Beauty review: Tarte Cosmetics 'Tartelette in the bloom' palette

Well hello to you my reader chums! I have a big love for eye shadow palettes especially when they're full of neutral-based shades including cream-coloured shimmers, golds, matte browns and coppers.  Tarte's Tartelette in the bloom' palette ticked every box for me and I couldn't wait to try the shades. I picked this up in New York after years of seeing its surrounding hype within the beauty blogging community.

Here are my thoughts..

Packaging and size

When it comes to beauty products, the first thing you're ever drawn to is the packaging. Tarte's 'in the bloom' palette is pleasing to the eye to say the least. Its water-coloured style design with a metallic gold rim, back and writing across the front compliment each other well. One of the main features I love about the palette is its shape. I have many long, rectangular shape palettes so its refreshing owning something of a more travel-friendly size with all the colours you may need. Also, the huge mirror you get inside is incredibly useful; as it's square you're able to see your entire face as you do your makeup.

Shade range

Neutral shades are my obsession when it comes to eye shadows. I love testing out new bronzes, golds, champagnes and coppers so if a palette has it all, that's a bonus! Tarte's 'in the bloom' palette ranges from a matte milky shade to a defined black colour. In between you have a shimmery champagne, warm pinks, everyday browns, fiery copper colours and two slightly darker red/burgundy shades. 'Tartelette in the bloom' palette is completely versatile with its shade range, ideal for a simple everyday look or easy smoky, copper coloured eye look.

Pigmentation

Pigmentation is the top feature when it comes to eye shadow. 'Tartelette's in the bloom' palette has intense pigmentation for every shade. The matte shades are that tad bit more pigmentated than the shimmer ones, however it doesn't take much to get that full colour pay off on the eye with every colour. Its darker shades especially, need the tiniest swipe to achieve a defined look for the crease of the eye. I'm obsessed with how pigmented each shade is because it means my favourite colours will last that little bit longer than your average palette.

Consistency and blending ability

The eye shadows consistency is mix of soft and creamy, with the shimmery shades having more of a buttery feel to them. Their blending power is seamless, especially each of the matte shades. They'll blend through the crease like a dream and the pigment from the shimmer, layers on easily.

Lasting power

I've never tested these shadows without an eye base or primer, however once the eye lid is prepped, these shadows can last a good working day. I wouldn't say they look as fresh by the end of the day as beginning, however they never crease, rub off or fade in colour. 'Tartelette in the bloom' palette's lasting power is as strong as their pigmentation, blending ability and shade range.


The versatile palette that has every beauty blogger talking 'Tartelette in the bloom' provides a wide shade range, faultless pigmentation, insane blending abilities and long-wearing power. If you haven't given it a go, now is the time!

I hope you enjoyed this beauty review. Have you tried the 'Tartelette in the bloom' palette?

Thank you for reading <3

Book review: 'Wilde like me' by Louise Pentland

Well hello to you my reader chums! It's been a while since I've sat down and shared the love of my latest book find. Today's pick is the debut novel 'Wilde like me' by Louise Pentland. I've been a massive fan of Louise aka vlogger Sprinkle of Glitter for over 4 years now, following along with her blog and videos. When she revealed a fiction book was on the cards, I couldn't wait as I always loved the tone of voice on her blog, that I knew the book would go down the same honest path.

Here are my thoughts..

Plot line

'Wilde like me' tells the tale of the 'girl next door' character, Robin Wilde, a single mum and makeup artist extraordinaire. Recently divorced and mum to the cutest daughter Lyla, the book follows the real day-to-day life of single mum-hood with all the ups and downs. Its triumphs, drawbacks and lonely moments, all shine through in an honest light. You'll discover heart-warming characters, a whole lot of adventure, courage and heaps of every single emotion.

