One Direction 'Rock Me' Lipstick

MUA One Direction 'Rock Me' Lipstick - £3

I've been meaning to blog about this lipstick for so long! My boyfriend actually bought this for me as a little surprise a while ago along with one of the lip balms and nail polishes from the collection.  One Direction are one of my fav ever bands and I have a slight obsession with Harry and I don't care who knows it! 'Rock Me' is Louis' shade and had I been there to pick a lipstick in person, this is not necessarily the shade I would have picked but I'm pretty happy with it as it's not like any other lipstick I own. 

The lipstick is embossed with Louis' signature, little x's and o's and the 1D logo which I think is a really nice touch and just makes it appear a little more expensive than it's £3 price tag.  When I first looked at the lipstick I thought it was just a baby pink shade but upon wearing/swatching it's actually pale lavender.  I'm not entirely sure that it suits me but I've worn it a handful of times now and do really like it. I'd say it lasts for about 3/4 hours, a little less if you're drinking and eating and is of quite a creamy consistency.

Overall, I would like to pick up a couple more of the lipsticks from the One Direction range.  The only thing I'm not too keen on is the outer packaging, it just screams teenage girl! I totally get why though as it's a genius idea from MUA and I bet they've made an absolute killing from the range.

Have you tried any 1D lipsticks? 

Grace x

My Christmas in pictures

 

Merry Boxing Day! I hope you've all had a fabulous Christmas with lots of food, family and festive fun.  I've definitely over indulged and even looking at the Quality Street tin is making me feel a bit nauseous, at least for a couple of hours. 

We woke up at a shocking time of 9am on Christmas Day which must be the latest yet for us.  I have an eight year old brother who is usually up at the crack of dawn but I think it's because we didn't go to sleep until gone 1am on Christmas Eve since we were too excited as usual!  

I just thought I'd share a few photos of my day with you all.  I have two sisters and two brothers so the day is usually complete carnage for us especially when we're all opening stacks of presents! As you can see from the bombsi- sorry, Mum's living room, above! I got lots of lovely presents and lots of money to spend on things that I don't really need and I'm very thankful for them.  I wanted the Moschino edition of Disaronno for ages so I'm glad my boyfriend managed to track it down but I can't bring myself to open it. It's far too pretty!

We played lots of games - Scrabble, Family Fortunes and Cluedo multiple times which is a bit of a tradition in our family.  There were eighteen of us all together so getting into teams for games with some sore losers was slightly hectic but also completely hilarious at the same time! I think it made it worse that we'd wrapped up loads of little gifts to give as prizes for games so everybody wanted to win one. Haha.

My Sister and I couldn't resist putting makeup on my little brother and cousin too, they looked like little pageant girls! I think the picture of them looking into eachothers eyes and laughing has to be my favourite photo I've captured in ages, little cuties!

Tonight I'm looking forward to playing a Murder Mystery game with copious amounts of tea, chocolate and cheese and biscuits and to just generally have a relaxing day before normal life resumes in the next couple of days. Boo. I want it to be Christmas forever.

Grace x

The Christmas Tag!

Hello lovelies! 3 DAYS TO GO! EEEEK. I can barely contain my excitement! I've tried leaving the Christmas tag til as late as possible to make me feel super christmassy! Here goes...

1. When do you start getting excited about Christmas?

I'd say I start getting excited in early November. It might sound early but the time literally flies by and before I know it, it's a week until Christmas!

2. Do you still have advent calendars?

Well, I completely forgot to buy an advent calendar this year but luckily my friend at work brought a One Direction one in for me which took pride of place on my desk! I've ate all the chocs in it now though as I finished work on Friday.  

3. What are your favourite Christmas Films?

Love Actually has to be number one, I love the bit at the end where the little girl sings. I'd say Jingle all the way is up there too. Unbelievably, I watched Elf for the first time last year and I can't believe I went so long without watching it!

