Wacky Drugstore Haul

Hello everyone! 

Not too long ago I had to do some fancy dress, now I love fancy dress as much as the next girl, but this one was a bit of a challenge. I had to dress up as a musical theatre performer, my performing days were a while ago now so I lacked the necessary crazy colour makeup to create the look. Oh so sadly (she says extremely sarcastically) I needed to go shopping. 

I wanted to go for a blue, green and purple eye look so I hit the high street and headed to Boots. You can find some truly fab products out there for such a good price, so if you are a lover of bold looks then keep reading! 

I first went to Maybelline to pick up a kohl liner, I went for this pretty mint green waterproof liner in 37. I wanted to be able to create a bold line and build up a similar eyeshadow colour around it. I used the line for the crease and built up the eyeshadow on the outer two thirds of the lid, using a purple shimmer shade in the inner corner. The Linerefine liners glide on smoothly and the pigment is fantastic. The only downside is that it is a real pencil so needs sharpening to get a very fine line. 

It's so hard to photograph an eye pencil and make it look good! 

In an attempt to match the liner I went to Max Factor as they often have a wide range of eyeshadow colours available as singles. I ended up selecting two shimmer shades that I thought would blend well together to provide an ethereal, yet bold eye, I was aiming for Midsummer Night’s Dream type makeup. I chose 30 Turquoise Fury and 15 Vicious purple. Top tip: purple and green go surprisingly well together! Max Factor are known for their fab Colour X-pert Waterproof liquid eyeliners, I chose the 03 metallic lilac to draw on my bold cat eye flick. 

Finally I went to Rimmel in search of a product to give a pop of colour to my lower lash line. The Exaggerate Waterproof Eye Definer has a thin cream nib at one end and a small cushion at the other to blend the colour if you want a smudgy look. I went for the very bright 240 Aqua Sparkle to smudge into my lower lashes. I love the way you can glide on the liner and smudge straight away without needing to search for the right brush. The nib is the perfect size for a fine line, but could also be built into a thicker one for a different upper lid look. 

The final look was so bold, but very striking. I definitely looked like I’d just walked off the set of a fairy themed play! What’s your favourite bold look? Let me know in the comments below :-) 

xoxo

Making Me Blush

Hello everyone! 

With spring on the horizon it is time to start rocking that rosy glow. “How? Show me your blush wizardry!” I hear you all cry. So let’s go! 

Blush is very subjective, depending on your skin tone, hair colour and the look you are going for, you might want to try very different blushes. As I cannot change my appearance at will I can only really advise you on my tastes. I am very pale, with bright auburn hair to give you a rough idea. I’ll talk about powder blushes first and then move on to the cream blushes, so feel free to skip bits if you like!

For the daytime I like quite a delicate blush, I have been really loving the baby pinks recently, in case you hadn’t already noticed! My all time favourite will always be the Benefit Dandelion blush, it is so light, but so pigmented and really blends well. A total classic really. Another Benefit classic is the Coralista blush, the one I have is very very old, possibly even the first blush from my collection! Unfortunately they have since changed the formulation and it has a much more bronzy tone to it, it would go wonderfully if you have a nice tan, or with a bit of Hoola bronzer. The formulation I have is a very warm pinky-coral, with a terracotta undertone, I prefer this blush in the summer when I have a bit more colour or for an evening out when I would probably wear more makeup. 

Two recent additions to my collection, and probably many of yours too as they are relatively new, are from YSL and Too Faced. I wrote a full post about the YSL Gypsy Opale palette a while back, you can check that out here. This blush is a very light baby pink on the skin and has a gorgeous opalescent finish, if you like that ethereal lit from within look then this is the blush for you. It comes with all you need to finish off your face, with the purple and green sections for balancing and a pearly highlighter for your final touch. Sadly it is limited edition so I don’t know if you can get hold of it, if you can then it may be a little pricey! 

I have heard so many people rave about the Too Faced Sweetheart blushes, I couldn’t resist buying one. Available in multiple tones, they provide three different blushes in one super cute heart shaped palette to be used singularly or in combination. I went for Candy Glow and it is so pretty, I use it mainly for daytime as a light shimmer, but I can build the colour up for a night-time look. 

