Blogmas Day 1: 21st Birthday Haul Part 1

Well writing a blog post again feels weird! It has been a long long absence but I am actually really excited to try get back on it. So to kick off getting back into blogging I thought I would start with one of my favourite posts to read and write, a haul. Now this isn't you average haul it is my birthday haul! A couple of weeks ago I celebrated my 21st birthday and had such a fab weekend. If any of my friends or family are reading this I just want to say a massive thank you for making it so special, especially my housemates who made my actual birthday so fun and special! Now before I start crying all over my laptop lets get into what I got!

First up from my Auntie and Uncle I got the Real Techniques Nics Picks Make Up Brush Set. Can we just all appreciated how nice the silver holographic colour looks on these brushes, makes such a nice change from the usual orange/purple.This is a limited edition brush collection set that features 2 already existing brushes, the Duo Fibre Face Brush and the Base Shadow brush as well as 3 exclusive brushes just for this set. The exclusive brushes are the Cheek Brush, Angled Shadow Brush and Eyeliner Brush. I have already had a play around with all these brushes and I love them all! Real Technique brushes are some of the best brushes out there and these are the same standard as all the other brushes in their collection. My favourite at the moment is the duo fibre face brush, which I have been using to apply bronzer, simply because it is so so soft! I am so so happy with this set and can't recommend it enough. Remember it is limited edition so make sure you snap it  up quick! 

Staying on the brush front my lovely friends also got me a MAC 217 Brush! I have somehow never owned this brush before! I think this brush has to be the MOST talked about brush in the blogging community and now I finally have my paws on this I can tell why. This brush is completely changing my eyeshadow game, it blends even the worst eyeshadow out perfectly and is so soft I could rub it all over my face all day. This does have quite a hefty price tag on it but as Christmas is approaching I would definitely put this on your wish list because it is a must have!

Staying on the MAC theme I also got the Objections of Affection Pink and Rose Pigment and Glitter Collection. This little set features 5 glitters and pigments all with a pink tone to them. Each one is so gorgeous and just gives any eye look a little something special. I am still loving my Urban Decay Naked 3 palette and I think these would look fab when I am doing eye looks with that! This is again a limited edition set for Christmas and I think would make a perfect gift so if you are interested in getting this make sure you get it quick because I think they are already selling out online.

Now onto my favourite subject, lipstick. This birthday I did very well lipstick wise getting 2 lipsticks and both from Topshop. First up is Macaroon. This is a lovely light pink colour which is the perfect your lips but better colour! I have been wearing this loads since my  birthday as it is so easy to use and just leaves your lips looking gorgeous! Now onto the other end of the lipstick spectrum with Hazard, this is a beautiful dark red colour. I actually owned this colour once before but managed to lose it after wearing it only once so I was so happy to get it again. This colour will be perfect for this time of year and I can see myself wearing this a hell of a lot during the Christmas party season!

So I have by far left the best to last and I am not actually sure if I am going to have the words to talk about this but here goes. So my best friends bought me one of the best presents a make up junkie could ask for, Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Palette in The Dolce Vita. Yeah I said it, a bloody Charlotte Tilbury Palette!!! I think this must have been on my beauty wishlist for a year or so now and I am so so happy to finally have it! I literally had to stop several times when I was opening this because I was crying with happiness so much, (my mum could not understand this at all, but it was an emotional time!). I have only used this once so far but it is honestly stunning. All the colours are so creamy and just blend out perfectly (especially when I use my 217) and the glitter is so pigmented. Basically I love it!

OK so that is it so far for part 1! I will be posting another birthday haul tomorrow so make sure you come back for that so you can see all the other beauty bits I was lucky enough to get! Hope you enjoyed and thanks for reading,

Laura xxx

Blogmas: I am attempting to do blogmas this December which means I shall be posting a blog post every single day the whole way through December! 

Lazy Girl Make Up Must Haves

So as much as I don't like to admit it I am a very lazy person. It takes a lot for me to get out of bed before 9 (I really mean 10) and even more for me to move off the sofa if I have a day off. This laziness can sometimes also apply to make up so when I am having a very lazy morning these are some products that I like to use if I want a couple extra minutes in bed.

