Estée Lauder's Liquid Lip Potions

I can't believe it has taken me this long to blog about these, because I discovered them right at the beginning of the year, but I have never been a huge lipstick wearer. I love the thought of it but honestly, i'm quite lazy when it comes to my make up. I apply it first thing in the morning and don't touch it all day, bar a little powder if really necessary so lipstick to me is just a bit of a faff. However, I love the way it looks and the way it can finish a look so I decided to go on the hunt for some lipsticks that were easy to apply, of the liquid variety and had some staying power, but weren't a pain in the butt to get off.

Enter the Estee Lauder Liquid Lip Potions, basically the lipsticks of my dreams. 

As the name suggests they are in fact a liquid lipstick, that you apply with a doe foot applicator that is just the perfect size for following your lip line and filling in too, especially as it's built to be double sided. One side is curved to go over the contours of your lips and the other is flatter to help line and fill. It's also great at not picking up too much product so that it gets all over the place, you have the perfect amount to apply. They are super easy to apply and glide on with ease, you only need to go over your lips once for fully opaque colour and I also love the finish. It's not a gloss but it doesn't dry matte either, it's probably in the middle as some sort of satin finish and although it doesn't set per say, it also doesn't get everywhere either.

The pigmentation is amazing, as I said you only really need one coat to get the colour opaque and that's even with the lighter colours, as well as the dark ones. The lipsticks are packed with skin benefiting oils such as sunflower, avocado and jojoba as well as antioxidants. Something you may want to look out for if you have particularly sensitive lips is that they have added extra fragrance so for those of you who look to avoid scents, then maybe these ones aren't the ones for you. They come in a wide variety of shades, however not so many if you look at other lipstick offerings, but enough so that they have one of every kind of colour. They have a nude or two, a red, a purple and some pinks, so definitely something for everyone. Now although i've said they don't really go anywhere, they do still transfer if you're drinking or eating so do bare that in mind and if you want perfect coverage all day then you will have to reapply but it's super easy to do, any I love them none the less.

They're all packaged in the signature navy and gold tubes we have come to know and love from Estee Lauder, in a sleek square shape which are easy to keep in your make up bag or your handbag. I'm sure there are plenty of longer staying, maybe glossier or matter liquid lipsticks out there but if you're just looking for something easy and pigmented then these might be an option for you.

K|xo

Batiste Stylist Shield My Locks Heat & Shine Spray

As I started to explain in my favourites post, more often than not i'm an evening shower-er. I like to come home from work and have a long shower so I can condition my hair, shave my legs, scrub my skin and frankly I just don't have time for that in the mornings. I also use a fair amount of heat and put quite a lot of strain on my hair day-to-day so, if i can, I usually let my hair air-dry and/or sleep on it wet ready to be styled in the morning. However, what I have come to find is that the majority of heat protectant sprays are made to be used on wet hair. This baffles me because I cannot be the only human to need a heat protectant for my dry hair in the morning. I've often thought about using one that's made for wet hair on my dry hair but I have fairly fine hair and it doesn't need weighing down any more than it already does.

I did find one which was made by Mark Hill but he's recently revamped his whole haircare line, and has discontinued my favourite Turn Up The Heat Extreme Heat Protection Spray in favour of one that has to be used on wet hair, again. Well, it seems that Batiste could sense my needs because they've just come out with their Stylist range that's made to help style and finish your hair. They're most well known for their famous dry shampoos in every scent and colour, so these styling products are a game changer.

Although i've bought a few of the other products in the Stylist range, this is the first one i've road tested so can only speak for this one as of yet - but if the rest of the range is anything like this, i'm going to love it.

It's an aerosol can similar to their dry shampoos and it comes out like a somewhat powder formula that makes the hair slightly damp but dries almost instantly ones brushed through. It leaves your hair feeling so super silky and smooth, almost like you've just had your hair done and it certainly does add some shine like it's name suggests. It seems to help my straighteners glide through my hair and I don't have any problems with dryness, just shiny, straight locks.

It really is quite the unusual product, i've never seen anything like it's safe to say it's made it's way into my permanent haircare routine. I don't know where i'd be without it now!

K|xo

How Face Masks Have Saved My Skin

My skin has been a bit of a moment lately, breakouts left and right, uneven texture and frankly just looking a little dull, and lacklustre. Going along side this, something I haven't really spoken about but it's on the cards, is that i've been dating someone new lately and with that haven't quite been looking after my skin as I usually do. I've been spending a lot of time with him so haven't been keeping up with my usual skincare routine.

