October Favourites

This has been the only month of the year so far, which I haven't thought has flown by. However, holy smokes November is just around the corner which means Christmas is well on its way.

Up first, the Hourglass Blush Palette I rediscovered this palette of dreams this month, and by golly am I glad that I did. This is not only so aesthetically appeasing - just look at the marble effect on those blushers. But most of all, the pigmentation is like nothing else which I own, these are way above anything from MAC. They glide on so easily, and the formula is so finely milled every aspect of the product is picked up and transferred on to my face. The palette contains three shades which are completely different which is what I totally love about this, as there is so much variation within the shades. Luminous Flush is the perfect everyday pink to add a glow to the cheeks. Incandescent Electra is the shade I have been using the most this month, it is a baby pink which adds the perfect amount of natural colour. Mood Exposure looks very scary in the pan, but in fact it is a great autumnal shade as it is slightly nude toned and looks gorgeous with a berry lip. Unfortunately this palette is no longer available but you can pick up the individual shades.

This month has been all about getting back into the routine of 6am starts which has not been easy. This means I don't want to have to shower in the morning, as an extra 10 minutes in bed will always win. Therefore, my trusty Batiste Dry Shampoo has been my best friend to help make my hair look a little more alive. It is super easy to use and I think it is the best one on the beauty market. With a few sprays my hair looks instantly refreshed and less greasy, and it just adds some overall life back into my hair.

MAC Brave is a satin finish which is lovely as it adds an overall polished finish to your lips. Its a dark pink with beige running through it, I always have this in the depths of my handbag as it is just so wearable. It is the perfect in between shade as it is not too light and not too dark, and honestly you can wear this shade with anything. It is hands down the most versatile lipstick which I own, and everyone should have it within their collection.

My mum bought me this Just Pink Reed Difusser  as a little extra for my birthday back in July. I brought it to my room away at uni, and it has taken a firm place on my side cabinet next to my television. I love how fragranced it really is, and the scent fulfills the room. The Just Pink scent is Next's best seller, and no wonder as the scent is floral and very fresh. This is such great value at just £8, compared with some other difussers which can be really expensive. I think this would make a perfect present for someone's birthday/ Christmas.

What have you been loving in October?

Lucy
xoxo

Body Shop Sale Haul

Another lovely blogger gave me the heads up that The Body Shop had a rather large sale, which she was not lying about. I could not believe the prices of some products, and I quickly made an order before all the bargains were snatched up. There is a huge sale already happening on the site with products being up to 50% off. However, I got my hands on a sneaky 40% off code, which took an extra 40% off all products sale and non sale. As you can imagine things were pretty cheap, all the prices mentioned are with all the discounts.

I could of gone absolutely crazy, but for once I reigned myself and only bought things which I knew that I would use. I have never tried anything from the beauty range from The Body Shop, so I thought I would take a risk and order one of the Colourglide Shine Lip Colour in the colour Rose Quartz I actually really like this colour and I can see myself getting good use for it. At just £1.20 I could not complain. This was the biggest bargain I would say, I love their lip butters they are great for seriously dehydrated lips, and they are not too rough on the lips. The Chocomania Lip Butter was just £0.60, I think I might gift this to my sister as the scent seems more up her street, I think it would be a little sickly for me. I decided to switch it up and go with the Passion Fruit Shower Gel,  I have been currently using the Strawberry version which is lovely. The consistency of these gels are silky smooth, and I really like that the scent lingers on my skin after washing it off. I was in desperate need of a new hand cream, with all the hand washing on placement my hands get so dry and cracked around my knuckles. Therefore, I thought I would test and try the Soft Hands Kind Hearts Hand Cream to see if it does the job. On first impressions, I really like the scent of this, it is not too overpowering and it seems to do the job pretty well. Unfortunately, the Cranberry Bath Jelly seems to be now be sold out online, but you can get in store if your quick! I have never tried this before but the concept sounds great. The tub is huge and for £1.80, I am hoping it makes both me and my bath smell delightful.

The only product I didn't purchase from the sale was the Tea Tree Blemish Night Lotion. When reading the description it was something which I felt I needed to incorporate into my night time routine. I am currently trying to develop the perfect skincare routine, morning and night and I don't have any targeted blemish treatment in it currently. My skin is very much acne prone, I've had acne since the age of 13, even though it is now mild I would like it to be gone well and truly. For £6 it was a product which I was willing to take a risk with, and I hope it helps my skin.

All together it came to £12.60, and with the voucher code of 14317 I also got free delivery over orders of £10. I am not a 100% certain when this code expires, but if you sign up to their emails, they continuously have offers on all the time.

Lucy
xoxo

My Blogging Schedule - How I Get The Balance

Within the #bbloggers chat on Wednesdays and Sundays, which I have been totally loving joining in recently, I have seen a lot of bloggers asking how people get the right blog/life balance. I think this is very tricky as everyone has so much going on in their individual day to day lives, it can be very easy to take on way too much. I thought I would put this post together, just letting you know how I have got into a good routine recently which I have really found has taken off the overloaded pressure which I was taking on. Obviously it not going to suit everyone, but even if it gives you just a few tips which you might not have thought of, or you can adapt to suit yourself. I also love reading these posts from other bloggers, to find where I can improve and utilise my time effectively.

Now I am not going to lie or exaggerate but I am a busy person at the moment. I am currently in the last year of my degree which is intense as it is. I also work as I get barely anything to live off thanks to the lovely NHS bursary people - no lying £20 a week. But thankfully I have amazing parents who help my out with my funds so I can at least eat, pay petrol and socialise every once and a while. I am also currently on placement as part of my degree which have 12 week blocks of placement, this year I have two weeks off for Christmas in the middle of it. The shifts can vary from long days which are 7am-8pm three times a week, or night shifts 7pm-8am. I could alternatively have a mixture of early shifts 7am-3pm, and late shifts 2pm-10pm which you would do five of in one week. Attending uni is always running alongside placement, along with one chunky assignment every month. I then need to find time to socialise with my friends and take the occasional trip home to see my family. The hardest thing to differently balance is my blog.

My blog is really important to me, and for me to have to face taking a few weeks or months off from it is a really daunting thought. It is something which is very personal and I feel very passionate about. Overall, it brings me a lot of happiness and joy, which is why I keep making posts. I did struggle massively last year, with getting into a blogging routine, and I never really did find my niche and that was the problem. Come this September I knew it was definitely time to finally get organised. When I am at uni and not on placement, I always plan to have at least one morning or afternoon of my weekend to take my photos and write my posts. The most important thing for me is to take my photos at the weekend, and to edit and upload them. This way I know that they are all prepared. If I don't manage to get all of my posts written up at the weekend I don't stress. If I finish uni early or I know that one night I will have a few hours free, I schedule that time to finishing preparing and writing the posts. This is harder when I am on placement as I often work nights and weekends. However, planning ahead and taking a few hours of one day to photograph, and a few hours later on in the week to finish writing and finalising posts seems to always work well.

