March Favourites 2013

Hello...wow almost April!

I kept my favourites short and sweet this month so decided to feature them all, rather than top 5.

As always you can watch my faves instead if you prefer...(When it's uploaded I'll link you up!)

1. Soap & Glory's Heel Genius. A god-send to my over-exercised, dry, itchy feet! I apply a small blob to my heel area and work across the entire surface of my 'under' foot. It gives a nice cooling sensation and really feels like it's doing something! Leaves my feet soft as a babies bum :)

2. Rimmel's Metal Rush nail polishes. Featured here and here, I've really been enjoying using these beauties. The metallic effect is truly lovely and in different light you have a different nail colour...especially the Blue shade: that can appear blue, purple and green. They apply really easily too and are fast-drying.

3. Baremineral's Matte mineral foundation. I have really come to love this recently, with the shade Fairly Light matching my now slightly tanned skin perfectly. The product provides a light to medium buildable coverage and it buffs really easily into the skin. I like this foundation for days when I can't be bothered to apply a heavy liquid foundation...This looks and feels like normal skin so you can't even feel that you are wearing it.

4. Urban Decay's Naked Basics Palette. Amazing. I did a quick review along with a eye look I like to create using this palette here, but if I had to choose just one fave this month it would be this! I love how the shades all compliment each other so well and as always with UD's eye shadows, they apply and blend really well. There are 5 matte shades and 1 shimmer which is a nice change from the the other Naked Palettes that heavily feature shimmers. I love it and it's super cute size means it can go along with you anywhere :)

5. Urban Decay's Naked Flushed Palette. Again a great buy. I love how all three products: blusher, highlighter and bronzer all feature in one compact and convenient palette. The blusher is truly amazing. It's very heavily pigmented so a little bit will go a long way. It will last years I tell you! The highlight is really pretty, nothing out of the ordinary but nice all the same. The bronzer is a great builder so if you have pale skin you'll be fine with a dab of this. As for the darker skin tones you will also be good to go with this as you can build it up really well. I like that it is more subtle and not over-kill though. I've been using the palette almost everyday since I opened it. Brill!

6. Rimmel's Apocolips Lip Lacquer in Celestial. I'm sure you're sick of hearing about these but I'm  indeed a fan. I would say they are a cross between a nourishing lipstick and a lipgloss. Not sticky like some glosses but they keep that moisture without drying out like a lot of lipsticks tend to do. I want more shades!...I forgot to mention this in my video but the downside for me is the scent/smell. They remind me of something I'm not keen on...plastic-y, waxy? Not sure but I wish they smelt/tasted like Mac lipsticks <3

7. Lastly, Body Shop's Born To Be Lippy Lip Balm in Pomegranate. Delicious smell and makes your lips soft and moisturized. What more could you want!? My lips have been incredibly dry lately so this has been taking some hammer but it seems to be lasting a long time :) For £3, bargain!

Thanks for reading. Please link me your monthly favourites, I love hearing about them all :)

UD Basics Palette Review/Look

Hello.

Urban Decay knew what they were doing when they created this Naked Basics palette, let me tell you!

If you saw my Urban Decay Haul, you'll know that I actually picked the palette up as part of a package. It was coupled with the UD Flushed Palette, which to be honest was the one I was most interested in. I thought the Basics Palette would just be a nice bonus...

Wrong. The first time I used it I knew it was going to become a firm favourite of mine. I love how all but one (Venus) are matte shadows and the colours all compliment each other so well.

The ultra cute sizing of this palette makes it even easier to reach for when it comes to travelling. It's ideal for me, being between homes as a Uni student! The next time I go back to my student house I doubt I'll even bother lugging back my Naked1/2 palettes back with me...instead I'll grab this little guy!

I've literally been using the Basics Palette almost everyday since I first cracked into it and I've developed a bit of a system in terms of how I use it.

