28/04/2016

Label Lusting #2


Good morning guys! So if you've been following my blog since February you'll know that I started a series called Label Lusting, which basically is a place for me to document all of the gorgeous things on the Selfridges website - most of which I either cannot afford or am saving to purchase. Now I can happily say that I've already ticked off one of those products off of my Lust List - my Burberry sunglasses - and I'm currently debating on what to save for next.

Today however I wanted to share with you all some of the stunning activewear pieces currently on the Selfridges website because I've decided to try and get back into exercise and what's more perfect than a little drooling over fashion to get me kickstarted! So I hope you like some of the things I've picked out.

1 - Tory Burch Running Trainer

£210

I'm a sucker for Jazzy footwear and when I saw these I couldn't help but think how versatile they'd be. As we all know, I'm obsessed with anything black and white (just take a look at my room!) and these bad boys are no exception. Whilst they're pretty pricey I don't think they're extortionate and are definitely something I'd consider investing in if I was at the stage of my life where I was hitting up Barrecore each morning in full Sweaty Betty attire. 

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2 - Koral Pixelated Leggings & Sports Bra   

£130 & £120


As soon as I saw these I was in love. The leggings in particular are so beautiful and so very me. Once again they're monochrome (are we even surprised at this point!) but they're really unique and would certainly not look out of place in a v fancy yoga retreat. LOVE LOVE LOVE. 

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3 - Ivy Park Cropped Top

£20


£20?! Can I get an Amen?! Seriously, if you thought I'd be making a lust list without including something from Ivy Park you're very much mistaken. Because this is so inexpensive I might have to take the plunge and make a purchase as it is super versatile and I can definitely see myself wearing this at dance. I love the capped sleeve aspect coupled against the mesh - it makes for a simple yet stylish addition to our workout wardrobes! 

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4 - Varley Fraser Mesh Top

£50


We're definitely seeing a pattern emerge here... black and mesh?! Again?! But guys look how stylish it is! I think this would look so gorgeous paired over a brightly coloured sports bra (think: electric blue) which matching leggings. LOVE THAT! This one isn't too expensive so again it may *accidentally* fall into my shopping cart. It's super edgy and definitely looks high quality. 

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5 - Sweaty Betty Chandrasana Leggings

£75


Ahh my love: Sweaty Betty. My mum and I are self confessed addicts, scouring the new season catalogue as soon as it makes an appearance. It's the epitome of middle class exercise wear (lol) that's stylish yet practical. I'm in love with these beautiful yoga leggings that would certainly make an impact be it at the gym or at a class. If you've never bought from Sweaty Betty before but are looking to invest in some gorgeous, good quality sportswear I would highly recommend it as a brand. (They also have really good end of season sales, just a heads up!)

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Okay hope you guys liked the bits and bobs I picked out! Do let me know where you guys buy your activewear from as I'm always open to trying new places!


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25/04/2016

Why You Should Always Be You.

 


So recently I've seen a lot of posts floating about on the blogosphere surrounding self care and why you should never apologise for being who you are. And whilst I completely agree with everything these people are saying, sometimes it's a little easier said than done.

I would describe myself as being incredibly introverted. Whenever I meet people my age I spend about 50% of the time thinking: "Oh my god I'm so annoying, why did I even leave the house, they must think I'm so weird!" and the other 50% trying to give the right answers to the questions they've asked. Even though I haven't been formally diagnosed so I may be wrong, I'd say that I probably suffer from a form of social anxiety because I'm constantly terrified about what people will think.

The weird thing is I don't have this problem at all when I'm chatting to people online. Maybe it's because we have similar interests and we're all in the blogging game but I'm definitely so much more confident in being who I am online than I am in real life. 

If I cast my mind back I cannot remember a time when I haven't been like this. Even at school surrounded by my closest friends I kept a lot of things about myself, to myself. I never told my best friends if I liked a boy and if they asked I'd totally downplay it for fear of being judged: "What? No?! I mean, maybe, I guess he's alright." Pffft yeah right. I'd never allow myself to get to into a conversation about something I loved in case people thought I was 'too' obsessed. And I'd only ever bring up conversations that I already knew I had the same opinions as my peers on. 

