Introducing H & M Beauty! Plus, Starter Kit

Well hello there, something very exciting happened in the highstreet make-up/beauty world this week: the launch on H&M's new beauty line. I now work for H&M Beauty and i've put together a starter pack of the products that are a must-try!

Colours: Masala Chai (left), Go-To Greige

Firstly, I need to mention the nail varnishes. INCREDIBLE. The range of colours (over a hundred, just sayin') is like nothing i've seen from any other brand. Two coats and you're away. At £3.99 each, you can afford to stock up.

Cream Lip Colour in 'Seashell

Lipstick next. The colour range is fierce, but the lovely creamy consistancy, I fear, may mean that longevity isn't their thang. However, luckily there is a lip stain in the collection which will just not budge from my hand whenever I swatch it!

Lip Definer in 'Marsala''

The lipliners are super pigmented and super long-wearing. At £3.99 i'd say they definitely rival any other highstreet lip liner that i've tried.

Colour Essence Eye Cream in 'Champers'

A rival for Mabeline's 24hr Colour Tattoo cream eyeshaddows! These haven't really been noticed by customers much yet but I loved them as soon as I saw them. The perfect go-to eye product, especially when paired with a winged eye-liner.

High Impact Eye Colour in 'Sahara Dawn'

Sitting in pretty little pots, the eyeshaddows range from matt, to shimmer, to full on New Years Eve style glitter. This shade is my personal favourite and I have found it very blendable.

Colour Essence Eye Pencil in 'Come in Third'

Someone complained the other day that the eyeliners were 'too pigmented.' I don't understand how this can be a negative! The colours truly pop and this one glided on like a metallic dream.

HD Invisible Powder

Presenting the party piece. Following in the footsteps of Chanel and Make Up Forever, H&M have their own HD translucent powder. This has already sold out in my store, so if you can get your hands on one it is definitely worth the £7.99 that it costs. It is honestly so so smooth and lightweight.

Now for the toolkit. An affordable, purpose-made brush cleansing spray, you say? Who'd have thought that it actually works (and smells nice) too! Just spritz onto dirty bushes, swipe on your hand or a tissue and you're away.

If you're in need of a fluffy, soft blending brush or a precise eyeliner brush then this duo is perfect. I've honestly been choosing it over my MAC 208.

When I think of clothing brands-doing-make-up, I usually think tacky packaging (soz Topshop) and rubbish quality. The image of H&M beauty is clean, colourful and comes with a smidgen of high end-esque style. It's only available in selected stores but online stock the full range, oh, and you even get a swanky bag with your purchases!

Which pieces are you excited to try?!

Gold Lids And Rosy Lips: A Festival Friendly Make-Up Look

Hey lovelies, call me high maintenance, I don't care, if i'm roughing it at a festival my make-up bag is coming with me! I went to V Festival in Chelmsford last weekend and had a great time; the weather was so beautiful I actually got a mini tan (I say mini as I realise I still look whiter than white in the pictures below).

Below is a sunny make-up look that I came up with perfect for the remaining festivals of the season, if you want to jazz it up with some glitter as a highlighter or something, that would add an extra festy element to it!

Base: Body Shop All In One BB Cream (00), Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation (1N2 Ecru)

Highlight and Contour: Seventeen Define and Conquer Contour Kit

Blush: MAC 'Rosy Outlook'

Eyes: Urban Decay Naked 3 'Limit' through the crease, with a touch of 'Nooner' to deepen it, 'Blackheart' in the outer 'V' and 'Strange' in the inner corner and on the brow bone. )Mabeline 24 Color Tattoo Shadow (24K Gold) across the the lid. Blend blend blend!

Eyeliner: Kat Von D Tattoo Liner (Trooper) 

Mascara: YSL Faux Effect as a base and Collection Lengthening Mascara on top

Brows: MAC 'Croquet'

Lips: MAC Satin Lipstick (Pink Nouveau)

This is pretty tame compared to some of the looks spotted at V, go mad! When else is it acceptable to wear UV paint on your cheeks and glitter on your brows?

To finish, here's a beauty of a  sun-set picture that I snapped over the campsite...

Are any of you off to a festy? If you've been to a festival already this summer let me know what your make-up staples were below!

21st Birthday Wants: Designer Stud Earrings

One day i'll own that Chanel bag and a pair of red soled beauties but I feel they are a little extravagant to to ask as a 21st birthday present! For the mean time I will continue ticking off various other classics on my wish list and the time has come for some stud earrings, but which?!

Above are all my current faves. I can't decide if the Michael Kors ones are too tacky, even though the rose gold would match my watch, I really like the Marc Jacobs studs because they look so smart and the Vivienne Westwood Logo is just so timeless and pretty. 