Brainstorming is the newest addition to my routine, which sounds crazy but it's true. I previously just went with the flow blogging about what I wanted, when I wanted, which was fine. But after investing in my now life saver of a notebook, I now wonder where it has been all my life. At the start of the month I take a page and put all the dates of the days in which I will be posting on down the left hand side. For me my routine has been Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, and I have really been enjoying this formation. This is actually an addition post to last year but with a little bit of organisation it is no extra stress. I then put the name of the post, and a section split into two saying 'post' and 'photos'. I then tick once completed so I know exactly where I am up to, and what is still left to do. I do everything in pencil as I often change my mind, and it makes everything much simpler. This has been an absolute game changer for me, and after a month of this plan I already feel so much more relaxed and in control of where I am up to. I usually brainstorm a lot of ideas at the start of the month, and write a big list of all my ideas. I then fill them in within my notebook of where I think they will work best. I always leave gaps as I know that new ideas will always occur and will need somewhere to fit it. It is really easy if you pencil in your monthly posts, such as favourites and wishlists start away where they belong on your schedule so those dates are taken.

For me currently uni is my priority, and blogging is a hobby. At the end of the day, I want a career as a nurse and I haven't spent three years at uni for nothing. Whilst other people have other hobbies and find time for them, I take this same attitude with my blog. I think a lot of bloggers put too much pressure on themselves to always deliver, but everyone is different, and leads different lives and some times it is simply not possible. I like to always be one week ahead knowing that I have one or two posts scheduled, and therefore not having to be stressing myself out about not having a post for the next day. However, if this was to happen at the end of the day it is your blog, and you blog when you want to, and more importantly when you can. You do not want to just put a post up which you are not happy with just so you have fresh content, as it is not a true representation of you and your abilities. Sometimes I also am just not in the mood to blog at all, and I have find that when I feel like this I shouldn't as I am simply forcing myself to write content. A little tip I would say that if you maybe have a few days off from college/uni/placement/work, is to possible try and prepare a bank of posts. I have started to find this super useful, even just start to draft posts and ideas to give you something to work off. Last Sunday, I spent the morning taking photos for four posts, and I managed to write and schedule two there and then. It is definitely about utilising your time. On Sunday mornings, if possible I like I lie in bed catching up on TV and watching YouTube videos for a few hours. But I also use this time to get myself some breakfast, a hot drink, and sit and plan and draft posts. Like I have said I understand, that not many peoples life's will be the same or even similar to mine. I will finish by once again reinforcing, it is your blog, your schedule and your life.

What tips do you have for getting your blogs organised?

Lucy
xoxo

feelunique Order

After last weeks #bbloggers chat on Wednesday night, I was informed that there was a sneaky offer on Feelunique.co.uk where when you spent £25 you got £10 off. For me this is one of the best offers which I have seen in a while, and there has been a few bits which I have been wanting for ages, so I took advantage of the offer and made a few purchases.

I have been wanting to try the Fleur DeForce lip glosses which are exclusively available on the website since their release last month. What I find intriguing about this product is that it is a mixture of a lip gloss and a liquid lipstick. There are six colours in the range which I think are all really beautiful, making the decision of which one to choose really difficult. I watched Fleur's video on her range approximately 10 times deciding what colour I wanted! I finally decided on Starlight which is a really beautiful mid toned pink shade. I was going to go for a brighter shade but as I am currently on placement until Christmas, I thought this would be an excellent everyday shade to add a pop of colour to my lips. At £6.99 I think these are really great value, and I have really high expectations for them, as from the swatches in her video they look super pigmented and smooth. 

Next up, I picked up the Antipodes Moisture Boost Mini's Kit. I have been wanting to try Antipodes as a brand for so long now, like literally months. The price tag has always been what has put me off as it is by no means cheap, it is definitely a high end brand. I have been wanting to try both the Divine Face Oil and the Vanilla Pod Hydrating Day Cream, so this little set instantly caught my eye. For £12.99, after doing some sums it works out to cost the exact same amount in terms of the amount of mls in each product, compared with buying the full size versions. I am super excited to have finally got my hands on this set, and I am going to be instantly putting both products to the test. 

Now I know they sell this in Boots and Superdrug, but I have been meaning to pick it up for some time now and I keep forgetting. I have heard so many great things about the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge, and it was finally time for me to try it out for myself. It is described as a 3 in 1 sponge - having the rounded sides to blend, the tip for precision and the flat edge contours around the nose and eyes. I have always been impressed by Real Techniques products and I recommend their brushes to anyone who will listen!

I was super excited for this package to arrive, and I was even more happy as it only came to the grand total of £15.97. An added bonus was that I also got free delivery, as they offer this service on every order over £10. I will let you know as soon as they have been put to the test how I get on with these products, they are sure to feature in up and coming posts here on my blog.

Did you pick anything up in the offer?

Lucy
xoxo

My Three Current Beauty Must Haves

This Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara is the first mascara that I have ever bought and liked compared to my holy grail which is Maxfactor's False Lash Effect. In my makeup collection mascaras is something which I do not buy or often try. I think I currently own 3 or 4 mascaras and that is it, I have bought so many over the years and have hated so many of them. This from Maybelline however, has fast become a part of my every day makeup routine which I have been super happy about. I bought the latest waterproof version and it has been working really well. I think the best feature of it is the amount of length which it gives my lashes. I feel like the formula is slightly too wet so with this, less is definitely more.

My official first Autumn purchase was the Maybelline Color Sensation Matte Lipstick in Divine Wine. I do not own anything like this, I have never previously been brave enough to branch out into such a dark berry toned shade. But I have really been loving it, it has not been my go to lipstick for everyday due to its dark colouring. However, every night time occasion which I have recently had, this has been on my lips. It is really pigmented and I like how it is has a red tone running throughout it, as I have fair skin it is not too overpowering.

I have been using this for a few months now, and I am only just getting round to featuring it on my blog. The product in question is the REN Evercalm Gentle Cleansing Gel. It is a soft gel which you gently rub into your skin and then wash off, and I find that it works really well. As it states it is a gentle cleanser, and is very calming and soothing on the skin. I think it works great for my skin type which is dry and acne prone, as the ingredients are very simple and contains nothing to complicated to upset my skin.

What are your current must haves?