Even now - and I do think I'm slowly getting better - none of my school friends know that I have a blog, (I couldn't even bare the judgemental looks) none of my school friends know I'm writing a book (or have been writing since I was little) and I don't have any intention of sharing these things with them. The one exception I have to this rule is my family: my sister and I are very close and she's the only person in this world I can totally be my authentic self around. Because even though I know she'll roll her eyes when I go off on one about a fictional couple (Malec lol) I know she's not making assumptions about me. 

However recently I've started to realise that maybe this isn't healthy. Why should I care so much what a bunch of people think? Surely it's better to be happy in myself, doing what I love to do and if everyone else doesn't like it, then who cares?! As a society we're constantly told to be passionate about something: everyone should have one thing that they're totally into and their love for it is amazing. But then when someone expresses this adoration they're judged and called obsessive and weird. It's this endless cycle that doesn't seem to ever be changing, and in truth I'm not sure it will. It just makes me so angry, who are you to judge me about the way I live my life?!

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The thing is whenever I see other people happy in themselves it makes me so happy! But it also makes me jealous because I want to be like that, but I have no idea how to even start. Like sometimes it feels as though the world might end if I voice an opinion that's different to my peers. 

HOWEVER I've made the decision that when I go to uni in September I'm going to be totally unapologetic for who I am. Which gives me approximately five months to become the best version of myself and hopefully increase my confidence levels with it. 

My blog is such a big part of who I am now - I spend an incredible amount of my free time working on it - and I wouldn't want it any other way. So in turn I don't want it to be something I have to hide. In a way I think it'll be easier than telling my school friends because at the end of the day right now, I don't know these people and they don't know me. They have no preconceived ideas so from day 1 I want it clearly known that blogging is something I love to do and don't intend to stop any time soon. 


No one should have to apologise for who they are. We are all unique and each of us are beautiful in our own ways. Confidence is something that some people have naturally and others have to work a little harder for, but we're all going to get there in the end!



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23/04/2016

Book Review: The Wrath and The Dawn by Renée Ahdieh


Good morning everyone and happy Saturday! I hope you're all having a lovely weekend so far. I haven't done a book review in a couple of weeks and since I recently finished this beauty, I thought I'd share my thoughts and feelings with you all. As always I'll give general opinions and the blurb before we get in the spoilery stuff.

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Every dawn brings horror to a different family in a land ruled by a killer. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, takes a new bride each night only to have her executed at sunrise. So it is a suspicious surprise when sixteen-year-old Shahrzad volunteers to marry Khalid. But she does so with a clever plan to stay alive and exact revenge on the Caliph for the murder of her best friend and countless other girls. Shazi's wit and will, indeed, get her through to the dawn that no others have seen, but with a catch...she's falling in love with the very boy who killed her dearest friend. She discovers that the murderous boy-king is not all that he seems and neither are the deaths of so many girls. Shazi is determined to uncover the reason for the murders and to break the cycle once and for all.

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Okay so I saw this book on my recommendation page a few months back on Kindle and it sounded like something I'd really enjoy. However, at the time it was like £8.99 and I didn't really fancy paying that much for a book. But thankfully, when I was perusing the YA section the other day I noted that the price had gone down and everything was fabulous. So naturally I bought it and here we are. 

The first thing I'd like to say is that the writing style of this book is gorgeous. It really doesn't feel like a YA novel because the prose is so beautiful written. Everything is described in a way that makes you visualise exactly what the author intends for you to see. Like seriously, writing goals right there. And considering the author is a debut novelist... Well, it's just amazing.

I would recommend this book for anyone who likes mystery and intrigue - it's technically a fantasy but it's not too heavy in terms of magic etc, so even if fantasy isn't really your thing, you might still enjoy this book. The story is based off of Arabian Nights I believe, and is set in a fictional kingdom called Khorasan. 

