Saturday 27 December 2014

Simple NYE Look




Merry Christmas (I know its late but just roll with it)! I hope you all had an amazing day and are looking forward to the New Year.

 Anyway, New Years Eve can be a stressful time; whether it’s deciding to go out or stay in or deciding what to wear to a party, everyone gets stressed out. Having planned what I’m going to wear in advance for the first time ever this year, I thought I would share it with you.







This year I’m choosing to go with quite a simple look, nothing too fancy but it still makes quite a statement. The dress is from Topshop, leather jacket from a catalogue and the shoes are from Debenhams.


This dress is perfect for New Year as it has a simple pattern but somehow is still a stand out dress. The floral pattern gives an element of colour and the lace detailing around the top half gives an extra dimension which I love as it makes the dress a bit different to your usual floral dress.




I chose to pair the dress with this leather jacket to give more of an edgy look to the outfit. I have had this for a couple of years so the exact one is not available but lots of places stock these all year round. As the jacket is a bit cropped, it still allows the floral pattern on the dress to come through instead of covering up the whole thing which is perfect for a cold New Year's night.


The shoes I chose give a hint of sparkle and glamour to this outfit. They have a heel on them, but it isn’t too big so they are easy to wear for a whole night. I love how these look with the outfit as they are quite a simple design but still add something to the whole look by adding the sparkle.

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Katie



Saturday 20 December 2014

Last Minute Stocking Stuffers For Under £15


I know how hard it can be to think of any gift for someone for Christmas - especially girls - and how stressful it can be rushing around at the last minute. As its Christmas next week (I’m so excited I could burst), I thought I would show you some last minute gifts to get your friend, mum, grandparents or anybody to give them on that special day, for under £15.


Lots of high street stores stock gorgeous candles around Christmas time; one of my favourite scents has to be spiced plum or apple, and I don’t know of any girl who wouldn’t love to receive one as a gift. If you are looking to spend a little bit more towards to the £15 mark, Yankee Candle do their small jars in almost every scent and you can find these all over the high street as well.




If you’re looking to buy for someone who loves feel-good, light-hearted, Christmassy films, Elf is the perfect DVD for them. HMV are stocking these at the minute for £4.99 and I can honestly say Elf is my favourite Christmas film of all time.




If you have someone who loves a specific T.V series, you could get them the series box set so they can watch it whenever they feel like it. You can get most, small box sets (1 or 2 series) for about £10 in stores such as HMV, Tesco, and Asda.




There are hundreds of new books out at the minute, so this is a great way to go if you are struggling to think of what to buy someone. The Fault In Our Stars is a personal favourite of mine but books like Gone Girl and Divergent are perfect for someone who likes a more action packed read, and books such as Zoella’s Girl Online is good if you’re buying for someone who enjoys watching YouTube or for a more light-hearted read.




Compilation albums are a good idea for someone who isn’t a mad fan of one specific artist and likes more of a variation. Now…Christmas is ideal for a Christmas lover like myself and is great for listening to at this time of year.




For more of a beauty lover there are lots of gift sets and gift ideas out there on the high street for low prices. Maybelline Baby Lips are a great gift as they come in so many different colours and they are usually on a 3 for 2 offer at Boots and retail at around £8 each.




Soap and Glory is a brilliant brand at this time of year as they always bring out some amazing sets as well as still stocking their miniatures and normal full sized products. Their individual products are usually on 3 for 2 at Boots which makes it so much easier to get a full present for someone and some sets start retailing at £10 in Boots which is an incredible price for the quality and the amount of products that you get.




Another place to go for bath and body products is Lush. They stock great products all year round, but I must say the Christmas range is my ultimate favourite. Three of my favourites are the Golden Wonder bath bomb, the Sparkling Pumpkin bubble bar and the Luxury Lush Pud bath bomb. All of the individual products retail for under £10 and some of the sets that they put together are under £15 as well. 


If you’re looking to get a fragrance for someone but don’t want to spend a lot of money, Next’s Just Pink is the perfect solution. This is definitely my signature scent and it comes in a roller ball, solid block, small spray or full sized spray and they all retail for very affordable prices.

I hope this post helped if you’re rushing around looking for last minute presents at affordable prices.

