It's Been A While...

Hey lovely people!

Oh how I've missed writing to you all. I'm so sorry I've not posted, but I have been ill... and I have quite literally not been able to lift my head off my pillow, never mind use a computer. But I am back to full health, ready and raring to go with some fresh new blog posts... as well as catching up on my Instagram Photo-A-Day Challenge! 

So to ease me back into it, I have decided to do the Lip Product Addict Tag. I watched Amelia Liana & Essie Button's collab video on youtube and just thought it was the perfect tag for me, seen as I am a self-confessed Lip Product Addict. 

Enough of the jibber jabber and onto the tag:

1. Favourite balm/ treatment?

I'm a girl with simple taste, and you don't get more simple and brilliant than Vaseline. I love the plain old original you get in those enormous tubs and I love the dainty little tins, with rose or aloe vera. They are brilliant little budget products that do a great job for me. 

2. Best eye-catching red?

This is my absolute fave red lipstick. I wore it on my Wedding Day and it cost £1. It was a random purchase when I was in Superdrug one day... and it is still my absolute favourite. It's an MUA lisptick in shade 13. I have gone through several (as you would imagine with a cheaper product) and it never disappoints. Is it cheap? Yes! Does it have good staying power? Well... certainly not as much as a luxury brand. How's the pigment? Amazeballs!!! Need I say more???

3. Best luxury & best drugstore?

Ok so aside from the above lippy I was talking about, my other favourite "Drugstore" product is from Bourjois. It is their new Shine Edition Lipsticks in the shade Beige Demographic. It's a super shimmery lipstick with lip balm qualities so your lips feel really plump and nourished when you're wearing it. I love it. 

As far as luxury goes I don't really know if this would qualify as luxury, although it certainly feels luxurious on my lips. It's Liz Earle's Sheer Lip Gloss in the shade Guava 02. It's really a beautiful product that glides on your lips and doesn't have that horrible tacky sensation. It's pretty and long lasting and feels just lovely when you're wearing it.

4. Best MAC lipstick?

Ok, so I don't actually own any MAC products whatsoever and this is due to the fact that they haven't confirmed that they don't test their products on animals. They are owned by Estée Lauder, who DO test on animals, therefore I do not, and I will not ever buy a MAC product. 

5. The most disappointing?

Mmmm... this is a hard one. I can't say I've been disappointed by many lip products, except maybe some tacky lip glosses I happen to have collected over the last few years. I love the look they give... but I hate the feeling they leave on my lips! :(

6. Liner, yes or no?

Yes! Not only does it make your lips look better when you apply your lipstick... but if you apply your liner all over your lips, it acts as a sort of primer and means your lip colour lasts longer! It's a win win!!! :)

7. Best gloss?

Has to be the Liz Earle one I mentioned above! 

8. Something extra?

I decided to use this last question to mention my most lusted after lip product. It is (of course) the beautiful Classic Cream Lipstick in the shade Red 620 from Dolce & Gabbana. I have been in love with this lipstick since seeing it for the 1st time in Vogue a few months ago. It is everything I would want in a lipstick and more. I can't describe how much I want it! I just hope my hubby keeps that in mind when my birthday comes round next week. :)

So that was fun lovelies. :) I hope you enjoyed reading my ramblings. Again I am super sorry for my disappearing act and I vow to try my hardest to keep up with my blogging.

Take care lovelies. x

A Little Birthday Wishlist

Hey lovely people, 

So I know I said I would post 3 times a week, but this week has been exceptionally busy and for that reason I haven't really had much computer time. However, I have a spare 10 minutes this morning and thought I would share a little wishlist post for my upcoming 29th birthday next month. It is of course an enormous hint to my hubby, so hopefully he gets the message loud and clear. :)

1:

This is Model 4018 from Sekonda, as part of the new Editions range. I saw it for the first time last night while watching "Fearne and McBusted" and I just love it. I've been looking at watches for so long, and had my eye on a few including some Michael Kors ones that were just gorgeous, but I really loved this one instantly and it's only £39.99... so BARGAIN!!! 

2:

I can't say enough about this genius cleanser from Liz Earle. I have been using it for 1 years and I have literally no complaints whatsoever. My skin feels so fresh and clean and fantastic when I use this, so naturally I run out a lot. It's £14.95 for the 100ml pump directly from Liz Earle or you can get two 100ml pumps from QVC for £28. :) 

3:

I have been dreaming about this gorgeous lippy since reading the April Vogue (UK edition). It has been on my wishlist since then, but I still haven't managed to justify the £24 price tag to my hubby. He just doesn't understand the importance of me having this gorgeous piece in my collection. I wonder if he ever will!!! :(

4:

My 4th item is these slim fitting boyfriend jeans from Simply Be. I'm generally a dark jean kinda gal, but I really love these. they are super cute and will look fab with a pair of pumps & a tee... my fave kind of outfit. They are £35. 