Shadow Sticks

These little sticks of goodness are so super easy to use and just go on so quick. The ones I like are the Scandaleyes Shadow Sticks.  Lots of brands do versions of this, I know By Terry have some amazing ones as do Make Up Forever. I am on a budget though so these ones from Rimmel are perfect for me. First up they are really nice and creamy so apply amazingly and are really easy to blend. These take no effort to apply and I just blend these with my finger. When I am feeling so lazy that I don't even want to blend eyeshadow I just use these as eyeliners, which they are great as too.

Cream Shadows

If shadow sticks aren't your things then cream shadows are fab too. Again, loads of brands do really lovely cream shadows but the ones I love are the Maybelline Color 24HR Tattoo. I know everyone raves about these but they really are great. I have so many colours and I use them all the time. I don't even use a brush with these, just swipe them over my lids with my finger and then blend them out. These are so easy and simple to apply but look really nice and also super pigmented. 

Cheek Tints

Now on the cheek tint front Benefit to some amazing products, which are again super easy and quick to apply. Most of the them have little brushes on which you can just brush onto your cheeks and blend with my finger. The one I have been loving at the moment though is the Rimmel Stay Blushed! Liquid Cheek Tint in Sunkissed Cherry. This tint is a little different because it is in a tube and is a sort of mousse texture. I just squeeze the tiniest amount of this onto my hand and then just apply with my fingers. This is so so so pigmented and you literally only need the very smallest amount so use cautiously. 

Cheek Sticks

Now these are definitely my new favourite thing! I do love a good stick product and I am not sure why? I love the Topshop Glow Stick in Spotlight. This particular one is a highlighter and is actually one of my favourite highlighters of the moment. I literally just rub this stick on my cheek bones and then blend out with my finger. I know loads of brands do versions of this, and not just highlighters. I am totally lusting over the Charlotte Tilbury colour sticks, they look so awesome!!

Balm Sticks

I know, I know, I am crazy for sticks!! But balm sticks are literally the easiest things, from Clinique Chubby Sticks to Revlon Balms all of them are some of the simplest lip products out there. I particularly love the Jelly Pong Pong Lip Balm in Red. If you want a really simple red lip this is the perfect thing, you could probably apply this without even using a mirror if you were feeling particularly crazy!

So this is my lazy make up look! I have used the Scandaleyes shadow sticks, the Rimmel cheek tint, Topshop glow stick and the Jelly Pong Pong lip balm! Excuse my disgusting post gym bun!

So I think that is about it for my lazy beauty product picks. I will be back again tomorrow so please follow me on Bloglovin to check that out. Hope you enjoyed and thanks for reading,

Laura xxx

P.S. As you can see I took photos in a different location today and I think I like it! But I am not 100% sure so let me know what you guys think of the photos in this blog and what you like/don't like about them. 

My Favourite Summer Lipsticks (And One Lipgloss!)

It is far to say that we are definitely in summer! The weather has been lovely for so long now and when it is this hot I can not stand wearing make up so my routine has basically been concealer, eyebrows, eyeliner, mascara, cream blush and then LIPSTICK. We all know I am a massive lipstick junkie, I have an eyewatering amount, so I thought I would share with you some of the ones I have been loving this summer, 

Topshop Lips In Alibi

I picked this up in May on a shopping trip to London and it has been a firm favourite ever since. I tend to have trouble with nudes but this seems to be an almost perfect peachy nude lipstick. It is fairly sheer, so if you want a more opaque nude this probably isn't the lipstick for you, but I think it is great to just put on when you are in a hurry and picking a lipstick is just too much effort!! 

MAC Amplified Lipstick in Chatterbox

This lipstick has and will always have a very special place in my heart. I heard Tanya Burr talk about this ages ago and this was my first ever MAC purchase. I am now on my second stick, and I think this will be an eternal repurchase. This is just the prettiest pink colour, it gives a simple make up look a lovely pop of colour and looks great on so many skin tones! This is one of the amplified lipsticks so it does have a really lovely sheen to it as well.

