This very blog is a little day-to-day compilation of what I get up to, including beauty news and reviews, crafts, life, tips, chatter and sometimes just outright nonsense.
I'm a happy girl, and I want to sprinkle happiness over other people too!
Visit my YouTube Channel to hear me speak! What a treat!
www.YouTube.com/AlexiaEsque
"The pessimist complains about the wind The optimist expects is to change The realist adjusts the sails"
Today is the first time in a long time that it has been really wonderfully sunny, I evern got to wear shorts, I forgot about wearing makeup and I let my hair air dry!
The best part was christening my newest and favourite top of the moment
It's from Threadless but they have a quick turnover for designs so it might not be for sale anymore, but I love it because it has a zombie geisha, and you may or may not know that I love geishas and I love The Walking Dead so it's like a little combination of my favourite things and perfect for days like this!
I went outside after lunch and lay on the grass for a couple hours, the sun was not at its hottest since it was after 3pm so I got away with laying int he sun without sun cream on.
I'll show you what I saw
This might not be exciting for you but it feels so so so long since I saw blue skies! It was wonderful to lie doing nothing and not feeling guily about not studying or neglecting anything else!
Washing my face!
I love washing my face, I would do it four times a day if I could.
My skin is super oily so all throughout the day I grease up, but if I have a full face of makeup and I can't remove it and re do it, I just have to settle for blotting paper and translucent powder, but throughout the day I can wash my face if I feel it needs it, or to avoid drying out my skin I can just use a makeup wipe.
Today was one of those days where I had a lot of makeup on and had to wait until I got home to remove it all.
I used a makeup wipe first to remove the worst, then I cleanse properly, this is the bit I love the most.
Half on and half off!
Then all off!
I'm using the Johnson's Oil Balancing facial cleansing wipes which is great for me since it does not leave that horrible residue that other wipes can, the wipes are not too wet either but they do remove waterproof mascara without smelling too chemically
Finally, I cleanse properly using the Pure and Clear cleansing wash which I do like at the moment to help calm down my troublesome skin!
After that I moisturise and use the accompanying Pure and Clear Moisturiser
Then I'm happy and clean and crisp and fresh, for an hour or two at least!
We went to an awesome cocktail bar to celebrate a birthday.
It was like nowhere that I have ever been and it was so much fun!
It has a dark taverny feel to it and you go to the bar and get a cocktail menu.
They sell normal drinks too but they mostly sell super fun and different drinks that are their specialty really. First I tried the M&M cocktail which was the most delicious thing that I have ever drunk, it tastes exactly like the m&m sweeties with like a sugar shell and chocolate center but it had no m&ms in it at all! It then came with a shot glass full of m&ms- I don't know the science behind it or how they made it taste just like the real thing in a drink form without using actual m&ms but it was an experience.
Then I had some of a berry flavored cocktail, it was red with lots of crushed ice and made from real berries, I even got a raspberry seed stuck in my teeth! It was super fruity and tasted just like an exotic fruit juice.
You can see the drips and drabs below, it was what was contained in the shorter glass!
Finally, the grand finale was the Mad Hatters Tea Party cocktail, this was the really really crazy one. It was made using loose tea leaves put through a strainer with boiled water from the kettle. This was then mixed with some other magical things before being poured into a cute tea pot with tea cups arranged around a tray.
It tasted pretty strange, it's odd to drink something warm, but also with a herbal edge to it and a bit of a dry taste too ... I don't know, it was weird, but I'm still bedazzled by the whole drinks menu it was that cool.
There was one made from white, milk and dark chocolate. I'm sad that I didn't get to try that one but maybe next time because it's like going out to eat desserts!
I went to a completely different eating experience than I've ever had before in my life. We've all probably heard of and maybe been to buffet restaurants, they typically where I come from are Chinese, but maybe they do other buffet type eating places where you live. Sometimes I do not feel like getting up and down all the time to refill my plate plus I am 10x more greedy at a buffet place and often they are not a fine dining experience but just quick and easy because there is something that everyone likes.
