The Round up for November

November has flown by, and it has been a month which I have really enjoyed!

This month I took a trip to the Manchester Christmas Markets, it is a family tradition to go each year and I love everything on offer. I wrote a whole blog post here a few years ago and if you can it is definitely worth a visit as they are great. There are a variety of food, drink, craft, art, plants, jewellery and much more. It is a brilliant day out with friends and family and somewhere you can spend the entire afternoon or night. We always go for the food and drink mainly as it is a lovely way to catch up with friends over a burger and some mulled cider.

The biggest event of the month was definitely my graduation which you can read all about here. It was a fabulous day of joy and celebrations, and for once I felt really proud of myself. It was great to see all of my friends and hear how much everyone is loving their new jobs. It was held at Carlisle Cathedral which was an amazing venue and I felt very overwhelmed and super nervous when I met the Archbishop of York to collect my certificate. Thankfully, I did not slip, trip or fall at any point along the way which was such a worry. Something I will say is honestly I found the gown so annoying it was falling down all day, and making me even more anxious as I wanted it to look right. The lady told me it was because I have small shoulders, but the gown was so heavy on me it just kept slipping backwards!

One thing which put a grey cloud over everything at the start of the month, was finding out my Christmas shifts for work. It is my first Christmas at this job, and I have definitely drawn the short straw. I am working the 22nd, 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th, 29th, and the 31st of December. I don't think there is anyone who could have worse shifts than this, I was angry for a few days but I have dealt with it now as I did not want to make a huge fuss as I knew they were not going to change it. I have learnt that sometimes you just have to work with what you've been given, and that is exactly what I have done. I have made plans around my shifts and on my days off and I am determined to still have a fabulous Christmas.

I have started my Christmas shopping, which is unknown for me to be this organised. However, I wanted to split things up into my paydays and not be running around last minute. I still have a few things to buy, but I have a list and it should not take too long. I want to buy some lovely gifts this year, as this is the first year I can afford to spoil my loved ones.

I am sooo excited for December as I have lots of exciting things in my diary, which is exactly how I like it to be. I like to be super busy and have events to look forward to. I cannot believe when I write next month's round up it will be 2017!

Lucy
xoxo

November Favourites

In my last favourites I wrote at the start of the post how I felt that October had dragged. However, November has literally flown by and cannot believe we are now into December. For me Christmas starts as soon as December hits and then I can start getting into the festive spirit.

I have had super dry lips this month with this freezing weather. I bought the Blistex Medplus, and it has worked perfectly. It has a very soft consistency of petroleum jelly and contains menthol which is cool and soothing on the lip. It also comes in such a small tub that I have misplaced it numerous times! However, it is perfect to throw into your handbag for whenever you need it.

My trusty L'Oreal True Match Foundation, got pulled out of my drawers and put back into my daily makeup routine this month. If someone asks me for a drugstore recommendation this is always my suggestion. It is perfect for everyday wear, it has a medium to high coverage, lasts well, sits nicely on the skin and blends super easy. Most of all I like the finish as it does not feel drying or too matte on the skin, and does not feel heavy which is one thing which I always look out for.

I bought the Urban Decay Shadow Box at the start of the month and it featured in my recent Debenhams haul. I am a fan of Urban Decay eyeshadows, but I have previously found that they can have some downfall when applying them. I have been really impressed with the shadows in this palette, and I think it has a really great selection of colours. Don't get me wrong I am all about those golden toned shadows, but this has allowed me to be a little more creative.

On my graduation day I wore MAC Fabby, and I totally fell back in love with it. This was not what I was originally planning on wearing but I decided that I did not want anything too over the top. It is a beautiful mid-toned pink with a pearlised frost finish. It is not too sparkly or glittery, it just gives a lovely sheen to the lips. I am definitely going to start wearing this for work, and I need to invest in more 'everyday' shades as I am definitely missing some in my collection. Since I jumped aboard the liquid lipstick hype, I have not looked back but I am struggling to find shades which I can wear on a day to day basis.

What have you been loving in November?

Lucy
xoxo

Graduation

So last Thursday I graduated! I know most people graduate in the summer but as my course didn't officially finish until September therefore we all graduate in the Autumn. I haven't been back to Carlisle in months and throughout the day I found myself getting very emotional. All in all it was a wonderful day, and I will remember it for the rest of my life. For me it was the final and end of a three year journey, and it was the last chapter in my university experience. I graduated with a 2:1 in BSc (Hons) Children's Nursing, which has led me to my job which I am currently fulfilling.