MAC Cremesheen Glass in Playful Petal

Unfortunately this is a limited edition lipgloss but I just had to include this. I have powered my way through this tube of lipgloss at an insane pace and I'm not even sorry. This is lovely on it's own but it is also great over other lipsticks to give a bit more glittery sparkle. My only problem with this is that it is limited edition so I am not going to be able to repurchase it (cue tears). If you guys know of any dupes for this lipgloss please do let me know though because I can't not have this in my life.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Rendezvous

So I know everyone is loving the matte Revlon balms but I like the recycle so I have pulled out a balm stain from last summer which I hated and have managed to make it work. As a ginger girl orange lipsticks don't really work for me but over the last couple of weeks I have been feeling brave and tried to make it work with this balm and I have to say I like it! These balms are all fantastic, so pigmented and nourishing on the lips. This colour is a really flattering orange for me and also smells really nice and minty.

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in 03 Hot Pepper

I am still loving these things! I have been using this almost solely when I have wanted a red lip because 1, it is the nicest red! 2, it stays on for hours (and I mean hours), and 3, I am loving a matte lip. I have raved about these enough so I am not going to say anymore except if you don't own one, go buy one!

So they are the lipsticks I have been loving recently. What lipsticks have you been loving this summer? Make sure to give me a follow on Bloglovin so you never miss a post, and come back tomorrow for a review of one of the Make Up Revolution Blush Palettes. Hope you enjoyed and thanks for reading (I'm off to enjoy the sun!),

Laura xxx

My Holiday!

I got home yesterday from an amazing relaxing week in the sun! It was mine and my boyfriends first holiday together and I was so excited and it definitely didn't disappoint. We went to Costa Teguise in Lanzarote, where I have been holidaying almost every year since I was a child so it was lovely to be able to show him all the places my family talk about. So read on to see some OOTN's as well as some general holiday snaps!

Outfit from the first night, the dress is from Topshop, Sunglasses are from Ebay and Flip Flops Boohoo.

My first meal in Lanzarote and one of the best! Yummy grilled Squid and Canarian potatoes, so good!

This was a cheeky last minute purchase the day before holiday but this colourful Primark bikini became my favourite! The top is really flattering and also provides really good support. The sunglasses are from Tiger.

Another outfit pic, I love this maxi dress, it is from Dorothy Perkins and looks so lovely but is also super comfy. Lanzarote can get a bit breezy so some nights I had to wear a cardigan and when I did it was this H and M one. Finally I wore some Primark flatform wedges. 

I kept my make up fairly simple on holiday so it always featured an eye look from my Naked 3 palette, Benefit High Beam, Body Shop Honey Bronzer (to make me a little more brown!), MAC MSF in Stereo Rose and then a lip of choice. In this picture I was wearing MAC Chatterbox. This look is really simple but I think it is pretty good for summer nights. I kept my hair natural everyday as well because I just couldn't be bothered to style it!

My favourite outfit of the holiday because I love this dress! I got this dress a couple of weeks ago from Zara and I love it! Wore it with my Boohoo flip flops and a H and M bag.

Final outfit is another H and M number, again with my cardigan and bag but this time with Primark black flip flops. 

Ok so that is all of my holiday snaps that I shall be sharing with you! I had such a lovely time and now feel very relaxed and revitalised! I shall be back again tomorrow with a review of some lovely lip products so make sure to check that out. Please follow me on Bloglovin, link below. Hope you enjoyed and thanks for reading,

                                                                          Laura xx

April Lust List

As a student my budget can be very tight sometimes but we recently just received the last chunk of loan for the year so in my book that means shopping time!! I haven't actually bought too much yet but this is just a few of the bits that I can't wait to buy this month,




1. Zara Multicolour Effect Collar, £19.99- In the last couple of weeks I have been really wanting a bright summery statement necklace and when browsing through the Zara website this looked like the perfect one!

2. Nars Laguna Bronzer, £26- This is a famous bronzer in the beauty world and one that I so very desperately want. I really want a good high quality matte bronzer for contouring and although this is pricey I have been told it is worth the money. It is on ASOS so if you are a student you can get 10% student discount on this if you buy it through there.

