Currently...

I can't believe it's July already. I know it's a cliche, and everyone feels this way but it feels as though it was only March yesterday. This month has been a stressful one full of hard work and nerves. I began working full time for the rest of summer, and I found out my results for my HND in Social Sciences - I got an AB which means I get to go to university in September to study psychology - so I'm extremely relieved too!
Now, normally, at this time of month bloggers will share all of their favourites of the month, however I don't have many of those for once (shock, I know). So instead, I'm going to run down a list of things I'm currently enjoying, and have been for the month of June. So, without further ado...

Currently Listening to: 
I created this playlist of all of the songs I've really been enjoying this month so I thought I'd share it with you! There's quite a mixture here, and there's a few songs from the Divergent soundtrack as I've been reading it - I really enjoy finding playlists made for the books I'm reading. Might sound weird buuuut I feel like it creates a good atmosphere for the story, and helps me get into the reading zone.



Currently Watching:

I didn't watch many movies this month, but one that really stood out to me was Hush. A thriller/horror revolving around a deaf/mute writer that lives pretty much in the middle of nowhere gets forced into a game of cat-and-mouse with a psychopath that tries to kill her. The movie is really well done, and although it takes some time to get going, it really kept me on the edge of my seat. I feel like these types of movies are overdone and it takes a lot to shock me, but I was really impressed!
As for TV, it is June which means that Big Brother is back on! I know that not everyone is a fan of this, but I'm a sucker for "crap" TV, what can I say? On that note, Home and Away and Neighbours were both amazing this month, with some brilliant storylines finally coming to a close. I was impressed with the outcome of the hotel explosion and I feel it was really well thought out, however I felt that the killer of Charlotte in Home and Away wasn't thought out at all and was a bit of a cop out. 
Finally, I've began watching The Magicians, and although I really didn't like it at first, the storyline started to heat up about 4 episodes in so I'm going to keep watching for now! 

Currently Reading:

I finished Divergent this month (the first book, not the series). It was a bit of a slow burner but eventually I found myself hooked - I prefer the movie but I'm definitely going to read the series as I can't wait to find out what happens next! I reccommend this for those of you that like young adult books that contain a bit of everything - some sci-fi, romance, action. It's not the most intense, but it still kept me coming back for more!
I've recently moved onto Me Before You by JoJo Moyes. Unless you've been living under a rock, you'll have seen the movie trailer for this. In all honesty, I forgot I even had the book but figured now would be the best time to read it! I'm not 100% sold on it yet, but despite the main focus of the book being quite sad, it still manages to be upbeat and funny. I like that Will has been created in a way that really shows how hard being in a wheelchair can be, as someone who has been affected by this, I appreciate the attention to detail.

If you're still here, I applaud you! Hope you enjoyed this layout, what are you currently enjoying?-x

Review: Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream

If you're anything like me, you might think that BB and CC creams aren't worth the money, and can't possibly do anything for your skin. These formulas tempt to be lighter in coverage and very hydrating, which isn't great if you're prone to bouts of redness like I am, or have oily skin like I do. With the warm weather here, I decided to switch out my heavier foundations for something a bit lighter - and having heard some rave reviews about the Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream, I decided to try it out!

Let's talk formula. As the name would suggest, this cc cream contains three different colours in order to correct any imperfections - apricot for anti-fatigue, green to combat redness and white to combat dark areas. The texture is slightly thicker than I expected but warms up on the back of the hand and becomes slightly runny, I assume this is to combat oxidisation as I've never had that issue with this, unlike other bases of this sort. Although the cc cream is thicker than most bb/cc creams, it is still very lightweight and blends seamlessly onto the skin. I would say this is hydrating, but not overpowering for the summer at all - just be sure to set it with some powder if you don't want that greasy look.

Ignore my messy hair. In the before picture you can see I have quite a bit of redness around the cheeks and blotches on my forehead which has been totally erased in the after picture - I was pleasantly surprised as I really didn't expect such good results. I do use a generous amount of product to have this amount of coverage but it still feels like nothing on the skin. This clings onto dry patches if I've been lazy with my skincare routine, so that's probably something to watch out for if you have particularly flaky skin - but it's nothing that a bit of exfoliant can't fix! This is perfect for making me look more awake, and as you can see it is exceptionally good at diffusing redness. Now, I'm not saying this is a miracle worker in the world of light to medium coverage bases - you will still need some concealer for particularly bad days but overall this is a real catch. Perfect for those days where you want to quickly slap some coverage on, and not have to worry about any imperfections peeking through midday. When I'm working, this lasts around 5 hours before it starts to wear off but can last way longer if I'm not up to much. It's important to note that I do work in a hot environment where I'm on my feet all day so I think 5 hours is pretty impressive.

