November favourites

Well hello to you my reader chums! As November is swiftly coming to an end and the festivities of Christmas are emerging, it's time to share with you my favourites of the month. I haven't loved too many items over the past few weeks yet these select few I've been thoroughly enjoying.

If you're searching for a new thriller novel, hand cream, or BB cream, here are my November favourites.

November favourites

Rimmel's BB cream

I'm a huge fan of BB cream because I prefer that lighter coverage on an everyday basis rather than a full coverage look. As I adore Maybelline's BB cream, I wanted to test out a similar base product and see how I got on with it. Despite it being such a light base, when I first squirted some on the back of my hand, I was surprised to see how thick the consistency was. I then dabbed and blended it all over the skin which resulted in a dewy, glowing finish, perfect for that fresh faced look. 

I would really recommend this product for someone who either is starting out with makeup or like me loves a lighter coverage. As it creates a glowing look, it's ideal for a day at work because it gives that oomph to your overall complexion.

Rimmel's BB cream

Soap and Glory's Hand Food

With the weather getting increasingly chillier, it means my hands become a lot drier. If you saw my winter handbag essentials post, you'll see I featured this. I find a hand cream is most certainly needed in this winter period, as cracking hands can be quite painful. I love hand food in particular because it holds a heavenly smell and truly does the job of moisturising my hands, This size also is perfect to pop in your bag on the go!

Soap and Glory's Hand Food

Rimmel's blush in 'Live pink.' 

When it comes to blusher, I prefer pinky/rose tones that contain subtle shimmer running through, which describes this blush perfectly. Once applied it leaves the most beautiful pink flush to the cheek bones, adding a natural glow without needing highlighter on top. I've been loving this for an everyday use because it enhances the natural cheek colour without being too over the top.

Rimmel's blush in 'Live pink.'

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion sponge

 A tool I'm genuinely obsessed with and recently done a review on is my new favourite thing. It took me a while to finally jump on the band wagon and try this tool out, but I'm so happy I did. I find by using a beauty blender in my daily routine, it really helps boost the overall look of my base makeup. As you're able to get into the smallest areas of the face, you can blend products easier and even build coverage. By using a dabbing motion instead of the usual swirling technique of a brush, layering is a dream and helps give that desired flawless finish. It's become a definite staple and I would certainly recommend it to anyone who hasn't used one before.

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion sponge

'The Ice Twins' book

The plot is about how one of the twins dies in an accident and the whole family moves to a remote Scottish island. There the surviving twin claims they've mistaken her identity and she's really the twin who they thought had died. As you can tell, it's a very intense twin based book, one which drew me in from the blurb. Throughout the rest of the novel numerous tragic and creepy events occur that create an overall heart breaking/gripping read. I finished this book the other week and adored every single word. 

The description was incredibly gripping on every page, drawing and holding you onto each sentence. At times I found the novel utterly chilling with the events that went on, however I kept wanting to read more and more. I loved the change of perspectives from the mother to the narrator, how relationships were explained and the depth of detail in the story. As it was a book about twins it hit me harder at times than it would other people, however overall I completely loved it. If you enjoy thrillers or anything in that genre, you'd certainly want to read this; a truly fab recommendation!

'The Ice Twins' book

I hope you enjoyed my November favourites. What have you been loving this month?

Thank you for reading <3

Review: Lush's bath bomb 'Shoot for the Stars' ❤️

Well hello to you my reader chums! As the evenings have become darker and chillier, there's nothing better than coming home from work and unwinding in the bath. Lush bath bombs are my favourite kind of treat for these moments because with the wide variety available, the experience is made much more exciting. I own a vast collection of bath bombs (yes I'm a hoarder) and today I opted for 'Shoot for the Stars' as I've never tried it before.

When I first picked it up I loved the overall design. It included a blue background with a shooting star pattern spread across, amongst smaller yellow stars surrounding it. 

