Easter Drugstore Haul and First Impressions

Hi everyone! So after seeing that Boots not only had a triple points offer on but their incredible 3 for 2 on all makeup brands, I managed to convince my mum to let me have my easter money a little bit early so I could splurge on the items I've been lusting after for a while!

So first up is the L'oreal True Match Foundation (Rose Ivory) which I've seen quite a few people mention as a dupe for the Georgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation which I can no way in a million years afford on my student budget so any sign of a drugstore dupe and I jumped right on the bandwagon! Overall I really like this foundation, it's medium but buildable coverage and matches my skin colour perfectly which is rare in a drugstore foundation for me. I usually go for a very heavy duty matte finish so this velvet/satin finish is new to me but I really like it and think it will transition into spring very well. It lasts pretty well on my very oily skin once I've given it a little powder and only really needs a slight touch up once throughout the day. I can already tell that once this has run out I'll be repurchasing as for £10 this is a steal!

Next is the Seventeen Wow! 3 Way Highlighter described as the 'ultimate skin pick me up' and I totally agree! It can be used underneath foundation, mixed with foundation or just buffed on top of the skin on the high points of the face. I've tried using all three methods and I love each one! I was worried about applying it mixed with or underneath my foundation incase I looked like a glitter ball (I get a bit scared of highlighter) but it's simply gorgeous. It gives you a lovely healthy glow and leaves your skin with a bit of a dewy look when applied with the L'oreal Foundation. 

The Max Factor Excess Shimmer Eyeshadow (Copper) was seen when I was binge watching Poppy (MeMyMouse1)'s videos and I knew as soon as I saw it (as I am a massive lover of eyeshadow bases) I needed it. It has a mousse-like formula which is different to the waxier texture of the Maybelline colour tattoo's but this is almost better as it blends so easily to just a slight wash of colour or you can build it up in layers to really give depth and definition. It is seriously amazing stuff and I can't wait to see what looks I can create using this.

I've never really been a blush girl, I own a few but they rarely get any use which is sad because now I have this Max Factor Creme Puff Blush (Seductive Pink) I am totally converted! Again, you've probably seen everyone saying that these are close to the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blushes so I thought it was time I tried a fresh blush for Spring. This is seriously amazing stuff, it gives a gorgeous flush of colour with a slight highlighting effect so I dust this all over my cheeky area so really gives a lovely glow and flush. So dreamy.

I saw the Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara advertised on tv and since my current mascara L'oreal Volume Million Lashes is starting to go dry I thought I might as well pick a replacement up while the offer was on. At first I wasn't impressed with this mascara, the formula is quite wet so although it glides over your lashes smoothly without tugging, it also left those annoying black marks where the tips of my lashes has brushed against my eyelid, thus ruining my shadow. But after leaving it a few days after opening I like this a bit better.It gives definition and length without my lashes looking like spiders and I quite like the wand as it grabs all the lashes, even the tiny little ones which I struggle to get close enough to coat. All in all, it'll do the job although it doesn't give me the 'wow' factor.

Finally, the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lipstick (So Hap'pink) is something which I've been meaning to try for quite a while but never got round to. But seriously, if you don't own one of these I insist you run to your nearest Boots and grab one because they are incredible. They glide on so smoothly and literally can only be described as velvet on my lips. It gives a beautiful colour which a velvety gloss which fades to leave the longest lasting stain I'm yet to try. Literally I wore this on a night out and it did not budge. I like the packaging and the applicator is the perfect size for my lips. I need to pick this up in every colour, well done Bourjois!

So that's it! Hope you've enjoyed reading, I think I'm going to do a Spring/Fresh makeup look and blog it here (which will no doubt feature many of these products since I love them so much!) so you have that to keep your eyes peeled for.

Current Skin Care Routine

Body Shop Silky Cleansing Oil (£10)
La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo [+] (£15.50)
Pixi Glow Tonic (£18)
Nivea Pure and Natural Moisturising Day Cream (£5.35)
Nivea Regenerating Night Cream (£4.07)

I've decided to roll back into blogging with an old school, go-to post... my current skin care routine. It's nothing fancy, a few products I've loved for months and months and a few budget buys which I'm trialing. 

So first up is my Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil from The Body Shop, which I use both to double cleanse at night and for my morning cleanse as it's such a brilliant all rounder. It's amazing at melting away any type of makeup whether it be full coverage foundation or waterproof mascara, but it's also lovely and fresh which is perfect for in the mornings. It leaves my skin feeling so soft and like it's had a big boost of moisture, just lovely. It's quite a 'watery' oil so a little goes a long way and I only use one pump of this stuff per cleanse. On my second nightly cleanse and my morning cleanse I really take the time to massage it into my skin for a good 3/4 minutes - any excuse for a little face massage! As you can see from the amount left, it's a firm favourite after repurchasing several times!

After cleansing in the morning I then sweep my face with my Pixi Glow Tonic which is a liquid exfoliant which remove any left over dirt and helps to 'tone, smooth and refine skins texture'. It's good for the price, this has lasted months and months and won't be empty soon! It does exactly what it says on the tin!