The Bourjois CC Cream is perfect for totally evening out, and brightening the skin, while offering some protection with the addition of SPF 15. At first, I thought this was pretty pricey for a CC cream, but the coverage is very good and in my opinion, is totally worth the £9.99. You can find the Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream here.

Review: SEVENTEEN Doll'd Up Mascara

Having used the same mascara for a good few months, I thought it was about time I pop up a review on it. If you are looking for a mascara that separates and lengthens, while lasting throughout the day with no smudging or flaking, then the Doll'd Up mascara by Seventeen might be up your street!
Admittedly, I am someone who prefers waterproof formulas as I don't tend to trust 'normal' formulas not to transfer or even hold a curl. On first impressions, I thought this mascara was way too wet, and was sure it wouldn't work at all on me, and I was right at first but leaving the formula to dry a bit really makes a difference. I accidentally picked up the mascara in the brown shade, but it isn't noticeable on the lashes.

As you can see, this has a curved plastic wand with very fine 'bristles' which has been designed to totally avoid clumps and perfectly separate each individual lash. Now, since the mascara does focus more on separation and length, it lacks volume but I think that's fine for an everyday mascara.

As you can see from the before and after image above, the mascara definitely lengthens and defines the lashes. I know, it's nothing too dramatic but like I said, perfect for everyday wear. The above image is just one coat of mascara, but it can be built up for a more dramatic effect if you wish. I already have quite long lashes, as you can see in the second photo but I imagine this would be perfect for those of you with shorter lashes. 

My one gripe with this mascara is that it claims to hold a curl for 24 hours. It's more like 24 seconds on me, I'm actually amazed that my eyelashes behaved themselves so that I could take the pictures! I have seen this mascara result in a lovely, lasting curl on other people but I'm afraid it isn't quite strong enough to hold my stubborn downward-pointing lashes. I will say that the lengthening aspect of the mascara gives a lovely brightening effect to the lower lashes, leaving the eyes looking more open.

Overall, the mascara isn't groundbreaking or anything, but it is lovely for naturally enhancing your lashes. As I said, I didn't have much luck with the curling aspect of the mascara but I definitely appreciated how much more awake my eyes look after using it. I've heard many people rave about this mascara, and I'm a bit disappointed that it hasn't really impacted my lashes in a can't-live-without-it sort of way but at £6.29, you can't complain too much.

You can find the Seventeen Doll'd Up Mascara here

Have you tried this? Let me know if you got on better (or worse) with it! -x

Beauty Haul + Swatches

Today I'm bringing you what is essentially a part two from last week's post where, instead of showing more clothes, I'm bringing you make-up items. Now, don't get me wrong, I do like clothes but make-up is where my heart truly lies. There's nothing better than finding that perfect shade of lipstick that hasn't been tampered with that just screams 'take me home!', then actually getting home, and dipping your brush into that perfectly smooth eyeshadow that you kind of don't want to ruin but do want to ruin all the same. Enough daydreaming about make-up and all it's beauty and lets actually talk about it, shall we?

At the time of browsing, Collection had an 'everything for £2.99' sale on so it would've been rude not to take advantage of that. First, I picked up their Speedy Blush stick in Cheeky (swatches below) which is a very sheer, almost gel-like blush which is a bright, peachy coral shade which blends really nicely and are supposed to give a healthy glow to the face. They've even been likened to the Clinique Chubby Stick Cheek Balms, but these are a fraction of the price.

I then picked up their Eyes Uncovered Palette in Nude Bronze. I picked this up because I don't have eyeshadow shades exactly like this, and I've heard such good things about it. The colours in the palette are exactly as the title would suggest and I'm sure I'll get a lot of use out of this for creating a gorgeous, gold smokey eye during the day.

Next, is a nail polish from Barry M's new Coconut Infusion collection, in the shade Laguna - a beautiful, light cornflower blue shade. Unfortunately, the nail polishes don't smell of coconut but they do give an incredibly smooth and shiny finish. They don't last particularly long, but nothing does on me so I can't really complain too much!

