Get to Know Me: 21 QUESTIONS TAG

Hi everyone!

I thought it was about time to let my personality show through in this blog, so what better way to do that than with a tag post? 

I like to think that you will enjoy reading my posts a bit more if you actually have a good idea of who I am. So, let me introduce myself: I'm Kerry, and I'm a student who lives in the granite city of Scotland. Now, let's get onto the tag...

1. Are you named after anyone? I'm not named after anyone, but my name was actually meant to be Nicole. Sorry to all the Nicoles out there, my Dad wasn't too fond of it!

2. When was the last time you cried? Last week, I think. I don't normally cry, but sometimes you just need to let it all out and that's okay.

3. Do you have kids? Nope, and I won't even consider it for a very long time.

4. If you were another person, would you be a friend of yourself? I always think about things like this. I think it's important to be someone that you like, and to try and treat others the way you want to be treated. What's the point in being yourself if you don't like who you are? So yes, I would.

5. Do you use sarcasm a lot? Only with people I'm close to because not everyone gets it.

6. Will you ever bungee-jump? I doubt I'll ever get the chance to, but I think I would. I can imagine myself being too scared but ending up loving it afterwards.

7. What's your favourite cereal? I never have cereal in the house - it's mainly just muesli and porridge (yawn) but I love Krave. I could eat it all day, which is why I don't buy it - because I probably would.

8. What's the first thing you notice about people? This sounds weird but I notice their tone and volume of their voice. I think it gives you an idea of how shy that person is, or even how they're feeling.

9. What's your eye colour? I actually have sectoral heterochromia, which is where part of the iris is a different colour to the rest of it. I have green eyes, but I have a little brown splodge in one of them!

10. Scary movie or happy endings? I love a good horror movie, but it has to have a good plot. Otherwise, what's the point? I like it when movies have happy endings but I much prefer a twist in the story that makes everything go a bit tits up - which happens more in horrors.

11. Favourite smells? Anything fruity, baked (Yankee Snowflake Cookie, I'm looking at you), or Asian smelling. Oh, and I love the smell of petrol too...

12. Summer or winter? Definitely summer. I was a complete winter girl up until a few years ago, but I love being warm. Maybe it's a Scottish thing, it's always bloody cold here.

13. Computer or television? 100% computer. It can do everything that a television can do, and more.

14. What's the furthest you've ever been from home? The furthest I've ever been is Spain, and if you're good at geography, you'll know that's not very far away.

15. Do you have any special talents? I can put my thumb right underneath my knuckles, and I can stick my shoulder blades out. 

16. Where were you born? In Scotland, of course. I originally come from a little place near Glasgow.

17. What are your hobbies? Watching TV shows, and youtube. I love to read books and blogs, and I like shopping - even if it's just window shopping... I also love spending time with my boyfriend by going out for dinner and just relaxing together in our wee flat.

18. Do you have any pets? Back home, I have a family dog called Honey. She's a springer spaniel crossed with something. You wouldn't be able to tell though, apart from the fact she's really friendly and loves to jump on anything that moves there's absolutely nothing else.

19. Favourite movie? Trust my mind to go blank at this one! At the top of my head - A Nightmare on Elm Street, Se7en, NANA, Fight Club, Girl, Interrupted, Trance, and a recent find - Scott Pilgrim vs The World. I had to make this a list, who actually has one favourite movie?

20. Do you have any siblings? I have two sisters, but I am the baby.

21. What do you want to be when you grow up? A psychologist of some sort, maybe clinical? Maybe a psychiatrist? 

There we have it, all 21 questions done! Gold star if you made it this far. Why don't you let me get to know you by answering a question or two in the comments below? -x

JUNE FAVOURITES!

I have loved the month of June. I got to see my friends who I haven't seen in months, I got my first job, and the weather is really perking up which in turn, makes everyone just that bit happier. I hope everyone's had a lovely month, and is enjoying the lovely weather! Now, onto what this post is really about:

To kick things off, I have been really impressed by the Herbal Essences Clearly Naked 0% Dry Shampoo. A bit of a random one, but it leaves no weird looking white cast, yet still manages to soak up unwanted oils, leaving my hair looking fresh. The scent is amazing too!

Next, is my new found favourite summer scent in Nicki Minaj Minajesty Eau De Parfum. It's so fruity, yet sweet and fresh at the same time. I think it smells like watermelon, even though there's no mention of it in the description of the fragrance... how odd.