 Made up of such beautiful colours on the exterior, I was intrigued to see what was inside. After running my bath I popped it in and bursts of purple/blue spurted out. Tiny bursts of pink and yellow also soared through when the inner section unravelled.

 Here are some motion shots below:


I was surprised to see not only an abundance of colour in the water but lots and lots of bubbles! Usually bubble bars are the products which produce millions of bubbles so I was very excited to see many appear as the bomb unfolded.
Once settled, the overall look reminded me of the night sky with blends of purple, blue shades and slight shimmer running though. It looked somewhat mystical and ever so pretty! Even though it had glitter shining within, it wasn't an overwhelming amount meaning you didn't get out of the bath sparkling!

The scent of the bath was incredibly calming and subtle, ideal for a truly relaxing experience. It's similar to parma violet sweets, only a tiny bit sweeter and not as strong. I really love how it wasn't too overpowering yet the scent still lingered during and after the bath.

I hope you enjoyed this short review. What's your favourite Lush bath bomb?

Thank you for reading <3

Winter handbag essentials

Well hello to you my reader chums! With the wintertime sprung upon us, I wanted to share what I like to carry around in my handbag on a daily basis. I'm one of those girls who tend to over-pack in any scenario, ensuring I have this, this, and that just in case, hence why I prefer a slightly larger bag. The one I bought recently is from T.K Maxx and I'm absolutely obsessed with it!

Here are my winter handbag essentials.


Hand cream

First things first, has to be hand cream. When the colder weather hits, my hands are the main thing that tends to suffer, getting increasingly dry and therefore I like to carry around cream to give them that element of moisture in the day. My go-to choice has to be Soap and Glory's hand food, not only does it smell heavenly, it truly does the job, leaving your hands feeling silky smooth.

Lip balm

Another important item in the winter months is certainly lip balm. Similar to my hands, when the weather turns colder, my lips get incredibly dry. The lip balm I'm loving at the moment is Blistex's intense moisturiser which I picked up on a whim, however, I'm glad I did as it thoroughly does the job. It holds a strong minty scent, similar to Vicks, that when applied tingles the lips and feels as if it's healing the dry layer. As it's white, you need to work it in a bit to avoid a white sheen, yet I love it and reckon it's going to be my saviour in the next few months.

A book to read

If you know me, you'd completely understand my love for reading. I've read ever since I can remember and recently I've rekindled my book love by allowing time before I go to bed and on the way to work to read. As I take the bus to work which takes around 45 minutes, there's a vast amount of time to immerse myself into a storyline. I've just finished The Ice Twins which I absolutely adored ( I may do a review on it soon) and am currently reading The Last Days of Rabbit Hayes, which so far I'm enjoying. I think having a book with you wherever, especially if you're travelling, gives you the chance to instead of scroll on endless social media, embrace the writings of many authors.

Notebook and pen

I've decided to get my life a tad more organised lately and bought several notebooks. I love the purpose of having a notebook with me on the go because it means if I have any ideas for blog posts, Christmas presents, or other creative thoughts, I'm able to jot them down before they go out of my mind. The one I'm obsessed with that's been in my handbag lately is this brown coloured book from Matalan that presents a subtle note design. It embraces a simplistic, vintage edge and I just love the size of it.

Lipstick

Being a full-on lipstick hoarder, it's safe to say I don't go anywhere without a lipstick option in my handbag. If it's on a day to day basis, it'll tend to be a nude in case I want to put one on to freshen up my makeup, however on the weekend or if I'm going anywhere special, I'll keep the lipstick I'm wearing from that day with me as well for topping up. Today I opted for Revlon's matte balm in 'Sultry', a lipstick I absolutely love. It's a dusky, slightly darker pink with a matte finish, beautiful all year round.



Headphones

As I travel to work and use public transport a lot, having a pair of headphones on me is a god send. There's nothing better when you're feeling a bit tired when travelling alone, than plugging in your favourite music and watching the world go by.

Hand-held mirror

Another key essential I always have with me is a mirror. It's that one thing someone always asks for when you're out so I make sure to have it with me.