The last item from Collection (not entirely sure why I didn't picture each brand together) is their Deluxe Lipstick in Tallulah - a gorgeous muted pink. This shade actually reminds me of MAC's Please Me. It's a very wearable shade for this time of year, and will lighten up any makeup look.

Next, I picked up another Barry M offering (which was also on offer - woo), which is their Lip Liner in 6, which is a chocolate brown shade. I haven't had the courage to sport this yet, but from my swatch it is absolutely beautiful, and very 'in' for the 90's vibe.

Last, but not least is from Rimmel's Lasting Finish Nude Collection in the shade 45. This shade is quite pigmented on me, and gives a gorgeous deep nude shade to the lips with a slight rosey undertone. I've been loving this type of shade and it's a welcome replacement for my almost-finished Maybelline lip pencil in Nude Perfection. This is super comfortable to wear and lasts a surprisingly long time on the lips!

From left to right: Collection Speedy Blush Stick in Cheeky; Barry M Lip Liner in shade 6, Collection Deluxe Lipstick in Tallulah and Rimmel Nude Collection in 45

Hope you enjoyed this two-part haul! Have you tried any of these? -x

Fashion Haul!

I'm sure I'm not the only one, but I much prefer shopping for clothes in the winter because that just suits my style - thick fabrics and dark colours? Right up my street. However, this can be somewhat of an issue in warmer months, as no one wants to be wearing a chunky knit in the sun, so I decided to hit up the sales and spend some money. Now, I'm not someone who enjoys clothes shopping very much - all that runs through my head is 'do i really need that?' however, this time the answer was yes, yes I do. Now that I've bored you with a mandatory opening paragraph, lets get on with it (this could be a long one).

I first landed in H&M, where I found this dark grey vest top with some type of bull-like animal (?) on it. The fabric is super soft and it hangs really nicely. Perfect for if you're having a 'i just ate a share bag of doritos and a full pizza to myself' day (don't lie, you've been there), as this will just flow right over everything! I'm pretty sure this was around the £4 mark on sale!

I then found this gorgeous sleeveless roll-neck top. I've been looking for something red to add to my wardrobe as I don't have anything that colour - which is surprising since it is my favourite. The top is ribbed and slightly stretchy, the fabric feels like it would be warm since it's quite a tight fit - not 'tight' as in too big but more it just holds everything in 'tight' but it's a breathable material so I'm sure I'll manage. As if the gorgeous colour wasn't enough, this was only a fiver! I would love this with some black high waisted jeans and heels for a night out, or with a leather jacket during the day.

Finished with H&M I went to Miss Selfridge which was a slight disappointment as everything was slightly too pastel and girly for me. Don't get me wrong, all of that is gorgeous but it doesn't really suit my style at the moment. However, I did stumble across this boxy, monochrome striped t-shirt. I've been looking for something like this for a while, it's just so simple! I feel like you could wear this with anything, and it's very comfortable. This wasn't in sale, so you can find it here for £14.

Disappointed, I ventured off to New Look - a shop which I either really love or... don't. I liked a lot of the stuff there but I have this irrational fear of running out of money so I just got this top from the sale! It's a nice, sleeveless slightly boxed vest. I love this style when paired with black ripped skinny jeans or high waisted shorts. It's very flowy and comfortable and it's black so it's kind of a winner.

I then ventured off to the shopper's haven - Primark. I first spotted this casual vest top, which isn't made the best but it's pretty comfortable. Since this is a scoop vest, I feel I might have to watch that my bra doesn't pop out the top but if I find it too troublesome, I don't mind using it as a pyjama top. If I do venture outside in this, it'll probably be with some blue jeans, my leather jacket and some black boots! 

This could be my favourite purchase out of the haul. I'm not entirely sure how I'll wear it but maybe with some high waisted shorts? Anyway, I was torn between this and a Rolling Stones top in the same style but in grey, while the logo was leopard print but I was won over by the unique blue, acid wash of this. Very cool, very 70's. Yes. This was £8 if you're wondering!

Next up are some skinny ripped blue jeans. These are made of a comfortable fabric, and I feel like the rips give any outfit an added edge. I love ripped jeans as they can make any outfit look cool, or casual and you can pretty much wear them with anything. Now, I would've preferred these to be high waisted but at £7 you can't really complain.

I feel like the last item of a haul should be the weirdest, most out-of-place one. This is just a simple flowy gym top. I was sick of wearing tight fitting tops to the gym, as they don't agree with rowing machines - I'm always having to adjust them and make sure they aren't rolling up. But this is perfect, I went a size up with this because I want it to be extra roomy! I believe this was £5.

