favourite blushers for spring/summer

Left to right: Sleek Flamingo, 17 First Kiss, Topshop High Five, MUA English Rose, eBay Blush Palette Orangey Coral

Clockwise from top left: MUA English Rose, Topshop High Five, Sleek Flamingo, 17 First Kiss, eBay Blush Palette Orangey Coral

I love love love a good blush! They're definitely one of the bits of make up that I get most excited about. I think this might be as I'm so pale I feel that I need to add a bit of colour to my cheeks to make me look a little more alive. Anyway, enough rambling, I thought I'd show you the blushers that I love most for the spring and summer.

Sleek Blush in Flamingo
I know that this looks a terrifying colour in the pan and also on my arm as I've swatched it very heavily but on the cheeks (and used with a very light hand) it just gives such a pretty and feminine flush to the cheeks. I also know that Tanya Burr loves this blusher and I swear by her recommendations!
Sleek Blush in Flamingo is available from Superdrug for £4.30.


17 Blusher in First Kiss
I am OBSESSED with this blush at the moment - I've stopped even trying to restrain myself from using this blush every day - it's just so beautiful! It's a bright pinky coral which finishes with a subtle gold shimmer. It just gives your cheeks such a glowing and healthy look. Now I don't have it to compare, but I have read that this blush is very similar to the infamous Nars Orgasm (but obviously at a fraction of the price). From looking at swatches online it does look very similar hurrah! If you haven't got this blush then I URGE you to pick this up for the summer because I'm obsessed at the moment. I also think it would look brilliant on all skin tones!
17 Blusher in First Kiss is available from Boots for £3.49.


Topshop Cream Blush in High Five
This is a really bright almost neon pink which gives such a natural rosy glow to the cheeks. I love the Topshop cream blushers as they're so easy to blend and dry to a powder finish so your skin doesn't feel tacky all day long. My favourite way to apply these is with a stippling brush as this makes it even easier to evenly distribute the colour. Unfortunately I can't see High Five on the Topshop website any more but I have seen it in some shops still so have a look.
Topshop blushs are £6.00 from Topshop (and now the new John Lewis Beauty Hall on Oxford Street too!)

MUA Mosaic Blush in English Rose
I won't ramble on too much about this blusher as I've mentioned it before here where you can also see it on my cheeks! I think English Rose is such an appropriate name as this just gives you such a naturally pretty healthy glow. I love the shimmer in this blush as well as I feel it highlights my cheekbones so well to. For £2.50 I really can't fault it.
MUA Blush in English Rose is available from Superdrug for £2.50

eBay 10 Colour Blush Palette - shimmery orange coral (fourth on top row)
I picked up this ten piece blusher palette after seeing it on VIPXO (see Victoria's review here) and didn't have particularly high expectations as it was so cheap (it works out 44p a blusher!) However all of the colours are reasonably well pigmented and there's a great range of colours. My favourite at the moment is this bright shimmery coral. Corals and oranges are always so great for the summer and I love that these blushes are a little shimmery as I think that can make you look nice and glowy - and let you skip the highlighter!
This blush palette is available here from eBay for £4.46 - bargain!

What blushers are you loving at the moment?

xx

summer wish list

Clockwise from top left: Essie Nail Polish in Turquoise and Caicos, Daisy Floral Bomber Jacket from Topshop, Origins A Perfect World World BB Tinted Moisturiser, Black Strappy Wedges from River Island, Denise Tunic from Monki, Everard Skirt from Aubin and Wills, Enamel Etched Triangle Earrings from Urban Outfitters, Estee Lauder Pure Colour Gloss Stick in Orange Poppy

Hurry up summer! I can't stop dreaming of being able to wear shorts and skirts without the need for thick tights and to be able to venture outside without having to debate whether to bring my umbrella or not. However, on the other hand, I don't know if I'm quite ready to have to keep my legs stubble free 24/7 and to keep my toe nails prim and painted (mmm cold and rain is good for laziness)... So to try and get in the mood for summer (how is it nearly June?!) I've put together a little wish list of more summer appropriate bits and bobs.

