Blogmas - Day Seven: December Birchbox

Hi guys.

Today's post is a bitter sweet one as it is my last Birchbox of this year.  I ordered a Birchbox back in November 2014 to try it out plus I had a code to get the box for about £7 so I jumped at the chance to use it and try out out because I had seen and heard a lot about it and I was intrigued to see what it was like.  I loved it so this January, I got a years subscription and I haven't regretted that decision.  I have tried and been introduced to a lot of new brands as well as brands I had tried before.  

This months Birchbox came in a small clutch bag which has glitter and green suede.  A very pretty bag and I may find some use for it as a makeup bag for travelling.  So inside the bag was some very exciting products.

The first item I got was The Ultimate Party Kit by Benefit - Puff Off! and They're Real Push-up Liner.  

Birchbox says: You'll find everything you need to perfect your peepers for party season inside this GORGEOUS kit!  Heading out? A slick of this jet-black liner will complete any makeup look in style.  The morning after?  Soothe tired eyes with the de-puffing formula.  I have always wanted to try this liner from benefit and getting a small sample of this made my day.  I am also wanting to find a good eye cream so if this is any good I may purchase the full size!

Full price: £41 for both products.

The next product I received is Model Co's Ultra Long-Lasting Lipstick in Smitten.  

Birchbox says: There's nothing worse than perfecting your party lip only to check all night for smudges.  Luckily, this hydrating, semi-matte formula provides nourishment and long-lasting colour - so you don't have to worry!  I am always on the hunt for a red lip that suits my skin tone and when I swatched this, it seemed to agree with my colouring.  I am looking forward to trying this colour out when I go out later this week.  

Full price: £15.50 for a set of 3

Next is Ciate London Paint Pot in Power Dressing.

Birchbox says: These iconic polishes are beloved for a reason - they're super-pigmented, ultra long-lasting and a cinch to apply!  For a pretty. party- ready mani, they can't be rivalled (and we'll have how-to's over at blog.birchbox.co.uk if you're in need of a little inspiration!)  This super cute little mini polish is a beautiful royal blue colour that I don't have in my collection of nail polishes so I am happy to receive this little cutie.

Full price: £9

Another product I received is the Balance Me Congested Skin Serum.

Birchbox says: Uh-oh - it's officially party season and you've woken up to an enormous breakout.  Don't panic!  This soothing serum blends chamomile, aloe vera and lavender to calm and restore skin's balance without drying it out.  I am prone to the odd spot here and there especially since I am at uni and I am under some stress so a spot treatment is always welcome in my collection.

Full price: £16

A body product this time and this is the Skin & Co Sicilian Body Gel.

Birchbox says: Packed with zesty ingredients sourced from Italy (we're talking Sicilian orange and olive extracts) it purifies and moisturises skin while transforming your morning shower into an aromatic haven.  This smells amazing and I cannot wait to start using this in the shower to cleanse my skin.

Full price: £15

The final product I received is Roloxin Lift Instant Skin Smoothing Masque.

Birchbox says: If you've got a big party coming up, or you just want to feel a little more skin confident, then this wrinkle-smoothing mask will be your new BBF.  It diminishes pore, firms the skin and boots radiance - for up to 24 hours after use!  I am not one for using masks but I really want to get into using them more.  I will try this next time I am feeling like a pamper night!

Full price: £79

So that is it for today's post and for my subscription of Birchbox.  I cannot believe it has been a full 12 months and countless products later and I have received my last one.  I have been loving it but now feel that a new subscription is in order.  

What did you receive this month?  Have you got any recommendations for a new box to try next year?

Bye for now.

Jess. X

Blogmas - Day Two: November Favourites'

Hi guys.

Its been a while since I did a favorites blogpost...in fact I have only ever done one favourites' post before and that was almost 12 months ago!  So as it is Blogmas and November has left us for another year I am going to show you what I have been loving for the month.

November was a big month for me trying what I already had as well as trying a couple of new products which I received from a few Birchboxes.

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish: Let me start by saying this product is amazing!  I cannot believe I have never thought of trying this.  I received this sample in a Birchbox earlier in the year and I have used this ever since.  I have two samples and am almost out of my second sample.  Safe to say I will be purchasing the full size soon as my skin has never looked better while using this.  It is a thick cream which when applied to the skin, makes my skin tingle due to the eucalyptus oil which smells like heaven in a bottle.  I just squeeze a bit onto my hands and rub it onto my skin and with the muslin cloth that came with it, I wipe it off with hot water and my skin feels refreshed and clean.  It does remove make up but I tend to use this once I have taken off my make up and any residual make up left comes off with it.  I will have to go to my local Boots soon and pick the full size up.  You can purchase this at Boots.

