New Years Resolutions

I have already put up my blogging goals post if you want to have a read of that. I had been toying with the idea of putting up this for a few days, and I decided to as its better late then never. This is a new one to my blog as the past 3 years I hadn't really had many personal resolutions, but this year I
am feeling more pumped and willing than ever.

1. My first goal is all about work. I started my first full time job in October after qualifying and graduating from uni. I want to really shine and show myself which is something which I have been struggling with in my first few months of starting. When they say you will sink or swim, I have definitely felt a lot more times of sinking than swimming but I think I am starting to get there. However, this is going to be a huge year for me at work, I have so much to learn and this is only the beginning. I want to finish this year thinking that I have achieved and learnt a lot, and that I am able to work well on my own without the constant reliance of others.

2. This year I have to take on board my messiness! I have always been a messy and untidy person, I not unclean or dirty but I leave my stuff everywhere. I try so hard to keep the little amount of mess around me tidy, but in no time it erupts and I have a mountain to face and I simply leave it as I cannot be bothered to tackle it. I think I need to just do a huge clear out and tidy, and then make myself stick it. I think it will help me stay more organised and want to have a clear space in my room, which I can actually enjoying having. This is my number one goals this year and I am determined to stick to it!

3. Working full time means that I now able to set myself some financial goals, which is exciting. I want to open a Help To Buy ISA, to help me save for a deposit for a house. This is going to take me a few years I know but we all have to start somewhere. I am determined not to rent somewhere as I know that I won't on my own be able to afford to rent and save for a house at the same time.

4. I also have some material goods which I will be saving for this year, this being a rose gold Apple Mac, a new camera for blogging and also a Gucci bag. I am no way going to be able to buy them all but I am good with money and I want to buy myself a few big things this year. I like having a goal for what I am saving for, and we can all dream about buying those things which we are lusting after.

5. Joining the gym is a big one for me. Now that I am home and not bobbing backwards and forwards from uni I have no excuse. I am wanting to loose a little bit of weight and also tone up for myself to increase my confidence. As I write this I joined this gym on Monday and I have attended a bodyattack class which I really enjoyed. I also had my induction at the gym which turned into an hours personal training session, which has left my legs completely dead. I didn't actually hate it and it was nice to learn how to use all the equipment correctly, as next time I go in the gym it will hopefully not be as daunting.

I am motivated to keep to these goals as there is nothing to out of the ordinary which I will struggle with. I want to look back to the end of the year and think to myself that I really tried hard to achieve them.

What are your New Years resolutions?

Lucy
xoxo

The best of beauty 2016

To round up my best of beauty 2016, it took a lot of thought and consideration. I made each decision as to what I would always grab when I am in a hurry and knew would perform. I also considered what products I would say instantly if my friends said "what is your favourite...?", as that is a question I get asked often.

Foundation is the only category in this post where I have two picks as I just had to mention both! My high end foundation choice has to be Nars Sheer Glow Foundation, I recently rebought my second bottle as I just cannot be without it. I have written an entire post all about it which you can read here. I rediscovered the L'oreal True Match Foundation in the summer when I needed a cheaper option to take on holiday with me once I had a tan.I love this and it is definitely in my opinion the best drugstore foundation out there. I massively got into using my Beautyblender last year, and I finally got what all the fuss was about. I love using it damp to bounce on my skin gently to get an even coverage and it definitely adds to the glowing element of my foundation.

Revlon's Coverstay Concealer is one what I have really enjoyed using in 2016, and is the one which I always pick in a rush as it is so reliable. It is similar to both Collection's concealer and Nars' Creamy Concealer in terms of having a creamy consistency. As you can see from the picture I have definitely been using my Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder to death this year, as I have pretty much used it all up. I am dreading having to buy another one because of it's hefty price tag, but I really love this as it feels silky smooth when applied to the skin, and it keep my base products in place really well. My love with this MAC Blush in Melba is never ending. This is the perfect shade for my skintone, it has the perfect mix of pink with a hint of coral, and it contains a subtle hint of golden shimmer to add some life and luminosity. Talking of adding some shimmer, the MUA Undress Your Skin Highlighter in Iridescent Gold has definitely been my drugstore find of the year. I have recommended this to everyone of my friends, and they have all bought it and reported back with how much they love it! It is not too glittery or chunky, and glides on super easy and with one stroke your cheekbones instantly light up.