My favourite eye look at the moment, pictured above, is achieved by using all 6 of the eye shadows. And yes, I know my skin isn't great on the photo but what can I say? I have troubled skin :( So please ignore the spots and what not and look at what I think is a pretty natural eye look :P

I work along the palette in the order they appear from left to right.

1) I apply Venus to the inner corners, blending it across to about mid-way of my eye.
2/3/4) I blend Foxy, W.O.S and Naked 2 across my eyelids, building the colour and adding a bit of depth
5) I work Faint into the crease of my eye to create a subtle definition. I find using a good blending brush (like the Mac 217) ideal for this part.
6) When I'm happy with my eyelids I use a angled-eye brush to line my upper lashes with a bit of Crave to create a slightly thicker lash line without the intensity of a liquid/gel liner.

Done.

It's a very quick simple everyday look...sometimes I skip step 6 depending on the occasion.

I love how blend-able the eye shadows are, as always with Urban Decay, and I would recommend this palette to anyone. If you haven't tried Urban Decay eye shadows before I'd say this is a good one to start with and it's not a bad price at £20 :)

Schwarzkopf: Liquid Silk Conditioner

Hello.

I haven't done a product review in a little while so I thought I'd share with you my new favourite conditioner.

Last weekend I got snowed in but I was desperate for a good conditioner. Since going abroad in September 2012 my hair has been quite sun-damaged and brittle at the ends. Admittedly I do need a hair cut but I haven't had chance to book an appointment, what with being at Uni and what not!

Anyway, I've been combating my  hair issues with deep intensive leave-in conditioners, nourishing conditioners and hair oil...you can see my damaged hair post here. All in all it's been working but I do have to repeat these treatments a few time a week, if not daily.

My local shop is one of those heavily discounted cheap convenience stores, with not a lot of product range. The packaging of the Schwarzkopf GLISS Hair Repair Liquid Silk Conditioner caught my eye. The photo doesn't do it justice, but it really is very pretty with the label a iridescent shell-like effect. And it's pink! Always a winner with me :)

When I saw 'for brittle dull hair' I felt that was a fairly accurate match to my long locks and added it to my basket. I'm not quite sure how much this bottle would be in normal shops? but for me it was £1.49...pretty good I thought.

I was immediately impressed when I first tried it, with the scent reminding me of Johnson's baby lotion! It made my hair incredibly soft and smooth upon rinsing it. I had no 'luggs' when it came to brushing my hair through either (but this is pretty usual for my fine hair).

I found that a little bit of the product goes a long way...If you use too much you can get that slightly greasy feel to the ends of your hair, once blow-dried.

All in all I'm really happy with my 'make-do' conditioner and I would definitely repurchase. Guess I have the snow to thank for my discovery! :P

Sunday Chat #2: Interview Jitters

Hello. Hope you are all having a nice chilled Sunday! I thought I've have a little type to get out some of my nervous energy, cause quite frankly this is me...

Just to clarify this isn't me but ya know what I mean! 

So tomorrow I have a job interview and not just any job interview, but in fact my first! Yep, in all my 23 years I've never really had a proper interview. I was a waitress for a pub across the street but it was more of an informal  chat with it being my local. Then I worked in a Co-op store, during my year out, but my Dad was the area manager so again...no pressure, only for the store's manager I guess haha! I think he was nervous bless him!

As you may know or have heard...this weekend's been absolutely full of snow for the Nottingham area (and many other places I'm sure). I reckon someone forgot to pass on the message to Mother Nature that it is indeed Spring?!

Anyway...getting snowed in wasn't part of my plan. No, instead I was going to buy a nice smart interview jacket.

This didn't happen. So instead I'm left feeling rather ill prepared in terms of clothing and I'm quite possibly going to be the worst dressed there...in a long-sleeved cream blouse, black trousers and dolly shoes. Oh well. 

As far as everything else goes I guess I'm as sorted as I can be...I have my brief lesson plan, an idea of the types of interview questions I might be asked and oh yeah...calming tablets!

