Purchase Peek...

After another busy few weeks I'm finally back on the blogging trail! Apologies again for my absence but the move back from Uni and starting the ball rolling for jobs have been taking up the majority of my time! In between all this I managed to squeeze in a trip to my first ever music festival (I will be blogging about that, so stay tuned if you are a first timer and need some advice!) and go shopping. But, of course!


A quick trip to Matalan a couple of weeks ago for some underwear turned into a mini spree... Why does that always happen??! Underwear aside, I spotted the most amazing blouse, in the sale, reduced to £9 - Bargain! I've been after an aztec print blouse for a while now so when I saw it I had to have it. Apologies if it isn't there anymore, but the High Street sells lots of just as good alternatives. I loved the colours in it, bold and very stand out. I also liked the 80's vibe to it. A print like this will see you through to autumn because as the weather turns colder, it will still be bang on trend.

    


In just a couple of weeks, this blouse has firmly become a wardrobe fave. It looks just as good dressed up or down. I've worn it to interviews tucked into my suit and to meet friends with black leggings for a more relaxed look. It looks great with gold jewellery and also red lipstick (red is set to be a big colour for a/w 2012), as that brings out the green in the blouse.

Until next time lovelies x

When Revision Takes Over...

Oh my days, it feels like I haven't blogged in ages! It's true, I've literally been so busy with revising and getting my final essays and presentations in, I haven't had much time to think of anything else! Oh the joys of being a final year Uni student. To all you who have exams/deadlines coming up, good luck and stay positive!!

First of all, a HUGE hello to all my new followers and a MASSIVE thank you for all the lovely comments you've been writing. I'm only a little blogger so the comments mean the world to me <3

So, in between revision and deadlines, what have I been doing..? Pampering myself of course! Let’s face it, revision is boring and tedious, but it has to be done in order for exam success. It's important to treat yourself during times like this. I'm talking food too! A nice bar of chocolate by your side makes learning easier, it does motivate you! Also a half hour off during a day of revision to relax can do you the world of good, because you come back to things much more refreshed than before. I've managed to make time for myself, try a few new products and here are the results...

Face

Last week I tried another 'Montagne Jeunesse' face mask, this time the dark chocolate smelling one (I noticed it can also be purchased in white chocolate too - I may do a 'chocolate series' and review this one too). It was divine but then again, I am a chocoholic! A super steal at just £1 too. It literally smelt like I was slapping Terry’s chocolate orange on my face, and I had to resist the urge to eat it! Most of all it cleansed & moisturised my face and even my exam worries melted away... (I'm sorry, that was a terrible pun!)

Verdict 

Can't afford a trip to Cadbury world? Try this 'dairy mask' instead! (Oh dear, these puns are getting worse!) 

Nails 

I've gone a bit mad with pastel & coral colours this week. Any coral or pastel can bring any outfit bang on trend, and these types of colours make outfits look much more summery (even if the weather isn't playing ball) and suit just about any skin tone. On darker skins they look bright and zingy yet on paler tones they stand out and give a nice contrast. To achieve the colour strength on the pictures I did have to add at least two coats.

Toes

This 'Barry M' shade in 'Mint Green' was kindly lent to me by my good friend Ruth. Trust me, she is the person to go to if you need to try a new nail varnish, with a box full of enough colours and shades to rival a Dulux colour chart. First impressions made me think of leprechauns due to it being so green, but as I got used to the colour I really do like it. It's a nice shade of green too; you don't look like you've got some gross type of advanced fungal nail infection.

Fingers

This Collection 2000 shade in 'Fruit Salad' I think is meant to look like the candy bars it's named after, well... Not quite. There's just not enough orange hue. But it is a bright corally pink, as opposed to being a more flamingo style pink. The wide brush means easy application and the 'fast dry' means it's a manicure in minutes! Two of my flatmates have borrowed this colour off me, and I quite fancied having it on too.

Until next time lovelies x

Dress To Impress...

It's that time of the year that I like to call the "glam season", whether you are at Uni, 6th Form or School there will be some occasion that requires you to dress up and have a ball! Proms, end of year balls & society dinners usually all call for a 'formal dress code' of some sorts. I've got what we call our 'May Ball' coming up (sadly my last one as a 3rd year) where we have bands playing, fairground rides etc. Truth be told, I'm so excited to get dressed up! But, what exactly do you wear for occasions like this? Here's a pick of a few of my High Street faves that look great, and most importantly, won't break the bank.

