Quick Everyday Make Up

Hey guys, I thought I would do a video on my everyday quick make up routine. This is a really simple routine that I do when I'm not really going out anywhere or I just have to pop to the shops etc. In other words, this could be my "Study leave make up routine" haha.

 After I moisturise my face I work a pea-sized amount of 17's BB Cream (in Light) evenly into my skin, making sure to blend it out around the neck and hairline. I've had this since Christmas and I've been using it a lot recently. At first I used it as a primer under foundation but that made my face feel quite cakey so I just used my foundation. I hardly wear foundation now because I don't think it really improves the appearance of my skin but this BB cream definately does. It brightens up my face and tones down the redness of any blemishes and gives me that nice, dewy finish without making me look shiny. I think this product is really good quality for the price considering there are loads of high end BB creams double the price. Even my dad commented that I looked pretty this morning after I had done this routine but I guess since he's my dad he's always supposed to think I look pretty ;p

 This must be my 6th or 7th of this Rimmel Hide the Blemish Concealer in Ivory. I have been using this since I began to get spots, my mum told me to put it on after I had washed my face because it helps to dry out the spots whilst covering them up and she was right! This is definately one of my "wonder products" I have never used anything else and I doubt I ever will because this does such a good job! There's a reason why it's one of Rimmel's most popular products.

 I'm sorry for the state of the packaging on this but if any of you use it you'll know that it rubs off within a week of purchase! Other than that it works really well. This is the Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer in Fair. This is a cult product amongst bloggers and beauty youtubers alike and for the price it really is amazing. I use this under my eyes to conceal any dark circles or puffiness and the coverage is brilliant. I've used other concealers which are a bit watery compared to this but I think it's the thickness that makes it work so well.

 Sometimes if I feel my make up has gone on a bit flat, I use Benefit's High Beam on my cheekbones and brow bones to give my face some dimension and a nice glow. I'm currently using a sample size that I got about a year ago and it really does last ages. Once I'm finished I'm not sure if I would buy another one or look for a cheaper alternative because it is quite pricey for a highlighter.

 This is another product that I repurchase over and over again because the quality is just so good especially when it's so cheap! I use Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in Pink Blossom on my t-zone after I've used concealer to set my make up and also because my nose and chin area tend to get quite shiny during the day.

Finally, I use a blusher to perk up my complexion and I find that this is what really makes me look fresh and glowy. At the moment I'm using Cynthia Rowley for Avon Blush in Peony Pink. I got this a while ago and I think it might have been limited edition because I can't find it anywhere. I love this blush because it's a really nice girly pink and has some irridescent particles in it which gives my cheeks a lovely rosy glow.

So, that's it for my quick and simple make up routine! I think this look would be perfect for school if you're not allowed to wear too much make up but you just want to look fresh or for a relaxing weekend when you don't want to have to fuss with tons of make up. I hope you liked this and I'll be doing more make up routines soon! Adios!

Review: Herbal Essences Soft Waves Intensive Mask

So, today I had my first exam and it surprisingly went alright. Not great but not a total disaster. One down, two to go!

Last night I had a shower to calm my nerves so I would get a good night's sleep before my exam and I used up the last of this Herbal Essences Tousle Me Softly Soft Waves Intensive Mask so I thought I would do a review on it.
As with all the Herbal Essences products it smells absolutley amazing. So fruity and fresh and afterwards you definately get whiffs of this off your hair throughout the day. Does it do what it says though? I have naturally curly, wavy hair which has a tendency to be quite dry and frizzy so I need something quite moisturising to keep my hair soft and smooth down my flyaway frizz. I don't know if this mask would give you wavy, tousled hair if your hair was naturally straight, probably not, but it definately makes my hair really soft and feeling refreshed which is exactly what I need. I would recommend this product if you're looking for something to keep your hair soft and manageable. Plus, Boots is doing a 2 for £5 offer on selected Herbal Essences so it would be a good time to try some of their products.

What are your favourite hair treatments? Any recommendations for a new hair treatment for me to try?

Exam Time: Studying 101

my desk at the moment and the little things that get me through!