Things were getting a bit much, so I decided to take some time out for myself, thoroughly triple cleanse, tone and apply a face mask. I initially used my absolute favourite, which is the Aesop Parsley Seed Facial Cleansing Mask which just seems to help clear up anything that my face is struggling with, as well as smooth out any uneven texture. The clay pulls out the impurities and the Aloe Vera stops your skin feeling tight and dehydrated. It also contains rosehip and parsley seed to perk up your skin with plenty of antioxidants. It's amazing for oily/combo girls like myself, because as well as all of that it helps balance any crazy skin factors.

Later the same week I went for the Origins Out of Trouble 10 Minute Mask to Rescue Problem Skin, which is really minty and tingles slightly which always lets me know that it's doing it's thing. This one, again, is targeted for us oily skin ladies as it helps to get rid of excess oil and sebum. It aims to "sop up oily-shine, slough off sticky, dead cells, and sweep away irksome debris" as well as calm using Camphor and Salicylic Acid to shed away any problems.

Lastly, I used the Pixi Glow Mud Mask. You leave this one on for 15 minutes in order to purify your skin and let it draw out embedded impurities, to create clarity. This one contains "soothing aloe vera, rejuvenating rosemary, brightening ginseng and healing jojoba – to instantly ‘perk up’ lacklustre complexions and help to prevent dreaded breakouts." It's great for, not only, when your skin is having a mild freak out but it's also great for bring back some glow and life back into your skin. It's designed to soothe, decongest, plump and glow.

These three little beauties have really helped me reign my skin back in when, maybe, i'm not taking care of it quite as well as I should be but i'm busy living life and anything that's a quick fix is perfect for me right now.

K|xo

My New Holy Grail Topshop Jeans

For as long as I can remember I have been inseparable from my Topshop Joni Jeans. They've always been exactly what i've wanted; skinny legged, high waisted & have fitted like a dream. However over the past couple of months i've lost quite a lot of weight and they just started to not fit me like they once had. I tried going down a size in the Jonis but they were just that bit too tight that it made them uncomfortable to wear. It was starting to get me down because I feel like a good pair of jeans is a staple in any girl's wardrobe and although the I could wear my Joni jeans, they were okay on my hips but way too big on the waist and I was forever pulling them up.

So on a recent trip to Westfield Stratford, I decided to bite the bullet and try on some new Tall jeans. In my time of jeans wearing i've been through a couple of Topshop jeans styles, including the Jamies and the Leighs as well as the Jonis, so after reading about each style I decided to go for it and try on the Jamie Jeans. I took in a couple of sizes with me and came out a very happy bunny.

The Topshop Jamie Jeans are described as "versatility at its coolest. A must for the high-rise lover, these jeans have you covered for all occasions." They are very similar to the Joni Jeans in that they're high waisted and a skinny jean, but they don't come up quite as high and they don't have quite as much stretch but they're still super comfortable and these actually fit like a dream. I've gone down a size in these and they really do fit perfectly, although these are slightly thicker than the Joni jeans.

Please don't mind all the creasing, i'd literally just driven home! As you can see they come up high on the waist and fit really nicely all the way down the legs. I feel like this pictures makes the rips look like they sit really funnily on my legs, but I assure you they do actually sit on my knees. Here i'm wearing them rolled up at the ankles but I do also wear them rolled down depending on how i'm feeling that day.

Honestly, they just make me feel really good about myself and I love that i've actually got some jeans that fit me so well. I love them so much I went out and bought them in dark blue, light blue, and grey as well as this ripped pair. So, if you're looking for some new high waisted jeans the Jamie could be your girl.

K|xo

Current Favourites: July

I have not done a favourites post in so, so long. Probably mainly because they're my least favourite Youtube videos to watch, and at that time of the month I tend to just skip past them. However, i'm sometimes partial to reading about a few bits that people are loving at the moment. I don't know about you but I don't swap the products i'm using regularly enough to warrant doing monthly favourites but I have been really loving a few products lately so I thought i'd share.

Lee Stafford Original Heat Protection Shine Mist | Since dying the bottom half of my hair platinum blonde, i've really been trying to look after it and take care of my ends so they don't become too damaged. However, I am quite the heat fiend. I do blow dry my hair once or twice a week and straighten it every time I wear it down. I did have a Mark Hill heat protectant that I was in love with but, unfortunately, they discontinued it - on a side note, why do brands do that!? - so I was on the hunt for a new one. Although something I should address is that more often then not I want a heat protectant that I can use on my dry hair, and you would be surprised how difficult that is to find. I'll talk to you about one i've fallen for next but this Lee Stafford offering is perfect for when i'm fresh out of the shower, short on time, and my hair needs blow drying. I simply spritz this all over my hair, not directly on the roots as not to weigh them down, and then use my hairdryer to get everything styled. It is a bit of a strange one as after you've applied it and you start drying your hair, it does leave a sort of sticky feeling on the hair. This alarmed me, at first, but once your hair is completely dry there is no sticky or greasy feeling left behind, just soft, shiny hair. My locks always feel protected and not at all weighed down when using this, which is amazing for my usually limp, fine hair.

