Living life one experience at a time

Living life one experience at a time

Friday, 10 January 2014

Pantomime OOTD

Hello again!

On the 4th of January I went to see a pantomime with my mum, Godmother and my Godmother's family. We've been to see it every year since I was about 8, and we always go to the Rock'n'Roll Panto at The New Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich. This year was Dick Whittington and as always it was great fun. This year was extra special because we all witnessed the actor playing King Rat (Dan De Cruz) proposing to his partner live onstage. She said yes which led to a standing ovation and a lot of awww's for the happy couple. Here's a link to BBC article about it:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-25652674
And a link to the theatre website, in case any local people want to buy tickets for future productions:
http://www.wolseytheatre.co.uk/

So, I thought I'd share with you the outfit I wore for our fun family night out.


Please do excuse the flash and my horribly messy room - I'm in the middle of a BIG clear out so everything is slightly muddled at the moment!

I wore a dress from Oasis (http://www.oasis-stores.com///oasis/fcp-product/3770036037#GBP) which was £45, though I was able to use my student discount which made it cheaper.

Then I wore fleece lined black tights from Debenhams (http://www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10701_10001_081010530160_-1) which are AMAZING in this cold weather. I'm not sure if the link I've given you is for the same tights I bought, however it's close enough.

Then I wore heeled ankle boots also from Debenhams, by Mantaray (http://www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10701_10001_050010110060_-1) which are £49. I bought then when there was an across store discount so they were only about £36, sorry they're more expensive now if you're interested. I really do recommend them though, they're great boots!

And that was everything!

IOTD - Millie Mackintosh - I feel very Made in Chelsea in my ankle boots. FEEL is the optimum word, I definitely don't LOOK as good as those girls!

SOTD - Sour Cherry by The Kills

Wednesday, 8 January 2014

Festive Drinks Make Up Look

Hello!

What's this? Another blog post so soon after the last one? It couldn't possibly be!

WELL IT IS!

A wonderful friend of mine hosted some festive drinks at her house a few days after Christmas so I thought I'd show you the make up I wore for that as it was a little different to what I normally wear.


Face: Diadermine moisturiser, Benefit POREfessional, Benefit Stay Flawless, Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow foundation, Collection 2000 concealer.

Eyes: Urban Decay Naked Palette - Virgin on the brow bone and inner corner for a highlight, Darkhorse all over the lid with a heavier layer in the crease and outer third, Smog on the middle third of the lid. Then I lightly dragged Smog along the lashline. Benefit They're Real mascara on top and bottom lashes and Bourjois Kohl & Contour liner on water and tight lines.

Lips: Eucerin Aquaphor to stop chapping and Benefit Glossytown in Foxy Lady.

Aaaaaaaand, that was it!

IOTD - Jennifer Aniston. I always look to her make up when I want a look like this - she's always rocking very natural and sophisticated make up.

SOTD - A Real Hero by College and Electric Youth

Monday, 6 January 2014

Outfit of the Day

Hello readers! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and here's to a very Happy New Year!

Yes, yes, I haven't blogged in ages - I knowwwww, I'm really bad at this. However, that's a resolution of mine as I want to take this blog seriously (well, as serious as I can be about anything...) and try really hard to create something that hopefully people will enjoy reading regularly.

So, to get back into things, here's an outfit of the day post. It wasn't actually worn today, in fact it's from a few weeks ago, but I still thought it was worth sharing.


My jumper was bought last January, so unfortunately will not be available (except for maybe on ebay if you're very lucky), but I got it from Topshop for around £25. Isn't the little raccoon just SO cuuuuuute?! I love himmmm! The only problem with it is that the wool is a tad itchy. I have very sensitive skin so maybe it's just me, haha!

The jeans are also from Topshop and much to my dispair are also discontinued, which is so sad because they're AMAZING! They were the Kristen style and were £40. Now these do come up on ebay so if you're interested, then do keep an eye out for them. They're great for girls like me with bigger hips and they're super high waisted so keep everything nicely tucked in. I'm on a mission to find some replacements in another style - comment below if you know of any!

My stud earring was part of a mix and match set, which was also from Topshop and all the ear cuffs are non-pierced and from amazon - they were really cheap too, all around £1/£1.50 each.

Very comfy and cosy for this chilly, chilly weather!

IOTD - Blake Lively. I've just bought the entire boxset of Gossip Girl so I'm really excited to finally past season 3! 

SOTD - Higher Love by James Vincent McMorrow

Thursday, 21 November 2013

Bloglovin

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Tuesday, 19 November 2013

Recent Purchases

Hello! Prepare for a big’un…

I thought I’d share with you what I’ve bought recently, a few of which are repurchases and some are total game changers that I’ll DEFINITELY be buying again! Let’s do this!

Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner 24hr
I bought this from Boots for £7.99. I’m not the best at liquid liner – I can do it well enough, but it never looks perfect and my eyes NEVER look even which bugs the hell out of me! However…..! This gel eyeliner may well have solved those uneven woes. Using a brush is somehow much easier than a liquid liner tip so hopefully my winged liner will look much much better from now on! Love it so far!

Kallo Organic Belgian Chocolate Rice Cake Thins
These are £1.99 from Holland & Barratt and soooo tasty! I’ve only ever eaten dry rice cakes – like snackajacks or the ones that taste like marmite – so these chocolate coated rice thins were something I was intrigued by. They’re 56 calories and 2.6g of fat (if you’re interested in that kinda thing) per thin, which by Rosemary Conley standards is perfectly acceptable! I really like them for a tasty, healthier treat. They still have that delightful polystyrene texture that other rice cakes have, but the chocolate makes them pretty yummy. I probably won’t buy them again, but for this pack, they’ll do nicely.

Passion Peel Off and Very Berry Montagne Jeunesse Face Masks
These were on offer in Boots – 4 for £3 – and I loved the Passion Peel Off mask last time I tried it, so ideally just wanted 4 of those. Alas, there were only 3 left so I bought the Very Berry on a whim. I’ll see how it is, but I prefer face masks that do something witchy. By witchy I mean like a magic trick – peeling off, warming your face, changing colour – something interesting and fun. Yep, it’s definitely the little things with this chick.

The Porefessional and Stay Flawless by Benefit
These two are definite game changing products; my beauty prayers have been answered! I was getting so sick of visible pores which are probably an after effect of suffering from bad skin (post here) and I didn’t know what to do to get rid of them. Whilst I continue to find the cure, I’ve definite found the product to at least hide them and minimize their appearance – The Porefessional! It’s brilliant stuff. It’s very lightweight and leaves the area feel silky smooth. I bought it from Debenhams for £24.50 which IS expensive, but like with all Benefit cosmetics, they last a really long time so they’re great value for money in my humble opinion.
After using up a tube of face primer from 17, I was looking for something slightly more sophisticated and long lasting. I had tried this primer back in Spring after I was given a promotional sample before its release and I fell in love with it there and then. It’s not greasy and really does help my slap to stay put. Whether it lasts 15hrs or not is another matter – I’m rarely awake for 15hrs in a day so I wouldn’t know, haha! This was also £24.50 from Debenhams.

Botanics Essential 100% Tea Tree Oil and Studex After Piercing Lotion
So, I unfortunately got the dreaded nose piercing bump last week – NIGHTMARE. I needed something to get rid of it pronto and my sister recommended tea tree oil and the Studex solution. I ordered the Studex from amazon.co.uk for about £4.99 and then bought the tea tree from Boots for about £3 maybe… I can’t find it online so that’s a total guess, apologies for any misinformation. Cleaning the bump with these two consecutively twice a day has really done the trick. If you try this too, just be careful with the tea tree as it can irritate and dry out your skin.

OPI and Nails Inc Nail Polishes
After seeing Tanya Burr wearing OPI’s “A Grape Fit”, I HAD to buy it! Such a beautiful colour and only requires 2 coats for a really even finish. I got this on amazon.co.uk for £8.99.
I also got a Nails Inc polish free with Elle Magazine this month in the shade New York Noir which is part of the Kate Spade New York range. Haven’t tried it yet but it’s a great moody autumn/winter colour. It will be perfect for the days my inner Goth girl creeps out.

Eucerin Aquaphor, Benefit Hoola Lipgloss, Rimmel London Apocolips Lip Lacquer and Carmex Moisture Plus
Aquaphor is a GOD SEND for anyone who suffers from very dry or perhaps cracked skin. I use this mostly on chapped lips, but also on my hands at night if they start to crack during the colder months. It’s thicker than Vaseline, but much less greasy. I got this on amazon.co.uk for £8.20. A tube of this goes a reeeeeeeaaaaaaaaally long way though as you only need a tiny amount which lasts hours.
The Benefit Hoola Liplgoss was another magazine freebie, this time for Glamour. I get so excited when Glamour has their Benefit giveaways, being a really big fan. I chose Hoola because I don’t have it yet. It’s very balmy, not sticky like other lipglosses can be and it’s a really lovely coppery nude colour.
I’ve already reviewed the Rimmel Apocolips – you can find that post here.
I’m a big fan of Carmex lipbalms, especially at this time of year when my lips get really dry and flaky (such a sexy little image for you all!) so I tend to have one these in my bag whenever I go out. This is a new product I decided to try though as it has a sheer pink hue to it, which is very subtle but pretty. Same moisturising lipbalm, just a little bit more girly! This was £4.49 in Boots.

