Blogmas Day 1 // Introducing Blogmas

I've wanted to do Blogmas for the past two years now, but have just never got round to doing it. Blogmas is blogging everyday between the 1st December until the 25th and each post is dedicated to Christmas.

The first year I decided to do it, I was working in retail and I think I overestimated just how much spare time I would have leading up to the Christmas period.

Last year, I moved into my new house in the middle of November, so I had no time, and also no internet. This year, I'm determined to succeed though.

I love the idea of Blogmas, as I think people post a lot more personal stuff. I love reading about people's traditions, and what they get up to around the festive period.

If you are attempting Blogmas yourself, please let me know as I'd love to read your posts.

I've finished Blogtober!

Happy Halloween!

Today is the last day of Blogtober and I'm chuffed to say I actually stuck at it and managed to blog everyday in October. I'm not going to lie; I didn't find it easy. Even though I had the poor daylight hours to contend with, and was sometimes writing until 9PM to get a post out that night, I have to say the hardest thing I struggled with was writers block.

The first two weeks of Blogtober went fine as I had my trip to America to blog about, and beauty reviews I've been dying to write for ages. However, I have being repetitive, and I started to really struggle coming up with new content.

As a first timer, I would definitely say I'm not an expert at blogging everyday, however, the next big blogger challenge is Blogmas, and I can already feel myself coming up with ideas. I've decided to write a few tips for myself, and also anyone thinking of taking a blogger 'blog every day' challenge.

1) Plan! It may seem like the most obvious thing, but I really failed at planning my posts and sometimes ended up on the day, having no clue what to write about. I think having a brainstorm at the weekend, and jotting down ideas for the rest of the week is probably what I will do next.

2) Write 'diary' posts. I don't think I did any of these, but it's something I wish I took on. If you find yourself with bloggers block, I think a more personal post is perfect. You can't schedule these, as it almost a snapshot of that moment (but in writing.)

3) Bulk take photos. I have some studio lighting which I dragged out halfway through October after finding the normal light difficult to work with. I found taking all my photo's at once definitely helped, as I could then just write up the blog post without worrying too much.

Do you have any tips for blogging everyday?

My Halloween Costume // Nightmare Before Christmas

Going off my social media, I think most people celebrated Halloween yesterday, but if you have celebtrations planned for tomorrow, and are stick stuck for an idea, keep reading my post.

My outfit shouldn't have been last minute. We actually bought Halloween tickets for a Tim Burton themed Halloween party back in June. It was at the hotel were we got married at, and after an Alice in Wonderland themed New Year's, I knew the Halloween party would be amazing.

As usual, I leave everything last minute, but this partly because I didn't know what I wanted to be. Me and my husband decided on a new take of Jack and Sally, with him being 'Sally' and me being 'Jack.'

After seeing the female Jack costumes were ridiculously expensive, I eventualyl found a black and white playsuit on Missguided for less than £20.00. I actually really like this playsuit and will definitely wear it again on a normal night out. However, beware, it will require nipple covers, especially if you have a small cup size like me.

I paired them with some simple T-Bar heels, and an old Jack Skellington Necklace I had from my teenage years.

My makeup was relatively easy to do. I did have white face paint, but I don't like the feel of it, so I decided to just do my normal base. I used my Kat Von D Lock It foundation. After concealing and powdering, the actual 'Halloween' makeup went on.

My Makeup Revolution palette 'Give Them Nightmares' featured a lot in this look. I used the blue eyeshadows to contour my cheek bones and round my face.

I used the matte black in my Urban Decay Naked Basic's palette, but any would do. This of course went over my contour, on my nose and the eyes. I also used a Rodial Black Smokey Eye Pencil I received in a Glossy Box to make my eye makeup more intense. Normal mascara was used to finish off the eye look.

I used my MAC Painterly Paint Pot to whiten my lips, and back in with the eyeliner to draw the teeth on.

The finishing touch was the amount of highlighter I used. Becca's Champagne Pop is stunning and I was definitely glowing last night.

Hair was just a messy half bun on top of my head.

What did you dress up for on Halloween?

OOTD // Velvet Dress

You know when you see a dress for the first time and it's everything you could ever hope for; black, velvet with a floral pattern. I spotted this gem in the Scunthorpe Primark for just £10 and I'm in love with it. I've been obsessed with velvet for a couple of years now, buying a velvet dress from Boohoo back in 2014, but I feel in the last few months, it's really took off.

Even though I've lost a bit of weight this year, I'm still conscious of wearing bodycon dresses, especially from cheaper shops such as Primark, as I feel it doesn't take much to make them really unflattering. However, I bought this in a 10 (my usual size, though bordering on size 8 now) and it fits like a glove.

I like the quality of the dress and I think I will get quite a bit of use from it before it falls apart. I think this would look perfect with a pair of black Doc Martens ,but I neither own black Docs, or can drive in them.

My shoes are from Topshop last year, but you can get similar shoes anywhere. My coat is from Zara from a few years ago, but a quick search of 'cocoon coat' will bring up similar ones.