Bioderma: I have mentioned this in my skincare routine earlier this year (you can find that blogpost here)  and during November I have been using this almost every day and night as I find it cleanses my face beautifully and gets rid of make up and impurities without causing stinging to the eyes and face.  I am about half way through the bottle and will be repurchasing when it is nearly empty.  You can buy the 250ml bottle at Boots but I bought this through Amazon 

Parlor Smoothing Blowout Spray: I don't normally use a lot of products in my hair but as I received this sample in a Birchbox, I decided to try this out and boy am I impressed.  This product smells fantastic and smooths and give my hair a shiney finish. I don't exactly know where to purchase this but I'm sure you can purchase this at Birchbox. 

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation in 10 Beige: I have recently done a blogpost on this foundation which you can see here.  This foundation gives me a full coverage without it feeling and looking cakey.  The scent is pleasant and doesn't linger once applied.  You can purchase this at Boots or Debenhams.

Chanel LE BLANC DE CHANEL Multi-use Illuminating Base: This base is one of the best I have ever tried.  It is so silky to apply yet is quite a thick feeling (I know that sounds weird but it is the only way  I can describe it)  The scent is so nice, it smells kind of fruity.  It gives the skin a nice glow while priming the face.  You can either use it mixed into your foundation or alone under it.  I have only used it alone but I will have to try it mixed into my foundation,  You can also pick this up from Boots and Debenhams.

Nuxe Reve De Miel Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm:  Again I have reviewed this on my blog which I will link here.  I have started using this more this month as my lips have become so dry and  I know that it helps with dry, cracked lips.  My lips are still dry but not as cracked and sore.  I think this has become my holy grail lip balm!  You can purchase this from Marks and Spencer's or SpaceNK.

Real Techniques Brushes:  I have only shown three of my Real Techniques brushes to show them in my favourites' post but I am loving the range as a whole.  They are soft yet stiff when it comes to applying make up to the face.  You can purchase them from Boots and Superdrug.

Superdrug Eyelash Curler: Lastly is a boring product but a useful one.  I have been trying to use eyelash curlers more often and I didn't want to spend a fortune on them if I didn't use them often enough so I bought these from Superdrug which you can purchase in store or online here.  They help curl my lashes especially my left eyelashes as they seem to be all over the place and mascara can't seem to straighten them up unless I have curled them before hand.

That's it for my favourites' this month.  I will be doing a December favourites' post instead of a yearly one as I cannot remember what I have been loving this year (I really need to write this down or do a regular favourites' post, which I will try to accomplish in 2016).

What have you been loving this month?  Any recommendations?

Bye for now.

Jess. X

Blogmas - Day One

Blogmas - Day One

I cannot believe my blog is now one year old! How time flies. I don't know as of yet what I want to do to celebrate this occasion but I will do something (ideas would be appreciated). I also can't believe that I have kept to my word of posting as regular as I can (I know I missed a few months due to a busy schedule but I will hopefully get this sorted out). 

As I enjoyed doing Blogmas last year, I have decided I am going to do this again. So as it is the 1st of December, I am going to kick this years Blogmas off with an update.  I know I have done a few recently but I have been MIA for a few weeks and it will be a catch up as well as a get to know me for my new followers. 

So as some may know, I'm Jess and I am a second year student at the University of Bradford studying Health, Wellbeing and Social Care.  Most of my life at the moment is uni work as well as my two part time jobs (one being a Student Ambassador for my faculty and the other and more frequent is crew member at Burger King). I spend most of my free time studying (boring I know but it's gotta be done). 

I created this blog a year ago today and have loved writing posts and reviewing products. I want to be more involved with my blog this next coming year and hopefully start a YouTube channel but that is only in the planning stages in my head and want to get into a regular routine with my blog. 

I recently became single and am starting to love the single life although I do miss being in a relationship.  I do have to say, I have had a lot of support through this.  Being in a relationship for three years is a long time and we both were serious throughout the duration of the relationship but things started to get a bit strained and we decided it was best to end it.  I was devastated but as time has gone on, I am slowly getting over it and getting on with my life.

