Friday's Fingertips | Monochrome Aztec

I don't often dip my toes into the realms of monochrome. 

Most people probably think they need to inject a bit of colour into their wardrobe but I feel like in need some more black and white. Monochroming it up has been around for a while now and its one of those 'trends' that keep re-appearing. Now I'm getting a bit older (21 in 3 weeks y'all) I feel like I should try and make my wardrobe a little more sophisticated. All too often recently I see 13 year old girls are wearing denim cut off jeans and cropped tops and I feel SO OLD when I'm wearing something similar. (Not that I condone 13 year olds dressing in such a way but that is another matter entirely). Anyway all I'm trying to say is that I'm easing my way into the realm of monochrome gently.

This nail art was a pain. I'm not patient and I'm not that skilled with a brush but I liked these a lot. My nails don't look as stubby as they actually are which is a bonus and I like aztec/tribal style - I'm just not brave enough to squeeze myself into one of those aztec bodycons that are invading the high street!

Hope you all are well and thanks for sticking with me :) I'll update you on why I've been absent over the weekend!

Until then,

Peace xx

Sunday's Catch-Up

HELLO.

Today I've been trying to be a productive as possible: I've re-organised my make-up collection after getting rid of a load of stuff that has most likely just ... gone off. NICE. Setting it all out like this makes me really happy. It's like a more consumerist version of a TV dinner.

This week has been a weird one. I've been more spontaneous than usual and a little bit less of a chicken, mostly when it comes to driving. I have a horrible sense of direction and I hate going to new places especially if I have to drive. I've let that go now and I'm feeling all the more happier for it :) I've also been crazy stressed. I've finished my dissertation but if I have to read it again I might cry. I don't think it's particularly brilliant but that's probably because I've been working on it for so long. It's by no means the end, I still have a lot to do but I'M NEARLY THERE! I've also been pretty sad and I still manage to let stupid things and people get to me but less of that.

One act of spontaneity was going to a gig quite last minute (for me anyway). I'm not usually accepting of new music but I went along anyway. I. Bloody. Loved. It. I can't actually explain how blown away I was by these guys and it ended up being a really hilarious night, so big props to Sarah for getting me out of the house. 

'one of them is me and one of them is you'

My resolution to become a bit more social is actually going well. I've met a few really lovely people recently and I've got back in regular contact with a few other people which I really like. As much as a enjoy my own company and don't really suffer from loneliness or anything it is nice to spend time with other people, especially people that have the same interests as me. In the last few weeks, I've accessed that part of my brain that knows the ins and outs of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and all the words to Busted's discography. Also how much food I can tolerate in one day. (it's a lot).

PEACEX

 

Pastel Leopard Print | Friday's Fingertips

Sooo let's just skirt around that fact that I have been absent for a while and enjoy these nails!

Two things I have been loving for the nails are pastels and leopard print. I feel like leopard print basically goes well with any colour combination (unless is something vile) and is SO easy to do. 

I am so very near the end of my degree I can almost taste the freedom but this also means that I have been going insane with work. My dissertation is finished but I still have essays and exams ... I have also been rather busy in the last few weeks so I'll try and stick a catch-up post up on Sunday :)

Hope you enjoy the nail art, peace x

Products I've been Loving #1

I went after this nail polish by Barry M mainly for the colour. I don't have a shade like this and it's exactly the sort of vibrant pastel that I like wearing. When I tried it out, I thought the formula was just lovely. I usually have a bit of a problem with Barry M nail paints, they have lovely shades, but can often be streaky and difficult to apply. This however is a two-coat wonder and dries shiny and smooth and lasts for good few days. I'm definitely going to be getting a few other shades, they have a pale blue that looks pretty special.

My Topshop lipstick in Beguiled is my favourite shade, probably of all time. I feel unfinished without a lip colour and this one has been serving me well over the winter months. Let's be honest, I'm going to be wearing this all throughout 'spring' and (if it bothers to arrive) summer regardless of trends. You can see how well loved it is from state of the packaging. I find this pretty annoying actually, it gets bloody everywhere.

Hair wise, this Lee Stafford heat protection spray is really doing the job. I am SO LAZY when it comes to heat protectants, but I really thought I should invest in a good one since I re-ombréd my hair. I love is as it doesn't weigh my hair down and doesn't make that sizzling sound when I clamp the straighteners down on it. It literally melts away which means your hair doesn't feel all sticky and vile after using it. I wholly recommend anyone that has damaged hair, dyed hair or uses a lot of heat to try this.