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Katie

Sunday 7 December 2014

Decorating for Christmas





 
As it’s just over two weeks until Christmas (crazy I know!) I thought I would do a bit of a different post for you today. Me and my mam decided to spend the day decorating the house yesterday, putting up the Christmas tree and putting out all the festive bits, and I thought I would show you how we decorate. I thought this would be nice for you to get any inspiration for your home, or if you’re just a bit nosey like me.

 
 





 

Aaah, the Christmas tree. The thing that gives any house an extra special festive touch. I love the Christmas tree every year, but this year it seems a bit more special for some strange reason. My family don’t have a specific colour scheme for our tree like a lot of people, we tend to use family ornaments that have been passed down and always buy a couple of new ones each year. I personally love this as I think it gives it that extra touch of magic (I’m a bit weird okay). One thing that I wish we did have on our tree was some lights as I’m a bit obsessed, but as soon as I move out I’ll make my wish come true and have lights everywhere!






On the bookcase in our living room, we put out this really cute ‘Ho, Ho, Ho’ sign. It’s green, red and white and has glitter all over it which makes it sparkle like crazy. It also has a Santa Claus with a red and white hat instead of the first ‘O’ in ‘Ho, Ho, Ho’ which I think is a cute touch.






 
 
On one of our tables we have this gold reindeer and a little gingerbread house with a tea light inside. The gold reindeer usually stands on a black tray on the bookcase, but this year we decided to just put it on table and I think that it looks really festive. The little gingerbread house is probably one of my favourite things that we have put out this Christmas. It has a tea light inside and when it is lit, the light projects out of the gaps in the house and creates a really nice effect. This looks so cute and festive when it is in the corner of the room and I love it.
 

 
 
I haven’t gone all out with the decorations in my bedroom this year; I just have a couple of little things and have kept it quite simple. Hanging on the wall behind my bed, I have this really sparkly light blue snowflake. I bought this from a garden centre near to where I live a couple of weeks ago, purely because of how sparkly and eye catching it was. The colour slightly blends into my walls and I love this as it makes the glitter stand out more and makes it even more festive.


 

I also have this cute little bell in my room which just sits on my dresser. I bought this from a market for about £1 and I’m obsessed with it. It reminds me of the bell from The Polar Express and this made it even more appealing as it is one of my favourite Christmas films. It has ‘welcome’ written around it and has little presents and stars painted onto it. It also has little stars which have been cut out of it which makes it look really dainty and cute in my bedroom.

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Katie

Sunday 30 November 2014

My Go-To Winter Outfit



Does anybody else have that winter outfit that your eyes are instantly drawn towards when you look for an everyday casual outfit? The one that you find yourself wearing all the time and you never want to change it? No…just me…I’ll share mine with you anyway.

 
 
 
I love how simple this look is, but it is still warm, cosy and looks like you have made an effort, when really you have just thrown on what you always wear at this time of year. This outfit is great for a day Christmas shopping or a wintery walk, as you can be super warm when you’re outside, and then take the coat off when you’re inside and still be nice and cosy for when you’re doing that all important shopping.


 
Boohoo-£22


My legs never really get cold in winter so these black leggings from New Look are the perfect way to tie the whole outfit together without making a big statement. You’ll have seen these boots before if you have read some of my previous blog posts but they are the perfect piece of footwear for this outfit. They are really comfortable which is great for when you are going to be on your feet for long periods of time and are also really sturdy for when it snows (if we ever get any in the UK!) I love how these boots look with this outfit and the way that although they are causal, they still give a feeling as if you have spent ages putting together your outfit.

 
H&M-£5.99
 

Just like the boots, if you have read some of my previous posts you will have seen this jumper before but it is just so cosy! It’s a slightly oversized jumper and is quite a thin material, but don’t be fooled, it is one of the warmest jumpers I have ever owned. As soon as I put it on I never want to take it off (especially when it’s cold and wintery outside). I also find this so easy to style as it goes with most of the things in my wardrobe and I think it is the perfect match for this outfit.

 
 
Topshop-£70



The coat. My new favourite winter clothing item. I bought this a couple of weeks ago and I just know that it will be my go-to winter coat. It’s waterproof and has a hood with detachable faux fur which I love as it is great for if it's a little bit warmer but still rainy and you don’t want to be having a big strip of fur over your head. It is such a warm coat and for me it is just the right length as it isn’t too long and isn’t too short. This coat makes the outfit look less like a cosy throw on outfit (even though it is!), and more like a causal everyday outfit and I don’t think it would look the same without it.