4. Do you have any funny Christmas memories?

We were once having Christmas dinner at my Grandad's house when the ceiling collapsed! It wasn't exactly funny but it's a memory that sticks with me and we all found humour in it afterwards and luckily, nobody got hurt. Also, a few Christmases a go, my Sister and I were staying over at my Grandad's on Christmas Eve and my Mum had given us all our presents to give to my Grandad for him to lay them out for us ready to open in the Morning. My Grandad went to the pub and had drank so much that he had to go to bed and my Sister and I had to lay them out ourselves. We agreed that we'd open one but that one turned into ten and we had to hide all evidence so nobody found out! Needless to say there weren't many presents left to unwrap in the morning. Oops! We've never let my Grandad forget how drunk he got either but he always blames it on the particular beer he was drinking that night!

5. Talk us through your typical Christmas Day? 

I have two brothers and two sisters so our Christmases are always so chaotic! We always stay up til Midnight on Christmas Eve to open a present and then we won't be able to get to sleep for ages because we're so excited. We'll get up about 8am and run downstairs in our pyjamas to see all our presents. My littlest brother is usually shouting 'SANTA'S BEEEEEN!'. We open all our presents and ogle them for a while and then get dressed and made up! Christmas is very much a family affair for us so we have about 10-15 people over for Christmas Dinner who all stay the night so we can play games and drink lots of alcohol. I love watching all the Christmas specials on TV but I always feel sad on Christmas night knowing that Christmas is all over for another year.

6. What do you eat for Christmas Dinner?

I personally don't like turkey so I never have that with my dinner but everybody else does. I just have the usual veg, mash, roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, stuffing and pigs in blankets but NO SPROUTS! I hate sprouts. Followed by a dessert of chocolate log or mince pies with ice cream. No Christmas pudding for me.

7. Do you have any Christmas traditions?

We always open a present on Christmas Eve but besides that, I don't think we have any other Christmas traditions in my family. Oh, all the girls are usually covered in glitter but I'm not sure that counts as a tradition!

8. Which are your favourite Christmas songs?

Band Aid - Do they know it's Christmas? is my all time favourite. I like the newer version of it though. I've also been in love with Olly Murs' version of I wish it could be Christmas everyday. Click play below to listen to it if you like, I think it's so lovely.

9. What is the best Christmas present you ever received?

My favourite present I've ever received has to be my first camera phone when I was like 14. I remember taking pictures of absolutely anything and everything but I kept having to delete the pictures because the memory on the phone was so rubbish. I remember taking my phone to school and everyone wanted to have a play on it.

10. Real or fake Christmas tree? 

Fake Christmas trees allll the way! I love the way real ones smell but the pines just hurt so much. I'm the type of girl that gets too excited and has to continuously arrange the presents under the tree so when the pines get stuck in my knees it's agony!

I hope you all have an excellent Christmas!

Grace x

Battle of the balms...

I am a sucker for lip balms.  I'll buy them whenever I see them but have only recently finished my first ever pot! Is it just my lip balms that tend to go on a holiday for a couple of months and then just magically re-appear usually after you've repurchased them?!

I couldn't think of a more fitting time for this post what with the freezing weather and winter colds that are spreading quicker than the plague at the moment.  These are just some of my favourite lip balms that haven't been too far out of my reach lately...

Cherry Carmex £2 - I LOVE CARMEX! This has been my staple lip balm for years now. If you're not familiar with Carmex, it either comes in liquid or pot form and basically just tingles your lips as you apply it. I can't stand lip glosses that promise to plump up your lips with that tingling element, this is completely different.  It's not an unpleasant tingle, it just soothes and moisturises chapped lips.  I think the scent is a bit hit and miss...it sort of has a slight chemist-y/menthol scent to it if that makes sense.  There are an array of different scents to choose from but cherry is my favourite so far.

Dr Lipp Nipple Balm £11.50 - I think everyone has a little giggle at the name of this excellent product.  Unsurprisingly, Nipple Balm is a 100% natural, multipurpose product which can be used on lips, cuticles, eczema and even baby's bums! I only have the sample size at the moment and have used it so many times but there's still lots of product left.  You only need to use the tiniest amount as a little really does go a long way.  I normally apply this to my lips before bed when they're seriously dried out as I find the thickness of the balm too much to wear in the day.  When I wake up in the morning my lips are completely replenished.  I will definitely be purchasing the full size when I run out of my little sample!

A-Derma Intense Repair Lip Balm £7.95 - Similar to the Nipple Balm, this is also 100% natural and is made with Rhealba Oat Milk.  Again, the formula is thick but it's not unbearable for daytime wear.  I usually use this most when I have a cold.  I apply it before I start applying my makeup and by the time I've finished applying, it's well and truly moisturised my lips. There isn't really a scent which makes it perfect for both men and women!