Once again I could not deny that the MAC Warm Neutrals Palette is definitely my most used palette of last year. There are so many colours which I always gravitate too which I can use as a one swipe shade, or to create more intriguing smokey eyes. I talked quite a bit about the Colourpop pigment shadows on my blog last year, and I had to put them in this post as I have quite a few in my collection now. Weenie was one of the first which I bought, and I love it, it is a rose gold shade with a metallic finish. I have found that I much prefer the metallic finishes over the pearlised finishes, as they do not crease and blend much nicer. Literally the only eyeliner which I have used this year is the Kat Von D Tattoo Liner. The nib is like a pen which is my favourite type, and it makes it super easy to apply the perfect amount. If you haven't yet tried this, you must! It is probably my most favourite item of all in this entire post. I discovered the Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara in the very latter part of 2016, but it has revolutionised my lash game. I am super picky with my mascaras and I always struggle to find one which does everything which I am looking for. I now totally understand the hyper surrounding this, and I will definitely be picking up the full size once my travel size runs out. I am not always a huge fan of Benefit, but I really enjoyed using their Goof Proof Eyebrow Pencil last year. It has a triangle shaped nib which makes it really easy to shape your eyebrows to exactly how you want them.

What are your best beauty products of 2016?

Lucy
xoxo

MAC Haul

We had been planning a trip to Cheshire Oaks which is a designer outlet mall not too far from us for ages now and we finally found a day which everyone could go and headed there. There is a store called The Cosmetic Company which features all the companies which Estée Lauder own including MAC. I never usually find much in the store which I like as for one it is always busy and basically I never find anything which I actually want. But this trip was very different!

I found the Veluxe Brow Liner in Omega which I wanted to buy last time I visited the MAC concession in Selfridges, but I am a creature of nature so decided to stick with what I know. However, coincidentally that morning we went shopping my current pencil ran out so I thought it was the perfect timing to try something new on my brows. I have also been wanting to try out the new Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolour range, and I really liked the consistency when I switched it. I picked up the shade Too Matte With Love, which is actually a lot brighter when applied to the lips than what I originally thought. I wore it that afternoon and it was comfortable on the lips, but I did notice it clinged to the drier parts of my lips. I am going to test it out further and report back soon. I also picked up a single shadow in the shade Star Violet, which is one I have been wanting for myself forever. My sister has this shade and I always sneakily use it as it is a really beautiful. It is a purple toned shade which contains shimmer, it is not your usual purple as it has light undertone of gold which makes it look metallic when applied making it shine through as violet.

Lucy
xoxo

Blogging Goals for 2017

Looking back on my 2016 goals I think I have done pretty well in terms of sticking with them, and I mostly want to carry them on into this new year. My goals were to focus on photography, be more organised, use instagram more and become friends with my more people in the blogging community.

I have tried really hard with my photography this year and I think it has improved, I have tried to focus on how I arrange what I am photographing and also the editing of them. I really want to continue to improve this into this new year as photos can be seal the deal on whether someone clicks on a post or not. 

Being more organised is definitely something which I have improved over 2016. My blog is probably the only part of my life which is organised! I started to use my fave notebook as much as possible to lay out all of my posts throughout each month. This helps as I can tick off when I have done my photos and written posts and can map out what needs to be done when to keep me on track. I like to know on my days off what needs to be done surrounding all things on my blog even if it is just scheduling tweets. I need to take this organisation and apply it to all aspects of my life as organisation is definitely not my strong point. I could definitely still improve how I utilise my spare time, so I have made this a new blogging goal for this year. I can spend hours browsing social media and watching TV when I could be using that precious time to write posts and organise my blog. I don't like to know that I need to rush to get a post out to my scheduled days, I prefer to do it as and when I can and do things in advance as not only does it make life easier, it also makes everything much more enjoyable. 