• Now I 100% don't need any more nail varnish but this doesn't stop me wanting this incredible turquoise polish from Essie. It doesn't look like much in the bottle but definitely Google some swatches as it's so beautiful on. I'd happily wear this on my fingers and toes all summer.
• This daisy print jacket would look perfect with some high waisted denim shorts and little sandals for a stroll in the park. It's also really handy to have a little summer jacket like this around as, well... the English summer weather can be unpredictable to say the least.
• I'm really enjoying using my No7 BB Cream again at the moment and it's the only one I've tried so I'm keen to give some other ones a go. I loves Origins skincare and I like to think that this would not only make my skin look brilliant while it was on, but make my skin healthier in the long run. I've heard some great reviews of this too!
• These wedges from River Island would be great to wear out at night in the summer. I'm not going to pretend that I'll stop wearing black in the warmer months as that would just not be true - these wedges would look great with black leggings and a black tunic!
• I actually think this Monki blouse would look great with the River Island wedges. This would also be fab over denim shorts or again with leggings if it's a little chillier.
• This skirt makes me want to go on holiday so much! The idea of wearing a little white cami tucked in to this and then walking down a beach barefoot is my idea of heaven right now. The print is beautiful.
• I can't really put my finger on what I love about these earrings from Urban Outfitters but I just think they're a really interesting shape. In the summer I scrape my hair up in to a bun a lot and I think dangly earrings can look great when your hair's up.
• If you read my post a few days ago (which you can look at here) then you'll know that I'm obsessed with lip products at the moment. I really want one of these sheer gloss sticks from Estee Lauder but I don't know if I'd be able to decide which colour - they all look so pretty!

What's on your summer wish list?

xx

current favourite lip products

Now beauty-wise I'm guessing that we all have certain items that we get more excited about than others. For me it's usually blushers and eyeshadows but at the moment I can't stop dreaming about different lip products! I think this might be because during revision period I tend just to wear a little mascara and a lipstick to get ready quickly, so I've been playing around more with lip products. Anyway, I thought I'd show you what I've been enjoying using at the moment!

MUA Sugar Lips Lip Balm, Revlon Black Cherry, Clinique Watermelon, Collection 2000 Break Dance Lip Gloss, 17 Belle, YSL Rose Stiletto, Topshop Ooh La La

MUA Love Hearts Lip Balm in Sugar Lips

This is so moisturising but has a gorgeous shine at the same time. I love to put a little on when I'm wearing no make up at all just to moisturise my lips or over lipsticks if I want a bit of a glossy look without it feeling sticky. Mm, it smells great too!

MUA Love Hearts Lip Balms are £2 from Superdrug or online here.

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Black Cherry

I know I should probably be thinking about more spring appropriate colours now but I can't say the weather is really convincing me... What I love about this lipstick is how versatile it is. The colour is so beautiful and can be built up from a very subtle stain to a really dramatic vampy lip. It doesn't dry your lips at all but due to this if you're going full on then I would recommend using a lip liner.

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipsticks are £7.49 from Boots and online here.

Clinique Long Last Lipstick in Watermelon

Now this is probably a better colour for this time of year! It's such a fun bright shade that I've especially enjoyed recently while I've had a bit of a tan. As I've said before, when I'm at work staying power is really important to me when it comes to lip products and as the name claims this lipstick really does last well and needs minimum touch ups throughout the day - fab!

Clinique Long Last Lipsticks are £16 from Clinique counters and online here. 

Collection 2000 Lock N Hold Lip Gloss in Break Dance

I won't go on about this too much as I've done a full review of this gloss which you can read here. What I really love about this product, as with the Clinique lipstick, is that it lasts really well on the lips without feeling sticky and the colour is such a gorgeous coral which again looks brilliant with a bit of a tan.

Collection 2000 Lock N Hold Lip Glosses are £2.99 from Boots and online here.

17 Mirror Shine Lipstick in Belle

I love the Mirror Shine range of lipsticks! They are such a great affordable product which leave your lips super moisturised with a reasonable colour pay off - to be honest they're everything I wanted the Revlon Lip Butters to be! I actually did a post where I sort of compare the two which you can read here. I have quite a few colours now but I can't get enough of Belle especially at the moment. It's my perfect 'my lips but better' shade.

17 Mirror Shine Lipsticks are £4.59 from Boots and online here.

YSL Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick in 9, Rose Stiletto

(Now let's all admit that the packaging is half the beauty of this product...) I wanted a great everyday lipstick that I would get a lot of wear out of, so I thought I'd splash out and get something nice as I knew it would be worth it as I'd use it quite a bit. When I saw Rose Stiletto in Selfridges I knew I'd found the right one - not too much of a nude and not too dark to not be perfect for everyday. Yes, it was pricey but the quality is incredible. It lasts on the lips so well without drying them out and when it does fade, it fades evenly without looking horrible and patchy. I can't wait until next payday to pick up another!

YSL Rouge Pur Couture Lipsticks are £23.50 from YSL counters and online here.

Topshop Lipstick in Ooh La La

Again here's another lipstick that I've been loving while I've had a bit of a tan! Ooh La La (I love the name) is such a lovely bright coral, which looks great with a little pink blusher and a tiny bit of mascara. It's such a great colour for the spring and summer and is also brilliant quality - I love Topshop lipsticks! The only thing is that I'm not sure if it's available any more but if not they do have some other great colours. It's not online but I've seen it recently instore so do have a look!

