Is being 22 and living at home such a big deal?

I moved back home in July from university and it was something which I had been looking forward to for a good while. Once I was back home I was super happy to be back with my parents and sister, and being in so close vicinity to all of my friends once again. I felt as though I was home.

Since starting my job recently I have been asked time and time again my living circumstances, and every time I tell people I am living back home people seem shocked. I don't really understand how people think I should or would be able to afford to live on my own at the moment. Like I say I finished uni at the end of July, and I only started my job three weeks ago. There is no way on this earth I would of been able to afford to save for any kind of a deposit or even for one month's rent whilst studying, it was simply just unachievable for me. I want to be able to move out and live on my own home after saving for a deposit, I am not keen on renting as I think it is then so hard to be saving for a house deposit as well. Every person who is trying to buy a house for the first time knows the current struggles. I am only 22, is there really such a stigma attached to living with your parents?. This may sound selfish but I want some time to spend money on myself after finally having a good sum of money in my pocket for the first time in my life, the last thing I want to do right now is move out.

I am not living rent free at home I am paying my parents a small sum of money a month to contribute to the living costs of me being there, which is more than fair. I have discussed with my parents that I will start saving for a deposit but they keep telling me there is no rush. Every first time buyer knows just how hard it is these days to gather the sum of money which is now required for a house. I know in myself this is going to take a few years. I think some older generations do not always understand the immense struggles in buying a house in the current market, it is definitely not easy. For me personally I always think who knows what will happen in the next few years, I am currently just living in the moment. It is no secret that I hate the idea of living on my own. I love the company of others and I think I would currently be very unhappy living on my own. I lived a lot of my last year of uni on my own, and it had a big affect on me as I felt lonely all the time and it was such an awful feeling. I am not ashamed of saying that as I have already lived that way I now know that I would hate living alone again. I don't like the idea of going home to an empty house, making my tea for one, and not having anyone to talk to. I know I would end up spending half of my time back at my parents anyway for company and someone to chat to. I never know in the future I may meet someone and fall madly in love then possibly my plans will then change, however I am still pretty fixed on buying not renting so that would be years down the line anyway.

I have gone on bit of a tangent but I just wanted to tell anyone else who has moved back home or is still living at home, not to be embarrassed. I think people's comments have made me more angry than anything, as I feel as though people look down on me for this. Everyone seems surprised and it makes me roll my eyes. So basically if you're still living at home this is not something to get caught up about, for me I couldn't be more delighted being back home, it has made me so much happier than I was at uni so I don't know why I would want to change it currently. Also, I think most importantly you have to always remember that everyone is different and you might not know someone else's reasonings for their living situations. I don't like to tell people who I have only just met my personal circumstances as it makes me feel uncomfortable, and sure other people feel exactly the same. So all in all I am more than happy to be back home, so please let's all just let everyone get on with their lives.

Lucy
xoxo

The never ending battle of acne

Boots Skincare Haul

Over the weekend I took a little trip to Boots with my mum, and I ended up picking up a lot more than what I went in for. We realised that on o2 priority they currently have a promotion on where you can choose for free one of three items from the Boots Essentials cucumber line, either their 3 Minute Clay Mask and Facial Toner which is what we picked up and there was also the option of the Cleansing Lotion. They are £1.50 each usually, but as they were free I thought I would put them to the test.

I went on the hunt for a new cleanser and got carried away and stumbled across the Botanics counter where their was lots of promotions on which dragged me in. I was drawn in by the All Bright Purifying Face Scrub, I like the idea of using a facial scrub 2-3 times a week to help clear the impurities deep down in my skin and get rid of any flaky, dry skin around my nose. I also liked that the fact that this product focuses on brightening and leaving the skin silky smooth as this can be hard to achieve during the colder months. I also picked up the All Bright Radiance Concentrate Serum, as I thought it was time to put a serum into my routine and this didn't break the bank.  I once again like the brightening aspect which this promotes, as well as adding glow and life to the skin. Both of these products from Botanics were on promotion for £2.50, which I thought was excellent value.

Now this was the product which I was heading in for. I wanted a new cleanser to use morning and night. I currently use a foaming wash and I have heard that it contribute to drying your skin out, so I thought I would swatch it up and see if a normal non-foaming facial wash would make any difference. After reading the packaging of almost every cleanser which Boots sell, I finally decided on the Clean & Clear Blackhead Clearing 2 in 1 Wash & Mask. I was intrigued by this as it is a multi-use product. You can use this as a morning and night daily cleansing wash as you normally would. But you can also use this as a mask if you leave it on for 5-10 minutes it hardens into a mask which I really like the idea of. I am not going to lie I was drawn in by the blackhead clearing aspect of this, as I definitely need products which work deep into the skin to clear my impurities especially in my T-zone.

All in all, this came to a total of £7.99 including my freebies. So I would class that as a very savvy shopping trip which definitely did not pull too much on my purse strings. I will being doing some reviews on the products once I have put them to the test, I am hoping they become drugstore must haves.

Lucy
xoxo

Tanya Burr Beauty Advent Calendar

For the first time ever I decided to treat myself to a beauty advent calendar and after a lot of deliberating I finally choose to go with Tanya Burr's. I am a big fan of Tanya's cosmetic collection and I didn't want to buy one which was going to break the bank and this seemed like great value for money for £15. Its RRP is £25 and I have been told in store it is £25 but online they are £15. I know it's only October and I am one of those people where Christmas does not start until the 1st December, but I know that these exclusive advent calendars sell out quick and seeing as it was on promotion I decided to snap it up.

