Where are They Now?

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Like every blogger on the planet, last year I wrote a post featuring my '2013 Beauty Favourites' so as we approach the new year I thought I'd look back and see whether these have still been firm favourites throughout 2014 of whether I've left them in the past. 
Seche Vite Topcoat // This is still the only top coat I use as I love the finish it gives my nails - a gel like gloss without the trip to the salon!  

Maybelline Gel Eyeliner // Don't get me wrong, I had a lot of love for this product towards the end of 2013 but since then I've rarely used it throughout 2014 (in fact, its been that long, its probably dried up and read for the bin!) I have since moved on to using eyeliner pens which I find much easier to use. 

Collection Concealer // What more can I say than LOVE LOVE LOVE! Like 2013, this is still a firm favourite of mine providing long-lasting coverage for less than £5. 

Dainty Doll Blusher (You Are My Sunshine) // As a blush lover, this one has unfortunately become lost in my stash as I had completely forgot about it until looking back over my 2013 favourites. Don't get me wrong it still is a beautiful blush - especially for summer - so hopefully I'll get some use out of it next summer. 

Classics Nail Polish Remover // Like the topcoat, this is the only remover I use - it removes polish in a couple of minutes and it's cheap so what's not to love.

John Frieda Full Repair Conditioner // I'm not really fussy with my hair conditioner so fluctuate throughout the year however, I have still used about 3 bottles of this throughout the year as I love how smooth it makes my hair feel. 

Real Techniques Buffing Brush // RT brushes are still my favourites and the ones I reach for on a daily basis. Unlike in 2013, when I used this to apply my foundation I now only use it to buff everything in once I've applied my base. 

Bourjois Colour Boost Lip Crayon (Peach on the Beach) // I still love the colour of this lip crayon but since getting my hands on the L'Oreal Color Riche Collection these have become my go-to lipsticks meaning this one has been left in the draw for sometime. 

Alpha-H Clear Skin Blemish Control Gel // I loved this product throughout 2013 but once it ran out I never repurchased and have instead moved on to The Body Shop which has helped my skin just as much as this did. 

Pretty Perfect Nail Drying Spray // This product is amazing however, I had to stop using it as I used to get quite bad headaches.

Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette // I still adore this palette and even went out and purchased my favourite shades from it in single form. 

Have any of your 2013 favourites remained favourites throughout 2014?
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It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

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Top 10 Christmas Songs

Merry Christmas Everyone // Shakin' Stevens 

Merry Christmas Everybody // Slade

Wonderful Christmastime // Paul McCartney

Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) // Darlene Love 

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year // Andy Williams 

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas // Frank Sinatra 

Stay Another Day // East 17

Sleigh Ride // The Ronettes 

Snow is Falling // Shakin' Stevens

Jingle Bell Rock // Bobby Helms

What's your favourite Christmas song?

I hope you all a very Merry Christmas!
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Christmas Gift Guide: Tech Accessories...

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Christmas Gift Guide: Fragrance Gift Sets...

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Christmas Gift Guide: Candles...

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Christmas Crackers...

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This post is all about Christmas Crackers but not just any old crackers. Beauty Christmas Crackers! These quirky crackers would make perfect little gifts for your friends and family. 

If you like these quirky gifts, take a look at my 'Beauty Baubles' post!
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Christmas Gift Guide: Luxury Beauty...

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What luxury beauty products are the top of your Christmas list?
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Christmas Tag...

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Christmas is without a doubt my favourite time of year - no matter how old I get, I still get super excited so when I came across this tag I just had too do it myself! 

Q1 // What's your favourite Christmas movie (s)?
I'm glad this question didn't just ask for 1 or I wouldn't be able to choose! Some of my favourites include Miracle on 34th Street, Elf, Home Alone (but only the first 2!), National Lampoons Christmas Vacation and Santa Claus: The Movie (this one was the one that always used to make me sooo excited!)

Q2 // Do you open your presents on Christmas morning or Christmas evening?
When I was a child, I would have all of my presents in the morning; however, since getting older I now have my presents off my parents at home in the morning and then mid afternoon/night time we go to my nanas for dinner and more presents. Although she still comes to our house in the morning as she only lives a few doors away. 

Q3 // Do you have a favourite Christmas memory?
I used to love the lead up to Christmas whilst at school; everyone would be getting excited and the school itself would be winding down ready for the break. My last year at sixth form, last year, was one of my favourite especially on Christmas Jumper Day when everyone came in sporting the cheesiest, christmassy jumper they could find. 

