Christmas Gift Guide #4: For a Pampered One💕*

Admit it - we all love a pamper session or some me-time every so often. Whether it's a night in pampering yourself with some beauty products, or spending time doing something you love, it's important to take some time out of your busy schedule to relax.

Pamper evenings are something I rarely do; I don't know why. Personally, I like to do them when I want to make myself feel a million dollars, but in all honesty, they most likely occur in the preparation for a night out. I like to go all out and use nice smelling products, including some goodies from Bilou*.

Bilou Shower Foam Pink Melon* || £3.99 - if I were to pick a beauty product that smells like Summer in a bottle/tin, I would have to choose this shower foam. It's sweet, fruity scent is infused with melons and raspberries, creating a recipe for a juicy yet delicious scent. Although the scent gets the approval from me, I was still a bit skeptical about the concept of the product - a foam. I wasn't quite sure what to expect, or more to the point, how it would work. I must admit, it really blew me over. With it being foam, I didn't expect it to lather up much, but I was ever so wrong - in fact, I think it actually lathered up better than some shower gels I have. One thing I noticed also is how well the scent stays on your skin. A lot of the times, you don't notice the scent after you rise the shower gel off, however I feel my skin absorbs this one and leaves me smelling of sweet fruits and Summer.

Bilou Cream Foam Cotton Candy* - Unfortunately, I can't find this product online which is a real shame, however I have found the shower foam version (here) and another cream foam of a different scent (here). As the scent is cotton candy, I was a bit unsure to whether or not it would be too sweet and overpowering, but with it's beautiful blends of cotton candy, sweet and caramel, it's a delight to own, even for those, like myself, who aren't often a fan of such scents. I've used various body lotions, creams and butters, all of which have completely different formulas, but never a foam, and I must say, it's probably one of my favourites - it doesn't leave you feeling greasy because your skin absorbs it so quickly, and the scent lasts for hours too, and in my books, those are winning qualities.

One of the main selling points of these products for a lot of people is that they are vegan friendly, so they are cruelty free! And at such a low price for the quality, I highly recommend them - I can't get enough of them! I know for a fact that they would make perfect stocking fillers this Christmas.

xx

*PR Samples

Christmas Gift Guide #3: The Hair Guru💕*

Don't we all love products that are pleasant on the eye with pretty aesthetics? And isn't it even better when they smell amazing? Lord behold, let me introduce you to the Lee Stafford Chocolate Cupcake Gift Set*. Not only is it pretty and pink, but it smells good enough to eat.

Again, Lee Stafford has hit the nail on the head when it comes to creating beautiful gift sets. The products never fail to surprise me, so I knew that when the PR got in touch with me, the gift set would live up to expectations.

The best part about the range before I go in-depth about the products is the scent - its chocolate. YES, CHOCOLATE. And for me, this is damn right bloody brilliant as I'm such a chocolate gal, gimme a bar of Dairy Milk any day over a bag of Doritos. Again, Lee has kept his signature pink packaging, making it easy to identify his range.

Lee Stafford Choco Locks Shampoo* || 250ml RRP £6.99 - Looking at the 50ml, I thought "I won't get any more than one use" - nope, I was wrong. I used a smaller amount than I typically would because I want the bottle to last me a longer length of time. By decreasing the amount I used, I thought it wouldn't lather the same, but again, I was wrong - it actually lathered up really, really well! It felt as though it fully cleansed my hair and scalp, leaving me feeling clean and fresh.

Lee Stafford Choco Locks Conditioner* || 250ml RRP £6.99 - Of course, you can't have such a gorgeous smelling shampoo and not have the conditioner to go! Since cutting my hair short, I don't need quite the same amount of conditioner as I did previously, so I only use a small blob, meaning I'll get a few uses out of this little bottle. It's so creamy, and leaves my hair feeling hydrated, moisturised and smooth, I love it. I also think it helps to enhance the dominate, sweet scent of chocolate too.