I bought my Kate Spade bag in America in Disney Springs and it's my favourite thing at the moment. Even though there's only room for my phone, a lipstick and my card (cannot get a purse in there, I'm afraid) I feel it goes with almost everything. Plus, if you have a coat with pockets, you don't need a big bag.

My makeup is relatively simple; it's most MAC's Cranberry on my eye and Milani's Black Cherry lipstick. I will do a full face of the day if people want to see it.

If you're wondering where I took these photos, it was The Priory Hotel in Louth where I got married and they have the most beautiful gardens.

Halloween Favourites.

With just three more days until Halloween, which is my favourite time of year, I thought I'd write a quick post on why I love Halloween so much.

1) It's my birthday! In case you didn't know (which I'm sure you will because I mention almost every blog post) my birthday is on Halloween. I always tell people there is always a party on my birthday and I love going out and seeing everyone dressed up. Plus everyone always buys me drinks so cheap night out.

2) Pumpkins! I've wrote a post about my favourite pumpkin recipes, and it really makes me sad that literally the day after Halloween, it's so hard to buy a pumpkin. I wish they were available all year because I actually do think they're really tasty.

3) It's acceptable to gorge on sweets. Much like Easter and Christmas, I find it's perfectly acceptable to gorge on chocolate and Haribo at Halloween. I know when I lived with my parents, they would buy way too many sweets for the trick or treaters, so we got lucky.

4) I like to show my love for Halloween by having Halloween props in my house all year round. I love TK Maxx at Halloween as they have some really quirky decorations. My collection includes a vampire salt N pepper shaker, Halloween candles, mugs, voodoo dolls and Winnie the Pooh in a pumpkin.

5) I love the weather around Halloween, even though this year, it's particularly cold. I find it's acceptable to wear scarfs, a lot of black and burgundy and dark lipsticks. There's just something around this time of year that's really nostalgic, and reminds me of walking to school in the fog, excited that it's nearly my birthday.

What do you love most about Halloween?

Disappointing High End Products

I think I've written a dissapointing products post before. They're a rarity as I usually do a lot of research on a product before I decide to purchase it. A lot of these are raved about products, but everybody is different, and this makeup just did not work on my skin. I feel like I need to write a disclaimer and state that just because I did not like the products mentioned below, in no way means that I think all products from the brand are bad.

The product that spurred this post on is the Kat Von D Ink Liner. I've used the Tattoo liner before and loved it, but I received this liner in a little set. You may have seen I recently hauled this, as I bought it in Sephora last month, but it's already dry and unusable.

I'm aware it's only a mini liner and bound not to last as long as the regular ones; however, I think I used this around 4 times before the ink started to fade. I found myself instantly not reaching for this liner as I like a completely black line, but I decided to give it a go this morning. It's so dried up already, creating a patchy grey line on my eyelid. It's a shame because the other Kat Von D liner is so good. Needless to say, I would not buy or recommend this liner.

Another product I've recently mentioned on the blog is my YSL Rouge Pur Couture lipstick. This lipstick is beautiful; the packaging, the shade, even the formula. But every time I wear it, it leaves a disgusting taste in my mouth. I know other people have had this problem before and it really puts me off. I would try other YSL lipsticks, but not from that range.

I bought a Makeup Forever HD Foundation in Paris last year, but it just does not work on my skin. It's so raved out that I'm actaully gutted, but everytime I put it on, it instantly seperates and clings to every dry patch I have. I'm still hoping I'll find a primer that will work with this foundation as it cost me so much.

The last thing on my list is the MAC False Lashes Extreme Black Mascara. To be fair, I've not found a mascara that I like as much as my Too Faced Better Than Sex, but I expected big things for this considering it was MAC. I don't think I'd ever buy a MAC mascara full sized, and luckily, this was only a sample.

I'm hoping I don't have to do another post like this is a while as I hate wasting money. Have you ever bought a High End product and found it disappointing?

Nivea Daily Essentials Hydrating Primer / Review

I didn't really get into makeup until about three years ago, and even though I mostly know what does and doesn't work for my skin, I'm still trying to discover what primer I need to use to get the most benefit out my makeup.

My ideal primer would make my makeup last all day, completely hydrate my skin, and also be brightening. I have primers that do one or two of these things, but I've yet to find one that does all three (if you have a recommendation, please let me know!)

The Nivea Daily Essentials Hydrating Primer intrigued me when I saw it in Boots. I've used Nivea skin care before and I really liked the idea of a hydrating primer. I think if I had to rate the above three things in order of importance; hydration would be number one. There's no use in making my makeup last all day if I'm going to have disgusting dry patches on my face.

The primer is usually £4.99 for 50ml but it's usually on some sort of offer. The packaging is plain, and typical of Nivea; quite medical looking. The primer itself is a lightweight gel texture which I find soaks immediately into the skin.

I can definitely tell this is hydrating. I wear it on top of a facial moisturiser, but I think it could be used on it's own.

In regards to it's other claims of helping your makeup stay put and creating a smooth base, I'm still undecided. I wouldn't say this prolongs my foundation wear in any way, but like I mentioned previously, it reduces the dry patches I get from my skin sucking the moisture out of my foundation. I do find it easier to blend my foundation into the skin after applying this. However, I wouldn't say it's smoothing in the way Benefit's Porefessional is.