Q4 // What's your favourite festive food?
I don't actually like Christmas dinner (I can imagine many of you thinking WHAT?!) so I have to say my favourite festive food is the special tins of biscuits you can buy. Although I do love my Nana's homemade yorkshire puddings!

Q5 // What's been your favourite Christmas gift?
This is very hard as I've always received amazing gifts. One of my favourites as a child was my kitchen set with a microwave and everything! It literally came with about 100 pieces of fake food. I used to love pretend play when I was little so this was definitely one of my favourites as a child. However, as I've got older, my favourite Christmas gift has got to be my iPad Air which I got last year; I use it all the time and honestly can't remember what I did without it. 

Q6 // What's your favourite Christmas scent?
Cranberry! I love it. It's a scent that's always filled my house around Christmas time so it makes me feel very christmassy. 

Q7 // Do you have a Christmas Eve tradition?
Probaly pestering my mam about letting me open a present the night before!

Q8 // What tops your tree?
Nothing fancy, just a traditional star which matches the colour scheme of the tree.

Q9 // As a child, what was the one crazy, extravagant gift you wanted but never got?
I was never really one of those kids who asked for something crazy at Christmas and I don't want to sound spoilt but I honestly can't remember a Christmas where I didn't receive the gift I'd asked for. 

Q10 // What do you think is the best part of Christmas?
Spending the day with my family has got to be my favourite part of Christmas Day but in the lead up to Christmas its going to the Christmas markets and snuggling on the couch with the Christmas tree lights on, a candle burning watching a Christmas film.

And on that note, that's exactly what I'm going to do now!
If you would like to complete this tag go-ahead and let me know down below if you do as I'd love to know how other people spend their Christmas.

Merry Christmas!
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Beauty Baubles...

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These cute little beauty baubles would make perfect stocking fillers and are also great little gifts for if you're on a budget.
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Stocking Fillers...

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Christmas Jumpers...

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First of all, apologies for the lack of posts over the last couple of weeks but I have been swamped with uni work! 

As it is now December (OMG!) my posts are going to get a little bit more christmassy in the run up to Christmas so what better way to start than with a selection of some super cheesy chic Christmas Jumpers on the market this year.

 And if you want something really christmassy and out there, Primark is obviously the place to go.

Have you already got your Christmas jumper ready for 'Christmas Jumper Day 2014' taking place on Friday 12th December? 
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Recipe: Caramel Crisp Tray Bake...

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At a Christmas market last weekend, I bought myself a slice of Caramel Crisp Tray Brake and it was beautiful so I thought I'd have a go at baking one myself. 

Ingredients:

For the base
2 bars of chocolate (I used Cadbury's Diary Milk)
Rice Krispies 

For the topping
50g brown sugar
50g butter (room temperature)
400g condensed milk
2 bars of Chocolate (I used Cadbury's Diary Milk) 

Instructions:

Step One // Melt your 2 bars of chocolate over a pan of boiling water.
Step Two // Once the chocolate has melted, mix in the rice krispies until all of the chocolate has been used up.
Step Three // Press the mixture into a tray and place into the fridge for about 30 minutes.
Step Four // About 20 minutes into your cooling period, pour the condensed milk, butter and brown sugar into a pan. Allow this to boil and then boil gently for a further 5 minutes - make sure you continue to stir the mixture to ensure it does not burn.
Step Five // Pour the topping over the base and allow to cool.
Step Six // Once your base has set, melt your other 2 bars of chocolate over a pan. Then pour this over your tipping and allow it to cool.
Step Seven // Once cool, cut into squares.

I've got to say for a first attempt, this tasted delicious and I'm sure yours will too!
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Shimmer Cubes...

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Body Shop Shimmer Cubes '06 Warm' // £16

Going back a few weeks, I was placing an order on The Body Shop, when these gorgeous 'Shimmer Cubes' just happened to fall into my basket. 

Being a neutral eye shadow obsessor, I just had to have them (and I had a discount voucher so thought why not)! 

The shade I selected was "06 Warm" which is a beautiful mixture of soft brown, gold and taupe making it the perfect palette for a smokey eye. The eye shadows are very pigmented, especially the two darker shades, and the other two are stunning for using as a base shadow or inner corner highlight.
I think these eye shadows would also look amazing when used with a wet brush but I'm still yet to try this. 

