New Years Resolutions

This is literally a last minute post, glancing at the clock now it appears I don't have long to write this out before the clock strikes midnight so excuse the mistakes.

1. Blog more often - I say I will blog more but in between work and catching up on sleep I do the complete opposite and procrastinate. I am dedicating this year to you guys, I promise to blog at least 2 times a week if not more I am committed to you lovely readers.

2. Visit my friends in university - My best friend Agnieszka has been pestering me to visit her in Liverpool so that is on my list along with Kent and Canterbury. IT WILL HAPPEN!!

3. Reach 10,000 views and 100 followers - It would honestly mean so much to me if I get at least one of those targets, I love writing for you guys and it's an incredible feeling when you sign on to blogger and you notice the hits has increased. If I reach at least one of these milestones I will run a giveaway worth at least £50 and free P+P!

4. Build myself a capsule like wardrobe - Basically I need to buy myself essentials that I can just throw together to create an effortless and easy look no matter what, I know Dorothy Perkins do a particularly nice range of essentials.

5. Get a new job - Although in my previous post it appears as everything is amazing at work, it is not where I want to be and after a year there I think it's time I moved on and tried to gain employment in an area I'm interested in EG. retail.

6. Follow Cassey Ho's Blogilates monthly exercise regime at least 6/12 months this year, I've been wanting to do this for several months but I gave up at around a week into November. My health is in desperate need of being perked up so I am intent on this one this year.

These are literally the only six resolutions that come to mind right now, I could probably go on and write more but if I stick to these six then no doubt I can complete them.

Happy New Years Guys!!

My Christmas 2013

So most people tend to do a "What I got for Christmas tag" but to be honest my SD card stopped working so I couldn't do it before the deadline. This is instead a post on my whole Christmas experience.

So Christmas Eve was spent with my mum in the kitchen preparing the turkey, making snacks for the next day and sorting out the presents for Christmas day. Not much happened except the fact I sorted out my work outfit for the next day and what make-up I would be wearing. An exciting life I lead I know!

This is my stash of goodies from the day, a few DVD's including The Amazing Spider-man (Major Marvel fan!!!) body stuff, Soap and Glory box, Topshop bags and shoes, cheeky white wine from my beauty Victoria and a cute "remember me" bracelet from Shannon are among the bunch. I loved everything I received so thank you to everyone who got me a gift. 

So my make-up look for the day was created using the following:

Benefit Porefessional Primer

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation in Cool Bone

Revlon Photo Ready Concealer in Fair

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in Transparent
Sleek Vintage Romance Palette - Paris Gold (no longer sold)

Ted Baker Cant take my eyes off you - Gold (no longer sold)
Soap & Glory Supercat Eyeliner Pen in Black
Rimmel Kohl Eyeliner Pencil in Black
(For eyebrows) Natural Collection eyeshadow in Crushed Walnut
Natural Collection Clear Mascara (to set)
Rimmel Natural Bronzer in Sun Bronze
Natural Collection Blushed Cheeks in Peach Melba

Benefit High Beam Highlighter 
LA Colours lipliner Pencil in Forever Red

Maybelline Colour Sensational Lipstick in Fatal Red

Seen as I was working Christmas Day I decided to opt for the Christmas Jumper, this one was from Primark at a bargain £12!!

This is me looking slightly bald, despite the fact I have long hair it appears this way because I had it in a bun - the same way as I did my prom hair, with my beautiful bestie and colleague Jessy!!!

"Say Cheese" with Jade, Jessy, my sister Gemma and lovely Shannon as you may have noticed we opted for the Christmas Jumpers aside from the sexy Mrs Claus Aka Shannon!

                                                 Close up of my two beauties!

This is a picture stolen from my sisters Instagram account of the beautiful bracelets Shannon got us as she's left us for a tiny village in the middle of no where :(

This is a pretty picture of the beautifully matching jumper pair Jess and Victoria (stolen off Victoria's instagram) I love these girls like they are my sisters!

So the day was a very long day in fact for many like myself it consisted of an 8 hour shift with no breaks in between, however I love the team I work with and the girls in general made it a very happy and smooth running day. After getting home it was the usual Christmas dinner followed by alcohol and plenty of nibbles. 

