Nude Nails Favourites

Isn't this time of year just awkward? One minute, the suns shining so you break out your floral's and pastel colours, and the next, you're scraping frost off your car and wrapped up in four layers.

Gone are the reds and berry colours we wore on our nails for the festive season, yet I still don't feel it the right weather to be rocking the mint and corals. I've been increasingly drawn to nude nail colours, and I think they're perfect for this time of year. Here are some of my favourites.

The PS Love nail polish in the shade 07 Nude was only 60p from Primark, and it's actually a pretty decent polish. I wore it to my friends wedding.

Formula X is a tad more pricey, and as far as I know, only available in Sephora (who can't ship polishes over to the UK) This shade is Thrilling and I got it as part of the Formula X The System To Go sets, in which you receive a cleanser, base coat and top all clicked together in a set. I'm not sure they do this exact one now, but Thrilling is available on it's own or part of a set with other polishes. On my nails, with the base and top coat, this lasted about five days without chipping.

Cappuccino  by Max Factor is stunning. It's £4.99 which I think is pricey for a mini polish, but I got it as a 3 for 2 offer.

I can't find the shade name for the Kiko polish, which isn't helpful, I know. But I think it cost £2.30 from the store in Bristol. This is a completely unique shade, almost too pink to be a 'nude' but not bright enough to be anything else. I've not yet tried this polish, but I've tried previous from Kiko and like their polishes.

Lastly is Chic and Cheerful from Rimmel. The colour is slightly darker, and slightly greyer than the Max Factor polish. I actually found it in Poundland so it was a complete bargain. I really like this polish, and it was really easy to apply.

Do you have any 'Nude' nail polish suggestions?

July/ August Favourites

I didn't manage to write last months favourites so I decided to write a combined favourite post.

July Favourites

1) Mac lipstick- Girl About Town

This featured on my 'First Mac Purchases' post and is the one I've been wearing the most. I never thought this colour would suit me, but I'm in love with it. It was perfect for the summer, but now the nights are drawing in, I often grab this for nights out, paired with a nude eye. I have definitely started a full blown love affair with Mac, purchasing another lipstick last month and with another three on my wishlist.

2) The Body Shop - Vitamin E Sorbet

I bought this a couple of days after my holiday after seeing someone review it. I really wanted to give my skin a break from makeup and sun cream after wearing it every night for two weeks. This has a jelly like texture and is quite different to all the other skin care products I own. I'm trying to find a way to incorporate it daily into my routine, as at the minute, I just put it on whenever I'm having a makeup free day.

3) Soap & Glory - Hand Food

This is something I've had since Christmas, but after rediscovering it during a clear out of my drawers, I've been using it daily. I tend to wear this at night as it's a bit thick for my liking, for day time use. However, it's got rid of the dry skin on my hands, and smells exactly like Righteous Butter which is always a good thing.

4) Purple Lemon Bath & Body Co - Tee Tree Toner

Purple Lemon Bath & Body Co are a local company who sometimes attend local craft fairs. All their ingredients are natural (similar to Lush) so I ended up purchasing one of their toners to try out. I think it was about £3.50 which is a bargain.

5) Essence - Coral Calling Lipstick

I purchased a couple of lipsticks in Bulgaria, as Essence wasn't yet available locally. I loved this colour so much, I bought another one for my Hull Blogger Box Swap. Considering the price of these (about a couple of quid) the quality is amazing and I already have my eye on a few other shades.

August Favourites

1) Essence - All About Matte

Essence came into our Wilko's recently, and after trying a couple of their lipsticks that I purchased in Bulgaria,I really wanted to try some of their other products. I love my Rimmel Stay Matte powder but it's coming to the end of it's life, so when I saw this for £3.50, I decided to give it a go. The powder instantly takes away shine, and actually keeps my skin matte for quite some time.

2) Tarte - Rainforest After Dark Palette

I asked my parents to bring this back from America for me along with some other bits (haul soon, I promise.) The packaging for this is amazing and is definitely the most luxurious product I own. I want to write a more in depth review, so I'll leave you with a photo of what it looks like inside.

3) Bioderma Micellar Water

I bought this from a pharmacy in Bulgaria and it was £10 for 250 mls. I was curious more than anything because I've seen so many rave reviews from other bloggers. I wanted to try it to see if it was worth the hefty price tag, especially as it was a bit cheaper in Bulgaria. I'll probably post a more in depth review in the future, but whilst I'm not 100% sure I'll purchase this again because of the price, it definitely is a treat to use. It doesn't sting my eyes one bit and smells amazing.