All in all I'd give this book a 4.5 star rating and a 85%

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Now onto the spoilers so if you haven't read, I'd highly recommend going away and then returning so we can discuss!

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This story was written so well, it literally kept me on the edge of my seat for the whole duration of the read. It was definitely one of those books that took a little while to get into - as in learning place names and the jargon in which the characters speak - but once I'd gotten there, IT WAS AMAZING! There was a glossary at the back of the book which explained all this terminology, but because I was reading on Kindle I didn't realise until I'd finished the book. #Smooth.

So firstly let's talk about Shahrzad. I have to say that often when I read YA I find the main female protagonist a little on the irritating side. They're usually like bulls in china shops, intent on having their own way whatever the cost. But with Shazi I was pleasantly surprised. She was certainly a strong female character, definitely played on her sass and wit but remarkably: wasn't annoying! In fact I generally found her one of my favourite characters in the entire book. I really cannot wait for the next book to come out as I'm super excited to see where her journey takes her.

Now onto Khalid. He was such a deep character, with so many layers that defined him. Once again he broke the YA stereotype of being the 'hot' guy who can wield a sword and not much else. By the end of the book I really admired Khalid and could definitely see why Shazi was falling for him. He was such a tortured soul, I just wanted to wrap him up in bubble wrap and protect him from the world! And to the people saying that his relationship with Shazi was too 'insta-love' I disagree. Sure there was initial attraction but it took a little while for them to be smitten with each other. Plus this book took place over a couple of months I believe so it wasn't like one day Khalid walked into her chambers and she just dropped to the floor in a pool of drool! 

I don't know about you guys but I didn't guess the plot twist about why Khalid was murdering his wives at all. and this is coming from someone who prides themselves on guessing such things. Initially I'd thought that maybe Khalid was practising the same magic as Shazi's father but he was so far along that he had to keep killing these girls in order not to go crazy! And then I considered that maybe he was paying a debt off to someone in order to stop the drought (this guess was closer) but I never really considered that he might have been married before. Which I guess makes sense when you look at it and to be honest if I'd played around with dissecting the curse a little more I might have gotten closer. But I was super shocked and stoked to find out the actual reason! It was a really clever plot twist. 

Okay so my favourite character in the entire plotline was Jalal. Initially I was expecting a love triangle between him, Khalid and Shazi (still refusing to believe Tariq is a thing) but as soon as we found out about the Despina thing I was like 'ohhhhh cute' and now I totally ship them. In fact I really hope in the next book that we get some more Jalina (Despal?) action because I feel like that's something I'm missing in my life! 

Now of course aside from the plotline in the palace we had Tariq and co on their adventures attempting to rescue Shazi. I've gotta say I wasn't too much of a fan of these chapters as all I cared about was Khalid and Shazi by this point and Tariq just needed to pipe down. I mean, I get it, he wasn't exactly expecting to find his girlfriend in love with the man who murdered her best friend but I just found him so annoying. Oh my gosh haha. 

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So the next book comes out April 26th I believe and is called The Rose and The Dagger. I'm already so excited for this and will be for sure reviewing it!

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Do let me know if you've read this book or if it sounds like something you'd like!



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22/04/2016

The TMI Tag!


Personally, as a blogger I love nothing more than reading random facts about my fellow internet lovers. I mean, call me nosy but I just find it so fun learning more about the person behind the blog! So today I've decided that even though I wasn't tagged to do this post, I'm going to do it anyway, and share some interesting things with my little slice of the internet. Enjoy loves. 

1 - What Are You Wearing?



So today, since the sun is kind of shining, I'm sporting this gorgeous monochrome Zara top. I bought it about a year ago so unfortunately I don't think it's available on the website anymore. It's super flattering for all us small chested girlies as the neckline is really high and you can't tell from the photos but it also has pretty deep underarms as well, meaning it looks really pretty with a brightly colour bralette. I'm also wearing my signature Hollister skinny jeans in the traditional blue wash denim. 

2 - Ever Been In Love?