I hope you guys had an amazing Christmas

Christmas Gift Guide: Part 3- Other Things

Here is my final Christmas gift guide, and probably my favorite one I actually want everything in this post so if Santa is watching I've been good I promise!
First of all is a Decleor Bois De Neroli candle (aka the limited edition Christmas candle) I've been eyeing up a number of candles this being one of them, as I'll be working on Christmas day I feel with the candle having  a festive, warm and spicy scent that I can recreate it on boxing day. I originally saw this on the Feel Unique website however it really is limited edition on there so its no longer in stock. However here it is on the lookfantastic website. 

Lets work through the smaller pictures so next up we have these adorable rabbit slippers that I saw on Asos and died for they are just so adorable. However I can't seem to find them anymore but there are so many cute animal slippers out now and at a reasonable price too!

I am terrible with bags but in my defense I have to share them (not through choice) with my sisters so I want to get one I'll use 24:7 and therefore they wont have the opportunity to steal. This bag from Dune is beautiful with its leather look to silver hardwear it is somewhat of a classic bag and for something this amazing £65 is a steal!

My favourite thing is this AMAZING onesie! Nothing says Christmas like pj's and why not vamp it up with a cool santa onesie? This is on sale right now for £24.50 and as a lover of onesie's I sooo want this right now ugh!

Sorry about the short post I have to head out to work.
Until next time

Christmas Gift Ideas! Part Two - Lush

Lush is sensational at this time of year, the variety of products is incredible from limited edition soaps and shower gels to amazing gift sets this is definitely somewhere to shop to impress.

Its hard to narrow down what to suggest to you guys as there is just too much, however here is a few bits and bobs to show you the selection. "Rose Jam" is only one of the many Christmas edition shower gels available around Christmas and as usual the prices vary from £8-£15 dependent on the size of the bottle. Rose Jam has a floral and a fruity combination of Turkish rose absolute and geranium oil a beautiful smell that will make you want to shower for hours!

One of the things I love about Lush is you can not only get things separate but they have a selection of lush gift boxes and tins that are cute and range from £8-£100 something for everyone. The tin I picked out is "Christmas Friends" something that I would particularly love to have in my stocking, I love to have a bath and this set is for someone who has a bath and particularly loves them. It comes in  a limited edition tin that can be reused and 5 bath bombs: Magic wand bubble bar, Father Christmas bath bomb, Bombardino bath bomb, Snowman bath bomb and The Christmas Penguin bubble bar. This particular tin is relatively on the cheaper scale of the Lush prices at £22.95.

The bath bombs in Lush are probably the most exciting thing in there in my opinion and seeing the Christmas bath bombs come in literally excited me! The Father Christmas bath bombs are super cute and super affordable at £3.45 per bath bomb and it would be an excellent stocking filler for any bath loving female or even male. Its infused with Mandarin and Orange Flower giving the bath that zesty smell and the pink colour.

Finally on my Lush picks is this cute red lip tint appropriately named Santa Baby  it is a tad pricey at £5.50 when you consider Vaseline at roughly £2 but as a beautiful lip tint with a hint of red to wear day or night.

So these are my Lush picks for Christmas, what are yours???

Christmas Gift Ideas! Part one: Beauty Bits

So a lot of blogs are doing these kind of posts and not to be one that misses out I thought I would give my version of this a go. I've separated the gift ideas into three parts, beauty, Lush and other bits, so here goes nothing.

Beauty Bits! 

So as you can see I'm still a big sucker for make-up brushes I think that every woman should get the chance to use and experiment with them and as biased as I may be, I believe that the Real Techniques brushes are the brushes for that. I did a whole separate post on the brushes as you can see here but The Core Collection is an amazing set to start with and it is both affordable and definitely something that no woman will regret owning! 

The next set of brushes I happened to stubble upon whilst casually browsing the Boots website (as you do) I had no idea that Sleek had make-up brushes in their repertoire and I am looking to try a range of different brushes to compare and tell you guys about, this is cheaper than the Real Techniques brushes and have 3 more brushes than the Core Collection does but until I try them I cannot tell you guys whether its better or worse than the Real Techniques collection. It's a great beginners set for Christmas! 