Please PLEASE let me know your personal favourites to help me decide!

Two Beautiful Places

This will be short and sweet; a general appreciation for two lovely locations I experienced for the first time recently.

A quiet corner of  Southampton Common

A sunny day in Richmond, London

I survived Moving Day!

Presenting the longest and hottest day of my life.

We rolled out of bed at 9am, half packed, running on about three hours sleep and knowing we were supposed to be out of the flats by ten. Myself and five (now) housemates were making the transition from halls to our own privately rented accommodation on the hottest day of the year and after eight trips split between our trusty red convoy, move in we did.

There were several incidents of comical note, the type where you have to laugh otherwise you'll cry. 1) Lara hitting another car as we tried to maneuver our way through rush hour traffic 2) My flat bedroom door breaking so we couldn't get inside to get my things (cue three hour wait - fab) 3) EVERYTHING becoming hilarious around about 7pm as our mental health declined.

Come 9pm when we finally sat down in our new living room for a much welcomed Indian, we were a mess of trucker-arm-tans, aching muscles and general hysteria. Worth it though, because I love our new little home.

Raccoon Duvet Set - Primark
Large Cushion - Primark

I'll do an updated post with fancier photography when i'm moved in properly - expect an excessive amount of fairy lights! Have any of you moved house recently and have any decor tips for my bedroom?

Beauty Haul: Drugstore and USA

Firstly, my lack of posts for the last two months - I blame exams, personal life and a lifestyle that I just couldn't justify posting about! I'm back on it now though with a beauty haul mostly from Boots but with a few gems from CVS and Sephora that get me a tad excited. 

Lets start with Boots...

1) Seventeen 'Define and Conquer Contour Kit' - The product I was probably the most excited about! Thanks to Kim K's hollowed cheekbones and lightened under-eye contour kits are the latest trend and this one isn't too bad at all. It does the job, although I find the highlighting shade a little too powdery. 

2) Seventeen 'Supreme Shine Lipstick' in 'Day-glo' - You can tell there was two for one on Seventeen products! These are quite new to the brand and are brilliant for the price, I can apply it at the beginning of my shift and will only need to re-apply a couple of times throughout the day. A must-try.

3) Maybelline '24hr Color Tattoo' - Lorded greatly by beauty bloggers and You tubers everywhere, I couldn't believe I was yet to own one, so I bought three. These are like little pots of beauty heaven, so shiny, smooth and pigmented they make me salivate a little bit. Left to right the shades are: '24K Gold,' (incredible!) 'Metallic Pomegranate,'(dark and mysterious) and 'Pink Gold.'(think everything that's good about Naked 3 in one little pot).

4) Soap and Glory 'Supercat' eyeliner - Lovely pen-style eyeliner for those on a budget, i've tried an Estee Lauder liner in a similar style that isn't as easy to use and black as the Supercat. Purrrrrfect for a cat eye!

5) Rimmel 'Exaggerate' lip liner in 'Addiction' - Nice, dark, pinky nude. I've even worn this all over the lip instead of as just a liner and I thought it gave quite a sultry look. 

USA...

Unfortunately, it wasn't me who got to go make-up shopping in America (because, trust me, I would have been far less controlled), it was my mum who kindly picked me up a few things. I've not tried any of them out yet but I can't wait!

1) Covergirl 'professional' mascara
2) Wet n Wild 'Coverall' primer
3) Wet n Wild 'Walking on eggshells' Eye shadow trio
4) Wet n Wild 'Coverall' correcting palette
5) AND the icing on the cake: Kat Von D 'tattoo liner' which I am so excited to try that i'm saving it for a 'good make-up day' so I can do it justice!

Have you picked up any highstreet/drugstore gems recently? and what would you grab if you had free range of Sephora? (Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz is next on my list!)

Outfit Of The Night

Hello! I thought i'd show you a look I wore on a date night this past weekend. I kept it monochrome and simple, opting for gold jewelry, natural hair and coppery make-up. I love high wasted jeans at the moment, they meant I could eat as much as I want and not worry too much! You can't go wrong with good old Primark (usually!) and these were my favourite heels of summer 2014, they're surprisingly comfortable.

Velvet Cropped Top - Urban Outfitters

High Wasted Ripped Jeans - Pull and Bear

'Barely There' Heels - Primark

Polka-Dot Blouse - Vintage

Clutch Bag - Primark

Necklace - Topshop

For my eyes I reached for my Naked 3 pallet, With a base of primer potion I packed 'Trick' all over the lid, blended 'Nooner' in the crease and then used 'Blackheart' in the outer 'V,' In the inner corner I used a tiny bit of MAC cream colour base in 'Pearl' followed by an Urban Decay eye pencil in the colour 'Venus.' My eyeliner of choice was Stila 'Black Amethyst' and for my eyelashes I used their best friend: YSL 'Babydoll.'