Nivea Lip Butter in 'Raspberry Rose' £2.25 - A high ranking product in the beauty world.  It's not the most nourishing lip balm out there but oh my god, the scent makes up for that.  It just smells exactly like raspberry fruitellas! I like to wear this if I'm not wearing anything else on my lips in the day. It's soothing and isn't sticky as it's a butter formula.

Maybelline Baby Lips in 'Cherry Me' £2.99 Another blogger fave is the oh so hyped Maybelline Baby Lips line.  Personally I find the ones that are meant to hydrate/moisturise not to really do much for me.  I really like Cherry Me as it leaves a nice tint to your lips and moisturises slightly at the same time. I like to wear this when I can't be bothered but still want to look like I've made a little bit of effort!

I hope you've enjoyed this post. Only TEN more days until Christmas! eeeek!

Grace x

Nails of the Week #1

Hello lovelies! I'm trying to think of new ways to make my blog more consistent and I think I'll start with a regular 'Nails of the Week' feature.  I do tend to paint my nails a couple of times a week but I don't want to bore your brains out with the same type of post multiple times a week so I'll just stick to one for now!

Ciate is a brand that I've never really put much thought in too as I'm usually caught up in a Models Own bubble but since discovering them at the Clothes Show, I've had a little browse of their website and have found myself lusting after everything.

'Pillow Fight' has broken my Ciate virginity and it was an absolute dream to apply.  The brush seems to be really good quality and made applying my nail varnish hassle free and ensured I didn't leave any unwanted polish around my cuticles.  I needed two coats of the polish but each coat dried so quickly and my nails genuinely looked like I had gel nails. Very impressed Ciate!

As it's Christmas of course I needed some sort of glitter.  I picked up Models Own 'Sunset Chillout' from the Clothes Show and I'm so glad I did as I'd been trying to find it in shops for a while but never seemed to come across it.  It sort of reminds me of fireworks, possibly because of the orange flecks that run throughout.  I can't wait to wear this on top of some of my other polishes.

I hope you're all having a fantastic week!

Grace x

An embarrassingly late November favourites

Hello lovelies, this is SUCH an overdue post as I'm finding it so hard to find the time/daylight to take photographs.  Luckily I've had a day off with nothing planned today so I've managed to get a fair amount of photos taken to keep me blogging!

Soap and Glory Sugar Crush Body Wash £6.50 - I think this has got to be my all time favourite body wash.  I use it every shower time without fail! It's so strange though as it seems to have hardly gone down at all and I've had it since September.  The scent is just so lovely and citrus-y and I almost forget I'm in the shower from the amount of bubbles I get suffocated in, you'd think I was having a bath!

L'oreal Micellar Solution £3.33 - This is my 3rd bottle now and I truly can't see me ever not repurchasing it.  It removes my Estee Lauder double wear foundation like a dream and even budges waterproof mascara. I feel like it's on the same level as Batiste Dry Shampoo for me - I'll panic when I run out. 

Victoria's Secret Pear Glace Body Mist £8.49 - I lusted after the Victoria's Secret body mists for so long before I actually ordered one off eBay and I really wish I'd have bitten the bullet sooner.  Pear is one of my favourite fruits (watermelon is first, of course) and this is just like all my dreams in a bottle.  Ok maybe not quite all my dreams but I just love it.  I spritz it on after a shower and can smell it on my skin all day.

Body Shop Vanilla Eau De Toilette 30ml £8.50  - I'll be forever thankful to my Aunty who introduced me to this perfume about 5 years ago.  I go through phases with this fragrance where I won't purchase it for years and then all of a sudden, I'll have a craving for it.  I'm all about sweet sickly scents and this is definitely one of those.  I wouldn't recommend it if you don't enjoy those in-your-face fragrances though as some people find this quite pungent.  It's so long lasting, if I spray it on a scarf I can smell it for days on end!