Lucy
xoxo

Autumn Edit: Beauty

These seasonal edit posts have become a huge favourite of mine this year. Last week I did an Autumn Edit: Skincare post which you can have a read of here. Today we are talking all things beauty which excites me hugely. I took me a good few days to formulate what products I wanted in this post, but I got there in the end!

The Maybelline Lash Sensation Mascara has been something I wanted to pick up for ages, and when my beloved Maxfactor False Lash Effect ran out I thought it was finally time to branch out. It's so hard trying to choose a new mascara as there are so many out there on the market. I am super happy with this as it adds lots of volume and length which is exactly what I need. I have the waterproof version which is an added bonus.

This is my third MAC Skinfinish Powder as I just cannot find anything which compares to this. I wear the shade Medium which is a brilliant match for my skin. It is not too heavy on the skin, and it is build able depending on individual preferences. It has a finely milled texture meaning it is breathable, and helps to set my base makeup really well. One of these powders lasts me about 6 months, I also love that it has a mirror in the packaging as it is just so convenient.

Autumn screams berry shades to me, and this  Maybelline Lasting Sensations Lipstick in Divine Wine is the perfect addition to anyone's lipstick collection. It is not too dark as that is what worries me about darker shades, as I have a pale complexion and I think some lipsticks can be too overpowering. You do have to keep up with applying this, especially after eating as it fades a little bit due to it being a matte finish. I think this range is a really good drugstore range for matte lipsticks, I just wish they would expand the range a little bit more.

Rimmel Cocktail Colour Nail Polish in Hawaiian Punch (not available online) is a lovely dark pink with shimmer, it has a red undertone which is what I like and it seems more season appropriate. The formula is quite thick and I only need one layer, which is such an advantage as I don't particularly enjoy painting my nails! I think this colour however is very versatile for both day and evening.

The Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation has featured in quite a few recent posts over on my blog. It has now become a firm favourite and I think it is really great for the a Autumn season as it is a medium-high coverage which is what I like for the colder seasons. This has a really good lasting power, when used with a good base and a primer.

Sephora Lip Cream in Manderin Muse just had to feature in this post. This is my favourite lip product of the moment, the formulation is sensational. It is so pigmented with just one application, and I actually really love how bright and bold this is. I think orange is lovely for this season and adds a pop of colour to a simple golden eye look. If there was a Sephora in the UK I would definitely have every shade from this range. It is one those products that until you have tried them, you can not quite understand how amazing they really are.

I have a love/ hate with eyeliner, and I am very particular with what I use. I have tried both pencil and gel before and I have always gone back to liquid as it is what I find easiest to use. I have always headed towards the drugstores for eyeliners and this Rimmel Scandal Eyes is by far the best of the bunch. It has a really thin nib which is what I always look for. I always want something which is going to make precision as easy as possible. I also want something long lasting as I don't want it flaking off as the day goes on.

What are your Autumn essentials?

Lucy
xoxo

Black Dungarees

I have been wanting some black dungarees for at least 2 months now, and I have not been able to find myself the perfect pair. I ordered some off ASOS twice and both pairs were faulty, which was such a pain. I then set my heart on some in Topshop and they had them in the Petite range, which I saw as an added bonus. However, I am only 5 foot tall and they were way too short on me, and I did not like the design of the ones in the regular range. I spent the whole of last Saturday shopping around for the perfect pair and I finally found this pair in River Island. I went for the black slim leg style, as that is what suits my body shape the best. I was so happy as they fit really well, I have to turn them up once or twice, due to them being in the regular range. I like the turned up look anyway, and they fit exactly how I wanted them to. They were not cheap at £48, but I am going to be able to wear them a lot throughout Autumn and Winter.

They are super easy to wear, and you can throw on all different types of tees underneath them. You can dress them up, or down like I have for a lazy Sunday with my new white leather converse. I think they are a staple piece to have in your wardrobe, and they have been everywhere this season. I featured here on my blog a light denim pair of dungarees earlier in the Summer which you can read about here. I have worn them to death, which is surprising as I was not too sure about them when I first got them, it's great as I will continue to wear them into the Autumn. It is really lovely as girls at uni are always asking me where I got them from, and complementing me on how much they like them. I wanted the black version as an alternative, and like I say I think black is more season appropriate. I can style them with cosy knits, my leather jacket or a structured coat. I know not everyone loves dungarees and I was in that camp, until I bought my first pair. I swear if you find the right fit, style and colour for you, you will be able to rock them and do it well!

Do you love or loathe dungarees?

Lucy
xoxo

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation

This Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation is the first high end product which I have bought in a while that I haven't instantly loved. There was huge hype around the release of this product, and I had my eye on purchasing it at some point. As I already own Nars Sheer Glow I was going to wait for it to run out before I picked it up. However, when I headed into my nearest Selfridge's and I saw the huge display of the foundations I was really intrigued. I had some birthday money which I had not spent, so I decided to treat myself.

I actually had a really bad experience with my assistant colour matching my skin. She originally matched me to the shade 5, but my sister noticed it was a little too dark and so did I. I do have to say that I had just got back from my holidays and I was a little tanned, but I felt that it was still dark for my skin tone. The assistant tried to convince me that shade 5 was correct, but I asked her to apply the 4.5 to my skin for comparison. I felt that this was much closer to my skin tone, even with my slight tan. I therefore decided to go with the shade 4.5, I really like that they have shades which are just half a shade darker as it can make a huge difference to getting an exact match.

I was dying to try it myself, so the next day I jumped at the chance to use it. First impressions, I was not totally convinced at its 'magic' properties, and I found it a bit disappointing considering the £29.50 price tag. I found that it was quite drying and clung to dry patches. For this foundation I definitely need a primer, I use the Laura Mercier one which works really well. It definitely took a few days before I started to like this, and fully understand how it works. Whereas with the Nars Sheer Glow it was instant love. After a few uses I realised that it was in fact actually working well with my skin type, it was just different to anything else I have previously used. My skin is quite dry at the moment and I have noticed that it does in fact add some glow and dewiness. It is a demi-matte finish which is something new to me, but I like the way in which it sets. I would say that it is a medium-full coverage, which I really like compared to Sheer Glow which is lighter. My skin is acne prone, and sometimes full coverage foundations feel very heavy and cakey on the skin. This still feels light and fresh which is one of it's best features. I used the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush to apply this, and it works really well giving an even coverage to the skin. It contains SPF 15 which is always an added bonus to any face product. In terms of it's longevity since day one I have been impressed. It lasts a good amount of hours, and I do not feel like it sinks in or sits on top of my skin.