3. H&M Bikini, £7.99 for bottoms and top £12.99- I am on a massive beach body diet ready for my holiday at the end of May and if I get in shape this bikini will be my little treat to myself. I think the pattern is really cute and the style will hopefully be quite flattering. I am also lusting over the models body (does that sound weird?) I want that flat stomach!!

1. Topshop Glow Stick in Spotlight, £10- I am quite a big fan of Topshop make up but I am yet to try any of those Glow Sticks, this beautiful peachy gold colour really caught my eye and I like that it is a cream product, I think they are perfect for spring/summer.

2. Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb, £49.50 for 30ml- I have smelt this countless times and always really liked the smell but the really really high price tag has always put me off. However I have decided to try and save my Boots points and hopefully in the near future have enough to buy this beauty!! (right now I have £11 worth so I am well on my way!)

3. Urban Decay De-slick Make Up Setting Spray, £20- The hotter weather means my skin will be starting to get oily and not very attractive so I am hoping the purchase of this setting spray will help my make up look lovely even in the hottest of weather. I mentioned in my last post that I have the Naked palettes now and I have really really loved using all of them so I am very keen to try some more Urban Decay products.

They are my top 6 lusts of the month. I will do a little update at the end of April and let you know how many of these things, if any, I end up treating myself too!! Come back Sunday where I will be having a little look through my rubbish and showing you what I have used up recently. Hope you enjoyed and thanks for reading,  

                                                                     Laura xx

My Current Everyday Make Up Routine

 I recently finally got my hands on ALL yes ALL of the Naked palettes and after playing around with all 3 for the last month or so I have fallen most in love with the Naked 3 Palette. This is now what I lean for every single morning when I'm getting ready and it is just amazing!! My everyday make up is pretty simple with glowy skin and a mostly neutral lip, it is all about the eyes for me!! So here is a little look at the make up I have been rubbing on my face recently!! (All the products will be listed below)

Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation
ELF Complete Coverage Concealer Palette and Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer 
Maybelline BROWdrama in Dark Blond
Benefit Stay Don't Stray 
Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette- Dust and Burnout
Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara in Black Brown
Soap and Glory Solar Powder
MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Stereo Rose 
Topshop Nevada with 17 Queen of Diamonds lipgloss

Seeing all the make up I use on a daily basis makes me think maybe I wear too much!? But anyway that is my everyday make up, I hope you found it mildly interesting. Make sure to follow my blog on Bloglovin (there is link under the post somewhere) and come back this Friday to find out what I want to get my hands on this month. Hope you enjoyed and thanks for reading,


                                                                             Laura xx

Summer Fashion Must Haves

As a heatwave is predicted this weekend I thought I would kick it off with a fashion version of my make up essentials. These are my picks of everything from the perfect summer dress to the coolest bags, so lets crack on:






A Shirt- Yellow Shirt from Topshop
Very hot days don't happen all that often here in the UK so for the average mildly sunny days of England a shirt like this is just perfect. I like to team it with a pair of shorts for a casual but cool look. This bright yellow may not be to everyones taste but I think it's really cool and fun! Topshop do also do this shirt in a light caramel colour so if you want some thing more neutral maybe check that out!









A Sun Dress- White Dress from Primark
On the occasional hot hot days there is nothing worse than feeling horrible and sweaty so for me the only thing to wear is a cute floaty dress. This one from Primark is pretty simple but I think the bow detailing on the back adds something fun and different to the dress. It's also super easy for you to dress it up with accessories for a more night time look.







Midi Skirt- Floral Print from River Island
This summer midi's are so on trend, and I am very much on the midi bandwagon!! I am loving anything midi, and when I saw this skirt was in the sale I was a very happy lady. It's cute, floral and so light weight that it keeps you nice and cool. I think this skirt would look great on any shape and size, so I suggest you all head down to River Island before its gone!

Shoes/Sandals- Cut Out Pumps from Primark
I love flip flops and if I could I would wear them all year long but I know that is just not at all practical. But sadly my favourite flip flops recently broke so I decided to broaden my shoe horizons and get some new shoes. I have been wearing this cute tan pumps since May and I have really taken to them. They go with so many outfits and are super comfy, but I have had bad experiences with Primark shoes so I doubt they will last longer than this summer. But until they die I shall enjoy every minute wearing them.