I've found these eye shadows to have great staying power when used on top of my Benefit 'Stay Don't Stray' Primer but any should do. Even by the end of a long day at university, my eyes have barely creased!

The only thing I wasn't so enthralled about was the packaging of this product; as much as I love the quad of eye shadows, they all come with a lid of their own making it a little frustrating however, I removed these and will only use them when I take the palette away with me or if I only want to take a couple of the eye shadows with me.  

Verdict

Statistics
Shades: 7 different cubes
Application: Brush (dry or wet) or Fingers
Coverage: Pigmented
Finish: Slight shimmer but not overpowering
Cost: £16 for 4 cubes

Positives
-Shimmery
-Pigmented
-Buildable 
-Long lasting 
-Crease Proof 

Negatives
-Packaging is a bit of a faff.

Have you tried The Body Shop 'Shimmer Cubes'?
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Winter Accessories at New Look...

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New Look is without a doubt one of my favourite shops to pick up winter accessories; every year they bring out an amazing selection at really affordable prices. Below, I have put together a few of my top picks from this years collection.

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Christmas Gift Guide: For Him...

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Like women, men can also be a nightmare to buy for so for today's post, like Wednesday's, I've put together a selection of gifts that would be ideal for any man. 

What are you planning on buying for the men in your life?
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Christmas Gift Guide: For Her...

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Sometimes it can be quite daunting to know what to buy a woman for Christmas so I thought I'd put together a few items that would make perfect gifts for pretty much every woman. 

What's at the top of your Christmas list?
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Nails Inc Gel Effect...

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Nails Inc Gel Effect Polishes // £14

Gel formulas are all the rave at the moment in the world of beauty and Nails Inc finally decided to jump on the bandwagon. 

I received these Nails Inc Gel Effect polishes from my Nana, for my birthday, back in early September and I love them. The colours, although not very autumnal are still ones I have been frequently reaching for and the polishes themselves apply beautifully. They are quite opaque and don't streak; however, they are a little thick so take a little bit longer than a typical polish to dry.
'Kensington Passage' is a beautiful coral shade.
'Downtown' is a gorgeous vibrant hot pink. 
'Mayfair Lane' is a simple but stunning nude - perfect for pairing with the other polishes.
'Soho Place' is an aquatic blue.
Nails Inc Regents Place
'Regents Place' is a lovely powder blue.

Have you tried the Nails Inc gels? What do you think of them?
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QVC // DEBENHAMS // NAILS INC
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A/W Boots...

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When the warm, summery nights come to an end and the dark nights creep up on us, it's pretty obligatory to start hunting for the perfect pair of A/W boots that will be on the soles of your feet pretty much all season. Below I have put together so of my favourites from the local high street stores.

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My go-to Polishes for A/W...

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Despite the cold weather and rain, Autumn/Winter is my favourite time of year. I love it when the nights start to get darker and it becomes appropriate to start and burn autumnal and Christmassy candles. As well as all of that A/W colours are my absolute favourite especially in-terms of nail polishes and I believe you can't go wrong with a burgundy, purple or red during this time of year.
I love wearing a burgundy shade on my nails during A/W and adore this one from Leighton Denny as it has a slight metallic sheen to it. Leighton Denny are without a doubt my favourite higher end nail polish brand as I find the consistency of them to be perfect which allows an easy application. 
Another favourite of mine at this time of year is a deep, dark purple and this one from OPI's 'Euro Centrale Collection' is stunning and exactly what I look for in a purple shade. 
My final go-to shade for A/W is a vibrant, classic red and this one from Nails Inc, which was created exclusively for QVC, is stunning and a shade everyone should have in their collection. 

What are your favourite shades and polishes for A/W?
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Review: L'Oreal Paris Color Riche Collection Privee Lipsticks...

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Granted I'm a little bit late to the bandwagon but after seeing countless bloggers rave about this collection of nude lipsticks from L'Oreal, I finally decided to pick some up. 
As a person who has unfortunately been blessed with barely any lips, I'm very concerned about what lipsticks I wear as bold, in-your-face colours just don't look right on me therefore, I often opt for nudes or pink/peach tones. When designing this collection, L'Oreal asked 6 of their celebrity ambassadors to design their perfect nude shade ensuring their was one tailored for each different skin tones.