As most of you are no doubt experiencing, the dreaded exams are on the way or are already here for some of you. While I can't give advice on how to study because that's a really personal thing, people's minds don't work in the same way etc, I can tell you how I make studying a little bit easier and less stressful. Hopefully this video will help you out a little bit at this crazy time of year.

Water: When you're studying you'll probably be indoors unless it's particularly nice outside. Some of you will be in a library and if it's anything like my university library they will have the air conditioning blasting! This is why you need to make sure that you stay hydrated and that you drink lots of water whilst you study. This will also refresh your brain and help to keep your skin from getting too dried out.

Snacks: I know that sometimes you can get so wrapped up in studying (I wish!) that you can go for hours without having anything to eat. This is not a good idea because it will make you feel sluggish and not want to study anymore. Therefore, it's important that you eat at your regular mealtimes, try to eat things with as much nutrients in them as possible and I don't mean dieting or anything like that, I mean eat lots of oily fish and lean meats because they're good for your brain and your metabolism which can slow down if you're not moving about so much, fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds and a little bit of chocolate or something sweet when you need a sugar boost. What I like to do when I'm feeling like I'm flagging is have a banana to give me energy and a low fat yoghurt to fill me up till the next meal. Also, I know I shouldn't but I like to have a bag of sweets (Percy Pigs anyone?) open to give me something to chew on while I'm studying.

Breaks: It is so important for you to divide up your studying with breaks. There just comes a point where your brain needs a rest to sort through all the information that's been crammed into it otherwise it can't process anything else. I recommend going for a short walk, the fresh air can clear your mind and the exercise will wake you up a bit. Or do some housework. Sounds odd but it's amazing how soothing hanging up the washing or tidying you room can be after concentrating on studying for so long. Also, your mum will love you for it! haha

Tea & Coffee: Ok, so I know this is not usually recommended because people tend to abuse the caffeine qualities of these drinks but I think a little is fine. I would recommend a cup of coffee during the afternoon when you've been studying for quite a while and your brain gets tired, take a 5 minute break to make yourself a coffee to revive yourself. A cup of tea can do wonders if you begin to panic about exams or if you just feel overwhelmed. Go make yourself a cup of tea and take deep breaths, when you come back to your work you'll be ready to get back into the game.

Stationery: I know some people will think that this is petty but I think it works. If you have nice stationery and pens you'll want to use them! And once you've made your study notes all pretty you'll want to look at them to admire your handywork!

Hopefully some of these tips make studying easier for you and I wish you every success in your exams. Good Luck! And don't let the studying get you down! x x x
P.S. Let me know if you have any other studying tips, I can never have enough!

My Special Occasion Scents

 From left to right: Christian Lacroix for Avon Nuit, Miss Sixty Rock Muse & Cynthia Rowley for Avon Petal

Ok, so today I'm continuing with my perfume collection. These ones are perfumes that are either really expensive so I don't want to use them up too quickly, are night perfumes that are too heavy for daytime or are relatively new and I'm waiting till I've finished another before I start using it.

Christian Lacroix for Avon Nuit: I got this as a gift at Christmas and I really like this. Incase you can't tell by the name this is one of my nighttime perfumes because it is slightly too heavy for everyday use. This is quite floraly but has a lot of musk in it which makes it smell quite sweet but luxurious.

Miss Sixty Rock Muse: I've had this perfume for quite a long time now and I always seem to forget that I have it. This might be because at first I didn't really like it, I thought it smelled a bit powdery and old fashioned. However once the initial scent dies down a bit you're left with a nice warm spicy scent, perfect for the winter months.

Cynthia Rowley for Avon Petal: This I'm ashamed to say is another forgotten fragrance :( Once I have finished one of my other everyday scents, I'll be using this because it is perfect for spring/summer. It is a very floraly scent and by this I mean it quite literally smells like flowers, think rose with a hint of baby powder.

