2013 Review

Well, by this time you have probably read a fair few of these but if you have the patience to read mine it would really be appreciated.

This year really has had it's ups and downs but in the end i'm so happy.  Many people like to turn over a new leaf for the new year, but in fact I want everything to stay as it is because to be honest, I think I'm doing ok.

Maybelline 24hr colour tattoo - permanent taupe review

Yes, I am aware that pretty much every other beauty blogger has written a review of this product at least 4 months ago!  However, I was determined to make sure that I truley love this product before I write a review of it.

Winter / Christmas favourites

Hello there, well I think it is fair to say that the party season is well and truly upon us!  Although this period can be incredibly stressful for the most of us I have picked out a few of my favorites to make this Christmas a little easier.

Original source body washes

For the past few months I have been using some of the Original Source body washes and I have been enjoying using them, so why not write a review?

25 facts about me!

Amongst all of the beauty and fashion love, I thought I should share some of the weird little things that make me, me!

1. I don't class myself as a fussy eater, but I can't stand tomatoes.
   
2. When I was little I used to call my brother 'the baby' untill I learnt his name.
   

Nivea in-shower moisteriser review.

So in-shower moisterisers have been a new discovery for 2013 and I thought that I ought to give one a go.

I heard about the Nivea one through a variety of blogs and my grandma couldn't get enough of this stuff, so when I saw this one was half price in Superdrug, I had to give it a go!

little black dress perfume review.

A couple of years back, I bought the purse size of this perfume and It was love at first sniff!

AVON is a great place to buy perfume from as a teen because I can always find a deal on them and that is how I discovered this perfume.  Its the ideal Autumn/winter scent in my opinion.

Autumn Nail polish.

So the small minority of you that follow my blog will probably have been wandering what has happened to me?  Well the truthful answer is that I broke my camera.  Just after my weekend post I broke the focus on my main lens so I have been unable to take any product photos and as I refuse to use stock photo's, I'm afraid there have been no reviews.  Sorry about that, but now I have managed to somehow fix it but I am having to try manual-focus on my photos so bare with me if they are a little un-clear.

However, we are now well into Autumn territory, the rain is starting and all of the leaves are falling, secretly I am loving it.  There is just something about snuggling up in knitted jumpers and cosy socks with a cup of tea or hot chocolate while it's raining outside.

Anyway, after a summer of brights and neon nails, here are some of my favourite nail polishes for the autumn.

Dermalogica Microfoliant review.

My mum has always told me to take good care of my skin, therefore I have mostly used higher-end products in my skin-care-routine (well it's not really a routine, more just products I use!)

One of the first brands I was introduced to was Dermalogica, my friends mum worked for the brand and my mum loves it so I have always had access to 

their products.  Therefore I have become quite familiar with the line and this product has always worked for me and I haven't found anything like it.

What I did this weekend.

Recently I have been trying to do more lifestyle posts because I really enjoy reading them.

Here is what I did this weekend.

Saturday

Saturday was quite busy!  One of my best friends came round for the day and we went shopping in town and went on a search to find the cheapest umbrella (the plain black ones in New Look) as it rains quite a lot in the UK and I always seem to break my umbrellas!  We spent the rest of the day chatting and getting ready for a party we had that evening.  The party itself was rather eventful so not really any snaps from that!

A week in the Gower

Ever since I can remember, my family have been visiting the Gower in Wales.  I have become so familiar with the area that it no longer seems like a holiday, more like a place to escape from the everyday rush of life.

Lush - Rub Rub Rub Review

Two posts in one week?

Yep!  

Revlon Lip Butter Review

It's been too long!  How have you been?

So I know I'm a bit slow on the bandwagon with these but I have been loving my Revlon Lip Butters recently!

Croatia

Last week I went to Croatia with my family. It was the first time I had been to Croatia and the first sailing holiday I had ever been on, it was all very new and a bit stressful at times!

Our first stop was a little town on the island of Zlarin, this was one of my favourite places we visited, it was a local town which I love because you really feel that you are part of a community rather than a tourist.

Book Corner - Life of Pi Review

As promised, I have gotten round to reviewing this book!