Ew. This question makes me feel super uncomfortable because I have been in love once before in my life and can honestly say it wasn't a great experience. Long story short, I felt like he played with my feelings a lot and since we were never actually going out, I definitely felt strung along. We have a tenuous friendship now but to be honest I find it awkward whenever I have to see him. 

3 - Ever Had a Terrible Breakup?

Not really. I've only ever been in a sort-of-relationship (different person to the one mentioned above) and can safely say that I was never in love with him. We only dated for about two months when I was sixteen / seventeen before he 'broke up' with me "ohh Lily I can't see you anymore I have too much exam pressure on me!" Pffft yeah right, okay mate. But then I made the mistake of going out with him again the following year - still wasn't in love, don't really know what I was thinking - but I soon realised that we literally had nothing in common and he even admitted he wasn't emotionally invested in our 'relationship', so guess what? I dumped his ass. Lol. 

4 - How Tall Are You?

I'm 5"5.

5 - How Much Do You Weigh? 

I've always been pretty slim and currently weight about 7 stone 7 or 105 pounds. 

6 - Any Tattoos?

No! I really love tattoos on other people, just not on myself. I've toyed with the idea of getting the quote 'we're all just stories in the end' tattooed across my left rib, but I hate how they fade and go blue / green. I also kind of want the outline of a heart on my ankle, but again I wouldn't want it to fade.

7 - Any Piercings?

Yes, so I have both my lobes pierced and a helix piercing in my upper left ear. I really want more ear piercings but I've had trouble getting my cartilage to heal, so it's kind of putting me off at the moment. I've also always wanted a belly button piercing but I'm afraid that my body would reject it or it would get infected or something. But I think they're super cute and I'll probably end up getting one anyway!

8 - OTP?

Guyssss this question is like crack for me. I'm such a fangirl / inner nerd, you have no idea. My all time OTP is definitely Malec, from The Mortal Instruments / Shadowhunters but I'm also obsessed with Chuck and Blair from Gossip Girl, Delena from The Vampire Diaries. I could rant and rave about the perfection of these couples but I'm not going to. Today. ;)

9 - Favourite Show?

This varies depending on what's on at the minute. Right now I'm in a mourning period because Shadowhunters has just finished and that's definitely my fave but I've also been loving The Durells on ITV, Grantchester again on ITV and Gossip Girl. 

10 - Favourite Band?

To be honest I don't really listen to a lot of bands so I'll just answer this as favourite singers. At the minute I'm totally obsessed with anything by Ruelle (War of Hearts is just too much) and Fleurie (listen to Wildwood and Fire In My Bones, you will regret nothing!) I also love the song When We Were Young by Adele. 

11 - Something You Miss?

I definitely miss being at school and constantly being surrounded by friends. Since leaving school I feel like we've all started living these separate lives and we don't necessarily have a lot in common anymore. Whenever I do see them, we always have fun and it's nice but it's just not the same. I'm super looking forward to starting uni for I can meet more like minded people, especially if any of them are also bloggers! 

12 - Favourite Song?

If we're talking all time favourite song then it's 'wherever you will go' but the Charlene Soraia version. I don't know, that song has always just resonated with me and I think it's an absolutely beautiful cover. However right now I'm loving Wildwood by Fleurie. 

13 - How Old Are You?

I'm 18 but I turn 19 on May 12th which is kind of scary, like I feel as though I'm getting old! (Is it too early to start anti ageing treatments?!) ;)

14 - Zodiac Sign?

I'm a Taurus <3

15 - Quality You Look For In A Partner?

Honesty and kindness. If you don't want to be with me I'd rather you told me than pretended to like me and then talked crap behind my back. And I think kindness goes without saying. I just love those who are genuine and don't say things because it's what is expected off of them.

16 - Favourite Quote?

"We're All Just Stories In The End"

I think this quote is so beautiful and it reminds me that we don't have long on this planet and we should always strive to leave our mark.

17 - Favourite Actor?