The dress which I wore was from River Island I bought it a few months ago and it was sitting in my wardrobe collecting dust. I spent hours online and in store shopping trying to find the perfect dress, but in the end I decided to go with this and I am super happy that I did. My shoes are from Faith at Debenhams and were actually comfy considering I wore them all day and they were brand new.

Lucy
xoxo

LUSH Christmas Haul

So over the last few weeks I have been popping into the Lush stores and picking up some of their Christmas line slowly but surely, and here I am with a lot of the collection and I think I have everything which I want.

My sister bought me The Christmas Penguin as a little gift which was lovely of her. It is a bubble bar containing lemon and mandarin oils, and it is just so dam cute. A new addition to the line this year is Snowie which is also a bubble bar  and smells sensational as it contains grapefruit oil and rose oil. I am excited to see this melt and the colours which it will bring out. One of my ultimate Christmas favourites is Peeping Santa. It is a bubble bar and makes your skin silky soft as it had shea butter within in it. The Magic of Christmas was one which I purchased last year and very much enjoyed. It is a giant bubble bar and I usually get at least three uses out of them so they are excellent value for money. The scent is cinnamon and almonds, and is perfect for a cold Autumn day when you need to rewind. Candy Mountain is a Christmas classic, the bubble bar smells of vanilla absolute which is quite sweet but I actually really like it. It turns into a pink glittery river when placed in the bath. Snow Angel is a bath melt, and is very messy with all of its golden glitter. It once again contains cocoa butter to make your skin soft and smooth, the scent to me resembles marzipan however, it is not too overwhelming. Butterbear is one which I always stock up on it the sales as it is only costs £1.95. It contains cocoa butter and cocoa powder, and is great as an extra gift for someone's stocking. Mistletoe was a surprise purchase, as I was not expecting to buy it but when I picked it up it smelt amazing, you can definitely smell the floral parts to the bath bomb but it is also light and I think this will look great when dissolved. 

Have you picked up anything from Lush's christmas range?

Lucy

xoxo

LA Girl Concealer

I purchased this concealer quite a few weeks ago from BeautyBay and I have been putting it to the test. I had not seen or heard many reviews about this, but I had heard quite a bit about the band LA Girl from many of my favourite American YouTubers. When I saw the brand available on the site, I was very intrigued and started to look at the products on offer. I am always putting concealers to the test, probably over any other product as it is such an important step for me in my daily makeup routine. I decided to take the plunge and order the PRO.Conceal.

One thing I always struggle with when ordering online is getting the right shade, and with this I did not do too well. The descriptions on BeautyBay site are not accurate in comparison to the real colour, but it does always depending on the lighting when the photos have been taken. Ivory is described as being a good match for porcelain skin which I would not describe my tone as, so I went with Natural which is for fair skin which is how I would describe my tone. However, it is too dark for my skin but I am just about managing to make it work. Next time I think the shades described for porcelain would be a much better match to my skin tone. So for £5 I think this is a great product, it is high coverage, blends well and lasts a good amount of time on my skin. I have been really impressed it has similar consistency to Collection's Lasting Perfection, but I think the PRO.Conceal lasts longer on my skin. I still prefer to use Nars' Creamy Concealer for areas where I want lighter coverage and I think this is a little too thick to use under my eyes. On to the downsides, I really am not a fan of the applicator as it is one of those squeezy brushes where the products goes into the brush and they you can apply to your face. However, I find the product does not evenly distribute on the brush and you can easily apply too much to one area. As I have said previously, I have only had this is a few weeks and I do not think it is going to last very long as the tube feels half empty already but for the price I cannot moan too much.

All in all, I would recommend this is I think it is a really good drugstore product which does the job and does work well with covering areas where high coverage is needed. For me these areas are over my chin where my acne mainly flares up, and I have tested many concealers and I am very much impressed with this.

Lucy

xoxo

Black Friday

Cyber Monday brings to the end of what seems like a never ending week of sales and offers. I have put together all of the best deals, and if you are wanting any deals today really is the last day!

New Look - 25% off everything with code: HAPPINESS and free delivery.

Topshop - Up to 50% off and free delivery.

Apple - a gift card with purchases.

Ted Baker - Up to 30% off instore and online.

River Island - 20% off everything with code: SOFA16 and free delivery.

Oliver Bonas - 30% off selected lines.