I have been reading it throughout exam season so it has taken much longer than I would have liked to get into it.

Life of Pi is a story about a 16 year old boy surviving on a life boat with a zebra, hyena,orangutan and a Bengal Tiger.  The idea is so obscure that you are unable to compare it to any other book!  It is beautifully written and has the most original ideas I have ever read.  I have to say though, in parts there was a bit of gore which sent shivers down my spine!

Summer + update!

Ok . . . so what's been going on?

I finished school about 3 weeks ago now after finishing the last of my GCSE's and since then it has been non-stop!  I have been going to parties, attending induction days, completing my silver DofE and trying to start the mountain of holiday work I have been given!

My holiday only really starts next week when I get to take a trip to Croatia!

Haul!?!

So I was introduced to the world of blogging through YouTube.  I would sit for hours watching YouTube and of course, as I love make-up and all things beauty, I came across 'hauls'.  Now, as the worlds of YouTube and blogging regularly collide, I have decided to do a sort of haul BUT (wait for it!) ON MY BLOG!  I haven't seen this done before so I thought I would do one seeing as I literally have nothing else to blog about and I seem to have received a few items recently!

First off, beauty.  

Gifts.

Hello, how is your day so far?

Recently I have had to buy a few presents for friends birthdays, Fathers day and some teachers that I will miss next year.  So as I was thinking about present ideas, I realized that presents have gotten so predictable and boring.  Many teenage girls just buy gift vouchers, lip gloss and sweets for presents.  Don't get me wrong, I do appreciate these gifts but I think that it is an easy option and if you really wanted something you could get it yourself, it doesn't show that thought has gone into buying a present that no-one else will have gotten you.

Clarins Water Purify One Step Cleanser

Product: Clarins Water Purify One-Step Cleanser with mint essential water

The effect: It helps to clear up your skin, eliminating oil but keeps your skin looking fresh.

Use: Probably my favorite thing about this is how easy it is to use, you literally put a couple of drops on some cotton wool and wipe your face with it!  No water needed! I love this because I am so lazy when it comes to washing my face and to me this seems so much simpler than getting my face wet.  I also love that you can see what has come off your face because it makes me realize that cleansing is important and that it does do something.

coconut oil: the multi-use product

I discovered the wonders of coconut oil a couple of years ago, since then it has been one of those products that I just keep on going back to.

ASOS review

Recently I have become obsessed with this shop!  I found out about it when shopping for prom dresses a couple of months back and now I cannot stop looking! 


Shopping on the internet has become the 21st century phenomenon (for people obsessed with clothes anyway!), you can shop for your wedding dress while eating breakfast in your PJ's!  Its a really helpful tool that allows you to shop anytime, anywhere and a few online shops caught my attention.  ASOS has become my new obsession! 

Basic/Beginners Beauty and Make-up Guide

So, as a teenager I know how important make-up can be in a girls life and getting started in the right way is key!  I am going to share some of my tips to starting off wearing make-up and what sort of products you should be using at young age.

Ever since I was a toddler I have loved makeup, however I started to wear it properly when I was about 12 or 13, but I was clueless!  Had no idea what each product did, if I needed it or how to apply it.    Everybody says that beauty comes from within, and the best people will see that, however we like to feel confident in our bodies, and for many teens (who can feel insecure) make-up helps us gain that confidence.  I am not saying that you should try and change yourself, make-up should be used as a tool to highlight your features and make them look their best!

MODELS OWN nail polish

Last December at the clothes show, I came across a massive Models Own stand, I had heard of the brand before but not really bothered looking at any of the products.  They had an amazing offer, in which you got two nail polishes of your choice, a lip liner, pencil eyeliner, liquid eyeliner two loose eyeshadows, a lip balm, a lip gloss, nail scissors, a nail buffer and file thing, oh and a magazine!  And it all cost £10 (you usually pay £6 for 1 polish!).  After actually doing the maths of this deal I thought the products were going to be crap and awful quality but I was proved wrong!  I love almost everything!  