Hmm if we're going on pure aesthetic then Matthew Daddario (I mean he's a pretty talented actor as well, but he's also remarkably gorgeous!) but I've always had a bit of a thing for Daniel Radcliffe too DON'T JUDGE ME! 

18 - Favourite Colour?

Can I pick two? Black and White for sure!

19 - Loud Music or Soft?

Soft in 99% of all occasions. If you know anything about me you'll know that I absolutely detest going out to clubs etc and part of it (aside from the general skankiness) is how goddamn loud everything is. Like I'd like to leave with at least some eardrum left please! The only occasion when I like loud music is when I'm driving haha

20 - Where Do You Go When You're Sad/

My bed. I'm a very private person in real life and struggle with telling anyone the source of my problems. However I've come to find that over the years a good nights sleep can make most things feel a lot better.

21 - How Long Does it Take You To Shower?

It varies, if I'm just having a quick body rinse then max like 5 minutes. But if I'm washing my hair, shaving my legs and doing an in-shower tan then like 15 minutes. However I can't stay longer than that because I get all hot and bothered haha

22 - How Long Does It Take You To Get Ready?

So from the moment I leave my bed to the second I exit the door it takes 45 minutes. I used to be able to do it in 30 when I had school - which included breakfast, brush my teeth, wash my face, get dressed and a full face of makeup, but since I don't have to leave quite so early anymore, I've relaxed out and given myself a bit longer. 

23 - Ever Been in a Physical Fight?

Noooo, I'd die lol.

24 - Turn On?

Someone who genuinely cares about how you feel and your opinion and interests. Also if we're being aesthetic and vain here then I'm a sucker for slightly curly dark hair and glasses. 

25 - Turn Off?

Arrogance is the big one. Also someone who's afraid to be with you in public. Like honey, if you're ashamed of this then I want nothing to do with you! Like if he's embarrassed to introduce you to his mates or his parents then please leave by the nearest exit. Ain't nobody got time for f*ckboys, am I right ladies?!

26 - The Reason I Started Blogging?

I'd spent years and years watching Youtube and loving the way people created content just chatting about their favourite beauty products, books etc. In the back of my mind I'd always considered starting a channel but the complications of A-Levels and lack of confidence got in the way, so I pushed the idea to the back of my mind. However after finishing my A Levels I had three months off before I went to uni (which didn't even end up happening lol) and I decided to just bite the bullet and start a blog. It was less scary than YouTube and I'm so happy I did it! Sometimes I consider starting a vlogging channel and maybe it's something I'll do a bit later down the line. 

27 - Fears?

Ohh this is an interesting one. Because I am afraid of the usual things like spiders and wasps but my real life fears are slightly less easy to classify. I'm definitely claustrophobic. I hate being in lifts / elevators especially if they're not glass and you can't see out. When I was little I used to hate being in cars by myself because I felt like I was caged in, which is totally irrational but too this day (unless I'm driving obviously) I won't shut my car door until the other person has closed theirs. I don't know, it's weird. 
And in complete constant I'm also afraid of vast expanses of water. I hate canoeing and sailing and even swimming in the ocean to an extent. But what's strange is I absolutely love heights. Being on top of a mountain and looking down or being in a plane is just my absolute favourite!

28 - Last Thing That Made You Cry?

The other day I was PMSing really badly and my sister made some joke about not wanting to touch food I'd eaten (it was a joke obviously and I knew she wasn't being serious) but for some reason it just hit me really hard and I started crying. Lol, cool kid over here. Hahaha. 

29 - Last Time You Said You Loved Someone?

Last night before I went to bed, to both my parents. 

30 - Meaning Behind Your Blogging Name?

Ahhh so many regrets. Well I wanted Life According to Lily, but unfortunately that was already taken so I had to switch Lily to Lili. However I'm currently thinking about buying a domain name and when I do I'm going to change my whole URL to lilyolivia.com which I think fits my blog a little better!




31 - Last Book You Read?

The last book I read was Simon and The Homosapiens Agenda for the third time. I have an unnatural obsession with this book IT'S SO CUTE AND FUNNY AND CUTE AND FABULOUS! I've reviewed it here and I would highly recommend as it's taken it's official place as my favourite contemporary ever!