From left to right: Jennifer Aniston, Vera Wang Princess, Yves San Laurent Parisian, DKNY Be Delicious Pink Blossom

Jennifer Aniston: I asked for this perfume for my Christmas. I remember standing in Boots testing out all the celebrity perfumes and they all kind of smelled similar until I tried Jennifer Aniston. This is a soft, floral, sophisticated perfume which captures the laid back yet grown up California girl that Jennifer Aniston embodies.

Vera Wang Princess: I don't think any girl could ever pass up Vera Wang Princess just based on the bottle alone. This scent is quite sweet but has a heavier undertone. I think this is quite a grown up fragrance and is the perfect transition from those sugary sweet teen fragrances to a more sophisticated scent.

YSL Parisian:I love this perfume. It's sweet and floraly with a citrus vibe too. This is one of those perfumes that lasts all day and I can even smell it on my scarf months after I've worn it. My little sister says that it reminds her of my scarves :).

DKNY Be Delicious Pink Blossom: I picked this up in duty free last year and I decided to try it out because my mum has tried them all and she especially likes the original Be Delicious. This one isn't as citrusy as the original but is still very fresh with a slight floral hint. This is a perfect everyday fragrance.

From left to right: Boss Orange, Ghost Cherish, Santuary Spa Classic

Boss Orange: I absolutely adore this perfume! I even had to stop myself from using it so much so I didn't run out of it! This has a fruity, scent with a whole lot of musk or amber thrown in which gives it a warm, sultry edge. Thinking of taking this on holiday with me.

Ghost Cherish: This perfume is another one of those that lasts for ages. This is really fruity and citrusy but has a floral and musk undertone. My little sister says that this is the perfume that reminds her most of me :)

Sanctuary Spa Classic: I got this in one of the Christmas gift sets and haven't really used it much because it's still growing on me. This is very spicy and warm, almost theraputic probably because its from Sanctuary Spa. I do like this fragrance I'm just not too sure when to wear it. Maybe a nighttime perfume for summer.

Sorry, this post was incredibly long but I do have a lot of perfume and I don't really finish perfumes all that much so they tend to stack up. Hope this has given you some ideas for a new perfume. Adios!

Perfume Collection: Everday Scents

from left to right: Ghost Sweetheart, Avon Bali Bliss, Versace Red Jeans, Miss Sixty Summer,

Ralph Lauren Cool, Britney Spears Curious

 

Alrighty, today I'm going to go through my everyday scents and do a little review on them.

 

Ghost Sweetheart: This perfume was a gift from my boyfriend a few years ago and as you can see I'm nearly finished it! This is a really sweet scent with hints of vanilla and musk and a teeny bit floraly. I'm a big fan of the Ghost perfumes and will probably go back to this in years to come.

 

Avon Bali Bliss: I originally bought this perfume as a dupe for Escada's Pacific Paradise which was my favourite perfume until I realised that it was limited edition and had been discontinued :( This is a nice sweet scent with a tropical lilt. It's very fruity and fresh with a hint of coconut which I love. This is the one that I carry in my bag at all times because it wasn't very expensive and I won't be too upset if it leaks or breaks. Plus it smells so good I want to spritz it all the time!

 

Versace Red Jeans: I have had this perfume for ages. In fact I think this was the first perfume that I saved up my money and bought for myself. This is the heaviest of my everyday scents but still has a sweet undertone. I like to wear it on colder days because it has a warmth behind the sweetness that keeps me cosy.

 

Miss Sixty Summer: This is probably the lightest perfume that I own. I like to wear this on days when I don't want my perfume to be too noticeable but I still want to feel fresh and clean. I think this perfume is discontinued so maybe I'll hang on to it for a little bit longer.

 

Ralph Lauren Cool: This was one of those scents that I wanted for a very long time and I finally got it as an Easter gift one year. I had originally smelled a sample of it in Teen Vogue and I knew I had to have it because every time I flicked the pages that scent reached out to me lol This is a very citrusy, fruity scent which makes it perfect for the summer time. I don't really have too much of this left but I might take it on holiday as my day perfume because the bottle is quite small and easy to pack.