Overall, I think this is definitely worth the money, especially for all day makeup usage like at work. I'm still on the hunt for the perfect primer, but this Nivea one will do for now.

What's Your Favourite Scary Movie?

I wouldn't say I'm particularly a horror movie fan, but I do love a good scare every now and then. As we're coming up to Halloween, I find myself searching Netflix for a good scary film, but I don't think you can beat your favourites. Here's a list of my top five scary films.

1) Jennifer's Body

I don't know why this film is not more popular than what it is. Any film that begins with the line 'Hell is a teenage girl' goes straight to the top of my favourites. It's kind of a horror/ comedy and it's not to be taken too seriously as a film, but I can re watch this all the time. I love the quotes from this film, and me and my friends probably quote this as much as we do Mean Girls.

2) A Nightmare Before Christmas

Of course, a Tim Burton film had to be included in this list. A Nightmare Before Christmas is my favourite Tim Burton film, and is perfect for those younger audiences. It's not that scary, but I just love Halloween and you can't beat a good Disney sing song.

3) Texas Chainsaw Massacre

I think I've seen all the Texas Chainsaw Massacre films, but not in any particular order, so you can imagine how confused I get in regards to the actual story line. But this is a cult film, and I find myself putting it on as something to watch when I can't think of anything else. The Texas Chainsaw House at the Universal Horror Night was amazing and reminded me how much I loved these films.

4) American Horror Story

Not a film, but definitely worth mentioning of this list. I'm sure everyone's seen or at least heard of American Horror Story, but if not, it's a TV show that takes the stereotypical 'horror' film and portrays it in a different way. I love the writing, and I love the characters. My favourite season has to be Coven, probably because it was the first season I watched.

5) Jeepers Creepers

I think this film stands out to me as it was one of the first scary films I ever watched. I remember being petrified for ages after. The theme tune still gives me the creeps.

What are your favourite scary films?

Cooking with Pumpkin

Everyone buys a pumpkin to carve at Halloween, but most people just chuck the insides out. I've always been a big fan of pumpkin, probably going to when my mum use to make pumpkin soup every year when I was younger. I've already bought my pumpkin for this year, but I might buy another, simply for cooking with.

Pinterest is the best place to find pumpkin recipes and there is literally something to discover to suit everyone's taste.

Pumkpkin soup, like I mentioned above, is probably one of the easiest things to make. I don't follow any particular recipe; but it's usually a mixture of pumpkin, potato and vegetable stock, seasoned with salt and pepper.

For something a bit sweeter, I took a banana bread recipe I use a lot, and simply replaced the banana with pureed pumpkin. Adding cinnamon to the mixture creates that 'pumpkin spice' taste.

I really want to try roasted pumpkin, and I've seen an amazing recipe on Pinterest featuring feta cheese. However, I feel this could be the most versatile. You could add garlic or chilli, or maybe even add it to a salad.

The last thing I want to try are pumpkin crisps. I actually really like vegatable crisps but I think they're expensive to buy, and usually not that much healthier than normal crisps. I imagine this recipe would be quite easy.

If you have any interesting things to do with pumpkin, please let me know, as I love trying new things.

My Evening Skin Care Routine

I don't think I've ever blogged about my evening skin care routing before. I tend to change the products I use quite a lot, as I like to try different things and I sometimes receive samples of skin care through either glossy box or if I attend a blogger meet and there's a goody bag. Some products are staples in my routine though.

The first thing I always do is remove my makeup. The Soap & Glory Peaches and Clean cleanser is my favourite. I've gone through about five bottles of this stuff. There's just something really refreshing about the scent which I love after a long day at work.

If I'm wearing a lot of eye makeup or have a stubborn mascara, I will use a separate eye makeup remover. I'm really liking Halo's Eye Makeup Remover pads at the minute.

Once my makeup is fully removed, I will use a toner to remove any dirt or makeup that might be left. I received the Kueshi Pure & Clean toner in a Glossy Box and I love the scent of it. I am enjoying using it, but I don't think I'd repurchase.

I've been using two different Origin Eye Creams recommended by a girl at Sephora. The two creams are Origins Gin Zing Refreshing Eye Cream to Brighten and Depuff and the Origins Planscription Anti-aging Power Eye Cream. I have quite sensitive eyes and it's not very often I find an eye cream that doesn't irritate them. I've heard really good things about Origins Skin care and I'm enjoying using these.

Lastly, I apply a serum to my face. I'm using the Body Shop Oils of Life facial serum at the moment, which again, was a sample from a Glossy Box. I've used a Body Shop serum before and I really like them, though I believe the full size of this is £28.

Before I go to sleep, I apply a lip balm. My favourite is Carmex, and it's only around £2. I cannot stand dry lips, so even if I'm too tired to complete a full routine, I always make sure I apply a balm.

What are the staples in your evening routine?