To treat my pesky spots and blemishes (which are apparently deciding to make an appearance recently, boooooo) I use the La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo [+] which does a great job at reducing redness and clearing up my spots. Every blogger and their mum has talked about this so I don't think I need to go on!

Finally, my moisturisers. I had run out of my No. 7 creams and as I'm on a bit of a budget I went to Nivea to see if I could find something and I picked up the Pure and Natural Moisturising Day Cream and the Regenerating Night Cream. 

The day cream is nice, it's a gel/cream formula and sinks into my skin fairly quickly leaving it soft and feeling fresh. I won't lie, I absolutely hate the smell! I can't describe it but it isn't a nice fragrance but apart from that it does the job for a small price! The night cream is okay, it smells like most Nivea products and is a really thick cream so you only need a little for your whole face. It takes a while to sink in (like most night creams) but by the morning it leaves my skin so soft, although a tad greasy (but that's nothing a morning cleanse won't fix!). I have to say after reading reviews online I think this may be breaking me out like it has done for so many other people so I may have to trial and error and I'll keep you updated!

So there we are, I like my routine, it does the job but I definitely will be going back to my No.7 Normal/Combination Day and Night Moisturisers when I have a bit more moola as they work much better for me!

I also use two face masks which are the Superfacialist Tea Flower Clay Mask and the Sanctuary Spa 5 Minute Thermal Detox Mask which are both fabulous. 

I hope you've enjoyed this post, I thought I'd ease myself back in gently to the world of blogging as I have recently found myself with lots of time now university is over for the year and extremely inspired by the blogging community! 

MAC eyeshadow - Dazzlelight

MAC - Dazzlelight (£10)

Behold, my new favourite eyeshadow for inner corner and browbone highlight - Dazzlelight. I bought this entirely on a whim (to bump up my Debenhams basket to £30 so I'd get a £5 off voucher) and I have zero regrets. It's described as a 'neutral with shimmer' and is the perfect all round highlighter with a little shimmer but by no means in your face or over the top. Tt can be worn heavily for nights out, due to its high pigmentation, but also dusted lightly for a little day time shimmer. Perfect for New Years Eve (I'll certainly be picking this out) but also to wake up tired eyes the next day! All round winner. 

The Sparkliest Christmas Present

I've just uploaded these photos and now I can't stop staring. Wowzas.

Anyway, Merry (belated) Christmas everyone! And if you don't celebrate christmas, then happy time off school or anything else you may celebrate! Hope you've all had a wonderful time off so far. I just thought I'd share my favourite present from this christmas which is a gorgeous Swarovski ring from my incredible boyfriend, Danny. (hello you, cause I know you'l be reading this) It wasn't quite the surprise he had hoped for since I have weirdly sized fingers and we had to go for a try on, but I still lost my breath a little when I opened the box on christmas day. I had a lovely time celebrating with all my family and Danny and it's simply lovely being home from uni even if I am still working. 

What did you guys get for christmas?! I'd love to know, particularly if it's makeup related as I've got christmas money to spend and the Bullring, Birmingham to go to! Wishing you all love and happiness at this time of year. xx

A Hearty Hello To You (Remember me?!)

Well good afternoon (or morning, wherever you may be) and a hearty hello to you. If you're still following me on bloglovin' or another network then thank you for bearing with me. Yes, another one of those 'hello, I've not blogged in X months, soz' posts. Any one who says second year of uni is easy is a big liar liar pants on fire and really needs to shush (and put out the fire in their pants).

All photo's are from my instagram which you can find HERE.

-Top Row-

Random surprise of a dozen red roses and dinner | This one makes the stress of life a lot more bearable | Thai Green Curry! Getting back into cooking and loving every delicious second of it 

-Middle Row-

I finally invested in an Oh-So-Grown-Up Black coat - feeling v.sophisticated | Halloween ft. liquid latex cuts and chiseled collar bones | A quick weekend away to a very chilly Wales coastline 

-Bottom Row-

Treats in the form of chicken and cocktails, what more could you want | Made a kitty friend who I tried to pay in chicken to do my assignments, instead she just napped and distracted me | I spend a good majority of my week in this position, and I couldn't be more content

Of course this seems like all I've done is eat good food, go on holiday and do fancy makeup but in reality, these are just the highlights and 98% of my time has been spent behind this laptop and with my head in journal articles. Who said uni wasn't fun? I've have missed blogging incredibly and I have so many ideas whizzing around my brain only to be written in my notebook and never to flourish into something I hope to be wonderful. I've realised that I need to factor in a little 'me' time and hopefully that will materialise into more blog posts. 

That's all for now, but keep your eyes peeled!

Gratitude

Source

The past few weeks have been extremely stressful to say the least. I've spent them tying up loose ends at home, moving into a brand new house and spending 4 days completely alone to figure things out. The time alone consisted of a broken shower, a late night call to my boyfriend to come keep me company the first night because I want utterly terrified and spending my days extremely anxious and on edge due to the sheer amount of things I'm meant to be juggling this academic year. 

Finally I'm feeling better after refusing to live in 'ignorant bliss' and sorting everything out. This year finally seems 'possible' and it's going to be bloody tough but I know I can do it even though it's going to be completely different to last year.