 

Britney Spears Curious: I'm pretty sure every girl has had a Britney Spears perfume at some point in their life. This was the very first one that Britney brought out and I've had it for a really long time. When I first got it I loved the bottle with the little charm on it and kind of just spritzed the scent on without any thought. Now I've grown up a bit I can really appreciate that this is a lovely perfume. It's floraly and musky with a slight powdery smell but I really like it. In fact I pretty much love all the Britney Spears perfumes. I think in the celebrity perfume market hers are the best, they don't smell tacky or cheap and I look forward to trying them all.

 

Oops, I got a bit carried away here! I'll be doing a review on my more expensive perfumes later on which will probably be in two installments just because well, I have a lot! Adios chicas!

Weekly Round-Up # 6

1. So, first of all I got my hair cut! It was just too long, my spilt ends kept making massive tangles in my hair and my hair was so heavy that if I had my hair in a bun or a high ponytail, my scalp would hurt from the weight of it! I used this photo of Zooey Deschanel to let the hairdresser know how I wanted my fringe because her hair is beautiful. I'm really happy that I cut a good chunk off my hair because now my hair feels healthy and in good condition and I can run my fingers through it without getting in a huge mess of hair!
2. This week I have started to run out of patience with some of my group project work for uni. Do you ever get told to work with some people and you realise that there's just no common ground between the both of you? Seriously frustrating when you're trying to work with someone who is totally not on your wavelength.
3. The upstairs of my house has just been recarpeted so on Wednesday and Thursday the place looked like an utter bombsite, we had to condensce 4 rooms into 2. At one point I had 3 beds in my room! As we were moving the furniture I had a big clearout, I got rid of tons of clothes (my wardrobe looks so neat now!) and books that I had read and had no reason to keep them and just general clutter. Can't wait to go for a browse round Primark when I get paid next week! Although I have been well warned that I better not just replace the stuff that I threw out!
4. My finished product of the week this time round is Miss Sixty Elixir perfume. I've had this for ages and I really like the Miss Sixty perfumes even though they are aimed at teens but the price is very reasonable and they smell good so what's not to like? Elixir is a sultry but sweet scent with an oriental unertone which lasts quite a long time on the skin. I loved this perfume and I'm so sad that it seems to have been discontinued in Boots and other major perfume stores (why does this always happen to me?!). I have Miss Sixty Summer (which I cannot find online at all!) which is a lovely sweet and fresh scent and I wear it at least once a week. Finally I have Miss Sixty Rock Muse which I didn't really like at first, I thought it smelled a bit heavy and powdery like an "old lady" perfume but that dies away after a minute or two and it's just a really nice sultry frangrance.
I'll probably do a Perfume Collection post this week because I'm really into my perfume at the moment, for a while I actually used to forget about perfume in the whole getting ready process but now I like to match it to my mood or who I'm going to be meeting that day etc.
See you soon folks!

Review: The Body Shop Banana Shampoo & Conditioner

Hey guys! Been a while since I got down to some "real" blogging but I've planned out some posts for the next week, so you should see some more soon.

Anyway, lets get on to the review! I bought this shampoo and conditioner in October because I was looking for something different. My mum suggested The Body Shop's Banana Shampoo and Conditioner because she said that she used to use it all the time and it made your hair really soft.

I've used this shampoo and conditioner pretty much every time I washed my hair apart from a small spell around Christmas where I was using some different products, so these products last quite a while (I wash my hair every second day and use about a 50 pence sized amount of both each time, just for perspective!).

I know that some people would find the banana scent of the shampoo and conditioner a bit overpowering but I really like sweet, fruity smells. It doesn't scent your hair too much but during the day you get a lovely waft of banana when you swish your hair! I really like the shampoo for its cleansing properties, I know that some shampoos can build up in your hair and weigh it down but this one really cleans your hair, especially at the roots. The conditioner is super moisturising and would be good for dry/damaged hair. Also, the shop assistant mentioned that banana shampoo is meant to be really good for blonde hair so maybe it helped bring out my natural highlights, not that I noticed much difference in my colour.

I'll most likely re-purchse these products in the future because I love the smell but I like to switch-up my shampoo and conditioner just so my hair doesn't get used to it and it stops working.

Look out for more review videos and some FOTDs!