Nasty Gal - (It's a shop)

When doing my daily browse of online shopping, I came across this amazing website, I think i'm in love!

Nasty Gal is an online store and they sell loads of really unique pieces that vary from your most needed, high quality essentials to the quirkiest and most 'on trend' pieces!  

After just spending 5 minuets on the website I found this amazing 'night cat' romper (not really a term we use in England) which reminds me of the outfit that Ariana Grande wears in her music video 'The way' which is actually a cami with some black shorts rather than a dress (which I thought it was!).  This basic romper could easily be dressed up casually and become a gorgeous outfit, or you could team it with a blazer and make it much more formal, either way I am obsessed, however I don't think I can afford it at £51.30 and I don't think I would wear it that often.

They sell clothes, shoes, swimwear, intimates (I love this term!) and an awesome vintage section which I have been browsing for ages now.  Unfortunately it's kind of pricey across the whole store but if you are willing to spend over £40 on an item then, if you are anything like me, you will love this store!

I also love the sizes, as a very slim girl I hate not being able to find my size but this store has sizes XXS - L which is great because I have the option of getting tiny sizes which many shops don't offer.

I am aware that they have being trying to tempt me for months now on youtube, however, I have learnt to resist until today!

I'm guessing that you like blogs, because you are reading this (which happens to be a blog!), and I found that the company also has a blog HERE IT IS!

Once again, I am sorry for the lack of writing but I'm sure you will have your own opinions on this store, let me know?

Em x

Tanning moisterisers? Good or bad?

I am certainly not the only one who has taken this beauty trend on, a load of my friends love this less guilty version of tanning.  Just to let you know I am not totally behind, I did discover this about 3 years ago, but of course I didn't have a blog then.  

So if you get a spray tan everyone knows because you look like you might have been on holiday overnight (or attacked by some orange paint), however the tanning moisteriser builds up a tan more gradually, making it seem more natural and in my opinion, less orange.  As a bonus this solution to bronzed skin also moisterisers, making your skin soft so all you need is a quick shave and your legs will be ready to bear!  For me, this encourages me to use a body lotion (something that I ought to do more!) because it is great for your skin and will help it look younger for longer.


I really like the Dove one because it is gradual and gives a good colour, I don't think it is noticeable and it's easy to apply, you have to be careful to apply it evenly though! 
I wasn't sure if this product was working because it is subtle, however I put it to the test by applying a coat to one leg, but not the other.  The results were quite embarrassing  I was left with one leg golden and the other starkly pale!  I think it was fair to say that I wore tights and jeans for the week after.
This product isn't too damaging to your purse either! It depends where you buy it from but I got it from Superdrug for £2.47! Which is really good value, other products can cost about £6 which is too much when you can get this!

I use it to top up my tan when needed and if I need to get ready for an event I apply this in the week before and I find that the colour of my skin looks healthier.

I'm sorry this has been a quiet weekend but I have a lot of revision to do so don't expect as many posts. 

Anyway, hope this was helpful and do you have any opinions? 

Em x

Book Corner - Numbers

This gripping book by Rachel Ward is about a girl called Jem, when she looks into people's eyes she can see the dates that they will die.  She has stayed in the shadows her whole life but when she meets a boy called Spider and goes to London she finds her life exposed. 

I found out about this book around world book day when our teachers had to put up posters about their favorite book, this was the librarians and although she didn't sell it very well, I was looking for a book to read and a few of my friends were interested in it so I decided to order it. 

After the first day of reading this, I was hooked!  Jem is such a unique character and shows life with a completely new perspective which is really interesting, the book really explores all of the ideas about predicting the future and super-natural behavior  it also made me think about how we, as a society, judge other people we see in media.  The more you think about the idea of her power, the more mind-boggled you get, it's such a hard concept to get your head around but that is what makes it interesting and as you read on, you find that Jem is just starting to think about the consequences of her power too.  The style of writing is casual as Jem and Spider would speak which suits it, making it an easier read.  Unlike many books, I didn't feel that this one dragged on for too long in many places, I was constantly willing to pick this up.  As for the theme, it defiantly focuses on romance and Jem's many relationships with foster parents, her mum, and her peers but it certainly does have some action parts which makes it exciting.  As for the ending, I thought it was unpredictable (even though you know what will happen the whole way through the book) and it really was a cliffhanger.
Unfortunately, I did feel that this was just a pleasure read, usually I like to get something out of a book, but because I couldn't relate to Jem much it was difficult to apply anything to my own life.   