Have you tired or want to try this magic foundation?

Lucy
xoxo

Autumn Edit: Skincare

I discovered the Evercalm Cleansing Gel from REN, in the Harvey Nichols sale and I have been completely in love with it ever since. Out of everything in this post, this is my must have skincare product for this season. I bought it completely clueless about the product, but it sounded like the perfect, gentle cleanser to help clear my skin. I have been testing this out for a good few months using it a few times a week at night, and it makes my skin feel so smooth and cleansed. At £15 it is much cheaper than other high end skincare cleansers, and you get 150ml which is going to last me for a while.

I have recently rediscovered the Clinique Anti Blemish Cleansing Foam. I was using this religiously before the summer, and I forgot to take it home with me. As soon as I arrived back at uni last month, I started using it again most mornings, and I feel like it does cleanse my skin really well. I feel like it helps to reduce and prevent my acne from worsening. It is £18, which is by no means cheap but it has lasted me a good 6 months, and you only need one pump of the product for the entire face and neck.

The Body Shop Vitamin E Overnight Serum was a product which I had hanging around in my skincare stash forever, before I started to actually use it. I have never really been into serums but this is a 2 in 1 serum and oil, and it is a perfect combination. It does help to replenish dull skin, and helps to refresh and brighten the skin. Even though it is oil based, it is none greasy and absorbs into the skin really well. You only need a few drops, and I think it is a great find at £15 as serums are usually rather expensive.

The Soap and Glory The Ultimelt was something which I heard many bloggers writing about as a cheap alternative to many high end versions. I am a bigger lover of Soap and Glory as a brand, and have bought many skincare products from them and I have always been impressed. If you have acne prone skin like me, you will really love this. It also helps to fight clogged pores, and I love using a mask as it feels like it has reached the lower layers of skin. It really is a deep cleansing product to use 1-2 times a week to help rebalance and thoroughly cleanse. This is currently on offer for £6.67 from Boots which is great value.

Garnier's Micellar Cleansing Water has been a firm favourite of mine for months now. You can see that I have used about two thirds of it up, but it has latest me a good 5/6 months as you get 400ml per bottle. It states you get 200 uses which is probably precise, I used this is my first cleanser every night. I firstly take off my eye makeup which it is brilliant for, as it breaks everything down super easily without being rough. For my skin I find it very soothing, and I like that it is water as it does not leave a sticky residue on my skin. I used Bioderma for ages but swapped to this for convenience, and it is just the same quality and half the price.

The Sanctuary Moisture Boosting Mask is such a great drugstore one stop product to help clear and hydrate your skin. You can get your hands on these in Boots, and they sell a few different variations including the clay detox version which I also really like. But as the weather gets colder, my skin gets dried and I am always in need of as much hydration as possible, and this is exactly what this does. It contains lavender oils which help to replenish and add some glow back into your skin.

What are your Autumn skincare must haves?

Lucy
xoxo

Recent Drugstore Pickups

I recently took a little trip to Boots as I needed a new mascara and I ended up coming out with one, but with quite a few other items in tow.

I did a whole post dedicated to the Fleur & Fabulous lashes which you can find here, so I am not going to go into huge detail. But, since that review I have bought this pair as I liked them so much. I don't need to cut them to size, and they give just the right amount of length and volume without being over the top. At £5.95 they are great value, and it is great that they also come with adhesive.

To the mascara which I headed into store for. I was going to buy my holy grail MaxFactor False Lash Effect, but I have seen so many reviews saying how great the Maybelline Lash Sensation was I thought I would try it out. I choose the new waterproof version, as I always opt for it if there is the choice. I have big expectations for this, so hopefully it will produce the goods.

I have been wanting to get my hands on the Maybelline Color Sensation Matte  range for ages now as they look really beautiful. I picked up two colours Divine Wine and Magnetic Magenta. The whole range looked really lovely, but I had to whittle it down to just two to try out. Divine Wine looks like the perfect autumnal berry shade, which is the exact reason why I picked it up. Magnetic Magenta is a vivid pink, which I love all year round and this is a really lovely shade. I am excited at the fact that they are creamy and not too drying which is the problem with many matte lipsticks.

Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick in Technicoral is a lovely mid toned orange. I have lots of vibrant oranges and I like the fact that is more of a gloss rather than a lipstick. I really love Soap & Glory as a brand and I am always trying out their skincare pieces. I have never really ventured into their makeup range, so I was excited to pick this up and test it out. It is currently on offer for £3.50 as it is a new launch, there is a good variety of colours within the range so I suggest you check them out next time you pop down to Boots.

Another Soap & Glory item I picked up is Sexy Mother Pucker Lip Plumping Gloss in Pink Apricot. The first thing you notice about this is the scent is very similar to Terry's chocolate orange. I initially loved the idea but I think it might become a little sickly once I have it on my lips. I will test it out and report back. I picked this up thinking I could wear it with the gloss stick as they are both peachy toned products.

The Boots Essential Cucumber Wipes are my go to wipes out of any brand. At just £1.50 they do the job perfectly, and I always make sure to pick up a pack whenever I am in store. They also always put these on a 2 packets for £2 offer, which is insanely great value. I like the scent of cucumber as it leaves the skin refreshed and seems to add a little cooling to my face. I would definitely recommend these just to help with touching up makeup, and also for those lazy nights where you want a quick solution to getting your makeup off.

Lucy
xoxo

White Leather Converse

Last week I finally took the plunge and bought the white Oxford All Star Leather Converse which have been on my must buy list forever. I have previously owned two pairs of converse, and I have always been impressed with the quality and the amount of wear which I have got out of them. The pair which I had been wearing for the last year were the Dainty Canvas , which were super comfortable and had a thin sole. I bought them in the summer and they seemed to be more suitable for the season and they were super easy to wear. For the more colder months, I choose to go with a thicker sole and also the leather texture. I had learnt with my previous pair that white canvas, gets incredibly dirty very easily and I was constantly cleaning them. Therefore I thought that leather would be less dirty and easier to clean - that was my logical anyway. Also, the thicker sole will take a lot longer to dread down which was the reason why I needed to replace my previous pair.

They cost £55 and I bought them from Schuh. They had a 20% off student discount offer which means I got a hefty £11 off, which made me super happy. I went for my normal shoe size which is a 3 and they fit well and are really comfortable. What I love the most is that I know that I will get  a really good amount of use out of them. They are incredibly versatile, especially in white. I will wear them with jeans, trousers, skirts, dresses, you name it I will find someway to make my converse work with them.