Missguided - 30% off everything with code : gogogo or use your student discount code for 35% off everything.

Boohoo - up to 50% off everything and free delivery until tomorrow.

Jack Wills - £25 off when you spend £100 on full price items.

KIKO - Buy 3 products and get 3 free also free delivery.

ASOS - 20% off everything this weekend with code: GOGOGO.

Charlotte Tilbury - 4 exclusive offers each day added to the sale until Monday. 2 offers currently available as 2 have already completely sold out - Nocturnal eyes to hypnotise (buy one eyeshadow and liner set and get one free) and buy a mystery box for £150 with £300 worth of products inside.

Urban Outfitters - Up to 50% off everything and £1 delivery.

Beautybay - up to 30% off many brands - This Works, Pai, Gerard Cosmetics, Alpha H, Natasha Denona and Milani.

Debenhams -  50% off ALL women's dresses, up to 50% off womens designers, 30% off mens brands, up to 50% off electrical and toys.

House of Fraser -  up to 50% off handbags, home and toys, 30% off womenswear and 40% off mens. 

Amazon - started already with different daily deals. One of the best - £30 off kindles, £10 off Amazon firestick, Amazon Fire tablets -£29.99, Amazon Echo - £119, Amazon Dot - £39.99

Office - up to 20% off everything and free delivery with code WONDER

Boots - Benefit Bestie Set now £30, No7 Beauty Haul Colour Vault - £42.50, better than half price Oral toothbrushes, 40% off Paco Rabanne 100ml, up to 1/3 off Fitbits.

American Deals

I know a lot of you beauty lovers are planning on making some american beauty orders so I have also put together a specific list. Heads up if you are on Instagram follow trendmooddeals for all the up to date offers in one place. Currently the best deals I have found:

Anastasia Beverly Hills starting 25th Nov 12am EST (5am GMT) until the 28th. 

50% off concealers, 40% off contour and cream kits, 30% off lipgloss, 25% pro brushes and illuminators, 10% off glow kits.

Urban Decay - Alice Through The Looking Glass Palette now $60 to $34, ShadowBox (which I bought recently you can see here) now $18, and lots of brushes 50% off. 

Sephora - Look like they have lots of deals starting on Friday lots of deals

such as Too Faced Better Than Sex Set $10, Tarte Pretty Little Lippie Set $10 and Clarisonic Radiance Renewing Duo $15.

Colourpop Cosmetics - 20% off the entire site.

Jeffree Star Cosmetics - On cyber monday - velour liquid lipstick - $15, Beauty Killer Palette - $24.75 (45% off), Skin Frosts - $23 (20% off) and Lip Ammunition $10.50 (45% off).

Doses of Colors - have a 4 day sale off 20% off everything on their site.

Hope this is helpful!

Lucy 

xoxo

Bath & Body Works Haul

Finally my Bath & Body Works arrived after weeks of waiting. I have had so much trouble with this order it has seriously put me off ordering again, but I will go through all the shipping details further on in the post.

I had been wanting to order from their for site for so long as I had heard so many amazing reviews of their products. On payday I took the plunge and ordered from their website and to my surprise the products were actually really well priced and affordable, definitely parallel to prices of the drugstores. There is always offers on and everything in this haul was under $4 each. I didn't have a list of what I wanted so I just took a little browse and added some products to my basket which I was excited to try. There is so much hype around the candles which they sell, I picked up Marshmallow Fireside and it smells sensational like you are burning s'mores and is the perfect autumnal scent for a cosy night in under blankets and watching a film. I have to say everything smells amazing and I cannot wait to try the Sweet Pea Shower Gel as it smells very fresh and refreshing. The Champagne Apple & Honey Body Lotion (unable to find) is very fruity as you would expect and the apple scent is what I can smell instantly and I really like it. I made this order just before Halloween so a lot of the collection was pumpkin flavoured. I honestly do not know why I ordered this I think it could've been by mistake, the Marshmallow Pumpkin Latte Hand Soap if you like coffee and the smell of praline then this is perfect for you. For me it is definitely not something which I would usually gravitate towards as I am a seriously fruit scent person and I really do not like this. Like I say I do not love this and will be passing it onto one of my friends. I am happy to say that the Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin Body Cream is much more up my street as it is sweet like the name suggests and I cannot stop smelling this.