32 - The Book You're Currently Reading?

I'm currently reading The Wrath and The Dawn by Renée Ahdieh. It's a fantasy book based off of Arabian Nights about a king who marries a different bride each night only to have her murdered at dawn. It's really interesting and full of mystery and intrigue! Watch this space for a review coming shortly.

33 - Last Show You Watched?

It would have been Gossip Girl but I did catch a few minutes of that BBC2 show about The Portland Hospital last night. Seriously, if I ever have a baby, that's where I'm going to have it! 

34 - Last Person You Talked To?

My dad who informed me he was just popping out to B&Q!

35 - The Relationship Between You & The Last Person you Texted?

That would be my granddad. I just asked him if it was still okay that I came round to his house this afternoon and he said it was. 

36 - Favourite Food?

Oh my god this is a hard question - I'm such a foodie! I love fried breakfast, eggs with avocado, goats cheese ravioli in tomato sauce, the honeycomb cream slice desert at Pizza Express, lemon drizzle cake, lemon meringue pie and oddly enough: kiwis! 

37 - Place You Want To Visit?

There are so many! LA, New York, Iceland and The Maldives top the list at the minute. 

38 - Last Place You Were?

If this means travel-wise the The Lake District back in February, but generally the last place I was was the bathroom haha 

39 - Do You Have A Crush?

Yeah, he's called Matthew Daddario and he's perfect ;) Seriously though look at how perfect he is?! But in real life, nope. I genuinely do not. 

40 - Last Time You Kissed Someone?

Actually a really long time ago. To be honest I'm not the sort of girl who enjoys getting with random strangers, I have to be attracted to someone (usually their personality) before I even consider wanting to kiss them. Unfortunately I haven't found anyone of late who fills out that criteria!

41 - Last Time You Were Insulted?

Probably yesterday, probably by my sister. 

42 - Favourite Flavour of Sweet?

Blackcurrant or strawberry I think! Though I'm a sucker for a lemon sherbet!

43 - What Instruments Do You Play?

I currently don't play any, but I did get to grade 5 on the piano and would like to think I can whip out the out tune or two. When I was younger I played violin but honestly that was terrible and shall not be relived! 

44 - Favourite Piece of Jewellery?

I have two: firstly my Tiffany pendant which I got for Christmas in 2014. It's so beautiful and it was my first piece of really nice jewellery so it's special to me. Of course the fact that it's Tiffany helps the case ;)

I also have a diamond and ruby ring which you might have seen in some of my outfit posts. It belonged to my nan and after she passed away she left it to me, so in that respect it's very special.

45 - Last Sport You Played?

Lol I don't play sport. I have absolutely no hand eye coordination and can't run to save my life. But I do do dance so if that counts (it totally does) the last sport I played was dancing! 

46 - Last Song You Sang? 

Would have been Big Guns by Ruelle as I washed my hair last night!!

47 - Favourite Chat Up Line?

"Are you from Tennessee, because you're the only ten, I see"

It's so cheesy and if anyone ever used it me I wouldn't be impressed, but I enjoy a good word pun as much as the next girl! 

48 - Have You Ever Used It?

Looooool no.

49 - Last Time You Hung Out With Anyone?

Does my cat count? 

Well, since all of my friends are either at uni or half way around the world, it was probably like three weeks ago? Wow, that makes me sound so boring oh my gosh. 

50 - Who Should Answer These Questions Next?

I think the lovely Lisa and the equally delightful Caroline should answer these next!

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Okay everyone that concludes this post! Hope you feel like you know lot's of random facts about me now! Even if I didn't tag you, I'd love to read you TMI tag posts so be sure to link me to them in the comments!





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20/04/2016

Anastasia Beverly Hills Haul + First Impressions.



So if you follow me on Twitter, you've probably seen my exciting squeals regarding a sneaky little purchase I made on Cult Beauty. It was my first time ordering through this website and I'm so glad I did because the service was impeccably fast - and we all know there's nothing worse than waiting for your online shopping to arrive! 