Characters

When it comes to reading, one of my favourite things is imagining what the characters look like in my head and painting a picture of the story. 'Wilde like me' is full of characters you really warm to, from Robin herself, sweet daughter Lyla, hilarious best friend Lacey to crazy aunt Kath, as the story unfolds you see the importance of each relationship. Out of all the relationships, I especially admire Lyla and Robin's bond. It's one of the most touching things to read especially when Lyla comes out with how much she loves her mum at unexpected moments. It makes all the hard times for Robin that little bit easier. The friendship between Lacey and Robin is lovely, it's such a relatable bond to my best friend that I loved reading when they were together. Aunt Kath has to also be up there with one of my favourite characters because even though she's a little bonkers, her heart is massive and she's always there for Robin. The school mum's, Robin's boss Natalie and her friend Piper are characters that also feature.

 

Structure and message

The 'Wilde like me' novel is set in a traditional book format, split into 4 parts with numbered chapters to let the reader know when the next  big 'time frame' in the story passes. I love this as you're able to follow along easily with the plot line and when a next 'part' comes up, you know something big is about to happen.

With every novel, I always find there's an underlying message the author tries to convey to their readers. In 'Wilde like me', I think that message was 'life isn't perfect. Life is a wonderful, wonderful thing, filled with exciting moments but nothing is ever perfect. Nobody you'll ever meet is perfect and you can't be perfect. Perfection simply doesn't exist. We all have your quirks and we all have low moments, everybody is only human. I love how in the novel, Louise explores even the most 'perfect' characters completely and shows how they're just like anybody else. It makes the book as a whole ever so relatable and I loved that. Louise's down to earth ways always shine through in her videos and it's lovely, to see that message executed in her words. 

Ending

I'm not going to give anything away here! But what I will say is the ending was rounded off nicely, in an uplifting and positive spirit, leaving you feeling content with every single word. You feel happy for Robin and Lyla and how their journey will continue.

Real, raw and addictive, the story of Robin Wilde isn't one to be missed! I can't wait to see what else is in store..

I hope you enjoyed this book review. Have you read 'Wilde like me'?

Thank you for reading <3

July favourites

Well hello to you my reader chums! Another month has swept us by with a few different products catching my eye. I'm not entirely sure where July went, although it's safe to say, the month was packed with many exciting social events and a lot of new memories. I've gathered up a few new favourites this past month and can't wait to share them with you all.

Let's take a look at my July favourites..

Sleek brow kit in 'Light'

I've never been one for an eye brow kit, usually using a mixture of eye shadow and eye brow gel to tame my brows. Although, when my favourite eye shadow hit pan, I saw this Sleek palette in Superdrug and decided to make the change. I must say, I'm very impressed! The light brown shade mixed with the wax is the perfect colour to match my eye brows and hold the hairs in place. Once the product is on, it doesn't budge and keeps that staple eye look all day long. Sleek are one of my favourite brands and they lived up to expectation again with this eye brow kit. With great pigmentation and lasting power, I'd 100% recommend.

BarryM matte nail polish in 'Vanilla'

I used to swear by nail polish, always having both sets of nails painted or getting gels done regularly at the salon, however over the past year I've given my nails a much needed break. As I had a wedding a few weeks back and wanted to put together the whole ideal wedding guest look, I took a trip down to Superdrug to pick up my favourite BarryM shade. I'd describe this colour as a mauve-toned nude with a matte finish. What I love most about BarryM's matte range is their swift drying power as when it comes to nails, I get very impatient. If you still like the glossy nail look, apply a clear polish and you're good to go.

Kat Von D tattoo liquid eye liner

The gem of all eye liners, Kat Von D's version has become my new holy grail. With its intense pigmentation, long-lasting power and thin nib, they all add up to the perfect liner. It's the blackest eye liner I've ever tried which will hold its true black shade for the entirety of a day. Whether you're looking for a simple eye look or full on dramatic wing, the liner has you covered. If you'd like more info, here's a full review.