I am my own worst enemy when it comes to nerves. I already have butterflies circling around my belly. Of course they are quite normal and I know they are needed to some extent to perform with adrenalin blah blah...but I get the bad kind.

They've always been a big issue for me. I used to be in a lot of shows, whilst at stage school etc, but nerves got in the way of many performances. I could sing a song perfectly in my bedroom but put me in front of an audience and I'd struggle with my breathing and the notes just wouldn't come out quite right. I'd shake with nervous energy. I could barely control them.

One time I entered a singing competition. I was so nervous all day that I only managed to eat half of a tomato. When it came to performing I was riddled with nerves and they took over my voice in parts...I sounded like a sheep! Sadly the performance was recorded so I had to endure it all over again! Needless to say, I didn't win. The judges said I would have if I hadn't of been so nervous. I was gutted and disappointed in myself.

I did get better with the nerves for some time though and the more practice I got in front of others the better I learned to control them.

I'm hoping that tomorrow, if nothing else, will be good practice! :) Just wish I didn't feel this sick...already haha!

NOTD: Rimmel's Metal Rush

Hello :)

Hope you are all having a good Monday!...

My day has so far consisted of travelling back to my student house, a doctor's appointment in another attempt to get rid of my frustrating chin acne (yes, it's lovely), and then just generally being lazy and putting off revision or any form of work.

With that, I decided I would repaint my nails. Since buying two new nail polishes I've been keen to try them out and today I went with Rimmel's Metal Rush varnish in Royal Blue (7).

I applied two coats of the polish to get the above effect and its application was smooth and easy. The formula is very quick drying...just what I look for in a nail polish. I'm far too impatient and actually don't enjoy the process of painting my nails...although I do it often enough!

It's really difficult to capture the beautiful metallic effect on camera but one minute the colour looks predominantly lilac-y/purple, then the next it's a lovely sea green/blue shade.

It truly gives a very pretty look, and I would definitely recommend you give this polish a go! Prettttyyy :P

x

Sunday Chat #1

Hello!

I felt like writing, and figured I may do this sort of post more often...so here goes...

Today is Sunday and for me that means one thing...Sunday dinner or Sunday roast! :D Whatever you like to call it.

Indeed, I get rather excited at the thoughts of a good dinner. A plate full of a variety of vegetables, a helping of mash potato, perhaps the odd roast potato, my favourite meat (pork chop) and maybe a cheeky bit of yorkshire pudding, all covered with meat infused gravy. Yum, yum, yum! Call me biased but my dad's roasts are amazing!

Being a uni student I don't always have the luxury of eating a Sunday dinner. Sure I could probably cook-up my own rendition, but it seems like a lot of hassle when cooking for just me. And let's face it, cooking is not one of my strong points...Quite honestly I don't enjoy it and tend to avoid it as much as I can!

However, I'm still home today...after a very 'mixed bag' kind of a week...

It started with day-old sick in my hair and a much needed shower. I was still hungover from Saturday's antics. Sunday was possibly the worst day of my life, taking the horizontal position in bed for the entire day. Yep, it was disgraceful and I aim not to repeat. EVER.

Monday came to a close with a meal at Slug & Lettuce...to feed my alcohol induced hunger pangs. The Ultimate Stateside Burger was demolished along with half a Cookie Cup dessert.

o0o scary picture! Perhaps a little dramatic but...

Tuesday's are generally the bane of my life. It's a Uni day which, quite frankly, are wearing very thin on me now. I feel perhaps there is a reason most people coming up to the age of 24 are no longer pupils...I would have said are no longer in education but seen as I still will be when I get a teaching job, I'll refrain from that wording.