L'Oreal Paris Elvive Extraordinary Oil for Coloured Hair | I actually used to use this oil probably three or four years ago when I was at university but i'm not really sure why I gave it up! I was browsing the Boots shelves looking for products to help protect my new blonde locks, came back across the Extraordinary Oil and remembered how much I loved it! I still love it just as much now as I did back then. It's such an amazing multipurpose product; I use it on damp hair before blow drying or I use it on the ends of my dry, styled hair to keep smooth and hydrated. Although it's an oil it doesn't feel at all greasy and doesn't weigh my dry or damp hair down when applied. I was a bit worried about using it on my dry ends, but actually it really smooths them down and helps them look a bit tidier, especially just before a trim. Plus, you barely need any product as a little goes a long way so that huge bottle lasts forever.

Batiste Stylist Shield My Locks Heat & Shine Spray | Now, when I do want a heat protectant that I can use on dry hair this new product is what I go for. More often than not I shower and wash my hair when I get home from work and sleep on it damp. So by morning I need a protectant that is super light and doesn't weigh down my locks. Batiste have recently debuted their Stylist range that also consists of a texturising spray, a frizz taming spray, a hairspray, an XXL volume spray and an XXL plumping powder. It's a pretty exciting release, I think, and I have bought a couple of the other products to test out too. So far, this is my absolute favourite of the bunch. Not only does it protect my hair from my straighteners in the morning, it also leaves my hair feeling super shiny and so, so smooth. It really helps to finish the look as well as create it, which I love because frankly multipurpose products always get my vote. It's super easy to spray all over the hair, leave to settle, brush through and then apply your desired heat.

Garnier Body Intensive 7 Days Daily Body Lotion with Shea Butter for Very Dry Skin | I raved about the Garnier Ultra-Replenishing Body Lotion in my Getting Summer Ready post, which I still totally stand by, but I also just love this lotion for every day, all over. It keeps my skin in check during these warmer, Summer months when skin is more on show but I also loved it during Winter too, when things were a lot drier. It's just so hydrating and sinks in straight away. You can physically feel your skins hydration for so much longer than any other moisturiser i've ever used too, so I just had to throw this one in here to say that I am still absolutely obsessed with it!

Maybelline The Rocket Volume Express Waterproof Mascara in Very Black | Now I am not at all a waterproof mascara kind of girl. The nearest I get to waterproof mascara is using the Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara in my everyday makeup routine, but never do I use an actual waterproof formula. However a few weeks ago I took part the a Race for Life Pretty Muddy 5k event which involved a lot of mud, water and getting down and dirty! The girls in my team and I decided to just go for wearing our make up and I took every precaution to keep it in place for the entire 5k, as well as going all out with a bright pink eyeshadow look! Despite getting shot in the face, twice, with a water cannon and soaked while crossing a ford, everything was completely intact at the end of the race - including my mascara. I was super, super impressed with the staying power of this as I know that being waterproof is it's point but I really did get soaked during the race, but my mascara stayed entirely in place, thank goodness. I also don't usually go for these plastic, short bristle sort of brushes but it really lengthened and separated my lashes which I actually really liked the style of.

Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm | This has been a staple product for me for a good year now, and i'm pretty sure i've raved about it repeatedly but I still absolutely adore this product! I use it every day that I wear makeup to get everything off of my face, and I don't have to tug at my skin to get anything off rather it just slides off after an application of this. It also leaves my skin feeling hydrated and silky smooth once i've flanneled the last of it off. I cannot recommend this highly enough, even for you oily skinned girls because it really does do wonders. 

MAC Frost Eyeshadow in Cranberry | A couple of months ago I had a major makeup clear out and gave a lot to friends, as well as chucking a lot of products that probably should have been binned long, long ago. One of the biggest things I decided to get rid of was all of my MAC products. I'd been thinking about it for a long time, but just never bitten the bullet. Now i'm not exactly an animal activist seeing as I openly eat meat and i'm sure many of the other beauty brands I use have sister companies who potentially test on animals, but MAC is a brand that are very open about the fact they test on animals - i'm sure we've all seen the horrific videos floating around the internet - so I decided that i'd just get rid of all my MAC products to friends or very old ones to the bin. I've been living a MAC-free life for a good three or four months but it wasn't until a recent night out that I actually missed a few products. I have repeatedly tried to find a dupe for MAC's Cranberry Eyeshadow but to no avail. There are similar shades out there but there is just always something off, whether it be the finish or the pigmentation, I just haven't found anything that matches up. So, i decided to go into store to purchase a single shadow in Cranberry because I just can't live without it. It hurts my heart and I know I should probably just live without it, but the selfish side of me needs that shadow in my life. The pigmentation is like no other, it blends so seamlessly into any base shadow that I choose and it's amazing for gliding along the bottom lashline too. For those wondering I also purchased Rebel Lipstick as i'm yet to find something I love as much too.