One of my friends is reading the book at the moment and she thinks it's great too!  She said that it was gripping and exciting. 

I don't know whether I will read the other two books in the series as I would like to try some other genera's that could be better.  I haven't yet ordered the next book but I think if I am ever stuck for something to read then I will come back to the series, but I am currently reading 'The Life of Pi' which I expect will take some time to finish as I am not really engaged in it so far.  

Have you read this book?  What do you think?  Would you read it?

Sorry there was no post yesterday but something strange happened to my blog posts (I know, I shouldn't be making excuses!).  Oh well, i'm sure you survived!

Em x

Pointed court shoes

We are so used to a classic heel, a platform with a super high, skinny heel.  However, this has changed the way I think about heels compleatly. 

The pointed court shoe doesn't have a platform and has a pointed toe (as you might of guessed).  This design is classic and really looks elegant.  I fist noticed this style on Kate Middleton, who is the queen of elegance and classic style and I think this trend has caught on because I have seen it on the catwalk a few times and there is now a gorgeous version in topshop (click here if you want to see it) as seen below, these come in many colours, such as this bright blue which I think is the prettiest because it is wearable but still stands out, I think the black and white versions of this look great on some people but i think if you have the option to wear colours, go for it!

I also love this heel, also from topshop (here it is),  I think this is great to make a statement, adds pattern and colour to a plain outfit. 

Unfortunately, as a student these are a little expensive at £58 a pair!  So I found a cheaper alternative in forever 21(get them here) which are much better value (£24.75).

I have also seen a lot of these with a metal toe cap, personally I don't like these as much because I am obsessed with the brightly coloured ones, however if you are looking for a nude version I would opt for a pair with a metal toe cap as I think these are really classy.

As much as I want to buy a pair straight away, I am stuggling for an occasion to wear these.  I can't cope with heels everyday so I can't think of any time that I could wear these, however, they would be perfect for a wedding.  If I was going to one, I would wear a short suit with a pair of these bad-boys or a floral dress, I also think these look stunning with above-the-ankle trousers, which seem to be a trend at the moment!

I wish I had an excuse to buy these!  What do you think?

Em x

Trend - Friendship bracelets

Personally I love my friendship bracelets as you have seen in my spring outfit post I wear quite a lot, but I own a lot more.  They are called friendship bracelets to me however, they are not often made by friends but simply hold a memory of a friend or holiday, I have had many friendship bracelets bought for me by friends and bought matching sets with friends but really, now they are just seen as a casual bracelet.

I think that there are many types of friendship bracelet:

• The classic - this is the one that you are likely to buy on holiday, it is a simple colourful one made of some sort of thread (I can't be too specific because there are so many designs).  
• Leather - this is basically the same but (as you might have guessed) it is made of leather.  These are often found in Spain and Spanish islands and they make a great gift!  I love these because they add something different to a stack of bracelets. (Don't wear them in the shower though!)
• Charm/bead - the more glamorous of friendship bracelets, these have a bit of sparkle (that is, if it has a sparkly bead or charm) and they brighten up a bunch of bracelets whilst still being comfy.
• Handmade - the origin of friendship bracelets.  Making your own is very therapeutic and makes unique and some pretty awesome accessories for you to be proud of.  I have given these out as numerous presents to friends and family and the best thing is - you make them exactly how you want!  Colours and design, you just have to learn how!  Here are some videos that I learnt techniques from: Wrap button bracelet, Wrap bracelets. Enjoy!

