect for summer. 

Pink and Gold Chain Headband. £1.50 - I've never had a headband like this before and I thought this one looked on trend and more expensive than £1.50. 

Floral Print Bangle £2.50 - I have a similar bangle to this but it's really sharp when you wear it but this one is made of nice thick plastic and is really comfy. I also love the floral print!

Chunky Bead Bracelet £2 - I'm a bit annoyed as this is the same as a New Look bracelet set I have but in a different colour and I know I paid a lot more for them! This one has some gorgeous colours and again looks more expensive than Primark.

Pearl and Bow Hairclips £1.50 - I broke one of my favourite Primark hairclips recently so I picked these up. The pearl one will go great with the pearl earrings I always wear!

I went a bit crazy with rings even though I don't wear them that often!

I've seen most of these on other blogs and just had to have them. The snake, rabbit and mint ones were £2 each and the Daisy one was £2.50. 

I love the Daisy one - it's such a cute ring and is really pretty. I love how it looks with my nail polish!

The Rabbit ring was a bit of an impulse buy, I just love my little bunnies so I bought this to remind me of them ;). 

I love the Snake ring, it's not something i'd normally wear but I think it looks great when you're wearing it. 

I'm loving pastels at the minute so I love the Mint ring; especially as I remember Steph saying there was one really similar in River Island for double the price!

x

NOTD & Review - Eyeko Rain Polish

Eyeko have just released two new Limited Edition polishes for Autumn into their range. I've always liked the range of colours that they offer so when these two polishes dropped through my letterbox I was excited to try them out. I know quite a few bloggers have received these so sorry if you've already read something similar. 

The Rain Polish is definitely my favourite shade, it's a pastel blue with grey undertones and will look great with a summery outfit. Eyeko have re-released the Saucy Polish for Autumn and its a really nice classic red which looks great on your toes.

I reviewed the Eyeko Posh Polish a few months ago and although I really liked the colour the formulation wasn't great which made it hard to apply. I'm pleased to say that the Rain Polish applies really well and the formulation is definitely better. The only thing i'd prefer would be a shorter brush to the polish even easier to apply. The Rain polish is quite thin which means it needs two coats but it dries really quickly which is a bonus. I'm really pleased with this polish and would recommend it to anyone looking for a different kind of pastel blue. I'll definitely be looking at the other Eyeko Polishes in the range as I love their unique colours! 

Eyeko nail polishes are £3.50 each from the Eyeko website. At the minute the Rain Polish is only available as part of a set of 3 - the London Look set which is £8.50, making each polish a bit cheaper.  

For a free gift with your order add my ambassador code: E2757 into the comments box :)

Liz Earle Review: Flight Essentials Kit

I was recently sent this kit to review by Liz Earle and I love it! Although i'm not going on holiday abroad this year I love all the little products that are in this kit and it's definitely something i'll be using.

It contains a Superbalm, Skin Tonic Spritzer, Hand Repair Cream and Skin Repair Moisturiser.
The only product I haven't tried before is the Hand Repair Cream which i've been trying out recently and I really like it. It has quite a rich consistency and has a similar 'natural' scent to other Liz Earle products. I found that it was really moisturising and softened the dry skin between my fingers well.
I think this would be really good for taking on a weekend away as it contains lots of good skincare products - the only thing it's missing is a mini hot cloth cleanser. 

If you're looking to try a few of Liz Earle's products then have a look at this or visit the Liz Earle website where there are lots of travel sized products to try.

The Flight Essentials Kit retails at £15.75 from the Liz Earle website.

I was sent this product to review.

My Skincare Routine

I've been thinking about doing this post for a while but never get round to it, but luckily I was reminded my someone on Formspring so here it is!

My skincare routine isn't anything special and it's only in the past few months that i've stuck to a specific set of products.

Morning and night I use the No7 Soft & Soothed Gentle Cleanser for Normal/Dry skin. I really like it as it's nice and creamy and leaves your skin quite soft. Before I used this I used the No7 Beautifully Balanced Purifying Cleanser but this didn't work as well for my dry skin as its for Oily/Combination skin. It is more refreshing than the Soft and Soothed cleanser but has more of a gel consistency. It costs £7.75 from Boots so I usually buy a couple with the the £5 No7 vouchers as it's a bargain for just £2.75!

For my moisturiser I like to use the Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser for Dry/Sensitive Skin. I usually just use this in the morning before I apply my foundation as I like to let my skin breathe at night. I really like this moisturiser as it is quite light and has a soft gentle scent. It is quite creamy and sinks into my skin really well and helps to minimise any dry patches. I was sent this moisturiser to review a few months ago and I know that I would never have spent £17.25 on a moisturiser but i'm definitely considering repurchasing this as it's nice to have found a moisturiser that works so well for my skin. I'm getting quite close to finishing this tub and so far it has lasted me nearly 3 months. You can see my original review here. 