I have never had more problems with shipping from the USA as I have with this order. I used my usual shipping service Shipito which I have never had any problems with and I always use to ship my Colourpop orders. I did not expect the package to be as heavy as it was for some reason, and it originally was going to cost me $40 to ship this order and considering the order only costs $22.68 including tax in total I was so shocked. I then had the problem that I had also ordered 5 of the mini hand sanitisers ($5) which I was super excited about, and then Shipito informed they could not be shipped to the UK as they contain alcohol, so I could either send them back to Bath and Body Works which would cost more than their worth or discard them. I then researched about using the carrier service called Gosend but they were charging $18 before fees and insurance and I just cannot part with that for the worth of the products. If anyone has any suggestions of what I can do about this please give me a shout as they are currently just sitting in the Shipito warehouse. I then had to pay $5 to have the hand sanitisers removed and repacked so all together for this parcel it cost $32, which was just about bearable. I also thankfully was not hit by a shipping charge in the UK, as the order was now only worth $16. Unfortunately even though I really love the products, the price of shipping is just way too much for me. I have since seen their are lots of ebay buyers and facebook pages which sell Bath & Body Works products. However, I am always scared though that they are going to fakes of the real version.

What are you favourite Bath & Body Works products?

Lucy
xoxo

Debenhams Beauty Haul

I cannot tell how god dam excited I was when this package landed on my doorstep, I decided to properly treat myself and spend a bit of money on some makeup which I have been swooning after. I decided to buy a few travel size products as I was buying all brand new products and did not want to spend a lot on full sizes if they weren't going to be my favourites. I also bought more than usual as Debenhams had 10% off all beauty products and also some super saver purchases.

I needed a new primer desperately and I had heard sooo much about the Makeup Forever Hydrating Primer so I thought this was the perfect time to test it out. I need something which is going to hydrate my dry skin and create a blank canvas before I apply my makeup, and most importantly keep my makeup locked in throughout the day.

MAC's Extra Dimension Skinfinishes have had a huge amount of talk on the beauty market since their release and my god are they ALL beautiful. It took me a good two hours to decide on the colour which I wanted and I finally went with Beaming Blush. When it arrived I was so pleased to see that it was not too dark for my colouring as that was my main worry. It looks absolutely stunning in its packaging and as soon as the photos were taken it was applied to my face!

The Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara has had a huge amount of hype surrounding it since its launch, and a lot of people have told me that the hype is worth it as it is sensational. I am super excited to try this as I am very picky with mascaras and I don't have many favourites, I am always on the hunt for new ones to try and to actually like.

I feel as a beauty blogger I should have owned this many moons ago but I have never used eyeshadow primer as a step in my daily routine. This Urban Decay Primer Potion has been sat at the stop of my wishlist for ages now so it is definitely worthwhile me picking up a small version to put it to the test before I splash out on a full size version. I am hoping this keeps my eyeshadows locked into place as my eyelids can be quite greasy and absorb my eyeshadows easily.

Finally, this was the only product not on my list but I just could not pick this up. When I told my mum I bought it she said she had seen it and was going to buy it me for Christmas because it was such a bargain, and she was totally right. This was on offer for just £16.10 which was such great value for the amount of colours and product which you get in this Urban Decay Shadowbox. It had a 40% saving and I just couldn't not add it to my basket. It has obviously been very popular as it is now sold out on Debenhams but is still available in the link.

I am super excited to put all this new makeup to the test and I will report back soon!

Lucy
xoxo

Three New Makeup Geek Eyeshadows

Last week I posted a Makeup Geek eyeshadow collection post with every shadow which I own from the brand. However, I decided that I needed to add a few more autumnal berry shades as there was a gap within my collection. I decided not to go overboard and ordered just three new shades.

Anarchy sits right in between Roulette and Burlesque on the colour spectrum. Whilst the other two are more on the berry toned side of the scale, this is definitely a medium pink with shimmer. I can definitely see purple tones running through it which I love as I do not like pale or bright pink shades as they do not suit my colourings well. This is so gorgeous and it was exactly what was missing from my palette. 

Roulette is my favourite from my first impressions, I have worn this a few days for work and I have really been loved it. When looking at the shade it looks like a burnt pink toned copper which looks stunning when applied. The golden copper part of the shade makes it metallic and really shines through making it a simple everyday rosy shimmery shade.