Lee Stafford Choco Locks Butter Cream Treatment* || 200ml RRP £7.99 - I have been numerous hair treatments from various Lee ranges, and I can tell you something - not once have I hated any of them; they all smell delicious and leave your hair in such good condition. This one is no exception. I apply it to damp hair post-shampooing, and leave it in for roughly 5-10 minutes for the best results. It's easy to wash out, and it's definitely worth incorporating into your haircare routine because not only will it leave your hair smelling good enough to eat, but also keep it hydrated and in tip-top condition too.

Lee Stafford Choco Locks Hot Choc Shots* || 4 x 15ml RRP £7.99 - I was intrigued to the fact this sachet claimed to be self heating. In the past, I hadn't ever used a self heating hair mask - I've tried self heating face masks, but not hair masks - so I wasn't sure how this would go. Truth to be told, I didn't notice the heating effect, but I believe that this is because I only applied on the length of my hair, as if I apply conditioner or hair treatment onto my roots, I find my hair gets greasy quicker. So, I think that perhaps if it was on the whole of my hair, I'd feel the impact more. Apart from being let down from the self-heating claim, I really liked the hair treatment because it leaves my hair feeling super hydrated and healthy.

When I wash my hair with these products, I feel as though I've washed my hair in Dairy Milk because of the strong chocolate scent it blesses my hair with. The scent put aside, it does work wonders on my hair and I love the result.

Whether you're buying this as a gift or treating yourself, it's a set you won't regret buying. 

Retails for £16 in Boots.

xx

Christmas Gift Guide #2: The Blending Sponge💕*

I've been using the same makeup sponge for months now, and truth to be told, it's actually disgusting - no matter how many times I wash it, there's still traces of makeup on it that simple won't budge, and it's beginning to tear a bit too. Nanshy brushes are a brand which I have heard of for a while in the beauty and blogging industry. Their PR contacted me, and sent me out one of their fairly new makeup sponges.

Nanshy Drop of Finesse Makeup Blending Sponge* || £6.95 - Straight away, I was intrigued by the shape and form of the sponge as it is different to any other sponge I've used - typically, I tend to use the stereotypical egg-shaped sponge - so when I saw that not only is it a rounded-end, but also a flat tip and front. 

   

When I went to use it, I dampened it under running water, and to say the least, I was surprised by the amount it increased; it almost doubled in size! This, for sure made it easier when it came to applying makeup. I only use it for my foundation, concealer, and if I feel like it, cream contouring. Due to its precious shaping, it makes it easier for the application process. I use the round end for applying foundation on my cheeks and chin, the flat front for my nose and forehead, and the tip at the top for beneath my eyes.

I haven't tried using it dry because personally, I'm not a fan, as I feel it doesn't blend makeup well on my skin. When using it damp, my makeup looks flawless and airbrushed - it looks as though I have no makeup on, which of course, is a lie. I particularly like the peculiar shape of it, because it means you don't require numerous makeup sponges which are of a differing shape, you only need this one.

I really wish I had discovered this sponge sooner, because it's made doing my makeup a dream, it's a whole load easier. If you have a beauty guru in your life, then I highly, highly recommend treating them this Christmas to this Nanshy makeup sponge - trust me, you won't regret it!

xx

*PR Samples

Christmas Gift Guide #1: For the Scent Lover💕*

Back in the days (around 2009-12), Charlie and Impulse were my go-to body sprays as I didn't use perfumes. I remember the excitement you would feel when you stood in front of the range, trying to narrow down which one to buy with your pocket money. Oh, those were the days. It seems that since then, Impulse has been through one of the biggest glow-ups ever, the packaging has completely changed for sure. I was rather excited when the PR got in touch asking if I wanted to feature the new impulse products in a blog post.

Helen Anderson Limited Edition Violet Palms + Neon Nights* || £6 - look how much more appealing the bottles are nowadays compared to the old, thin cans they used to be in - the packaging would definitely draw me in more! The Helen Anderson body spray was created by Impulse in collaboration with blogger and youtuber Helen herself, and has created a Summer-scented body spray - so even though Summer doesn't last all year round, the scent will. It almost reminds me of Parmaviolets as it has a similar scent to it, resembling the childhood sweets. It's quite sweet but not exactly sickly. The scent is infused with cactus flower, neon apples and rose - which is clear because it does have a subtle fruit tone throughout it.