                                                                       Denim Shorts- Levi's from Urban Outfitters

I have never really been a massive fan of shorts but in May I decided I wanted a pair for this summer. I asked loads of friends and almost all of them suggested the Levi shorts from Urban Outfitters. I have them in medium and they are a great fit, but every pair is different so it is worth trying on a few so you can find the one perfect for you. My normal problem with denim shorts is that they can be quite tight, so it is easy to get hot in summer but you won't have that problem with these. They are great!




Handbag- Neon Yellow from Zara (pictured with white dress)
So my second yellow item of the post and also my favourite handbag at the moment! This bag is just amazing for summer!! The size is perfect and although it looks small it is big enough for you to carry all the essentials (and also probably a few unessentials!) The bright yellow colour is just perfect for jazzing up any plain outfit. I think all of Zara's bags are amazing and I would really recommend any of them!! Also I think this bag might come in different colours, so if you aren't loving yellow but like the shape have a look for other colours!



Jewellery/Accessories- Daisy Bracelet from Topshop and Daisy Headband from Primark
Firstly I think I may be obsessed with daisies! During summer I normally get really lazy accessories wise and tend to just stick to earrings. But this summer I have found some of the cutest stuff. I love this little daisy headband it just makes any outfit really cute. As for the bracelet, the flowers are really pretty and summery but I think the spikes/studs add a really cool edgy effect. Both items I shall be wearing so so much in the coming months!

So those are my fashion picks for this season. I hope you enjoyed reading and thanks!!

                                                                        L xxx

Perfect Summer Polishes

One of my favourite parts of summer is being able to get out all my lovely pretty nail varnishes and this summer is no exception! I could list so many nail varnishes that I love for summer but I reckon that would be a bit boring for you all so I have managed to narrow it down to just the top 5! Also if you didn't already know I am obsessed with coral, you will now! 

1. Topshop Nails in Air Kisses- (£5 from Topshop or 2 for £8)
Now I have to admit I bought this colour solely because of the name! I know its bad and completely stupid but it actually turned out quite well for me because I really love the colour. This was one of the first blue nail varnishes I tried and it's just amazing. It's a beautiful baby blue and whenever I look at it it reminds me of lovely blue skies, so of course perfect for summer! But sorry to say it but this one chips so easily, and I mean easily!



2. Revlon Nail Enamel in Siren- (£6.99 from Boots)
My first coral colour and this one is quite an orange coral. It goes on quite sheer so to create a really nice colour you have to apply a couple of coats but after that it's just amazing. Also this hardly chips at all, I was wearing it for a good 4 or 5 days before it first chipped which I think is really good. It's just the most perfect coral and a definite staple for summer. 



3.Essie Mojito- (£7.99 from Boots)
I'm going to say this right from the beginning but I think essie nail varnishes are really overhyped! They are quite expensive and also chip so easily on me. I do like the colour selection and the names are normally really cute but I just don't like the actually product. Sorry rant over. But this is one of the very few Essie nail varnishes I actually don't dislike. It's a super pretty green that looks lovely on the nails, like all Essie nail varnishes I own it chips pretty quick but I think its worth it for the colour.


4. Maybelline Colour Show in Electric Yellow- (£2.99 from Boots)
This summer I am loving summer (I'm thinking of doing a post just on yellow items, any thoughts?) and this is a great yellow nail polish. Like the Revlon one it needs a couple of coats to create a substantial colour but once you have applied them you get an amazing almost neon yellow. I think this nail varnish is perfect to wear with other yellow items but also on its own with a plain outfit to create a pop of colour. This is the only colour show nail varnish I own but I really like the finish, any colour show recommendations?

5. Rimmel 60 Seconds in Coralicious- (£3.69 from Boots)*
This is quite a new find but one that I am in love with already. As the name suggests it's a coral colour but is more pink than orange toned. In the bottle it looks almost red but when applied to the nail the colour changes quite a lot and is even prettier than I first expected. It looks amazing with a tan and is a colour that I'm going to be using loads over summer.