Makeup Revolution powder brush

Tools are key when it comes to makeup application especially the base. With a smooth base, everything you layer on top including bronzer and highlighter will last that extra bit longer. I'm a big brush lover with Real Techniques and the Eco Tools brushes being my holy grail. I did however receive a large set of Makeup Revolution brushes for my birthday and couldn't wait to give them a go as the brand as a whole is hyped widely in the blogging community. Out of the set, I gravitated towards its powder brush the most. I love the density of this brush, as the bristles allows you to either lightly dust the powder over the skin or pack more product on for extra coverage. The brush is insanely soft, as are the rest of the set. For the price, you can't go wrong; their quality is incredible and I can't wait to give the others a go. If you're looking for affordable brushes that do the job, take a trip down to the Makeup Revolution stand.

Denim jacket from 'Forever 21'

The weather has been very up and down  this past month, so I've found a denim jacket to be the perfect fashion accessory. If I'm wearing jeans on slightly cooler days, it'll pair nicely and with summer dresses when the sunshine hits, it's lightweight enough to shield you from the coastal breeze. My favourite at the minute is this pick from Forever 21 in a light-washed denim. I bought this a few years ago, yet its one of those pieces which will never go out of fashion and is the ideal medium blue to pair with a variety of looks.

I hope you enjoyed my monthly favourites. Which products have you been loving?

Thank you for reading <3

Wedding guest look: Outfit and makeup

Well hello to you my reader chums! Summer means wedding season and on the Saturday just gone, I attended my older cousin's wedding. I love a good wedding; there's nothing more magical than watching two people unite and declare their love for each other. The day was ever so Pinterest-worthy with twinkling fairy lights, a rustic barn interior, their candy bar and a finger-print tree for every guest to make their stamp. I feel so honoured to be a part of the day and celebrate the couple, dancing the night away.

When it comes to a wedding guest look, I always think of a pastel coloured outfit with toned down accessories and makeup. Here's what I went for..

OOTD

Pastel blue dress - Pretty Little Thing

Grey stiletto heels - Misguided

Bag - Primark

Bracelet - Pandora

Makeup

I wasn't able to get a close up of the makeup, however, I went for a regular, everyday base, bronzed and glowy cheekbones with a champagne eye look and nude, pink lip.

Base - L'oreal's Infallible primer, Revlon Colour Stay foundation, Rimmel's Wake Me Up concealer and Stay Matte powder.

Contour and highlight - Benefit's Hoola bronzer and Sleek's highlighting palette in 'Cleopatra's Kiss'.

Eyebrows - L'oreal single eye shadow in '106' and Rimmel's clear brow gel.

Eye shadow - Revlon cream shadow base in '705' for a primer with Tartelette in the bloom and Too Faced Sweet Peach palette, applied on top. From Tarlelette, I used 'Flower Child', a subtle nude colour as the base and took 'Smarty Pants', a warm toned brown through the crease. I then applied 'Nectar', a slightly orange toned cream from the Too Faced palette and Tartelette's 'Funny Girl', the glitteriest champagne shade over the lid. For definition, in the outer corner I ran my favourite taupe brown shade from Tartelette's palette 'Jet Setter' and Too Faced's 'Charmed I'm sure'.

Eye liner and mascara - Winged liner with my favourite Kat Von D liquid liner and holygrail, Maybelline's lash sensational mascara.

Lips - Kiko's lip liner in '315' paired with Mac's 'Faux' lipstick.

I hope you enjoyed this wedding guest look. What's your go to dress colour for a wedding?

Thank you for reading <3

Les Misérables, Willy Wonka themed afternoon tea and Vicar's picnic festival

Well hello to you my reader chums! The week just gone has been one of my favourites this year as the time had arrived for my 21st birthday surprises to unveil from my boyfriend.

Firstly, we spent a few days in London and then went back to Maidstone for a family-fun festival. Here's everything we got up to..

On arrival to London, we left our bags at the hotel we were staying in and headed down to Covent Garden before making our way to the theatre. There's something about Covent Garden which holds a special place in my heart. It has an ultra-charming vibe with boutique shops, an everyday market and seasonal décor wherever you look. We took a little mooch around the shops and markets then got a grab to eat before it was show time. 

Dan and I in Covent Garden

I'm a massive theatre addict. I love going to all type of shows but musicals have to be my ultimate favourite. There's nothing better than watching a story come to life with music, dancing and clever stage production. Les Misérables, has been one of those shows I've wanted to see for absolutely years but never got the chance, however for my 21st, Dan got me tickets and I was ecstatic to say the least.