I hope you liked my look! Do you have any spring time evening go-to's? 

I was kindly nominated for the Liebster award tag by Thevya who mostly posts about lifestyle, fashion, beauty and Christianity...her blog is really lovely and worth a look! I think this tag is a great idea for getting smaller bloggers mingling.

The rules of the tag:

1. Thank and link the person who nominated you.
2. Answer the nominator's 11 questions.
3. Nominate 11 small blogs who have less than 200 followers. You should believe that they deserve this award and include their link in your post.
4. Create 11 new questions for your nominees to answer. Notify these nominees via social media/blog.

Here are Thevya's questions answered:

1. If you had one wish, what would it be?
No matter where I end up or what I end up doing, I just want to be happy. Everyone deserves to be happy!
2. Cats or dogs?
I love my kitty to pieces, but when I picture my future there's a little French Bulldog running around the place! So, I guess dogs, but I love both. 
3. What's your favourite thing about blogging?
I like sharing my thoughts and ideas and reading other people's. If I wanted, say, a vegan dinner recipe or some work-out inspiration I would first search through blogs over Google, they're just so relevant. 
4. Who is your role model?
Probably my sister, she's strong, career driven and a wonderful mum. 
5. Favourite makeup product?
Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer, perfect for the girl who drew all the short straws when it comes to facial skin. I've been wearing this for about five years and i've never found a product that matches it's coverage and quality...although I do want to test the Nars concealers. 
6.Most embarassing moment?

I Got onto a bus once with my dress tucked into my underwear, which a sweet old dear kindly pointed out. Mortifying!

7. Do you have any hobbies?
I always dread this question because I feel so boring! I don't play a musical instrument or play a certain sport religiously. I'd call socialising, going to the gym and writing my hobbies! I think technically they're just examples of common interests, but i'll use them!
8. What advice would you give to anyone wanting to start a blog?
Read lots of other blogs and have a good idea of the themes and current topics surrounding social media. I don't really feel like I have much ground to give advice because i've only just started this blog, but I know I've been reading them for years and I think that's why I feel comfortable.
9. If you had to live anywhere, where would it be and why?
London would suit me fine, or just outside London. Its not the most exotic place but I honestly think that sunshine retreats that I enjoy for tanning and relaxation (like Florida) are for holidays and my heart and pale skin belongs to England. 
10. What is your favourite dessert?
I'm currently eating dairy free, but my favourite dessert is Eaton Mess. If you don't know what that it is, it's a mash up of berries, cream and meringue all crushed together. It's beautiful. Dairy free desserts are depressing in contrast, so that's not talk about that.
11.  Summer or winter and why?

Summer! I love driving with all the windows down when the sun is hot, I love eating and drinking outside restaurants and bars and I love pretty crochet, lace and pastel clothes. 

The Bloggers I nominate to complete the Liebster award tag are:

1) Lauren Bunting

2) Kaylee and Shaguna

3) Geena

4) Leanne Beeken

5) Marta Barrales

6) Lauren Marshall

7) Sabina Iqbal

8) Beth Ellis

9) Aoife Curran

10) Tammy Tran

11) Hannah Lorien

Your questions are:

1) If you could be at a dinner party with five people (dead or alive) who would it be?

2) What is your favourite shop?

3) Would you rather have a night out or a movie night in?

4) heels or trainers?
5) What is your ideal holiday destination? Why?
6) What are you favourite type of blog posts?
7) What is your ideal job?
8) Sum up your personality in three words
9) Who inspires you?
10) What is your favourite book?
11) What is your favourite thing to do in summer?

Let me know when you've answered my questions, it would be great to learn more about you!

Get To Know Me: My 10 Holy Grail Beauty Beauties

Hello! This is my first, what i'm going to call, 'grown-up' blog since my Live Journal and Tumblr adventures as a moody fourteen/fifteen year old. What better way to introduce myself to the beauty/lifestyle blogging world than by revealing my Top Ten make-up, hair and body buys. Lets talk cult beauty products! 

1) Laura Mercier Foundation Primer - So very effective. I have tried numerous foundations on top of it and my make-up stays put all day. I currently have the oil free version but have tried the oil based one too and can confirm that there is little difference in performance. Pricey, I know, but this is one to request for birthdays and Christmas as it lasts so long, I genuinely only go through a couple a year! 

2) Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation - Famously wonderful. I put off switching to this foundation for years because I thought it must be too good to be true, what was I thinking?! The coverage for someone with discolouration due to acne scarring (i.e me) is a dream, double team it with Double Wear Concealer and you're in materialistic heaven. 

3) Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder - An old friend. I used to buy this in school when I just had pocket money, fast forward five years and it fits my student budget nicely. It's soft, not cakey and does exactly what it says on the tin. I've tried more expensive alternatives such as Urban Decay's Naked powder but always end up reaching for my trusty Rimmel. 

4) Mac Amplified Lipstick in 'Fast Play' - My go-to. I wore this hue through Autumn and winter and now I just can't seem to stop. It's almost a moody pink and the staying power is on point. I'm talking a full three course meal and few glasses of wine and the state of my lips were still presentable. 

5) Urban Decay Primer Potion in 'Original' - Day-to-night-er. Once you stop staring at the lovely packaging (does it make anyone else think of Aladin?!) the product itself is pretty good too. Eye shadow goes sleekly on top and there it will stay, without a single crease. I never wear shadow without it.

6) Urban Decay Naked 3 Pallet - Wonderfully famous. We've all seen it a thousand times, but rightly so! The pigments, the shimmer, the surprisingly good brush - there's reasons there's been so much hype about it. My favourite shades for day are 'Burnout' and 'Nooner,' while for night I wear 'Trick' and 'Blackheart.'

7) Lush Rub Rub Rub - New fave. I love how its a great exfoliator but can also be used in your hair to give extra lift! I wasn't too sure on the scent at first, but now I can't shower without it. This is definitely a creator of silky smooth skin - perfect before tanning. 

8) St. Moriz Instant Self Tanning Mousee - confidence booster. I'm rather pale naturally and whenever I get tan-envy this is the product I turn to. Believe me, i've had streaky spray tans, patchy tanning gels and yellowy gradual tanners, I was ready to give up before I found this beauty! I've never had it come out patchy and it is so easy to apply, plus it's a fraction of the price of St Tropez! 

9) Soap and Glory Butter Yourself - Scentgasmic. If you can stop smelling this long enough to apply it then this is a really soothing, pampering body butter. I like to use it after 'Rub Rub Rub' which leaves my body super smooth. 

10) Batiste Dry Shampoo - For lazy days. A Classic, I know. I use this on second day hair which helps refresh my locks and adds lift to style. An absolute essential for any festival kit list for both boys and girls!

I know they are all very classic products that we see every day, but hopefully there's a little something there for everyone! Since leaving full time work all my new purchases are mostly highstreet, but i'm excited to explore what's out there.

I'll finish with a TIP: I often buy my Rimmel products in bulk from Asos, either when they are in the sale or with my student discount and it saves me a fair bit of money.

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How to: A Girls Night In Ft. Healthy(ish) Nachos and Indulgent Brownies

Recently, myself and my two flatmates took a night off from the constant demands of Uni and nachos, brownies and rosé were on the menu. We're not your typical students, there isn't a pot noodle in sight in our kitchen and with homemade salsa and guac, we tried to health-up our classically unhealthy snacks! 

Classily-clad in onesies, we prepared a feast for Queens...

Nachos With Homemade Guac and Salsa

For the Salsa:

Tomatoes Diced

Onion Diced

Coriander Chopped

Juice of 1 lime

Pinch of Salt and Pepper

Worcestershire Sauce

Magi Sauce (if you can get it)

For the Guacamole:

2 Avacados

1 Clove of Garlic finely chopped 

Juice of 1 lime

Pinch of salt and pepper

Chili flakes

And the obvious...

Tortilla chips

Lots of grated cheese

How to:

Mix your guacamole and salsa ingredients in two separate bowls. Layer a bag of Tortilla chips on a baking tray (don't be afraid of brands like Sainsbury's Basics, they're student-budget friendly and taste just as good with a blanket of cheese), grate a generous layer of cheese over the top and then pop under the grill until the cheese has melted. Leave the nachos to cool for a few minutes before topping with your pre-prepared guac and salsa.

When it came to the brownies all we wanted was something gooey and indulgent and so we relied on this tried and tested recipe. They turned out to be just the right combination of sickly, moist and moreish, However, do not underestimate how long it takes to sift in the flour, this may just be our amateurish abilities but it was definitely a two man job!

I can't take credit for the salsa and guacamole recipes as my friend was nacho-chef, while I was on the brownie team - not that i'm complaining. 

Now all that was left was to grab the wine, start up Netflix and watch our food babies grow. (Embrace it!)