Stepping away from the brush addiction I only included two other make-up based products as otherwise I could talk for ages about things I want or would suggest for other people. The Ben Nye Banana Powder is an amazing powder that is hyped up a lot in the beauty community, it is relatively cheap online and has raving reviews. Many beauty gurus swear by this product at keeping there oily t-zone at bay and although my skin isn't oily this product is something that everyone can enjoy and combine with their everyday make-up. 

Finally is a Ciate Caviar Manicure set in Black, I know these sets have been around for absolutely ages but I think receiving something like this as a gift or even as a secret Santa for someone would be cute. It's something someone wouldn't necessarily buy themselves but something that is an indulgent treat for many. 

Benefit- The best of Benefit

As an avid fan of Fashion Train AKA Becca I couldn't help but see her Twitter post on the Benefit - The best of Benefit box which included miniatures of all the best and popular items across the benefit range, at only £24.50! A perfect gift this Christmas for a beauty fan or someone curious about Benefit!

As you can see you get a miniture of the following:
Porefessional Primer
Theyre Real Mascara
Hoola Bronzer
Benetint Lip and Cheek Stain
Boi-ing Concealer
High Beam Highlighter

The Porefessional comes in a handy squeeze tube at a handbag size, the screw cap is a tad annoying, a screw cap would be much more convenient, the product itself is easy to get out so you only need to squeeze lightly to get it out.  The product is light-weight and spreads easy giving your skin a silky smooth feeling, great for the application of make-up. The price of the 22ml tube of porefessional is £24.50 which may be deemed a little on the pricey side but bare in mind it gives you the perfect finish and base for make-up. It just might sway you.

They're Real Mascara is a very hyped up among the beauty community and seems to be more hit than miss with most people. Personally I think this mascara opens up my eyes a lot which I love. However, I feel like this mascara tends to clump quite a lot but I believe that is due to the fact I have quite thick lashes already, however this is just my opinion so if it works for you then great!

Overall I like the Bronzer and would definitely think about purchasing the full sized version, I'm not a major professional when it comes to bronzer and this is a nice one to try and practice using. It blends well with the blush in my routine, it gives a natural glow that's not to overpowering. This is a reasonable price at £23.50 from Boots, definitely a good investment.

Benetint is a very sheet Merlot-rose stain which is way too thin and runny, it bled into my skin and stained whilst swatching it. It tends to look patchy and uneven on me. When applying it, I found it stains both lines and dry skin on my lips but doesn't stick to the rest of the lips. I'm not to sure if I like this product just yet, I'm gonna keep it in my makeup bag a little longer to see if I can get to grips with it first. It retails at £24.50 at Boots.

The think I like most about the concealer is that is amazing for use under both my eyes and my blemishes, many concealers seem to work well at either one or the other but this is redoubtably best at both. It doesn't crease as many concealers do in reference to under the eyes the staying power was great only wearing off a tad, I blame that on the fact my skin has been terrible. The one thing that would be the downfall for me would be the price at £18.50 which seems a bit steep in my eyes but unless I find a concealer that is as good as this for less then I will be purchasing the full size very soon.

The High beam Highlighter has been a must have for a very long time, I've never really tried liquid highlighter just matte so this was a whole different ball park for me, one I've been looking forward to trying. I found it to be a lovely highlighter that blends easily, looks natural and gives a great looking glow. If you are unsure just yet get a mini size to try it or better yet get this set whilst you can! The full size retails at £19.50 at Boots!


I hope this post helped expose you to the wonders of Benefit and this amazing gift set.

Little Haul

Recently I caught up with an old friend of mine and we went browsing around a shopping centre, which as you may have guessed by this post would have been to tempting for me. I picked up a few bits and bobs along the way, not like I'm saving for uni or anything. *note sarcasm*

Here is a quick overview, as you can see it wasn't a major blow-out but considering I didn't want to spend, it was a significant amount.