Keys

Yet another vital thing, especially if I'm unsure if anyone will be at home when I get back from work. I love my keys as I have a picture keyring from Madame Tussaud when my best friends and I met the One Direction waxworks.

Hand sanitiser 

Being the germ probe I am, there's no surprise I always carry around hand sanitiser with me. It's easily accessible if I'd like to refresh before eating or if anyone else would like to wash their hands.

Other essential items 

The last few essentials I bring with me is my iPhone, I can't go anywhere without it, clips/hairbands in case I want to shove my hair up and tissues! Tissues are a must now it's winter as either myself or anyone who is with me is bound to have a runny nose.

I hope you enjoyed this post. What are your winter handbag essentials?

Thank you for reading <3

Beauty review: Real Techniques beauty blender

Well hello to you my reader chums! With the hype of beauty blenders going around the blogger community for a while now, I thought I would finally jump on band waggon and buy one. I picked up the Real Technique version a couple of weeks back and have really taken to it; the blender has improved my makeup routine for the better.

Application: Initially, I found application a bit tricky as it's a completely different blending technique to the usual buffing brush. Instead of the general swirling and brushing down motion I use with a brush, I found through practise of this blender, the best way is to dab and slowly swipe to achieve a flawless and well blended finish. As it took a couple of tries to get used to, I wasn't a huge fan at first, however once I got the hang of it and saw the results it left, I fell in love with this tool.

Shape:  I'd describe the shape as a 3D tear drop with different angles to help blend certain areas of the face. The curved, main surface I find is best for blending in the wider areas of  my face such as my cheeks, forehead and chin area, whereas the thin pointy part is designed greatly for dabbing in the concealer under the eyes or on any blemishes. The flatter part of the top also it perfect for getting the higher parts of the cheeks and under the chin. Depending on what face shape you have can mean different sections of the blender will be perfect for other areas on your face.


Finish: When I first started using the beauty blender, I didn't expect anything different from the end result, just how the makeup application would change, however I was certainly wrong. By using one of these beauties, I discovered not only does it help achieve a flawless finish, but it builds coverage. I think by using the dabbing method instead of dragging the product on the skin is the reason coverage is built. For instance, applying BB cream with this is absolutely fab because it gives an overall light-medium coverage instead of only a light colour tint.

Overall brush comparison: In terms of comparing it to brushes, I can honestly say I've been enjoying this a lot more to apply my makeup. I'm astounded by how using this tool can help build up the layers and leave such a faultless look. As my skin isn't great at the moment (yay for winter), this extra coverage is definitely needed and therefore I'm happy I picked this up when I did! I love the size for on the go, how soft it feels on the skin and even the application process. Even though I adored brushes for years to apply my base products, this is now my go to tool.

I hope you enjoyed this review. Have you used a beauty blender, if so do you prefer it to a brush?

Thank you for reading <3

Tutorial: Quick and easy makeup look

Well hello to you my reader chums! Today I wanted to share with you a quick and simple makeup look I like to wear on days where I'm either in a rush for work or don't really fancy the whole full face coverage. The look is quite basic and natural, providing a substantial amount of coverage, glow to the skin, yet doesn't look too much for an everyday basis.

Here are all the products below:



Base: 
Rimmel's BB cream in 'Light'
Rimmel's Wake me up concealer
Rimmel's Stay matte powder in 'Silky beige'
The Body Shop's bronzer in '02'
Rimmel's blush in '050 Live pink'

For the base, I primed my skin and started off with a new discovery, Rimmel's BB cream. As it provides a light coverage, I applied it with my beauty blender because I find this helps build up layers, blending it in easier and achieving a flawless finish. I then took my concealer, dotted it under the eyes, a touch on the forehead and over any blemishes. To set the base I dusted powder all over the skin, ensuring it'll last all day long. Since this makeup is rather quick, I opted to slightly contour the cheekbones, bringing some warmth to the skin and then applied a blush to give that rosy flush/ highlight to the cheekbones.

