A little shop called Mac...

For the very first time I visited the Mac shop instead of a concession, and it was quite something!
Having just had Christmas aswell as ordering myself the Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette, and some Nyx treats I was trying to only buy what I 'needed'.
One thing that I needed was foundation, and that was a complete need, A foundation is of course essential and I can justify buying a good one as the foundation has to be good to make everything else look good on top! I got the Studio Fix Fluid in shade NC15

N.B - I got colour matched by the girl in Mac and it all began well until the old chestnut came up as she began removing my foundation, she wanted to give me skin care advice. I understand she is of course trying to help, but it was irritating to me as everything she suggested I was of course already doing- she told me about using a toner- Really? I've dealt with problematic skin since the age of 13 and She does not think that I am
1. Using toner
2. Using a good skin care routine

I found the whole experience quite insulting, but of course she wasn't meaning to be rude and only trying to be helpful. But it did make me feel dirty, as though she did not think that I was washing my face and that was the cause of my breakouts.

So, to the counter I marched with the foundation feeling proud that I'd walked past the new stock, the Mac Pro Section, the paint pots, all without being swept in, until...!

A Bubblegum pink lipglass, well this is the very thing missing from my collection, the thing that I've been longing for, it will make my lips look fuller, it will match so many outfits, so many eye looks and people will say 'wow where did you get that bubblegum coloured lipgloss' and I'll say 'It's Saint Germain by Mac' and how much fun that would be...

So I had to get it and what a treat it is! It even smells of vanilla cake, oh I just love it!

Finally, my mum told me about a lipliner that she proclaimed 'incredible' and a 'Your lips but better' look. So I came home with that too. It is 'Nude' by No7 from Boots and is warm toned with a little bit of orange in it. It looks brick coloured swatched, but on it just looks lovely although it's smell is waxy and kind of putrid - but I think that I can overlook that for how practical it is.

Seeing The Snowman Live - A secret video!

My mum and I shared the most wonderful day today! We woke up early enough for a Saturday and headed up to London, I wore my new London fabric bag from Cath Kidston, I don't know if that's too cheesy but I thought that it was fun.

It was a little rainy but we headed to Oxford Street where I was able to pick up a lovely little dress moment New Look that I'd had my eye on for a little while, hoping as it's a summer garment that it would go into the sale, but I was out of luck. I paid for it, in the hope that it's wearbility and versatility will pay for itself. It's a black dress with daisies on it, it's style is a swing dress with a separate white tshirt underneath, I'll upload pictures in hone next couple days but for now I'm just trying to write down all the love lenses before my eyes clamp shut!

Then we went onto the Peacock theatre in London to watch 'The Snowman' we had seen it before two years previous and adored it so much that we decided to see it again.

 
It was just as magical this time around, and I couldn't resist buying a souvenir! A singing snowman, as opposed to the one that I bought two years previously at the theatre which while more accurate to the cartoon, sits mute next to my all flying, all singing new snowman toy.
The whirring in the background is the lovely, noisy wind which is unfortunately unstoppably noisy- so in this instance think of it as making the whole snowman theme even more authentic!

Then we went onto Covent Garden and had a little wander, I got swept into the Mac shop where I was colour matched for a new foundation, and picked up a Barbie pink lipgloss! I'll go into more details with pictures tomorrow, stay tuned!

Then we went onto Yo! Sushi and are ourselves silly with a pile high of plates, and then off to home we went! It was around half 8 by the time we arrived home, shopped out and feeling festive post-Christmas

My BIG Secret!

For my very first post of 2014 I wanted to do something a little different and share a special 'new years gift' with my very treasured blog readers!

This is my first ever ever ever 'Follow me around' video that I filmed on New Years Eve!
It is not public on my channel, so only blog readers will be able to find it, you could say that it is a SECRET video!
It's not that exciting really, but it was fun to film, funny to edit and lets you into my bedroom and at a few points I am even lying IN bed!

I look a lot like this for the most part, I am still so in love with these PJs!
 

New Years Eve was not very 'Rock and roll' I do not even put on makeup- but I had a peaceful day and I am starting as I mean to go on, hopefully 2014 will be peaceful, productive and promising!