Instagram is something with I have tried hard at times to use and gain followers but it has not been a main focus of mine. I have gone through phases where I have really focused on it and then it gets put on a back burner. I am definitely going to try and also plan my instagram as a lot of the time I am not sure what photos to actually take and what does well in terms of interaction and what does not. I am going to trial and error a few different ideas and see what type of interaction and response I get. I am going to set a target of 1000 followers by the end of 2017 - lets see how I do.

I finally made it to two blogging events in 2016, the first a Lush Easter event which I had a brilliant time at. The second being The Bloggers Blog Awards which I had a fantastic time at, I am definitely going to go again this year as I had a great time meeting some of my favourite bloggers and everyone was so lovely. I hope this year I get to meet some more of my favourite bloggers as there as so many babes who I want to be friends with.

My additional blogging goal this year includes mixing up my content. I really, really want to venture into fashion posts but I have no one to take my photos. I need to get my mum on board to take my photos for me! I also want to do some more lifestyle posts as I have really enjoyed writing them last year. I like to have a variety of content on my blog as it also makes it more exciting for me as it keeps everything fresh and allows me to be as creative as possible.

What are your 2017 blogging goals?

Lucy
Xoxo

What I got for Christmas

I love reading what I got for... posts. Whether its birthdays, special occasions or in this case Christmas. I love to have a nosy and see what other got as it is just an excuse to add more things to my wishlist and also it can help spark inspiration when buying presents for others. 

For Christmas the only present which I asked for was my Logitech canvas iPad keyboard, which has been one of the most practical present which I have received in a while. I love my laptop but it is quite heavy and bulky and until I've got enough together to buy my dream iMac which will hopefully be by the end of this year, I needed to find a practical solution to being able to work on the go. I have been using this on a daily basis, it works by connecting from Bluetooth from the keyboard to my iPad it is super easy to use. I have been using it on the go in car journeys to write up posts as part of my productivity goal of the new year. I will also be using it whilst travelling as it is a great small size, not heavy and is compact as it comes as a case which you just clip on. This costs £70 and my mum bought it from the Apple shop and it comes in a variety of colours, I opted for the red.

I really like the brand Jack Wills, I think it is well priced and all the clothes are great quality. Everything is quite simple which I like as I don't like my clothes to be over fussy or too statement. I love this grey hoodie which I received off my mum as I needed a new zip up hoodie to throw on when it is freezing which it has been in Bolton recently. They ares super cosy and soft, and I have barely taken this off since Christmas day.

My sister bought me this Soap & Glory set which contains and the thick and fast mascara, glow all out highlighter and a sexy mother pucker lipgloss. I have a few pieces of Soap & Glory makeup, but not many. However, from what I have tested out I have been impressed and the brand it very affordable. I am excited to try these products out and I will report back if any are a must have piece.

I received the Real Technique's Bold Metals brushes set off my sister for Christmas, she knows me so well as I had already treated myself to this set! She told me she had bought it me before Christmas so I gave it to one of my good friends as I knew she would love it just as much as I do. I love, love, love Real Technique brushes and they make up 90% of my brush collection. When the Bold Metals collection was first released they were the more luxurious high end brushes and some of them were £20 plus each. This set is excellent value as you get three of the face brushes - tapered blush, triangle concealer and tapered shadow, and I can not wait to try them all out. You also got a brush roll in this set which will be get for travelling and keeping all my brushes in one place.

A few months ago I was shopping with my mum and I was hinting at what perfume she liked from Jo Malone as I was going to buy her a bottle for Christmas. I already own Blackberry & Bay and Nectarine Blossom & Honey. They are by far the most beautiful perfumes I own as they are colognes, therefore they linger on the skin for hours meaning you smell fresh all day. We stumbled across English Pear & Freesia and I was instantly intrigued. She said that she also really liked it so I was seriously getting it for her Christmas. I didn't end up getting it her, but she in fact remembered I liked it and bought it for me. I always prefer fruity scents rather than floral, but this is a mixture of both and I actually really love it. I have already been wearing this on a daily basis, and I love how fresh it smells on the skin.