Like a lot of people there isn't really a toner in my skincare routine as it's not something I think makes a huge difference to my skin. I do like the Liz Earle Toner although I only use it occasionally.

To exfoliate I either use the St Ives Apricot Scrub or the Soap & Glory Flake Away. I used to exfoliate a lot to try and improve my dry skin so that my foundation looked nicer. I now only exfoliate every couple of weeks as I don't really need to as my dry skin is a lot better so I just use it to brighten up my skin and make it softer. Flake Away is quite a harsh scrub as it has a 'sand like' texture so you need to be quite gentle when using it. I really like the scent of it though and I find it easier to wash off than the St Ives Scrub. The St Ives Scrub is really thick and creamy and isn't as harsh so is the one I use more regularly. It has a light scent and leaves your skin feeling really clean.

I don't really use facewipes very often as I try to make sure I give my skin a proper cleanse at night instead. The best facewipes that i've tried were the Johnson's 3 in 1 wipes as they were really good quality and felt moisturising. 

If I ever need to remove any mascara or eye make-up I like to use the Boots Botanics 3 in 1 Eye Makeup Remover. I find that this is really effective as it contains oils which gently break down the mascara and it doesn't sting like many other eye-makeup removers.
x

June Playlist

I was sorting a few things out on my blog and saw my May Playlist post and I realised it was time to do one for June! Sorry it's a bit late ;)

1. You Can't Stop The Beat - Hairspray 

I went to see Hairspray in Leeds on Wednesday and I honestly didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did! I'm now addicted to the songs and i've already watched it on DVD again! You can see Hairspray on tour here.

2. Say You Don't Want It - One Night Only

I've always liked One Night Only and this is definitely going to be one of my favourite songs. It's brought back my love of indie music! Have a look at the video featuring the lovely Emma Watson.

3. All Time Low - The Wanted

I've already mentioned how good looking I think this band are, but I do equally love their music too!

4. The Getaway - Athlete

I'm a massive fan of Athlete - the lyrics in every one of their songs have meaning and they just create some of the most beautiful music i've ever heard :)

5. I Like It - Enrique Iglesias 

This songs feels quite summery to me, I don't really know why, but I like it ;)

The pictures link to the songs so you can have a listen :)

Summer Must Haves

I was asked on Formspring to do a post about my summer must haves so here it is. I know a lot of people have done this in different ways but I thought i'd show you some of my favourite summery products.

I've tried to pick a variety of products and all of these are affordable and easy to get hold of. 

My first product is Vaseline Rosy Lips- I really like this as it gives your lips a nice hint of pink and is also really moisturising. The only problem is that it has no SPF so a Sleek Makeup Pout Polish might be better if you can find one in a nice colour. 

Another lip product I like is the Burt's Bees Beeswax Lipbalm - this is so refreshing for the summer and is really cooling on your lips. It's also quite hard so doesn't melt as badly in warm weather and lasts forever. 

My favourite perfume is the Harajuku Lovers Lil Angel which is a really sweet summery scent (sorry, i'm not great at describing scents!). I really want Marc Jacobs Daisy so if I do get it, it will probably be my signature summer scent. 

The Lee Stafford Climate Control Spray is really good for summer as it is designed with the weather in mind. It is pretty much a very strong hairspray but I find it works quite well in hot weather as if I wear my hair curly the curls tend to drop out really easily. This is really good for keeping them in place and also works well in the rain which is great for people in the UK!

I always love fruity shower gels but they're even better in Summer! I love Original Source shower gels but another one of my favourites is The Body Shop Strawberry Shower Gel as it smells amazing! It reminds me of Calpol and I like to use the Strawberry Body Butter after too. 

I recently won the Maybelline The Falsies Mascara and i've been using it ever since. It's not the best mascara i've tried but it's really good at making your lashes longer. I partly chose this because of it's summery packaging!

The Collection 2000 Glam Crystals are great for summer as you can use them to add a splash of colour to your lids and they're long lasting and don't smudge so are great for hot weather! They come in a wide range of colours and are really pigmented.

For me Barry M Nail Paints have the best choice of colour for the summer. My favourite shades this summer are anything bright or pastel coloured like the ones pictured above (Flamingo Pink, Block Orange, Lemon Ice Cream, Mint Green and Blueberry Ice Cream). They also have a really good consistency and are easy to apply as well as costing just under £3 each!

Other essentials:

I managed to miss out my favourite fake tan for the summer - i'm going to be predictable and say St Moriz - it's super cheap and gives a perfect sunkissed shade without being orange. If you're like me and aren't going anywhere sunny this summer then this is a must have!

For me Lush's Sugar Babe bodyscrub is the perfect one for summer as it smells amazing! I usually break it up and make it last 4 or 5 uses and it makes my skin really soft.
x