5:

The 5th and final item on my wishlist is this little treat of a tv show. :) It is my new favourite... and is AMAZEBALLS! I have quite seriously watched all 4 seasons on a loop on Sky & Netflix, and I just can't get enough. It is available from Play at £29.99 for all 4 of the current seasons.

So there you have it. I don't think I'm asking for too much...

Take care lovelies. x

A Nail Polish Overload!

Hey lovely people!

Today I thought I would share my recent nail polish purchases with you all. If you're anything like me, then you will understand the serious problem I have, with not being able to walk past a beauty counter without picking up at least 1 new polish. I am also not one for being fussed with named brands and prices etc... if I have tried it before or heard good things then I will be happy to buy it, regardless of whether its £1 or £10, so you should expect this from all the products I purchase. 

Anyway, here are a few snaps from each of the collections I've bought, with a little bit about how I've found them.

These lovely little pots of gorgeousness were bought from Watt Brothers and they were £0.69 each. Despite this ridiculously low price tag, they produce beautiful colours, with an exceptionally impressive formula, that goes on super smooth and leaves a lovely glossy finish. I have so far tried the grey (middle) and the pastel yellow. Both are just gorgeous, fresh spring colours. They made my nails look so strong and healthy and the W7 range are by far, my favourite polishes at the moment.

These are also available at Watt Brothers, and come in a pack of 3 with a nail art pen at a cost of £2.99 for the pack. They are sooo cute and dainty... just a third the size of the standard bottles above. Obviously with them pot being so small, the brush is also decreased in size which makes applying to the entire nail quite difficult. However, given that this little package comes with a nail pen, the purpose of them is that they are used primarily for that function, and not for painting the entire nail, therefore they do that job quite well indeed.

These little beauties were purchased as part of the recent 6 for £20 Models Own promotion. Due to having always had longish nails and never really wanting to part with the cash at the salon, I was curious if these bad boys would at least produce the lovely shine and durability of the "Gel" nail. They didn't disappoint. I've tried the Red, Nude & Turquoise shade so far and I love them. They last for days and days without even a sign of a crack or chip. However, much like the real "Gel" nail polish at the salon, they are horrendously difficult to get off... even after using an immense amount of O.P.I Polish Remover. I don't suppose that's a bad thing though, and only goes to prove how durable this formula actually is. 

Finally, I was drawn to these colours in my local pharmacy. It cost £2.99 for the entire pack of 6 which in itself is a great little bargain. However, it was actually the range of colours and vibrancy of them that made me pick them up. As expected, you do have to put at least 2... even 3 coats on before you see the same results as those in the pots. However, they are gorgeous, summery colours and just looking at them brings a smile to my face. So far, I have tried the mustard yellow (far left) and the lime green (2nd in from the right). They are both gorgeous on and will be ideal for all the summer BBQ's coming up in the next few months.

So there you have it lovely people. Sorry If I went on a bit about them, but I'm just really loving my nail polishes at the minute. My shelves are filled with all different brands and colours, ranging from the more expensive like O.P.I and Nails Inc. to fantastic little bargains like my W7 polishes. I just wanted to prove that you don't have to spend a fortune to find a great nail polish. The proof is shown above.

Take care lovelies. x

Liebster Award

Hey lovely people!

So yes I know I said that I wouldn't be back until tomorrow, but then I noticed that the truly lovely Vicki from Not The Pretty Girl had nominated me for the following award. 

To say I'm cheesied is an absolute understatement. It has quite literally made my day so much lovelier... so thank you so much lovely lady. 

So here are the technical details: (and the bit to copy onto your own post)

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A Liebster Award is an online award for those bloggers who have less than 200 followers (I used Bloglovin). It's passed on from blogger to blogger to show their appreciation and interest in your blog. 

The rules for the award are:

1. Acknowledge the blogger who nominated you and display the award logo.
2. Answer the 11 questions that the blogger gives you.
3. Give 11 random facts about yourself. 
4. Nominate 5-11 blogs that you think deserve the award and have less than 200 followers. 
5. Let the blogger know you are nominating them.
6. Give them 11 questions to answers.