Micheal Kors Medium Selma Bag in Tile Blue | I bought this little beauty on my Orlando trip last August, so she's coming up to being a year old, and I still love her as much now as I did when I bought her. She was everything I wanted and in a very reasonably priced package too. When I purchased her, she was actually considered last season's colour so was on sale in the Micheal Kors store in the Mall at Millennia, in Orlando, Florida. That did not bother me, I fell in love with her as soon as i saw her and that was it, she was packed into her dust bag and was going home with me. The MK Selma bags are some of my favourite and I love it so much i'm hoping I might be able to find an equally beautiful one on my upcoming trip in September. I love how structured they are and although the medium looks quite small, you can fit everything you need in there - although I do like to take a smaller purse with me as not to make her too heavy or misshape her too much. She's wearing amazingly so far and the colour is absolutely to die for. I do keep her mostly in her dust bag when i'm not using her, but I wouldn't say I look after her particularly well and frankly she's still beautiful!

That, my lovelies, is what I have been loving lately. If there's anything you think i'm missing out on or that I simply need to try please do let me know!

K|xo

Chanel Joues Contraste Lumière in 12 Coups de Minuit

Since starting work at John Lewis, over two years ago, i've become quite the Chanel cosmetics fiend. I've always had quite the penchant for the brand but it's honestly been just a little out of my price range but thanks to my JL discount, it made it all the more accessible. So during the past two years i've built up quite the collection of Chanel products. This one, however, I was lucky enough to be gifted for my birthday this year and frankly i'm not quite sure why it's taken so long for me to blog about.

Highlighters are my absolute favourite beauty product. If you haven't met me in person then you probably don't know that I love to layer the stuff on my cheeks and on my brow bone so that I can become some sort of glowing goddess. This one is especially good for those among you that love a slightly more subtle highlight, as it's got very little colour but plenty of shimmer.

I love that this shade is almost a skintone shade, a beautiful peachy dream, that when applied to the high points of your cheeks melts in to leave behind a gorgeous shimmery, glittery glow rather than a whole bunch of colour or intensity. This is great for those days that you want a little something-something but don't want anything too much. I do have to admit that this isn't one I reach for as often as some of my other highlighters, usually it goes between Dior's DiorSkin Nude Air Illuminating Powder in Glowing Pink & BECCA's Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter in Moonstone, because of this. Like I said before, I really do like to slap on the highlight, but when I want something a little more understated or frankly am going for some classic no-make-up-make-up then this is the perfect way to go. As far as the actual product goes, it applies like a dream and melts into the skin leaving behind no harsh lines and it takes very little blending in. It's super finely milled and works amazingly over a powder or a liquid base, but I almost always use it over a liquid foundation and it applies like a dream.

It was super hard to photograph but as you can see it's very subtle, and you can just about see the beautiful shimmer it leaves behind.

As it's Chanel, it is on the pricey side but frankly you pay for what you get. The product is beautiful, as well as the packaging, and if a subtly highlight is something you're after then I urge you to give this one a try.

K|xo

The Dior Instant Gentle Cleansing Oil

Although I absolutely adore my Clinique Take the Day Off Balm for my make up removal, sometimes you just get the itch to try something else. I'd been binging on skincare routine videos on Youtube, and a lot of people use an oil to remove their make up so I wondered what I was missing out on basically. In the past I had tried the MAC Cleanse Off Oil and hated it, but I had heard great things about this one in particular so thought i'd see for myself.

The Dior Instant Gentle Cleansing Oil can be applied to dry or damp skin, i preferred to apply it damp as it helped to really work it in, and massage it in circular motions all over the skin, including the eyes. It claims to to remove even the most stubborn make up but doesn't actually mention anything about waterproof, and also professes to be removed without leaving any oily residue.

Now, I didn't like it but after my fleeting relationship with the MAC offering it may just be that cleansing oils aren't for me. Despite it's claims, I didn't feel like it removed my make up particularly amazingly. It removed it all after a couple of applications but I like to use a lot of mascara and where my usual Clinique choice has no problem with my lashings of the stuff I just didn't feel like this did as good of a job. Maybe i'm not being fair, but when you've got something you love to compare it to it probably will never stand up to it! It's a fairly liquidy consistency, I know it's an oil, but some can be more of a serum texture but this is definitely an oil which I actually find quite hard to apply but, like I said, some people rave about them. I also felt like although it didn't leave a residue per say, it did feel my skin feeling a little bit tacky and not completely clean. I obviously went in with my cleanser which took away that feeling, but again i'm used to my Clinique leaving me feeling soft and clean.