I hope you enjoyed this haul, I don't want you to think I made this post to show off, but instead it was for some inspiration. I know I find posts like these helpful for looking for certain items to fit my style. I also picked up a few make-up bits, so be sure to pop back in next time for a look at those.

I hope you find this helpful. I love getting a peak in other people's shopping baskets, and I'm sure I'm not the only one! What was your favourite piece? -x

My Go-To Sun Cream

It's that time of year here in Scotland where the weather becomes slightly less grim, when scowls are replaced by smiles and the sun actually makes an appearance (sporadically, but still). Of course, everyone knows that you should protect your skin from the dangers of the sun but we all have to go outside sometimes. Therefore, it is essential to find a good sun cream - for me, that means no pore-clogging or sticky formulas, and ideally it would be quick to absorb. Enter Garnier Ambre Solaire Sensitive Advanced sun lotion for fair, sensitive and sun-intolerant skin SPF 50+.

Now, I wouldn't say I have overly sensitive skin but certain sunscreens are filled with so many chemicals and I would certainly rather avoid them by switching to a formula for sensitive skin. This lotion has a hypo-allergenic formula, free from any parabens, colourants and perfume so is perfecting for avoiding any potential reactions.

The sun lotion claims to have a light texture that isn't sticky, and doesn't leave a white cast on the face, and I have to say I agree! On first impression, the lotion is quite thin, and therefore sticky however, once put on the skin it absorbs relatively quickly over the body. I must mention that I also use this on my face, which leaves a slight texture to the skin but it's similar to wearing a primer. It leaves the skin looking slightly more dewy throughout the day but that's sort of expected during the warmer months, right? I often apply this under make-up and do not find that it interferes with the application or lasting-time of my foundation. As you can see, the formula as white so I was sceptical to see if this would make me look grey and ill but it doesn't at all, instead it becomes clear when rubbed into the skin. My last point to make is that the lotion retails at £8, considering the bottle is 200ml it will last ages, so is well worth the price!

This is obvious but it's important to mention that you should reapply sunscreen throughout the day, and double cleanse at the end of the day to avoid any build up! Hopefully, I haven't bored you to tears over such a simple product but I figured many of you could be on the hunt for a new sunscreen now that the sun is coming out. I noticed online that this also has a version for the face which some of you may be interested in but I find this perfectly fine for using on that area.

You can find the Garnier Ambre Solaire Sensitive Advanced sun lotion here.

I hope wherever you are, your summer weather is better than here in Scotland - in which the sun comes out for approximately 35.5 seconds during the whole season (jokes.. kind of) -x

Spring/Summer Skincare Routine!

It's been over a year since I posted about my skincare routine, so I figured it's about time for an update. I'm going to run over my day and night routine, so get comfy. This could be a long one.

I'm not loyal to any particular brand, and I don't have any favourite products that I always make sure are in the bathroom cupboard. I always like to try something new, but there are a couple of things here that I would consider game-changers.

I recently went through a breakout due to weather and hormonal changes, resulting in drier-than-usual skin and sensitivity issues and so I had to look for some products that I normally wouldn't have used however, in a way I'm glad this happened because the change has helped my skin look better than it did before. And, note to self, use warm water instead of cold - your dry patches will be no more!

Let's start off with a cleanser shall we? I'll begin with the Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil by The Body Shop, which isn't pictured above because 1: it's almost finished and 2: it's not the prettiest bottle right now. That's because the oil tends to get pretty messy and it managed to escape from the bottle and ruin the label on the bottle. However, it's a total dream at removing makeup, it literally melts it all away! I only use it for removing makeup at night though, as I find it dries my skin out and leaves a film. I simply rub this onto my makeup and wipe it away with a warm, wet flannel.

Next is my morning/first cleanser, which is the Peaches and Clean Deep Cleansing Milk by Soap & Glory. The cleansing milk has made my skin appear brighter and seems to have prevented the formation of blackheads and spots. Even though it hasn't made my skin any less oily, it's still a great, simple cleanser. This is such a huge bottle, so it's lasted me ages and yes, it does smell of peaches!