I know most advent calendars have 25 windows but this has 12 and this seems to be the trend in many beauty advent calendars. Seeing as Tanya's products are sold in Superdrug and are therefore aimed at a drugstore/affordable market, if she had 25 products it would bump the price up a lot and her target audience may not of been able to afford it. I have had a little peek online at what is included in the calendar, and there are a wide variety of nail polishes, lip glosses, matte lipsticks, glitter pots and glitter eyeliners. I haven't investigated into the shade range included as I would like for it to be a surprise each morning. I think there is a good selection included in the calendar and I have decided I am going to open a door every other day.

Have you had your eye on any beauty advent calendars?

Lucy
xoxo

Kat Von D has finally launched in the UK

Kat Von D has finally washed ashore on to British soil, and I am majorly excited. I decided not go too overboard as I recently bought some Kat Von D goodies from Sephora which you can read about here.Lucy Alana

I picked up two things, the first being an Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Bauhau5. I already have Lolita II, Mother and Lovesick in my collection, so you can see I am a big fan. I say this every time I write about these, but they are my all time favourite matte liquid lipstick. These have a fabulous creamy formula and once it dries on the lips to a matte finish it settles really nicely. I have been adding some more autumnal toned shades to my collection, and this is a great addition as it is a deep raspberry and I think it looks beautiful on the lips. I have tried this out and I am not disappointed, I am definitely going to get a lot of wear out of the over the next forthcoming months.

Kat launched an exclusive piece to her line at the UK launch called the London Calling Set. This is still available now on the Debenhams website. The set includes a mini version of the Tattoo Liner in Trooper which is my favourite liner ever, I thought this would be perfect for nights out and travelling. It also contains a mini liquid lipstick in Double Dare which is a shade which I have been wanting to try forever and thought this was the perfect opportunity. The last makeup item in the box was the Studded Kiss lipstick in Lolita, I have been wanting to try this shade forever since picking up Lolita II but have always been a little too scared as it has more of a brown tone to it. Therefore, I am super excited to test this out as I have seen how beautiful it looks on some many other people. 

Have you picked anything up?

Lucy

xoxo

Autumn Colourpop Haul

(L-R: Baracuda, Calypso, Muse)

So a few weeks ago Colourpop were offering discounted delivery to Britain and many beauty bloggers threw themselves into a frenzy. I have made two previous orders, one a big order of a variety of products which you can read here, and the second was a lipstick haul which you can also read here. 

They have just launched their new autumn collection and there was a few stand out pieces which I wanted to get my hands on. Now I have ordered quite a few times from the USA this year and I have got to know the way that customs works pretty well. If you order anything over the equivalent of £15 you will be hit with a £12 custom charge at the minimum. Therefore, I bought just three new items totalling $17 meaning I missed the charge. Now I either do a big order where the customs charge is worthwhile, or a small order like this one so I miss the charge as it kind of takes away the 'affordable' makeup aspect of the brand. 

If you have read my previous posts you will know I am a huge fan of their Ultra Satin line which is their classic liquid lipstick but with a more softer and comfortable finish with slight shine compared to their matte finish. For the price of just $6 they are great. They have amazing pigmentation, I literally apply one layer and you are ready to go. It dries to a comfortable finish which doesn't feel heavy or exceptionally drying on my lips, which I have found with some other liquid lipsticks. I put Calypso to the test at the weekend and I was instantly impressed by the colour and I could not stop looking at it. I will always ask my mum her opinion she said "a little dark, but it looks nice on you". Calypso is a beautiful mid toned pinky nude and suits my skintone really well. I wanted to make this order to add some darker toned berry colours into my lipstick collection as I didn't previously own any. This wore really well until the afternoon when I had my dinner and I would say 40% of the colour had come off after finishing eating and drinking. It didn't look patchy it was still evenly applied, the colour just wasn't as deep on the lips. The picture which is featured is me wearing Calypso, and I think it suits me and I will definitely be wearing it again soon. The picture has been taken in natural light and is unfiltered so that you can see the exact colour on me.

 I tried Baracuda on a day when I was in the house catching up on everything blog related. I had no other makeup on, but wanted to put it to the test. This is a deepened rose, but is definitely a dark berry and I see some purple and brown tones in this. As always it went on evenly and with just one application. At first when I applied it I was surprised at just how dark it was and I instantly wanted to take it off. I was just overwhelmed by the colour as I have never worn anything this dark. After a few hours I kept looking in the mirror as I was intrigued at how it looked on me. In the end I actually really loved how this looked on my lips and I can't wait for an occasion to wear this, as for me it is not an everyday shade. I did the transfer test twice whilst drinking some juice and I was surprised that it transferred barely anything across on to the cup. I have previously found with some of my other Colourpop liquid lipsticks that they have transferred massively and I was impressed with how this shade performed.