If you haven't already, read my review on Herbalism here. It's a really lovely cleanser I use in the mornings and evenings (even after I've cleansed by make-up). My skin seems to get a bit confused in winter and to combat the chilly (freezing) wind, it seems to mass produce oil. (soz). This has really been helping with that and also helps with any breakouts I get. 

Toner is something else I'm lazy with and this is good because it's in spray form. I like that you don't really need cotton pads with it so I just leave it in the bathroom and use it after I've cleansed and because it's so close to hand, I rarely forget. It's lovely and refreshing and the scent is gorgeous. It's damask rose, but I reckon it smells a little bit like lychees. I like this.  

And in a non 'beauty product' sense, these glasses from Firmoo. I ALWAYS struggle with getting glasses that I don't mind leaving the house in. I've never really suited classes and have been wearing them since I was nine. I rely on contact lenses all the time, and recently I've been getting headaches. I really like these, they suit my style and don't look too incongruous when I go out and sometimes, they even make an outfit for me. I've had such a good experience with this company and their frames are so well priced even with the $-£ exchange rate, as is the time they take to arrive from the US. I'm definitely going to be using them more, especially as I always change my mind about frames and it's nice to have a few to choose from!

Hope you liked this post ... 

Peace xx

Sunday Catch-Up

You're probably bored of pictures of books but this actually is my life right now. The end of term (and lectures forever) is only next week which means the work is really piling up. I'm behind (as always) so I really need to keep motivating myself.

I have a few things to look forward to in the coming months. In May, my cousin is visiting from Canada and we're going to Barcelona together in addition to doing many fun things while she's here - The Warner Brothers Studio Tour for one! Then, I'm going to Paris again for a few days which will include a visit to the Roland Garros (the first tennis stop of the year). 

This past week has been really good too. I don't work a lot on the weekends anymore which means that I'm free to be a bit more social. I got to see my uni friends in more of a social situation which is always nice and I've also been spending time with some old friends. I've met quite a few new people as well which is always good and it's kind of getting me over my social fears...

My new job is going quite well. I don't work many days which is good because of the sheer amount of work I have to do, but at least some money's coming in again. (Good thing too as my car is making dodgy noises again...)

Music-wise, I've been rediscovering some old classics. The Bucket by Kings of Leon, Supersonic by Oasis and When You Were Young by The Killers are a few I just cannot get enough of recently! 

There will be a bit more from me next week, Peace x

LUSH Herbalism Facial Cleanser | Review

LUSH Herbalism Fresh Facial Cleanser £6.95

A while back, I did a review of LUSH's Angel's on Bare Skin Fresh Facial Cleanser which you can have a read of here if you like. The review was largely praising but since then, my skin type has changed and I've been using Herbalism for the past month.

My Skin Type.

Winter has not been kind to my skin AT ALL. I commute to uni, so I'm exposed to my car heater for a long time, then faced with the bitterness of winter before being blasted with the heat in my university building. My poor old skin's getting a little bit confused and has changed from being quite normal to combination but a little bit more on the oily side. I had also started to get quite a few breakouts too which is not much fun to deal with.

The Main Ingredients:

Ground Almonds - This is a running theme with some of the LUSH cleansers and I love it. It creates a lovely milky paste-like solution which is lovely on the skin and pretty easy to work with. The texture is quite gentle so it's not too abrasive and harsh. 

Rice Vinegar - Nettles and Rosemary are soaked in rice vinegar until the vinegar is totally infused. I feel like it calms the skin and with the added help of kaolin helps to absorb grease and calm spots.

The Scent?

It's very earthy which, as you all know, I love. It is a lovely fresh scent for the morning and I love it so much I actually use it after I use my Liz Earle cleanse and polish. The smell of the vinegar really comes through but not in a way that makes you think of a greasy chip shop. As it's mixed in with the essential goodness of the herbs, it's not so strong.

Overall

I am a very big fan. I like it a lot more than Angels on Bare Skin if I'm honest and I think that as long as my skin stays like this random combination of grease and breakouts (sexy and I know it) I'll continue to use it.

have any of you used this? Also, do you have the same skin type as me? I'd love some recommendations!

Peace xx

 

OOTD Snippet #1

Cosy Folk

I thought this would be a little bit different (warmer) than a usual outfit post. I don't really make much of an effort everyday and I like this blog to be a bit of a representation of my true outfit choices.

First up is this massively oversized cardigan. I'm really drawn to neutral, muted colours and the orange-reds and teal-blues seemed quite earthy to me which I really like. I often pair this with plain jeans (or even denim cut-offs when it's a bit warmer) and these moccasin-esque shoes. They are so comfy and stay within the style of the cardigan. 

I really like simple outfits that make a bit of a statement. Oh, and this outfit just wouldn't be complete without a few feathers ...

Peace xx