Eye brows, eyes and lips:
L'oreal's eye shadow in '106'
Maybelline's Lash sensational
Dr Paw Paw's 'Tinted peach pink balm'

To keep the eye look swift, I simply filled in my brows with the usual L'oreal eye shadow and used it also as a contour shade for my eyes, to add a warmth of colour without putting together a full eye look. I finished with a couple of coats of mascara and a slight sheen of a pink colour over the lips.

There we have it the completed look: 


I hope you enjoyed this post. What's your go to makeup look?

Thank you for reading <3

The best lipsticks to wear in winter time

Well hello to you my reader chums! Since we've now reached November, where autumn is coming to a close and winter is fully emerging, I thought it'll be the perfect time to share with you my go-to lipstick for the season.

 When the cooler months hit, I start to grab for the darker tones, my favourite kind of lipsticks to wear. Nothing can pull together the perfect autumn/winter outfit than a strong berry, vampy or red lip. 

If you're a big fan of darker lipsticks, here are the best lipsticks to wear in the wintertime.

The best lipsticks to wear in winter time

The best lipsticks to wear in winter time

The best lipsticks to wear in winter time shades

Mac's Russian Red lipstick

'Russian Red' has to be my ultimate must-have red. It's a classic blue-toned red which glides on beautifully even though the finish is matte. The colour pigmentation is flawless, holding its strength for lengthy amounts of time and the consistency is rather creamy when applied. It becomes a true staple nearer to Christmas when I really reach for a defined red lip. 

For a drugstore option, Rimmel's '01' lipstick has the same red tone, yet with a glossy, slightly pinkier finish.

Rimmel's lipstick in 107

As soon as Autumn hits, I tend to whip this out straight away because the colour is simply gorgeous, perfect for this season. I'd describe it as a red/pinky toned burgundy shade because it's more on the red scale when it comes to darker lipsticks. It's a matte option, where similar to Russian red, it isn't drying on the lips and holds a creamy consistency. 

The lasting power isn't as strong, however, it still stays on the lips for several hours, keeping the staple berry lip look. If you're looking to branch out on to berry lips and don't want anything too dramatic, this is a fabulous choice, I adore it.

Revlon's matte balm in 'Sultry'

Despite the cooler season being all about berry/darker lip shades, there are days where I prefer to wear a nude/pink lip. As pale nudes or pinks aren't really me, I love to go for a dusky pink colour. This one, in particular, is simply divine, I can't get enough of it. It's in a chubby stick style, making application really easy as there's more control when drawing on the colour. 

When applied, the consistency is so soft and even though it's matte, it feels incredible on the lips. For matte balms I didn't think the lasting power would be good, however, it's fantastic, they last like a dream and set really well on the lips, making it feel like you're not wearing lipstick. The colour is stunning, a slightly dark dusky pink, which really compliments my skin tone. It's not a very striking or subtle colour, therefore ideal for that in-between shade.

Maybelline's lipstick in 'Berry Much'

Moving onto the truly vampier shades that for me completely scream autumn, 'Berry much' fits the category perfectly. Crafted in a pencil shape form, the application is simple, whereas the nip is thinner than a typical lipstick, creating a stable purple lip easily. The colour is absolutely astonishing, ideal for those who are vampy lip lovers. 

When applied on the lips, the pigmentation is strong, where the colour itself is a definitive berry, purple shade. I'd say the colour holds rather well, the packaging is incredible and overall it's perfect to create that bold purple lip.

Mac's lipstick in the shade 'Diva'

If you've read my recent favourites post or latest tutorial, you'd see I've featured this lipstick as it's become a top favourite very quickly. Colour-wise, I'd say it's very similar to 'Berry much', where 'Diva' is slightly more burgundy toned, compared to 'Berry much' holding more of a purple base. 

