Maybelline Eyestudio Colour Tattoo Eyeshadows

Hi everyone! I hope you're all well and enjoying your bank holiday weekend. I thought I would review my Maybelline Eyestudio Colour Tattoo 24 hour Cream Gel Eyeshadows today as I recently purchased the Pink Gold and Metallic Pomegranate shades in a really naughty 'I have exams and I want to treat myself to pretty things' Boots haul.

Maybelline claims that these eyeshadows offer:

"24 hour wear shadow... Intense, long-lasting colour saturation. The cream formula glides on without creasing and keeps colour vibrant"

I never know what to make of these grand claims of 18-24 hour wear, because on the one hand I do of course want something long lasting, but always feel a little miffed because I know I will NEVER wear a face of make up long enough to test it out. I would definitely say that these are long lasting though and last throughout the day without sliding or creasing at all. Out of the three I have tried, I would say the Pink Gold has the worst lasting effect but I think that is because it is the lightest shade so any fading is most noticeable. 

I think these are not only easier to build than powdered eyeshadows so you can get your desired shade and effect, but the cream formula means that they are a quick addition to your make up if you are in a hurry or want to transform your make up from day to night. 

Usually I'm not a fan of drug store make up packaging because I just don't think it can compare to the quality and luxurious feel of high end, but I think the packaging of these eyeshadows suits the product really well and is also really practical. The screw top lid means that they won't make a mess in your make up bag or your handbag if you're on the go, and they are nice and compact. 

I love the way the light reflects off these eyeshadows and I've been really really impressed with the three I've purchased so far. These retail at £4.99 at Boots - and at the moment Boots are offering 3 for 2 across all Maybelline products if you wanted to give these a try! 

Have you tried any of the Maybelline Colour Tattoo eyeshadows? If so, what did you think?

 Also, in the next few weeks I'm looking at purchasing a new camera so I can majorly improve the quality of my photos on here. If you have any recommendations at all I would really appreciate it! 

♥

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River Island Haul

So just lately I have gone a little mad shopping. I've lost nearly two stone in about a year and a half, so I wanted to treat myself to some new things ready for Spring and Summer. Lately I have been loving River Island and thought I would share my latest purchases with you following the Primark Haul I posted last week. Warning - this haul contains lots of embellishment and sparkle! Anyone who knows me knows I'm literally a magpie when it comes to jewels, and this haul proves no different!

Embellished tee: £25

Slogan Stripe Tee: £7 in the sale

Embellished Sandals: £45 

I cannot believe the detail on these babies! They look 100 times better on, and these were a wonderful gift from my Mum as an early graduation present, so thanks Mum!

Heart Anklet: £3

Swing Earrings (in my piercing closest to the right): £4

Primark Haul

Earlier today I went to Primark and thought I would share my latest buys with you. I haven't done any Fashion related posts before, so I thought I would try something new. Our nearest Primark is about an hour away so I don't get to go very often, and I love being nosey and looking at what other bloggers and Youtubers have purchased! I thought I would treat myself as I've been so stressed lately what with job applications, my dissertation and all of my university work.

Copper LED Battery Fairy Lights: £6

to fuel my Rose Gold/Copper obsession!

Cushion: £2.10 in the sale, originally £3

Workout Skipping Rope: £1 in the sale

From the Beauty Section:

This light pink glittery pencil case/ make up bag: £2

Cellulose (Exfoliating) sponges: £1

Friends tshirt: £6

This is my new lazy day/pyjama top

Plain Grey Boyfriend Roll Sleeved tee: £4.00

I think this will look great with black skinny jeans and a leather jacket for every day!

Scallop and daisy edged vest: £5

It's difficult to photograph the detail but the daisy cut outs around the scallop go all the way around the bottom, the neck and around the armholes. Super pretty - I think every Youtuber has this!