Overall, it's not a bad product. It does what it says on the tin, I just don't think it's outstanding and, for me, I just have something I prefer. I think maybe i'm not the best person to test this out as I think perhaps oils just aren't my jam, but i'm glad i've tested it out to put my mind at rest if nothing else!

K|xo

My 2016 Memory Jar: Six Month Update

So seeing as it's the beginning of July now, we are officially six months into the year - can we just take a moment for that? Who can believe we're already half way through 2016! - I thought it'd be fun to revisit my memory jar that I posted about at the beginning of the year.

So far 2016 has been a really strange but satisfying year. It started off pretty dull and for the first, probably, three months my little jar stayed empty. I thought about getting rid of it because I never did anything interesting that would mean for anything to go into it and frankly it just proved to me that actually I was quite a boring person. However, something happened about three months in that gave me a kick up the bum to sort myself out, stop coasting and actually live my life - which is what i decided to do. It has been quite a turbulent six months, i've made some absolutely amazing memories so far with even more amazing people but there have also been some very difficult pills to swallow along the way.

I've been trying to throw myself into everything, make plans and basically do everything that I haven't done in the past couple of years. I make myself out to be an exceptionally confident, outgoing person but actually i deal with a lot of anxiety and get nervous really easily which has previously stopped me doing a lot. This year I have vowed to myself to get myself out of my comfort zone and do things, which I can happily say I have certainly been doing

In this first half of the year have done so many lovely things with my friends. There has been very few weeks that I haven't been out for a drink after work with them, or going to the cinema, or going to work out classes, shopping, you name it. It's been so lovely to remember that I should be choosing to live my life and not just sit at home, I do have to say that it has meant getting time to write blog posts has been tricky but it has been more than lovely. I really do have a truly wonderful family of friends around me at the moment, which I feel extremely grateful for.

One of my favourite memories was from my birthday, we went to Vodka Revs to do the weekly quiz, have some drinks and some food, and so many of my friends came out for it. They got me a cake and a lovely card signed from them all and it really made me feel thankful and especially loved. I've also been to London a bunch of times with my friends. I went to visit my friend Lizzie who's at university there and we had a major girls day, filled with afternoon tea and shopping. In April, I went with my friend Savannah, we had lunch and most excitingly went up the Sky Garden which is possibly one of my most favourite places ever. It was beautiful and so lovely to share with one of my best friends.

I have also, very unusually deciding that maybe it's about time I get out there and try dating, which i most certainly have. Very few with a successful ending but it's been really out of my comfort zone to go on dates and put myself out there so i've been proud of myself for doing so. I don't want to go into too much detail because I don't want to put things out there about people without their consent, but I've actually been very happy with a man once this year which, sadly, did not work out but onwards and upwards. It was a great learning curve for me and taught me a lot about myself, helping me grow and move forward. I've been on a couple of dates, and am happy with where I am on the dating scene right now.

Honestly, i'm feeling very content with life right now. I'm actually thinking about writing a post about being content, so keep your eyes peeled for that one but i'm just very happy i'm going to have this reminder about 2016 because so far it's turning into a really awesome year with so many amazing plans still to come.

K|xo

What's Happening to my Feet? #2

A weird post today, but I thought I should probably do a bit of a follow up to the "What's Happening to my Feet? #1" post I did back in January. I was having a lot of problems with my feet, as I explained in that post, and also a lot of pain but since then I visited a local Podiatrist to get them looked at and see if they could do anything to help me.

I visited the Podiatrist probably four or so months ago now and actually had two appointments. In the first appointment the Podiatrist looked over my feet, looked at my leg lengths, looked at how I stood, how my hips and shoulders aligned and how I stood. From that she determined that I do walk with my feet pointing inwards, that one legs is actually quite a lot shorter than the other (nothing noticeable, don't worry) and that I have fairly low arches. All of this combined does put a lot of strain on my feet and especially so since I spend almost all day, every day on them.

She said that my footwear of choice, although not the most flattering, is the perfect choice for, not only my feet, but for my current job. They keep my feet firmly in place, thanks to the T-bar style strap and have a fairly thick, cushioned sole.

After the consultation she said that she thought the best resolution was to order me in some innersoles and then fit them to my feet, which is what we did. I waited a couple of weeks and then had a call that the innersoles were waiting for me and so I made a second appointment to get them fitted. The second visit was super easy and we trialled and errored until we were both happy with how they fit.