Chanel Nail Polish in 'Suspicious' £17.50  - I feel like Blair Waldorf when I wear this for some reason. It's such a lovely deep autumn/winter red that glides on to the nail effortlessly.  I usually apply two coats but one would probably suffice, I just like to take extra precautions to make sure it's completely opaque.  The polish lasts for about 3-4 days without chipping which I'd expect it to for the price.  I really would like to add some more Chanel nail polishes to my collection but £17.50 is just such a huge price to pay for a single polish.

Fashionista Eyebrow Kit £3.50 - Filling in my brows is not my strong point but this kit just makes everything so much easier.  I apologise for how messy the kit looks in the photo, I use it every day with my grubby foundation hands but at least you can tell it's been loved eh?! This lasts all day and longer (yes, I've slept in my makeup a handful of times) and doesn't look like I've overdone my brows.  I tried to fill them in with a pencil before and I looked horrendous!  This eyebrow kit is currently half price on the MUA website!

Gosh Lipstick in 'Kitten Pink' £6.49 - I've probably worn this for the majority of November which is horrific considering I probably own over 100 lipsticks! It's the most perfect pink - not too dull and not too bright, just right! The staying power is incredible, I would go as far too say that it lasts as long as a MAC lipstick.  If you haven't tried any Gosh lipsticks, I can't recommend them enough.

I hope you've enjoyed this post! Apologies again that it is soooo late! I am a rubbish blogger.

Grace x

Clothes Show Live 2013 Haul

Yesterday I attended the Clothes Show live in Birmingham at the NEC for the 4th time.  It's actually Clothes Shows 25th Anniversary, to think it has been running for my entire life and one more year is crazy!

The show itself was incredible, it was themed 'A weekend in the Countryside'.  I took loads of photos during the show but they've all came out blurry and as I was far away, I was having to zoom in so the quality was pretty horrendous! If you haven't been to the Clothes Show before then I'd definitely recommend it.  It is £30 for a ticket but I think it's worth that just for the show let alone the amazing bargains you bag yourself!

So, on to the bit I'm always most excited about, WHAT I BOUGHT!

I won a bottle of Lauren's Way in a competition last year and I really liked it.  I picked up a dark and a medium tan for £30. It wasn't really a huge saving as they're £16.95 individually but at least I saved on postage and got to pick what I wanted rather than taking a guess online!

My Mum initially picked up the glitter Sleep-in Rollers set but we were walking past the stall for a second time when the lady was shouting out that she only had 6 of these sets left! Me and my sister were instantly drawn in and ended up with a Mega Bounce Gift Set each.  This was only £10, I couldn't believe my ears! It also has a hairdryer hood included so I can't wait to try that out.  I'll probably do a separate blog post on these.

I completely dismissed this nifty little hair removal set from Melody-Claire but the lady on the stall managed to grab my Mum's attention.  She tried the pad on my mums arm and it completely removed her hair! It was amazing and we all ended up getting one.  They were £20 each and buy one get one free so my Mum and I went halves. I am so excited to try this. 

The ciaté stand had an offer where you got a lucky dip for £10 that would be worth £70. I am so pleased with mine! I've been wanting to try the velvet manicure for a while and the neon manicure will come in so handy for Summer.  I also got six of the minis and I really do love all of the shades. 

I am a huge fan of Bomb Cosmetics as it is so of course I had to pick up something from their stand! The bath bombs and soaps were all £2 each or 3 for £5 and the candles and body products were £7 each or 2 for £10.  If you spent £20 you also got a free gingerbread candle.  I picked out two of the most scrumptious candles I have ever seen and two shower products that I'll be writing a separate blog post on soon!

You can always rely on Models Own at the Clothes Show for a bargain! I paid £10 for three nail varnishes and everything else came free. I'm chuffed as the pink lipstick is something I'd wear and you get the limited edition Clothes Show polish for free too, last year you had to pay for it. 

Rimmel really haven't impressed me much with their offering year even though their goody bag was a good offer nonetheless. You could pick between the Endless Glam or Retro Glam set and being me, I picked up both as I buy both of the mascaras normally. These were £5 each but I can't help but feel a little disappointed. Last years bag was so much better.

The Company Cosmo bag was quite disappointing compared to last years too! It was £3.50 but it was very misleading as the stall advertised that the goody bag included an 'I heart Christmas' book which was actually just an A4 bit of paper with a preview on it and also a Rimmel foundation which looked like a full size rather than a sample. I'm not too bothered because I'd probably have bought both of these magazines anyway.