Cream Cami Vest: £4

Running outfit

Black vest: £4

Black 3/4 leggings: £6

Mint blue geometric crop top: £3.50

Bambi wrapping paper: £1.50 per roll

I am Bambi obsessed, and I've purchased this to give to my Mum to wrap my birthday presents in - never heard of anyone purchasing their OWN wrapping paper before but oh well!

Sandals: £6 

I can rarely find an 8 for my elephant feet in Primark so I was well chuffed when I did as I love the embellishment and rose gold detailing to these. It is a suede effect ban around your ankles and between your toes, with a flexible rose gold bar across the foot

Sliders: £4

What do you think of my purchases? Have you been to Primark lately and blogged/vlogged about it? If so, leave your links below and I'll make sure to have a read :)

♥

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Haul: The Body Shop

After spotting a 30% discount code for The Body Shop I couldn't resist stocking up on some skincare saviours. I picked up the Tea Tree Skin Clearing Foaming Cleanser, Lotion and Toner as I've suffered with the occasional breakout as of late and thought I would switch up my skincare routine to something specifically targeted to fighting spots. After reading so many amazing reviews about the Vitamin E Overnight Serum-In-Oil and how it gives your skin the appearance of 8 hours of perfect beauty sleep, I knew I needed this. I struggle to get enough sleep and my skin always looks a little lack lustre as a result. The Tea Tree Pore Minimiser and Instablur have been on my wishlist for a few weeks now and are great before applying make up to really improve the appearance and smoothness of my skin. 

I will post individual reviews in the next few weeks hopefully, and have posted all the links below for you.

Tea Tree Skin Clearing Foaming Cleanser (£5)

Lotion (£8) 

Toner (£5)

Vitamin E Overnight Serum-In-Oil (£13)

Pore Minimiser (£7.50)

All-In-One Instablur (£14)

♥

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Hair & Beauty Haul

Despite promising myself that I would save more money this year, I believe everyone deserves a treat now and then! I've been doing a lot more shifts at work as well, so I don't feel too guilty.

On the far left in the clear plastic bag, is my new stash of Lee Stafford Hair Growth Treatment. I absolutely swear by this stuff, I love how soft it makes my hair feel and the smell is gorgeous and long lasting. Boots are currently offering haircare on a 3-for-2, so I couldn't resist stocking up. If you would like to read my full review of this, click here

I ordered the Not Your Mother's Way to Grow Long & Strong Shampoo and Conditioner, as well as the Smooth Moves Frizz Control Hair Cream from America as a package from Amazon here. I have only used this once so far, and will be doing a full review once I've really tested it out. The conditioner was beautifully thick and nourishing, and both products smelt like something from Lush Cosmetics, so I have really high hopes that I will have Rapunzel hair in no time!

The Bourjois Poudre De Riz De Java is something which has been worshipped on so many of my favourite blogs now that I had to buy it. I absolutely love the vintage packaging, and this will be the first time I've used a loose powder so I'm definitely looking forward to using this.

The Maybelline Instant Anti-Age The Eraser Concealer was recommended to me by Beauty Bloggers on Twitter after I asked for help choosing a new under-eye concealer. After trying the Collection Lasting Concealer and the 17 Phwoar Paint which have both been raved about, I was ready to try something new. Neither covered my dark circles at all. Maybe the moral of the story is that I need to get more sleep rather than expect make up to prepare miracles. But I'm hoping the Maybelline concealer will make me look a little more alive!

The Blanx White Shock Intensive Whitening Treatment has been on my long term beauty wishlist for a while now, and when I noticed it was on offer in Boots it accidentally fell into my basket! I'm slightly sceptical of any over the counter whitening products, but as this is non-peroxide, I am more than happy to give it a go.

I will be reviewing all of these products in the coming weeks on my blog as I get used to them and really road test them out. Have you tried any of these products? If so, what did you think?