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So here are the 11 questions that the lovely Vicki asked me:

1. What made you start your blog?

I initially started my blog as a Photography blog, where I could share the technical details and stories surrounding my photographs - but after reading so many other Fashion, Beauty & Lifestyle blogs, as well as getting really into Youtube, I decided that I would incorporate my whole life into it, as opposed to just my work... and I love it!!!

2. If you could choose a part of the world to live in, where would it be?

This is an easy one - NEW YORK!!! I've never been, but it has always been a dream of mine.

3. Do you still own any of your childhood toys? If yes, what is it?

I don't still own any of my childhood toys, but I do still have a lot of my childhood books. I just can't seem to let them go, and being a bit OCD with stuff like books, CD's and DVD's I don't really like ever throwing them out. 

4. What would your dream job be?

I'd love to be a majorly successful photographer, like Annie Leibovitz or Patrick Demarchelier - working in the fashion industry, and in major fashion magazines like Vogue and Vanity Fair!

5. What's your worst nightmare?

This is going to sound sick and morbid, but my biggest nightmare is that my husband dies before me. Selfish... probably... but I just know that If I ever lost him, my life wouldn't be worth living and I wouldn't be able to cope... So I hope I never have to. 

6. Favourite animal and why?

Dogs. And specifically my dogs. I have 2 Labrador's, Oscar and Bonnie and they are quite literally my babies. 

7. Favourite musical?

This is also easy... Hello Dolly!!! :) Who doesn't love Barbara Streisand and it's directed by Gene Kelly... I mean what isn't there to love about that movie?!?!

8. Do you believe in love at first sight?

Yes. I am a big believer in love itself... and I genuinely believe that you can know instantly if a person is worthy of your love from the instant you meet them. That's exactly how I met my husband... and 13 years later, I love him even more than I could ever imagine was possible. 

9. Famous person you would love to meet?

This is going to sound really sad to a lot of people... but I would love to meet and pick the brain of Aaron Sorkin. He is the brains behind the TV programme "The West Wing", and "Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip". These are my 2 favourite TV shows of alllllllllll time... and I have watched them over and over again to the point where I could quite literally play a part in them. He is a genius and I would love to be able to sit down with him. 

10. Favourite song right now?

I love "Imagine Dragons" new song "Demons" right now. I could listen to it all day. It's one of those songs that makes the hairs on your arm stand tall. 

11. What's your summer must have?

A good pair of sunnies (ray bans aviators are my current choice) along with some pastel and neon (yes I love both) nail colours. 

Here are the 11 random facts about me:

1. I am married to my high-school sweetheart!
2. I love... and collect fashion magazines!
3. I always have to have the volume on the TV or Radio at an even number!
4. I overuse exclamation marks in my texts and blog posts!!!
5. My favourite flower is a carnation!
6. I believe that the only way to listen to music is very LOUDLY!
7. I cannot watch horror movies... Or I will never sleep again for the rest of my life!
8. I am an insomniac. 
9. I cry... maybe... 5 or 6 times every day!
10. I have a very addictive personality - i.e shopping, gambling & internet is all done in excess!!!
11. I chose to be a photographer for the joy of taking photographs... NOT the earning potential!

So here are my Liebster award nominations: (which I have based on Bloglovin followers)

Deanna over at Tesori Belle

Harriet over at Makeup and Meringues

Scarlet over at Anxiously Bold

Clare over at Bee Happy & Healthy

Karen over at A Stitch To Wear

All of these ladies, have the most beautiful and inspirational blogs, with gorgeous photographs and loads of helpful hints and tips about makeup, fashion and life! 

Here are the questions I put to you, the award nominees:

1. What is your favourite part of blogging?
2. Who inspires you? 
3. What is the most exciting thing you have ever experienced?
4. What was the last book you read?
5. Are you an optimist or a pessimist... or somewhere in between?
6. What is the best life lesson you have ever learned/ been taught?
7. What piece of advice would you give to a newbie blogger?
8. Do you have any regrets?
9. Which 5 people would you invite to your celebrity dinner party and why? (Dead or alive)
10. What's your ultimate summer anthem?
11. Name each of your fave Hair, skin, makeup, nails & fashion items?

There you have it then lovely people. Thank you, thank you, thank you lovely Vicki for my nomination... you are a sweetheart and I love this award. :)

Take care lovelies. x

Snap Happy Tuesday - Some Recent Purchases

Hey there lovely people!

So it's Tuesday... and even though Wednesday gets a bad rep for being the worst day of the week (or hump day as they call it) I really really hate Tuesdays. They are rubbish, pointless days that make getting to the weekend even harder. However... this Tuesday is a great one... because I'm getting some new Models Own Nail Polishes delivered!!!