I will be staying at uni for the Christmas holidays, working and finishing off assignments.  I am aiming to do well in my next two years of uni.  I cannot believe that I graduate in a year and a half.  Time is going by so fast.

What is going on in your lives?  Hope you all have a great Blogmas.  Let me know if you are participating in Blogmas and I'll have a look.

Bye for now.

Jess. X 

Blogmas day 24 : What's in my make-up bag (Winter Edition)

As if it is Christmas eve already.  My blog is already 24 days old and I have written a lot.  I know I promised a post everyday but as life is strange, I had to postpone some blog posts but I did get 24 posts up.  As promised, Today's will be a What's in my make-up bag blogpost.

I am away from uni but as my collection is very small, I have brought the majority of my make-up collection.  I will start from base and finish with the lips.

This post will be picture heavy.

Primer


My primer is quite a new product and I haven't had chance to try it out.  I have got Dr Jart's Recover Primer.  I received this in November's Birchbox and I am looking forward to trying this out.

Foundation

In September, I went make-up shopping and purchased a new foundation.  My foundation is M.A.C's Studio Sculpt.  I am NC25 and as much as I like this foundation, there are a few out there that I want to try and 2015 will be the year to do that.  This foundation is quite matte on my skin and sometimes clings to my dry patches (I have combination
skin and am trying to find a skincare routine to combat this)

Concealer

I don't use much concealer as I am quite lucky to not suffer with dark circles.  My concealer at the moment is Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection concealer and I use fair.  I always purchase this and again I want to try other in 2015.

Eyeshadow

I currently only have one palette and am loving it.  I have Urban Decay's Naked 2 palette and it has a nice range of shade which are very complimentary to my skin tone.  My favourite eyeshadow is Tease and Bootycall.  I love those two shades together and that is my usual everyday eye look.

Eyeliner

I have two eyeliners that I use...one felt tip liner and one pencil.  I use Rimmel's Scandeleyes pencil liner on my waterline and I use Collection's Extreme 24 hour felt tip liner on my top lip to create a wing.

Mascara


I chop and change my mascara so often that the next time I do something  like this, it might have changed.  At the moment I am using Rimmel's Scandeleyes Flex in black.  I also have Maybelline's The Rocket and sometimes I use both at the same time.

Cheeks

I usually don't put anything on my cheeks as I feel that I always get it wrong but in 2015 I am
going try and use more cheek products.  The products I have at the moment are MUA's cream blush and as you can see in the picture, it is well used as the packaging is wearing off.  My other cheek product is a Lord and Berry bronzer in Sienna.  I haven't used the bronzer yet so I don't know
how it will look on my skin.

Lips

I have a few lip products in my make-up bag at the moment.  I have three lip products and 2 lip balms.  My three lip products are Rimmel's Apocolips in Big Bang, Revlon's Colourburst Matte Balm in Standout and Illamasqua Glamore Nude lipstick in Rosepout.  Rosepout has to be my favourite as it

 

suits my skintone so much.  My next favourite has to be the Matte Balm.  I have two lip balms one is Maybelline's Baby Lips in Peach Kiss and the other is a Pixi lip balm that I received in November's Birchbox.

Tools & Accessories

I have a pair of eyelash curlers, a Real Techniques Stippling brush, an eco tools angled liner brush, a Burts Bee's Cuticle Cream, a Beauty Protector Protect & Treat Hair Mask, six capsules of drinkwel (another product from November's Birchbox) and a small compact mirror.

My make-up bag is an old, grungy thing and I am kind of embarrassed to show it.  I am going to extend my collection further in 2015 so keep a look out for hauls and reviews throughout the year.

What is currently in your make-up bag and what are you looking forward to in 2015?

Bye for now.

Jess. X

Blogmas day 23 : Make-up and hair haul

I went and did a bit of shopping today and got a few things to make my Christmas a bit more beautiful.

I first went to Boots (which is a drugstore on the high street in the UK) and got a few things. 

I wanted a curling wand as I wanted to curl my hair on Christmas Day but knowing my hair doesn't keep the curls, I wanted to get something that would give them a bit of structure whilst also looking and feeling soft. I bought Umberto Giannini's Natural Curls Styling Cream. I thought this would be good to give the curls structure. I will give you a blogpost once I have tested it a few times. 

The next item I bought was Charles worthington's Volume & Bounce Texturising Spray. I bought this so that when I don't straighten or curl my hair, my hair can have some texture and my layers can look better. 