This is the stand out in my order I wore it on Sunday and I was massively impressed. I am talking about Muse which is the cream eyeshadow which I picked up. It is a vibrant coppery rose with a pearlised finish, when I saw it on the website it instantly stood out to me. I have had some of these before which you can see in my first haul post, and I did like them but I found the more subtle shades did not stay on my lids throughout the day. I applied this using my finger as I find it easier to blend them that way. I have tried many cream eyeshadows over the years, everyone loved the Maybelline tattoo cream shadows, and they looked horrendous on me as they creased and showed up every line which exists on my eyelid. Whereas I was surprised with this, it has great pigmentation and swatches exactly how it looks in the pan. I think red toned shades you sometimes have to be careful with as it can make your eyes look a little swollen, but as this has copper tones in it on me I think it looks beautiful. I was most impressed with how it wore throughout the day. I applied a thin line of eyeliner and a few layers of mascara and the whole look was still looking fresh when I got home that evening. I will say there was a little bit of wear, but I have never bought an eyeshadow which has not faded at all throughout the day. The even application was still the same, the colour was not quite as rich and vibrant, but on the whole I was very pleased. I didn't apply an eye primer either as I need to pick up a new one, I just sprayed my entire face with Urban Decay's setting spray.  I am definitely going to pick up some more of the darker shades from their cream eyeshadow line as I have been seriously impressed with this one.

Have you got any Colourpop recommendations for my next order?

Lucy
xoxo

My Graduation Ball

A few weeks ago I headed back up to Carlisle after a few months at home for my graduation ball. This is something which we all been looking forward to for months and was one big final celebration for us all after our three years of hard work. I wore this gorgeous dress from Ted Baker which I am still in love with. I bought it a few months ago from the Ted Baker store located at Cheshire Oaks in the sale and when I tried it on I felt like a true princess. After trying on what felt like every pair of shoes out there, I finally found these amazing royal blue shoes from Faith and I felt that they looked beautiful paired with the dress.

I thought I would let you in on the makeup which I wore. It started off with the NYX Angel Veil Primer to prime my skin. I then applied my favourite True Match Foundation using a brand new dampened Beautyblender which work perfectly together. To cover those pesky blemishes I added the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer and a layer of my MAC Mineralise Powder using my Real Techniques Powder Brush. As I had a little bit of a tan from holiday I added some of my Wet n Wild Bronzer in Ticket to Brazil and a light dusting of Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Mood Exposure to my cheekbones. As it was a special occasion of course I needed some glitter and highlight to finish off my face makeup. I used the MUA Highlighter in Iridescent Gold to add some luminosity to my face using the Real Techniques Setting Brush.

I have been loving my Makeup Geek Eyeshadows recently and featured them in my September Favourites post. For this night, I used the shades Rebel, Pillow Talk  and Starry Eyed. I used my MAC 217 Brush to apply and blend everything into my desired look, and added a thin line of my Rimmel Scandaleyes Eyeliner. I then applied my favourite lashes from Cheryl's Eyelure collection in Sexy Senorita, and added a few coats of my Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara. My lipstick choice for the night was MAC's Syrup, which is a beautiful purple toned nude which I think compliments my colourings and this look really well.

Lucy
xoxo

The Bloggers Blog Awards

Last Saturday I headed on my first big blogger adventure to Leeds for The Bloggers Blog Awards. I had a little bit of a dramatic morning as I was undecided about whether to go or not. I picked up a ticket last minute and everything was a last minute plan. I hadn't met any of the bloggers that were going to the awards, but I had talked to some of them many times before online. After making the last minute decision to jump on the train, it turned out that everything did not quite go to plan. When I go to the train station the car park was closed so I had to drive around and around trying to find a car parking spot meaning that I missed my train. I had a little cry in my car as I was already a bag of nerves and feeling emotional and this little episode pushed me over the edge. After a little sob I was even more determined to make it to Leeds so I jumped on the next train and finally made it.

Thankfully two lovely girls Rachel and Vanessa had agreed to meet me. I was so nervous but they were so lovely and chatty, and I instantly felt a little more relieved. After a slight detour around the city we arrived at the venue which was at Canal Mills. I instantly recognised a few beauty bloggers who blogs I have followed for years, and was really excited to meet everyone. An overwhelming amount of shyness overcame me and I felt like it was my first day at school all over again. The actual awards were a joyous occasion as everyone was encouraging and genuinely happy for those winning the awards. After the awards there was a little more time to mingle, and I actually managed to talk to some bloggers who I had talked to previously online, but also some new lovely bloggers which means more amazing blogs for me to now read. There was then a raffle which had some amazing prizes and it was all to raise money for a little charity called Allerton Cat Rescue which does such great work and I was glad to see the money raised going to such an amazing cause.

The black rose embellished skater dress which I wore I bought recently from River Island and I really love it. I had bought it the week before and this was the perfect occasion to wear it. I am totally loving the embellishment trend this season and it work really well with the mesh spotted overlay to the dress. I paired the dress with some black tights and my trusty shoe boots.

After once again missing my train due to city centre traffic and being crammed on to a jam packed train, I finally crawled into bed and that is when it hit me at what an amazing day I had really had. I was super nervous to attend but I am so happy that I did, and I will definitely be going again next year. I am going to convince so more bloggers to go next year so I can mingle a little more and feel more confident about approaching people. Once again, thank you to Hayley from Tea Party Beauty for organising the event as you did such an amazing job.