Halloween Makeup Essentials

I really wish I was one of  those people who can create masterpieces on their face on Halloween with latex and fake blood. But I lack the skill, and I really don't want to spend money on products that I will only use one day a year. Each year at Halloween, I find myself creating my makeup look - whether it's a zombie, skeleton or rag doll- with products I already have.

Makeup Revolution is a blogger favourite brand. I was actually gifted the Give Them Nightmares palette at a blogger event, and it's my go too palette at Halloween. It's a beautiful mixture of smokey purples and dark blues- the top left shade is beautiful. This is £6 and you definitely get value for money.

Red eye shadows seem to be everywhere at the moment, but a couple of years ago, I really struggled finding one. Cue MAC's Frankly Scarlett blush. And I will admit, I partly bought this because I love Gone With The Wind, but it's an amazing product as well. It looks scary in the pan, and scary on the face if you use a heavy hand! But the right brush and technique will create a beautiful flush to the cheeks.

Dark lipsticks are a must at Halloween. NYX Soft Matte Lip cream in the shade Copenhagen is beautiful, and I have a Rimmel Kate Moss Lasting Finish lipstick in the shade 04 which is a really dark purple. I have so many dark reds and purples that it was hard to pick just a couple for this post, but these two stood out.

I don't think you can get Biguine Makeup in the UK, but I picked a single eye shadow up in Paris. I have the shade 'Shiny Cuivre' which is a beautiful dark copper shade and I will definitely keep using this into Autumn/ Winter.

Halloween Makeup Tips-

Mix an eye shadow in with a white face paint to create  the colour/ shade you want.

There are no rules at Halloween. Use a blue eye shadow or a red blush to contour. Use an eyeliner on your lips. I love getting creative with products I already have, rather than going out and buying face paint etc.

I find a setting spray helps to prolong the makeup.

Do you have any Halloween makeup essentials?

Blogtober-Nearly Over!

Today's the 21st October and I'm nearly through with blogtober. Ive really enjoyed blogging everyday even though a lot of the posts have been last minute.

Like today; I finished work, went to a charity event and now I'm at a friends house writing this post.

So I leave this photo of us in Universal.

Happy Friday 😊

Ways I De-stress

I think this time of year is always stressful; it's dark when you wake up and come home from work, the upcoming expense of Christmas and sometimes, just life in general.

I get stressed quite easily and I make sure I do little things to keep my stress to a minimum. Although these tips don't solve all of my problems, they help to relax me and allow me to start thinking clearly again in preparation for the day ahead.

If I've had a tough day, the first thing I do when I get home is take a hot bath or shower. Usually there's  a Lush or Soap & Glory product involved, and I always put fresh pyjamas on.

One of the tell tale signs I'm stressed, is that I get an irritated scalp. I think the Garnier Ultimate Blends Delicate Soother Shampoo and Conditioner is amazing. It smells stunning, and it has Rice Cream and Oat Milk in it. This definitely helps with the irritation and I would repurchase this again.

I find breaking up my evening routine helps. For instance, I find I feel worse if I simply come home from work and and spend my evening on Facebook and watching Netflix. Sometimes something simple such as reading a book, going out for tea, or going for a walk helps to relieve some of that stress.

I like to use a linen spray on my bedding. I'm currently using the Avon Planet Spa Sleep Serenity Pillow Mist. It's infused with lavender and chamomile, and I find it really warm and comforting. It kind of reminds me of freshly baked cakes.

These small steps really help me unwind after a stressful day. What do you do when you're feeling a bit stressed?

5 Books to Read Before Christmas

I'm the worse for starting a book and never finishing it. I have so many books that I've not even touched, but I just can't stop buying them. I've decided to set myself the challenge of finishing five books I've started before Christmas.

1) The Young Melobourne & Lord M - David Cecil

I was lent this book to read but I've had it so long now, I'm starting to feel guilty for having it. It's so beautifully written and the style reminds me of Oscar Wilde, It's a biography, which I don't really read, but I'm enjoying learning about some history. I'm about 50 pages through this, but I'm hoping to finish it within a couple of weeks.

2) Reasons To stay Alive- Matt Haig

This is a memoir which, again, I don't often read. It explores the authors depression and I've seen a couple of people on my Instagram reading this. I'm about a third of the way through, and I'm enjoying it, but I do think it's a little slow. Maybe my opinion will change once I've completed it.

3) The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath

I've wanted to read this for ages, but I lost it when I moved out. My Dad found it again a few weeks ago, and I'm looking forward to finishing where I left off. This is a book where I've only read a few pages, but I'm enjoying the writing style.

4) Slaughterhouse Five- Kurt Vonnegut

I've gotten half way through this book before, and I really like it. I love a book with really memorable quotes, and this one is full of them. I'm really looking forward to reading this as well.

5) Go Set A Watchman - Harper Lee

I started reading this last year, just before I got married. Of course, life got in the way and I never got a chance to finish it. I'm thinking of maybe reading To Kill A Mockingbird before I restart this book again, so I can fully appreciate the sequel.

I really want to finish these by Christmas. I'm hoping by writing it on here, it will encourage me to actually stick to it. Have you read any of these novels?