Basically what happens is they order the main body of the innersole (the grey part you see above) in the style and size that is needed, in my case she ordered the half style, and then with it comes lots of bits and pieces that can be added on where needed to fit it to you. In this case I had the large red piece on the left added to help with my low arch, and she actually shaved it to correctly fit it to my needs and the black part on the right is to help with the leg length to even them up.

To begin with I wore these in every pair of shoes, every day. I swapped them between my work shoes and boots and whatever I was wearing, whereas now I exclusively wear them in my work shoes and I have absolutely no problems. So clearly it was at work that was causing the most damage, which I kind of assumed. Now on days off I can wear really flat shoes, without them, and have no pain at all which is a complete blessing. Even at work now I have zero issues or pain, so i'm very glad I bit the bullet and went and them looked at.

K|xo

If I Could Only Own Five Eyeshadows

When it comes to doing my make up everyday I always use the same foundation, the same concealers, the same powders and although I love applying it, it doesn't feel particularly creative. Now, I know some people love buying and trying all the lipsticks under the sun, but for me it's eyeshadow. I have enough eyeshadow to sink a small ship and paint a medium-sized country in a technicolor haze. So when asked by a friend if I could only five eyeshadows what would those be? I really had to scour my collection and think about it. It wasn't easy, and although I think that my choices are probably a bit boring they're some of my favourites and are really quite practical.

Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Sin | Sin is always the shade to disappear first in my Naked palette (yes, i've owned more than one) so I decided to buy it in a single eyeshadow so I always have it on hand. It's just such a versatile shade that I honestly could not be without. My favourite way to wear it is all over the lid with a darker brown in the crease, something like Hustle also from the Naked palette and it also looks lovely paired with Toasted from the palette too. It's a gorgeous pink-toned, champagne shimmer that is just so flattering on so many skin tones and can be used in so many ways.

Cargo Cosmetics Single Eyeshadow in Yukon | I have had this colour for so long, but it's one of those shades that I always come back to. Yukon is such an unusual colour because it's base is a purple, which you might be able to tell is one of my favourites for the eyes, but it has this amazing silvery, pinky duo-chrome running through it that makes it so special. On the lids it's so easy to wash all over and look like you've made an effort but actually, you really haven't.

By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Misty Rock | This is an absolute repeat offender for me, and one that I get lots of compliments on when I wear it for work. This is another one of those products that is so easy but makes it look like you've made a serious effort. The Ombre Blackstars are some of the creamiest eyeshadows that i've ever worked with, but in the best way possible. They're super easy to blend but once set into place don't budge all day. My favourite way to wear this one is to smudge it roughly all over the lid and then blend it out with a fluffy brush, making sure to use a clean one to blend it into the crease and above. Misty Rock is my favourite colour of all time, it's a beautiful grey toned shimmery purple that is packed with silver glitter running through it. It looks amazing on it's own but also really pops if you smoke some dark grey or black through the crease for a real, classic smokey eye.

Burberry Eye Colour Silk in Rosewood 202 | This one is a real classic from my collection and actually one that I think is quite hard to get hold of these days, but it's another that i come back to time and time again. Rosewood is a beautiful, soft rosy brown shade that is absolutely perfect for washing all over the lid. The texture of these eyeshadows is so buttery and easy to blend, making it perfect alone or paired with something else.

L'Oreal Paris Color Riche Mono Eyeshadow in Cafe St Germain | This is a shade that I think is really under appreciated. There are so many eyeshadows in the world of beauty that it would be easy to overlook this one but i'm really happy that I found this in a 3 for 2 episode. This one, similarly to the rest, is a purple-toned grey colour absolutely packed with shimmer which is probably something else you've noticed that I love. These shadows really are the epitome of buttery, they're so workable that when applying they almost feel like a cream. They're beautiful to blend but this shade is amazing just all over the lid, blended out too.

Lastly, I have two runners-up. When it comes to eyeshadows, like i've said, I just adore them and picking just five was really quite hard. So, these two have been picked for specific reasons unlike the ones i've shared with you above.

Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Last Call | Last Call is an intensely pigmented pink-toned, cranberry, burgundy colour that is absolutely to die for. Other than purple, my favourite shade to rock on my eyelids in cranberry and even more so in a smokey eye which is exactly how I love to wear this. We all know how beautiful, buttery and blendable the Urban Decay eyeshadows are so I won't bang on about that but these is amazing for working in with other shades. My absolute favourite combo is wearing Urban Decay's Sin all over the lid and then, using a pencil brush, pop this in the outer V; in the crease, round the outer eyelid and bringing it down onto the bottom lash line too and smoking it out. It looks effortless but really put together, and also really different too.