So in the spirit of new purchases, I thought I would share some photos of some of my new makeup, and the area in my bedroom where I keep it all. Not that images themselves are particularly technical, but the contents of them are truly beautiful (at least to me). Haha!

So anyway... here goes:

That was some of my new makeup purchases from Make-up Revolution, a new site I discovered through a fellow blogger. I am yet to give any of them a proper try yet, but will definitely report back with my findings. 

The rest of the images are just a few random shots of my make-up station. It's certainly nothing special but it is my own little piece of heaven, where I sit everyday to do my skincare routine, apply my makeup and style my hair. Sometimes, I sit there and don't do any of those things... I just admire all of its loveliness. :)

It really is quite a beautiful thing... A sad, and often expensive thing... but beautiful none the less. Hope you all enjoyed this version of Snap Happy Tuesday! :)

Take care lovelies. x

Spring Make-Up Tag

Hey there lovely people, 

So I didn't post yesterday as it ended up being a super busy day spent with my niece and nephew, so today I bring to you another Tag and this time it's all about Spring Make-Up... my new favourite topic. So without further ado, here is the tag.

1. Do you change up your makeup when Spring arrives? If so, please explain how?
As I've explained in previous posts, until recently I was very much in the dark about most make-up trends. However, I was always very conscious about keeping my makeup quite light and fresh in the warmer months, and experimented a bit more with deeper, darker colours in the colder, winter months and this continues to be the case.

2. What’s your fave Spring fragrance?
This is an absolute no brainer, it's my favourite fragrance for every season of the year - Just Pink from Next. 

3. What’s going to be your fave accessory this Spring?
I'm super into necklaces & chains again - exploring old costume jewellery I had locked away and forgotten about. So I think a few more purchases might be in order as like earrings, it really does add a little something more to your outfit. As well as that I'm thinking about finally investing in a pair of Ray-Bans. 

4. What’s going to be your most worn item of clothing this Spring?
Mmmm... Probably anything Coral! I'm absolutely loving that colour right now so yeah, probably that. 

5. What are your Top 3 fave Spring nail polishes?
Ok, so I have a Coral shade (did I mention that I like coral) from Sinful Colors which I adore, but I'm also loving the shade Hip Hop from Rimmel and Brompton Place from Nails Inc. They are all super bright and cheerful colours.

6. Do you prefer pumps or sandals in Spring?
Pumps definitely - Scotland is not really warm enough in the Spring to wear sandals. 

7. What's your fave lipstick colour for Spring?
Well red is always my fave and I think it's quite an easy colour to wear in all seasons... but I am loving peachy shades right now too.

8.  Are you a fake tanner or do you prefer the natural sunkissed look?
I am completely hopeless at applying fake tan... not to mention I have quite pigmented skin, so it doesn't go on well anyway... So the natural sunkissed look is the one for me!

9. What is your favourite drugstore and high end Spring inspired piece of makeup?
Fave drugstore make-up at the minute is the MUA lipsticks... they are like £1 and there are loads of beautiful fresh spring colours to choose from, including the Peachy Keen Matte Lipstick I was referring to before. My fave high end piece would have to be my Bare Minerals Powder - It's feels super nice and light on the skin and gives me a fresh and healthy complexion. I love it!

10. What's your fave Spring colour this season & do you have your eye on any specific clothing pieces?
So as I said earlier and several times in previous posts, I love coral this spring! It's just such a beautiful and vibrant colour without being too in your face. I love how even somebody like me, with very pale skin, suits it. Whether it's on my nails or a piece of clothing... It is the ultimate spring colour for me! 

Ok so there's my Spring Make-Up Tag for all you lovely people... why don't you get involved and do your own.

Take care lovelies. x

April Photo Challenge - Day 3 - "Brushes"

Hey lovely people!

Today's submission is "Brushes" and I shall keep it short and sweet as I've already done an immense amount of jabbering today. So here you go:

Take care lovelies! x

April Photo Challenge - Day 1 - "What I Used..."

Hey lovely people! 

Starting from today, I have decided to take part in a photo-a-day challenge for April, created by the lovely Alice from the blog Super Gorgeous.

I have always wanted to do one of these challenges, not only because they are fun but because it encourages me to get my camera out EVERYDAY as opposed to just when I'm working, and it's a chance to really hone my skills and try to be as creative as possible with my daily entries. 

So on that note, here is the monthly challenge in all it's glory, along with today's submission.