Go Get Glitter Melted Candy Unicorn Dust Mist* || £6 - If you like young and exciting scents, then this is it. It's definitely a fun scent because it's so sweet. For some reason, it makes me think of hairspray because it has a very similar underlying tone - but don't fret, it's not like you're spraying hairspray on yourself at all! This time, it;s infused with fresh vanilla, which is perhaps what provides it with such a sweet scent. In my own opinion, I do prefer this one - I just think it's better, but everyone will differ.

With a lot of body sprays, I've found that their scents don't last long, but with these two, their lasting power is pretty strong, as I will get a whiff of the scent from time to time. Considering their beautiful, revamped packaging and desirable scents, I feel that these would be ideal as a Christmas gift, whether it be a stocking filling etc. If you know someone who loves their perfumes or beauty items, then they wouldn't be disappointed to open their Christmas present on the big day for sure!

xx

*PR Samples

From A Hate Mascara To A Loved One💕

Although you're advised to replace your mascaras every 6 months or so, I am awful at doing so. I just tend to forget, or I think "it'll be fine I'll just finish it". I need to stop because it may result in an eye infection or something. Ew.

So, when I went to buy foundation the other week, I thought I'd treat myself and get a new mascara. I don't get on with Rimmel mascaras - I don't know what it is, but my eyelashes almost rebel with them - so I always stick with Maybelline. And, coincidentally, there were some Maybelline mascaras on deal. In the end, I settled for their Colossal Go Extreme! Leather Mascara, which was reduced to a decent price of £5.

I hadn't ever tried this one, hence why I opted for it. I've tried their other colossal mascaras, so thought I'd try something new this time. Upon my first couple of uses, I hated it. I regretted buying it and was tempted to bin it. For some odd reason, it clumped my lashes up something awful to the point it looked as though I had about 5 lashes per eye, when in fact, I'm quite lucky to have quite a lot of lashes, of which are long and thick. However, they looked short and stumpy too. I wasn't impressed.

After about a weeks use, I started to like the mascara. I've heard people complaining about other mascaras being too "wet" upon first use, which I reckon is what I experienced with this one. As I had used it a few times, it started to "dry out" - not in a bad way - to the point you could work with it a whole lot easier. It applies so much nicer now. For some odd reason, I have nicer left eyelashes than I do right eyelashes, and it even looks quite nice when on my right eye - this eye can look clumpy and horrid sometimes. It helps to enhance my natural lashes by emphasising their length, and helps to open up my eyes more.

It doesn't feel heavy when on your eyelashes, which is something I've experienced in the past. It's easy to apply to your lashes too, but the only downside I can think of when applying is that it's not ideal for applying to your lower lashes - I'd say on about 9/10 occasions, I have to use a cotton bud to remove the excess spots beneath my eye. It is because it's quite a thick wand. It's formed of plastic bristles, whereby the bristles at the tip of the wand are smaller than the middle of it, which makes sense for when it "fits your eye". It isn't waterproof, which makes it easy to remove - all I use is micellar water, or a makeup wipe if I'm feeling really lazy. In saying that, I live in the not-so-sunny Scotland, where we see a lot of rain, and even when it's lashing down, it hasn't ended up running down my face (yet). In terms of tear-proof, I can't answer that because I'm not much of a crier haha.

Considering I hated it at first, I'm quite a fan of this mascara. In the past, I've had the tendency to always use a lengthening mascara but this definitely falls into the category of being a voluminous mascara, and I must admit - I really like the effects!

xx

Cheap and Cheerful Body Sprays💕

If you were to look in my bags, one thing you're guaranteed to find is a body spray. There's nothing quite like a midday top up. Even if you still smell fine, you can't beat smelling fresh. I've been through so many bottles of body sprays, from Charlie to So..?, Hollister and so on. My trustworthy Hollister spray (because realistically, I'm still living in 2013/14) is coming to an end, and in all honesty, the bottle does take up quite a lot of room in my bag (I pack unnecessary items). I popped into Superdrug the other month back to pick up a few pieces, and left with a new body spray.