My Luxury Lipstick Collection

Five years ago, if you told me somebody would pay £25 for a lipstick, I'd think you where crazy. But there's just something so tempting about Luxury makeup brands, that in 2016, I find myself with a small collection of Luxury lipsticks from brands such as Chanel, YSL, Dior etc.

A lot of these lipsticks were bought with my Boots points. As I was building my makeup collection, I would collect the points and treat myself at the end of the year. I've done this twice in a row now, and I think I've made it some sort of tradition, one that I'm very happy to stick with.

The Chanel Lipstick was the first luxury lipstick I ever bought. I bought a Rouge Allure Velvet lipstick in the shade 'La Flamboyante'. I was told by the girl on the counter that this was a limited edition lipstick but I'm not too sure. This is by far my favourite lipstick packaging, and for my first Chanel lipstick, I chose a beautiful classic red shade.

I think every beauty blogger owns a YSL lipstick. I chose a Rouge Pur Couture lipstick in the shade 09. Again the packaging is beautiful, with a gold mirrored casing and the YSL logo emblazoned on the front. The shade is a berry toned nude which I wore for my graduation. I really like the formula on this; it's creamy and doesn't dry my lips. But it has such a strong floral perfumed scent, that I can taste it when I put it on. Because of that, I rarely wear this lipstick. I've heard there are other YSL lipsticks which do not have the strong scent, so I'd probably recommend those rather than this one.

The last lipstick I've bought with my Boots points, is the Dior Addict lisptick in the shade 976. Apparently this is the one Jennifer Lawrence was wearing in the advert. This lipstick again is very creamy, and it almost looks like it has shimmer running through it. I wanted a different shade to my other two, and ended up getting a red toned pink. I don't wear this very often as I find it quite difficult to apply. The packaging again is beautiful and luxurious.

Lastly, there's my Marc Jacob Lip Creme lipsticks. I bought my first Marc Jacob's lipstick on my Honeymoon in Paris. I went for the shade Boy Gorgeous which is a stunning pink berry shade, and has an almost renaissance look to it, once applied to the lips. I like this packaging as much as the Chanel; I think there's something really classic about black packaging. The tip of the lipstick is rounded, so I have to use a lip liner and lip brush to apply this lipstick, but I think it's stunning.

I have two more Marc Jacob Lip Cremes in a miniature version. These both came in sets with other products. I have the shade Je T'aime which came in a Sephora Favoruite's set. This again is a classic red, although I've not tried it yet. I also have the shade Kiss Kiss Bang Bang which came as a birthday gift. This is a dark nude shade, but again, I haven't worn this yet.

Lastly, I have a Marc Jacob's Sheer Lip Gel in the shade Role Play. This is the lipstick I wear the most out of all of my luxury collection. I wish the packaging was black like the other Marc Jacob lipsticks, but I think it was part of a nudes collection.

What's your favourite luxury makeup brand?

Essence Makeup Collection // Budget Brand

Essence is by far my favourite budget brand. I remember spotting a stand in Bulgaria a few years ago, then not long after it came to the UK in Wilko's around the country. I don't think I've spent more than £5 on any Essence products and everything I've tried, I've loved.

The first thing I ever bought from Essence was a lipstick. Although I bought it in Bulgaria, I think it still worked out as little as £2.10. I picked up the shade 'Coral Calling' which is one of my favourite summer shades. I like it so much, that I can't remember where I've put it. However, I do have another in the shade 'Wear Berries!'. These lipsticks are amazing for the price. They do have that artificial scent that children's makeup has, but it doesn't bother me too much.

I rave about the lip liners all the time, and I think I have 5 of them. They're a £1 each and as good as any high end lipliner I've tried. My favourite is 'Satin Mauve' to create that perfect nude lip.

The Essence Blush Up! in the shade 'Heat Wave' has a stunning ombre effect. It's so pigmented you only need a light hand to apply this.

Essence seems to be a Glossy Box favourite. I've received a liquid lipstick in the shade 'Show off'.' Liquid lipsticks are huge at the moment, and although this doesn't try matte, it's really pigmented and I was wearing this a lot over the summer.

I've only tried one Essence mascara and it's the Lash Princess. Aside from the corny name, this mascara is actually pretty good at lengthening my lashes. I think it's only around £3 and better than some of my high end mascara's.

I'm on my second Essence 'Big Bright Eyes' which is a dupe for Benefit's High Brow. I think again this is only £3 and I use it to highlight my inner corner and cupid's bow.

The best product I've used is the Essence Superfine Eyeliner Pen. I believe this was £2 and it's lasted me over 2 months and hasn't dried out yet. This will definitely be a repurchase.

The Essence 'All About Sunrise' palette is going to another home as I just don't use it, but that doesn't mean it's not good. Don't get me wrong, it's they're not the best eye shadows, but I'd say they were on par with other budget brands like MUA or Makeup Revolution.

I've not even included the nail products I've bought from Essence, as we'd be here all day. But this is some of my Essence collection and some of the products I've enjoyed using the most. I think Essence is a great brand, not only for beauty junkies, but perhaps young girls wanting to create their first makeup bag?

What's your favourite Essence product?