Let me know if you like this type of video where I share a whole array of things that pop into my head, acne treatments, colouring in for adults, a new technique to wash my makeup brushes, a little peep into my bedroom- I don't know what wasn't thrown into this random video!

I just wanted to give you a little something different as a way of saying thanks for last year which was the best year on my blog yet!

The last day of 2013!

It's difficult to think of something original or innovative to tell you on the very last day of this year.

I started the year first of all with an injured back that has finally pretty much healed

Planning for my sisters Hen party

I fell sick a lot, my immune system and I.. we have our ups and downs

I got a Furby!

I gained hundreds of subscribers to my YouTube videos

I visited Italy

I moved house

I stopped biting my nails

Being maid of honour for the first (and maybe last!) time

And hopefully a few other things happened, but I can't remember

I blogged 233 times this year including this very post, and thank you for reading them, who knows, maybe someone has read all 233 of them, aside from me!

I know it's so easy to think that 'new year, new you' but honestly, if you swear 2014 will be the year you lose some weight, or learn to sew and by January 3rd you have already faltered, don't get hung up on it, today, tomorrow, every day following January 1st is as good as the day before it to try again.

2014 is going to be a really exciting year for us all, 2014 even rolls of the tongue so much better than 2013! If your 2013 has been not so great, maybe you thought your New Years would be entirely different to how it is now- well that's just fine, it's opened your life into a whole new direction that is right, you are exactly where you need to be and you will only get even better than where you are now!

This year has been sparkly and wonderful and I have so many parts of it that I will treasure forever, but I just can't wait to see what next year brings, and where it will take me!

Candy Yum Yum

This is a little peek at the candy stash that I was bought for Christmas. Sweets in the UK are becoming increasingly influenced by the states which is of course lots of fun! Pop tarts in the UK becoming a mainstream snack or even choice for breakfast? Who thought that day would ever come?

There are still some specialist shops in a few areas, mostly large malls or cities that stock imported American candy and it is always priced at around four times more than what is 'reasonable' but the novelty makes it feel worth it.

I am honestly not too sure which of these are UK or USA, but I'm pretty certain the Hershey's are a USA exclusive, I am reluctant to eat them yet as their packaging is too awesome, and I think to start my day on a bowl of anything that is cookie flavored would just send me into a sugar melt down.

I also have this fun Hello Kitty lollipop (the Hello Kitty theme is strong across every Christmas and Birthday of mine) and it is covered in sugar crystals, it looks way too cute to eat!

Sweeties like this are more and more common in Supermarkets which is fun as a treat, but also a little depressing as the UK is #1 in Europe for obesity, that in itself is worrying, everything in moderation- even Pop Tarts!

This is mostly irrelevant but I am making it relevant, Candy Yum Yum is the trickiest lipstick from Mac that I have ever tried to get my hands on, three different stores have been out of stock and one Mac girl actually said 'We cannot keep it in stock! That and Ruby Woo'

So who knew? It's not a classic shade, or a neutral that is Macs best selling lipstick, but good ol' highlighter pink Candy Yum Yum

Popcorn PJs and Christmas Candle light

I know that it probably would sound much more glamorous to say that I fall asleep between crisp white sheets wearing Victoria's Secret pajamas, but the truth be told my PJs go a little something like this...

They are from Topshop and I got them for Christmas! I think that they are so hilarious and fun, I can't get enough of them, I wore them to sleep over at my Aunties house and she cracked up at the sight of them, they have that effect on people as they just make people smile, what more could I want from PJs??
Plus... I think that they will look even more brilliant when combined with my very over sized unicorn slippers, although those are waiting for me back at my uni house.


I finished off tonight with studying for exams  in January *woohoo*

but also secretly burning my festive candles, I don't think it's too late to be burning candles that smell like Christmas trees but there is a strict -no candle- rule in my mums house, so I convinced her to let me keep these candles for 'decoration', they have been decorating my bed side table for around 10 months in anticipation of Christmas, I secretly smuggle the candle lighter thingy from the kitchen drawer when my mum is around, yes I am older than a teenager and having to sneak around the house and abide by my mums rules.

Christmas kisses as I see in the new year with festive candles and revision!