On to the cream blushes, I’m sorry to say I don’t have much experience with these having only two in my collection, but I will do my best. I have to admit, I’m not a huge fan as I don’t feel like the colour lasts as well throughout the day and does need multiple touch ups. This type of product would be good for if you were just popping out and wanted a light face of make-up or if you are having a beach or park day with friends. Who else can’t wait for picnic season to be back? 

Maybelline’s brand new Baby Lips balm and blush combos are a big hit with everyone already. I prefer them as a balm, but as a blush they do have a lovely shimmer finish. I have the 01 innocent peach shade, but to be honest there isn’t really much difference between the four shades so you really don’t need them all! My final product is another lips and cheeks duo product. It is the My Little Beauty lips and cheeks stick, providing a very matte finish, with a sunny, warm coral tone, with more orange pigment than pink. Perfect for the end of summer when you have a lovely glow from the sun! I prefer this one as a cheek colour than a lip balm, as it is quite drying. I also feel like I am too pale for this right now, so it will have to wait for better use later in the year. 

What is your favourite blush? If you would like me to walk you through a look incorporating one of these blushes, let me know in the comments below :-) 

xoxo

FarFetch Beauty Launch**

Hello everyone, 

Recently I was contacted by Farfetch, an online designer clothes store, asking if I would like to take part in a blogger competition they are hosting. They are publicising the launch of their new online beauty section by inviting certain bloggers to take part. Their website looks really fab and extremely versatile, shipping well-known designer brands such as By Terry, Chloe, Fendi and Kenzo. 

They asked me to create a little wish list of products I would like from their new section and to post a quick glimpse into my own beauty collection and essentials. They ship all over the world and collaborate with over 1000 brands globally, so they are worth taking a look here. 

For my little wish list I chose a couple of brands I know and love and a couple I am unfamiliar with, but would like to try! 

1. Hourglass blush in Diffused Heat
2. R + CO Gemstone Colour Shampoo (I don't colour my hair, but this bottle looks amazing! Often products aimed at coloured hair are very rich, but less harsh on your hair) 
3. Lipstick Queen in Wine Sinner 
4. By Terry Blush Glacé in Frozen Petal
5. Sunday Riley Artemis Hydroactive Face Oil 

Now onto my own beauty products, I'm not going to list them all as that would take forever and a day, but I'll give you a brief overview. You may recognise some products from previous posts and monthly favourites! 

These products are definitely my daily essentials! The lipsticks are the Gwen Stefani for Urban Decay in Ex-Girlfriend for a day to day look and the Charlotte Tilbury in So Marilyn for a pop of colour! 

This photo has a couple of my favourites like the YSL Gypsy Opale face palette and the Clarins Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil (phew what a mouthful!)

Obviously I couldn't do a post like this and not show a few of my favourite lippys!

Last, but not least a quick peek at my favourite palettes :-) 

I hope you have enjoyed peeking into my makeup collection and maybe it will inspire you to try some new products! If you see a product that you would like me to write a specific review for, then let me know in the comments below :-) 

xoxo

Parisian Paradise

Hello everyone! 

First off, I'm so so sorry if I have been a little, okay very, inactive recently! I have had exams, among other far more exciting things. I have been keeping this very quiet until it was all organised, but yesterday I moved to Paris for 3 months. 

I love this picture so much <3 

Yes that is quite out of the blue, but it's such a great opportunity! I'm here for 3 months working in the vet school for some of my final year rotations :-) I have been a busy bee settling into my room and making it all lovely with fresh lavender and some gorgeous moroccan style cushions. I always think it is important to enjoy your surroundings and feel at home.

I bought some cards to make my room more jolly!

The last few days I have been exploring the city with my parents, we have probably walked more miles than I normally do over multiple weeks! Earlier today, I stumbled upon a boutique full of macarons called La Duree. You all know how much I love them, of course I had to go inside and suppress the urge to go mad and buy everything. 