♥

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Bargain Ciate Nail Advent Calendar

Today I just happened to pop into my local TK Maxx while running a few errands, and my eyes were almost magnetically drawn like a magpie to a Ciate Christmas display! I wanted to buy it all, but the highlight for me was definitely the Ciate Mini Mani Manor House Advent Calendar.

I purchased this for £24.99, and this is currently retailing at £49! I know it's nearly Christmas now, but for what you get this is such good value! They are mini pots with one full size pot, but I actually prefer that because I have so many nail varnishes and find they all dry out before I get to use them, so I actually prefer having lots of mini pots. 

I would much rather buy them in the sale or while they are on offer and put them away for a few months, rather than pay the full retail price. I was quite disappointed this year by how expensive the beauty advent calendars were, and was sceptical of the make up ones because I'm so fussy with lip colours, eyeshadows and I'm so ridiculously pale I was worried I wouldn't end up using half of the stuff.

For me, these advent calendars are perfect. The variety of colours is brilliant and they are genuinely nice colours, rather than making an advent calendar of all of the colours they couldn't sell, if that makes sense. The packaging as well is SO CUTE and remembers me of Benefit Cosmetics/ Ted Baker's Christmas Gift Sets packaging.

The TK Maxx display were also selling the Ciate Candy Cane House for £7.99 which retails at £25.00! It includes four mini Christmassy glitter polishes which are 'Christmas scented'!

It also had a set of six Ciate 'trinket' baubles, which are clear with a Ciate full sized polish in each. For all six they are only charging £12, and they are currently retailing for £8 for one bauble on Ciate's website. So I would definitely recommend heading to your local TK Maxx to try and pick up some bargains - whether for yourself, or for the perfect Christmas presents!

I am putting this advent calendar away for next year - but am so tempted to open it already! Which advent calendar have you had this year? Were you pleased with the contents?

♥

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Clothes Show Live! Birmingham

Apologies for not having blogged for a while - I have been completely run off my feet with job applications, essays and never ending reading lists! I'm really looking forward to 4 weeks at home when hopefully I will be blogging a lot, so keep your eyes peeled!

So on Saturday, I went to the Clothes Show in Birmingham with one of my best friends Beth. It's only about half an hour from where I am at uni, and we both went about 4 years ago and fancied going again. I was so excited and I can't wait to book my tickets for next year's already!

First of all we watched the Catwalk Fashion/Dance Show. For me, this is A-MAZ-ING. Not only do models do that flawless walk down the catwalk, the hesitation at the end, and the strut back that we all envy let's face it, but there were also 3 or 4 dance scenes of the models and the theme this year was New York/America - my favourite place on earth! So it is really really entertaining.

Rick Edwards hosted this year, I managed to get a photo of him with this topless model giving a goody bag out - the girl who received this got to go on stage and get a cuddle and kisses from him and I'm still jealous today!

Jetta performed, who I had never heard of before but I couldn't believe how amazing her voice was. She was absolutely stunning and her performance was unbelievable. 

Here are some photos from the catwalk / dance show. It really was amazing and I think I sat with my jaw open for the whole hour or so!

We then walked round the endless rows of stalls spending like there was no tomorrow - I spotted Lauren Goodger and had major hair envy!! The queues to have photos with the TOWIE/MIC cast were huge so we just tried to grab snaps from afar - sneaky!

I purchased some Sparkly Lips lipstick - it's not actually a lipstick, it is a hypo allergenic glue and then you use the applicator to roll loose glitter (also face friendly!) over the top. I am such a magpie to anything sparkly and we couldn't wait to try it. I fell in love so much I purchased a tub of the Rose Pink-Red to bring home, and can't wait to wear it to all the Christmas parties and meals over the festive season! 

Barry M had their infamous £10 goody bags which are just incredible. They are so popular girls were running over and handing £10 over without even asking what came in the goody bag. You couldn't choose the things in them but I think it is such good value for money. I received 6 nail varnishes (Gold Crackle Effect, a Metallic Grey which I love, Baby Blue Textured Effects, Black and Gold Glitter, Magnetic Metallic Grey polish and a Limited Edition coral pink colour. I also received 2 dazzle dusts, three eyeliners AND a lipgloss!)