Lucy
xoxo

September Favourites

September is the month to embrace all things autumnal including blankets, candles, hot chocolates and sitting in front of the fire. It is also the time to switch up your makeup and skincare routines, and go a little wild buying too many pairs of boots and one to many coats. For me I have really enjoyed September, as I am back at uni for my final year. I have been treating myself to a few things to help my transition in the autumn, and this means I have quite a few favourites this month.

First up, the Jo Malone Cologne in Nectarine Honey and Blossom. I got this for my 21st Birthday. It is not what you would class as a traditional autumnal fragrance. But I am not really into woody fragrances, and I always venture towards more fruity scents. This is a sweet scent which is what I really love, it is not too overpowering and lingers beautifully on the skin. As it is a cologne it has such strong scents, and it lasts so long on the skin it definitely out does any of my other perfumes into terms of longevity.

Woodwinked is a classic shade from MAC, and I think it was the first ever shade which I picked up from the brand and boy was it a good choice. This is my most used and reliable eyeshadow in my makeup collection. It is the perfect mid toned golden shade, and it is easy to blend with many shades. It is part of the Veluxe Pearl range, meaning it does contain slight shimmer but nothing to overpowering. The texture of these eye shadows are creamy, and super easy to work with. If anyone ever asks me for an everyday eyeshadow recommendation, this is always what I suggest.

The Brow Wiz range from Anastasia Beverly Hills was something which I was quite late to hop on the hype too. I wear the lightest shade of the range which is Taupe/Ash Blonde. I was worried that it would be a little too light for my skin tone, as my hair is a dark blonde. On the site it recommends this for platinum to light blondes, but I think it is darker than it suggests which was perfect for me. I love how fine the nib is, meaning you are able to easy replicate real eyebrow hairs. I also love that you get a spoolie on the other end of the pencil which helps to define the overall look.

The Zoeva All Over Shader Brush is an excellent brush for easy and quick application of eyeshadow. It is great as you can apply an overall wash of colour to the entire eyelid in one sweep. I also like this for blending into the crease, as the shape of the brush is flat and wide allowing just the right amount of product to be applied. I really need to try more brushes from their range as they are such great value and price.

To round up this month's favourite I bring you my most deliberated foundation ever. At first I totally did not get the hype, but after a little perseverance I have started to really quite like it. This product in question is the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation. It comes in 15 different shades, I am the colour 4.5 which is a really good match to my skin tone. It is a medium coverage, and blends really well. I do think that it can cling a little to dry patches but with a good base you can overcome this.

What have been your September Favourites?

Lucy
xoxo

October Beauty and Fashion Wishlist

I have been featuring a few wishlists here on my blog, and they seem to have been going down really well. I've decided to make it a monthly feature, as I really enjoy making them and also enjoy reading other bloggers wishlists.

This Anastasia Beverly Hills Illuminator in So Hollywood, looks like ultimate perfection product. The detailing on this product is so dreamy, at £28 it seems a lot but I think I am just going to have to take the plunge and splurge on it. I have been wanting this Funnel Neck Jumper  from ASOS ever since I saw it on Inthefrow's blog last week in one of her LFW posts. For £35 it seems like a great autumnal piece to have in your wardrobe, and I think I will be able to wear it in lots of different ways. These Oxblood Cigarette Trousers also from ASOS look right up my street and for £22.00 they seem like a real steal product, and I am definitely going to buy them.

How gorgeous is this Zara Messenger Bag? The delicate feather detailing on this is beautiful and looks like it should be really expensive, I was so surprised at it being just £22.99. I am definitely going to have to pick it up, it is must have piece for this season. I love Jo Malone fragrances, and I bought this scent in Blackberry and Bay for my friends birthday, and it is simply a stunning fragrance. I adore fruity scents and this is a perfect addition to my fragrance collection. The Stitch Check Jumper from New Look is excellent value for just £22.99. I love the contrast of the blue and white together, and I think it is a lovely bold jumper to brighten an outfit up.

This Sleeveless Belted Jacket from Topshop is in such a lovely dark burgundy red shade. For £50.00 it is not cheap, but I think it is a great versatile piece, and I love berry shades of clothing for the Autumn. I love these Leather Ankle Boots  from Zara for £69.99. The dark grey shade is really lovely and different to all other boots I have seen this season. This lipstick has been featured on many blogs as the perfect transitional shade into Autumn. It comes from Charlotte Tilbury from her Matte Revolution line in the shade Glastonberry. I already own two lipsticks from this line and have reviews on them both, the shades are Sexy Sienna and Very Victoria. I love the pigmentation and easy application of these. Glastonberry is stunning and I have to have it in my life, but at £23 it doesn't come cheap.

Have you got your eyes on anything in particular this month?

Lucy
xoxo

Kiko Cosmetics Haul

         

 

Considering the brand is called Kiko Milano there was something extra special about visiting the store actually in Milan. The store was not in the centre of the city, but I stumbled across it by accident whilst seeks out somewhere to eat even more pizza! I have bought quite a few bits from the company on previous trips to Italy and I have been rather impressed with the quality of their products. I only had a few things on my list when I went to store, so I went in with a pretty open mind. As always I went a little crazy, as there was so much which I just could not leave on the shelves. There was a huge sale on, so the usual "it's only... Euros" seemed to leave my mouth quite frequently whilst waltzing around the store.

So to what actually made it to the tills...

The Creamy Long Lasting Eyeshadow Sticks were at the top of my must buy list, there has been so many comparisons of these to both the Bobbi Brown and By Terry versions which are at least 4x the cost, which were just €6.90. The shade Rosy Brown (05) instantly caught my attention, and fitted into my usual golden brown category which I always head for. Now I had an absolute disastrous time with this, I swatched it in the shop and then picked it up off the shelves. As it was in a box I did not check the individual item. When I got back to my hotel back in Tremezzo - Lake Como (approximately 2 hours away!), I realised that it had been used and there was barely any product left and it was smudged everywhere. I thought that I wouldn't be able to get another one, but I went into Como and was surprised to see that there was in fact a Kiko store and I managed to buy another one. But I was still angry at the fact that I had one which was unusable so when I went into Como again, I took it into the store and explained the story and the assistant just swapped it for me. Therefore I now have two Rosy Browns, but I can at least use them, and it's always good to have backups!

On the same display they had many of shades on sale at just €3.40. My first impressions of these are that they are very pigmented and long lasting, I had to seriously scrub my hand to get it off when swatching in the shop. I picked up the shades Golden Taupe (38) and Passion Fruit (21).  I am really excited to try these and will report back soon. I had been told about the cream eyeshadow pots, but on swatching I did not like the consistency, as they seemed quite thick and stodgy.