For the first time ever I went to a 'World Buffet' which is exactly what it sounds like, with food from all around the world. It had a English section with roast dinners, a Japanese section with sushi, a Chinese section, an Indian section, Italian, Thai etc as well as burgers and all sorts in between. It was absolutely huge, I still have not seen all of the dishes because it's extensive as well as 'live chefs' who will make what you ask for right in front of you.
Despite how huge it was, what made it so fun was the thought gone into the decor. For example, when you enter the restaurant there's a lady dressed as an air hostess and lots of big bold signs saying 'check in' to make it look like an airport. You 'check in' as in, ask for a table for however many people are eating and then go downstairs.
Downstairs they had a bar just like how at airports after you've checked in you can sit at the lounge, which is where the bathrooms were, and they call flight announcements while you're in the bathroom it's so funny!
Then you go downstairs again and you've arrived at your destination!
A lot of effort has gone into decorating each section according to the country with random bike props, jars and jars of rice and tiling. This picture doesn't do it much justice as it goes back beyond what this picture shows.
At the back their was an entire wall of sweet treat desserts! It was so fun, including a white chocolate and milk chocolate fountain. By this time I had completely over indulged so only managed some marshmallows dipped in chocolate and a little chunk of carrot cake.
It was so fun and unusual, I wish that I could go back right now because pretty much every craving is covered!
I decided to do the dreaded chore of sorting out my itunes library, updating covers, album names, nameless tracks etc
I'm going through the monotony of googleing lyrics from the nameless and artist-less songs so that they can be neat and up to date when I suddenly remember and app I downloaded ages ago called Shazam.
You just play the song hold up whatever device Shazam is loaded onto, and it detects the song by listenign to a ten second snippet, and gives yout he artist name, song name, album name there and then. It's magic!!!
Now you have no excuse to spring clean your itunes!
Superdrug had 3 for 2 across all of it's beauty lines, so even though I had a less than magnificent experience with my first Color Tattoo in Eternal Gold, I decided I wouldn't give up on them as a concept altogether.
I got the 'On and On Bronze' which is called 'Bad to the Bronze' outside Europe I think, Pink Gold and Permanent Taupe.
They look so pretty all stashed side by side, I like how there is detailing on both sides of the container so whether you store them lid up or lid down you can still see what they are and the shades inside.
You can see all the beautiful colours, they're all shimmery except for Permanent Taupe and can be used on top of an eyeshadow base but I think they work just fine as a base in their own right for other eye colours, or you can use them simply as a cream eyeshadow.
Here I've swatched them down the inside of my arm, no primer just on bare skin
At the top is Permanent taupe which was the most stubborn colour to remove from my arm, it took around three washes which bodes well because my eyelids can get oily shifting my eye makeup throughout the day.
Next down is Pink Gold which is my favourite colour based on how gorgeous it is, however it was similar to Eternal Gold to swatch which you may have rad in my previous review that I did not especially like as I felt it wasn't that pigmented and kind of flaky.
Next is Eternal Gold which is clearly the weakest of the swatches. It doesn't have the gorgeous craemy consistency of Permanent Taupe.
Finally, On and On Bronze which is a warmer version of Permanent Taupe and is a perfect every day colour.
I love how all swatched down my arm they look like ice cream colours, I can't wait to create some beautiful looks for you guys using these!
Woooo it's new video time! I always feel under pressure when I have to film edit and upload on the same day, which I had to do today. I put new videos around the Thursday-Saturday mark but no later than Saturday, and I just made the cut as this uploaded at approximately 11pm UK time.
I hope you love it!
It's a beautiful golden look using the Urban Decay naked palettes, I even use a shadow wet- hows that for mixing things up a little?
This was the picture that I used for reference:
And here I am desperately trying to imitate the glamour!
I woke up this morning and trying not to focus too much on the impending exam I decided to put on some make up, I hoped that it might make me feel a bit perkier!
I put on foundation, concealer, blusher, bronzer, eye paint pot, and lashings of mascara, I have a little smidgen of lipgloss on too. But I can see the panic and worry in my eyes! I couldn't even force a smile because I felt so anxious!
Now I have the look of relaxation and 'lets catch up on Youtube and blogging and reading for fun and eating at reasonable times'
Yayy for getting your life back after exams, they do come to an end even when it feels like they won't!