Since it is Summer, I've been self tanning this month and to smooth my skin beforehand, I've been using the Pulp Friction Foaming Fruity Body Scrub from Soap & Glory. Body scrubs can be a bit too harsh for my skin and can leaving it looking a bit red and blotchy but this doesn't do that at all, my skin is just left feeling and looking super smooth. The scent is described as 'fruity' but I'd say it has more of a lovely fresh, citrus smell that always leaves my boyfriend wondering why the bathroom smells so good.

Normally, the Bourjois Delice De Poudre bronzing powder would be a bit too warm for my pale skin but it suits me perfectly now that I've got a bit of a tan. It's so soft and blendable, and anyone that has this will know that it smells incredible. I can even get away with this as a contour if I wish.

Next up is my everyday foundation of choice, it's the Lily Lolo Mineral Foundation in Popsicle (I believe). I got this last year, hence the old packaging. When I first got this, I found it was way too dark, but it suits me perfectly now. It has a buildable coverage, so I normally use this on days where I don't want to spend a lot of time on my foundation but I want some coverage, and this is perfect.

Last on the beauty list is the Boots Botanics All Bright Refreshing Eye Roll On. This is some serious stuff. This can cheat me into looking like I've had a full night's sleep when that is really not the case. It's so cooling and hydrating, and it banishes any puffiness and dullness super quickly. It's lightweight and speedily absorbs, I love this!

Movie of The Month

 I was recently introduced to Scott Pilgrim Vs The World (trailer here). It's based on a series of graphic novels, and you can really tell. The superhero style fight scenes, and anime-style effects throughout really captures the imagination and makes it super fun to watch. The storyline is based on Scott Pilgrim and his endeavour to get the girl: Ramona Flowers. What he doesn't know is that he'll have to defeat The League of Evil Exes. Yes, it sounds ridiculous and it kind of is, but it's still awesome.. which brings me onto my song of the month. (Sidenote: I'm contemplating a little series on the blog where I talk about movies or review them, what do you think?)

Song Of The Month

Evidently, this song is from the aforementioned movie. It's called Black Sheep by The Metric, but I much prefer the movie version. I haven't been able to stop listening to it, it's ridiculous.

TV Favourite

I started watching The Vampire Diaries a month or so ago, but I was really busy then and wasn't able to get really into it. Now that I have a lot more free time, I've been loving it. I've only just started season 3 so I am behind. I really don't know why I haven't watched this before, it's so frickin' good. Let's just take a moment for the beauty that is Paul Wesley. Good lord.

Let me know if you like this favourites layout. I just wanted to throw in a new little segment at the end to talk about non-beauty things. What have you been loving this past month? -x

GIFT IDEAS: Father's Day 2015

It's that time of year, where

at last - Dad gets a little attention and recognition. As much as we love them, they can be a real pain in the arse to shop for, so I've got a little list of ideas that just might give you a little bit of inspiration if you're feeling stumped.

For the gadget lovers: The wallet shown above is a really nifty little thing, it's by Secrid, and it's their slimwallet. As the name suggests it's a thin, small wallet that will fit into any pocket. As you can see in the photo above, it has a card holder with a little lever-type-thing on the bottom that pushes the cards out. It has a little cash holder and some business card slots. The design is really clever, and the leather is lovely too!

For the athletic ones: This sort of follows on from the gadget lovers but what I'm going to suggest is a watch. It's the Withings Activite Pop Smart Watch. Through bluetooth, it keeps track of how much exercise you've done, tracks your progress. It can tell how long you've been asleep for, and even how many times you woke up during the night! The design is very sleek, but the silicone strap makes it very comfortable too.

For the beer lovers: If you're dad loves a good beer, and isn't afraid of trying something new, then I must push you in the direction of Beer Hawk. You could set him up a beer club membership. If you're familiar with Graze, then it's sort of the same deal. You just tell them what your dad likes and they send some beers that they think will work. They have a lovely selection of gift sets too, and they've made one just for father's day!

For the car enthusiasts: If your Dad has always dreamed of driving a lush sportscar, then you could always book him a driving experience! Just choose him a car that he would love to drive and he can just whiz around in it for Father's Day. There are plenty of places that you can book them, so if you're interested in that then you should have a look around. It's a really fun idea!

If they can never have enough aftershave: Boots have a great deal on at the moment, if you buy an aftershave, you get a free weekend bag of the same brand! I know my boyfriend really loves the new Hugo Boss Bottled Intense but there are a number of aftershaves to choose from, and most of the bags are really nice too!