Lucy
xoxo

The Monthly Roundup for September

September has followed on as being a pretty amazing month after how great August was. After I got back off my holiday I had so much admin to sort out for my new job, I spent my life filling out form after form. The second weekend of September turned out to be one of the best weekends for a long time. Writing about it now is putting a huge smile on my face reminiscing all about it. It started off with a trip to uni back in Carlisle on the Thursday which was lovely to see all of my child nursing friends again. We had paid to stay in a hotel that night which seemed like a little adventure, we went for a lovely meal at Pizza Express and had some cocktails. On the Friday night we had our graduation ball which was amazing. The service and food at the venue wasn't the greatest, but the company, music and photo booth definitely made up for it. It was so lovely to dress up and celebrate our three years at uni and the fact we had all made it to the end. I didn't go too overboard that night as on the Saturday it was one of my closest friends at uni's wedding. I haven't been to a wedding in years and I totally forgot what a beautiful occasion they are. I was filled with such overwhelming emotion when she walked down the aisle as I have honestly never seen someone look  as amazing as she did. The service, meal, speeches and night do were all spectacular and it ended the entire weekend on such a high. When I came home I felt so sad as I had been looking forward to the weekend for so long and now it was just over in a flash.

I then had another week off but I started my new job. In nursing you have to do a lot of inductions and trainings before starting. Different trusts have different policies and we need to ensure we know the essentials before we start on the wards. If you didn't know my new job is in Children's A&E in my local hospital and I am very excited to start. As you read this I started my job full time in the unit on Monday and I am hopefully finding my feet and enjoying it. It is a massively scary prospect for me to be out there as a newly qualified nurse and all the responsibility to finally be placed on me. I am very excited and just want to put everything I have learnt into practice. I will definitely be reporting back on how I am getting on in next months roundup.

How was your September?

Lucy
xoxo

September Favourites

I bought this darker shade of L'Oreal's True Match Foundation when I got back off holiday. I had managed to get a good tan and all of my other foundations were way too light. I have been loving using this as as the texture is beautiful. It blends really well and even, feels weightless on the skin and gives a medium-full coverage depending on what you are wanting. I would definitely say this is up there with being as good as my high end foundations. I am huge fan and it is the best drugstore foundation which I have ever tried.

This month I have been getting to grip with my Makeup Geek Eyeshadows and there has been a few stands out shades. These are Pillow Talk and Rebel both shades are shimmers and have blue and purple undertones to them. Pillow Talk is a iced lilac with silver shimmer running through it, and Rebel is a darker purple with a lot of golden shimmer running through it this is more like a pigment when applied to the lid. They have good pigmentation but I found spraying my brush with a little setting spray brings all of the pigments out and they transfer beautifully onto the eyelids. If you like glitter and some shimmer, these are great for you, and are super affordable.

I think I am going to have to ban myself from mentioning the MUA Highlighter in Iridescent Gold over here on my blog. I feel like it has had a mention in all of my recent posts, so I am going to have to find something new to rave about. However, in the mean time for £3 this is a must have in everyone's makeup bag. It is a white based highlighter with golden shimmer, this is highly pigmented when you swipe your brush in the pan and this transfers perfectly on to the skin. I should be on commision for the amount of my friends who have been and bought this because it really is a steal which is sitting on the shelves of Superdrug.

Since buying this at the end of August the Kat Von D Liquid Lipstick in Mother has not left my lips. These are highly pigmented and need just on application for it to be even and in place. They are not patchy or flaky and does not dry to a matte finish which is uncomfortable on the lips. This is a vibrant dark raspberry shade which perfect going into Autumn. Now these are available in Debenhams I have a feeling I am going to be buying quite a few more!

This Marc Jacobs Honey Perfume is probably more of a Spring/Summer scent but I having being loving this recently. It is a light scent which is has a fruity scent which is what I always gravitate too. This has notes of mandarin and pear, mixed with a honey and vanilla gives an overall warmth to the scent. Marc Jacobs perfumes are my favourite and this is a go-to when I need something fresh and long lasting.

What have you been loving this month?

Lucy
xoxo

Halloween Lush Haul

I took a little trip to the Lush store in Manchester and discovered that the Halloween collection has launched. I knew it was about to be released and I got very excited when I saw the collection staring at me. I have a lot of Lush bath products in a big bag waiting to be used as I have gone a little crazy in the past year. This means that I had to restrain myself and not buy the entire collection! The Christmas collection is due to launch soon so I thought I would just pick up my favourites from the Halloween collection so that I can have a variety of both.

First up, the Pumpkin is a beautifully spiced bath bomb which is what instantly drew me in. The vanilla and spicy cinnamon mixed together creates the perfect perfect pumpkin pie scent. To me pumpkins represent Halloween and I thought it was a great addition to the collection. I also picked up Monsters' Ball, which is one the cutest things that Lush has ever brought out. I instantly thought it was so fun and the scent also drew me in, it smells fresh and clean. This contains lime meaning it gives it a lovely all over citrus scent to the bath bomb. I cannot wait to try this out as I think all the colours mixed together are going to look beautiful. I did also smell the Autumn Leaf and Lord of Misrule, however I wasn't drawn in by their scents as I prefer something more fruity.

Did you pick anything up from the Halloween collection?

Lucy
xoxo

Current Favourite High End Makeup

My last post was my current favourite drugstore makeup which you can catch up on here. Today I bring you my high end version.

First up if you saw my recent Sephora haul, you will have seen that I picked up the new Kat Von D Lock It Foundation. I just could not resist and it was definitely a great buy. It is a full coverage foundation with a fluid consistency which does give that full coverage without looking cakey. It does the trick of covering blemishes and I always add a little bit more to those problem areas to ensure that it does stay in place. It dries to a matte finish but I would say it is more of a semi-matte on me as it still has some light dewiness to it and does not have a dull finish.