Notes on dresses...

- ALWAYS try them on. What looks good on the hanger may not look good on you & visa versa.

- Pick styles that play up your best assets. No good wearing a low cut dress if you don't like showing your cleavage. Or a short dress if you don't like showing lots of leg. Wear something that makes you feel good, not what fashion dictates you should be wearing.

- Good underwear makes all the difference. Invest in some Spanx or 'Magic Pants' as they hold you in & give you a much more streamlined silhouette.

New Look 
Black Dipped Hem Maxi Dress

£24.99

The LBD is a wardrobe staple. Wear to pretty much every occasion and look both classy and effortless. This dipped hem dress brings the LBD back on trend by giving it a Spring/Summer12 makeover.

Wear with? Red lips & matching nails for 'Old Hollywood' glamour.

H&M  

Floral Patterned Sleeveless Dress

£24.99

Floral patterned dresses are perfect for Spring/Summer! Cute & flirty means they are a sure fire way to look feminine and fresh. Make sure you team any dress this style with a belt, to nip your waist in & give you a 50's style figure. 

Wear with? Cork wedges & softy curled hair. This look is very 'English rose'. Don't overdo it with the accessories, the dress is printed enough, let it do the talking.

missguided.co.uk

Lottyn Bodycon Dress With Stud Detail

£24.99

The 'Rock Chick' look reigns again on the catwalk, this time it's been given a studded upgrade. I'm guessing this dress is super short, and shows a fair bit of skin. If you aren't so confident add some black tights.

Wear with? Sky high black platform heels or ankle boots, an on trend metal cuff & smoky eye makeup. The best results for smoky eyes are when you use grey eye shadows or really dark (almost verging on black) browns. Don't forget the liquid eyeliner too!

Dorothy Perkins
Purple Embellished Maxi Dress
£35

Floor length dresses are perfect for formal occasions. This purple will suit blondes, red heads & brunettes. The nipped in waist and panels on the dress means it will also flatter any type of figure.

Wear with? Sparkly silver peep toe heels and a matching bag. Style hair in a sleek bun or a French plait in order to best show off the dresses neckline & the subtle ruching on the shoulders.








Matalan 
Purple Peplum Dress
£16

Peplum dresses are another key trend for this season. This style of dress has been accused of suiting only slim girls, but the length of the ruffles on the waist has to be right in order to suit all types. Slim girls get a curve boost & curvy girls get some added volume. 

Wear with? Coral nails and multi coloured heels. Avoid belts that are too large, it takes attention away from the ruffles. The skinny belt pictured goes perfectly with this dress.   

Hard As Nails...

I've seen so many bloggers of late doing fabulous nail art designs! Sadly, I however am rubbish at any kind of art, and lack the time & patience to do intricate nail art (one of these days I may have a go though). But, I still felt inspired. For me, it’s all about doing something a little bit different. A thought came to me when I couldn't decide between two colours to paint my nails with. I'm used to painting my nails one colour, but I thought let’s do two! I decided to take inspiration from the recent nail trend of painting the third finger (ring finger) on each hand a totally different colour to the rest of your manicure. But, then I decided to add a slight more splash and thought why not paint my thumbs that colour as well?

Notes on nails...

- Below is a picture of all that I used to do this manicure. Of course, if you have nail varnish on already you'll have to remove it, and if your cuticles need pushing back do that too.

- I always do a quick file of my nails before I paint them just to keep them in check. I file mine so they are a 'square' shape, but depending on your nail shape you can file them 'oval' or 'squoval' - a mixture of the two.

- Hand & nail cream is a must! I always put some on either before or after painting my nails just to keep them soft & in good condition. Don't worry if you don't have any specific hand cream, body lotion works just as well.

- Base coat is another must! It prevents your nails from staining and becoming a yellow colour. I also find that the colour sticks much better to your nails with a base coat on first.

Before the manicure...

- I chose two completely different contrasting colours, both by 'Barry M'. Now I LOVE Barry M nail polishes, I find them great value, with fab colours to chose from, and long lasting! You can pick them up from any Boots or Superdrug store.

- The two colours I used are 'Pink Flamingo' & 'Grey'. Pink & grey are a great combo together, and I wanted the vivid pink to stand out from the more muted grey.

- I applied two coats of each colour, and left to dry while I watched Made in Chelsea!

After the manicure...