I had left my hair spray back at uni and because I am curling my hair, I wanted something to hold the curl once curled. I bought John Frieda's Frizz Ease Moisture Barrier Hairspray. 

I wanted to try a red lip this season and because I didn't know which red lipstick would suit me, I went to my local No7 counter and asked them what the right shade of red would be for me and they told me that I would suit red lipstick which had a blue undertone, which I was rather surprised to hear as I always thought I would suit and orange toned red. I bought Rimmels's Apocolips in Big Bang.

I bought another red lip product to try and so I can have a varity of shades of red. I bought a Revlon Colourburst Matte Balm in Standout. I have always wanted try this lip product and will have to get some more shades if I like it.  I hope it doesn't disappoint.

I then went to Argos and bought my curling wand. This is BaByliss's diamond Radience curling wand. It is not your usual curling wand as it has a few waves down the barrel. I have seen a video and the curls looked amazing so will will have to see. 

I will do a full blogpost of reviews of each of the products. 

What is your Christmas treat for yourself this year?  

Bye for now. 

Jess. X

Blogmas day 22 : Favourite Christmas films

As if we are on day 22 of Blogmas...it has just flown by.  We have only 2 days left and boy have a I got a good post waiting for day 24...you will have to stay tuned for that one.

Today I thought I would share my favourite Christmas films.  I am not one for Christmas films but there are four that I watch every year...two that I only watch at this time of year and two that I watch all year round but they tend to show it at Christmas.

My first film is The Muppet's Christmas Carol.  Now I don't care for the original version or any other version apart from The Muppet's.,,I don't even care for The Muppet's so for me to love this film beats me!  I have always liked this version.  I don't know why...I just do.  For as long as I can remember I always love watching this around this time of year.  I tend to watch it in the run up to Christmas and I was having a conversation about this film and another film, that I will talk about in a moment, with a friend and she said that the two films in question should be watched on Christmas eve...I differ on this debate as I feel that they are films to get you in the Christmas spirit and should be viewed from the 1st December.  This film is one that I love to watch with a nice warm drink and some snacks and I am in Christmas heaven.

The second film I like to watch at Christmas is Miracle on 34th Street.  I prefer the version with Mara Wilson as I think she was one of the best child actors when I was growing up (why she quit acting I will never know.)  I love the storyline and the scenery and how it shows that people can be swayed when it comes to believing in the unknown.  I know that there are many people out there who believe in Father Christmas and my other half likes to try and persuade me that he is real but I not one to be swayed but I still watch this and am amazed at however many times I watch it, I am still shocked at the outcome.

I was over the moon to get both of the above films on DVD.

Home Alone is another film I like to watch at this time of year but I have been known to watch them at any other time of the year.  I like films one and two and I don't care for the other two.  My favourite of the two I do like is Home Alone 2.  I like the way that it is set in New York and even though I have never been to New York (though it is a place I would like to go)  I still get a bit sad when I see the twin towers standing in the skyline.  I also like the way that a small boy can get into so much trouble and yet his parents are just too relieved to get him back.

My last film I like to watch at Christmas is The Wizard of Oz.  Yes I know it is not really a Christmas film but it tends to be shown at this time of year and I love watching it.  Knowing that this film is on the TV makes me think that Christmas is right around the corner and that I can get in the festive mood.  I have been known to watch this all year round but it is only when shown around Christmastime, that I get all festive and merry.

So that is my four Christmas films that get me in the festive spirit.  What films do you like to watch around this time of year?

Bye for now,

Jess. X

Blogmas day 21 : My early Christmas present.

A few days before I was due to come home for Christmas, my Nokia died...it wouldn't charge, it wouldn't accept any charging unit...it just died.  I was a bit annoyed.  It was not even six months old.  I took it to get it repaired but knew that I wouldn't trust it.  I decided I wanted a new phone.

On Blogmas day 5, I said I wanted an iPhone and that is what I got.  Unlike the iPhone I put on my wishlist, I got an iPhone 4s and am loving it.  I can do so much with it and I don't think I will ever go back to another phone.

I got the iPhone 4s 8GB in black.  I tend to go for black phones as I think they look sleek and professional and if I wanted a bit of colour, I could get a case for it.

As I am at University, I can use my phone for a lot more.  I can access my timetable easier, I can update my blog on the go, I can view University notifications easily...the list is endless.  My Nokia on the other hand was limited on what I could do.  I am so happy with my purchase.