Originally I was just going to get the Dip Brow Pomade but I decided that I would probably need a top-notch professional brow brush to apply it with, and then when I saw that if I spent £40 or more I'd get some free samples... Well, I think we all know what happened next! 

So for today's post I wanted to show you guys all my new brow goodies and share my first impressions and whether or not I'd recommend them. So without further ado, let's get cracking!




So firstly I wanted to talk about the Anastasia Brow Whiz. Because I was buying online, I had to guess my shade which was obviously not the easiest thing to do. I went for Dark Brown after umming and ahhing for a little while, which thankfully seemed to match my natural brow colour quite well. 

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Whiz

Price - £15.50

There are so many amazing things I wanted to talk about regarding this product! Firstly the packaging. It is absolutely gorgeous, everything from the black and gold box to the twisty pencil to the little brush on the end. It just screams quality. 

And the actual product is pretty amazing too. I tried it first on the back of my hand, slightly dubious as to whether or not it would be worth the hype, but my gosh! Because the pencil is so small, it's super easy to create tiny, hair-like strokes, which of course is what you want out of a brow product. As of right now I have nothing negative to say about this product!  


In the photo above I'm just wearing the Brow Whiz and in my opinion it looks really natural, enhancing my natural brow without being too OTT. You'll have to excuse how wild my brows look because I haven't had them done in ages and I'm fully aware they're awful! 





Next up is the Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade. I'd heard so many good things about this product, especially for it's longevity in the summertime and I was super excited to try it out. Again I had to blind buy a colour and went for Dark Brown, which I suspect may have been slightly too dark. But I'm still working on perfecting technique with this one, so hopefully after a few more attempts it'll look better! 

Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade

Price - £15

Price-wise with these products I really don't think they're that bad. I mean, definitely not in league with some of the more expensive brands like Chanel or Tom Ford, and yet I truly feel Anastasia is just as luxurious. The packaging of the Dipbrow Pomade is so classy, with the stunning glass pot and printed logo. 

In terms of ease of use, this is definitely a little harder than the Brow Whiz. I've applied it using the large synthetic brow brush (number 12) which I do think helped a little bit. One thing I would say with this product is that a little really does go a long way and I suspect one tiny pot will last for ages and ages. The actual product has a lovely mousse like texture and feels really light and wearable. Another great thing is that it doesn't brush off onto your fingers if you accidentally touch your brows! 

I'm really excited to test this out when I'm on holiday, to see if it lasts well and doesn't smudge off in the heat, as so many people have claimed it's a wonder product. All in all I'm so glad I bought it and will definitely be continuing to use it on a daily basis. 


Out of the three products I've bought, my favourite is probably the Brow Whiz for ease of application, but I really like the density and colour of the Pomade. If you're going to buy the latter, I would heavily suggest buying a brush to go alongside it, unless you already own a good quality eyebrow brush. 

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Do let me know if you've ever tried any Anastasia products and whether or not you're a little temped to buy more!


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19/04/2016

Worth The Hype?! EOS, Garnier Micellar Water & St Tropez.




Good morning guys! So recently I've been umming and ahhing about buying the Urban Decay setting spray because I've seen so much hype surrounding how good it is when it comes to helping keep your makeup in place. However, dotted amongst the positive reviews have been the odd person saying that it did literally nothing and was a waste of £22. So I'm still sitting on the fence as to whether or not to actually buy this product. But it got me thinking: I definitely own a few things that have been hyped up as super products, so why not share my thoughts on them and whether or not they're worth investing in. Of course if you've used any of these (or the Urban Decay setting spray) I'd love to hear your thoughts, so drop me a comment!



1 - The Garnier Micellar Water

Since it's realise about a year and a half ago, this product has been taking the beauty world by storm. It seems that every girl and their mum have either bought this or considered buying it. I've actually been using it since august 2014 and have repurchased both this formula and the one for oily skin, many times.