I did receive a few other presents off my mum and dad such as the Marc Jacobs Dot perfume and my new favourite rose Converse which I completely forgot to photograph, but I am doing reviews on them anyway so keep your eyes peeled for those posts. My best friend from uni got my the Justin Bieber calendar and a Ted Baker gift set. I also received a Boots gift set from my Secret Santa at work. From my aunts and uncles I received vouchers which I always enjoy getting as I feel as though you can spoil yourself without you having to actually spend anything! All in all, I received some amazing presents this year, and as always I am really grateful for everything.

Lucy
xoxo

The roundup for December

Hello 2017!

I am really excited for what 2017 is going to bring to me, but first it is time for one last roundup of December. I started these monthly roundups at the start of this year, and I have really enjoyed writing them throughout 2016. I would like to know if you have enjoyed reading them and if you would also me to continue writing them in 2017. So December... it was a bit of a weird one and it is really hard to think of some significant things which have happened. I've had a few nights out which have been fantastic, as it is my favourite thing to do when I have time off work. I also really enjoyed being able to afford to buy nice Christmas presents. It was my first year in which I was able to afford to buy good quality presents which I knew my family wanted. Last year I felt really deflated when I had a real lack of money, and I promised myself that in 2016 I would buy some beautiful presents. I love giving out nice presents and it made me so happy to see how much they appreciated what I had bought them.

In terms of my actual Christmas, must of it was spent at work. It was my first year as a staff nurse and I was prepared for the amount which I would be working, but I was really disheartened when I found out my shifts as they were pretty terrible. I mentioned this in my last post saying I was going to try my best to stay positive about it all and I did. I worked around my shifts fitting in where I could to socialise. Basically making the best out of a rubbish situation. On Christmas Day I worked in the morning until 2pm, we all brought in ingredients to make sausage, bacon and mushroom barms which was great and everyone at work is lovely so it was all heartfelt. When I got home my mum had prepared Christmas dinner which was as amazing as ever. We then all played games for a few hours which was great as we had all had a little too much M&S Buck's Fizz. All in all what got to me the most was the amount of time I spent in work, we split out shifts into earlies and lates instead of our usual 12.5 hour long days so that we would have more time at home. However, I felt like I never left the place as I was coming and going constantly, from Christmas Eve I had 2 days off between then and New Year's day. I am starting annual leave for a week on the 4th of January and I am so excited to have some down time as my mum and sister are still of work, and I have a trip to York planned.

In terms of plans for 2017, I haven't got too much planned yet. I am still deciding whether to do a goals for this upcoming year post, but I am excited as I want to do as much as possible and not say no. I definitely want to travel more and I don't need it to necessarily be some exotic island in the Maldives, it could be to see my friends who are now dotted around England after university.

Here's to a get 2017 - lets smash it!

Lucy
xoxo

December Favourites

I have gravitated towards using the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Powder this month. This feels super lightweight and the powder leaves your face feeling smooth and soft. This is not cheap as is costs £33, but as you can see I hit pan a long while ago but it seems to be lasting well. If you are wanting to treat yourself this is definitely something which I always recommend to people when this ask me what to buy from Charlotte Tilbury. An added bonus is the adorable rose gold packaging which looks amazing on my dressing table.

My MAC Velvet Teddy lipstick had been missing for months, and I recently found it and it has not been off my lips since. It is a matte lipstick which has a nude undertone, everyone went wild for this when it was first released as it was Kylie Jenner's go to lip shade. It took me months to find it in stores and my sister ended up getting it me in New York! Considering the effort which went into getting it I really should have taken better care of it. This month I reorganised all of my makeup and all of my MAC lipsticks are now kept in one place, so it should never disappear ever again.

I recently repurchased the Nars Sheer Glow Foundation as I needed it back in my life. It is not cheap at £31, but every so often you have to spoil yourself and this was my payday treat right at the start of my month. I wrote a full more in depth review of this recently which you can read here, all in all I love it and no other foundation wakes my skin up and makes it look glowing and as lively as this.