I also purchased the £10 Models Own Goody Bag. What I loved about this was that you chose your three Models Own Nail varnishes, and they put them in a goody bag with the other items for you for £10. As these polishes retail at £5 each I wasn't even bothered what they put in the bag, but it was actually really nice stuff! I received eyelash curlers, four eyeshadow applicators and two make up sponges which I am constantly in need of, two eyeliners, a nail art pen, a lip balm, a pocket mirror and a four sided nail file and buff. Wow!

I also purchased the W7 In the Nude Palette on a whim. These retail at about £7-£8 each, and I managed to bag this for £5. You could get 3 for £10 which is an absolute steal, but I just couldn't think who to buy them for! It is clearly a Urban Decay Palette Dupe, and I was really keen to try this because I've been meaning to start wearing eyeshadow for a while. I've never really been one for eyeshadow, as I'm generally awful at applying it, but I thought for £5 I can't go wrong! If I like it I may make the Urban Decay investment!

Did any of you attend the Clothes Show this weekend? If so, what were your favourite purchases? For those of you who didn't, what do you think of the bargains I managed to pick up? I'd love to hear from you all in the comments below

♥

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Lush Coventry Christmas Blogger Meet Up

Yesterday I attended a christmassy Blogger Meet Up organised by the very lovely Emily from Drained Beauty. It was one of the most fun evenings I've had in ages, and was just such an incredible experience for me.

Lush in Coventry very kindly opened the shop after hours for a handful of bloggers from the Coventry and Birmingham area, specialising in Beauty, but also Fashion and Lifestyle. It was really nice meeting people who enjoy the same hobby as you and who you can chat away to about beauty routines and favourite products and things.

After a mingling session with drinks and nibbles, we all were given the opportunity by the very lovely staff at Lush to make our own bath bomb. I was sooo excited by this, as I love making things and love Lush, so I guess it was a match made in heaven! We were allowed to make the Cinders Ballistic Bath Bomb, which not only has popping candy but cinnamon leaf oil, so it is very christmassy and relaxing!

We then wandered around the shop, trying out various products. The staff were incredibly helpful, and I can honestly say it was difficult leaving the shop without buying one of everything. I told them about my dry and sensitive winter skin, or the fact I'm worried about my hair thinning out and not growing as much, and they literally had a cure for everything! My favourite picks were:

The Christmas Hedgehog Bubble Bar I'm a huge fan of the Lush Bubble bars. you basically crumble part of them under running water and they create an endless stream of sweet smelling bubbles. The Hedgehog is not only the cutest thing I've ever seen, but is made from Shea, Cocoa butter to moisturise your skin and essential oils including rose and ylang ylang, which was just the perfect combination for me.

Pearl Massage Bar One of the staff kindly gave me a hand massage using the Pearl Massage Bar and I'm seriously kicking myself for not buying it. It was the first time I had tried any of the massage bars, and I found that it was not just relaxing but also so much better to many moisturisers I've tried. No water is required, you simply rub the massage bar up and down until it melts into your skin, and then follow this up by massaging it in. It left my skin feeling really refreshed and glowing, and there was no sticky after-effect at all. Again, this was a rose scented product, you're probably noticing a pattern here in my tastes and preferences...

Ro's Argan Body Conditioner Again, I would have loved to have bought this product there and then, but instead I thought it would be more sensible to add things onto my Christmas list. You basically use this in the shower, rubbing it into wet skin and then rinsing off, almost like a shampoo or conditioner on your hair. By the end of the evening, my skin felt thoroughly refreshed, and I was so thankful of how friendly and helpful the staff were.