I am not a huge lip liner person really, I own two and I only wear them occasionally. However, when I saw these on the sale display for just €1.20 I had to try them out. I picked up two, in the shades Pearly Pink Peony (701) and Coral (702). I am hoping to be able to wear these under most lipsticks as they are versatile and not too bright or vibrant. The Lip Gloss Pencils look like a similar concept to the Maybelline Drama Lip Pencils which I really like. At just €3.90 I picked up just one from this line in the shade Deep Pink (06), it is a medium toned pink with sparkles which is just up my street. I convinced my mum to pick up one of these as she's always drawn to a good pink lipstick and she liked the concept once I had explained it to her about 5 times!

I saw the Deco Delight lipstick range on the Kiko website a while ago, and was so intrigued by the dots on the lipstick and basically just how pretty it looked. I had also seen these in lots of hauls and magazines, and really wanted to pick one up and I was most drawn to the shade Frison Rose (02). The whole Miami Beach Babe Range was on a 30% off promotion, which was great (heads up now 50% off on the Kiko website). From the same line I also picked up a two tone blush in the shade Doral (02) for €6.90 and the Click Slick Eyeliner in Black (06) for €4.90. The whole range looked fun and intriguing, and the products which I picked up were all quickly chosen, so hopefully I've bought some great pieces.

At the tills they had this beautiful highlighter in the shade Beam of Light (02) (unfortunately not online) which I instantly added to my bill. It is a beautiful iridescent highlighter with a slight pink tone to it which is seriously gorgeous, and at €5.00 it was a steal. 

I actually saw the Rebel Romantic Collection, but none of it actually took my fancy on first impressions. I might have to have a good look around on the website to see if there's anything I fancy with further insight.

All in all everything collectively cost just under €45 (£33) which is really great value for the amount in which I bought.

Have you tried any Kiko products recently? 

Lucy
xoxo

Charlotte Tilbury Very Victoria Lipstick

When I first got this shade of this Charlotte Tilbury lipstick from the matte revolution line in Very Victoria  for my birthday, I was a little unsure about the colour on my fair skin tone. I kind of neglected it and it got put towards to back of my lipstick stand, as it just didn't quite tickle my fancy. But we are well and truly into the autumn season, and I thought it was a good neutral toned lipstick to dig out and finally put it to the test. I have been enjoying wearing it and as it's quite neutral toned it is really easy to wear, and can easily be worn as an everyday lipstick. I adore Charlotte Tilsbury as brand, and I am really lucky as I can get my paws on the brand in both of the Selfridges which are no too far from where I live. From the matte lipstick line I already owned Sexy Sienna which is one my favourite lipsticks of all time. It is such a beautiful coral toned lipsticks, and regularly features in favourites post. I love the slant of the lipsticks,  as it makes application easy and helps your be more precise. I have my eye on Glastonberry from the range and I think I am going to have to pick it up as I have been nothing but impressed with this range.

What is your favourite lipstick from the line?

Lucy
xoxo

Tiger Haul

I found these stashed in the back of my drawers when I was packing everything together to take back to uni. I discovered Tiger about two years ago, and I just wish they would open one in Manchester. I did a rather large haul last year from the store in Palma which you could read here. This years haul comes from the store in Milan. It's a great store to browse around and find lots of bits and bobs, which you don't really need but make you rather happy inside. I love the stationery most of all as it is unique, and most of all great value. You don't feel bad for buying things as it won't break the bank.

When I saw this cute little wired basket I was not sure what I was going to do with it, but I instantly knew that I needed it. My first thought was to fill it with stationery, however I think I might use it to store products which I am currently testing out. Therefore, I won't forget about them and all the products will be all in one place. I had a classic bloggers moment with this tape. It was just so pretty I could not leave it on the shelves. My mum said the inevitable 'what are you going to do with that?', and I didn't really have an answer. I just sneaked it in my basket. It is rather pretty, and I am going to use it in my blog posts, and to make my notebooks a bit more snazzy. Last but not least, and something which had a firm place in my basket was these mega metallic paperclips. I did have a slight moment to myself to think do I need these, and then I totally reassured myself within seconds that of course I needed them. I am going to use them at uni to keep all my papers together, and look like the coolest kid in the class. All in all, I didn't really need any of this but is cost just 8 euros in total, and I totally love looking at everything in all of it's glory.

Do you love Tiger just as much as I do?

Lucy
xoxo

Getting Organised & Blogging Updates

As the new school year starts it is always an opportunity to give yourself a little refresh, and implement any changes which you have been meaning to do forever. Therefore having had a good amount of time off university and a well deserved break, this has allowed me to get myself into a new blogging regime which I have been really enjoying. When I have too much uni work, and I feel deeply under pressure to fit everything in around - placement, essays, working and blogging, I always make sure that I post at least every Sunday no matter what is happening. But my usual previous schedule was Wednesdays and Sundays, but with a little extra time over the summer break I have been adding in a Friday post as well. I have been really enjoying this additional post as it has allowed me to branch into more fashion and lifestyle posts, which I have been wanting to do for ages.

As I am entering my third year of university and my course is very intense at times (not exaggerating!), but I love it and I really want to achieve the best which I am possibly able to, by dedicating myself to it wholly. But on the other hand I really do love my blog, and it makes me happy and gives me a break from the bubble of university. So I decided that before I started back at uni in order to be able to get the balance between everything, that I needed to seriously get organised. I will confess that I am messy person, no doubt about that. However, I like to be organised. I have to know in day to day life my plans in advance so I can organise my time effectively. But I feel that I have never had a proper structure to how I blog, and I think it will make my life so much easier if I create some kind of organisation. So I invested in a snazzy new notebook to help my kick start things. I have been looking for one throughout summer, every paper and stationery shop which you can name, I have been in and have left empty handed. I popped into Scribbler to get a birthday card for a friend and this instantly caught me eye, and the price tag was also very desirable at £6.99. I did a whole blog post about the book here. I love having a book dedicated just to blogging where I can express my ideas. I am excited at the prospect of being organised, and feeling less pressure on myself to always having to blog last minute as I have had simply had no other time free.

My iPad has become so handy since I got it for my birthday! It makes it so much easier to keep up on all things surrounding my blog, and to edit posts rather than on my phone when I am on the go.  I am on the hunt for a good keyboard to attach to it, to make me even more efficient, so if you have any good suggestions on places to buy one I would be very grateful. I didn't think I was going to use my iPad for much to do with my blog, but it has been stuck to my hand.