Oh my god, this perfume is definitely one of my favourites. I bought it last year from the Clothes Show too so as soon as I saw this I snapped it up! It was £15 for the 100ml bottle of the fragrance and you got a free bag with it too.  I don't like the bag so I'll probably give it away but it was still such a bargain for the perfume alone.

I think So Susan are possibly the sister brand of Jelly Pong Pong or maybe they've renamed Jelly Pong Pong, So Susan...I'm not quite sure but it's confusing me! These four products were only £5! I can't wait to try them out properly.

As you can imagine, my arms are aching like crazy today after lugging all of this around but it's definitely worth it! I hope you've all enjoyed this post and let me know if you would like to see some individual reviews.  If you also visited the clothes show, leave your links to your posts below so I can check them out!

If you want to see what I bought from the Clothes Show last year then have a little look at this post.

Grace x

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

 Oh my god, so it's officially December, my most favourite month of the year! I'm going to the Clothes Show Live tomorrow which always makes me feel a bit more festive as it's alwalys on in
early/mid December. 

I painted my nails last night for the eventful day so I thought I'd post about them. Obviously, I had to use my limited edition Models Own Clothes Show nail polish that I picked up last year! I really haven't done this varnish justice as it is absolutely beautiful in person - so sparkly and this is just one coat!

I paired it up with my Sinful Colors Snow Me White varnish.  I bought 6 of the Sinful Colors nail polishes when they were first released in the UK but I've held back from posting about them because to be frank, most of the ones I have are awful.  Snow Me White is lovely though, you only need two coats to achieve a streak free, opaque look which for me, is quite rare for a white nail polish.

This nail combo just reminds me of snow, glitter and christmas - three of my fav things!

Are any of you going to the Clothes Show tomorrow? I am so excited, I look forward to this all year!

Grace x

Maintaining my mane...

  Apart from once having my hair cut into a bob (shudder), I've had long hair for as long as I can remember.  Oddly enough, I find that the older I get, the less manageable my hair seems to get but these are a few budget products I rely on to keep my hair in tip top condition.

 

I tend to switch my shampoo and conditioner up on a regular basis and it always amazes me because when I think I find a shampoo and conditioner that I love and can't get enough of, I switch them and my hair looks even better! I guess that's down to your hair getting used to what you're using. 

At the moment I'm using the Toni & Guy Cleanse and Nourish shampoo and conditioner for damaged hair.  My mum actually bought these for me for my birthday and I honestly think they beat my usual Aussie fav's! After using the duo, I can instantly feel a difference in my hair. It's a lot softer and much easier to manage.

From time to time I'll use the Touch of Silver shampoo and conditioner when I feel like my blonde locks are getting a bit brassy.  Within one use you can totally notice the difference.  It scares me a little because when you apply it, it turns your hair purple and can stain your clothes so I try not to use it too much! If you've got light blonde/platinum hair and haven't used this yet, try it, you won't believe your eyes! :)

I indulge in a good hair mask a couple of times a week. Some might think that's too much but my hair gets really knotty! I thought my knots were down to my hair being so long but I had quite a lot cut off not long ago and to be honest, my hair still seems to get as knotty as ever.

The Herbal Essences Seductively Straight Intensive Mask is a hair mask I constantly re-purchase.  It smells out of this world, so fruity and you can still smell it for hours after you've rinsed it off! Apart from the scent, it really does do what it says on the tub and I don't have to straighten my hair after I've used this mask.

I use the TRESemme split remedy when to put it bluntly, my hair feels a bit straw like! After a few uses I notice that I have less split ends and my hair doesn't break off as much as it normally would when I'm brushing it.

To keep my hair soft and fluffy, argan oil is a huge must for me. At the moment I'm using this beautifully scented TreSemme one. I find that argan oils all do the same thing and this is a cheaper alternative to the famous Moroccanoil Moroccan Oil.  It really adds a lot of moisture to dry hair and eliminates any frizz! The best thing is that you can also use argan oil for your cuticles, as a moisturiser and if you're daring enough, your face! 

Aussie's Miracle Colour Insurance leave in conditioner has been a staple hair product of mine for years now. When I'm in a rush and don't have time to condition my hair, I'll spritz this all over before drying it and you can't even notice that I haven't used proper conditioner. It's great.