Skin care wise I decided to take advantage of the deal of Nivea face wipes, they were on offer for 3 for 2 so it was roughly £6 (some may deem that as expensive considering you can get them cheaper elsewhere, but I'd rather spend extra on my skin)

 As for the Origins purchase, the spot remover is something that is overly hyped up so I thought I'd jump on the band wagon and see if its worth the hype.

I needed a new bag to carry the endless amounts of stuff to work in and I stumbled  into this classy looking bag at Primark for a  bargain £10! Its cute with the reptile like textiles to make it simple and yet a classic piece, Primark tends to surprise me sometimes with the quality and price of such items.
My most expensive purchase was a pair of Topshop leggings/treggings in plain black, they follow the same style as the American Apparel Disco Pants. They have been on my wishlist for ages but I couldn't condone spending over £70 on them so these Topshop ones were a major discount from £25 reduced to £20!

Finally I had to pick up the latest edition of Cosmo, this wasnt for the free Orly nail varnish or for the leading lady Miley Cyrus but because I promised my best friend I would buy every months copy whilst she's at Uni. So Agnieszka this shout out is for you! x

Thats all for now guys! 

Wishlist ft. Christmas outfit

Missguided is a website I love to browse from time to time and I've compiled a small list of things I'm currently lusting over.

L-R: Nanon Melange Oversized Jumper In Blue, Blitzen Reindeer Christmas Jumper, Markiza Chunky Cable Knit Jumper In Light Grey, JadziaSequin Mini Skirt In Antique Gold.


Jumpers are a must have during the cold winter days and Missguided have an array of different jumpers to choose from starting from around £14.99 which is a bargain in itself! Noted I chose Grey jumpers but colour is something I struggle with, I tend to stick to black, white, grey and blue! 
Since I will most likely be working on christmas day I decided, regardless of whether I can or not, to wear a bright and festive jumper to try and cheer myself up! Its cute and fun and I think I'll wear this jumper to just lounge around the house in when no one could see me. 

The last thing on my lust list is the gorgeous "Antique Gold" sequin mini skirt, at some point everyone goes out with people from work for christmas and I just fell in love with this skirt for that reason. Its fun and slightly festive and I neeeeeeed to have it so it will stay there staring at me until I finally press buy, which may be soon. 

So have a look on the Missguided website for youself and see all the temptation staring back at you! 
Thats all for now

Coat wishlist And My New Coat!!!

Hey my lovlies, its been a very cold time in London at the moment and you can definitely feel winter approaching so a good snuggly coat is an all time must. I've been browsing both online and in stores to ensure that I can get the best coat to do three things:
1. Keep me warm - I find a lot of coats are very cute but they do not keep me warm and in the past I've almost frozen to death rather than wear a coat that makes me look like Michelin man!
2. Be asthetically pleasing - aka it has to look nice, I absolutely hate fat coats that make you look like you're wearing a sumo costume like bleutgh!
3. Not cost a fortune - A lot of coats can border on what someone would pay for a new games console its totally not needed! My budget was around £100 max!

So here's what I found:

Quilted Boucle Coat from Miss Selfridge
-So this is the warmest coat (in my opinion) but its too cute, judging by the cream colour and the added detail of the panels at the bottom and the cute fluffy hood. At £69.00 it is a bit on the expensive side for a coat that may or may not keep you entirely warm all winter (I haven't tried it on) but it is something which could be an investment for the autumn and spring seasons, and something cute to wear out to school or everyday errand running.


















Hinnata Belted Faux Fur Coat from Miss Guided
- So this is a cute classic in the shape of a fur coat, expectation of a fur coat is warm and style so hence why this is in my coat wishlist. With Winter fast approaching it is extremely important to stay warm and cut the risk of freezing to death. This coat is in three different colours, white, black and Grey all staple colours allowing the style aspect of it to be intertwined with whatever outfit you see fit. It is on the pricey side again at £74.99 but it brings an edge to any outfit and its something I'm incredibly tempted to buy in the upcoming weeks.

Short Wadded Jacket from Next
-This is a simple black "puffa" style jacket in a length to your waist, this wouldn't be my first choice for a coat but it is a practical jacket that's purpose is to keep you warm. The only problem I have with this coat is the lack of a hood, a hood is important especially in the winter months to keep your head warm (as strange as that sounds) but most of your body heat gets taken from your head as its the most exposed part of your body. It is on the cheaper side of all of these coats so far at only £50 and would be something to definitely look out for.