I have also been joining in a few bloggers chats recently and I have really been enjoying the interaction. My favourite is #bbloggers on Wednesdays and Sundays. I love being able to chat to others who have similar interests to me, and  also getting the opportunity to talk about new products and must haves which I need to pick up. Unless I am on a shift which means that I will miss some of the chat by the time I get home, I am going to dedicate myself to joining in the weekly chats.

Have you any organisation tips for me ?

Lucy
xoxo

20 Autumnal Blog Ideas - Beauty, Fashion & Lifestyle

Today I thought I would give you a bit of blog inspiration for the Autumn, Sometimes you find yourself in a rut, and completely clueless of what to blog about so I've put together 20 ideas for you.

Beauty
1. How to do Autumnal Makeup Trends
2. Must Have Pieces
3. Essential Handbag Products
4. Switching Up Your Makeup
5. Rediscovering Your Beauty Stash
6. Monthly Favourites
7. Autumn Makeup Tutorial
8. New Beauty Buys for Autumn
9.  Skincare Update
10. Recent Product Realises

Fashion
11.Must Have Autumnal Pieces
12.Autumn Wishlist
13. Transitioning Summer to Autumn
14. How to Look Stylish in the Autumn
15. Upcoming Trends

Lifestyle
16. What I Love about Autumn
17. Organisation Tips
18. Home Haul - Candles/Blankets
19. How To Prepare for Christmas - Budgeting/Where to Buy/How to Save
20. Places to Visit

Lucy
xoxo

Train Tickets - Tips and Tricks

Having just started my third year of uni, I have quite a bit of experience now at train ticket buying! I have a few easy tips and tricks which I would like to share to help you save as much money as possible.

Lots of us have started back at work/college/university after the summer break. Last week I saw a article from the Manchester Evening News which you can read here about Virgin Trains no longer allowing people to use their rail cards to buy off peak tickets for on peak train times. This was a massive shock to me as I often travel on peak but even though the tickets are more expensive at full price, I have always been about to use my 16-25 railcard to save 1/3 on all tickets. For university I have to travel to Lancaster for some of my lectures last year this would cost £14 for a return using my railcard, this year it's £23. On this particular journey Virgin have been rather cheeky and put the full price ticket up. They are allowing you to use your railcard but to buy an on peak ticket rather than getting it at an off peak price. The ticket is now £9 more, so they have still made the profit which they have intended to. I think all the tickets have been put up even if it's just £2/£3. They are very nifty those people in Virgin HQ, as they know people will still pay it as they have to go to work or home.

Being at university in Carlisle a return ticket from Bolton - Carlisle without a railcard is £49! Which I think is absolutely ridiculous for a journey with takes under 2 hours. With my railcard this same ticket would cost £32.35. This is a hefty saving but to me it is still a rather large amount of money. Over the summer I quit my part time job which I have had since I was 17, as it was just not working having being on placements and also my summer holidays. But I have managed to pick up a bank job which is perfect as I can pick and choose when I want to work, with no ties into working every week. So I have decided that I am going to be coming home a lot more this years due to personal matters, but I have thought about the additional cost which this is going to cost. I did buy my first ever car over the summer - finally after passing my test two years ago. But I am having a few teething problems and I'm not quite ready to be whizzing up and down the motorway all the way. I would also be travelling in rush hour, and come the dark winter nights there are no lights on a main part of the motorway which I would be traveling on. So for now I'm sticking with trains until I build my confidence up to face the motorway journeys.

So how do I save money in my tickets? My best tip is booking your journey in advance if possible, it can save major pennies. I no this isn't always the case, as you might need to get to somewhere spontaneously, but if possible if you look two/threes weeks or in further in advance you can save a good sum of money. I can get tickets as cheap as £6.75 for a single ticket meaning for a return that's over half of the original sum. I have to say this doesn't happen that often but for me if I book three weeks in advance tickets are available for £8.20, nearer the time the price is usually £12.20. Over time if you are travelling regularly you will notice a big saving, for not that much work. The closer you get to the date you are travelling the more it will be, as they set a limited amount of 'cheaper' tickets available on each train journey. They are first come first serve, so literally when they are gone, they are gone!

I have only ever paid the full amount of money on 2/3 occasions, and that has been when I decided the night before that I want to venture home for the weekend. What is madness is you will notice that train tickets are practically the same amount for singles as open returns - how crazy! A single from Bolton to Carlisle is £31.00 and a return is £32.35. So bare this is mind as if you get an open return you can use the return part for an entire month. I have had many train journeys where my ticket has not been checked, meaning that I have been able to reuse it within the month. I must state I actually like getting my ticket checked as it makes me feel like it was money well spent, whereas when you don't I get that feeling of I really shouldn't of bothered. 

What really annoys me is that there is always a cheap train at 15.49 for me to get home, as its just before the start of on peak and rush hour is about to start. However I finish uni at 4 which is so annoying! But if you are able to travel during the day, you can save a good sum of money. Take this into consideration if your going on a day trip if you travel between 10-3 and then after 6 you'll notice you can get some bargains. 

Another tip is splitting up your train journey. For me, 9/10 times I have to change in Preston. So when browsing for tickets if there is no cheap direct journey, consider splitting your journey up. If the journey planner is telling you that you have to change somewhere anyway, then that's the perfect place to do it at. So I browse for tickets from Carlisle to Preston and then from Preston to Bolton. As the part of the journey from Carlisle to Preston is definitely the most expensive. For example once again booking in advance, I can get both parts of the journey for £12.50 so £25 a saving of £7 just for splitting up the journey. 

Finally, the train line app is an absolute god send as you can quickly browse and book tickets. On the app they charge 0.50 for a booking fee for paying on any card, which is cheeky once again as you obviously can't pay cash. So if you live near the train station you can book them at the ticket office and not pay the booking fee. But that's a lot of effort if you don't live near the station, so what I do if possible is to bulk buy. As if you doing four journeys within a week and book them separate that's £2 extra. Also, the most convenient way to collect your tickets is by collecting them at the self service ticket machine. You can collect them within an hour of buying them from any self service machine across the UK. If I've booked a few different journeys you can collect them in bulk. You can check your tickets on the my tickets section of the app as it tells everything you need to know about your journey.

I hope this has helped you as before I went to university I was clueless as to where to start and simply didn't go home that often as I thought that I couldn't afford to! Have got any other tips for train users? 

Lucy 

xoxo

Sephora Lip Cream Stain in Maderin Muse

The Sephora Lip Cream Stain in Maderin Muse is totally an Essie Button enabler product. She has mentioned it many, many times in her videos and on her blog, and I wanted to get my hands on it. However, as there are no Sephora stores at all currently in the UK, that resorts to us either buying abroad or shopping online. I have only ever been to two Sephora's in my life and I have two posts on those visits - one in Palma last summer and one in Milan this summer. If you read this year's post you will see that I picked barely anything up, but this was what I managed to get my hands on.

