Thursday 31 July 2014

Summer Nights Look



Hi everyone ... long time no see (or read!) I've seriously been lacking in posts recently, mainly due to blogger's block and enjoying the rare sunny weather that we don't normally get in the UK. But I thought I'd come back with a makeup look. My photos aren't that great but you get the jist of what the makeup look is all about - bronzed colours, resembling a beautiful summer night's sunset.


For this look, I used mainly ELF products including this gorgeous Baked Eyeshadow Palette in California. It's filled with warm, toasty colours perfect for achieving that night time sunset look. I applied the top middle colour as a base, using it all over my lid up to my brow bone. I then applied the top second colour on my lid up to my crease, followed by the bottom middle colour in the outer corner of my lid and blended. I tried to keep the look subtle, so I didn't apply the colours heavily - this palette is perfect for this as the shadows aren't extremely pigmented. I then applied the top middle colour that I used as a base in the corners of my eye and slightly under my waterline and the top second colour again under my eye. I then went ahead and applied black eyeliner along my waterline to define my eyes, followed by mascara (after curling my lashes!)





I then applied my lip stain in the shade 'Heartbreaker' which is a coral colour. I like the way it looks in combination with the eyeshadow - very summery!

Hope you enjoyed this post - I want to start doing more makeup looks (I'll just need to improve my photos hehe!)

BUY THE PALETTE HERE: 

BUY THE LIP STAIN HERE:


Thanks for reading!

Thursday 24 July 2014

LYDC Bag Review*







BUY IT HERE:

I recently received the Axl Metallic Messenger Bag by Anna Smith in Black from LYDC. It's new for this year's summer collection and it's a very good quality bag. At £32.00, it supplies plenty of room if you were to use it for school or college and has plenty of compartments available (for pens, girly things and makeup!) There are two slip pockets at the front and a large pocket on the back. There's also two slip pockets inside the bag, another large zip pocket inside and a zip at the top of the bag, so it offers more security instead of just having the metallic flap fastened by a clasp.

The strap is adjustable and there's also a handle at the top, so there's a variety of ways in which you can choose to carry it. When I was choosing a bag, I had no idea that it had a metallic flap (even though it says in the title - what can I say, I'm not very observant!) The photo on the website made it look like it was a nude leather material, but in reality the bag has a rose gold coloured metallic flap, so the photos don't do the bag justice as it wasn't captured in the photography on the website. The metallic flap also means it can scratch easily too, but the choice of different types of bags shows there are plenty to choose from and you can decide the best bag for you! 

There may be (if possible) every style bag to choose from and bags suitable for different occasions. Take a look at their website here: http://www.lydc.co.uk/

I've put together five of my favourite bags from their website below:









Thanks for reading!

Tuesday 15 July 2014

Tips & Tricks: Itchy Skin After Shaving



If you follow me on Twitter, you may have seen a few of my recent tweets complaining about my incredibly itchy legs! It's been really uncomfortable and it always occurs a few days after shaving with a razor. I've tried various methods that I've found online and I've tried things that people in the beauty community have recommended on my Twitter. I'm going to compile a list of things that may help you if you suffer from this too, including the one thing that helps me. Many of these didn't work for me, but they might work for you so it's worth a try if it stops you from itching!

When I first complained about this, I got told to stop using a razor as I'm "obviously allergic to shaving with a razor". But I didn't want to stop as it's the closest shave I can get, pain free! That may be silly of me and sound like I'm causing it myself, which I guess I am to some extent, but I was keen to find a product out there that would give me some sort of relief, without giving up the razor and my smooth legs.

A fellow beauty blogger on Twitter recommended that I try Aveeno cream, as it's great for dry skin and eczema. It's a moisturising lotion with natural ingredients which helps soothe my skin when I apply it after shaving. The reason I like this is because it's full of natural ingredients, so it doesn't seem harmful to my skin and because it's fragrance free, it doesn't give me further unnecessary irritation. The lotion claims to "immediately relieve" the skin and moisturise it for 24 hours. It's formulated with shea butter and has a "unique active triple oat complex containing finely milled colloidal oatmeal, oat oil and oat essence" (which is one of the recommendations I found online; to find an oat-based moisturiser as it helps soothe and moisturise the skin.)