I recently repurchased my Beauty Blender as my previous one ripped in two. I never understood the fuss surrounding this little sponge, until I tried it and then I got the craze after just one application. When the sponge is dampened and has expanded it creates a smooth application of my foundation across my face. It gives equal coverage around my all areas and I think it gives an extra dewiness to my foundation.

I have repurchased and repurchased the MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Powder as it is such a great powder. When applied it adds a light, buildable coverage which feels weightless on the skin, but helps to keep base makeup in place. It is great to have in your handbag in case you need a little touch up as it gives a natural finish.

The Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Dim Infusion is such a wonderful shade to add some life and glow to the cheekbones. I am fair skinned and this adds some luminosity, colour and shimmer to my cheeks which is exactly what I want. The marble effect on these are beautiful, and the blend of the colours in each blush have been match to perfection. They give a beautiful radiant yet natural finish, which brightens my entire complexion.

I love, love, love the Kat Von D Liquid Lipsticks, and the shade Mother has been my recent go-to colour. It is a vibrant dark pink which looks amazing going into the Autumn as it a raspberry colour which stands out. The formulas of these are fabulous as they are longwearing and do not budge at all which is exactly what you want as you don't want it transferring or budging throughout the day. This line of liquid lipsticks come in a vast range of colours and they have some stunning shades to suit everyone.

What is current favourite high end makeup item?

Lucy
xoxo

Current Favourite Drugstore Makeup

If I have been loving any particular products for a period of time, and I think they are worth buying I pop them all together in a post and this is what I bring you today.

First up the L'Oreal True Match Foundation, I repurchased this a few weeks ago after I got back off holiday in a darker shade as I managed to get a bit of a tan. I didn't want to spend a lot of money as I knew I wouldn't be the darker colour for too long. I have had this many times before and I have always been impressed. This time though I was particularly impressed. The formula is thin and feels light on the skin, it is medium coverage but is definitely buildable without it looking patchy. This has so many shade ranges now which is brilliant as their will definitely be a shade for everyone.

I have mentioned  the NYX Angel Veil Primer quite a lot of my blog and as you can tell the bottle is nearly empty. I have tried a few drugstore primers and this is the best one which I have tried. It is a cream consistency with sits well on the skin and is great for drier skin types. I think you do need to apply a little more compared with a gel based primer, just as it does not go quite as far.

I have fallen back in love with the Maybelline Lash Sensational Waterproof Mascara since rebuying it a few months ago. Whilst I was at uni I could not afford many high end products and I had heard amazing things about this. I am sure I have bought the original version of this previously, but I don't think I particularly loved it. However, this time around the waterproof version has been a massive hit. The best part of the product is the brush it has a large curve to it which works a dream at giving my lashes curl and volume. I will definitely be repurchasing this when it runs out as I think great drugstore mascaras are hard to come across.

Everytime someone has asked me for a highlighter recommendation, this MUA Highlighter in Iridescent Gold instantly rolls off my tongue. I should be on commission for the amount of people who have bought it and said how much they love it! It costs just £3 and there are a few different shades in the line depending on what you are looking for. This one is a white based highlighter with shimmer running through it. It is highly pigmented and you definitely only need a little bit as I have been known to look a little disco ball on some occasions where I have just 'added a little bit more'.

I love Colourpop Cosmetics Ultra Satin Liquid Lipsticks a lot. For the price they are insanely good. I would 100% say they are the best drugstore liquid lipsticks which I have tried, and I have tried many. The shade which I have been loving is Cozy, I love the vibrancy of the shade. It is a red shade but it has a vibrant orange undertone which I love as it suits my colourings better than a standard red. The consistency is soft and easy to apply and has more of a shine than a matte finish which I actually really like as they feel super comfortable on the lips all day. I do find some liquid liquid lipsticks can feel heavy, and can go patchy and flaky throughout the day. If you do need to reapply this it is easy and quick to do. Colourpop have started to do international shipping finally, but I think it is still cheaper to use Shipto which I have written all about in previous post which you can read here.

What drugstore products have you being loving recently?

Lucy
xoxo

Sephora Haul: KVD, Too Faced & Beautyblender

Whilst in Majorca I took a visit to the Sephora in Palma. I have been to this one before, and although not huge it stocks most of my favourite brands. I actually ended up making two trips this year as within Europe they have huge department stores called El Ingles Corte and the one in Palma has a Sephora concession within it to my delight.

On my first trip to the Sephora store I did not want to go overboard as I knew that Kat Von D was being launched in the UK which is now has, but I bought the Lock-It Foundation as I got colour matched and it the one thing which was at the top of my beauty wishlist. I am happy to report that since buying this I have used it frequently and I have been impressed. The finish is matte, but not too matte that it dries my skin out, it lasts a while and gives a full coverage with one layer. My Beautyblender had ripped in half the week before I flew out on holiday so I had to buy one as it is now the only tool which I use to apply my foundation. The Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Mother is a shade which I must of by passed on all of my previous trips to the stand. I swatched every single shade in the collection as I went into the store with an open mind, not sure what shade I was going to pick up. With one swatch I was sold, this is a 'dusty mauve pink' it is a bright medium pink with cooler undertones as like the rest of the collection dries to a matte finish.