4) Got2Be Oil-Licious Weightless Dry Oil Mist

I really like Got2Be products, and after my holiday, I wanted to invest in some more hair care. I hate getting my fingers greasy with hair oils, so this is perfect for me. I got it from Savers for £2.50, a lot cheaper than other places. This leaves my hair feeling really soft and smelling nice and is something I use daily.

5) Real Techniques Blush Brush

I bought this towards the end of the month, after discovering an amazing offer at Boots. All brushes were buy one, get the second half price. I also had a £2 off voucher through the Boots app if I spent over £10 on brushes. I bought the Blush brush and the Expert Face brush, but I've definitely been reaching blush brush almost everyday.

Shop My Stash// Jewellery

I see a lot of 'shop my stash' posts regarding beauty products that have been bought and long forgotten about, but I thought I'd do something a bit different. I'm a sucker for buying jewellery, especially if it's a bit different and quirky. Recently, all I seem to be wearing is my Vivienne Westwood necklace my boyfriend got me for my 21st. Don't get me wrong; it's gorgeous and I love it, but sometimes I catch glimpses of all the costume jewelry I've bought over the years and feel like I have to make more of an effort to wear it as it's too pretty to be stuffed into a box or hanging on a rack.

Here are some of the pieces I'm going to attempt to wear more.

I got this little elephant on a holiday a good few years ago, but I don't actually think I've ever worn it. I love how cute and simple it is, so maybe I'll wear it tight to my neck.

This is one of my favourite pieces ever. I got it on a holiday in Turkey when I was going through my 'punk' stage. The safety pins attracted me to it. But I love the blue colour, the different shapes and colours of the beads. This is a really unusual piece and I'll perhaps wear it on a night out.

This little tea cup was from a vintage and craft fair. I think it's adorable and would look pretty with a vintage dress.

These are the most recent additions to my 'stash.' I got these from Primark just a couple of months ago. I don't think they were more than £3. I think the idea of these bracelets is to wear them all together, as opposed to just one at a time (although you could wear them like that.) There were lots of different styles of these, but I liked the bracelet with the big stone in it, so I went for these.

Another holiday gem; I'm not sure if this is a reals shark tooth, but for some reason I really wanted a necklace with a shark tooth on it (I was about 14 at the time.) Perhaps not to everyones taste, but I think this would look great with a beachy/ hippy styled outfit.

This necklace was from Topshop about 6 years ago and I was drawn to it because of the little skull with the flower on it's head. It looks like I'm wearing three different necklaces when I have this one, although it's just one.

I'm going to try really hard to use these bits of jewelry more as I think they're too pretty to stay hidden in my room. Do you have any jewellery you love but never wear?

June Favourites

As you're reading this, I'm probably on a beach somewhere, sweating profusely and possibly hungover in Bulgaria. However, I didn't want to fall behind on my favourites posts as I like writing them just as much as I like reading them. So here it is, five products I've been loving in June.

1) Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation - I actually received a sample of this at the Debenhams beauty lock and fell in love with it. I was debating hard whether to buy it, when lucky for me, I won one in a blog giveaway! I was so chuffed as I hardly ever win anything. I'm sure most people know about this foundation so I won't go on too much about it, but it's already one of my faves. It is almost matte and I don't have to apply powder to set it. This makes my skin look so good, almost sun kissed.

2) Batiste Dry Shampoo - I feel a bit late to the party with this, as I am with most things. I actually bought a bottle in 2010 for Leeds fest and use it for that weekend, then stashed it away in a drawer. I didn't understand the idea of ​​dry shampoo as I didn't get why someone just didn't wash their hair? However, I received some dry shampoo for Xmas, a different brand, but fell in love with it. When I used this up, I ventured to Superdrug and rediscovered Batiste. I use this all the time now, and now know it just freshens hair and adds texture and isn't just for covering up dirt like I originally thought. I received a small sample of this in the Lincs Meet goody bag, so perfect for popping in a bag.

3) Eyeko Skinny Eyeliner - I think this is normally about £ 12, but like most bloggers, I received this with this months Glamour Magazine which only cost £ 2. Unlike most bloggers (going by the complaints on twitter) mine actually worked. My friend Abbey kept going on about this eyeliner, so I was glad I got a chance to try it myself. The nib is so thin, I can create the perfect cat eye flick.

