Unboxing: Christmas Lush Haul!

It has been far too long since I had bought some Lush items - I believe the last time was when I was in Brighton in June, which is shocking! Seeing as it's coming up to Christmas, I thought I'd place a cheeky order to trial some Christmas bits and also a couple of products that I hadn't tried before. Not everything is Christmas related, but I wanted a good mixture. 

Magic Wand Bubble Bar // £5.95 // Lush

First up, we have a Lush Christmas Classic; the Snow Fairy scent. Last year, I purchased the shower gel version of this and loved it, but I just wanted to try something different. I absolutely love these bubble bars - they are so fun and cute to leave, plus smell amazing. This beautiful product is covered in glitter and is every young girl's idea of perfection! (Along with mine). I think this could be my ideal Christmas Day bath - I can't wait to use it.

Snowman Bath Melt // £2.90 // (Currently Out Of Stock) // Lush

I've never tried any Bath Melts from Lush before - I guess I always want to go for the spectacle in the bath and the pretty colours rather than actually soothing my skin. But this was so cute, I couldn't resist it - of course, he is Christmas themed and I think I will feel so bad when I pop him in the bath! 

Shooting For The Stars Bath Bomb // £4.25 // Lush

This includes a very strong orange scent, which reminds me of eating Terry's chocolate oranges at Christmas time each year. (If you're not from the UK, you might not know what I'm talking about - basically a ball of chocolate that looks like an orange and tastes like one.) The little gold stars on the outside look beautiful and I find this to be a really calming scent. I feel like this is going to be the perfect 'late night bath before bed' bath bomb.

Northern Lights Bath Bomb // £3.95 // Lush

A lot of people have been loving this, so I thought it was time I tried it for myself. 'Northen Lights' has to be my one of my favourite scents - it's quite a floral scent, with strong notes of Jasmine. Anything floral with musk and I'm there! Plus, this is such a pretty bath bomb and the demo on the website looks incredible. I think this is the one I'm the most excited to try! 

So, there it is! Let me know in the comments which looks like your personal favourite and if you feel tempted to order some products after reading this post. 

Katy x

Recent Empties

Today, I'm going to be talking about the last few items that I have been using up over the couple of previous months, and say whether I would honestly repurchase them or not. I've wanted to do this post for such a long time, but it takes me ages to use things, so I had to build up some!

Lets start with beauty...

Seventeen 'Brows that Brow' Eyebrow Kit // £5.99 // Boots
As I've mentioned before on this blog, I'm quite lazy when it comes to my brows, so I wanted something quick and simple. This was a really appealing option to me - something cheap that would last me a while and give me a bit more definition, without taking too long. I actually loved using this, and am quite gutted it's hit the pan. I was complimented on my eyebrows whenever I had this on and it made them dark enough to give some definition (like I wanted), but not to be over the top. The only criticism I had was that it did fall out a little bit onto the face (annoying when you've done all your base), and also, the powders do transfer over. For example, a lot of the wax ended up going into the highlighter section, which was quite annoying.

WOULD I BUY IT AGAIN? YES :)YES

Revlon Colourstay Concealer  // £6.99 // Boots
I do like to change my concealer up a bit sometimes - previously, I had used the Rimmel 'wake me up' and the Collection 'lasting perfection' concealers (both amaze FYI), but wanted to try something new. I have to say, this did not disappoint. It lasted me a good couple of months and was super creamy under the eyes to cover the bags; plus, it blended really well. This concealer defo did the job, and I liked using it.

WOULD I BUY IT AGAIN? YES :)

Next, let's chat about haircare.
L'Oreal Elvive Extraordinary Oils Shampoo // £3.50 // Boots
I'm super fussy with my hair - I have to admit that I am a bit too obsessed with it. I always want it to look long, shiny and generally just nice. Shampoo and conditioner are both things I like to change every now and then, so I thought I'd go for this one. I was very unimpressed with this. When I picked it up, I liked the look of the formula and I know a lot of people have praised this. It was so strange; the first couple of times, it worked wonders on my hair - I'd come out of the shower with long, glossy, nice smelling hair, just like I wanted, yet a week in, it did the complete opposite. Every time I used it, my hair got even more greasy, so it would need to be washed again within 24 hours. Considering it is not a cheap brand, I was not very happy and won't be using it again.

WOULD I BUY THIS AGAIN? NO:(

Aussie Miracle Moist Shampoo // £4.19 // Boots
I went onto using this straight after the bad experience with the L'Oreal Shampoo, desperately hoping for something better for my hair. This has probably been my 4th or 5th bottle of this - I've used it so many times as I love it! Although I'd used it before, after the last time, I was hoping that my hair would still be okay with it and thankfully, all was well. It smells incredible and I genuinely adore it!