I'm not saying this has 100% made my skin better; I still get a little itchy, but it has dramatically improved the appearance of my skin - the red spotty rash has gone and the irritation is down to a minimum. It helps rehydrate my skin, providing moisture and has helped soothe my skin. Try this out if you have the same problem and let me know if it has helped you!

If this doesn't help, here are various other methods you could try to give your skin some relief after shaving:

Try changing your razor - a blunt razor could be part of the problem, as it's dragging on your skin and catching it, causing dryness and irritation.

Try swapping your shaving foam/gel for a conditioner, as you could find that it's more moisturising and easier to shave with.

Don't use a scented soap after shaving, or a scented moisturiser as the added perfumes cause your skin to become even more irritated! Try to stick to natural ingredients, like aloe vera (which is supposed to be fantastic for your skin!)

Try to shave at the end of your shower or bath, as your hairs have had time to soften and it'll help with a smoother shave.

Exfoliate before and after shaving - it gets rid of dead skin and will hopefully reduce irritation. It unclogs your pores from the shaving foam/gel you've used and helps prevent razor bumps.

Be gentle; use short strokes and don't press too hard - you don't want to get any cuts! You're only shaving your legs, not mowing a field of grass! There's no need to add pressure to the razor.

You could try shaving in the direction of your hair growth; I know you don't get the same close shave as shaving in the opposite direction, but it could help reduce irritation.

Rinse your legs with cool water afterwards, as this will help close your pores. Pat your legs dry with a towel afterwards - avoid rubbing!

Try looking for lotions and shaving foams suitable for sensitive skin - they usually say on the bottle but if you're not sure, just ask a member of staff at Boots.


I'm in no way a skin expert, these are just some methods I found on the internet that may work for you. If you still get irritated skin, maybe it's time to ditch the razor and use an alternative method of shaving. You can also visit your doctor or dermatologist who'll be able to tell you what to do!

Let me know if any of these methods worked for you; leave a comment, as it may help someone else! Also let me know what you think of Aveeno cream - it worked wonders for me!

BUY IT HERE:

Thanks for reading!

Friday 11 July 2014

OOTD: WalG Daisy Dress Review*



I recently received an absolutely stunning daisy chain collar dress from the brand WalG and I'm in love with it. It was so nice of them to send me a sample of clothing; it felt like Christmas morning when I opened it! The reason why I chose this dress is because I really liked the design; the floral print will look great this season and the collar makes it look very pretty and elegant. I don't usually buy collar dresses, but as soon as I saw this I knew that I'd love wearing it.

Not only will this dress look lovely in summer with a pair of flip flops or even converse, but I can also wear it in the autumn months with a pair of tights and boots (or brogues), which makes it versatile and worth the money if you get more wear out of it throughout the year. You could also team it with a leather jacket!

Not only that, it's also a really nice fit and very comfortable. I was worried when ordering as the sizes only come in small to large (no number sizes) so I was a bit concerned that it might not be a good fit - but I was wrong as it's quite a loose dress anyway; it's just right!

The chiffon material makes the dress feel very light when you have it on; even though it's chiffon, don't worry as it's not see-through! It has an under layer, which is always good. There's also a zip at the back, so there's no struggling to get into it. There's a button at the nape of the neck too, so it's secure and so that the collar sits snugly around your neck (but not tight like a choker! But be careful not to get your foundation on it hehe!) 

At £30.00, I definitely recommend this dress. It's available in a variety of different floral patterns and colours too. Overall, this brand was really easy to work with and supplied the dress very quickly. Check them out at http://walg.co.uk/ - for dresses and playsuits, to jumpers and knits, you're bound to find something you like!


Thanks for reading!