Burlesque is the darkest of the three which I picked up, and is a dark blackberry shade which will look beautiful when blended with other berry toned shades. It will be perfect for a smokey eye shade as it contains some brown undertones and throughout the autumn and Christmas period I can see myself wearing this a lot. When applied to the lid the burgundy warm metallic tones really shine through, which is what I wanted as I already have a lot of darker matte shades.

I am really glad I picked up these shadows as they all swatch and apply really easy with amazing pigmentation as occasionally I have come across some slightly chalky shades from Makeup Geek. These are such great value for £6 and I can not wait to extend my collection even more!

Lucy

xoxo

Feeling Lonely and Facing Change

On the Tuesday afternoon that I write this whilst watching Loose Women, they have started a discussion about 'loneliness'. Love or hate the programme, they talk about real life matters and I love the positivity which is promotes regarding women. I have been thinking about this topic a lot recently, and the topic being brought up on the show really got me thinking for myself. On the show, they said that 90% of people have felt lonely in their lives at some point. Interestingly enough 89% of those people were in a relationship at that time, this surprised me massively as I always put my loneliness down to being single. When we think of 'lonely' people in a category many of us would think of the elderly, whereas in fact in their survey those over 60 were the least loneliness of any age category. It did surprise me that the most 'loneliest' age group was in fact the 18-25 years old, which is what I fall in.

I think there is definitely a stigma attached to loneliness, and it sometimes seen as having no friends. In fact for me it could be further from the truth, I think the big reason for my age group feeling this way is due to change. Huge changes and transitions happen within the years of being 18-25 and it can be hard to get to grips with. I am very lucky to have a few different friendship groups, I can count 10 friends easily who I could go to and trust and I think this is a very privileged position to be in. However, I don't see them that often anymore and this is due to life changing. We have all now left university, we have full time jobs, all work different shifts and all have their own lives to lead. Although, I have found that being the single friend of all of my friends can be hard. I have found that sometimes people have organised couple nights out and I have not been invited which I totally understand. There has been times when I have invited to an event with my friend and their boyfriends, but I hate the idea of third wheeling. Its change, and change can make loneliness feel 10x worse.

The difference between being alone and being lonely isn't really that big, and they can creep into the other category very easily without even realising. When I started my job 6 weeks I could not wait to have my days off to sit around, relax, have no part time job to go to, have no uni work to do, and generally just have more time to myself. As I have always led a busy life I am struggling with ways to fill my time on my days off. My shifts can be any day of the week, whereas all of my other friends are in 9-5 monday-friday jobs, so they can't do anything during the week which is when some of my days off fall. The shift of change has left me thinking that I think I am feeling more lonely than alone as I know I have people to talk to when I need to, but I don't really get time to see them so I have nothing to do to fill in my time. I hate my own company, I cannot occupy myself, I love nothing more than to be surrounded by people. I lived pretty much alone at uni in my last year and I hated it, it made me very sad. I 100% at that time in my life I felt alone, as I was away from close family and friends and I had no one to talk to. What I really want to get out of this post is the fact to accept that the feeling of loneliness will always come and go throughout our lives and that's okay as it really is part of life. Things happen that we don't expect to happen that end in us feeling ways which we have never felt before. I am trying to fill in my time by doing other things and setting myself projects for my days off when everyone else in work, and to really embrace my weekends when I am off and so is everyone else.

Lucy
xoxo

Marble ASOS Boots

I'd been after some new autumn black boots for weeks, and I had been really struggling to find some. I did have an idea of what I wanted and the style, but I didn't want anything too chunky. As always I decided to have a browse on the-ever-so-reliable ASOS, and low and behold I fell in love with these dreamy boots.

I was browsing as I do most days, and I instantly stopped when I set my eyes upon these Rand Heeled Ankle Boots. I originally wanted some with a leather coating rather than a faux suede, but I actually really like these and they are different to anything else which I own. I was also really intrigued by the marble heels as they are very unique and I wanted something which was a little bit different to the norm. I was unsure about the height of the heel on these as I usually go for a flat heel for everyday wear. However, when I have walked about in them, they are comfortable and I don't think I would struggle walking about in them all day. I thought these were a great buy for £35, as they seem like they are good quality, sturdy and should last a few seasons.

Lucy
xoxo

Updated Makeup Geek Collection | Swatches and Review

I have somehow managed to collate quite a large collection of makeup geek eyeshadows without really realising. I have been using all of these shadows for months, so I thought it was the perfect time to give you a rundown on the must haves and the misses. The normal eyeshadows and the duochrome shades all cost £6, and the foiled shadows cost £9.