Here's the final finished product! I didn't bother with any top coat because I thought they looked okay without it. There was a good enough even coverage not to warrant it.

Overall I'm quite impressed with my experiment. Best of all this idea works with any two combinations. Make the two you choose contrasting colours to really stand out! I've had a few compliments on my nails, and I'm even planning my next two tone manicure combo! x

Face2Face...

I don't know what it is, but the other day as I looked in the mirror I saw far too many spots for my liking! Not the sort that need squeezing, but the kind of red, under the skin type. Very annoying, and probably due to the fact I'm a little bit stressed with Uni work! After a few days of them simply not shifting, no matter how much water I drank, I decided to take matters into my own hands... So I did a facemask. Not my usual 'Boots 3 Minute Clay Mask' though, I needed something a little stronger...

In the end I settled for a "Montagne Jeunesse" - Deep Cleansing, Blemish Mud Mask. Now, I like these facemasks, and often if I fancy a real pamper I do buy one. Even if you are on a budget, you can still afford to buy luxuries such as facemasks, as this one was £1 from Asda! Total steal imo! You can also buy them from other places such as Superdrug, Boots & no doubt Bodycare (and other cut-price chemists) also sell them.

Notes on facemasks...

- I always cleanse my face beforehand. Just with my usual face wash. It's best to get rid of as much dirt from your pores as possible, or you could end up doing more harm than good.
- When washing off facemasks, I tend to use warm water, nothing too hot though as you may burn your skin.


Initial Thoughts...

With soothing Aloe Vera and extracts of Witch Hazel I'm expecting this mask to get rid of my spots and give me a squeaky clean complexion. A miracle cure. Not to mention the fact it says "anti imperfection" on the front of the mask.

When I first get into the mask I'm hit with a strong, fresh & herby kind of smell. I can smell what I'm sure is tea tree oil too. It sounds nice, but after a while it was getting to be a bit too strong.

During the mask... 

It goes on smoothly, and you don't need the entire mask to get a good even coverage (enough for two applications - result). The minute I'd put the mask on, my skin started to tingle, as if the ingredients were starting to weave their magic. It dried onto my face very quickly and I felt my face getting tighter within 5minutes. But, why is it, whenever you've got a facemask on you always get an itch on your nose or chin??! Cue the next 5minutes trying my very best to ignore the itch on my facemask covered nose.

The mask started out a light green colour, but when it was fully dried it turned white. I left it on for the full 15minutes (instructions say leave for 10-15).

Taking it off however was, well, frankly... A bit of a nightmare! I really had to scrub my face with a cloth to get it off. Of all the facemask brands I've tried this has got to be the toughest, so be prepared!

After the mask...

As soon as I'd washed it off my face felt very very dry, albeit smoother than before. I had to put a hell of a lot of moisturiser on after to make that 'dry' feeling go away. 

But, success as my face did feel 'clean'. Only like it had been lightly cleansed though, and not the 'deep cleansing' the mask advertises.

The morning after my face still felt smooth and my spots, well, they hadn't completely vanished, but there was some improvement in the way they looked. I also noticed that my complexion looked a little brighter and my cheeks rosier than the day before. 

I also had no reaction/redness due to this product so that’s always a bonus! I have a sensitive skin due to eczema so I'd say this mask is gentle enough for all skin types. 

Verdict...

I'd give this particular mask a generous 6/10. It’s by no means a 'miracle' product, and I can't say that after I've used it up I'd be rushing out to buy more. I think it’s because I prefer masks that are more about 'adding moisture' to skin rather than banishing pimples.  

That said, if you're after a lightly cleansing mask that smells like a day out at the seaside, then you may want to give this product a go!

Final Final Verdict...  

A nice, inexpensive, midweek beauty treat! 

Best Foot Forward...

I'm a huge believer in taking time out in order to pamper & relax yourself. My life at the minute is super busy! (That’s why I haven't had the chance to update my blog of late - I'm a final year Uni student, so my research project & other work is taking up the majority of my time! But, for the next couple of weeks I'm at home for the Easter holidays. Long overdue home comforts, yay!) Over the weekend we went out to celebrate one of my best friends 21st, and after a weekend of dancing & wearing heels, I decided a D.I.Y footbath was very much in order! It's always nice if you can get the professionals to pamper you with things like this (Spa days, salons etc) but it also works out much cheaper in the long run if you can do a good job yourself! Here is my guide to the best D.I.Y footbath around...