Face - BodyShop Moisturising Foundation, Sheer Cover Concealer, Victoria Jackson Blusher, Avon Pressed Powder
Eyes - MUA Undress Me Too Palette, NO7 Brown Eyeliner
Lips - MUA Matte Peachy Keen, Carmex Lip Balm
Nails - Sinful Colors Ruby Ruby, Rimmel Finishing Touch Ultra Shine

This may seem like a lot of makeup for one face - but my foundation gives a very sheer finish and the powder I use is almost translucent. The eyeshadow can be as light or heavy as I want, all I have to do is build up the colour, and add as much or as little of my eyeliner. The peach matte lipstick is so subtle that it improves the natural colour of the lips and makes them look fuller. 

As you can see, it's not super heavy. It's really more of an everyday look, easy to do and effective enough that my skin isn't exactly bare, but certainly not caked in products. 

Anyway,  just so you know, you can expect an extra post each day, showcasing that days photo challenge, with a short description of how the photo came about, much like this post.

Take care lovelies. x

Friday Faves - Budget Beauty

Hey there lovely people!

Instead of doing my usual Friday Faves, I thought I would share my current budget beauty faves with you. I've recently bought a few new products and wanted to share them with you, as well as showcasing some of the products I've been using lately.

So here goes... I must warn you, it's a bit of a photo heavy post. :)

I couldn't resist the new MUA Matte lipsticks. I got the shades Totally Nude, Peachy Keen, Scarlet Siren & Pouty Pink.

This is the colours in all their glory. How gorgeous are they??? The colours are lovely and provide a lovely pigment on your lips, but because they're matte, they are quite drying on the lips. To combat this, I suggest moisturising your lips and perhaps adding some lip balm or Vaseline on top of your lipstick. Seriously though, at £1 each, you just can't go wrong with these little beauties.

These are just the standard MUA Lipsticks, in shade 1 (which is the darker of the 2) and shade 13. I already have these lipsticks but use them sooooo much that I needed to stock up on them.  Again they are just £1!!!

I just love them!!! Again, like the Matte ones above, these just feel lovely and luxurious on your lips. Pretty amazing for such a cheaply priced product.

Now because I wear a lot of lipsticks, I need to keep my lips moisturised and nourished, and these little products do that job for me. The Vaseline is a giant tub that I keep beside my bed and use every night. The EOS is a little treat I carry in my bag and the Carmex is a new purchase. I had never tried it before, but my sister-in-law whipped hers out of her bag the other day and the smell was intoxicating, so I had to get myself one. I love it because not only does it smell amazing, but it makes my lips tingle ever so slightly that I feel as though it's improving my pout. Only downside is the taste.

This is a new purchase as I really struggle to take off my eye makeup without my eyes stinging (they are super sensitive). I love Rimmel products and read a few good reviews about this one so I will be sure to report back as soon as I've given it a try.

This is a new product for me too. I currently use the BodyShop Moisturising foundation and I love it, but I wanted to give this a go because of all the fantastic reviews it's gotten from all the blogs and Youtubers I follow. I got it in the shade Light Porcelain because I am super pale, and I must admit, I didn't like it as much as my BodyShop one. It does feel nice on the skin and there is good coverage, but it's not as moisturising as I would have liked it to be.

So I saw somebody recently review this palette and they likened to to the Urban Decay Naked 2 palette. This was the only palette of the 3 Naked collections that I really liked as it's all of my favourite eyeshadow colours, so for £4 I thought why not! I've taken a few swatches, and despite the price they are really nice and quite pigmented. I really look forward to giving them a try & will let you know how I get on.

This is nothing new to my faves, in fact as I've mentioned in previous posts, this is my absolute all time favourite perfume. I know it's probably nothing special to a lot of people, but I just love it! The bigger bottle is actually my miniature version which I use on a daily basis, and despite never really having to top up, I carry my little tester size in my handbag for an extra little hit throughout the day. This is just £12 for the full size and totally worth the money in my opinion!

Finally, this is a current fave of mine from the Soap & Glory collection. It's a moisturising body spray that not only leaves your skin feeling so soft and supple, but smells AMAZING! I just love spraying this over my arms and décolletage after coming out of the shower. It is simply divine! 

So that's my current beauty faves, in all of their glory! I didn't include my Clinique skin care as I spoke a bit about that in a recent post and didn't want to bore you all. Also, they aren't really budget products are they??? 

I'll be giving all of my newly bought products a good and thorough test over the weekend and will definitely be getting back to you with my thoughts and experience with them.

I hope you have a brilliant weekend, and will be back to you tomorrow with my Saturday Tag post!

Take care lovelies. x