WOULD I BUY THIS AGAIN? YES :)

Herbal Essences Hydration Conditioner // £3 // Boots
Conditioners are not really things I usually rave over - in my opinion, the shampoo makes all the difference and the conditioner, not so much. This entirely changed my opinion - I literally love this conditioner. I have to admit that I was not massively keen on the smell (I dislike coconut, sorry coconut lovers), but it made the ends of my hair nice, fluffy and sleek.

WOULD I BUY THIS AGAIN? YES :)

Generally, this haul of empties worked out pretty well - 4/5 I would purchase again! Let me know if you like this style of post, and comment below what you've been loving using recently.

Katy x

November Favourites

I didn't do a 'monthly favourites' post last month, as nothing really stood out to me. Instead, I've combined the items that have stood out to me for both October and November - hope that's okay with you guys! Autumn has rushed by and it's almost Christmas - get ready for lots of fun filled Christmas related blog posts, eek! 

MAC Lipstick  // 'Diva' // £15.50 // MAC Cosmetics

As we have been going through the Autumnal season, darker lipsticks are an absolute must. I was fortunate enough to receive this for Christmas last year and had been resisting using it until the beginning of October - oh boy, I was not disappointed! I could honestly go on for days about how much I adore this lipstick, but I'll try to keep it short! The pigmentation is gorgeous; the shade itself is divine; it stays on all day, even through eating food and drinking (to the point that it won't come off when you take your makeup off in the evening). I've been complimented so many times on it! MAC lipsticks are my fave - I only own 2, but if you've been reading this blog, you'll know how much I go on about Velvet Teddy!! Yes, I have been loving this very much through November!

MAC Studio Fix Powder // NW10 // £22 // MAC Cosmetics

After religiously using my Rimmel Matte 'Stay Perfect' Powder pretty much non-stop for the last couple of years, I wanted to treat myself to something slightly more expensive. I feel like your base is the most important part of your makeup, so you can splurge a bit on your foundation/powder, just so your skin looks flawless. I did really splurge with this - I only have about 5 high-end items of makeup in my collection, so £22 was quite a bit above my budget to be honest. I do not regret my decision at all - this has got to be my favourite powder ever (which really says something). You do not have to reapply it throughout the day - it covers the shine all in one go, and just sets your skin perfectly. I honestly don't know what I'd do without this, it's upped my makeup game so much!

Makeup Revolution Blush Palette  // 'Hot Spice' // £6 // Superdrug

This palette has been in my makeup collection for quite a while, but had recently slipped to the back a bit. However, I've rediscovered it and fallen in love all over again. For £6, you get 6 gorgeous blush shades, plus 2 pretty shimmer highlights. Mine is in a bit of a state - the mirror has gone very floppy is very messy (apologies for the finger smears, lol). If you are looking for a blush palette with a variety of shades in it for under £10, I highly recommend this one.

Toni & Guy 'Firm Hold' Hairspray // £7.49 // Boots

Almost £8 for a hairspray isn't cheap, but this has to be the best one I've used. Whenever I plait my hair, or want it down, but to have a bit of hold, I just spritz this everywhere and voila! It is stick enough to hold, but not enough to douse your hair too much. A little bit goes a long way, too. I love this so much and I am really glad I picked it up. If you're obsessed with hair like me, defo get this!

Ted Baker Body Spray // £7 // Boots

I use body sprays generally as opposed to perfume - I don't really have the money for many expensive ones on a student budget, so go for something cheap. My fave scents are floral, but have a musky undertone - nothing too full one, but just nice enough to stay on the skin for a while. This came in a gift set I got a while ago and I love this scent very much. The smell stays on your for quite a while after you spray it, with hints of grapefruit - I will definitely get this again in the future.

What have you been loving this month? Let me know below.

Katy x

Wandering Around Rye Harbour

Hi!

After I visited Kew last month, many of you have been liking my posts on quiet and undetected places, so I thought I'd do another one when I visited Rye Harbour last week. I came here to do a shoot for my Photography A-Level project and actually loved it so much that I had to take some photographs for my blog!

When you arrive, there is a few options of what you can do. There are a couple of trails that you can walk down in varying lengths, depending on your stamina (I took the quicker one, which is one mile. but there is one even further!). Also, there is a coffee shop, a shop where you can buy gifts and also, the harbour itself. I started off by walking round this part - one thing that struck me was how tranquil it was! The water was entirely still, with very little life. Despite being a Tuesday morning, it was almost dead.

I decided to walk along to the point, which is the beach. There is very little to do here, but the walk was really pleasant, with a hide along the way where you can try to catch seeing some birds (I wasn't successful) and a little house (pictured above).

It's just nice to get out of the house and spend a couple of hours in a little place not many people know about. I'm thinking of making these places a monthly feature in my blog (or however often I go to them) - let me know if you'd like that.