In the Sephora concession, I was drawn into the Too Faced stand. I haven't heard too much about their Melted Lipstick collection, I swatched a few different colours on the back of my hand and the shade Chihuahua instantly stood out to me. It is a beautiful medium toned purple shade which is not too dark, I thought this would be perfect for Autumn. I was really intrigued by the formula and application, as the applicator is an angled velvety feeling tip and the formula is similar to a liquid lipstick as it has a liquid consistency but these are soft and smooth to apply and are non drying as they have more of a shine finish. I was happy to discover that they sell these in Debenhams, as I definitely want to pick up some more shades as I have been really impressed by this.

I didn't go overboard but as the prices as high, the value of the products in your shopping basket can add up very easily without you even noticing!

What should I pick up on my next Sephora visit?

Lucy
xoxo

Tips on saving/budgeting

I have just finished uni and whilst I was there I had to grow up quickly in terms of budgeting my finances. The year before I had taken a gap year and had never worked full time or earned a reasonable sum on money, so I went a little crazy spending. As soon as I started uni I realised things had to change, and I quickly started becoming aware of my finances.

My parents always say I am good with my money, and I think this is something to be proud of. They sometimes says I can be a little too tight with my money, but I don't see this as a problem. I actually see it as being responsible. I have learnt quite a few tips and tricks along the way, and I have definitely put them into place this summer between finishing uni and starting my new job.

A simple but effective one is making use of loyalty cards. I used to find them a pain to carry around, but I keep a little card case with loyalty cards in which I don't use too often. I keep the ones which I use on a frequent basis in one side of purse. I find the beauty cards from Boots and Superdrug are my most used, and for very little effort points are collected very easy. I also find the Boots app very useful as all your offers now get uploaded to your app so you can just show the offer on your phone, rather than carrying around promotion paper offers.

If you are at uni I suggest you get an NUS card. They are £12 per year which is excellent value for the amount of discount you get. You can 10% off almost of retail shops, 25% national express, 25% odeon tickets, 40% pizza express and so many more deals, the list is huge. I bought a 3 year one for £33 which saves you a little bit instead of buying them on a yearly basis. As I have mentioned I have just finished uni, but I have a sneaky tip. If you are still able to log into your university login page then you are still able to buy a new 3 year card. This is exactly what I did recently and now it is valid until September 2019.

I also think downloading apps to your phones and tablets can be extremely useful. Most bank companies now have mobile apps which you can use on the go. I am with the RBS and the app is a total lifesaver. It instantly updates your account when you spend so you know exactly how much you have and how much is due to go out. If you have two accounts with them like I do such as a savings account you can easily just transfer between them, which is instant and so convenient. If you need to add a member of family or friends to your account, in order to transfer between accounts you can add them via the mobile calculator and they are then added onto your app. They have security settings with an access code which is different to your pin code, and when you first set it up there are lots of security questions and verifications. If you are not sure about having an app on your phone, online banking is just as good, and works in exactly the same way.

Other apps which I find useful are ones such as o2 priority. My sister is obsessed with this app and wanders around the shops collecting all the freebies. Coffee shops always have free drinks, Boots has offers and WHSmiths always has something free to collect. My favourite is the Pizza Express £5 main course and me and mum use it on a weekly basis! I am sure other phone companies have similar apps and it is definitely worth having a look to see what offers they have available.

If specific downloaded apps and cards aren't your thing, then I have one tip for you to use the notes feature on your phone or in fact a good old notebook. At the start of the week I make a note of how much I have in my bank account (using the app!). If I am buying just one thing e.g. petrol I will write it in my notes there and then. If I have been on a big shopping spree, I collect my receipts and make a collective note of my spendings and write that down. It is not time consuming at all, and keeps you on track. If I have a refund or any other money due in my account I add a + so I know that is due in, and anything which is due out I add a -. A really simple strategy which keeps me on track. My mum does the exact same but writes it in her bank book which is a more traditional older way of doing it, but it is something she has always done and it works well for her. My point on this is choosing what works for you, and sticking to it and before you know it you will be a simple monthly routine.

If you have just got a loan or bursary into your account, then try and make a note of how much you're going to give yourself each month, and then each week. When your bills are due is something which people underestimate. I did have an overdraft at uni of £500, for me it was never my intention to use it but it was always there as a safety net if it was ever needed. Everyone's financial circumstances are different and it's all about doing what is right for you, but my main point is spending within your means. I used to see my wages from my jobs as my way of being able to socialise and buy myself things. I would never use my other money such as my loan and bursary for those occasions as I knew it was to pay for everything else which had to be paid for. I had some weeks where I had not much money and others where I felt good about my finances, it really is about balance and not blowing it or going overboard all at once.

Whilst I was at uni I was maybe a bit over the top with worry about my finances and budgeting, and I would let it worry me when really I didn't need to. I now have a job which I am due to start tomorrow and me and my friends cannot wait for our first payday. We can't really get used to the idea of having a large sum of money in our bank accounts and it being for us to spend on us. I am either going to be really tight and save, or going mad and spend it all in one weekend. If you see a huge haul at the end of October you know which way I chose! I am thinking of doing an updated one of these in a few months to see if I have any different tips with having a full time job rather than being a student.

Do you have other tips?

Lucy
xoxo

Holiday Lookbook

I have never been one to do a lot of fashion on my blog, and if I have the pictures usually don't involve me being in them. Whilst on holiday in Majorca I decided I would take a few snaps of my favourite outfits and share them in a lookbook form. I am not a usual fashion blogger so this is new territory for me, you can probably tell I am not very photogenic and I stand in the same pose!