Feeling completely exhausted I'm about to fall asleep for the last time with exams looming over me!
I've not left my room for a couple of days, I slept fine last night but I still feel so work out from all the mental strain of concentrating for long periods and the toll that worry takes on my soul!
Here's the beautiful view right now where I contemplate dropping asleep or staying up to just read through my notes one more time.
I saw such a beautiful Furby backpack on eBay, I much prefer it to the new modern designs for the new Furbies, which are a bit more clunks and chunky looking, not to mention four or five times the price as they are not yet available widespread in the UK.
But I knew this little thing had to belong to me so that I could carry Furby around!
Also the shoulder straps are able to extend so they fit little kiddies and me!
I love how it even has a little seatbelt in the backpack to hold him in, and a kind of mesh side panel so that he can breathe!
I have no doubt that similar designs will be on the catwalk this Summer...haha...
I love Pinterest and it's the perfect way to procrastinate when I should be doing more constructive things, but I still want to brighten your day up with beautiful finds so here is my most recent 'Isn't this awesome?!' List:
I stumbled across these beautiful tank tops, I love the way the picture stretches across the vest, I love how these kind of Disney designs is not just limited to kiddy clothes!
The saddest part is that these are another on the beautiful but forever lost pins that have no link to where I can get them! But I can still look at them and dream I own them, which is a much more purse friendly way to view them.
The next are these super fun Catigans - get it? Instead of cardigans!
But it's another one on the no link list!
This perfect striped bow blouse, I even already own the jeans to match, but the blouse is nowhere to be found so it just has to live in my imaginary wardrobe.
And finally...
This adorable trouser and top combination. The trousers are especially beautiful, but I'd need the whole hippy chic look going on for it to work on me! But I will never know how they look on me!
At least I have a permanent reminder of all these beautiful clothes so they will not get lost forever!
Here begins the start of the last week at University!
It's a very sad feeling but I still have a final exam to get through tomorrow before I can be completely free.
But here arrived a little magic treat pick-me-up to help set the week off right!
It is the Stila Eyeshadow in shade Kitten.
I'd heard a lot about this beautiful colour an I wasn't disappointed. It's beautiful and wonderfully creamy, maybe a bit too creamy, I'd barely pressed the pan and I've already put a dent in it, you can see it on the far right of the pan in the middle picture.
It's paler than the photos would have you believe, I wouldn't describe it as a gold colour but a cross between cream and champagne.
I really love it and can't wait to use it properly!
Today I reached 223 subscribers and over 50,000 video views
It's not a huge deal in the grand scheme of things but it's wonderful to think that 220 people out there enjoy my hobby enough to want to keep watching my hobby come up with new things!
Yes I have a screen grab of that! Is that sad? Maybe!
I just want to say 50,000 thank you's if you've come from my channel and watched what I get up to.
and another ton of thank you's if you're reading my blog / have read it for months/ read it for the first time today!
I'm super excited to be able to upload another video for you guys!
This one is all based off Jennifer Lawrence, I've really been enjoying watching clips of her interviews on YouTube, she comes across as such a fun character.
It's pretty quick and very very easy, I hope that you enjoy it!
I watched a great video on YouTube that showed the use of an app where you can document daily the things that you are thankful for that day. It's similar to my 'Good things jar' video that I filmed a little while back but more of a digital version.
It's presented in a really nice way, you can choose fonts and change the background picture if you want to, and it's a daily log that is kept forever, I've only been doing it a short while but I love flicking back to reflect on the day previously and what was so great about that day.
So, yes while I may be in the study gloom period I can still pick out so many wonderful things to be thankful about today!
The app is totally free, and slightly different interface for the iphone to ipad but both do pretty much the same thing.
I'm in the middle of a bit rut at the moment, I have exams that feel like they are landmines waiting around every single corner and studying can be so monotonous, but this time every year I feel so motivated to start earlier next exam season. Maybe one year I'll get it spot on!
Here is a super excited view of my page right now, and now you have a peek at my handwriting which you can't pretend isn't the most exciting part of your day...! I'm kidding of course.
I'm sad that my blogs slow down to being pretty empty around this time, but I've not even left my flat for two days!