I'd highly recommend visiting this harbour - information is available here: Rye Harbour Website

Katy x

A Classic: Fairy Cakes

 

I find baking to be very therapeutic - I like to put some calming music on in the background ('Music For Concentration' on Spotify is my favourite by the way), put an apron on and get to it. The kitchen is usually a mess by the end of it (sorry Mum!) but it's worth it!

The recipe I used for this came from Mary Berry's book '100 Cakes and Bakes' (of course I had to use something from Mary, or Bezza as I like to call her). You will need the following:

• 100g (4oz) of Softened Butter
• 100g (4oz) of Caster Sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 175g (6oz) flour
• A drop of water
• 1 level teaspoon of Baking Powder
• 1 level teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

For the icing, you will need:

• 175g (6oz) of butter
• 175g (6oz) of caster sugar

To make these cakes, start by laying out your ingredients. You will need a large mixing bowl, a wooden spoon and a set of scales. Place the butter in the scales, weight and pour into a bowl, then add the sugar then cream. Once this is nice and smooth, add an egg, then frantically mix with flour (half of the portion), then repeat with the second. 

As it is fairy cakes, that's basically it - nice and simple. Shove it into the oven for 15-20 minutes, then leave to cool for around half an hour. Then we get to the fun bit - the wings! Cut in a circular motion on the top, take them off, then cut them in half. You can put whatever you like in the filling really - I opt for jam and buttercream, nice and traditional. Then pop the wings on top and you're done!

I'm aware that this is a very simple recipe, but I feel that there is still a place in many British hearts for a few classic recipes - this one should not be forgotten, as it's still delicious! 

Let me know what you enjoy baking below and if you have tried this recipe before.

Katy x

Winter Makeup Look

I'm really enjoying writing up seasonal posts at the moment, so I thought I'd sit down and write a good old Winter Makeup Look! I've used a range of products, both drugstore and high-end, so hopefully there should be something for everyone. I will try to link some cheaper alternatives to the high-end products below.

When I start applying my makeup, I use a toner water spray just to prime my skin. At the moment, when I use my foundation I combine the Rimmel Fresher Skin Foundation with my trusty No7 Stay Perfect Foundation and mix them together before blending them onto my face. I find this to be the perfect solution - the Rimmel foundation has a sheer coverage to it, so I wouldn't want to wear it alone, but blended with the No7 one it gives you a dewy and flawless look.

I've mentioned this palette numerous times, so it will come as no surprise to you all that I used the Benefit Cheekathon Palette to contour and blush. If you'd like to read my full review and unboxing post, you can do so here :). To set it all, I use the Mac Mineralise Skin Finish Powder, which I absolutely adore. 

The main feature of this look are the eyes. I line them using the Skinny Eyeliner by Soap & Glory and just do a simple thin flick. To create a golden, amber tone, I use my beloved Urban Decay Smokey Eyeshadow Palette and use a few different shades to build the perfect look. To start off, I use the pale shade called 'thirteen' at the far end. This blocks out any veins in your eyes and just gives a nice base for your eyes. 'Whisky' goes all over the eyes as a matte shade, and once this is blended out, I go to the other end of the palette to use 'Radar', just to give it some sparkle. 'Dirtysweet' adds a hint of gold, and 'High' is the perfect shade to put in the inner corners of your eyes. I then just quickly apply some mascara, then that's the eyes done!

A dark lip is an autumn essential, and finishes off the look perfectly. My lipstick of choice is Mac's 'Diva' - a gorgeous berry toned burgundy shade. I've received so many compliments on this lipstick, and I have to say I love it! After all this, I spritz my NYX setting spray to set it all!

Products shown:

Lush Toner Water 'Breath of Fresh Air' // £4.50 // 100g

Revlon Colourstay Concealer  // £6.99 // 'Fair'

Rimmel Fresher Skin Foundation  // £7.49 // 'True Ivory (103)'

No7 Stay Perfect Foundation  // £14.50 // 'Cool Vanilla'

Benefit Cheekathon Contour/Blush Palette // £44.50 

Mac Mineralize Skin Finish Powder // £24 // 'NW15'

Soap & Glory 'Brow Archery' Pencil // £8 // 'Hot Chocolate'

Soap & Glory Supercat Skinny Eyeliner // £6.50 // 'Extreme Black'

Urban Decay Smokey Palette // £38.50

Soap & Glory 'Thick and Fast' Mascara // £10.50 // 'Black'

Mac Lipstick // £15.50 // 'Diva'

NYX Setting Spray - 'Dewy Finish' // £7 

Hope you enjoyed reading this post! Let me know your autumnal makeup routine in the comments below.

Katy x

My Autumn Staple - OOTD

I haven't done an OOTD on my blog in sooo long, so I thought as the weather in the UK is very autumnal now, this would be the perfect time to!

