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

EMPTIES #3

Like any beauty-addicted human, I feel much more accomplished whenever I finally finish a product. I've saved these bottles and tubs up to write this review post, which I evidently never really got around to until now. After a while of being glared at from their box in the bathroom sink, I thought it was about time I put them to their last use and finally lay them all to rest.

Getting straight to it, the first item I have to talk to you about is the Dry Roots and Dry Ends shampoo by Lee Stafford. It's not a shampoo I would use every single day as it could be quite drying on the scalp, but I found my oily hair lasted a couple of days longer than it normally would using this. I probably wouldn't buy it again, as towards the end of the bottle it started to mess with my scalp and make it quite itchy but then again so does just about everything. You win some, you lose some.

Next up, something that actually didn't irritate my scalp (hallelujah), which is the Herbal Essences Clearly Naked Dry Shampoo. Let me start by telling you about the smell. It's such a lovely, fresh scent that does linger on the hair but not in a 'so strong that it hurts your nose' kind of way, but it's more of a subtle scent that you catch every so often. I think it was a mix of mint and citrus. Anyway, it did absorb oil, but best of all - it doesn't leave a white cast!

Onto the two conditioners. The first is the Tresemme silky smooth conditioner for dry, frizz prone hair. This seemed like it would be fitting for my hair, because it is both of those things but I didn't feel this was life-changing whatsoever. Yes, it helped my hair a little bit and left it slightly more manageable but no major changes. The next conditioner isn't something readily available, I think it's more of a salon brand.. and it's French or Canadian, or something. Basically, my sister who lives in Canada gifted me this, and it changed my hair's life - no, really! It's the La Biosthetique conditioner (or creme, if you're fancy) for fine hair. It totally smoothed out my hair, leaving it so much more manageable. I was no longer fighting all of the knots out of my hair every morning and night, and it just looked much less dry and damaged. Thankfully, I seem to have found an alternative now, though I am sad that I probably won't be able to find this in the UK. I urge you to give this a try if you do happen to see it!

I finish makeup products at a very slow pace, so it's really a miracle that I have four to show you this time. Let's start with the two mascaras. 

I quite liked the subtle finish of the Maybelline Great Lash mascara, for such a small tube, it really packs a punch in length. The brush is small, making it brilliant for getting close to the inner corners and all those little lashes you didn't know you had. There was one downside which totally ruined it for me though, and that's the wear of it. I would apply this in the morning, and by lunchtime, I would check the mirror and it would have ended up smudging under my eyes. I eventually gave up on this because I just couldn't get it to work. Such a shame! In contrast, the Maybelline Lash Sensational mascara had no cons really. It held a curl so well, and gave me seriously long and voluminous lashes. If I wasn't always trying something new, I would definitely give this another go.

The Fix and Perfect Pro Primer by Rimmel was pretty impressive in improving the longevity of makeup, but I didn't feel it lived up to the other claims. It didn't improve my skin's texture, or appear to blur my pores but what can you expect from the drugstore?

The last makeup item is the one I'm most sad about. It's the Anastasia Brow Wiz in Ebony. This was perfect for filling in sparse areas, for shaping a whole new Cara Delevingne style brow, and it has a spoolie (!!) - which yep, I am keeping. My only bugbear about this is that I probably should've gone a shade lighter but that didn't really bother me too much when using it. 

Here we are, the last set of items and arguably the most boring ones. We all know about the Soap and Glory Clean on Me shower gel, it's moisturising, creamy and makes a great shower gel and it lasts forever!

Next we have the 'Cooling Glacial Scrub' by Sanctuary Spa. Not gonna lie, this initially confused the hell out of me. The first few times using this, I would scoop it out of the tub and attempt to scrub my body with it in the shower, only to have nothing happen. No grit, no real scrubby action - nothing. This was £8 which isn't breaking the bank, but it's pretty expensive for a body scrub. I was determined to make this work though, and I was using the Clean on Me gel at the same time, and on the back of the bottle it mentions turning off the water while using so, I tried that with the scrub and voila! Turning off the water actually made a world of difference. Maybe I'm just lacking common sense but just some advice for anyone reading this post for review purposes. Rant aside, this left my skin feeling so smooth, while remaining hydrating - probably something to do with the cucumber extract!

Finally, I leave you with the most boring of all these products - Garnier Express Eye Express 2-in-1 Eye Makeup Remover. Does what it says on the bottle. Perfect for even waterproof makeup, and lip products too! At around £3.50, it's a total steal.

I hope this wasn't too long for you, I really enjoy sharing my thoughts with you guys. Now, back to writing essays! -x

Long Time No Blog

Hey everyone, it's been a while. I've totally neglected this small space on the internet for quite some time (6 months, to be exact - eek). I think it started out with simply not knowing what direction I wanted to take. I know I don't have millions or followers, or anything but this space is special to me. It's somewhere I can come to write about things that I'm passionate about, and that make me feel good about myself, and I took time to focus on my studies and other important stuff but I'm ready to come back and bring you content. Hopefully some of you are still here! Anyway, let me share some pictures with you of what I've been up to so we can get started again.

Rare sighting of a sunny day in Aberdeen, which lasted approximately half an hour before it went back to being grey and rainy.

Yes, that might be the cutest puppy. ever. Unfortunately not mine, but that didn't stop me from trying to steal her from my sister!

Little cinema date with a friend to see The Witch the other month. Most people didn't seem impressed by the movie, but I quite liked it!

 Yeah, forget sunny days with a clear blue sky. This is what Scotland really looks like. Not quite as picturesque but still (slightly) photogenic.