Let it go

In the spirit of the end of the year, I felt it was relevant to talk about letting go of bad feelings. They might have built up over a long period of time, or perhaps tensions were created over Christmas that have still left you feeling wound up.

It can be tough when dealing with people that you feel will penalise or criticise no matter what, a sort of 'damned if you do, damned if you don't' situation.

I have certainly felt this all throughout the festive period and there's really nothing that I can do about it. People unfortunately can be manipulative and enjoy hurting others with their words. It can be sad and isolating, particularly around this time of year but some people just have hearts that are unkind.

Would a person truly happy in themselves enjoy dragging others down?

We know the answer, which is even more important as to why we have to let go of the bad feelings and be kind in your words, for it is them who need to be shown virtues such as kindness and respect more than most.

Take a deep breath, and exhale the bad feelings in your heart because carrying them with you into the new year will only hurt you.

Give 4th, 5th, 6th chances to be proven wrong and never stop forgiving. Maybe one day change will sweep them off their feet, and lift them into a better place, to be a better person.

Forgiveness is such a tricky thing to fully do, but do it if not because they deserve to be forgived but because you deserve peace.

I've had some downs this Christmas that have left a bitter taste in my mouth, but it's just added fuel to the flame in my heart to do better, go further and change my situation, move away and fill my life with those who lift my spirit and help me to be a better person.

When all else fails, look like you are having a jolly good time to the rest of the world

The joy of Christmas

Tinsel and truffles and turkey 'oh my!'

Now I am totally ex-haaaaaaaaaaausted, my make up is a little worn by this point and my hair is all frazzled, but it sort of doesn't matter at this point.

I know that Christmas can be tricky, you are thrown together with friends and family, even some people that do not like you  and perhaps want to make a point of not liking you, or even enjoy pointing it around other large groups of people, that is always a hoot.

It's just important to realise that your tolerance has new levels that you did not even know existed, and to be as gracious as a person can be, not biting back to rude or snide comments. Just focus on yourself and knowing that you are not hurting or making others feel bad, but are another sparkle in their Christmas Day.

Now onto the more fun and interesting parts-

My outfit of the day looked like this:

Red plaid dungaree shorts from ebay

Black, low back top from Topshop

and a cute little pin of a geisha holding Hello Kitty that I put on my dungarees!
I wore a pair of black leggings and then knitted tights over the top and then my slippers, I get chilly...


My makeup looked like this but a little fresher:

I used half baked from the Naked palette all over the lid, and a matte black in the crease, a little liner and a highlight on the brow bone and inner corner.

I ate a lot of Roses, watched 'The Snowman' and played racing with the wind up toys won from our crackers, and all the other traditional things that people do on Christmas day like napping, eating some more.

I can fall asleep content now, and thumbs up to me for being a dedicated blogger, posting real-life in time snaps from Christmas Day!

It's not too late!

...to look fabulous on Christmas morning!

My last makeup tutorial before Christmas, and it has certainly led me to rediscover the beauty of my Naked Palette #1

It's all gold and bronzes and understatedly glamorous with a subtle eyeliner flick and diluted metallics!

I use a combination of shimmer and matte colours and finish off my lining my upper and lower waterlines with an eye kohl by Mac in Smoulder (a deep, dark black)

So if you're stuck thinking I just don't know 'what' to do on Christmas day then this is a safe bet to look glamorous and 'put together' when the eyes do not take any more than five minutes to throw on.

New Video: Grungy 'slept in' eyeliner makeup tutorial!

Not living the 'Rock and Roll' lifestyle but wish that you were?
Want it to look like you were out partying all night with a glass of low inhibitions?
Girls, wish that you could wear 'the walk of shame' every day?

If that sounds like you, then why not try the grungy eye makeup look!

For whatever reason, this look has really caught on so I thought that I would share it with you guys

I created a video that teaches you how to master that in under a minute!

I am more a fan of 'polished' looks myself, but I figured that there is no harm in trying new things and sharing new tips and trick with you.

I used Macs eyeliner in 'Smoulder' which is a really smudgy formula so pretty much ideal for this kind of thing- I thought I would mix it up a little this week to take a little break from all my glitzy gold holiday makeup tutorials!