Body Fantasies Body Spray in Pink Grapefruit was the one that caught my eye. Down at £1.98 a bottle, it would've been rude to not have bought one when I was needing one anyways. I was feeling brave - I picked this one based on the colour of the bottle and the name of it - I felt grapefruit was quite a safe bet. With them being so cheap, I was worried that they would smell cheap and tacky. But, it turns out I had made a good decision.

The beautiful, sweet yet fruity body spray somehow manages to grab everyone's attention - I spray it in college and people always end up asking me what body spray I have. Although it's sweet, it isn't sickly nor overpowering; it's refreshing. Considering it's only a body spray, the scent is quite strong, and the lasting powering is rather surprising too. Lasting power for me is something I prioritise when it comes to perfumes and body sprays, so this one gets a yes from me.

It's a 94ml bottle, and is easy enough to throw into your bag whilst on the go. I just love how refreshing it smells - grapefruit is one of those scents which smells refreshing anyways - so to have it as a body spray is ideal. I can't even begin to tell you how many compliments I get when I wear and/or spray this! On the Superdrug website, it claims you have over 500 sprays in this bottle, which I could believe. When it sprays, rather than being direct, it disperses itself evenly, meaning the scent isn't concentrated in the one area.

The Body Fantasies range retails for £4.99 in Superdrug, with a vast range so everyone can find something to suit them. At current, they're on a special promotion of a 2 for £5, so grab two whilst you can!

xx

48(ish) Hours in Berlin💕

I've been tweeting about it, I've been Instagramming it, I posted a blog post about it, yes I was in Berlin. And let me tell you something; I'm still not bloody over it. It's probably one of the quickest weekends of my life, but one which was crammed full of fun activities. With me being me, I of course, took an unnecessary amount of photos, and I'm going to share some of the exciting things which I got up to over in the beautiful city.

After landing in Schonefeld Airport and making our way to the hotel (we stayed in the easyhotel in Rosenthaler), we grabbed food - seeing as we hadn't ate since our breakfast in the airport at 6am. Along from our hotel was a burger restaurant which we passed when we were going to check in, and the menu sounded lush. If I recall correctly, it was named something like KreuzBurger. Both Emma and I ordered the bbq burger which had the burger (obviously), bbq sauce, bacon and cheese, with a side portion of chips which had peri-peri powder on them. Absolutely amazing.

The East Side Gallery certainly did not disappoint. The wall stretches a lengthy 1316m, and each meter has a mural which is sure to catch your interest. We relied on Google, who made us get the U-bahn to Jannowitzbrücke and then walk for a good 20 minutes - it wasn't till we got to the end of the gallery we realised there was a station nearby, typical! But, it was absolutely worth the walk because the artwork was impeccable.

Brandonburg Gate wasn't quite as we expected. We went in the evening because we wanted photos when it was all lit up, however, we went and it was all guarded off. Next thing, an amazing display was projected onto the gate - it turns out that it was the festival of the lights! The display which we witnessed was beautiful and rather breathtaking, we were super lucky that we arrived in perfect timing to watch it! We went back the next day to see it in the daytime and it still looked fantastic, such wonderful architecture.

I was desperate to go on a boat tour whilst in Amsterdam, but we just didn't have the time. So, we made the point in sparing up some time whilst in Berlin to go on one - I didn't realise we had booked a German one until we were in the middle of it, and I can't speak a word of German but hey at least the views were amazing! And, I didn't realise how many canals were in Berlin either.

We couldn't go to Germany and not visit the Memorial to the Murdered Jews. It was situated around the corner from the Brandonburg Gate, so we went there after visiting the gate. It was something which I found rather interesting, and I am really glad I went to it.