Topshop Lipsticks are £8 from Topshop and online here.

What lip products are you loving at the moment? Tempt me!

Can I also just say a huge thank you once again to all of you lovely people who read my little blog as I now have 200 followers! I love writing it so it feels even better to know that people actually read my silly ramblings! ♥

xx

wish list: make up

Clockwise from top left: Tom Ford Lipstick in Violet Fatale, Laura Mercier Creme Cheek Colour in Blaze, Shu Uemura Black Velvet Feather False Lashes, Topshop Eye Crayon in Mystical, Stila In The Light Eye Shadow Palette, Revlon Colourstay Eye Shadow Quad in Siren

Yes I'm on a spending ban (and yes I ruined the first day by buying something from ASOS) but it does mean I can pretend to shop and create endless wish lists...

• Violet Fatale is such an incredibly unique and beautiful colour. I definitely have nothing like this in my lipstick collection at the moment. Team the gorgeous shade with the packaging and you have me drooling!
• This Laura Mercier cream blush would be a fab colour for the summer (go away rain). It would look so pretty with just a little slick of mascara.
• I know these Shu Uemura eye lashes aren't everyone's cup of tea but I think they'd look so much fun for a party! 
• I've wanted this Topshop Eye Crayon for a while now so I'm not sure why I haven't given in and got it. It would be such a versatile product, and could be blended all over the lid on its own, used as a base for other eyeshadows or used as a liner. Ooh, I think I've just convinced myself haha!
• I've read so many reviews of Stila's In The Light Palette over the past few days. You know how much I love my neutral eyeshadows so this would be just perfect for me.
• As I mentioned yesterday, I've really been enjoying using my Revlon Eyeshadow Palette in Addictive and I think the colours in this quad, Siren, are really pretty too. These would be great for a plum-ey toned smoky eye. Revlon eyeshadows are such good quality too!

What's on your current make up wish list?

xx

birthday pennies

Clockwise from top left: Real Techniques Core Collection, Topshop Triangle Necklace, Adidas Gazelle Trainers, Lancome Hypnose Drama Mascara, Black iPhone 4, Zara Messenger Bag in Grey, Zara Ribbed T-Shirt in Marl Grey, MAC Eye Shadow in Satin Taupe, New Look Pleated Jersey Maxi Skirt in Grey, Monki Charlet Blouse

As it's just been my birthday, I have a little bit of money to treat myself to a few bits. I've already picked up a couple of things, which I'll more than likely show you soon, but here are a some more items which I'm very tempted by!

• Everyone has been talking about the Real Techniques brushes for a while now and I think I may have to treat myself to the Core Collection to see what all the fuss is about!
• This Topshop necklace is so pretty. I picked by a really plain gold cuff necklace from River Island the other day as I thought it would look fab with plainer outfits, and I think this would too!
• Don't ask me why, but I'm obsessed with the idea of getting these trainers at the moment. When I go to the library late at night, I tend to wear my running shoes which isn't a good look to say the least... I think these would look really cool on lazy days with skinny jeans or leggings - the colour is amazing.
• I have a sample of the Lancome mascara from my Glossy Box and I can't stop using it. It's so good, it really lengthens and defines your eyelashes. I think part of why it is so fab is the curved shape of the brush which really grabs all your lashes.
• I have such an old and rubbish phone, after losing a nice phone in a club a few years ago. My boyfriend has an iPhone and I love all the fun apps and things you can get - I want one! I do love the idea of a white phone but I can just see that mine would get so horrid and dirty haha.
• Like everyone else at the moment, I am loving everything Zara. This bag is so beautiful, but when I saw the price of it online, I thought it might look really cheap. I then saw it in the shop and it doesn't at all! I do love the black version, but I think I'd most likely go for the grey as I don't have a bag that colour and it's probably a bit more spring appropriate.
• Another Zara item! I tried this oversized top on the other day and loved it. I then didn't buy it (I bought this dress/tunic instead - I've been wearing it with leggings!), and I'm not quite sure why... I think there were just too many things I liked and I felt a bit overwhelmed. However, I can't stop thinking about it so I think I'll have to pop back and pick it up!
• I already have way too many eye shadows, but this is just such a beautiful colour and I can see myself getting lots of use out of it. I love anything taupe and shimmery so this is perfect!
• I love the idea of maxi skirts, but I'm quite short and therefore think they may look a bit odd on me. However, I've seen lots of smaller people wearing them recently and looking fab. This one for New Look is nice and plain and I think it would go with so many things. I also think it could be carried through to winter with tights and heeled boots!
• Lastly is this gorgeous Monki blouse. I picked up this dress in the same print, and my boyfriend told me it was silly to get the same patterned blouse. I just love the shape of it though and I think it would look lovely with high waisted jeans so I think I may pop back and get it (sorry Ollie!) And it's in the sale...