Garnier Eye Roll-On, No7 Calm Skin Balm and Rimmel London Hide the Blemish Concealer
Like visible pores, I had also had enough of dark circles and a red face! Being so fair, blemishes and redness seem to show up like beacons on my face. Last time I had my eyebrows waxed the technician kept asking if I was ok because it went so red, very embarrassing particularly as I was COMPLETELY FINE! A friend I met during my brief stint at uni bought a caffeine roll on for dark circles so I thought I give one a try. This Garnier one was around £10.99 and to be honest, I don’t think it was worth the money. I can’t notice much of a difference, but hey ho, I’ll persevere but probably won’t repurchase.
I was going to buy the No7 balm myself, but it was £18 and my wonderful mother had some she didn’t use so kindly gave it to me. Again, can’t see a huge difference so I’m glad I didn’t pay for it myself, haha.
I am happy with the concealer though - £3.99. It’s very creamy and blends really well, covering not only my dark circles but acne scarring also. Mine is in the shade Albino… Only kidding! It’s Soft Honey/103.

Thanks for reading – I know this one was hefty! But at least it’ll tide you over for the next 10 years until I remember to update this blog…

COTD – Anjelica Huston (I’ve been re-watching series 1 of Smash and this lady is just fabulous!)


SOTD – Light Me Up by Birdy

Friday, 8 November 2013

Autumn Update

Hello kind readers,

Have a standard "sorry-for-not-posting-enough" speech - as usual, life is hectic and busy.

As you may know from my last post, I moved to Brighton at the end of September to start a degree in History of Art and Design. I wish I was about to fill your beautiful minds with stories of a fantastic start to a new academic year. Alas, I'm not. I moved back home a week ago after withdrawing from the course and deciding to leave Brighton. My chosen course really didn't suit me, for reasons I will detail in a few short moments, and it seemed like the best option to move back to the safety and normal-ness of my family home and have a little (massive) re-think.

History of Art and Design is, as the title would suggest, an academically led degree - it's text based and requires mad brains and concentration, in my opinion anyway. For a very long time I've tried to be good and enjoy these kinds of subjects - English, history, sociology, psychology, you get the idea - and for an even longer time (it feels that way, anyway), I've hated them. I pushed myself above and beyond to like them and twice as hard to actually be any good at them. This made it really difficult for me to stay focused in lectures and seminars, motivate myself to do the assignments and enjoy my time outside of classes. I also found communal living difficult, simply because I'm not the most social of people and I tend to keep myself to myself until I really know somebody - I'm veering on the side of being a bit of a hermit!

Anyway, I gave it a month, tried really hard to like it, but it just didn't work out for me. I'm really disappointed because I was ready to move out and start my independence (uni was my escape from a pretty awful year) - it was simply the course that stood in my way, and with no options to transfer, I made this decision.

My mind works in a more creative way and I would much prefer to study something more artistic - perhaps photography or beauty therapy which could then lead on to something like make-up artistry.

So, that's the page turned on that short adventure - onto the next!

To keep this blog within it's very vague theme of beauty of fashion, I've got a lip gloss/stain/stick type fella to show you and vaguely review.



It's the "Rimmel London Apocalips Lip Lacquer" in the shade Eclipse which I bought in Boots for £6.49.

First impressions - DARK!!!!!

This lipstick, well, this shade in particular, is NOT subtle! It's only for those who want something that packs a punch! I love the colour for the colder weather, it's lovely and autumnal, although I'm still figuring out eye make-up to go with this.

It comes off really easily with a face wipe, which I love - can't stand stained lips after "removing" something dark, so this is great.

All in all, I'd probably give it a 7/10 - application is a little tricky because it's so pigmented, I definitely try to be steady and careful with it. There might a a lot of teeth licking with it also.



COTD - Clémence Poésy

SOTD - Heart of Gold by Birdy





Saturday, 21 September 2013

What a difference 2 years makes

Hello!

Sorry once again for my absence. I'm not getting used to this 'regular blogging' business so you'll just have to bear with me. I've been crazy busy too, catching up with friends, holidaying in Portugal, getting myself ready for university (which is only ONE WEEK away!) - it's been rather hectic!

My post today is a weird one. I was looking back at photos from 2 years ago, simply to see how my hair has changed - ridiculous and sad, I know! I also noticed how my weight has changed, which I was obviously aware of but you only really see it properly when you compare photos. But the main thing I thought was how much I've changed personally and emotionally.

Everything is different since 2011. My wellbeing, my health, my education, my life plan. It's insane to look at how much I've grown and changed in such a short time. I think Autumn is a good time to reflect on ourselves as I see it as a time of new beginnings - starting new schools, new jobs, new years at university - and I think it's a great time for us to look back on ourselves and then look at the future and try and guess what that has in store for us. I'm so ready for this new chapter of my life - let's hope it's a great one!


SOTD - Last Goodbye - The Kills

COTD - Angelina Jolie