Someone I'm friends with had been to Berlin a few days previous to me, and she posted a photo of the view from the top of the Victory Column, which of course made me want to go. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to go up to the top - there was a queue and there was no lift - but even getting to see the column was spectacular because it looks fantastic and the structure was incredible. When I return in the future (which I will!), I'll be going to the top.

Reichstah Building (Parliament) was pretty fascinating. Looking at the building, it's all sandstone, but once you enter the building, it all appears really modern-built as it was all glass inside. The dome-part which we went to was unreal; again, all glass. There was a pathway which took you to the top, and the views were unreal as you can see. 

We bought fast-pass tickets online to enter the TV Tower, which saved us waiting the 4 hours if you bought the tickets there and then. The views were fantastic, as you can see, but the photos don't quite do it's justice. We had booked our slot for 5pm, and we couldn't have picked a better time because the sun was just beginning to set and the sky was stunning. We didn't buy a drink because it was an absolute rip-off plus the bar was heaving but it was nice to sit and admire the views.

After the TV Tower, we went to Primark to buy some Berlin merch (because we did it in Amsterdam so got to keep up traditions) and the sky was turning pink. So, out of habit, had to take a sky picture because how many sky pictures are too many? Exactly, none.

Across from our hotel was an ice-cream parlour called Woop-Woop. Anytime Emma and I go out on an adventure, we visit a cute cafe of some sort - it's just traditions now - so we had to make a point in coming here. We ordered two normal sized Chocolate Cookie ice creams, which were about 4 euros each, but oh my, they were definitely worth it. The chunks of cookie throughout the ice cream were rather generous, and the ice cream itself was super smooth and creamy - none of this icy nonsense.

It wasn't till I was in Berlin that I realised they had an ice-bar. I loved the one in Amsterdam, so for something to do on our last night, we went for a drink. I did think it was quite different to the Amsterdam one - it was quiet (there was only Emma and I in it for the most of the time, then three others but they left), it was a lot bigger and the system was slightly different too. The sculptures were cool too!

 Here's me in my massive jacket posing in front of the Brandonburg!

Berlin, I loved you. I can't wait for my next city adventure.

xx

OOTD: Black and Yellow in Berlin💕

If you follow me on my Instagram and Twitter, then you'll be aware I was in Berlin over the weekend. We were rather fortunate with the weather, and one of the days I wore this adorable dress which I had bought from Primark several days before.

DRESS - Primark - £13

TOP - Primark - £4

BAG - Primark - Unsure of the price, thanks Teigan.

SHOES - Primark - £8

At current, I am loving wearing cute outfits, so I was really glad that the weather was good in Berlin because living in Scotland, it makes it difficult - I end up freezing to death. Also, Primark are doing really well at current, and by no means am I sponsored. 

Slowly but surely injecting some colour into my wardrobe..

xx

My New Favourite Foundation💕

I couldn't even tell you the last time I bought myself a new foundation. I hadn't really bothered with it, but one foundation I really wanted to try was the Maybelline Superstay Foundation 24 Hour because I had heard so many positive reviews about it, including my friends raving about them. When it was reduced to £7 in Morrisons, I had to give it a try because all my other foundations were running low. And I am proud to announce that I didn't buy the lightest shade either! (It was the second lightest but still).

On my first use, I was shocked at how good the coverage was, it literally covered everything - some days I don't even need any concealer with this. It blends out so well too, it's just effortless. I use a damp makeup sponge and it doesn't appear cakey in the slightest. Before applying, I use a primer (any, I'm not fussed), set with my powder then my setting spray.

As I have oily skin, foundation has the tendency to "disappear" on my face throughout the day. I don't know why but my skin isn't great with some foundation. However, with this, my base looks as good later in the day as it does when I first do my makeup. For example, the west of Scotland was hit by Storm Ali which resulted in a load of rain and wind, so I expected to have patchy makeup, but, when I (eventually) got home, the foundation was still in tact and looked near enough perfect. Result? Much so.