I have been a huge fan of Colourpop eyeshadows for a while now and I recently purchased the colour Static. It is a beautiful pearlised burgundy and I cannot wait to wear it more. I have a few shadows from Colourpop in my collection now and I always find the pearlised ones to have the best finish and the pigmentation is always beautiful. I have purchased a few metallic ones and they have creased majorly on me, whereas the pearlised shadows blend out really well and do not crease barely at all. These are such great value for $5, and I always stock up when they do free international delivery.

What products have you been loving this month?

Lucy
xoxo

Lush Christmas Sale Haul

So on boxing day I was working until 2pm, and when I came out there seemed to be a fiasco which had erupted on Twitter regarding Lush and their sale. Basically the server could not cope with the amount of people trying to purchase products. I had a quick peek and I was 90,000 in the queue and I could not quite believe it. People had been waiting 12 hours so I thought I would just see how fast it moved, as Lush do my favourite bath products. It turns out the sale online finished at 10pm and everyone was outraged when I woke up the next morning. All in all, they are bath products and everyone loves a bargain. My thought was that I would go into my local store and see what they had left to offer, as you have to pay £3.95 delivery online so unless you are ordering a lot you are not saving that much anyway after paying the fee.

I waltzed into Lush Manchester Arndale on the 27th in the mid afternoon and they had every kind of Christmas bath bomb which you could ever want in the hundreds. I quickly grabbed a basket and started to fill up if you saw my recent Christmas Lush Haul you would have seen that I had already picked up quite a few, so I did not want to go over the top. In bath bombs I picked up Shoot For the Stars, Northern Lights and Never Mind the Ballistics which are all new ones to me this year. I also picked up another Butterbear as they are so soothing on the skin and only cost 99p. This was everything in my basket I then got into the queue which was rather long and then I saw all the giftbox displays and picked up the Buttercup gift set which contains Butterball and Honey I Washed The Kids, which are both new products to me. I then feasted my eyes on the Snowman shower jelly which I adore and I love to use these in the shower. Then finally the Sugarplum lip scrub which I did not know existed until my sister pointed it out, it smells of blackcurrant and will be useful as my lips are super chapped at the moment. 

I spent a grand total of £16.63 which I think is a great price for the amount of things I managed to pick up. I am super happy with what I got, and did not go too overboard as sometimes you can get sucked in and end up buying just for the sake of it. However, I can safely say I am not going to be buying any bath bombs for a good few months now as I am definitely well stocked up!

Have you grabbed anything from the Lush sale?

Lucy

xoxo

6am 6 products

Lots of us are early risers, but for many those extra few minutes in bed each morning makes everything turn into one wild rush and all plans of an early start go out the window. For me every morning I battle with getting my makeup on in some sort of uniform fashion as fast as possible, but still wanting it to look half decent at the end of the day. This post consists of my 6 go to products at 6am when I am waking up for work and I need to grab and apply without having to think.

My MAC Warm Neutrals Palette has such a variety of shades and colours it is great to grab when you can not make your mind up of what colour you want to wear. These shades are super creamy and blendable and this is always my go to palette when I have an indecisive morning (which is most days!). The Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara has been a favourite of mine throughout the year, I add a few layers of this but I always take off an excess as it is easy for it to look over clumpy. My lashes need length and volume and this does both. I recently rebought this L'Oreal True Match Foundation in a lighter shade and I am so happy to be able to use it again on a daily basis. I do not like to use my high end bottles of foundation for work, and also this most importantly lasts on the skin which is exactly what you need when it is on your face for 15 plus hours a day. I am always trying out new concealers but the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer is always my go to on a morning as it covers exceptionally well. I need full coverage and this provides it, I always add two layers and it does not look cakey. My MAC Mineralise Skinfinish Powder is a powder which I have repurchased at least three times now and that is because nothing compares to it. It feels light and it sets my foundation and concealer into place. This MAC Blush is something which I grab from my stash often, the shade suits my fair skin tone and it adds the perfect flush of colour and shimmer to my cheekbones.