I only wanted a 8GB as I don't think I needed much more than that.  I paid £199 for my new little purchase and I don't regret getting an older version.    I already have an idea on what case I want for my little iPhone.  I will also do a what's on my iPhone blogpost as soon as I have it the way I want it :D

What phone have you got?  What apps can you recommend?

Bye for now.

Jess. X

Blogmas day 20 : Ted Baker Regency Body Spray

As I went Christmas shopping yesterday, there is no way you will not come into contact with sales...two for ones...buy one get one free...three for twos...you get the gist.

I had to pop to boots to get some gifts (I am not going to say what I bought) Upon approaching the till, I was told that it was three for two on gifts and that if I got another product, I would get the cheapest free and this is how I got my new body spray.

Ted Baker's Regency Body Spray is such a lovely scent. The boots website tells me that the spray has notes of Rose, Sandalwood and Juicy Raspberry.  I completely agree with the Raspberry and a slight hint of Rose.  I have never smelt sandelwood either on its own and as a main scent so I couldn't smell it but it hasn't put me off the body spray.  It is currently £6 for a £150ml but if on three for two, you can get it for free as long as it is the cheapest item.

My impression of it is that I really like it.  It has a long lasting wear to it as today I sprayed it on me this morning at about 10am and as I am writing this over twelve hours later and I can just still smell it on my clothes.  I have wore it twice in a row and will always grab it.  I may even repurchase it in the smaller size of 50ml for £2.50.

I am so thrilled with this impulse purchase and I am impressed with the brand and I am willing to experience more from the brand.

What is your current fragrance? 

Bye for now. 

Jess. X

Blogmas day 19 : Christmas Shopping

I love Christmas shopping. I think I'm one out of a small number of people who do. When you go Christmas shopping, you have an idea on what you want to get people.  You have the festive Christmas songs, people barging into others, shops stocked up on Christmas wrapping and seasonal chocolate.  The weather is bitter and cold and your all wrapped up. 

I had my Christmas shopping done a few weeks back and apart from one thing which I had to order online a week before Xmas and hoping it would come on time (thankfully it did) 

I love the wrapping process of Christmas. I love sitting at the table with Christmas songs on the TV and a nice hot drink, I could wrap all day :D. My other half thinks I'm crazy but I really do like wrapping gifts almost as much as giving the gift out.  I like making the gift look pretty and I get quite OCD over what they look like. 

How much Christmas shopping have you got left?  Do you enjoy wrapping and shopping? 

Bye for now. 

Jess. X

Blogmas day 18 : Favourite Night Time Drink

Now this post is a little bit different as I am sat writing this with a cup of tea.  Now I don't normally drink tea but recently I have gotten into drinking herbal tea.

A few weeks ago, my sleep pattern went a bit crazy and I wasn't going to sleep until 4am!  I know crazy right!  Especially when I had lectures in the morning.  I wasn't getting enough sleep and my concentration was suffering not to mention my skin and body was suffering too.  I kept getting spots and the bags under my eyes were getting to big and concealer wasn't helping at all.  I had had enough!

I went to the chemist and they gave me some Nytol sleeping tablets and I had read online that herbal tea helps.  I popped to my local Morrison's and had a look at their herbal tea range and one popped out at me.  This was the Pukka Night Time tea.  It was priced at around the £2.30 mark and I thought to myself 'Why not try some?  What have I got to loose?'  I bought it and tried some that night.

The packet comes with 20 sachets and the smell from the packet put me off slightly but I carried on with making myself a cup of tea.  I added about half a spoon of sugar to the cup as I had never tried herbal tea and poured the hot water and stirred the bag and sugar around and let it steep for 5 minutes.  The smell was a bit better once the water was added and after it had steeped, I tried some...to my surprise, I liked it.

Pukka Night Time tea is a blend of Lime flower, Lavender and  Organic Oat Flower.  At first, I was dubious of what this would taste like but the taste is quite nice.  The main flavour I get from the tea is a very subtle taste of Lavender which is rather nice.

I have recently just tried another herbal tea which is for the night time and that is Clipper Snore &
Peace Tea.  This tea is an Organic Chamomile, Lemon Balm & Lavender.  This one has a subtle taste of mint and on further reading of the ingredients, I found that it contained Spearmint.  This tea retails at £1.50 from ASDA.

I haven't decided on which one out of the two are my favourite but I will be repurchasing both of them and also trying other herbal teas.  I still don't know if I will start drinking tea as a daytime beverage but I am willing to give herbal tea's more credit.