The pigmentation it tremendous, building a perfect stable dark lip when applied. Its lasting power is heavenly as is the consistency because like many of the other lipsticks, despite the matte finish it's a very creamy texture. I'm genuinely obsessed with this lipstick, the only thing left to say is you need it. It's definitely worth the splurge.

I hope you enjoyed this post on my go-to autumn/winter lipsticks, as you can tell I'm in my prime this time of year! What are your favourite lip shades?

Thank you for reading <3

Book review: Girl Online on Tour by Zoe Sugg

Well hello to you my reader chums! With the announcement of Zoella's second book, I was intrigued to get my hands on it. I ordered in advance and managed to buy one of the limited signed editions. As I enjoyed the plotline of the first book, I was rather excited to see what the next story would entail and how everything unfolds. 

Girl Online on Tour by Zoe Sugg

Protagonist and perspective of the book

Following on from the first novel, the story was solely told from Penny's perspective in 1st person and through blog posts as her 'girl online' alter ego. I loved this aspect of the book as 1st personal viewpoints are my favourite because it's more personal and you're able to connect with that character straight away. Also, the blog posts segment is a layout I've never really seen before, adding a unique element to the tale.

Plotline

Compared to the first book, I preferred this story line. Personally I think 'Girl Online' was an introduction to Penny, her life and first love, whereas this book took it to the next level, heading out on new adventures and bringing in additional characters. As Penny embarked on Noah's first tour, a series of locations were described, opening your eyes to some beautiful destinations. Despite things not turning out how she planned, several exciting and shocking, unexpected occurrences happened within the book. Written as a general teenage love fantasy, the cutesy, mushy parts or scenes were crafted exceptionally, creating very touching and heart warming moments, every reader is guaranteed to adore. 

I really love the journey you're taken on in this book, where there are highs, lows, and truly loving moments that you can't help but beam. It's rather nice how you see the protagonist, Penny grows from one book to the next, and it shows how she copes with things including her anxiety and being away from home. As I said about the first novel, I'm happy anxiety is talked about and made aware throughout, opening the readers eyes. 

An aspect I noticed in both books was how modernised they were written with apps such as Whatsapp or Snapchat mentioned. As much as it was relatable to of had these included in the book, I felt it was a bit too 21st century if you get me? I guess for the younger audience it's aimed at, it's what they've used through their young teenage years but I wasn't as obsessed with social networking till much later and therefore that was the only feature I wasn't keen on. Saying this overall I thoroughly loved the plot, reading over half of it in one sitting. I think the way she held the words with deep descriptions, grabbed your attention, enticing you to continue and find out what's next.

Characters and relationships

One of my favourite features of the book was the addition of new characters and the growth of older characters in the previous tale. My top one has to still be Elliot or Wiki as he's known on the blog. He just seems like the perfect best guy friend every girl needs in their life, full of fun, motivation and positivity. You get to learn about Noah's band members, more in depth of Penny's other friends and little surprise additions, bringing in fresh faces. There's unexpected friendships and relationships which turn out not to be that trustworthy at all but as a whole the admiration of the heart warming characters continues. You learn which ones in Penny's life are the goodies, baddies and keepers which I love.

Girl Online on Tour by Zoe Sugg signed copy

Ending of the book

From the beginning of the novel, I had an idea of what I thought the ending may be, and to some extent that did occur. I wasn't expecting all the ins and outs that happened throughout to get to that point, but nevertheless it landed on a a slight cliffhanger, one that was hopeful. With the topics discussed in the the novel, I think it all softly comes to a close, bringing everything together. I finished the novel feeling quite bitter sweet with it, yet overall all satisfied and happy.

I have to admit despite it being aimed at a younger audience, I really gravitated to this book, it brought a fresh youthful light, compared to the usual books I read and reminded me of the girly/fun novels I used to adore when I was slightly younger. I'd definitely recommend it if you'd like something a bit fresh, heartwarming and hopeful - a fabulous book was written by Zoe!

I hope you enjoyed this book review. Have you read this and what did you think?

Thank you for reading <3