Autumn Candle Haul

When I was typing the title, I couldn't  help think of that part in Scream Queens when Jennifer introduces herself as a Candle Vlogger. I'm forever buying candles, and I love this time of year because it means I can burn the candles with the strong spicy scents. I've bought 6 candles over the last month, perfect for Autumn.

I bought three candles in America. Bath and Body Works had their Fall collection in, and the three wick candles were on offer for $12. I couldn't get too many because of my luggage allowance, but I decided on Sweater Weather. This is probably one of my favourite candles, it's so fresh and there's something nostalgic about the scent.

The second candle I bought in Bath and Body Works was the Happy Halloween Candle. This is a mixture of pumpkin, clove and vanilla. I love the decoration on this and feel like it's finally close enough to Halloween I can start burning it.

The last candle I bought in America was from Target. I chose the scent 'North Woods' and it smells almost like a male aftershave. I wouldn't say it's overly strong, but it's nice combined with some of my other Autumn candles.

Yankee Candle bring out their Halloween collection every year. They added a new one to this collection called Forbidden Apple. This is a mixture of apple and vanilla and creates a really subtle scent. I love the jar as well, and I will probably use it for my makeup brushes once it's burnt down.

Lastly, B&M have brought out some candle for £2.99 which look exactly like my Bath and Body Work candles. The shelf looked pretty bare when I spotted these, but I managed to pick up two. I chose the scents Marshmallow Fireside and Brown Sugar Allspice. These are actually quite strong smelling, and I hope they bring more out each season.

I'm sure it won't be long until I buy another candle, but I don't think my husband will be too happy if I do haha. 

Lush Tangled Hot Oil Treatment // Review

I don't really buy hair products as I feel like they don't do anything for me. I like the wild, crazy hair look and I think I manage that quite well without any help. However, I love Lush products, and this intrigued me.

Lush advise adding small amounts of hot water to the solid treatment, stirring until it becomes a creamy consistency. You then apply it to dry hair and leave for around 20 minutes.

On the label, it said the process should take around 5 minutes, but it seemed to take forever. I used a mug to melt the product in, adding a little hot water at a time. I found the water cooled before it melted any if the product. I eventually got bored and decided to apply what little oil I had to my hair.

I'm not overly keen on the scent of this. It had a weird smell like hair dye or something. I found it relatively easy to wash the oil out of my hair, but my hair didn't feel any different to what it normally would after using a conditioner.

I still have most of this left, so I think next time I will use a larger amount of hot water, and hopefully the product will fully melt. At £6.50, I probably won't purchase this again.

Have you tried this before? What did you think?

Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party // Magic Kingdom

As you may have seen from my recent blog posts, I've recently spent two weeks in Orlando, Florida. My birthday is on Halloween, so when I saw that Disney started it's Halloween celebrations in September, I did not hesitate purchasing tickets.

We originally had tickets for the 13th September, however, the majority of the event got rained off. All the parades, shows, and most character meets were cancelled. Luckily, Disney arranged for us to get tickets for the following Friday free of charge.

Just our luck, around 6PM it started raining again, and this time it was worse than the first event. We sought sanctuary in the Starlight Cafe and drowned our sorrows in hot chocolate. The rain eventually eased off about an hour later, and it didn't start again.

The tickets to the Halloween party weren't cheap, and they get more expensive closer to Halloween. They were $72 each before tax, and I got mine after Brexit so had a crappy exchange rate. However, I thought it was worth it.

The rides were still open, and I think riding the Haunted Mansion at night is definitely a must. Disney also have Trick or Treat spots and I can fully say we took advantage of that.

The one thing I wanted to do more than anything was meet Jack and Sally from A Nightmare Before Christmas. I think we queued up around four hours in total because we kept getting caught in the storms. However, they were worth it. They told me I must be so confused whether I belong in Birthday Town or Halloween Town.

The Boo To You parade was amazing, featuring everyone's favourite Disney Villains. Disney also had a show featuring the witches from Hocus Pocus and Oogie Boogie. I didn't get to see the Hallowishes firework display as we were queuing for Jack and Sally, but I managed to watch some of it over the buildings.

I think if you're in Orlando around Halloween, Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party is definitely worth a visit.

October Glossy Box // Review

I don't know why, but I seem to get more excited for Glossy Box around this time of year. I think it's because there's less of a chance I will receive something like fake tan (though I've probably jinxed it now.) My October box came yesterday, with 6 products to try.

The first thing that caught my eye was the Trifle Cosmetics Lip Parfait. This is £12.95 full sized, and although the packaging is really pretty and eye catching- I just hate cardboard packaging. The colour is not for me as it's too pale, however, I'm going to take Glossy Box's advice and mix it with another product in the box to create a rosier pink.

The second product in question is the Universal Beauty Cosmetics Secret Flush, Cream Blusher and Lip stain Duo. This product looks really quirky and I like the shade. I've not tried it yet, but I think it will be really subtle on the cheeks.

The third makeup item is a felt liner from PS...Pro. I've never heard of this brand before and I've never seen anything like the liner. It looks more like a white board pen! However, I like trying anything different so I will be experimenting with this.