What herbal tea have you tried lately?

Bye for now.

Jess. x

Blogmas day 17 : Nail Polish Wants 2015

I don't often wear nail varnish/polish but when I do, I tend to wear nail polish with a slight shimmer as that is what I have found suits my skin tone better however there is a new collection that is due to be released on the 1st of January (or so I have researched,  correct me if I am wrong )  just in time for the highly anticipated (or at least for me anyway) Fifty Shades of Gray Movie and I am dying to get my hands on this collection.

http://www.reallyree.com/2014/11/opi-fifty-shades-of-grey.html#lightbox/0/

The collection has a nice selection of grey colours and a nice red.  There are a few shades that have really caught my eye.  There are six to choose from and if you are an OPI virgin (like me) chances are you will want them all.  Each bottle will retail at £11.95 however they will also be selling a mini collection of the entire set at £14.50.  

Each shade has a name that has some reference to the film/book.  

• My Silk Tie
• Romantically Involved
• Dark Side of the Mood 
• Shine for Me
• Cement the Deal 
• Embrace the Gray 

All shade names correspond to the order in the picture.

The shades I am really excited for are Romantically Involved and My Silk Tie although I will be purchasing the whole collection (whether in full size or mini is still to be decided)  From what I can tell, layering up Shine On Me with a couple of the other nail polishes in the collection will look stunning and it is a slight shame (in my opinion) that they haven't released them sooner as Shine On Me and Romantically Involved could be good Christmas colours.

What Nail Polish collections are you most excited in 2015?

Bye for now.

Jess. X

Blogmas day 16 : The Winter TAG

I first did a Tag last week and thought I would do another seasonal TAG...The Winter Tag.  I first saw this TAG done by Fran from House of Blog (which I will link here  go check them out)

What are your favourite things about Winter?

Being warm and cosy with the ones I love.

What is your favourite Winter outfit?

I don’t really have a favourite winter outfit as I tend to just wear jeans and either hoodies and jumpers.  I do however like having a new outfit for Christmas day.

What is your favourite Winter food?

You cannot beat a good Christmas Dinner with all the trimmings.  That is the only meal I look forward to each year.

Favourite Winter drink?

I like to have a Peppermint Hot Chocolate from Starbucks and I am yet to have one this year but I will do at some point.

What is your dream way to spend a Winter’s day?

Sat snuggled up with my other half watching TV.

How do you like to do your make-up in the Winter?

I don’t really wear a lot of makeup in winter or any time of the year (hopefully will change in the new year)  But when I do, I tend to keep it quite simple which is usually my everyday make-up look (which I will do a blog post at some point)

What are you hoping Santa brings you?

Just clothes and a necklace but I have no idea.

What are the first three things that remind you of Winter?

Cold, Christmas and snow.

What is your favourite Winter song?

‘A Spaceman Came Travelling’ by Chris de Burg.  I have always liked that song for as long as I remember.  I can vaguely remember sat in the car growing up singing to this at Christmas.

What is your favourite Winter memory?

I don’t really have one.

What is your favourite Winter scent?

I don’t really have enough perfumes at the moment to warrant having a winter scent but there is one perfume I have that suits me better during the winter and that is Viva La Juicy but Juicy Couture.

Finish this sentence… If I could have one wish this Christmas it would be…

My other half proposing to me (I can dream can’t i?)

I tag you all to do this.

Bye for now.

Jess. X

Blogmas day 15 : Another mini haul.

I have been shopping again!  I know, I know...bad isn't it?  I swear I needed the items I bought.  Again this haul is only two items as that is all I needed.

I needed some make-up remover wipes as I had forgotten to bring some from Uni so I picked up the Yes to Cucumber Facial Wipes.  I have used this brand once before and found that they was so gentle yet they managed to take off my make-up and they smell so good.  I have tried others since but non were as good as these and once I get my student finance, I will stock up on them as I don't think the boots near Uni sell them which is a shame as I love them.

I first saw them on a few youtube videos and they seemed to be only sold in the US so when I was shopping in Boots one day earlier in the year I was so happy to see the Yes to range had come to boots that I snapped up the Yes to Cucumber wipes straight away.  They retail at £3.99 for 30 wipes which compared to the other wipes in the range is better as they are being sold at £3.99 for 20 or 25 wipes so to get an extra 5 or 10 wipes for the same price is not to shabby.  I will always get these wipes until they are sold no more.