The production was out of this world! I didn't think any show could be as good as my favourites Billy Elliot or Wicked but Les Misérables was on another level. The actors voices were insane and given the impressive staging, plus costuming, I was amazed. Each song was ten times better than the film and the actors performed with such raw emotion in each role. It's a sight I wish I could see over and over again. I've got 'a heart full of love' for Les Misérables!

Inside Queens Theatre in Piccadilly Circus

After the show, we freshened up at our hotel and then made our way to San Carlo Cicchetti's, an Italian tapas style restaurant. I got recommended this restaurant by a friend and going by the exterior, I couldn't wait to see which food was in store. It's different to any Italian restaurant I've been before; the idea being that you pick a selection of medium sized dishes say 5 or 6 in oppose to the usual starter, main system. I loved this as you got the chance to taste a little bit of everything and still being able to fit in dessert. The food was divine, there was everything from classic pastas, pizzas, meat dishes, fish tasters and all sorts of appetizer style plates. If you're a big foodie, I'd definitely say give it a try. It's located in Covent Garden and as it's very popular, it would be best to book a table beforehand.

Dan in Cicchetti's

The décor had a rustic yet modern feel given the rose gold tables and classic pizza ovens on show. With a charismatic and inviting atmosphere, I'd go back in a heartbeat for the friendly service.

After a charming dinner, we chilled at our hotel, The Montague Gardens, located 5 minutes from Russell Square tube station. The hotel was a complete and utter treat, it felt like living in pure luxury for a night. Our room was a suite with a living area, bedroom, bathroom and additional shower room. If you're looking to stay in central London for a night and wanted to treat yourself, I'd highly recommend this hotel. It's a 5 minute walk from the tube station and only two stops from Piccadilly Circus.

The second day in London, I had no idea what we were doing as Dan had planned another surprise for me. After breakfast, we took a tube down to Green Park and strolled around the area until we arrived at The 'Chesterfield at Mayfair hotel'. I was taken aback by the interior when the lady asked 'are you here for afternoon tea?' Before I could react, we were seated and a waiter came over and said 'Welcome to the Charlie and the Chocolate factory afternoon tea!' Honestly, it was the best surprise EVER, I couldn't wait to see what they served up. I'm so thankful and grateful for the best boyfriend ever. Charlie and the Chocolate factory (the original) is my favourite film of all time so an event like this was beyond exciting!

The afternoon tea was delicious and creative all in one. At first you got served a tea, we chose the chocolate kind and then the incredible layer of food was placed in front of us. What's amazing about the food is that every single item was refillable so you could top up on sandwiches, scones and all the chocolate goodies as much as you'd like.

The sandwiches had the yummiest fillings and the scones were baked to perfection but the best layer by far had to be the Willy Wonka themed treats. Out of the top layer, the Wonka Bar, golden egg and blueberry macaroon were my favourite. I love how they incorporated all the film elements to create such scrummy desserts.

As all drinks were refillable, we decided to get chocolate milkshakes instead of the regular tea as in all honestly I don't actually like tea, although the chocolate kind wasn't that bad. The milkshakes were refreshing and chocolatey just how they should be.

After the best two days in London, we headed back home in preparation for the Vicar's Picnic Festival, held in Yalding on Friday and Saturday of that week.

The two days were packed with great music, quirky food trucks, glitter stalls, bootfair style stalls and a charming family-friendly atmosphere. We headed down with Dan's family and enjoyed all the festival had in store. The music was quite old school, with a few classics thrown in here and there.

Me and Dan at the festival on Friday

The Saturday was busier out of the two with larger crowds and more modern music. Fratellis headlined and ended the night with a bang singing their classic tunes.

The food scene was ever so hipster with double decker pizza restaurants, quirky cocktail stalls and burger trucks galore. If you're a foodie like me, you'd be in your element and trying out absolutely everything!

I had the best time at the Vicar's Picnic festival; the heart-warming vibe, chilled back music and endless chats was the perfect way to top off the week.