I'm think I received another The Body Shop serum in a previous Glossy Box a few months back. Not that I'm complaining as I love The Body Shop's skin care. It's only a sample, but serums last for ages, and I'm looking forward to trying this.

I wasn't overly excited about the Bee Good Honey & Camelina Facial Exfoliator as I don't tend to use exfoliators that often. But, it smells nice and it's a good sized product. I'll be trying this and seeing if it changes my opinion.

Lastly, I received a mystery sixth product. I got a small bottle of shampoo which smells incredible. The brand of the shampoo will be revealed later on Esteelalond.com and I'm looking forward to finding out who it is.

I think this month has been a really good box, and I'm already looking forward to next months after seeing the sneak peak on my leaflet.

Worth the Hype? // Glam Glow Supermud Clearing Treatment

I've not written a 'Worth the Hype' post in a while, so when I received a sample of a much raved about Glam Glow Face Mask from Sephora, I decided to test it out and see if it was worth the money and the rave reviews they have gotten.

I received a 10g sample of the GlamGlow Supermud Clearing Treatment. This came in a tube, but I believe the full size comes in a tub, with much more luxury packaging. The full size is £39 for 34g which I think is extortionate for a face mask. But is it worth the money?

I have used this twice now, and I think I only have enough product left for a couple of uses. This makes me think I'll only get around 20 uses out of the full sized product (but I suppose that works out at around £2 for a face mask.)

I don't have overly sensitive skin, but my skin doesn't usually react well to mud masks. Apart from slight redness, this doesn't react to my skin as bad as other masks.

I apply a thin layer to my face, and I like to leave it on for the maximum twenty minutes. After a couple of minutes on the skin, I feel tingling, but this goes away after a few minutes.

After using this, my skin is noticeably softer and my pores don't seem as visible. I think using this the recommended 1-3 times a week would produce amazing results. It can also be used as a spot treatment.

So would I buy the full size? Although I wouldn't include it as part of my regular skin routine (well, unless I win the lottery) I definitely think it's a treat and you can see some great results.

Have you tried any GlamGlow products before? What did you think?

American Drugstore Makeup // Haul Part 2

As I said before, I bought quite a lot of makeup in America. So much so, I had to split it into two separate hauls.

Most of this was bought in either Walgreens or Target, however I bought a couple of bits from a NYX shop and The Cosmetic's Company which is a premium outlet.

I really wanted to try Milani makeup, but I went to two different Walgreens and the selected was pretty poor. I ended up with a blush in the shade Dolce Pink and a lipstick in the shade 'Black Cherry'.

We get NYX in the UK, however, there was a NYX store in the Florida Mall and I couldn't resist trying a couple of the soft matte lip creams. I chose the shades Prague and Copenhagen as they're lovely berry shades, perfect for Autumn and winter.

I ended up getting two different concealers. I already love the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer which we can get in the UK. However, I found the 'brightening' version in Walgreens. It's frequently raved about by Tati at GlamLifeGuru and so I decided to try it. Sonia Kashuk is a brand only sold at Target and I hear such good things about their concealer. I decided to try the All Covered Up concealer in the palest shade available. I'm not a huge fan on pots of concealers, but this is so creamy compared to others I've used.

I've tried an EOS balm before, but they had them on offer in Walgreens for about $3. Considering they're £6.50 most places in the UK, and they had the flavour 'Vanilla Mint' which I've wanted to try for ages, I decided to get another. 

I picked up a few bits from random brands. Burts Bees had a pumpkin spice lipbalm in Target which instantly went into my basket. Chap Stick also had a pumpkin flavour, but it was sold out anywhere. I love pumpkin anything, as you can probably tell by my American Food Haul Post, but I don't think the UK's caught on about the worlds love of Pumpkin Spice. 

I picked up an NYC felt liner, simply because their liquid liner is the best one I've ever tried. This was only a couple of dollars. I haven't opened it yet, as I'm waiting for my others to dry out. I also picked up a Jordanna lip liner. This was $2.99 and 'my lips but better' shade. 

Lastly, I picked up a skin care product and hair product. The Pixi Glow Tonic is raved about by everyone who uses it. This was around $15 in Target. I've already tried this a few times, and I love it. I'm planning on writing a more in depth review soon. The Cosmetics Company is an outlet for brands such as MAC and Smashbox. I didn't get anything from those brands, but I spotted this Bumble and bumble hair spray for $6 and knew I wanted to try it. 

So, I've finally concluded my beauty haul posts from America. I can't wait to try everything I've bought and write some reviews for you. Is their any American beauty brand you want to try that aren't available in the UK? 

Asking For It - Louise O'Neill // Review

I struggled to start this review, as this wasn't a book I was particularly looking forward to reading. The discussion of rape is a difficult topic and I knew that it wouldn't be a case of reading it for entertainment purposes.

I'd already read 'Only Ever Yours' by Louise O'Neill and I knew that she is a talented writer who discusses topics that are a bit controversial. 

There doesn't seem to be a week when there isn't a story in the media about sexual assault. You can't help but notice the victim blaming on social media, and this is something O'Neill really explores in her novel. 