It's this time that I really appreciate the joy of sleeping, I never really struggle with sleep except for sometimes nerves stop me sleeping but usually only the night before something nerve wracking, but sleep feels like a brain vacation from textbooks, exercise books and pens.
I saw a very adorable tee about two weeks ago on firebox.com which is a website with a whole accumulation of great and magical and often over priced things.
I really wanted the fairy cat t shirt but it was over £20 and I didn't know how good Firebox's returns policy was.
Lo-and behold ebay held the answer, it had the very same t shirt for £12.99 although it was in kids sizes. I bought the XL kids size to be on the safe side and it's even a little large but I love it nonetheless.
I was super delighted when it came, who can resist kittens with wings???
It's their beautiful glassy eyes that get me the most!!!
I wish this breed of animal was real, I love they way the white and pink one is holding a flower too!
If you've fallen in love with the kittens on my tee too you can get your own kitten tshirt here
After my attempt at customising my Furby was a complete success - in my humble opinion:
I tried to use the very same gems to glitz up my phone. It turned out less than good...
The gems are uneven, and two or three have dropped off already. I suppose low quality gems are useful for some things like Furby's which are used delicately but phones have to go through a lot more daily wear and tear so I suppose my phone really had no hope!
Ah well,
if you want to customise your own Furby check out my last video where I show you the low-down...
It's exam season worldwide
(or at least in the UK and USA so probably other places too)
Here is my tried and tested tips of how not to revise, because there is a difference between revising and feeling like you're revising so that you don't feel guilty.
So here goes:
1. Put your laptop or computer away. Sit with your back to it, or if possible study in a place entirely different from where you're used to sitting with your computer, otherwise being in that place with a textbook without your computer will feel just weird. Not many people have two desks so if you usually sit with your computer at your desk then study at the kitchen table, in your bed, in the library.
-If you are determined that you need your computer for revision then log out of all the social media that you are normally automatically logged into. It's that little bit extra effort to log back in again so will stop you going astray while you study using your computer.
2. You can kid yourself that you can study while having the television on in the background, but we all know you can't. Anything to ease the monotony of looking at words on a page and writing and staring at that wall ahead of you feels like it's better than nothing. But, if you just give silence a chance, you'll find that time goes much much faster than having constant distraction of television when you're studying and you get much much more done.
3. Reading a textbook over and over isn't productive, and isn't really revision. When you read a passage, you'll absorb hardly any of it. Your eyes will glaze over the wrods on the page and you won't be able to recall much of what you've read. You have to do something with the information you're reading. Write it down, put it in a brainstorm, colour it, underline it, repeat repeat repeat.
For me, I have three stages of studying for a exam, this is how it goes:
Step 1. Initial note taking, I take notes of the content, and underline or highlight where necessary
Step 2. I compile a '10 essential things to include in any essay on (subject goes here)' list
Step 3. I plan every past paper available, using my list from Step 2. as guidance and tailoring it to the specific question.
Repeat Repeat Repeat
If you have no time for that, there's always an old video from me on How to cram the night before a test and pass:
I've been getting a bit overexcited lately, what with finally having nails that aren't bitten down to the nail bed, so I have been reapplying my nail polish probably every three days to keep it looking fresh. But I've only bought one colour so far since I've stopped biting my nails as I have bottles of nail polish at my family home that I've never been able to wear! I'm excited to be reunited with them.
In the mean time I did a polka dot nail art thing using a tooth pick and a white polish borrowed from my friend. It came out okay but I got impatient as always so it smudged all over the place.
It turns out I shouldn't get too over confident with my ability to pain nails as white proved really hard to look neat!
For a change I decided to remove the polka dots and use sticky tape on the bottom 2/3 of my finger nail, leaving the top exposed (the white tip) I then painted with a very rough hand, splodges of pink. The sticky tape would make sure that it didn't matter how neat or messy I applied, it would always come out neat.
Well I got over excited, applied it too thick, didn't let coats dry between and it was just a generally messy time.
If you've ever seen a more hideous attempt let me know!
Okay so we're in 2013 but these cute balls of fun are still the 2012 generation of Furby!