Tuesday 8 July 2014

10 Films That Make Me Feel Nostalgic

Hi everyone. I haven't really posted anything in a while; I've got into a habit of just posting once a week this past month as I've struggled for ideas. However, I'm now back with a few ideas up my sleeve. I was actually planning on posting an Outfit Of The Day today, but it really isn't the weather for it - it looks like it's about to chuck it down, plus it's thundering! Anyway, today I thought I would do a lifestyle type post (that doesn't involve my own photos!) There are sooooo many films that I loved when I was younger that bring back so many memories and actually make me feel a bit teary! Nostalgia comes with so many emotions haha! I thought I would do a list of 10 films that I used to love watching when I was younger - you may recognise a few of your favourites too! These aren't in any type of order by the way, just a collection of my faves!

10. Matilda (1996)



9. Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory (1971)

8. Finding Nemo (2003)
7. Shrek (2001)
6. Barbie As Rapunzel (2002)

5. Sabrina Goes To Rome (1998)

4. Good Burger (1997)

3. Seeing Double (2003)
2. Mary-Kate & Ashley Films (1992 - 2004)
1. Grease (1978)
Aww, I love these films! Some of them may be cheesy and rubbish haha, but some are classic films that are still popular today. They bring back a lot of memories; some were even made before I was born!

What's the one film that makes you feel nostalgic?

Thanks for reading!

Tuesday 1 July 2014

Packing For Summer: Beach Bag

Bag: Primark
Hat: H&M

This week's topic for the "Summer Blogger Challenge" is "Packing For Summer" so I thought I would do a post on what I tend to take to the beach! I love going to the beach; it's so relaxing and it's lovely when it's nice and warm. Going to the beach is quite a laidback thing, so you don't need to bring loads of makeup (or wear it for that matter!) I usually pack a few bits and bobs to make my beach trip a fun and relaxing one.

Water (obviously...)
No way would I go to the beach without packing some water! Being sat in the sun all day can result in dehydration (which is dangerous! You don't want to end up with sunstroke!) I usually bring a few bottles; you can even bring a cooler to make sure your water stays cold all day!

Sunscreen (a must!)
Another necessity that is just plain safe to have! You need to keep topping up your suncream when you're outdoors, especially at noon when the sun is at its highest point! There's nothing worse than spending the rest of your holiday with sore, burnt skin - you're going to wish you'd used it!

Hand Sanitiser (just because...)
This is me being a bit of a germ freak, but if you've been in the sea and touched god-knows-what on the sand (and especially if you're about to eat) it's nice to have clean hands.

Schwarzkopf Texturising Salt Spray (for creating beach waves!)
I love this spray; it gives your hair texture and holds your style. If you've been in the sea, give your hair a spritz with this and scrunch - you'll have some lovely beach waves!


Sunglasses (so you can stop squinting!)
Big sunglasses are essential for the beach; I like the design of these (they're also slightly cat-eye!)

Lip Balm (lips need hydrating!)
I love this strawberry lip balm from The Body Shop as it's super moisturising and it has an amazing scent! It also gives a gorgeous pink/red tint.

Mirror (vain I know!)
My friend got me this personalised mirror for my birthday and I always carry it in my bag. It's great for whipping out if you have something in your eye (like sand!) I always have something in my eye, so a mirror always comes in handy wherever I go.

Phone (and earphones!)
You may not be able to get signal, but you can still use your phone to take snaps of the view and listen to music. During the journey and on the beach, you can listen to some Summer tunes whilst relaxing - perfect!

Kindle (for reading a bit of John Green)
I know that lots of people like to read on the beach when they're sunbathing, as it gives you something to do! Plus it's a bit of entertainment if you're bored.

Bikini (don't forget a towel too!)
If you tan easily (I unfortunately don't) then bringing a bikini is essential so you can make sure every part of your body has access to the sun (well, nearly every part!) I like going in the sea in my bikini, but just don't forget a towel!

Leave your link down below so I can have a look at your post this week!

Thanks for reading!