This white playsuit I have been loving this summer. I bought it right at the start of the season in Primark for just £13, which I thought was an absolute bargain. I like the detailing on this as personally if I was to see someone else wearing this I would not have thought it was from Primark. My white sandals which I wear throughout the post having been my go to shoes all summer and on my holidays. I like open toe sandals and the fact that these have an ankle strap to keep them securely on my feet. They have little diamond detailing on the sides of the shoes and these were also from Primark for £8. My pink tassel over the shoulder bag is from Urban Outfitters, and is perfect to add a pop of colour to any outfit.

This white skirt has been a staple in my summer wardrobe for the past few years. I bought it from Forever 21 and it was definitely under £10. Skater style skirts suit my body shape well as I have a small waist but I am much bigger around my thigh area. I bought this top in the sale from Dorothy Perkins just before I went away. My sister has this top in a different colour and it looks lovely on her. It was only £7 in the sale and the vibrant orange colour instantly caught my eye. The top has little pom poms round the neck and arms, which adds some cute detailing to it. The white bag was used a lot this summer as it went with so many outfits, I bought it at the start of the summer from Zara. It is really spacious, as it has three compartments and a front pocket.

I bought this floral playsuit to wear to my friend's hen do at the end of July. It is once again from Primark and costs £13. The S/S line from Primark this year has had some really lovely key pieces. Every time I have gone into a store they have always had new stock which have been really on trend for this season, with lots of floral prints and cute playsuits and jumpsuits. I think jumpsuits are soooo easy to wear, especially printed ones as they do all the talking and you just need a few simple accessories. As I am on 5ft sometimes jumpsuits can drown me in size in material and length, but this fits really well in my usual size.

I love this yellow laced skirt which I bought from River Island in the sale for £15 just before I went away on holiday. It fitted really well and I loved the vibrancy of the colour, and the detailing of the lace on the skirt. I put the skirt with this white cami which is also from River Island and is a staple piece in my wardrobe. I like the thin, light, loose material in comparison to a tight vest. I think these camis look a lot more dressy and can bring an outfit together really well. Before I went out I was deliberating whether to wear the top tucked in or not, but I finally decided to pull it out but I have worn it both ways.

Lucy
xoxo

Majorca

Just looking at these photos makes me fall into an instant state of holiday blues as I look out of my window on the drizzling weather which is now permanent for the next 6 months. But I am going to sit here and try and reminisce whilst I write this post. So I jetted off to Majorca with my parents and sister for a nice, relaxing family holiday. We stayed in a family friend's apartment which was located in a secluded golf resort not to far from Port Adriano. It was really lovely as we shared our pool just with a few other residents, it was very peaceful and at ease as you didn't have to worry about not getting a sunbed or lots of noise. Port Adriano is as the name suggests a large port where lots of boats dock. This place has stunning views especially at night time. It has a real nice strip of bars and restaurants alongside the port front. We went to an amazing pizza restaurant called La Oca, where they sold every variation of pizza possible. It was one of the best pizzas which I have eaten in a long time, and the ambiance of the restaurant was chilled and relaxed with music. I really suggest if you do go on holiday within this area that you have a wander down to the port area, you won't be disappointed.

The town which we were nearest to was called Santa Ponsa. This is a vibrant town which attracts the tourists and locals during the day due to the large beach area with lots of cafes and souvenir shops. As we were staying on a golf resort we needed to get a taxi into Santa Ponsa. We went down into the town most nights as there is a vast variety of restaurants from all different cuisines. We were all impressed with the pricing of food within the restaurants. Wherever you go, you're always going to get your really expensive eateries, but there are also a large amount of places to eat which are much more affordable and the food was consistency good.

From where we was staying the nearest city was Palma. We have been to Majorca twice before and we always make sure we go into the city centre as it is a wonderful place to visit. Palma has a really large shopping area both high street and high end. As I have been before I knew there was a Sephora and I had my shopping list at the ready. I also bought some fashion pieces from Zara, Bershka and Pull and Bear as they always seem to be better in other areas of Europe. It is a really lovely place to walk around and there are lots of picturesque places. Not exactly a traditional spanish cuisine, but as a treat we went to the Hard Rock Cafe for dinner which was really lovely. The transport system within Majorca is really great and there are frequent buses to all different parts of the island. Me and my sister also took a trip to Western Water World which is a water park in Magaluf, which is the next town along from Santa Ponsa. We had a great day and despite it being the school holidays the queue lengths were not to long. It is a great place to visit and I always love going to waterparks as it is one of those things you attach with being on your holidays!

We were lucky enough to go away for 18 days meaning we really did have time to take everything in, and just fully relax and take some time away from the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives. I have been back a week now and it already feels like so long ago, and I am already craving some summer sun.

Lucy
xoxo

The Monthly Round Up for August

After getting back from Tenerife on the 1st August which you can read all about here. I had 12 days before I flew out to Majorca on a family holiday. Within those 12 days I had endless amounts of paperwork to sort out for my new job which I start at the end of September. I also spent time catching up friends who I hadn't seen for months as I was living away at uni, which was really lovely.