4) Hand Food Soap and Glory - I actually received this for Christmas but have only just taken to using it. I'm not a big fan of hand creams, but I'm forcing myself to use this up, and I'm actually quite enjoying it. A dry bit on my hand is slowly disappearing thanks to this.

5) Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation - I know that I've put two different foundations on my favourites, but I honestly think this deserves a mention. This is my first Bourjois foundation and it gives my skin such a nice, glowy finish, I wonder why I haven't bought one earlier. As you can see, it's a bit dirty because it's well loved. The smell is gorgeous as well, as are all Bourjois products.

I hoped you enjoyed reading this blog post, and don't forget to follow via bloglovin :)

March Favourites!

I know everyone is saying this but March has flown by! In fact this whole year is disappearing before my very eyes. I can't believe in about 8 weeks time, I would have handed in my very last Uni assignment. Then it's time to be a grown up, get a proper job and start paying stuff like council tax.

March was a month I focused a lot on skin care. I bought my first Lush products, my first Micellar water, a whole lot of Soap and Glory and a few little bits of makeup. With the changing season, I wanted to make sure my skin was in the best possible condition it could be.

Once again, I've only included my top five products bought in March, or products that I really began to use and enjoy in March.

The first one is my Collection 2000 Queen of Hearts lipstick. I actually bought two Collection 2000 products, one of them being the famed Long Lasting Concealer. However, as much as I enjoy and like the concealer, the lipstick is just amazing. For £2.99, I couldn't believe the quality and the colour. I guess this was an obvious choice if you're a regular reader of my blog as I think this is the third blog post I've mentioned this in now? But yeah, if you're looking for a great lippy for an evening look that won't break the bank, look no further.

The next is my Bubblegum Lip Scrub from Lush. I bought this relatively early in the month and I'm so glad I did. It looks, smells and tastes amazing. For £5.50, you may think it's a bit expensive for such a little pot of product (well me and my student budget did haha) but I've used it almost everyday and not even made a dint. A little goes a long way and I can see this lasting right up to the expiry date.

I'm eventually going to do a separate post about Soap and Glory skin care range, as I love all 4 products I've bought this month. But my favorite has to be No Clogs Allowed. I bought it in a three for two offer at Boots as the fact it was a self heating face mask intrigued me . I've never used one before. And I must say it's the strangest sensation I've ever felt. My skin feels so clean and smooth after I used it, which I do one a week. I won't go on as like I said, I want to write another blog post, but I think it's definitely worth the £11.

MUA eye primer is next on the list. Another product I've mentioned before. I use this almost everyday and although it isn't as good as the Smashbox one, I feel for £2.50, it does an adequate enough job. I don't use it for nights out or important events, but for Uni or simply going shopping, I think it's great. It increases the lasting power of my eye makeup and reduces creasing, although it doesn't eliminate it completely. I'm still after another high end eye primer, for those night's out, and I'll probably invest in an e.l.f one when my student loan comes in (I know they're only like £2 but I plan on buying other stuff too haha.)

My last product is also an offering by MUA and it's the trio eyeshadow in the shade 'Chocolate Box.' I got this about 2 weeks ago in a Superdrug haul and I think the colours go perfectly together for a classy day time look. Although they're not as pigmented as I'd like them to be, I feel for £3 you can't complain too much. And they're doing a perfect job until my loan comes in and I can invest in the Naked 3 palette.

So there you have it :) I actually struggled writing this post as I wanted it to be genuine products that I love. I could have easily chosen my Revlon Colour Stay foundation or my Collection 2000 concealer but if I'm honest, I'm not too sure whether I'd repurchase them and I think I need a bit longer using them to make up my mind. I'd also just like to say thank you to everyone who follows me! :) I've just reached 100 followers which I still can't believe and I'm so grateful to everyone who reads my blog :)

What's in my bag!

Is it just me, but whenever I read these 'what's in my bag' posts, it forces me to take a good hard look at my own life and wonder where I'm going wrong. I mean, why can't I be that organised?! All the time I see perfectly clean, super organised, tidy bags, then I take a look into my Mary Poppins style suitcase and sigh with envy. But then I also think that some bloggers are having us on. Surely no one can own an everyday bag without some loose change rattling around at the bottom, some screwed up bus ticket or a sneaky chocolate bar to cheer us up when we're having a bad day.