All this talk of nail varnishes has made me want to go paint my nails every colour under the sun so that's what I'm going to do! I believe there is no such thing as too many nail varnishes so let me know your summer picks so I can go out and buy even more!! Thanks for reading.
                                                                 L xxx



P.S: I love love love love love Barry M nail varnishes and I'm amazed I haven't got some of them in my top favourites! If anyone wants a post just on Barry M nail polishes let me know!



*- I got these nail varnishes from a website called Fragrance Direct. My friend told me about this website about 6 monthes ago and basically it sells make up, skincare and perfume really discounted. I think most of the stuff on there is being discontinued but it's really good and I have bought some great stuff from there so go check it out. I think I got the Essie nail varnish on there for about £2.99!!

High Street Summer Beauty Essentials

My summer essentials (make up bag from Marks and Spencer)

We are over half way through June and although we have had a few hot days summer isn't really here yet! But in preparation for the hot months (which I'm sure are coming) here are my summer beauty essentials and they are all under a tenner!

Bourjois Radiance Reveal Healthy Mix Foundation- (£9.99 from Boots)

This foundation is just amazing! Mine is in the shade 52 (Vanilla) which is probably a shade to dark for me, but it works. I would say this foundation is a light to medium coverage which for me is perfect for summer evenings and nights. It has such a nice dewy finish and just makes your skin look beautiful! If you are looking for a good drugstore foundation I would really recommend this one.

Topshop Lips in Brighton Rock- (£8.00 from Topshop)
Your summer make up just wouldn't be complete without a bright pink lipstick and this is my firm favourite (as you might be able to tell from the disheveled packaging!). So many brands do amazing lipsticks but for me this colour is just amazing. Although the colour is great for summer I wear it all year round as it is one of my all time favourites. I have nearly finished mine and I will be purchasing a new one very soon as I just can't be without it. 

Rimmel 9 in 1 BB Cream- (£6.99 from Boots)

In summer the last thing you want is a cakey full face of heavy foundation and in these sunny months I think BB cream is a great alternative to foundation. I have been using this BB cream almost everyday since the end of April and it's just amazing. For a BB cream, it provides quite good coverage and has a really nice finish. It's also so lightweight, it literally feels like I'm wearing no make up at all which I just love. The high street is full of BB creams at the moment but for me this is definitely one of the better ones I have tried. At the moment I'm getting to the very end of my bottle so I'm not sure whether to repurchase or try a new one, any recommendations??

Revlon PhotoReady Cream Blush in Pinched- (£7.99 from Boots)

Cream blushes have definitely become my new beauty obsession and this one from Revlon is my stand out favourite! Pinched is a perfect peachy coral pink which blends beautifully into your skin and provides a lovely summer glow. I wear this practically everyday and I just can't say enough good things about it! I think for a blush £7.99 is fairly pricey but I think its worth every penny and I can't wait to get my hands on the other colours in the collection.

Maybelline EyeStudio Color Tattoo 24hr Cream Gel Eyeshadow- (£4.99 from Boots)

This a recent purchase, but its become a make up bag essential. I have the colours permanent taupe and on and on bronze (which in the USA is bad to the bronze I think?) and I really adore both the colours. For me on and on bronze is my favourite, it's a really nice bronzey brown colour with some really pretty shimmer in it. It's a great base for other shadows but it's also great on its own. For lazy make up days just apply it to your lids with your finger tips and you are good to go. Perfect for so many occasions, a must have! 



Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lip Balm Stain in Rendezvous- (£7.99 from Boots)
If a full on lipstick isn't your thing, or you are looking for a more casual day look these lip balm stains from Revlon are great. I only have Rendezvous which is a corally orange colour but there is a great colour selection and I'm sure there will be a shade for you. They are so soft and balmy on the lips and not only do they provide super pigmented colour but they also keep your lips really nicely hydrated. Just perfect for summer days.






So that is just a selection of the make up I shall be using over summer but I hope it has helped and provided some summer inspiration for you all. Thanks for reading!

                                                                       L xxx