Urban Decay Moondust Eyeshadow in Space Cowboy | Although an eyeshadow and one that could be worn alone, I choose not to. This is my favourite finishing touch to any eye look, whether i've just popped a light brown matte shade all over the lid, or applied an extensive smokey eye adding just a touch on Space Cowboy completes them all. It's basically just complete champagne glitter, that has no base colour but is just thousands upon thousands of glitter pieces packed together. If you're ever near an Urban Decay counter go and swatch this, although it doesn't do it justice until you've got it on the lid. Everyone needs to own this, to jazz up any look.

So, that is what I would have if I could only keep five eyeshadows, well seven but we just won't talk about that. Is there anything i'm missing? What would you keep, if you could only keep five?

K|xo

Things You Might Not Know About Me

Hello lovely people.

In keeping with my resolutions to keep this blog more lifestyle and personal, i thought i'd throw in a things you might not know about me post a la Milk Bubble Tea. I have shared an awful lot here over the past five, nearly six, years but I can feel myself a-changing - blog posts to come - and I haven't shared too much personal information for a while. As Becky said in her post, it's always nice to feel as though you know the author behind the blog you spend your time reading. So, without further ado here are some facts you may not already know about me.

1. I hate peas, but love sweetcorn.

2. I love celebrating; Christmas, Birthdays - give me an occasion and I will go all out.

3. I have always hated my height, but now I embrace it and even rock a heel.

4. I can barely remember what I ate for dinner last night, but I can remember the hotel room number from the holiday I went on when I was five.

5. I don't really do sauce. I don't like ketchup, I love to eat pasta plain & use minimal spreads.

6. Up until about six months ago I was a real nights in kinda gal, but now I'm quite partial to a night out with the girls.

7. I always choose salted popcorn at the cinema.

8. I can quote pretty much every episode of Friends but my favourite episode is "The One With The Dollhouse".

9. I conciously-stream when I text. I'll text you not once, not twice, but 100 times because I have no filter.

10. I have never been punting, but live in one of the largest punting cities in the UK.

11. I adore driving and will often take the long route home so I can play my music too loud and sing-a-long in the car.

12. I am an absolute and complete hopeless romantic.

13. I was a Brownie Leader before I went to University.

14. I love all genres of music but there is not much I love more than singing along to my favourite country music artists.

15. I have never broken a bone. Touch wood.

16. I'm unsure where my faith lies but always pray when I'm in a particularly sticky situation.

17. I never kiss on the first date.

18. I was born and raised in Cambridgeshire.

19. I would love to learn another language.

20. I don't have an extensive friendship group but a lovely tight-knit friend family.

21. I am way too excited for Pretty Little Liars to start again on 21st June, and think about it daily. Obsessed.

22. I scraped a C in Maths GCSE, and only because I had a tutor.

23. My local Starbucks know my order and know me by name.

24. Despite my love for a lie in on my days off, I consider myself a morning person.

25. I'm roughly 5'10, someone measured me at work.

26. I always say that 7 is my lucky number, always have, but i'm not sure as to why.

27. I haven't done one in probably 10 years, but I could always do a mean cartwheel.

28. I'm considering getting Netflix just to watch the new Gilmore Girls remake.

29. When i've saved, and bought, my first house i'll start saving for my Chanel bag.

30. I'm not an awkward person and can chat to anyone about anything, but if you make me nervous it's a good sign.

K|xo

Current Perfume Collection: Only Three?

Up until about a year ago, probably, I was obsessed with fragrances. I had a whole collection of them but really only used about two of them religiously. I was running out of room and honestly, just came to the realisation one that it was obscene for one person to have so many perfumes and I just simply didn't need them all - we'll call it my scent epiphany. Anyway, I decided that rather than being wasteful I would slowly use all of them up; I took them to work with me and used them during the day, basically did everything to use them up as quickly as possible.

I told myself that if i could use them all up by my birthday, which is April 3rd, I could treat myself to a new perfume that would become apart of my new capsule collection. Luckily, I stuck to it and did in fact use them all by my birthday. That is when my latest addition came to be, and there we shall start.

Dolce by Dolce & Gabanna is a typical 'me' scent. Although it's unlike the other two, there is something that I am very drawn to and I actually often use it over what i would consider my signature scent. It's a floral number, with it's heart notes being White Amaryllis, White Daffodil and White Water Lily but it's nothing too sweet, or girly, with Cashmeran, Musk and Sandalwood at it's base. I think it's a very clean scent, nothing too over powering but it has great staying power as I can smell it on myself long after I spray and it people compliment me on it all throughout the day. Of course, I do like to top up when I can - as you do when you find a fragrance that you love. I'm actually saving up my Boots points to purchase it's sister scent, called Dolce Rosa Excelsa by Dolce & Gabanna. I know, I know I just spoke about having a capsule scent collection but when I was trying to decide between them it was only by a whisker that I purchased the original Dolce. It's notes are almost identical to Dolce but with the addition of African Dog Rose and Turkish Rose. It's very unlike me as I am not normally a Rose scent kind of gal, but the nose likes what the nose likes.