I hope this list somewhat helped you! If all else fails, there's always the nice jumper and socks option... 

I hope everyone has a lovely Father's Day on Sunday! Have you decided what you're going to do buy him yet? -x 

EMPTIES #1

For this week's post, I'm going to be sharing some of my old used up products along with my thoughts on them. I don't really finish products quickly, so there aren't too many to show you but let's get started!

 First we have the beloved Snow Fairy shower gel from Lush. I adore the pear drop scent of this, it's such a sweet, girly scent. This scent doesn't exactly jump out at me as a Christmas scent, I much prefer it for the Spring! I was actually given this as a secret santa gift and I was so happy with it. I'll definitely be getting another one when Snow Fairy comes back this winter!

Next is a boring one but one that everyone needs, right? It's the Timotei pure 2 in 1 Shampoo and Conditioner for Normal to Greasy hair. No, it's not the most lavish product but it's very gentle on the scalp. Every now and then, my scalp will become annoyingly itchy and tight. I used this when I didn't want to further irritate my scalp and it did the trick. It was fine but I probably won't be buying it again because it doesn't suit my needs for now.

Yep, more shower products. Both Soap & glory too! The first product is the Soap & Glory Scrub of Your Life body scrub. It did make my skin incredibly smooth but I actually ended up finding it quite irritating and harsh. I've had this before and I found it worked fine but my skin has gotten a lot more sensitive so I probably won't purchase this one again.

Next up is the Soap & Glory Clean on Me shower gel. This one has a built in moisturiser, so it's really handy for when you're feeling a bit lazy. I found that I had to use a lot of the product to have soft skin afterwards but when teamed with a body butter, it's a dream. The bottle is bloody huge, it took me a whole year to finish it off! It smells lovely, cleanses the skin well but I think I'd rather explore Soap & Glory's other shower gels instead of purchasing the same one. There are so many options!

Lastly, we have two cleansers. The first was actually hidden in the back of my bathroom cupboard from last summer, I recently used it up again and I have to say.. I forgot how good this is! It's the Neutrogena Visibly Clear Oil-Free Face Wash. It's really effective at cleansing, it's relatively gentle and it deals well with breakouts without drying my skin. I might purchase it again soon, since the weather's warming up.

I reviewed the B. Clean Melting Gel Cleanser a few months ago. It's really gentle and removes makeup well. I really liked this at first but towards the end of the bottle, I found that my skin stopped reacting to it well, so I won't buy it again.

MAY FAVOURITES!

Goodbye May! Oh, how I am happy to see the back of you. What a stressful month it's been. Now that college is pretty much finished for the summer, I can get my head down and focus on this blog a bit more! To start of the month of June, I have rounded up all of my favourite beauty bits for you!

First up we have the well known Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette. This palette is packed with pinky golden shimmery goodness that make the eyeshadows perfect for spring and summer. I've found myself reaching for it everyday!

To go with this, I have been wearing the Tanya Burr Lipgloss in Chic, which is a gorgeous nude pink that's perfect for complimenting any makeup look.

If you caught last week's post, you'll know that I'm a fan of the Sublime Essence from L'occitane. It's a perfecting serum that leaves my skin refreshed and glowy. If you missed my review you can read it here.

I love coral blushes for spring and summer, so it's no surprise I've been reaching for this blusher from Barry M in the shade Peaches and Cream. It's highly pigmented, easily blended and lasts well on my skin. What's not to love?

I do love a pastel nail polish during spring, so I picked up one of the new Speedy Quick Dry Nail Paints in Pole Position. It's a lovely pastel green shade, but it's not dull at all. The best thing about it is that it does dry so quickly, let's be honest. Who has time to wait for their nails to dry?

Last but certainly not least is this Jimmy Choo Exotic Eau de Toilette. It's the perfect summer scent, it smells fruity but in a fresh way, and it also smells slightly aquatic - really refreshing. I'm so glad I managed to save up and buy this, I'll be reaching for it all through summer! It is worth mentioning that this scent is limited edition for summer.

As for a random favourite of the month, I've been glued to Big Brother (don't judge me). I mainly watch it so that I can catch its sister show Big Brother's Bit On The Side, where they will often have psychologists, and body language experts on the panel to analyse the housemates. I find it oddly fascinating! Oh, speaking of TV.. Hands up if you're excited for Pretty Little Liars tonight? I can't wait! 