- Below is a picture of everything I normally use for a footbath. I don't use specific 'feet' products, i.e. the bubble bath because I think that normal products work just as well. But, I did make an exception for the 'Avon Heel Softening Cream'. I must confess, it’s actually my Mum's, but when I'm at home I do like to nick her products!

Getting Started...

- Firstly, fill your bowl with warm water (not too hot!), add your bubble bath & let your feet soak in the water. To this mixture, I added a few drops of tea tree oil. It is known as 'natures antiseptic' due to its healing & calming properties, and can help to sooth sore feet in an instant. Plus, it makes the water smell nice. I usually do my footbaths in the living room so I can watch telly while my feet relax.

- Don't forget a towel too - in case of spillages! 

- Soak your feet for around 15 to 20 minutes. You want the skin to be as soft as possible so your moisturiser will have the best chance of absorbing in. 

- Dry your feet thoroughly & banish hard skin on the soles & sides of your feet with a foot file. Also, if you intend to paint your nails (like I did) neatly cut & file your toenails. 

- Slather cream on your feet & cover them with an old pair of socks. The more times you apply cream to your feet, the softer the skin becomes. As summer is fast approaching do this as often as you can in order to be sandal ready! 

- Leave your feet until the cream has soaked in. Depending on how much you use, the best time scale to wait is between half an hour & an hour. When it has soaked in, dab your feet with a towel in order to get rid of excess cream.

- Then, separate your toes & paint your nails whatever colour you desire! I chose Avon's Nailwear Pro in 'Dynamo'. It’s a wonderful metallic, glittery purple (seen below) that goes on easy (thanks to the wide bush) & is fairly long lasting.

Mothers Day...

Sunday 18th March is Mothers Day, the one day of the year where we forget just how annoying & nagging our Mothers can be and instead lavish time, gifts, flowers, food & alcohol on them. Even now it has become acceptable to turn our attentions to other female family members, with Grandma's & Aunties too getting cards and presents. 

But, what exactly do you buy for your Mum or relatives are the question on most people’s lips? I'm a huge fan of getting well thought of, unique & inexpensive gifts. Myself being a student means that I can't spend the earth on presents! Take my Mothers Day present this year; a pair of earrings from a vintage style shop in Aberystwyth (where I study) called Polly's. I often go into Polly's just for a browse, and I saw these a couple of weeks ago. Ever since then I've had my eye on them, and at just £5.99 let’s face it - a complete steal! They match a bracelet my Mum was bought for Christmas & I just know she will love them.

With just two days to go until the 'big event' if you haven't already purchased something or are simply stuck what to get your Mum (I'm assuming I’m talking more to the Male population now) here are some of my handy (and cheap) gift ideas to save the day...

Flowers

All Mum's/female relatives like flowers. A nice bouquet of flowers hiding behind a cheeky smile can brighten any day. Easily purchasable & as expensive or as cheap as you want them to be, head to your local florist or supermarket and see what bunches they offer. Current Spring flowers include Crocus, Iris, Hyacinth & Daffodils - so look out for bouquets containing these.

Chocolates 

You all know your Mum's/female relatives favourite chocolates (if you don't I suggest you gem up on this knowledge) so treat them to a box! Or go for broke & buy a nice luxury box of some special ones. Cadbury's 'Milk Tray' or any Thornton’s ones should go down a treat. On the plus side, you will get to sample some too! & a handy tip for all those living in Aber, the Thornton’s on the High Street has recently become an outlet store, meaning most items are up to 50% cheaper!

Card

I wasn't sure whether to mention this, as I'm pretty sure it’s obvious. Practically everywhere sells cards, so there’s no excuse for not sending or giving one! But, if you want to be a bit creative, why not make a handmade one? Handmade cards show that you've made an effort & if you are artistic, can look pretty damn cool. 

Food 

Most restaurants charge silly amounts on Mother’s Day, with many getting booked up weeks in advance. Why not do it yourself, and cook for your Mum/female relatives/family? I'm not suggesting a three course gourmet meal (I'm aware not everyone is a super chef in the kitchen) but a simple dish such as spag bol, lasagne, pasta bake or cottage pie should go down a treat. Remember, it’s the thought that counts!    

Whatever you choose to do, remember that it isn't about how much you spend, its about the time you give. Enjoy spending quality time with your Mum's & Family this Sunday x