My second Dolce & Gabanna scent is Light Blue which I ended up loving thanks to some of the girls at work. They wore it a lot during the day and I fell in love with it! I think this smells super lemony, and it does contain Lemon in it's top notes, but many people disagree with me. This one is my most clean smelling perfume, it's so simple and fresh which is why this is the one that comes in my work bag with me. Bamboo, Jasmine and White Rose are at it's heart, with Apple, Lemon and Cedar as it's top notes. Again, however, it still has those musky base notes that keep it from being too sweet or too girly, for me.

Lastly is what I consider to be my signature scent, which just happens to be Daisy by Marc Jacobs. I have been repurchasing this one for years and I always, always go back to it. Notes-wise it's the simplest of my three choices, with just Violet at it's heart, Wild Strawberries at the top and White Woods Accord at the base. Again, it's really fresh and clean which is obviously what I look for in a scent. I would say, although the notes don't really agree, that this is my most floral choice. It's also probably the sweetest, but it is not at all too sweet as those sort of scents give me a headache. Either way, this particular fragrance has many warm memories linked to it and I think that is one of my favourite things about scents.

It's so lovely making so many new memories with my new choices, and I love that scent has such an effect on people - as does things like music or items of clothing. It's very nostalgic which I think in the age of social media, taking pictures of everything and rarely living in the moment that is quite a lovely thing.

K|xo

The Easitest DIY: Lights in a Jar

Now I am not a do-it-yourself kind of gal. I can't change a tyre, I can't put up a picture, heck I can't even iron. So when it comes to DIY's I need things that are simple, but effective.

I'd seen this one floating around Pinterest and other blogs, and frankly I'm not even sure I can refer to this as a DIY it's so easy but I really did do it myself, so we'll go with it. Around Christimastime I am all about being festive and decorating my room; I get out the glitter, the holly and the fairy lights. I usually string up a some multicoloured fairy lights around the perimeter of my room for the ultimate in Christmas festivities but this year I thought i'd try something else too.

So I bought this Ribbed Cookie Jar from John Lewis and I purchased the battery operated fairy lights from a company I had never heard of before but actually am now in love with you. Lights4Fun do all the lights you could ever imagine you wanted in your home, and then some. They have your bog-standard fairy lights, they have light-up stars, retro hollywood bulbs and everything in between. I'd seen the ones I decided to use on a lot of blogs in the copper style and thought about going for that colour but eventually decided that I wanted the lights to do the talking so went for the silver instead. 

I chose the White LED Micro Battery Fairy Lights which are on a wire, unlike your traditional fairy lights but that is important to mention. If you're considering making one of these you need to get the lights on wire otherwise they'll all just sink to the bottom - unless that is the look you're going for.

I love my little light-jar now, it's so pretty and when it's becoming dusk it acts as somewhat of a nightlight. If you had children this would be a really cheap but lovely way to make them a nightlight for their bedroom. By using the ribbed jar it actually cascades some pretty patterns on the wall it sits next to too. Either way, it's been a lovely addition to my little home and actually looks very pretty even when it's not all lit up.

K|xo

Switching Up My Eyebrows with Anastasia

I have always, constantly heard make-up artists and beauty gurus going on about how actually it's your eyebrows that are the window to your soul. How we should all be filling them correctly, creating the perfect arch and keeping everything in place. Now, up until a couple of months ago I really did think that was all rubbish. I kept my brow hairs in place with a gel but that was about it. It wasn't until I got sick of hearing all about this Anastasia and her Brow Wiz that i thought maybe there could be something to all of it.

I purchased the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Taupe, which is the lightest shade aimed for blondes, from BeautyBay. It's a dual-ended contraption with the, what do we call it, the pencil(?) on one end and a spoolie on the other. The spoolie is actually really good, it's long with shorter bristles making it super easy to brush your brows into place and to shape them with the end. I also love that the pencil part is very, very small. It makes it much easier to almost feather on and stops me from using too much product and getting the shape exactly how I want it. It's a waxy consistency meaning that it stays in place all day, especially in the John Lewis recycled warm air.

It's still definitely no pro, they never look the same twice but i'm almost always happy with them and practice makes perfect! However, that is all me and none of the product's fault. Sometimes i do get about brow happy and they become more of a Scouse brow than a Cambridge brow but I feel much more confident now. When i look back on pictures I can see what a difference they make to my face and my look.

K|xo