Personally I think they are great to wear because they are super durable, making them perfect to wear on holiday seeing as you will probably be in and out of the pool a lot.  They also go with EVERYTHING, I have worn friendship bracelets to dances before now and they just add a touch of 'I don't care that this event is formal' and add colour.  You can mix them with your poshest (is that even a word?) jewelry and they fit in just fine.  These are by far the most comfortable jewelry you can buy because they don't pinch, rub or turn your skin green!  They also hold memories for me, many have been bought on a great holiday or trips into town with friends, maybe at a great festival or a present.  

As a bonus, they are also great to organise, I hold all of mine on a jewelry stand in my bedroom so I can sort them into their sets and keep them with my rings.

As you can see, I also like to keep some of my earrings on the stand because they hang well on here and it keeps them in a good condition.

Overall, I think they are worth getting a few and experimenting with them, you will probably find that you fall in love with just a couple or stacks of 'em!

Any thoughts?

Em x

New layout?

When I searched through some other blogs earlier today I found this post which teaches new bloggers how to build up their blog!

I thought this was a great idea because mine is really looking a bit amateur, it still is but it's improving.  I added labels to my posts and a navigation bar (which I have been trying to do since I started this blog!).  The link suggests a different background and header but to be honest I like mine how they are and it seems like a lot of fuss to get a different one,  it also says a lot about adding in twitter and google plus details, I did add in my google plus which is on the side of my blog but i'm not sure how to use that yet so there probably isn't much point looking at it.

There is some knowledge from experience that I wouldn't know such as turning 'word verification' off which i'm sure is very helpful to readers and should boost comments.

Gadgets are something new to me - i'm currently in the middle of discovering new ones that should be helpful to my readers and make by blog a bit neater.  I also think they are great for readers to explore other posts.

It really is helpful but I recommend that you just select the advice that you need and that you can cope with - there is quite a lot to take in and I don't think you need it all, some of the bits and bobs can make a blog look untidy and disorganized.  Be selective and at the end - review your blog to see if it looks too busy, it's like the quote by Coco Chanel : "Always remove one thing before you leave the house.  Less is more".  However, if you are an extravagant person, don't hold back - your blog should represent you so just edit 'till you like it! 

Sorry it's not an interesting post today but who can blame me for enjoying the rare English sun!

Em x

Book Corner - The Perks of Being a Wallflower

I love reading.  It is what inspires me to write.  I love reading magazines and other blogs to see what trends are around and I love reading books to relax me and make me engage in someone else's life for a while, and escape from my own.  
So I thought why not let you know what I think of the books I read so that I can recommend them and give you an idea about the different books.  I am going to call all of my book reviews 'Book Corner' posts. 

Today I want to review 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower'.  

Charlie is a wallflower.  He makes friends with his teacher, barely speaks to anyone his own age, has a family full of trouble, and not to mention, very socially awkward. 

I found this book so gripping, I read it in about a week!  The main character, Charlie, writes entry's into his diary over the course of a year telling his 'friend' about his life and secrets, he explores drugs, alcohol and love which is the case for many teenagers and makes it so relate-able!  
It is so different to any other book I have read because it's plot is just like everyday life so the ending is unexpected and I truly felt that I was in Charlie's life and experiencing what he did as a 'wallflower' which is a point of perspective that few books seem to explore realistically.  I also found it fascinating because it is set in 1991-2 where life seems so similar yet so different.
To start with, I wasn't sure whether it would be any good, however after picking it up a few times a day I was able to become a part of their lives and have opinions on the different events that happen throughout the book.  Honestly, I was quite disappointed when the book ended because it felt like it could go on forever and I would love it.  But I think the length is practical, it really is a perfect holiday read because it is so easy to read and a fairly upbeat book but it really does have some important meanings if you read between the lines.

I can't recommend this book enough to teenagers, probably girls as I don't think boys would be as interested but what can I say - the main character is a boy and so is the author (maybe it's because the cover is pink?).  I can't think of a single girl in my year who wouldn't enjoy this book!

If you've read it, let me know what you thought?  If not, would you read it?

Em x

Lanzarote photo's.

Recently I went to Lanzarote for 10 days. I'm already missing the sun but I thought I should share some photos that I took while I was out there, there is a photography competition coming up at school and I think I should enter a few.  Opinions please?

Which are the best? 

Em x