This jumper has very quickly become a staple in my wardrobe. It is super comfy and easy to throw on with a pair of thick tights. It's quite over-sized as well, and in general I love it! It's long enough to pass as a dress (although it is slightly on the short side), yet has the warmth that many thin dresses don't give you.

A thick and warm blanket scarf is essential for the autumn/winter months, and this tartan one is one of the best clothing items I own. It goes perfectly with anything - I purchased it last year and have no need to replace it.

I had so much fun doing this shoot - credit goes to Charlotte for these images. Her Instagrams: General Instagram
                    Photography Account

Jumper: LaRedoute Black Long-Sleeved Jumper
Scarf (similar linked, mine is unavailable) New Look Tartan Scarf
Shoes: vans.co.uk

Let me know your autumnal essentials in the comments below!

Katy x

A Stroll Around Kew

When you think of London, one main image comes to mind: central London, the tourist hotspots like Big Ben, Covent Gardents, The London Eye, the Thames etc. Then there's the streets and shops, teeming with people; the cramped tubes and that feeling of exhilaration being in a huge city full of life. It is easy to forget that there are parts of London that are so different, one of these being Kew.

A mere 5 minutes walk from Kew Gardens itself, this little town is adorable, quaint and any blogger's dream. It's incredibly quiet, with shops and houses lining the streets. There is a hairdressers, a butchers, flower shops and of course, a Tesco's and a Starbucks. I honestly felt like I had been transported away into the 1950s, with the only sign of life and reminder of actually being in London was the train station with the tube sign at the end of the street. I had a stroll through a little market section, which was amazing. There was even a little old bike (pictured above) with a faded seat and a little wheelbarrow selling vegetables, which again you wouldn't imagine seeing in many places nowadays. 

I barely knew this gem of a place even existed, I cannot recommend coming here enough. Sometimes, we all need to take a moment away from the hustle and bustle of the city, and take some time to breath. Where better than here?

The address is: Kew Village Market, Station Parade, Kew, Richmond TW9 3PZ

Hope you enjoyed a slightly different post this week!Katy x

September Favourites!

Hey guys!

Somehow, it's now October?! I'm super happy about this as I'm such as Autumnal/Winter gal - out comes the berry lipstick, beanies and ankle boots! Here's what I've been loving in September -let me know what you've loved this month in the comments below.

Rimmel London "Fresher Skin" Foundation // £7.48 // Superdrug

I picked this up on a whim a few weeks - I was super intrigued by the packaging, as I've not tried a foundation in a pot before. I purchased it at an introductory price of £5.49, but even at £7.48 it's not going to break the bank. I'm going to do a full review on this foundation in the upcoming weeks, so I'll keep this fairly short, but I LOVE this! Although it's not summer anymore and a lighter base isn't really necessary, this is such a comfortable foundation on the skin - it sits so nicely and has such a lovely mousey texture. This has been incorporated into my main makeup routine, and I can't rave about it enough. Would highly recommend!!

Soap & Glory Lipstick // 'Naked Talent' // £9 // Boots

I've had this product for a couple of months now, but as we're heading into Autumn and I'm fazing out the liquid lipsticks a bit, I've rediscovered my love for this. The shad got is 'Naked Talent', which is the most beautiful pinky nude. It's the perfect in between - not as brown-toned as perhaps Velvet Teddy by MAC (if you know me, you'll know I always bang on about this), but not too pink toned as to stand out. It stays on throughout the day, even through eating and drinking, plus the packaging is so classy and gorgeous. This has been living in my college bag with me, and yeah, another thing you should pick up.

'Breath Of Fresh Air' Toner Water // Lush // £4.50 (100ml as pictured)

Okay, so I'm very naughty and am too lazy to use a primer before I smother my skin in foundation (I know, I should use one), but I never find they add anything to my skin - if anything, my skin feels greasier and my makeup lasts the same amount without one. 

This is the perfect alternative, and makes me feel less lazy, as I'm still technically prepping my skin with something... see my point? I've been using this for months in my makeup routine and realised I've never actually spoken about this properly. Once I've washed my face in the morning, I spritz with this, give it a couple of moments to settle than do my makeup as normal. My skin is generally slightly oily, but sometimes dry - it's also very sensitive and this has never aggravated my eczema or broken me out. My makeup just goes on soooo much smoother with this underneath. 

Milk & Honey // Rupi Kaur // Waterstones // £7.49

I've had various friends begging me to pick this up, so I ordered myself a copy, and I do not regret a thing. I would say that this is such a table piece - you can leave it on the coffee table and whenever anybody comes round, they can have a flick through. Apart from the fact that the matte black cover is super pretty (apart from my fingerprints on it, oops), it is so beautifully written. The poems are super short, so you can read just a couple of pages a day, or the whole thing in one go. I adore the illustrations as well, all in all this is incredible.

Hope you enjoyed this post, and have had a good month!

Katy x