Do not read this book expecting a happy ending. Like most sexual assault cases, there rarely is a positive outcome for the victim. There are a couple of moments that are difficult to read due to the details of the assault. It's not overly graphic, however if this is something that could potentially trigger you, I would read tentatively.

I would definitely recommend this book as I think it's an important subject that needs to be discussed more often. O'Neill writes beautifully, and I'm looking forward to reading more of her work.  

My Favourite Autumn/ Winter Scents

I'm a huge fan of musky scents and I think they suit the colder and darker days so well. I am definitely one of those people who changes their perfume along with the seasons. Here are five of my favourite Autumn/ Winter scents.

1) I only have a few sprays of The Body Shop's Red Musk. I love this scent and it's supposedly meant to smell different on different skin. This is a really spicy scent and has notes of cinnamon and tobacco.

2) Another The Body Shop favourite is White Musk Smoky Rose. This is a floral scent with musky undertones. It's a fresh scent that reminds me of clean washing, however, the musky tones also remind me of being cosied up by a fire. I love this for work as it wakes me up in the morning.

3) Marc Jacob's Decadence is one my favourite fragrances of all time. I wear this on almost every night out throughout the year, but it's definitely one for the darker, colder evenings. This perfume is extremely sexy and sensual. It's described as having a 'woody' scent which I would agree with. I think this is one of those perfumes that make you feel like you're wearing the most expensive clothes in the world.

4) Possibly the most expensive perfume I've ever owned, Jo Malone's Pomegranate Noir. I only have a small size as it came in a set with 4 other Jo Malone perfumes. I get compliments whenever I wear this perfume which isn't that often due to the size I have and how expensive it is. However, I think I will definitely repurchase this in a bigger size. Jo Malone describes it as having the 'sensuality of a daring red dress' which I think fits this scent perfectly!

5) Lastly, a scent that immediately makes me think of Autumn/ Winter is Lush's Lord of Misrule. I received the perfume of this for Christmas last year, and it came from Lush's Kitchen. I'm not sure if they will release it again this year, but I follow them on Instagram to get the updates if you're interested in getting this perfume. It smells exactly like the bath bomb and lasts for ages on my clothes. I really love simple bottles too, I think they look really classic on my dressing table.

Describing scents is not my strong point, so I recommend you go and smell these perfumes to know exactly what I mean. What's your favourite Autumn/ Winter perfume?

American Drugstore Makeup // Haul Part 1

As well as shopping in Sephora for makeup, I bought quite a bit in Target and Walgreens too. I wanted to try brands that aren't easy to get over in the UK. I've decided to split my haul into 2 parts as I bought so much stuff.

ELF can be bought in the UK online, however, I think it's a lot cheaper to get it in the US. I've never tried any of their beauty tools, and when I spotted makeup brushes for as little as a $1 I knew I wanted a couple. I chose the concealer brush and the eye crease brush. I needed new eyelash curlers as mine were getting gross. Lastly, I decided to try an ELF primer. There were so many to choose from, but I went with the ELF poreless primer.

Wet N Wild is another brand I desperately wanted to try. I got a few bits at both Walgreens and Target. The eyeshadow palettes are probably the most hyped Wet N Wild product and the 'I'm Getting Sunburned' palette stood out the most. 

I wanted to try a couple of nail polishes because they were so cheap. I ended up choosing a dark grey and a pink glitter. I also picked up a single pan glitter which is stunning pressed over another gold eyeshadow. 

Tati from GlamlifeGuru raves about the Wet N Wild lipsticks so I decided to try one of the Megalast Lip Colours in the shade 'Spiked With Rum' which is stunning. 

Lastly from Wet N Wild, I picked up a setting spray. I don't think anything cost over $5 and I'm enjoying trying everything out. 

Although not a 'drug store' product, I bought a sample of the MAC Setting Spray to try too. 

Have you tried any of these products before? What brand did you wish was available in the UK? 

American Food Haul // Autumn Foods

I'm not ashamed to admit that I spent well over an hour in Target looking down all the food aisles. As soon as September hits, it seems like they invent a pumpkin spice flavoured version of everything.

I bought way more food back than what I'm showing in this post, including the typical US candy like Jolly Ranchers and the 5 bags of Halloween candy we accumulated at the Disney Halloween Party. But as it's October, I thought I'd show the seasonal food I brought back.

Of course there's hundreds of flavours of pop tarts we can't get in the UK, but the Pumpkin Pie ones stood out being limited edition.

I had already bought Birthday Cake Oreo's which I demolished in a few days. These pumpkin spice ones intrigued me. The Special K bars are only 100 calories each so I bought (again) pumpkin spice and red velvet.

The gourmet barks were only $1 each and I got the flavours White Chocolate and Pumpkin Spice, Chocolate Smore and Chocolate, Caramel Drizzle and Sea Salt.

I spotted this hot sauce for a couple of dollars and just liked the way it looked. I think it will be nice to add to pasta dishes. 

I could have filled a suitcase full of all of the things we can't get here. I'm a proper foodie and I love trying new things, especially sweet stuff. Have you tried any of these before? What's your favourite American food?