 The little pink tub is full of Violet flavoured Guillemauves (marshmallows), they are a gift for my new housemate :-) 

The flavours from left to right and top to bottom are: Praline, Marie-Antoinette Tea, Chocolate, Lemon, Cherry Blossom, Passion Fruit Chocolate, Citron and Salted Caramel

How yummy do these look?! I have decided I absolutely must keep visiting this shop until I have tried all of the flavours...last year when I travelled Europe with Mr.Gingersnap we ate the signature pastry of each town we saw. Thinking along those lines I have decided to try a different flavour of macaron every single day. I love the box design for this, the artwork is by a Japanese Designer called Yuko Higuchi. She stages cats, rabbits and a young girl in all of her creations and is famous for her designs full of tenderness and joy. I adore her work and I am so excited to keep this box for jewellery or maybe little notes!

Very soon I will be back properly with reviews, recipes, tips and tricks for y'all :-) Has anyone been to Paris? Let me know if you love this city in the comments below! 

xoxo

Manly Mondays - Chill Out Time

Hello everyone, 

This one will be a very quick Manly Monday I'm afraid, I have my first exam of the season tomorrow...wish me luck! I didn't want to disappoint you all by missing out a week from the column so here is a little evening relaxation inspiration for all you gentlemen out there. 

There is nothing better at the end of the day than a nice steaming mug of tea, or so I'm told, I'm not a tea drinker myself. After a long hard day at work Mr.Gingersnap likes nothing more than cosying up on the sofa with tea, chocolate and a DVD. Sometimes he likes to swap the tea for a whisky so we found some chocolates to make the best of both worlds. 

These choccies are by Anthon Berg, each has it's own different liquor secreted in the delicious dark chocolate casing. There are some well loved favourites in there like Jim Bean, Remy Martin, Cointreau and XO. They are really yummy and so rich, it's quite a luxurious treat with 16 different chocolates. Definitely a winner over here! 

Mr.Gingersnap is a big lover of second world war history and must have watched HBO's Band of Brothers a dozen times, but now he has a new excuse to watch it as I have got into it too. This 10 episode series follows the Easy Company as they train and join the war effort. This series has some serious ups and downs, I have been in tears of laughter and sadness multiple times already. Each episode focuses more on one soldier, helping you form an emotional attachment to them all as individuals. I think the most heart wrenching part of this is that it is based on real life events and has commentary at the beginning from actual surviving members of Easy Company. With some big names like Damien Lewis, Ron Livingston, Donnie Wahlberg and Scott Grimes it really is a must watch, but have the tissues at the ready! 

What do you like to do to unwind in the evening? Let me know in the comments below :-) 

xoxo

Feeling Youthful and Bouncy

Hello everyone, 

I had heard so much about the Body Shop Drops of Youth Bouncy Sleeping Mask (phew what a mouthful!), and I know I’m late to the party, but I really wanted to try it out. Having ran out of my usual face moisturiser I went on the hunt for a new one. I read so many reviews and thought they all seemed quite one off, this lead me to want to get a fuller idea of how I would rate it. Writing is my thing and you know how much I love to share with you, so here it is, my week in goo. 

Day 1: 

This product smells so soothing! I actually can’t wait to try it. I almost don’t want to dip my fingers into it. I found a solution to that and I have used the residual bit on the lid of the pot. It feels quite sticky and tacky, a bit like silly putty actually. It does go on nicely and smooths into the skin really well, but I can see why it is a night-time product as it makes your face quite shiny and gummy. So far it feels refreshing. I love the packaging, the weightiness of the pot and solid lid make it feel very luxurious. The colour scheme of bottle green and deep mahogany make it feel like I bought it at an expensive spa. 

Day 2: 

Well I woke up with lovely smooth skin, all stickiness had gone. My face did look quite glowy and the redness of my two break out spots had gone down dramatically. So far so good eh! I’m glad it didn’t go kind of flaky like some other moisturisers do. Don’t you hate that feeling when you rub your face and the moisturiser goes all peely and you end up with little flakes on your fingers? Gross!

Day 3: 

Last night I still didn’t need to dip into the pot and could use the lid again. It seems that a little goes a long way with this. There is a surprising amount in the pot so I have a feeling it could be good value for money. So far so good on the soft, rejuvenated skin feeling too, but I feel you need to trial a product for a week at least before you can get an accurate idea of how it will affect your skin. Some things only work at first and others take a bit longer to show their effects, it really is trial and error.