Lucy
xoxo

The Blogging Grotto

The Blogging Grotto you might read, and think hmm I have never heard of that. Well that's because it is brand new, it is a blogging magazine where the content is written only by bloggers with all different interests. The editor is the lovely Jessica Gutteridge who I met earlier this year at The Bloggers Blog Awards quite briefly whilst waiting for a taxi home! She was super sweet and I started to follow her across social media, when she first asked across Twitter if any bloggers were instantly in featuring in the magazine I jumped at the chance. I was not sure how this was going to turn out but Jessica has worked so hard and it looks fabulous. This first issue features everything from beauty, fashion, lifestyle, travel and craft. I have really enjoyed reading all the different features and getting to know more about some of my favourite bloggers, and also getting to know some new bloggers. The magazine features 29 different articles which is a hell of a lot of great reading to get through, and I have thoroughly enjoyed flicking through and indulging in all of its glory.

You are able to follow @blogginggrotto on Twitter to find out when the next issue is available. The first issue costs £5 and you can buy it here. I think the magazine is going to be seasonal as this is the winter issue, which is super exciting and it has given me some brilliant blogging ideas of my own going into 2017. Lets all support the smaller blogger community and buy this a-m-a-z-i-n-g magazine.

Lucy
xoxo

Having Bloggers Block

It is the end of the year and that means that throughout 2016 you have had to think of a lot of blog post ideas. This week I found myself feeling slightly deflated and lacking inspiration with my blog and I had no blog ideas at all. I was going to just miss a few posts in my schedule but then I started to think of ways to reignite my love and drive for my blog. I simply searched beauty blog ideas on google and I came across the lovely Sally's 100 beauty blog ideas post which definitely got me thinking, I took 2 or 3 ideas from her list and adapted them to work my own ideas. I also looked at posts which have been the most popular with my readers this year. I do this as it makes me realise what people most like to read, and I also find it helpful to see what have not had my best viewings and see if I can adapt them in any way. I also like to look at magazines for ideas of what is fresh on the market and new beauty releases which help to think of wishlists and upcoming possible purchases. I like to look in weekly magazines as they feature more affordable products, but also in luxurious magazines for high end products to add to my wishlist and something which I can save up for.

Within 10 minutes or so I had a long list of fresh ideas to finish of 2016 and also some exciting new ones for the start of 2017. I sometimes think that it just takes a tiny spark to get going again and feel free from the dreaded blogger's block. It can be really great to feel inspired again and get my blogging mojo back!

Lucy
xoxo

Sleek Eyeshadow Hidden Gems Palette Review

I bought this eyeshadow palette a few weeks ago when it was on a 3 for 2 offer in Superdrug (sold out online) and I was really intrigued by the new Rockstar Collection line. It has a really diverse selection of colours. I have used this a few times now and I have been impressed. The shades are pigmented and shine through onto the lid, I do have to say though the shades are quite intensely packed with shimmer which I like as I love a bit of glitter, but if you prefer something more natural then this is not the palette for you. I have used all of these shades in the palette which has surprised me as the golden and burgundy colours are what I always gravitate to. I have enjoyed exploring a bit more and the purple and green shades really compliment my eye colouring and makes them stand out which I really love. For £9.99 this is a really lovely palette and if you are wanting to add some more vibrant shimmery shades into your collection then I suggest you pick this up.

Lucy
xoxo

Christmas Makeup

The festive period is very much upon on and this means parties galore. Whether it is with family, friends or work it is the time everyone gets together for a good old merry time. I actually have quite a few nights out planned which I am rather excited about, and I always think about my makeup in advance. My friends think I am crazy but I like a bit of preparation and organisation when I am going out as I am very indecisive, so this makes my night out a lot less stress free by making the process alot easier.