The Product: Garnier Micellar Water

The Price£4.99

Quick Picks:

The packaging: 4 stars

The product: 5 stars

Value for money: 5 stars

Worth the Hype: YES

If you're yet to buy this, please please do yourself a favour and take a quick trip to Boots! It's so gentle on your skin, a lot more cost effective (and environmentally friendly) than using face wipes, and each bottle lasts a good two to three months. If you have oily skin, then they make a specific one to help with that, there is a blue one to help curb breakouts and brand new to the collection: an oil infused micellar water to aid any dry skin. 


2 - EOS Lip balm

I've seen these floating around the internet for years now, but because they're so gosh darn pricey in the UK, I never actually bought one. Until I did, that is. Okay, so here's what happened: I was doing a Boots order online, (think Chanel mascara, bit of Liz Earle etc) and I just saw these in my suggested products... Well, I have no willpower and decided that I absolutely needed one. In the end I chose the pomegranate one and I'm so glad I did because it tastes and smells beautiful! I apply this balm on my lips every night before I go to bed and whilst it's not as effective as something hardcore like Vaseline, I still like it very much.

The Product: EOS Lip Balm

The Price£6.50

Quick Picks:

The packaging: 4.5 stars

The product: 4 stars

Value for money: 2.5 stars

Worth the Hype: YES

Okay, so first of all I agree with you. £6.50 is a lot for a lip balm, especially when Vaseline and Nivea ones are like £1.99. But I do genuinely love this lip balm and am considering buying them in different scents. (My sister is going to New York *cries A LOT* in the autumn and since they're like $2 there... Well, let's just say she better be buying me a souvenir!) 


3 - St Tropez In-Shower Gradual Tan

I bought this back in June last year when it was first released as so many people were raving about how amazing it was. And I have to admit the premise did sound pretty fabulous: apply generously and leave on for three minutes before washing off. Voila, tan accomplished! However I've used this product a few times since then and honestly I don't really get the hype. Firstly, three minutes may not sound like a long time, but when you're freezing your booty off in the shower, it feels like a millennia. I also don't have a clock in my bathroom so had to go by the length of one song... Don't even ask! And then, once you're eventually back under the warm water (aka heaven) it leaves a really strong scent behind. Like, you know the typical fake tan / gone off biscuit smell? Yeah, that. However I would have been prepared to overlook all of that if I'd gotten an amazing golden glow. But you guessed it, I didn't. It's seriously sooo pale, I'm not even sure it's worth the hassle of waiting around. I've used gradual tanning oils which more of a kick in them than this, it was such a shame. 

The Product: St Tropez In-Shower Gradual Tan

The Price£14.50

Quick Picks:

The packaging: 5 stars

The product: 2.5 stars

Value for money: 3 stars

Worth the Hype: NO

It really is such a shame, because this product has so much potential! Do let me know if you have any tips on using it because I really don't want to waste the remainder of my tube. 




Thanks for reading loves!


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18/04/2016

Blush and Blossom.



So even though when I looked out of my window at midnight last night and there was snow on my car I've decided that because the blossom is out, spring has definitely sprung and with that comes a fabulous array of new fashion. 

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As my mum has been telling me for months now blush pink is in, (as it always is each springtime) so I've decided to put together an outfit look that reflects both my love of pastels and the (hopefully) growing temperatures. 




I've featured these jeans in a post before but because they're so fabulous I just had to use them again. I never thought ripped jeans would be my thing at all (as let's be honest I cannot pull of a hipster vibe to save my life) but something about this pair just makes such a pleasant change to the ever popular skinnies. 

I've also paired them with this gorgeous blush pink tee which has stunningly delicate lace sleeves. Unfortunately because of the sunlight you can't really tell just how beautiful they are, but take my word for it! This top is a little over a year old so I'm not sure if Karen Millen still sells it, but it's one of my favourite 'basics' at the minute.


Top: Karen Millen, Jeans: Topshop, Sunglasses: Burberry, Wedge heels: New Look


Thanks for reading loves! *Kisses*


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