This video is not about giving me a make over but instead, giving Furby a make over, he was quite happy to be a the star of the show.
Although I did have to edit a lot because he kept talking over me!
Unfortunately the lighting starts off very low at first, but about half way through the make over it rectifies itself.
Here is my basic customisation of blinging and sparkling up Furby. I got my sticky backed sparkle gems as a free gift years ago with a childrens magazine for anyone asking. As i reiterate several times I would recommend this over glue unless you definately want this as a permanent feature of the Furbs. I'm not certain, adn I'd quite like to change it up in the future with coloured gems, aswell as adding more along the ears and feet!
Providing you do this correctly it doesn't damage Furby in anyway or his precious mechanisms, it just makes him look even more Prada!
Here's a link to some gems that look pretty similar: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/176-x-4-3-2mm-Self-Adhesive-Diamantes-Stick-On-Rhinestone-Gems-Sticky-Crystals-/251175311506?pt=UK_Crafts_Beads_CA&var=&hash=item3a7b371892
For only 99p!
I have a ton of acrylic cases and drawers and lipstick holders from Ebay and Amazon and stationary shops too, I even use a washed out strawberry punnet for some stuff!
But the main part of my make up is still held in my Nutella jars!
I did a whole video on it which you can see right here, and since then I've only expanded.
They're great, and they look cute too.
If you have the Nutella label because you think it looks a little too 'upcycled chic' then just peel it off, you still have a pretty, neat, free container!
From left to right I have my face brushes, then moving along I have eye pencils, brow pencils and even a mascara, then the next jar along is some of my recent lip products that I'm reaching for more frequently and trying out!
In the far left you can see a little sneak of my lipstick holder which looks nice, but it's simply too small but I don't like to put my lipsticks or short lip glosses in the Nutella jars as they're too shrot, so lip products int he nutella jar are all long, easy reach and easy to see!
If you've already seen my Nutella make up holder video then fear not, I have a new fun video coming out tomorrow!
It's time for some wise words with me and Furby! I have my wisdom beard on, and Furby is wise enough already... lets go!
It is all too easy to get all wrapped up, emotional and distressed about what someone has said to you or how they have acted towards you, it's so annoying because what feels like a great day is completely tarnished by another persons words or actions!
If this has happened to you here are my key things to think about to calm you down:
Did they mean what they said/did? (Has it come across in the wrong tone in your head, often the case with texting)
Have they said/done what they mean? (People make mistakes, they may not have thought before they acted or spoke. They may not understand or know that something is important to you)
and most importantly...
Will it matter a year from now?
Often it never ever does matter in a years time so there's no point wasting all your energy getting upset and emotional. It's much easier to give the benefit of the doubt to someone and to let it go.
But, if you know a person had malicious intent just think in your head 'Am I going to let this person make me feel the way they want me to feel?' No way!
If all else fails it's always great to kill them with kindness, it avoids confrontation and wrong things being said in the heat of the moment.
After doing that, I like to have a good long shower, it just makes me feel better and calm and refreshed!
I've used a lot of face masks in the past, some from individual sachets, tubs, tubes in every type. Some are creamy while others are the type that dry into a film and you peel from your face. I prefer the creamy ones that dry solid though, the ones where you can't speak, and when you crack a smile you look like a little old lady!
The last face mask that I have ever used religiously was Cupcake by Lush, it even made an appearance in my empties video but by that point I'd got annoyed with the product as it's pretty expensive and didn't really help my skin but it did feel good and smell good although it's brown colour meant that it was super messy...
I unexpectedly found the replacement for my life which is just amazing as far as face masks go. It's the Good Things 5 minute facial mask from Boots and cost the humble price of £5.99 for a 100ml container. The packaging isn't super exciting but the thing that really got me falling in love was the scent. It says it has Avocado and Goji Berry extracts, but for me it smells like raspberry yoghurt and I just want to eat it!
Scent aside, the product alone is really good, it's a great creamy consistency that does dry to a solid mask, when you smile the mask cracks of course but it doesn't flake like other masks do, so you don't have a ton of face mask extract all over the floor. Also, it is free from any animal based ingredients, parabens and sulphate
I like good things!
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