Dry Shampoo is an essential in my life and if I don't have a can in my house I panic.  What if I wake up late for work and I don't have enough time to wash my hair?! My hair is extremely prone to greasiness and if I touch it too much the day before, it's disgusting the next day. I'm 24, will I ever grow out of this?! I've been using dry shampoo for about 3 years and have experienced a lot of different types in that time but nothing has ever beat Batiste. If they were ever to stop making it, my life would never be the same again! I'm not even being dramatic. Haha. 

 

DON'T LAUGH! I swear by detangling sprays when my hairs too knotty even my tangle teezer can't take it.  I have been known to make my mum/sister/friends to sit down for hours untangling my hair! I really do find that they make my hair a lot easier to manage and the sweet scent of pear whilst untangling is enough to make me block out a the pain!

PHEW! This post feels like it's taken forever to write especially since I've been writing through tears, thank you Surprise Surprise! I hope you've all had a great weekend and you're all looking forward to Monday ;)

Grace x

Current Favourite Glitter Polishes

With Christmas quickly approaching (31 days to go if you're wondering!), my inner magpie just wants to coat everything in glitter and my nails are not an exception.  I feel like it's unacceptable to wear glitter on your nails in the Summer for some reason so during the festive season I tend to go a bit wild!

I literally spent about half an hour trying to decide on my favourite glitter polishes but these are the ones that have made it in to my top 5 (Do I think I'm on X Factor here?!)

From left to right - Models Own Hot Stuff, Models Own Dancing Queen, Models Own Sparkler, Barry M Rose Quartz and Kelly Brook Glitter.

 I've swatched the nail polishes on their own and also with a base coat of Models Own Utopia.  Annoyingly, the background actually matches with Utopia so you can't really see that too well but you can still get the gist.

I'm unsure whether the Kelly Brook nail polish is still available as I got it in a duo from New Look as a gift from my Sister. Admittedly, it is a bit of a pain to apply as much like other glitter polishes, you have to dab it on a little to get the desired effect but once it's on, it's definitely worth it! 

What are your favourite glitter polishes? Any recommendations of what I should buy next?! 

Grace x

Soap and Glory Girl-o-Whirl

 Hi lovelies! As soon as I saw that Boots' star gift of the week was Soap and Glory's Girl-o-Whirl, I knew I had to have it.  For those of you who aren't aware, this cosmetic kit is currently on offer for £19 for one week only.  It's usually £40 so grab it here whilst you still can!

The kit contains 6 lid stuff eyeshadows, Soap and Glory's best selling thick and fast mascara, a sexy mother pucker gloss stick, glow all out face powder, solar powder bronzer, 6 supercolourfabulipsticks, an eyeshadow brush, powder brush and a lip brush. 

From left to right; Vanilla, Wild Blue, Black Gold, Minky, Dandy Plum and Smokin'.

From left to right; Naked Beige, Guava Rama, Red my Lips, Missing Pink, Perfect Day and Man Trap.

 

 

I am a huge fan of Soap and Glory bath/skincare products and had only ever tried the thick and fast mascara before purchasing this gift set.  My expectations were so high for this kit but unfortunately, it definitely has not met them.

Firstly, I had to swatch the lighter eyeshadows about 3 times for them to actually show up on my hand. I do think Dandy Plum is absolutely gorgeous though and I can already sense that I'll be wearing it a lot over the festive period. 

I'm not all that impressed with the colour range for the lipsticks, I'd have loved a bright pink in there somewhere!  My heart sank a little when I swatched these too, they're really not all that pigmented.  If I'd have purchased one of the full sized lipsticks for £9 a pop, I wouldn't have been a happy bunny!

 Funnily enough, Solar Powder and Glow All Out haven't impressed me whatsoever. As you can see, the pigmentation, again, is next to nothing. They are basically glorified talc. 

I'm not too put out as I bought this with my advantage card points so it was practically free.  I just feel so disheartened when quite expensive brands aren't as good as the likes of MUA who manage to pull off amazingly good EVERYTHING for such a cheap price!

I'd love to know how you've all got on with this kit or other Soap and Glory cosmetics.  I feel sad that I don't love the kit because I really wanted it to be my new favourite thing. 

Grace x