I was in ASDA looking for a new shampoo and conditioner as I was running low on my current one when I saw this Miracle Frizz Taming cube.  I only needed enough to last me until I go back so this was a perfect size set and I was pleased to see that it also includes a heat protection spray (I had forgotten mine!)  The kit comes with a travel size shampoo, conditioner, heat protection spray and a comb.  I have never tried this brand before so am looking forward to trying this out.  The cube is priced at the moment in ASDA for £5 so for that price I don't think is bad.  The have four in the Andrew Barton range, the 'Smooth' cube, the 'Blonde' cube, the 'Volume' cube and the 'Curl' cube (These are not the actual names but you get the idea of the types they do)  I got the 'Smooth' cube as I find when I straighten my hair, I get a lot of flyaway hairs and it doesn't look as good so I thought I shall try this before trying more products to combat my frizzy hair.


What products have you recently bought?  Are they a repurchase or are they brand new to you?

Bye for now.

Jess. X

Blogmas day 14 : outfit of the day

Being comfy while travelling is something that I like to do.  I tend to travel
home as often as I can.  I tend to keep things casual as anything more than casual looks stupid.

Today I am wearing clothes that I purchased from Primark.  I cannot remember how much the top and leggings are but the boots were about £18 which is not bad for boots.  I tend to buy clothes from Primark as I find them to be good quality and last quite a while.  I also paired it with my University hoodie as it was quite cold.

(I apologies about the quality of the photos and will hopefully be getting a better camera and will be playing around with photo quality)

What do you wear when travelling?

Bye for now.

Jess. X

Blogmas day 13 : A very tiny Boots haul.

As I am going home for the holidays, I needed to pick up two items to go in my make-up bag.  These are staples that will forever be found in my small but growing make-up collection.  In fact these will be found in any make-up collection of any beauty fanatic.

Eyeliner can come in different types and in different forms.  The two I prefer at the moment are felt tip liner and pencil liner.  I will always try different brands and there is one pencil liner that I have found that I will use for a while or until I find another one that fits my needs.  Recently, however, I have gotten into felt tip liner and am in the process of trying different brands.  These were the two staples that I needed to stock up on.

Rimmel Scandeleyes eyeliner has been my staple pencil liner for a few
years.  I like the fact it is so creamy and doesn't pull at my eyelids.  It is easily smudge-able if you need to but dries and doesn't smudge once dry.  As it is waterproof you do find that once removed, there can be some leftover but that soon goes after a night of sleep!  I use this mainly for my waterline but sometimes I use this on the top lid depending on what look I want to go for.  I have tried other pencil liners but sadly non have been up to scratch to this.


Collection's Extreme 24 hour felt tip liner is my newest item to my collection.  I have never tried this but I have read some good reviews and am looking forward to trying this.  I use felt tip liner on my top lid and feel that it gives a clean line and looks nice paired with eyeshadow.  I only do a small cat eye as I am only starting to get used to using felt tip liner.

What brands do you use?  Have you got any suggestions for eyeline?

Bye for now.

Jess. X






 

Blogmas day 12 : Update on Blogmas

Hi there.

I am going to have to take a break from Blogmas for the weekend as I am very busy and I haven't had time what with Uni and other things to schedule Blogmas posts.  There will be however 3 coming on Monday.

If I have time over the weekend, I will write a Blogmas post but because of travelling back home and other commitments, I do not think I will have the time.  Blogmas will resume on Monday and will have the missing posts up as soon as I can.

Sorry about the hiatus, but as you can hopefully understand, I have other commitments.

Hope to see you all Monday and have a great weekend.

Once again I am sorry.

Bye for now.

Jess. X

Blogmas day 11 : My University experience so far

How time flies when you are enjoying a new experience.  It doesn't seem like five minutes since I first walked into my room at my University accommodation and now it is almost the end of semester one and almost Christmas...and do you know what???  I have enjoyed every single minute of it.  Yes there has been highs and lows but what experience doesn't (I would like to know)  

There has been a lot of highs in the 13 weeks I have been here.  Moving is one of them.  Growing up I moved around a lot so I was used to moving and while I was used to moving, I still hated the packing and the unpacking.  It took me a whole week to unpack everything and when I say everything, I do mean everything.  I moved out of my flat back in my home town and apart from the furniture, all my belongings came with me and even as I was unpacking, I still threw things away.  