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Katie

Wednesday 19 November 2014

Top 5 Beauty Products For Autumn/Winter




As the weather has been getting colder in the past couple of months, I have found myself reaching for a different range of beauty products compared to the summer months. I like to go for a darker lip and a smokier eye in the colder months so I thought I would share with you my top 5 beauty products for autumn/winter.





Revlon Nearly Naked Powder- link here

I know, I know, I use this all year round but I find that a good powder is really useful in the colder months. I always find that when it is colder outside my concealer tends to 'slide' more off my face and I used to find myself reapplying it quite frequently (especially more than in summer). I say ‘used to’ because this powder now does the job for me. It is amazing at setting your makeup in place, stopping it from sliding with the cold air, and also helps to give a nice light coverage on your skin which is great if you’re like me and don’t wear foundation on a regular basis.





Collection Bronze Glow Mosaic Bronzer- link here

As there is no natural way of getting a tan in autumn/winter (there’s no sun!), I find a bronzer comes in handy to make it seem like you’re a bronzed goddess. I particularly like this bronzer as it has a range of different shades which suit all different skin tones and also helps to create a really natural glow (nobody wants to look orange do they?!). It is also great for contouring to define your cheekbones and is the perfect item for that subtle, natural autumn/winter tan.





MUA ‘undress me too’ eye shadow palette- link here

I have only recently found this product, but I have been reaching for it ever since and I know that I will continue to do so. Every shade that is needed for the perfect autumn/winter smoky eye is included in this palette. It is great for creating natural eye looks and for really heavy looks- perfect for autumn and winter.





Maybelline ‘Mint Fresh’ Baby Lips- link here

Lip balms are 100% the thing that I find most useful at this time of year. I do tend to have quite dry lips in general, and the colder weather just makes it worse so I find myself being attached to a lip balm for about 4 months. I’m a fan of the whole Baby Lips range, but when I specifically want a moisturising balm (at this time of year basically), I find the colourless ones the best as for some reason they feel the best on my lips. I like to keep reapplying this throughout the day to try to stop my lips ever feeling dry and dehydrated and this one definitely does the trick.



Avon Colour Trend Lipstick in ‘Lucky Kiss’- link here

My autumn and winter lipstick love. I love any dark lipsticks in these seasons but for some reason I have been constantly grabbing this one as my go to lip colour. It is primarily a red based lipstick however it has a bit of brown running through it to make it more of a rusty looking red (sounds horrible but trust me it looks amazing), and also has a tiny bit of shimmer in it which almost reminds me of christmas (I have no idea why). It is in no way drying on the lips and it also stays on for long periods of time which is another added bonus.

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 Katie

Thursday 13 November 2014

Clarins Skincare



A few months ago, my mam treated me to a set of three facials by Clarins as my skin was being really troublesome (the joys of being a teenager!) and we wanted to see if we could sort it out. The facials were pure bliss and the skincare products that we bought afterwards are pretty great too. We were given lots of samples of different products after the first facial so that I could test them out and see if they reacted well with my skin, and I must say, the majority of them are fantastic.

I can be quite lazy when it comes to skincare (can’t most people?!) so have only picked products that I’m not so lazy with in order to be able to review them properly for you.


 
Daily Energizer Cleansing Gel- link here
 

This is possibly the best face wash that I have ever tried. I use about a ten-pence-piece amount every morning and night, and I find that this gives me a good lather to thoroughly wash my face. It is also really light on the skin and isn’t harsh if you have sensitive skin. Another added bonus for me is that I really like the smell of this wash. I’m not sure whether it is made to smell nice deliberately but I just can’t get enough of the scent!
 

 
Hydra-Quench Lotion- link here
 

You can get this moisturiser in two different forms (a cream or a lotion), however I find the cream way too heavy and much prefer the lotion form. I have quite a dry ‘t’ zone (forehead and down the nose), and have never been able to find a moisturiser that helps this as well as this one does. Usually, I will use a pea sized amount for my chin and each cheek, and will then take a slightly larger amount for my forehead and nose to counteract the dryness. The Hydra-Quench Lotion is also very light on the skin and sinks in fully within a couple of minutes which is great if you then want to apply your makeup for example. It also has an SPF 15, which is great for protecting your skin against the suns rays.