The staying power impresses me on a daily basis when I wear it to college, but the real challenge was wearing it on a night out. Last weekend, I went to a gbx night in a club, and on average, my makeup just doesn't last well on a night out. When it leave the house, it looks good, but upon coming home, my foundation is pretty much non-existent, with my oily skin exposed. This however, it's a game changer. I can usually feel my skin becoming oily and it's not a pretty sight. This though almost "blocks" the oils from coming through, and the coverage is still pretty good. I love it.

New Purchases💕

I've bought quite a lot lately, in both the clothing and beauty department. It always seems that all your products run out at the same time, so need to replace them all at the once. It was only logical to create a blog post sharing what I've bought lately.

Maybelline Superstay Foundation 24 Hour || Ivory || £9.99 - I'd be lying if I didn't say I couldn't remember the last time I bought a foundation. I went through a rather long period of time where I didn't bother wearing any - which is a good thing - so I didn't find myself needing to buy any. For those who know, I work in my local Morrisons, and I have the responsibility of replenishing the makeup orders when they arrive in the delivery, and changing the stands when there's a promotion on. My friend had raved about this foundation, and when we reduced it to £7, I just had to get my hands on it. It was almost as if it were fate - I had seen people tweeting about it all week, and then I caved in and bought it. So far I am loving it, but keep an eye out for a more detailed review in the upcoming weeks.

Maybelline Colossal Go Extreme! Leather Black Mascara || £6.99 - Also reduced in my work to £5 was this mascara. I was in desperate need of a new one because 1. I am the worst at replacing my mascaras and 2. They were all drying up. I have a love/hate relationship with Rimmel mascaras so tend to avoid them, whereas Maybelline I can indefinitely rely on. I wasn't fussed which mascara I initially bought, so I just picked up one that was on deal and which I hadn't ever tried out. Upon my first few uses, I wasn't overly keen, but now that it's not as "fresh", it's working better - same applies as the above foundation, I shall update you in a few weeks time.

MUA Undress Your Skin Highlighter || Pearlescent Sheen || £3 - The only individual highlighters I have including MaryLou, a Mac one and a shimmer brick, and on a daily basis, I'm not wanting to use a high-end, expensive highlighter, and to be brutally honest, my shimmer brick ain't quite cutting it. I love MUA, and had heard good things about their highlighters so picked one up. They had a vast selection of colours available, but I went for quite a white, light colour because I'm pale and that's what I suit. I'm yet to try it, but I'm excited to do so!

Batiste Dry Shampoo Blush || 400ml || £4.99 (currently £2.47 in Superdrug) - Once you turn to dry shampoo, trust me, there's no going back. Normally I choose the cherry dry shampoo, but it wasn't in stock last time I was in Superdrug so picked up blush instead. It was cheaper to buy the 400ml than the 200ml, so logically I bought the larger tin. Batiste shampoo works really well with my hair; it freshens up the roots, gives me some volume and the best part is that it doesn't dry out my scalp. Win win! I'm looking forward to see how this one differs from the cherry one I'm used to using.

Morrisons Normal-Combination Facial Wipes || £1 - I don't use wipes to remove my makeup on a regular basis, but I just find it handy to have them - after a night out, accidentally makeup mistakes etc. I'm not normally fussy with which wipes I use as I don't have sensitive skin, so anything works with me. As I work in a supermarket, we have an immense selection of wipes, and it overwhelms me, so I just picked up these facial wipes. They're nothing special but they do the jobs!

Body Fantasies Perfume Body Spray || Pink Grapefruit || £3.99 (currently £1.98) - I like to carry a body spray with me throughout the day for a quick top-up and refreshment. For ages, I had been using an old, trusty Hollister spray (oh how so 2013..) but it's beginning to run low so there's no point in bringing it. I know that Superdrug are stocked up to the max with body sprays, and at a low price, I knew I would be able to find something. Their body fantasies range was reduced half price, and they smelt quite nice, so I picked up their grapefruit one. I didn't initially smell it because I'm a rebel (joking, I knew it'd be nice) and it turns out that it's fruity and refreshing, ideal!

I've also bought some clothing items, so if you'd like to see a haul or OOTDs/lookbooks, let me know!

xx