What are you lusting after at the moment? Tempt me!

xx

spring knitwear

Hello again!

I just thought I'd show you a jumper that I picked up when I popped back to Norwich last weekend. I purposely bought it in a larger size as I really like the oversized look. The sleeves are quite tight and are three quarter length and then the neck is reasonably wide so it's very flattering.

As for the knit, it's purled and the wool is lots of different spring-like pastel colours woven together, mostly pink and blue. I wore it yesterday with black skinny jeans and black loafers which I thought was a really stylish but simple outfit - nice and quick to throw on in the morning!

The jumper is from a shop that's only just recently opened in Norwich called Ark (you can view the jumper too here online). Most of their branches are more in the North which is a shame as I'd love there to be one in London so I can have more of a look. The store itself reminded me a lot of Urban Outfitters but more reasonably priced :) For example, this jumper was £24.99! I also noticed when I was on the website that they do free postage and packaging hurrah!

Anyway, I like this jumper so much that I had a little look around for some other knitwear which is suitable for spring and here are some bits that I found.

Clockwise from top left: Cheap Monday Sweater from Urban Outfitters £45, Open Jacket from Zara £19.99, Pastel Mint Green Jumper from Ark £17.99, Reversible Sweater in Denim Boucle from American Apparel £50.00, Knitted Wetlook Cardi from Topshop £38

Have you heard of Ark before? Have you bought anything from them?

xx

mess, blushers and mac and cheese...

Hello!

Sorry I haven't posted for a couple of days, it's a bit difficult sometimes juggling essays, university, work, living my general life and then scraping some time to write a post for here! Just to make life a little bit harder, I came back from a seminar this afternoon and found that my chest of draws had for some reason fallen over so my toiletries, jewellery and clothes were all over the floor :(

Disaster!

Anyway, to the point of this post - blusher! Ah blusher, how I love you. You can distract me from the above mess and cheer me up...

I popped back home to Norwich over the weekend, and on Saturday I did a bit of shopping with my mum and my sister which was lovely. While we were out and about I treated myself to a blusher from MAC (amongst other things)!

I chose MAC's Sheertone Blush in 'Breath of Plum', which is such a gorgeous not-too-dark muted plum colour which is totally matte (wow, great description). I picked this one as the colour's not too similar to my other blushers, whereas I have quite a few brighter and pinkier toned ones. I've already worn it a couple of times and not only do I love the colour, but it lasts brilliantly on the skin.

MAC 'Breath of Plum'

Left: applied with a blush brush, Right: swatched

However, I was thinking this morning that although I love the colour, it was perhaps the wrong time of year to buy it as it's quite a wintery shade. So this morning I put on Topshop's cream blush in 'High Five', which is the perfect blush for spring!

Topshop 'High Five'

Left: applied with a dual fibre brush (although heavily), Right swatched

It looks so natural and glowy and when you use a dual fibre brush to apply it, it blends evenly and nice and quickly :) I just love cream blushes on the skin this time of year as they give you such a beautiful healthy look. I just had a little check on the Topshop website though and it doesn't look as if this colour is available any more. However, Topshop have some other gorgeous colours to choose from such as 'Head Over Heels' which I mentioned in my 'Spring Make Up Picks' post :) The price is brilliant as well, I think £6 is such great value considering the quality (and the cute packaging)!

PS. On another little side note, I had a very yummy tea today so here's a little sneak peak -

Hopefully this doesn't gross you out, my house mate Dan hates people taking pictures of their food!

Macaroni cheese with chorizo and salad nom nom! Only just realised how big the portion was... oh well, it was delicious!

I know this was a bit of a disjointed post but hopefully you haven't minded! I'd also love to know what your favourite blushers are for spring (or maybe what you had for tea haha) :)

xx

spring make up picks

Clockwise from top left: Sleek Blush in 'Pixie Pink', Jack Wills Eye Liner in 'Aqua', Barry M Nail Varnish in 'Cyan Blue', Models Own Lip Gloss in 'Violet Cream', Topshop Cream Blush in 'Head Over Heels', MUA Pearl Eyeshadow in 'Shade 5', Urban Outfitters 'Blue Lipperty Balm', Barry M Dazzle Dusts in 'Lilac' and 'Grass', Accessorize Nail Varnish in 'Coral Flair'

Here are some lovely Spring make up bits from across the high street to get you in the mood for leaping lambs and blooming daffodils!

xx

pretty things

Urban Outfitters quilt, Aubin and Wills tee, Monki clutch bag, River Island sandals, Topshop nail varnish in Adrenalin, Urban Outfitters cushion

Just some pretty bits and bobs I've stumbled across during my wanderings around the internet... All would make me feel lovely and summery!

xx