I thought I'd take some time to reflect on what I'm grateful for. I made a list when I was feeling down, just to keep myself grounded and realise that in the grand scheme of things, I'm doing alright. 

1. Family. My wonderful, caring, selfless family. They're always there for me and supporting me in whatever way they can. I'm not going to be able to go home to see them as often this year but I know they're only a phone call or skype call away so that's reassuring.

2. My boyfriend, He's also incredibly supportive of my studies and getting a job too. I love how he never fails to make me laugh no matter how crap I feel, how he thinks I look cute when I've just woken up and is always being his silly self.

3. My friends. Both at home and at uni I've got a great support network of friends who are all up for a laugh and there to pick each other up when we're down. They make life at uni ten times more amazing and I can't wait for more memories with them this year!

4. My degree. I'm incredibly lucky to be studying a course that I love and at my dream university. I'm so grateful that I get the chance to achieve my career goal.

5. Accommodation. We've got a good house at a good price and yeah, it's not incredibly and has its flaws but I have a roof over my head, clothes on my back and food on my table which is so much more than a lot of others. 

Those are the big things but I'm grateful for so many little things too like: the first cup of tea in the morning, my phone, cosy nights in watching the tv, fairy lights, and my comfy chelsea boots which I can't wait to make another appearance this autumn/winter. 

Writing that list has honestly made me feel so grounded and to realise that life for me is actually pretty good. It's rewarding to remember the greater things and obviously I encourage anyone to do that same!

Tips For Shopping On A Student Budget

After living on my own at university for a year now, I'd say I've learnt quite a lot on shopping on a budget and cooking for one person, it's a lot harder than you expect! You'll get portions wrong, have gone off bananas and nothing to do with them and spend far too much money than is needed in the first few weeks but hopefully I can give you a few tips to help you out. P.S This is the first post written from my new house (shared with 4 of my uni friends), hoping to get a blog post up on how I've decorated my room after I have perfected where I want all the furniture to go, so keep your eyes peeled!

Frozen/Fresh:-

• Chicken - buy frozen as it's cheaper and the quality is just the same, just remember to defrost the day you want to use it!
• Mince - bought fresh, split into portions and then frozen for individual portions or cooked into batch to make chilli or spag bol, makes for a quick meal on days where you have late lectures!
• Veg - easily bought frozen which is cheaper and means you can just use it when you need with no risk of it going off before you get chance.
• Berries - Again, buy frozen and use for breakfast with yoghurt and granola or made into a delicious smoothie.
• Natural Yoghurt - Great for breakfast or to cool down a spicy curry.
• Milk
• Frozen Onion - great to add to soups, chilli, homemade sauces and can be kept in tthe freezer for months and used when needed. 
• New Potatoes - can be boiled, roasted, fried or used cold in salads.
• Eggs - A good addition to lunches and salads.
• Fruit - Buy individually if you can to stop it going off before you eat it.
• Stir-Fry vegetable mix - Lasts easily for two meals and is cheap!
• Garlic - An essential for making your own sauces, etc.
• Butter
• Bread

Dried:-

• Tinned Tomatoes - Use in curries, pasta sauces, chilli, spag bol, etc.
• Cereal - Granola is great because it's filling and can be eaten in a variety of ways!
• Herbs and Spices - You don't need all the herbs and spices available, it would cost a fortune, but a good start would be salt and pepper, chilli and stock cubes.
• Tinned Fish - Good for sandwhiches, salads or as a filling on jacket potatoes.
• Rice/Pasta - Buy these in bulk before coming to uni because they'll last all year!
• Cous Cous - Great flavoured as a side dish instead of potatoes or in salads.
• Dried Fruit/Nuts - Raisins and Almonds are my favourite, they're great as additions for breakfast or as simple snacks. 
• Tea/Coffee/Sugar 
• Rice Crackers/Cream Crackers - Great topped as part of lunches or as a snack.
• Preserves - Jam/Peanut Butter/etc, good for breakfasts or as a snack on top of rice cakes. #
• Instant Noodles - an obvious food to list but make a pretty filling lunch and are dirt cheap!
• Dried Fruit - Raisins, Apricots, Cranberries, etc. make a great snack or to go as part of breakfast.

General Tips:-

• Lots of vegetables nearing the end of their fridge life? Make a hearty vegetable soup by simply boiling the veg in stock, you could even add any left over chicken or other meat you fancy. Easy to make and can be frozen to eat at a later date.
• Just because it's from the value range at your supermarket, doesn't mean it isn't good quality. 
• Make sure you write a shopping list before you go, and more importantly, stick to it! It's very easy to spend over your budget on things that are on offer or that you're tempted by when you're walking around.
• Don't go shopping on an empty stomach, you'll simply buy more, and possibly quick snack foods (like chocolate or crisps) that you wouldn't normally buy, just because you are hungry.
• Make batches of food (eg. Curry/Chilli) that you can freeze and defrost the morning you want to eat it - an easy meal if you have late lectures. 
• The reduced section of a supermarket is a fab way to pick up ready meals cheaply, and freeze ready to eat another day. Just make sure you can freeze them before you buy!