Padded Jacket from H&M
- This is again a basic black jacket that only meets your waist but it's fleece lining ensures that the cold stays away. It has a cute removable fur edge for the hood that adds a cute characteristic and a drawstring at the waist can be used to add emphasis to your body shape. It is a reasonable price at £39.99.




















Borg lined Parka Jacket from Topshop
- This is the coat which I got bought (as part of my Christmas present) and I fell in love with the fluffy hood and the borg lining which is detachable for use in warmer months. It isn't the cheapest coat at £95 but it is definitely an investment piece which can be worn throughout the months. The khaki colour adds a sense of self ease when it comes to pairing with an outfit, definitely a colour that can be used with pretty much any other colour. It also comes in petite or just the regular section at Topshop so if the coat is to long for you then perhaps try the petite version as it sits a bit shorter than the average size.

(Ignore the fluffy slippers) Here is the length of it on me 5'4 (ish).

So what coats are you guys looking at for the cold winter days?

That's all for now 

Get To Know Me: 25 Questions Tag

I thought this would be a cool post to do as I realise a lot of readers don't know anything about me!

1. Do you have a middle name?
Yes I do :) My middle name is Catherine, after both my Nan and my mum.

2. What was your favorite subject in school?
My favorite subject would have to be English Literature, I have a soft spot for books!
 
3. What's your favorite drink?
I LOVE tea! I am a HUGE tea drinker! I don't really dabble in flavored tea though, give me English tea any day - 2 sugars if anyone's wondering.
 
4. What's your favorite song at the moment?
I don't have a favorite song at the moment, according to my Iphone I listen to Beautiful life by Union J a lot along with Brandon and Leah's album Cronies.

5. What would you name your children?
Weird question but if I have a girl, Olivia or Emilia and if  I had a boy, Oscar or Nathan.

6. Do you participate in any sports?
Nope, I've never been particularly sporty although I do like to dabble in yoga.

7. What's your favorite book? 
Hmmmm the problem question, as mentioned before books are my weakness so I can't pick one but for any avid readers out there, there is a website/app called Wattpad that allows anyone to create books and post. You can also read them for absolutely free! I know it saves me a bundle of cash instead of buying books on my kindle.

8. What's your favorite color?
Blue!

9. What's your favorite animal?
Owls and Pandas! They're magnificent creatures! 

10. What's your favorite perfume?
Calvin Klein - Downtown (at the moment)

11. What's your favorite holiday?
Christmas is my favorite! It's the most wonderful time of the year! ....see what I did there? :) For the second Christmas in a row I'll be working on Christmas day, but that won't stop me wearing a christmas jumper and running away from the mistletoe!

12. Have you graduated from College?
Yes!

13. Have you been out of the country?
Yes! I've visited a few places including Spain, Egypt and Bulgaria!

14. Do you speak any other languages?
I took French in school but I can't really remember anything. (Terrible I know)
 
15. Do you have any siblings?
Yes! Two older sisters :)

16. What's your favorite store?
I can't possibly choose one shop, although at a squeeze I would say it would have to be Boots. My weakness!

17. What's your favorite restaurant?
Seen as I work in a restaurant does it have to be that one? 
 
18. Do you like school? 
I don't go to school anymore, I'm currently deferred from university and taking a gap year but I can't wait to go to university :)

19. Who are some of your favorite YouTubers?
I seriously can't pick one! I love the SacconeJolys for their daily vlogs, Zoella280390 and SprinkleofGlitter just to name a few!


20. What's your favorite movie? 
Hard question but first thing that popped in my head was White Chick, still makes me laugh every time!

21. What are some of your favorite TV shows?
All the CSI shows, Bones, Under the Dome, Glee to name but a few!

22. PC or Mac?
I'm a PC user and I prefer PCs so.. PC ALL THE WAY!
 
23. What phone do you have?
Iphone 4S - White

24. How tall are you?
I am proud to say 5'3(4)!

25. Any pets? 
Unfortunately, no :( but I would love a dog!

40 Beauty Questions Tag!

SKINCARE

-How many times do you wash your face daily?
 Once in the morning, once at night. 
-What skin type do you have? (dry,oily,combo)Combination. 