Bitten is a household favourite, it is a dark purple toned shade and always reminds me of blackcurrants, this always get used in the autumn. I use this to blend when I am wanting a smokier berry toned eye as this works great blended together with some lighter berry toned shades.
Cocoa Bear is a matte dark chocolate shade, and was one which everyone told me I must have. If you like matte brown toned shades this is for you, I have to say this type of shade is always great to have in your collection.
Country Girl is one which I would use with Bitten, it is a lighter red toned berry shade and looks beautiful on its own or blended with other shades.
Cosmopolitan is definitely is my top 3 of most used shades out of them all. It is a champagne pink shade with shimmer running through it which looks lovely for everyday wear as a one wash shade. I like to pair this with a few layers of mascara on an everyday basis.
Envy is a shade which I have not got too much use out of yet. It is a dark green which I think will look lovely when blended with lighter green shades to make an emerald inspired look.
Frappe is a matte milk chocolate brown shade which I often use to blend with Cocoa Bear. It blends really well and is one which I reach for often.
Glamorous is another one in my top 3. It is the perfect mid toned golden shimmer on par with MAC's Amber Lights. It contains a great amount of shimmer which always looks lovely as a summer shade, but I like to wear this with some eyeliner and I don't often blend it with anything else.
Homecoming is another favourite of mine, and if you like golden shimmers you need this in your collection. It has slight resemblance to MAC's Satin Taupe which is one of my all time favourites. It is a darker toned golden with brown undertones adding some depth to the shade.
Peach Smoothie is another everyday essential. I was not sure how I would wear this when I originally bought it. It is a matte light peach, yellow toned shade, which is perfect to blend with a variety of shades.
Pillow Talk is a light lilac shade containing a lot of shimmer. If you add some setting spray to this it turns almost into a foiled shade as the glitter pigmentation really shines through. This is a lovely for a bright and light shade which I love to wear on a night out.
Prom Night has great pigmentation, this one always surprises me as it looks more of a grey toned shade in the pan. When I swatch it is always reminds me of red grapes as it has dark purple tones, with a golden shimmer running through it.
Rebel is a mid toned purple with golden shimmer running through it. I find this quite disappointing in pigmentation when swatching as it looks as it will be very dark and sultry, but it is very light and lacks definition. However, once again when I add a setting spray it really brings out the pigments. This looks lovely with the other lilac and purple toned shades.
Shimma Shimma is a beautiful cream shimmer shade which is perfect for highlighting the inner corners and under your eyebrow and any other areas which you wish to add some brightness to.
Tiki Hut can only be described as being a matte beige shade. I sometimes struggle to incorporate this into my looks, but it is great for the first wash of colour before adding some darker shades.

Duochrome
Blacklight is such a beautiful lilac shade, which has a white silver shimmer running through it, it gives a real iridescent look to the shade which glimmers beautifully under the light.
Mai Tai is similar to Cosmopolitan in colour, but has more paler pink shades within it. I really like this as when blended it really keeps it colour and you do not lose the pigmentation within the shade.
Secret Garden is a gorgeous blue and green toned shade, which reminds me of under the sea. I love it as when blended it looks like a navy shimmery shade which is a great alternative to using black.

Foiled
Starry Eyed has a buttery consistency and is very soft and smooth when applying, they are also super pigmentation hence the increase in price. It feels more like a cream based product, it is a white champagne golden shade and it is great to add some brightness to any eye look. I definitely need to pick some more of these foiled shades up as there are so many beautiful ones within the collection.

If you have any more recommendations to add to my collection please leave in the comments.

Lucy
xoxo

The Monthly Roundup for October

October has flown by. I feel as though 2017 will be upon us before we know it. October has been a month of change for me, I mentioned last month that I started my new job and this month has been all about me finding my feet, settling in and finally having some responsibility. The team has been really welcoming, but some days it has been so busy there simply has not been time to show me the ropes so I have been having to find many things out for myself. Being back at work and doing full time hours after I nice summer off struck me quite hard at the start of the month. However, with all this work, comes pay. When I got my payslip from work the day before payday and saw the amount of pay I was getting, I literally danced around the staffroom. I am not saying that I am earning tonnes, and this is not to show off. But for me I have worked hard for three years of uni and I feel as though that is finally paying off through being paid. I felt quite teary actually as I had never had a pay cheque like it in my life, and I found it very overwhelming. You may have thought that I would have been on a massive spending spree but I haven't... as of yet. I feel very protected over it, and I am not ready to let go and splash out just yet. All of the girls at work have said that it is mandatory to buy something big and spoil yourself on your first pay. I did actually take a trip to Cheshire Oaks and fell in love with an out of this world pink Gucci bag, which was in fact half price!