Since repurchasing the Nars Sheer Glow Foundation it has not left my face! I have been using it on a daily basis as I just cannot get enough of it. It adds glow and radiance, and gives my dull skin some life. I like full coverage in order to cover my areas of acne and the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer definitely helps me to achieve this. If I am going out I usually apply two layers of this and it does not look cakey or too thick. For me eyes I have been loving the Urban Decay Shadowbox recently, I have been using this on a daily occasion. To my surprise I have been using the shade Mushroom a lot which is the dark silver as it has grey undertones in it which gives an easy smokey eye. 99% of the time I will use golden or rose toned shades so I have enjoyed venturing into more diverse colours and this palette is brilliant for that. I am looking forward to using the purple toned shades on my nights out. If I am going on a night out which is more casual I will add a few layers of my Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara which is amazing for length and definition. Sometimes however I want something more volumatic so I add Eyelure's Cheryl Lashes in Sexy Seniorita as they are not too thick or dark and give a very natural defined look to my lashes. For cheeks as always I use my ever-so-trusty Hourglass Blushes, and my MUA Undress Your Skin Highlighter in Iridescent Gold to add as much glow and sparkle as possible.

Lucy
xoxo

Secret Santa Ideas

This is my first year in a job where I am participating in secret santa. I was deliberating whether to get involved or not for a while, but I decided not to be the grinch and join in the festive fun. Our budget at work is £15, which I think is the perfect amount really. You can actually buy someone a decent present and it not be tat!

I had to do a little bit of investigating into what my person likes, by asking them some ambiguous questions and I found out that they really enjoying drinking coffee hence the mug. Therefore that is what I built my present around. In this post, I have included my secret santa present as well as other ideas. I think it is great to use a bit of imagination and not just choose a bog standard gift set which you might be unsure whether they will like or not. It is all a bit of fun, and finding someone the perfect present is exactly what it is all about.

Lucy
xoxo

Nars Sheer Glow Foundation Review

I have been wanting to repurchase a bottle of Nars Sheer Glow for months and months. When my first bottle finished I was really sad as it is simply one of the best foundations which I have ever tried. My previous bottle lasted me a good few months, but when it ran out I was a poor student and spending £31 on a foundation was simply not an option. However, now I have my full time job and therefore earning this means I am now able to treat myself when payday comes around. Last weekend whilst browsing the beauty hall of Selfridges I decided that it was time to splash the cash and finally repurchase it. 

I previously had the shade Monte Blanc (Light 2), and when I looked at it again in the shop it looked a little too pale for me. I swatched Deauville (Light 4) as I thought it was a better match to my skintone at the moment. I decided to take the plunge and make the change in colour. I have worn this a few times since I bought it and it is a pretty good match, maybe a tiny bit darker than my skintone but it works really well and was a risk worth taking. This foundation does exactly what it says it gives glow. It gives a natural radiance and luminosity to the skin. I would say the coverage is medium but it is definitely buildable. This would be great for normal and dry skin types as the formula is hydrating. There is one slight negative to this which is something which I find in most foundations, the longevity of it lasting on the skin. It does last a good few hours with it still looking as fresh as when it is first applied, which is why this is always my go to foundation for any night time events. However, if like me you do 13 hours shifts you are really able to put foundations to the longevity test. I do find that it starts to fade in areas which I need more coverage, but it does not lose the radiance. Just to let you know, I do always use primer and fixing spray when applying any foundation to help it last longer. 

All in all, this is always my top pick foundation and the only high end one which I have ever repurchased. I always think it is similar to L'Oreal's True Match (my second fave) but with more glow and life. If you are wanting to spoil yourself come payday then add this to your basket and you will not be disappointed.

Lucy

xoxo

Real Techniques

Whilst doing my shopping in Asda yesterday, I somehow ended up on the the cosmetics aisle. My eyes were instantly drawn to the Real Techniques stand and the offers which are currently available. They have a 1/3 off all products offer on which is fantastic and is a really big saving. I picked it the Blush Brush which costs £6.65. I have wanted this for ages, but I have always been put off as the brush always looks a little too big. I decided to take the plunge and buy it as I have never been disappointed in any of their products. I also picked up their Deep Cleansing Brush Gel for £4.65, I usually use the the No7 brush cleaner but I thought I would try this out as the offer was on and I have seen a few online reviews of this and people have been very impressed with it.

Lucy
xoxo

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