-What is your current facial wash? 
Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit cleanser.

 -Do you exfoliate?
Occassionally

-What brand do you use?
St. Ives

-What moisturizer do you use?
 Clinique Moisture Surge

-Do you have freckles?
No. 
-Do you use eye cream?
No. 

-Do you or did you have acne prone skin?
Nope, Just prone to the occasional breakout.

-Did you ever have to use Proactive?
No

MAKE-UP 

-What foundation do you use?
At the moment it is Boujour Healthy Mix Foundation (Vanilla)

 -How about concealer?
 Revlon Photo Ready Concealer. 

-Do you know your undertone color?
Pink.

-What do you think of fake eyelashes? 
I can't use them so.....

-Did you know that you are suppose to change your mascara every 3 months?
 Yes.

-What brand of mascara do you use?
Maybelline or Rimmel.

-Sephora or MAC?
MAC, I don't think you can get Sephora in England.
-

Do you have a MAC Pro-card?
No.

-What makeup tools do you use in make up application?
Makeup brushes. 

-Do you use make-up base/primer for the eyes?
No, just regular primer.

-What is your favorite eyeshadow (color or shade)?
Don't have a particular color. 

-Do you use pencil or liquid eyeliner?
Not always, but if I do then pencil.

-How often do you poke your eyes with an eyeliner pencil?
Never.

-What do you think of pigment eye shadows?
 Love them.

-Do you use mineral makeup?
 No.

-What is your favorite lipstick?
I'm not a major fan of lipstick, more the Revlon Lip Butter.

-How about lip gloss?
Don't have one.

-What is your favorite blush to use?
Revlon Matt Blush

-Do you buy your makeup on eBay?
 No.

-Do you like drugstore makeup?
Yes.

-Do you go to CCO's? (cosmetic company outlets)
 No.

-Did you ever consider taking make-up classes?
Nope.

-Are you clumsy in putting on makeup?
No.

-Name a makeup crime that you hate?
People telling you that there are rules while putting makeup on.

-Do you like colorful shades of makeup (lipstick,eyeshadow) or neutral ones?
Neutral mainly.

-Which celebrity always has great make up?
Mila Kunis

-If you could leave the house using just ONE makeup item, what would you use?
BB Cream

-Could you ever leave the house without any makeup on?
Yes.

-Do you think you look good even without any makeup on?
No.

-In your opinion, what is the BEST makeup line?
 Estee Lauder.

-What do you think of Makeup???
 I LOVE IT!

OOTN: Clubbing

So recently it was a dear friend and colleagues birthday and to celebrate I ventured into the crazy world of clubbing, why is that crazy you say? well that's because this was my first time clubbing since turning 18 *inserts replies that I'm a weird 18 year old*

I couldn't fight the urge to get a new outfit and so going into Miss Selfridge I found this beautiful black playsuit which I fell in love with and had to buy. It was a killer steal at £35 and will be a statement piece in my wardrobe for years!

So I don't have any pictures of the playsuit by itself but I do have this picture I took whilst showing my friends my outfit. As you can see I teamed this playsuit with some strapped black wedges from Forever 21 a clutch bag also from Forever 21 and a gold statement necklace from New Look to match the gold zip detail on the play suit. I kept everything else simple only adding simple gold studs to my first and second piercings. 

This was a rushed photo as you can see taken before we headed out, my hair was previously straightened so all there was to go was curl the ends and backcomb throughout to give me semi big hair. 

So overall my make-up was minimal, I used Bare Minerals Prime Time Primer, Bourjois Healthy mix foundation in Vanilla, Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Eternal Gold, Maybelline Rocket Volume Mascara, Sleeks contour kit in light, Revlon Matte Blush in Perfectly Peach and a combination of Maybellines new Moisture renew lipstick in Diva Red and Revlon Lip Butter in Candy Apple. 

Overall the night out was great and I managed to snag this picture of myself and my sister from her instagram, feel free to follow me http://instagram.com/porcelainnivory

Until next time