With that being said, I've decided to do my own 'What's in my bag,' but I've been completely honest. I've taken nothing out of my bag to impress you with my regimented bag packing skills. I've even kept in the bits of rubbish I was dying to throw into the bin so you wouldn't think I was such a scruffy sod.

But here it is. I've used my uni bag for this, as although I moan about my organisation skills, if I take a handbag to town or something, I literally only pack the bare essentials, so it wouldn't make for an interesting post.

My bag is from Schuh and it's Iron Fist.

I couldn't actually fit everything that was in my bag in this photo. I was quite appalled at how much crap I hoard haha.

The most important stuff is of course the beauty ;) I see some girls who pack entire makeup bags, but unless I'm doing something important, I will only take a powder, concealer and lipstick with me.

Body Shop Face Powder-I use this because my Rimmel Stay Matte has finally exploded into a 1000 pieces so I can't leave the house with it. The casing on this powder is pretty much indestructible although I've hit pan so will need to buy a new one soon.

Soap and Glory Kick Ass Concealer - My Soap and Glory Kick Ass Concealer is a relatively new edition to my bag makeup. With 2 different concealers and a powder to set them with, I've found it's the perfect handbag essential.

Maybelline Baby Lips - It goes without saying that every girl has a lip balm in their bag. This was the first one I picked up out of my stash.

Impulse Tease Body Spray- I remember when this first came out and I loved the smell. I still love it, and go through so many cans of this. It's always handy to have a spray to freshen up.

Poundland Nail File- This nail file was from Poundland and I got 6 in a pack. I popped one in my bag as I have a habit of ripping my nails off if they have split a little bit.

Hairbrush -The hair brush slash mirror (the blue thing) cost a couple of quid from Bodycare. They're so compact and useful.

Phone - My phone a Sony Xperia but I can't remember which one. As you can see it's a bit battered and I can't wait til my contract runs out in August so I can get a new one. 

Kindle- I have the normal Kindle with no special touch screen feature etc. As I'm on the bus for 4 hours a day, I rarely leave home without this. 

Ipod Classic - I've had this for about 6-7 years now and it's still going strong. Another essential for the long bus rides. 

Ted Baker Purse -I love my Ted Baker purse so much. It cost £65 and I bought it with my birthday money for my 21st. I actually don't keep this in my bag as I'm scared it will get scratched, or if I do, it's in a separate compartment. This holds all my cards (I have a lot) and I also keep any vouchers for Boots etc. As you can see, I have a few £1.99 Big Mac and chips vouchers haha. The only problem with this purse is that it does not hold much change. 

 Keys - Goes without saying really. I really need a keyring as my last one broke.

Hello Kitty Umbrella. - I got this for xmas 2012 and I love it. It's so cute and quirky. Except that the white colour is beginning to fade to leave a horrible brown underneath. Oh well, as long as it keeps me dry, that's all that matters.

My uni stuff. As you can see, I have a life supply of pens, due to me forgetting to bring one and having to purchase 16 of them at the quid shop. I found the pencil case under my bed, left over from A Level exam period. It stops the pens marking my books etc, even though it's not the prettiest thing in the world.

My diary was from Asda and perhaps is the only hint of organisation in the chaos of my bag.

As you can see, I have my module handbook from yesterday's seminar which was contemporary fiction. Plus my rather battered notebook.

Now onto the random crap of my bag. A pile of loose change that wouldn't fit into my purse Some sticky notes that I really should put in my pencil case to stop them getting any more screwed up. Some painkillers just in case. And a couple of tampons, because I think every girl carries spare tampons, even if they don't want to include it in their 'what's in my bag' post. 

Now onto the rubbish in my bag. First of all, an apple bake from Tesco which was sat in my bag for around a week before I finally ate it. I couldn't find a bin, so popped it back into my bag. An H&M receipt. A leaflet for the bus station. A coffee sticker thing from McDonald's and a Michael Kors piece of cardboard which I sprayed some perfume on. Exciting stuff. 

Now the random bits of food I shove into my bag every morning. A banana. A pack of Tomato Ketchup Walkers which I thought were Ready Salted. Two little sticks of fudge, to satisfy sweet cravings (it's better than a full Kit Kat chunky!) And my moustache waterbottle I bought from Primark last year for a couple of quid. All of this gets wrapped up in an Asda carrier bag so the banana doesn't explode over books and my drink doesn't leak. Oh yes, I'm the epitome of class and sophistication. 

So here you have it. If you have done a (honest) what's in my bag post, leave the links as I love to read them :) Don't forget to follow me on bloglovin.