After lots of swatching, I finally decided to pick up Barely Griege by Jennifer Lopez and Barely Peach by Julianne Moore and I've been opting to wear these ever since! As these are the first lipsticks I've tried from L'Oreal, I can't compare them to others in their collections but what I can say is these lipsticks are beautiful. The formula is lovely and creamy leaving your lips feeling very smooth and hydrated which is most probably down to the ingredients Lanolin Oil and Sesame Seed Oil, and they are exceptionally pigmented and buildable. 
Barely Griege by Jennifer Lopez 
This lipstick is described by L'oreal as a "subtly gray pink nuance that discreetly enhances the beauty of greige based complexions" or to put it more simply "for brunettes with fair complexions" which pretty much sums me up. I adore this nude lipstick and it has fast become my go to lipstick as I find it so easy to wear and it's super flattering with my skin tone. 
Barely Peach by Julianne Moore
L'Oreal state that this "sensual and delicate lipstick enhances the radiance of pale complexions and endows them with elegance and sophistication" and I couldn't agree more. Like Julianne, I have quite pale skin and since purchasing this lipstick I have found it perfect for giving me a natural pinky-peach lip which has so far, complimented many of my make-up looks. 
Other colours available in the collection are Doutzen's Nude (Barely Pink), Eva's Nude (Barely Golden), Frieda's Nude (Barely Parma) and Liya's Nude (Barely Moka). Although I may not have the same skin tones as these women, I will definitely be picking up a few more from the collection (Doutzen's is top of my list!) because, although not a perfect match, they will most definitely be wearable and I am in love with the formulation of these lipsticks. 

I love the fact L'Oreal have taken into consideration the vast amounts of hair and skin colours when designing this collection so a huge well done to L'Oreal!

Verdict

Statistics
Shades: 6  
Application: Smooth & Hydrating
Coverage: Even & Buildable
Finish: Slight glossy sheen 
Cost: £8.19 for 5ml

Positives
-Smooth coverage
-Stunning glossy sheen
-Very pigmented 
-Buildable 
-Hyrdating
-Long lasting 
-Lightweight formula

Negatives
-I honestly can't think of one!

What's your favourite nude lipstick from this collection? And if not this collection just your go to nude?
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Christmas Advent Calendars 2014...

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It's that time of year again when the Christmas Advent calendars start to arrive in the stores, and I'm not talking about the chocolate ones, I'm talking about the amazing beauty ones! I've compiled together a few of the ones I've got my eye on and I'll definitely be picking up one of them.

This is definitely the most luxurious of the advent calendars I have listed and the most expensive, coming in at £85; now although that sounds like a lot of money for an advent calendar, the Selfridges Beauty Calendar is guaranteed to be jam-packed with lots of fabulous goodies with the likes Urban Decay, Yves Saint Laurent, Kiehl's, Lancome and many more brands being included. If this is the calendar for you, then I'd recommend grabbing yours now as last years was a sell out. 
Available: NOW!

L'Occitane's advent calendar is a little different in the way that it offers 13 gifts rather than the typical 24. Although fewer doors to open, this calendar is still full of wonderful products including fragrance, body care and skincare.
Available: 3rd November

The Body Shops Beauty Calendar is full of lots of fantastic beauty treats including bestselling body and face care as well as some of their latest additions making the count down to Christmas that little bit more exciting. Also, with every calendar that is sold, the Body Shop are donating to the charity War Child which helps send children, in conflict areas, to school.  
Available: NOW!

After the amazing success of their first beauty calendar last year, Benefit are back again this year with another stocked full of many of their bestselling products including POREfessional, High Beam and They're Real! Not only will you be receiving 18 mini's, you will also receive 6 other goodies including Beauty Sticky Notes and a Doodle Pad.  
Available: 16th October

Granted this isn't a beauty advent calendar but I absolutely love Yankee Candles so couldn't not include this. This calendar is jam-packed with Christmas scented tea lights including Cranberry Ice and Christmas Cookie. I love the concept of this calendar because the way I look at it is, each day you will be able to burn a tea light as a mark of the Christmas countdown meaning your home can be full of Christmassy goodness right up until the day itself. 
Available: NOW!

This year, Yankee have launched not one but TWO advent calendars! This one is also packed full of Christmassy tea lights but in more fragrances.
Available: NOW!

If you'd like to get your hands on one of these calendars you'd better act fast as they're pretty much guaranteed to be a sell out.

Which one do you have your eye on? Or if none of the above which one?
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Making a Statement...

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Statement necklaces are everywhere this season and I can't get enough of them! I absolutely love a statement necklace as they can make even the simplest of outfits that little bit more special. The one's below are just a select few of the one's I have my eye on. 

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