Onto scrubs and masks. I use a face mask once a week, and a scrub later in the week but only if I need to. The mask I'm currently favouring is The Fab Pore Purifying Mask and Peel by Soap & Glory, which I featured in a haul post a while back. I've really enjoyed this because it's brilliant for oily skin, I've definitely noticed a difference in the way my skin looks after using this and it helps to smooth out the texture of my skin too. I've also found this to calm my skin if it's having a bit of a hormonal breakdown too. (sidenote: ignore the marks, this was floating in my makeup bag when travelling and it obviously made some friends and the packaging doesn't wash well-sigh)

Now, if I'm halfway through the week and I'm finding my foundation isn't sitting right or there are a lot of rough patches to be dealt with, I will use a scrub. I don't always have to but when I do, I use the Scrub Your Nose In It facial scrub by Soap & Glory (Remember when I said I wasn't loyal to any brands? Apparently I was lying). I've had this product for over a year, which you can probably see but it's amazing at exfoliating away any pesky dry patches. Again, this helps to control oil and reduces the chance of breaking out. I recently went through a breakout partly due to the weather, and partly due to a change in medication but this helped to smooth it all out. I use a grape sixed amount of this when my face is damp from cleansing, leave it on for a couple of minutes and then wipe it off using a wet face cloth, which makes me feel like I'm helping the exfoliation process!

After cleansing/treating my skin, I'll move onto an eye cream, which has been The Body Shop's Vitamin E Eye Cream, which has had a change of packaging but I promise this is the same product! This has helped reduce my puffy morning eyes, and leaves the under-eye area feeling nicely hydrated and noticeably smoother. This also helps with any fine lines that become more prominent when your skin is dehydrated!

The next step in my routine is toning. I only use a toner at night if I've been to the gym, or have worn a lot of makeup that day or sometimes in the morning if I didn't properly cleanse the night before (don't look at me like that, we all do it sometimes), and for that I've been using the Boots Botanics 100% Organic Rosewater Toning Spritz. I always find my skin to feel a lot smoother after using this, and it just makes me feel fresher. I will either spray this right onto my face or will use a cotton pad to remove any last traces of dirt that my cleanser didn't catch, or removing any pieces of face scrub/mask I missed.

I move onto a serum at night, but I forgo this step in the morning because I don't think my skin needs it before the day starts. The first is one I've used for ages, and it's the Essence Sublime by L'occitane. I didn't realise this when taking these photos, but I don't think it's sold in the L'occitane store anymore, I did however find it here. This is the most expensive item in my routine, but that's because it's filled with essential oils and general goodness. However, because it is quite concentrated I only use about half a pump - a little bit goes a long way. This tightens my skin, leaving it brighter and smoother - again, helping with those pesky oils.

My other serum is a total bargain in contrast. It's the Superdrug Simply Pure Hydrating Serum. Now this has been a complete life saver. Last month, my skin was completely breaking out, I think the bad Scottish weather was taking it's toll and my face was completely dried out and rough as hell. As someone with normally oily skin, I had no idea what to do. I bought this because a) it's cheap so I wouldn't be wasting my money on something that could potentially not work and b) it says 'hydrating' and 'for sensitive skin' so it had to work, right? Well, I was actually right! This made my skin look even better than before I used it. I have no idea what's in it, but my dehydrated skin is no longer an issue. I could rave about this all day but in a nutshell it has made my skin feel much softer, has erased almost all of my redness and it just feels much plumper and radiant after using this.

This last section is all about the moisture. Since we're pretty much into summer here in Scotland, I've began using the Garnier Essentials Hydrating Day Cream. Now, I haven't used this for very long but so far I can say it has a cream come gel texture that absorbs quickly and leaves the skin feeling smooth and fresh, and is accompanied by a grape scent, the perfect fresh scent for this time of year. I only use this in the morning right now, but I'll probably start using this in the night once the sun properly comes out.

For a night cream, I'm using the Simple Replenishing Rich Moisturiser. Now, don't be put off by the 'rich' part, it basically means it's more suited to colder months, hence why I'll be opting out of this soon. It's very hydrating and although it takes a little bit longer to properly sink in, that's because it is slightly heavier than lighter creams. During the winter, this didn't make my face any more shiny than usual, but like I said, it's not really suited to the coming months.

Last but not least is probably the most boring, taken for granted skincare product out there - lip balm. I always use the Nivea Original Lip Butter. Cheap and cheerful, this prevents flaking and helps replenish dried out lips. If I am suffering from flaky, dry lips though, I always treat them to a lip scrub from Lush!

I hope you enjoyed this long, chatty post. If there are any products you'd like me to review more in-depth, do let me know! -x