Reindeer Rock Soap Out of the soaps on offer, this or the Honey one were definitely my top picks. The staff were absolutely wonderful and gave us all a free sample of this, and I can't wait to start using it. Not only does it have a reindeer print all over and so is perfect for the Christmas period, but it has a lingonberry scent, which was just beautiful!

Northern Lights Bath Bomb This is another Lush product that has gone on my Christmas list (sorry Mum and Dad!) Harry at Lush demonstrated this product, and I just couldn't believe how pretty the water became. The bomb fizzes away to reveal blue and neon green tints, and while the colours are sharp, the scent is very subtle, with a jasmine and ylang ylang base, which I thought was perfect for when all you want is a nice hot relaxing bath after a long day!

The staff then talked us through all of the various Christmas gift sets, which not only contained all of the amazing Christmas range on offer, but were wrapped so nicely. You definitely wouldn't need to wrap these gift sets - I think they make the perfect gift for anyone of any age. The Snow Time Gift Set had glow in the dark wrapping paper which I thought was pretty cool, but my favourite was definitely the Jingle Bells gift set - and yes it has real bells on it! For under £30 you receive two reusable bubble bars which will last for endless baths, The Comforter bubble bar, the Golden Wonder bath bomb which is A-MAZ-ING by the way (definitely check it out next time you're in Lush), the Luxury Lush Pud and the ever so cute Christmas Hedgehog.
I would definitely recommend checking the Christmas gift sets out online here

I then purchased a few things - mainly Christmas presents for other people so I won't list the items specifically on here! But one of the things I bought was a Lush Wrap Knot - I hadn't heard of these before but they are so pretty! For around £4, you receive a silk scarf type material which can be used as a scarf, headband, or to wrap the Lush goodies in, either for you or for a gift for someone else. And wrapping paper that doubles as an accessory sounds pretty cool to me! I purchased the Bambi scarf, because I have a bit of an obsession.

I had such an amazing evening, as I'm sure you can tell. A big big big thank you to Emily from Drained Beauty blog for organising the event - you did an amazing job and I think it was clear that everyone had a great time.
Also a big thank you to The Blogger Programme for the goody bags that we received - being a part of the Blogger Programme has really helped me connect with other bloggers and businesses, and I've really fallen in love with blogging as a result. I can't wait to review all of the free goodies on here!
And FINALLY, a HUGE thank you to Lush in Coventry - you were so accommodating and friendly, and I am so grateful that you allowed me to try so many amazing products and to receive all the samples and free products that we did. Several of you really made me giggle, and you really took my tastes into account when showing me products, and also recommended products based on my skin type or that were good for my beauty dilemmas. If any of you reading this are ever in the Coventry area, definitely stop by! I am so ready for Christmas now, and my Christmas wishlist has grown that little bit longer thanks to Lush!

Do you have any Lush products you would recommend? I think my love of Lush is literally bordering on addiction!

♥

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Christmas Gift Guide for Parents

Hi everyone! So my blog post featuring my favourite Boots Christmas gifts went down really well with you all it seems, and I was asked to do a gift guide for parents. I think shopping for parents can be tricky, and so while I've given some ideas here, I think like any person, shopping for Christmas should be about buying a gift that is suitable for them. If your Mum is a complete bookworm, then buy her a book by her favourite author or a Waterstones voucher? These are just gifts which I thought were pretty cool, and I have tried to get something for every type of Mum/Dad here.

I haven't really shopped around, because generally I stick to a few shops that I like, but there are hundreds of gift websites out there these days - googling 'christmas presents for mum/dad' and the results are never ending!

Gifts for Mum

1. Sanctuary Home Sweet Home Fragrance Gift Set, £18 at Boots
When I was in my local Boots the other day, I noticed this gift set and just thought it was the most amazing thing ever. If you have a quick second in Boots, I definitely recommend opening this up to see - you will find a layer of tissue paper with a lovely poem on about making a house a home. My Mum is obsessed with candles, pot pourri and general home scent products, and I felt that this was a luxurious version of this. I want it myself for at uni!