 


Santal Face Treatment Oil-link here

 
This oil is a little bit like a moisturiser in the sense that you use it to hydrate your skin after washing but it is a product that is specifically for dry skin. You use this about twice a week after washing your face in the evening, just like a normal moisturiser, and it helps to eliminate any dry patches quicker than the average moisturiser. One thing that I am not too keen on with this is how long it takes to fully absorb into your skin. It says on the back of the box that it is ‘immediately absorbed’ but I have never found this. I don’t know whether this is my skin or something that I may be doing wrong so this may not be the case for everyone, but other than this I really like it.

 


Gentle Refiner Exfoliating Cream with Micro-beads- link here
 

You use this exfoliator after washing your face and before moisturising. It feels much lighter on the skin than other exfoliators that I have tried in the past, and this is definitely a bonus. I would recommend using this twice a week, specifically Wednesday and Sunday as this breaks up the week into two sections. It is not in any way harsh on the skin as it only contains the micro-beads as the exfoliating ingredient so I would 100% recommend this if you suffer from sensitive skin.

 


Hydra-Quench Cream Mask- link here


The final product is this face mask. One of my favourite skincare products that I have ever tried. It truly is great. You apply it just like a normal face mask, leaving it for 5 to 10 minutes, but instead of it going tight on your face (which personally I hate); it sinks in to the dryer patches on your face so that your skin fully absorbs it. You can see which parts of your face you need to focus on when moisturising for that week and it really gives great benefits to your skin. I always find that my skin is a lot more radiant the day after using this and my complexion looks a lot clearer. It isn’t the lightest face mask that I have ever applied, but I wouldn’t say that it is heavy and it is totally worth it anyway for the benefits as they are amazing.

 Although these products are quite expensive compared to some drugstore skincare, I really think that they are worth the extra money as the difference that I see in my skin is incredible.

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Katie

Saturday 8 November 2014

Raspberry Sorbet Delight



Recently I started to use a bath product that I got for my birthday this year (13th May – a long time ago I know) and I fell in love. I had seen the product in John Lewis when I had been shopping with my mam, gave it a smell, and loved it. After pointing it out to my mam, I started hinting that I wanted it for my birthday and, before I knew it, it was among my birthday presents.

 Philosophy Raspberry Sorbet Bubble Bath.

 

On the bottle it suggests that it can be used as a bubble bath, shower gel or shampoo but up to now I have only used it as a bubble bath and it is divine.  Absolutely divine. When you first open the top and squeeze some into your bath you can’t really smell that much, but then it hits you. As soon as the bubbles start to form, the smell of fresh raspberries combined with raspberry ripple ice cream (weird but true) fills the entire bathroom. One thing that I find with a lot of bubble baths is that the smell fades after you’ve been lay in the bath for a while, but with this the smell lingers in the room for the entire time. Even after you have gotten out of the bath you can still smell the fresh raspberries for the whole night in your bathroom. Bliss. However, this delightful product does have one downfall (not a major one but a little one). To create a substantial amount of bubbles in your bath, you need quite a lot of the product which can be a bit of a pain as it is quite an expensive product (around £15) but one plus side is that it gives you an excuse to buy even more!





I think we have established that in my opinion if you’re looking for a new bath product, this is the one to go for. I have seen all of the Philosophy bath range including this bubble bath in John Lewis, Fenwicks and Boots and I’m sure you can get it in other places as well.


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Katie

Wednesday 5 November 2014

Successful Shopping


This year autumn has been great for crunchy leaves and dark evenings, but not so great for my money situation. Long story short, I spent it on autumnal fashion and beauty and I thought that I would share some of the things that I have bought over the past month with you. I didn’t buy much in the way of beauty products so I’ll start with that.




 

Personally, I don’t usually wear eyeshadow in the summer months, and in the past I have never found an eyeshadow palette that I have simply fallen in love with, especially for autumn/winter. But now I have. The MUA eyeshadow palette in ‘undress me too’. The palette contains 12 shades, some which are matte and some which are more shimmery, but together they can create a smokey eye, a neutral eye or anything in between. All 12 shades have a high pigmentation which is another thing that I love about the palette. You can find the palette at Superdrug stores and online for only £4 which is a great price. I will leave a link here which will take you to the site.