I really treasured having some time off and not having a lot of plans, as I haven't had that in months. After enjoying the relaxing time off, it was time to pack and jet off to Majorca. The whole family was excited as it has been a very busy few months for all of the family, and some much needed relaxation time was definitely in order. We stayed in a golf resort near Port Adriano, which was lovely as it was very secluded and the apartment was a family friends so it was more relaxed than staying in a hotel. The apartment was a 15 minute walk to Port Adriano which is an amazing port for harbouring boats which has a variety of high end restaurants and bars. If you are staying in this part of Majorca I very much suggest that you take a visit as the views are sensational. Also, not too far from where we were staying was the bustling town of Santa Ponsa. During the day, the beach is a hit with all the holidaymakers and locals, and there are some nice little cafes and souvenir shops. At night we would go back into the town where there is a wide variety of restaurants of all different cuisines, which was great as we went for 17 nights so it was amazing to have such a large selection of foods on offer. If you like your nightlife there is a square at the very top of the town where the area is more busy and there is a large amount of bars and clubs. During our stay we took two trips into Palma which is the nearest city from where we were staying. There are lots and lots of shops both low and high end, and there is definitely something for everyone (including a Sephora!).

We flew home on the 1st September and as you can tell I have had a fabulous August. I have a more in depth post coming on Sunday all about my time in Majorca.

What have you been up to in August?

Lucy
xoxo

August Favourites

For the majority of August I have been lucky enough to have been on holiday. I think when you are travelling you really discover favourites as you are using the same products again and again.

Just before I flew away I bought a travel size version of Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray as my large version just ran out before I went away. I previously have used the oil slick version as my skin used to be much oiler than it is now. I thought because my skin now has drier patches I would try the all round version. I am happy to report I like this just as much as the other version, if I am honest I didn't notice too much difference in the spray actually doing anything different in comparison or settling in another way. I spray a first layer of this after I have finished my base makeup, and then respray once my entire makeup has been completed. I think it does help to get everything locked in and stops patches occurring which is exactly what you want in 30 degree heat.

I just cannot get enough of Kat Von D's liquid lipsticks. If you are a frequent reader of my blog you will know how much I love these. I wore either Lolita II or Lovesick pretty much on rotation for my entire holiday. Everytime I wore these I would do the longevity test and I was always impressed. I have never ever had any of my lipstick transfer onto my drinking glass, when eating I occasionally got a little bit of wearing and slight fading if my food had contained a lot of oils, but that is life and it's always going to happen. Whilst on holiday I picked up the shade Mother which is a beautiful rosy pink shade and I have been loving it, keep your eyes peeled as a Sephora haul is on it's way. As soon as KVD hits the UK I am going to go crazy as I have my eye on lots more shades!

Whilst on holiday the previous person had left The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins in our apartment. I bought it for my dad for father's day and he really enjoyed it, but it didn't seem to be a book I would naturally gravitate to when reading the blurb. However, I had seen so many people talking about, I thought I would take the plunge and read it myself. I read this in 2 days as I was totally engrossed in it, the characters are intriguing, there are constantly unanswered questions, and twists and turns evolve with every turn of a page. It is totally gripping and I do recommend that you read it even if you are into chick flicks and girly type books as this is something which will delve you into a new genre of books.

The sunglasses which are from New Look have definitely got their wear and moneys worth this summer. I have been wearing them throughout the summer months at home and on my holidays. I really like the outer edging of the glasses being gold as it adds some colour in comparison to the black, and were a real bargain for just £7.99.

What have been your favourites this month?

Lucy
xoxo

My Favourite Bloggers

1. Just Charlotte by Charlotte Burns
Charlotte mostly focuses on beauty. What I love about her blog is that she has a great way with words which is something which I am always striving to improve personally. I find Charlotte's blog really warm hearted when I read it, and it is very relatable. She has similar interests to me and likes to blog about similar topics. She is also a very open and lovely person to interact with on Twitter.

2. 30 Plus and Beautiful by Tori
Tori is one of the very first people who I followed when I really started to get into blogging and interacting through social media. She recently took a little break from blogging, but she is definitely back and I have been loving reading all her new posts. She posts about a variety of things on her blog and I love the variation which she has as it keeps her content really fresh. Tori has also branched out into Tori's World which is exciting as her usual niche is beauty, she has now ventured also into lifestyle and her new sparkly name now covers all bases. I cannot wait to read her upcoming posts!

3. The Love Cats Inc by Helen
I love Helen's blog for fashion. She always has great posts and her photography is amazing. I like how she has simple outfits but they always look so pulled together and effortless. Somehow, her blog always looks so aesthetically pleasing and it definitely makes me want to strive to improve my blog. Her instagram is also as dreamy so if you need someone to follow for some inspiration I would definitely give her a follow.

4. Salt and Chic by Amy
Amy's blog is also fashion focused. I like how she is always a little bit out there with her outfits, but she always looks so effortlessly chic (literally!). She often buys lots of key pieces which are often off the highstreet which makes her relatable. Her blog makes me want to be a little more adventurous with my outfit choices and mix things up a little bit more. She also has fantastic photos and she always looks amazing in them as she is super pretty.

5. Kate La Vie by Kate
Kate's blog is great for everything and that is why I am such a big fan. She excels in all fields of her blog - beauty, fashion and lifestyle. Her photography is simply sensational and I know a lot of people in the blogging community look at her blog for inspiration. I think she is actually out there in a league of her own, and that is the reason why her blog has such a big following. If you want some homeware and decor inspiration her instagram is where you need to be! She also owns a stationery shop on her other site called Nouvelle Daily which has some amazing stationery pieces and I really recommend that you have a look as some of her items are beautiful.

There are so many other bloggers which I always ensure which I read and keep up to date with, and there are definitely too many to mention in this one post. I have really enjoyed writing this post and spreading some love in the blogging community.

Lucy
xoxo