2. Make your own Lip Balm Kit, £15.75 at Not on the High Street
When I spotted this, I thought it would be perfect for Mums. Not only do you get the fun activity of having a craft session (which maybe you could do together one afternoon with some chocolates and a good film on) but you get your very own lip balm at the end! I thought this was a really unique gift and that can mean a lot to anyone receiving presents.

3. Jamie Oliver Pasta Essentials Utensil Set, £18 at Boots
First things first - I don't want anyone to think I'm being sexist here by placing the kitchen items in the section for Mums. I am a feminist through and through and don't want to give off such an impression! If your Dad is the main chef in your house, then this would be perfect for him - it just turns out that my Mum does most of the cooking, and we only eat Italian when my Dad is away because he isn't keen. Some may think this is boring, but for a family that eats a lot of Italian pasta dishes, I thought this was presented really nicely and contains everything you could ever need.

4. No 7 Instant Glamour Kit, £18 at Boots
Perfect for Mums on the go, or who never allow themselves to relax and pamper themselves! My Mum loves wearing make up, but says she never has time. With this mini little set and guidance on how to create effortless looks, I thought this was lovely for all those Christmas parties over the festive season.

5. Champneys Oriental Opulence Collection, £12 at Boots
Every woman in my family LOVES two brands: Sanctuary and Champneys. This set contains the perfect sized minis for if your Mum travels, and is presented so nicely.

Gifts for Dad

1. VW Campervan Wash Bag, £25 at Not on the High Street
One of my main considerations when buying gifts for my Dad is - Is it practical? Not only is this practical but it is really cool! It is available in various colours. It is really spacious and I think considering it will last forever, the price tag isn't too bad.

2. Initial Cufflinks, £16 at Not on the High Street
Considering how expensive cufflinks can be on the High Street, I think these are really reasonably priced! I thought these would make a really nice gift if you are getting married, for your Dad to wear while he is walking you down the aisle! Or just generally if he is a businessman or goes to a lot of formal occasions.

3. Self Stirring Mug, £9.99 at Getting Personal
My Dad drinks more tea than anyone I know, and I figured he must get bored of making a cup of tea sometimes! Behold, the self stirring mug making it a little easier for you. Perfect for the lazy Dad, or just generally a Dad who is a bit slow and grumpy in the morning. I think any little nifty-gadgety presents like this are perfect for Dads, my Dad always loves tinkering with things like this on Christmas Day!

4. Champneys Spa Essentials Grooming Kit for Men, £16 at Boots
Rather than your bog standard Deoderant/Body Spray/Shower Gel gift set this Christmas, why not spend that little bit more and get your Dad a Grooming Kit. Champneys is an amazing brand for both genders, and I think this or their Shaving Regime Kit this year are perfect! It's slightly different to the million and one other toilletry sets your Dad will probably receive (if he is anything like mine) and also, all men I know shave - where as some I know really complain about the body sprays in the set and don't use half of the stuff!

5. Man Tin, £8.99 at Getting Personal
I can't even count how many times in one day my Dad says 'Where is this? I can't find this - you must have moved it'. We also have a drawer in our kitchen which is full of loose screws, the odd screwdriver, duct tape, a pair of gardening gloves, receipts and old bills, and so on! I think this tin is perfect for Dad's to keep bills, maybe car keys, and any other of their random and pointless things (like bulbs that only fit the lamp you threw out about 10 years ago but you keep, 'just in case'). Let Dad's live in comfort of the fact that they can keep it all in a hidden away tin that your Mum can't nag at!

I hope you found this gift guide for parents useful - obviously everyone is different so it may not suit you exactly, but I hope it's given you some useful ideas! As always, let me know what you think in the comment box, I'll reply as soon as I can :) If you have any good ideas, please let me know because I'm struggling for a few more bits and pieces to get my Dad!

♥

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