 I feel as though this month I have felt proud of myself and my self confidence in my abilities has taken a good turn. The only thing which I have found this month is that I have missed out on a few socialising events due to my shifts. I did manage to make it to a last minute Halloween party of an old school friend which was great to catch up with everyone, and take some time to relax and see my friends. I also went to see Justin Bieber in Manchester, regardless of the drama (he walked off stage!), I had a great night and got to see my two close friends from university and we had a big night out which was great.

In terms of November, I haven't got too much planned. The Christmas markets in Manchester open this month, and the Christmas shopping will commence. However, call me scrooge but Christmas to me starts on the 1st December, then you can start organising and getting in the spirit. I am excited to do a spot of shopping this year and I am trying to be as inventive as possible with my present buying, but it can all wait until December.

Lucy
xoxo

October Favourites

I really thought September dragged, but how is it the end of October already this month has flown by. I do however, as I do every month have some favourites which I thought I would like to share.

This month my MAC Studio Fix Foundation made a big comeback into my daily makeup routine. I have been wearing this since my teens and was my first ever high end foundation, and I still love it. It is medium coverage which is buildable, but I also like the fluid consistency as it is very easy to apply and dries to a matte finish, which is not too dry. What I like the most is that it is comfortable on the skin, and does not feel thick or cakey throughout the day.

At the start of the month I rebought my ever-so trusty Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer. I had been trying to use up some of my other concealers, but I had to rebuy it as I find it is one of the best full coverage concealers on any drugstore or high end market. It is only £4.19 and it is differently a competitor for the likes of MAC and Bobbi Brown.

I also made a Colourpop order which you can read all about here. I picked up the cream eyeshadow shade in Muse, and I have been loving it. It is one of those perfect shades which you can wear on its own and it looks lovely, there is no need to blend it with any other colours if you don't want to. It is perfect for autumn as it a copper red with a little golden shimmer running throughout it.

Calypso has been living in my handbag this month, and has been my go to shade. It is once again perfect for autumn. This is a mid toned pinky nude which definitely falls on the darker side of the scale. This has a ultra satin finish which I am a huge fan of as they do not dry too matte and has a slight sheen to them. I have been very happy with how this lasts on the lips and does not budge throughout the day. I am definitely going to pick up some up other shades from their autumn line.

What have you been loving this month?

Lucy
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Workday Makeup Essentials

Since starting my job and the early starts have started, I have quickly got into a routine of the makeup which I apply. I want to look fresh and natural, but most importantly to last for my entire 12 hour shift without budging.

I love my self built Makeup Geek Shadows palette, the shadows have great pigmentation and as I have put together the palette myself they are all shades which I want to wear. The shades which I gravitate to on a morning are Beaches and Cream, Country Girl and Homecoming. However, sometimes I like to add some of the little deeper shades such as Cocoa Bear and Frappe to add a smokey aspect but nothing too dark or over the top. I never apply eyeliner during the day as I simply don't have the time to make it perfect! Therefore, I finish by adding a few layers of my Maybelline Push Up Drama Mascara to my lashes.

For my base I like to mix the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation with the Kat Von D Lock It Foundation. The Charlotte Tilbury foundation is a medium coverage with a semi matte finish, I really enjoy using it but I find it does not wear for a full day. I find when I mix one pump of the Kat Von D foundation which is a full coverage matte finish with the other foundation that it overall lasts longer throughout the day on my skin. I like both of these foundations and I do wear them on their own if I am not needing the finish to wear for a full day. I have been using the MAC Skinfinish Powder since my teen years and I still love it. The powder sets everything in place beautifully and leaves my skin feeling silky soft. I never reach for any of the blushes exact the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blushes as they are on another level. I adore all three of these shades and I simply choose whichever one I fancy each morning.

I always make sure that I leave a little bit of time to make sure I can apply my MAC Eyebrow Pencil as I like them to be as good as they can be as they frame my face. I also just like to do them as I think they finish off a simple make look. I don't usually wear anything on my lips, but if I do it will be whatever lipstick or gloss is in the bottom of my handbag on that day.

Lucy
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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
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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
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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

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