 
 
The only other beauty product that I bought was this sample sized Benefit ‘They’re Real’ mascara. People have been saying how good this mascara is for a long time now, but I have always been reluctant to try it out as I already have a different mascara that I love, but now I have and I love it. You get volume and separation with one coat and I find that this is enough for an everyday look, however if you wanted your lashes to have more volume then you could obviously apply more coats. I bought the sample sized bottle so that I could test it out but if I’m honest I do think that this is overpriced at £9.99. The larger size at £19.99 I think is a reasonable price and you can purchase this at Boots, Fenwicks, John Lewis, Debenhams or online which I will leave a link to here.

For fashion I mainly stuck to buying things that would be suitable for autumn/winter wear, with a few things for all seasons.




 

One of the first things that I bought was this dark grey cropped jumper from H&M. When I saw this on the rail I instantly knew that I had to get it. As it is a little cropped, I always wear it with a pair of high waisted jeans or leggings and the short sleeves make it wearable on a warmer autumn day aswell as when it is colder. This cost £12.99 but unfortunately I can’t find it on the website anymore but there are a few that are similar to it that I will link here.



 

 
 Another thing that I got from H&M was this oversized light grey jumper. This was only £5.99 which is a great price, and I will link it here. This jumper is great for when you are running late or can’t be bothered and just need to throw something on as you can pair it with some black leggings and boots and make it look like you have made a real effort. I also love how warm and cosy this jumper is, especially considering the price and I would suggest this to anybody looking for that throw on autumn jumper.

 

 

 
I saw that Topshop had a sale on so I got my laptop, did a good bit of online shopping and these black and white treggings were the first things that made their way into my basket (even though they weren't in the sale!) I had never had anything like these before but I’m so glad that I bought them. They have a honeycomb pattern on them and a button and a zip to fasten which changes them from leggings into treggings. They have a knit-like look and feel to them but they are so comfortable to wear. I will link them here and at £28 I think they are a very reasonable price.

 

 

 
The next thing that made its way to my basket was this black long sleeved crop top. This was only £10 (not in the sale again!) and again, the link will be here. I would pair this with the treggings above, some jeans, some leggings, anything really but I think this is one of my best autumn purchases as it will be perfect for a warmer autumn day or even spring time. Also, as it is black it is so versatile and you can wear it with pretty much anything and it will bring an outfit together.

 


 

I then thought that it would be suitable to buy shorts. In autumn. These shorts were in the sale, reduced from £28 to £10, and to be honest I think that they will actually be useful in these colder months. I always find in autumn/winter that I am looking for something different to wear on an everyday basis other than jeans and leggings and these shorts will be perfect. As they are in an acid wash purple, the colour is quite dark and therefore looks great paired with thick black tights to really create an autumnal feel. Unfortunately, as these were in the sale they are no longer available however there are some similar ones here.

 

 

 
The autumn/winter boot. I found my perfect pair. I saw these boots online at Boohoo.com and immediately couldn’t wait to get my hands on them. They are black, fake leather, Chelsea boots and I have worn them at every opportunity since I bought them. They are super comfortable to wear on an everyday basis or for going out as you can style them with lots of different things. Coming in 3 different colours and at only £22(link here), I personally think that if you are looking for the ideal ankle boot then these are the ones for you.

 

 

 
One of my most recent purchases has been the thing that I have wanted for the longest amount of time. A checked shirt. Since the start of September, I have been looking everywhere for a shirt that I can either wear buttoned or un buttoned over a plain top but have never been able to find one that ticks all of the boxes. Finally I found one last week in Jack Wills. It was £39 reduced from £59.50 in the sale and I will leave a link here to it. The material is soft and comfortable, one of the biggest factors that I was looking for. I would definitely recommend this if you are looking for a checked shirt as this is 100% the best one that I have seen.

 
I hope you enjoyed seeing some of the things that I have been buying over the past month and hopefully I may have given you some inspiration for your autumn/winter wardrobe or maybe some of the things that you would like for Christmas. My social media links will be below and please feel free to contact me.

 
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Thanks for reading,

 
Katie