I feel ever so lucky to have finally seen Les Misérables and being treated like a princess in London by my boyfriend. Experiencing new things is my favourite thing to do and I'm incredibly thankful I get to them with such a loving man in my life.

I hope you enjoyed a look at my exciting week! What's your favourite theatre show you've ever seen?

Thank you for reading <3

Beauty review: Kat Von D liquid liner

Well hello to you my reader chums! The Kat Von D brand is quite new on the beauty market and hyped widely within the blogging community. Its 'tattoo liner' has been raved about for a long time now and whilst in New York, I couldn't resist picking it up as I'm a sucker for a good eye liner. I've used this on many occasions now and love it a little bit more each time. Here are few reasons why..

The design

When it comes to liquid eye liner packaging design, all I ask for is a lid that securely tightens and a thin nib, so we're already in for a winner with this product. The tube makes that satisfying clicky noise once you close it which in turn prevents the liner from drying up. Its nib isn't as thin as my holy grail, L'oreal super liner, however it is slim enough to create the perfect winged look, whether that's a small, defined line or full-on cat eye.

Its colour pigmentation

I've tried several liquid liners and there's nothing worse when the pigmentation isn't a staple black or has a thin consistency. However, the tattoo liner is one of the blackest liners I've tried and its pigmentation is seamless. As the colour is that intense, there's no need to go over the line several times to get the full colour pay off. Even with an opaque black finish, it still has a slight gleam over the top.

The application

Application is easy with the Kat Von D tattoo liner. Its small nib and high pigmentation means the product glides on the eye easily without reapplication needed. The brush is very soft so doesn't tug during application and given the size, you're able to go from small to dramatic flick.

Its lasting power

Above all the other fabulous features, my favourite has to be the lasting power. Whenever I use eye liners, despite the price tag, they always manage to slightly wear away by the end of the night, however the tattoo liner is different. Its opaque colour clings on throughout the whole day/night and can even be hard to wipe off at times. I love this factor as it means, I know it'll last when I get watery eyes and can trust the product for any photo-ready opportunity.

I hope you enjoyed this review. Have you tried Kat Von D's liquid eye liner?

Thank you for reading <3

Olly Murs Summer Tour 2017

Well hello to you my reader chums! Summer is fully underway with exciting events happening here and there. On Friday, I added another concert to my never ending list and saw Olly Murs live in one of my closest cities, Canterbury. I've always been a fan of Olly Murs, with his 'cheeky chappy' ways, he's certainly a crowd pleaser and I couldn't wait to see him live!

The concert was in a massive cricket ground and as we got standing tickets, we were able to get ourselves into the perfect position to watch Olly grace the stage. There were four of us in total, me Danielle and our two friends. With concerts, it's always an even better experience when there's a group as you're able to bounce off each others energy.

Me, Danielle, Shannon and Shannon

Louisa Johnson, winner of 2015's X Factor, set off the tour with a bang. Astounding vocals, feisty moves and a welcoming tone, she had fab stage presence. I couldn't get over how incredible her voice was, especially during covers and her single 'Tears'. At one point, she brought her sister out on stage which was the cutest thing to watch and she even sung like an angel. Louisa came back on later in the concert to sing hers and Olly's new song, 'Unpredictable'. They worked so well as a duo, with their perfect harmonies and friendly relationship.

Now it was time for Olly himself to show some moves. He didn't disappoint in the slightest! Olly is one of the best performers I've seen; his infectious personality, witty charm and flirty attitude got the whole audience smiling. There was something about how he put on the show that made us all giggle, sing our hearts out and feel every emotion under the sun. I love how he sang all his classic hits and covered a few old school tracks to get the audience going. A true performer, if you haven't already get yourself a ticket to see the cheeky singer himself.

Concerts are one of my favourite things to do. You can't describe the love you feel in a room with live music and how everyone comes together to support the act on stage. I loved every minute of Olly's tour and can't wait till the next concert.

I hope you enjoyed this post. What was your last concert?

Thank you for reading <3