What have you been loving this past month? Do let me know in the comments down below! -x

REVIEW: L'occitane Sublime Essence

Around September last year, I received a mini version of the L'occitane Sublime Essence, and I was in love. Unfortunately, as a student, the full size version was way out of my budget by the time I had finished it and I kind of forgot about it until about a month ago. 

I was snooping around the internet, trying to find something new to add to my skincare routine because it is pretty basic. I wanted something that would not only smooth and brighten my skin, but also reduce redness. After some searching, I came across this again and since I've loved it before, I thought.. why not just save up and buy the full size? 

Let's start with the packaging. Yes, the bottle is fairly small considering the price but you really only need the smallest amount. The glass bottle is actually pearlescent, although these pictures just don't do it justice, and it has a handy pump that distributes the perfect amount of product. Don't be wary of the pump though, it has a twist lock system so you can travel with it!

L'occitane Sublime Essence is made with organic extracts from two angelic flowers. White iris, and angelica. While white iris perfects the skin, angelica works to hydrate the skin, and really bring it to life. The silicone free formula promises to leave the skin looking, and feeling 'sublime'.

The  Sublime Essence claims to do 6 things. It claims to smooth the texture of skin, tighten pores, reduce tightness and redness, hydrate and plump, and leave the skin super soft to touch. It's one of the very few products that actually follows through on it's claims. I haven't suffered from any dry patches while using this, and I was amazed at how soft this made my skin feel. It made me want to just run up to people and demand that they feel my face (I didn't, don't worry). When looking at my skin, the words radiant, or bright have never sprung to mind but when I'm using this, it's a whole other story. No, it hasn't completely banished any signs of redness from my face but it has really improved it. So much so, that even the boyfriend noticed. That's saying something.

I was really impressed by the texture of this serum, it's velvety smooth and thin, therefore sinks into the skin in a matter of seconds. 

Overall, I really enjoy using this. It's so hydrating, and leaves my skin looking bright and even. It doesn't have an affect on my oily skin, but rather leaves my pores tightened, and leaves my skin feeling softer than ever. Well worth the money!

You can find the L'occitane Sublime Essence here for £42

REVIEW: The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter

Since coming into Spring, my skin has been feeling a little more sensitive than usual, so I sought after a new gentle cleanser. What I ended up with is the Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter by The Body Shop. God, that is a mouthful. 

I am a big fan of the packaging of this cleansing butter. I was pleasantly surprised by the screw top lid, at first I thought it would end up being a pop off job. This, along with the fact that the metal tin itself is really quite thin means that it would probably be good for travel, if you didn't mind the size of it! It's pretty big, to say the least. 

I use the Sumptuous Cleansing Butter as a first cleanse but I sometimes use it in the morning too because it's a complete dream to use. You simply scoop a little amount, and massage it onto dry skin. I find that it washes off easily, and doesn't leave any residue but you could definitely use a wash cloth to just make sure! 

It took me everything not to dunk my fingers into this, right then and there. Is that just me?

Anyway, as you can see the product looks waxy, and white. Just a bit plain Jane. The 

product itself is so much more than that though. Like I mentioned before, a little goes a looong way. It really lives up to the name, it does feel very luxurious to use. It literally melts when in contact with the skin, effortlessly washing off all of your worries and cares... Maybe not. But it does do a tremendous job at removing all kinds of make up. 

Here's the thing, I wear liquid eyeliner a lot and my mascara of choice is the notoriously difficult to remove They're Real! mascara by Benefit. This makes light work out of it though, it really impressed me. Usually most cleansers/make up removers can't get right down into my lash line to remove every trace of eyeliner but finally: I found one that can! Oh, and it doesn't sting your eyes either (win).

The oily consistency could take some getting used to but it's worth it. My skin always feels soft and refreshed after using this, and it hasn't broke me out! My skin type is oily, dehydrated and sensitive. It's gentle enough for my sensitivity, hydrating enough to prevent dry patches yet still remains light enough to prevent excess oil. Not going to lie though, if you suffer from extremely oily skin then this probably isn't the best option.

Overall, this is a pretty good option for those of you that are stressed and need something gentle to soothe your skin. At £12 it's probably not the cheapest option but to be fair, you get a lot out of this, and you're looking at around £20 for something similar. 

You can find The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter here for £12.

P.S - Just letting you know that there won't be a post next week. It's my final exam for college next Wednesday so I'll be focusing on that! Thanks for bearing with me -x