Meeting new people can be both a high and a low depending on how you are as a person.  I guess I would say I don't make friends easily but for some reason, I made a few friends within the first week and whether we stay friends after Uni, will have to wait and see.

I found my lectures to be a bit of a challenge but that was mainly because of ignorant people chatting away in the back and disrupting others.  I soon fixed that problem by sitting toward the front as often as I could and that soon rectified the problem.  The lectures themselves where good and I have gained a lot of knowledge from them which I am hoping to show in my first set of assignments (due Jan)  

I have had a few lows within this semester and as one of them was a family loss, which I had to miss a day of which couldn't be helped, the rest I have managed to remedy the situation and looking back I can now see what they problem was.  I may be 25 but I have moved on my own away from family, friends and my other half to another city where it is strange and not knowing where things are, is very daunting and I found myself to being homesick.  As the semester has gone, the homesickness has gone away.  

I had a few weeks where my sleeping pattern changed and I wasn't going to sleep until half four in the morning (GMT) and having 10am lectures was not good and I started to skip some of the lectures.  I soon got that back with some over the counter sleeping tablets and some herbal tea (and I am not a tea drinker usually) 

Overall my experience of University has been good.  I haven't wasted my time going out and drinking like a lot of the people here have been doing but in my own way my experience has been positive.  I am now a sixth of the way through my course and hopefully the next two and a half years will be the same if better and I should hopefully get my degree and go on to doing  better things in my life.

I have not regretted coming at the age on 25  as I didn't feel ready at 18 and I still don't think teens at that age are ready either but that is my choice and I don't regret anything.  So here's to the next half of year one and for years two and three.

How was your University experience if you have one?  If not or are in the middle of the application process what stopped you from going and what are you looking forward to in your journey?

Bye for now.

Jess. X

Blogmas day 10 : The Christmas TAG

This is the first ever TAG I have done and have always wanted to do one.  As Christmas is coming up, I thought I would do my first ever TAG with a Christmas theme.

I first saw this TAG on Lou's World (which I will link here)  Go check her out...she is amazing!


1. Do you like to stay in your PJ’s, or dress up for Christmas? 

Because I go and see family, the majority of the day I am dressed up for Christmas.  I like to have a brand new outfit...it just makes me feel pretty and after all it is a special day.  

2. If you could only buy one person a present this year, who would it be?
I don’t think I could only buy one person a present this year...it would be like telling people who your favourite person is in your life.

3. Do you open your presents Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?

Growing up we had a tradition where we would open a present on Christmas eve and they would always be a new pair of PJ’s which we would run upstairs and put on and be nice and cosy before putting Father Christmas’s treats out for him.  As I have gotten older, I still like having new PJ’s at Christmas but I always wait until Christmas day to open presents.

4. Have you ever built a Gingerbread house?
I don’t think I have ever built one before but I really wish I could.

5. What do you like to do on your Christmas break?
Usually I like to relax and see friends and family but this year as I am in my first year of University, I have a lot of work to do, so the majority of the Christmas break will be essay writing and presentation writing.  I will go see friends and family but not before I have done a bit of work.

6. What’s your favourite Christmas meal or treat?
Christmas dinner of course!  How can anyone not like a good Christmas dinner.  This year I will be eating with my family but last year, I ate with my other half’s family and his mums roast potatoes where so good and I am slightly upset that I won’t be eating them this year. :(

7. What’s your favourite holiday movie?
This one is easy...The Muppet’s Christmas Carol.  I have loved this movie for as long as I can remember and last year my lovely other half bought it on DVD for me even though he knows I don’t like the Muppet’s usually and yet he bought my favourite Christmas movie.  It is still in the cellophane wrapper :D

8. Candy Canes or Gingerbread Men?
Neither.  I don’t like gingerbread and I don’t like the taste of Candy Canes.

9. Have you ever made a snowman?

I made a snowman about 5 years ago with my two stepsisters but that was the last time I have built one.

10. Which do you like better, Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Hmmmm...I don’t know.  I think if I had to choose it would be Christmas eve as it is the run up to the actual day and once you have done all what you need to do for the day, you can snuggle up on the couch and watch TV with the one you love and wait for the main event to come.

11. White lights, or colored lights?
Depends on the decorations of the tree.  Usually white lights look better.

I'm not tagging anyone specific, but if you're doing Blogmas and are stuck for a day, do this tag! 
And even if you just want to get into the festive spirit, I still suggest you do this tag!

It's 16 days until Christmas!

Bye for now.

Jess. x