I had been meaning to try it out for the last month, and had never quite found the right occasion. However, last week I whipped it out for the first time on a dinner date with a friend. Now, I did not know what  to expect but all I can say is 'WOW'. First up it is so pigmented, I have never seen I product like this in my life - which is a bold but very true statement. Application was actually tricky as you have to be so precise, due to the colour payoff. Once it is on it dries very quickly to a pure matte finish, which is there to stay. It is actually a lot brighter than I first expected, it is very much a vibrant orange. First impressions were that I was very impressed, and I was excited to see how it lasted throughout the day.

For dinner I went to an Italian restaurant and had a pizza. When I had a quick check in the mirror it had started to come off in places which is expected when eating, but it still looked okay. It had faded a little, but in order to test the product properly I didn't bother reapplying just yet. However, a few hours later it had flaked off and dried to the outer layer of my lips and looked very patchy, which was disappointing. But with a quick reapplication it looked just as good as when I had first applied it. Like I say though it takes a little time to get it perfect as it is both bright and pigmented. 

All in all, I was very impressed with this. They cost €9.90 which is such great value for how great this product really is. If you have any Sephora trips planned in the near future, I highly recommend putting this lip product instantly to the top of your wishlist. They come in 12 different shades, so get swatching if you go shopping!

Have you tried any of the Sephora Lip Cream Stains?

Lucy

xoxo

Blah, Blah, Blah Blogging Notebook

I have been looking for a notebook for the entire summer, and I was on the brink of giving up. I have been trying to get organised, and a dedicated blogging notebook was where I thought I would start. I had stumbled into every stationary and notebook shop within the entire Manchester radius. I had also spent hours looking online, but they are always so expensive and then delivery on top. Most of all, I never actually found one which I truly loved. But they say you find what your looking for, when you least expect and that is exactly what happened in this case. I was shopping in Scribbler for a birthday card for my friend's birthday and I spotted this starring at me on the shelves. (Unfortunately this is not available online, but if you have a local Scribbler I would pop in and have a look if you like it).I had set out to get one with a ringed edging, as it makes it easier to keep the pages open, and help prevents it from getting tatty. This one however has a ridged edge which makes it much easier to use, and the pages will stay open when a little pressure is applied. The blah, blah, blah message is great, as it is a notebook where I am going to writing endless notes, which will only make sense to me. What makes it even prettier are that the words are embossed in gold. I also really like the elastic attached as it very practical and keeps everything together, and if you have any loose papers they won't fall out. The notebook has a real autumnal feel with the leaf design, but it is still a simple, classic notebook. I was so happy to have finally found a notebook which I really like, and I was pleasantly surprised at the price tag of £6.99. I am hoping this will be the start of my organisation journey, as I often get random thoughts when I least expect and I will now have somewhere to jot them down instantly.

Do you have a dedicated blogging notebook?

Lucy
xoxo

The Black Milk Cereal Cafe

Last week one of my friends suggested us visiting the Black Milk Cereal Cafe, which is situated in Afflecks Palace, in the Northern Quarter part of Manchester city centre. To be honest I am not a huge cereal lover, I give and take Weetabix from time to time but that is about it. On the other hand, my friend who I went whether adores cereal and I knew she would truly love it when she suggested it. It is a very cute and cosy place, with just five tables.

 

You can order bowls in single, double or triple size, and I opted for the double option as I wanted two different types of cereals. I choose mini chocolate Weetabix and Lucky Charms. They offer at least thirty different types of cereals for you to choose from. You can also choose any sauce of you choice, and the best bit of all as many toppings as you like. This was the bit which was most exciting I opted for Toblerone, Crunchie and Smarties. You can also choose what type of milk you would like, I was boring and went for normal milk. But there are many different types of milk available including strawberry, chocolate and almond. My friend choose a chocolate bowl, which is self explanatory - the bowl is made out of chocolate. I didn't think I was going to able to eat that as well as everything else which I had ordered.

On to the milkshakes, which were simply exceptional. I choose the strawberry, with cream and sprinkles which is my ultimate favourite. He offered us the milkshake of the day which was strawberry and nutella which my friend opted for, but I am really not a nutella fan at all. They were so delicious yet so filling.

By the time my cereal had arrived, I had already drank half of my milkshake which was a bad move. I started to delve into my cereal bowl, and instantly realised I had over ordered. I did not expect the bowl to be quite that large. It tasted really nice though, which was a surprise to my non-loving cereal self. I actually really enjoyed the mix of everything which I choose, but the Toblerone differently filled me up. I unfortunately only managed to eat about 1/2 a bowl, as I was absolutely stuffed. I was disappointed with myself, but I made sure there was no chocolate left in the bowl! Now eating the chocolate bowl was a serious challenge for my friend, and unfortunately she did not manage very much of it. It did cost me £8 for my milkshake and cereal which I know is not cheap, but you are paying for the novelty of the idea. I really enjoyed the experience of going, and it a great cosy place to catch up with your friends. For more inspiration I suggest you follow their Instagram page here.

Do you fancy visiting the Black Milk Cereal Cafe?

Lucy
xoxo

Primark Pom Pom Shoes

I have seem pom pom shoes everywhere recently, and I just could not decide whether I loved or loathed them. I recently saw the Charlotte Olympia pom pom heels, but they come with a rather hefty price tag. In Selfridges within the Trafford Centre, there is now a Primark section. At first, I was so against this as Selfridges is such a high end, luxury shop. However, in the upstairs section of the store they have incorporated many high street brands such as Missguided and Miss Selfridge into the store. The cashier also told me that Selfridge's have bought Primark, which makes the explanation a lot simpler.

You know your regular Primark - the hussle and bussle, things everywhere, huge queues, well it's Primark's must have pieces without all of that. It is there best pieces of the season, and they even have some Selfridge's exclusives. I have been converted and I have actually really become fond of the section. I stumbled across these pom pom shoes in this beautiful navy shade on my last trip, and I instantly snapped them up. My sister picked them up in black which are just as lovely, but there was very limited sizes left on the shelves. I originally did want the black, but they didn't have my size. However, it was meant to be as I have fallen in love with the navy. I like that they are a statement shoes, but one in which you can wear so easily. I know not everyone is going to like these, as my dad described them as a 'genie slipper'. But, I really like that they are different and a little bit out of my usual comfort zone. I think Primark shoes as a whole as really comfortable, and these didn't disappoint.

Are loving our loathing these shoes? Please let me know in the comments...

Lucy
xoxo