Day 4: 

For the first time I used the little spatula to scoop out some cream, it’s amazing how little you need to apply it to your whole face. I have a feeling this product will last a long time! I have started to find that it makes my skin a little pink after I apply it, but that could just be because it makes you shiny? According to the packaging it contains Edelweiss stem cells which help to rejuvenate your skin, there is quite a bit of information online about this, but it is still quite anecdotal without any in depth studies. A good site to check out for the science behind these products is Beauty by the Geeks! 

Day 5: 

Still loving the smoothness of my skin in the morning. I have found that instead of an immediate awake look to my skin, I look more refreshed for longer during the day. Normally I look super tired at the end of the day, but not at the moment! 

Day 6: 

I am definitely starting to believe the hype around this product. I have to say my skin is so much nicer, any blemishes stand out less and seem to be healing quicker, this could just be wishful thinking, but I have a good feeling about it. I have learned to live with the stickiness, it’s worth it in the morning when my skin is smooth as satin. 

Day 7: 

It’s the end of the week and I feel I have given this cream a good enough trial to know if I like it…the verdict is I love it! I will definitely buy it again when this one runs out, thought by the looks of things that could be a long time away. My skin feels more bouncy and has a better glow to it, it’s the perfect prep for spring with more pastel and warm makeup looks. My foundation goes on so much nicer after a night of this. 

I wrote this post a couple of weeks ago and forgot to post it, it got lost in the depths of my hard drive! I just quickly wanted to add that I have carried on using this product daily and I honestly do love it, keep an eye out for it in my Feb favourites...yep it is that good! Have you guys tried this? Wowed or disappointed, let me know in the comments below :-) 

xoxo

The Looking Glass House

Hello everyone, 

At the moment I am up to my eyes in revision, it’s all I think about, but this then makes me struggle to get to sleep. Whenever I have trouble switching off I like to read for 30 minutes or half an hour in bed. This week I read a book which I have been excited about reading for quite some time, The Looking Glass House by Vanessa Tait is a relatively new release and was much anticipated. 

For 150 years the world has been obsessed with Alice in Wonderland and all things Alice and Lewis Carroll. I think people often forget that Alice was a real little girl and that Lewis Carroll was a real grown man. In those days it wasn’t thought to be unusual for an adult male to spend time with young girls, girls would even become engaged as young as 14. Almost as soon as they could walk, their mothers would be planning their life, who could court them, who could not and who could eventually espouse their beloved daughters. 

Alice Liddell was just 4 years old when she first met Charles Dodgson, a maths lecturer in Oxford where her father was the Dean. Charles Dodgson was a close friend of the family for many many years before their sudden split. There has long been rumours surrounding this…was he having an affair with Mrs.Liddell? Was he courting her eldest daughter Lorina? Or, and this seems to be the most likely, was he simply too fond of 11 year old Alice? 

It certainly seems that Alice made a lasting impression on him, he wrote her countless letters, told her stories, took her photograph and even wrote two full books about her, which he later published under his well known nom de plume Lewis Carroll. Dodgson had many child-friends as he liked to call them and would nowadays be thought of as very questionable in his attitude towards children, it seems strange that his books became so well loved by the world, considering their dubious origin. 

Over the years countless writers have speculated about what really happened!  Using family stories, journals and letters Vanessa Tait, as Alice’s great granddaughter, has a better chance than most at getting to the truth. Her story is told from the point of view of Miss Prickett, known to the children as “Pricks”, who was the governess at the time. The main events, circumstances and the people were very real, but this view point is entirely new. Vanessa Tait simply filled out the story adding a bit of romance, intrigue and conflict in a similar way to Philipa Gregory. I guess you could almost call this historical fiction! 

I loved this book from start to finish, I like the underlying sinister edge, it keeps you on your toes and really makes you feel every word. It highlights how an act carried out in innocence can so easily be misinterpreted. Was Dodgson acting inappropriately or was he simply a man who had been cruelly treated as a child and thus revelled in the wonders of childhood innocence that he had so sadly lacked? I can’t wait to see what Vanessa Tait writes next! 

What do you guys think of the story behind Alice? Let me know in the comments below :-) 

xoxo