Apologies for the creepy images. Uni must have this affect on me 

Draining is what it was...to be in a room for 2 hours...essentially trapped. To listen to, in my opinion, often irrelevant information. Needless to say, I napped afterwards. Boy, it was a good 1.5 hour sleep! I then got sucked into having a chinese with my housemates. I was relatively good though and just had a chow mein, as opposed to my usual duck starter and chips :)

I awoke with nerves on Wednesday. It was the day of my literacy skills test. I was fairly confident but the sheer unpredictability made me uneasy. My body is literally the worst at coping with any kind of stress or upheaval! Any butterflies and my stomach is a mess, my appetite is gone and I feel sick.

Gladly, I passed the test! Yayy! And treated myself to a few bits, which I showed in this post. Sadly though, all of the adrenalin and nervousness from earlier completely took its toll on my body. I had a massive blood sugar dip (perhaps I'll do a post about my issues with this soon) and despite a rushed Gregg's cheese cob/roll and a Millie's chocolate chip cookie the damage had been done and I started to feel really poorly. A bit like a migraine kind of ill but a little more woozy...Anyway after packing my bag (to go home) in a daze, I had to lie down and awoke to my parents telling me they were outside to collect me (from my student digs).

I finally came around to feeling better a bit later. It was nice to be home and I tucked into my dad's homemade shepherd's pie. YUM.

Thursday was one of the saddest days I've had to witness. Back in Sixth Form, I was part of the school choir. We were very well received and sang all over the place, even touring in Germany and Kent. I loved singing in our concerts and I was sad to have to leave it behind when I finished in Year 12.

On Thursday the choir reformed, which would have made me very happy in different circumstances. Sadly, we reunited to sing at a very talented and loved young man's funeral. Luke was only 20 and had tragically suffered over a dozen heart-attacks, fallen into a coma and subsequently passed away. Luke was once a valued member of our choir and it seemed only right that we would give him the best send-off we could vocalize. His mum requested us and it was an absolute honour to be there. It was heart-breaking all the same.

It's funny how on occasions like those you think more clearly and assess your own life and what's important. For me I realised that my family mean everything to me and that really nothing else matters in the grand scheme of things. So when I get stressed about Uni work, applying for jobs and even get caught up in the waves of sadness that I sometimes suffer with...I need to remember what I felt in that instance.

That evening I did my much-loved exercise classes: Boot Camp and Step n Core.

Friday I awoke a little stiff from the workout but also quite excited to visit a local school. If you don't know any teachers etc...when it comes to applying for a teaching job it's obligatory to look around a school before submitting your application...Well, that's if you want your application to be considered! For me, I got that 'wow' I'd be waiting for. The school that I could imagine myself working at. It ticked all of my personal boxes and I'm hoping I'll tick some of theirs and get invited to interview. Of course I'm not stupid enough to assume I'll get it...I'm one of many...but for now I have a chance...so cross all of your fingers and toes for me!

I believe that everything happens for a reason...which is pretty hard to maintain when faced with tragedies like Thursday...but I think fate is a very powerful thing and if it's meant to be it'll happen.

So, excluding a lot more of the really painful sore muscles;  singing alone on the karaoke like a 'saddo' on a Saturday evening, in the comfort of my own home; starting The Host book; oh and, devouring a lot of biscuits dipped in tea...we are back to me having had Sunday dinner and writing this post.

How was your week?

Ellie
x

When 2 become 1...

...in the words of the Spice Girls. It's really weird to think that actually many of the songs that I was singing along to and bopping about at, as a child, were generally all sex-related! I mean Zig-a-zig-ahh?! Cringe.

But anyway...despite the perhaps misleading title/intro...I am referring to blogging. Some of you have dirty minds! :)

Up until today I had two blogs...one beauty directed and one lifestyle/fitness related. But to be honest I felt it was a bit of a juggling act and so I decided to combine the two, after much deliberation.

The other blog, called belliebegone, I feel had a slightly different tone and was a little more personal and sometimes waffly. You may see what I mean if you decide to read some of the posts which I've now imported over.

Anyway I hope you enjoy reading those posts too! And it'll mean I'll blog more often, with all my posts going to the same place!

Let me know what you think!

Ellie x