Hot chocolate and glitter lips

(image via weheartit.com)

I had such a lovely day today. Alex and I went into town and did a spot of shopping, I got some presents for my mum's birthday and we bought an amazing doormat which I will show you at some point, (it really is just so cute!). Then we went to Pret and had hot chocolate before going out for a bottle of rose and some dinner.

I have to be up early tomorrow to drive back to my parent's house for my mum's birthday. I'm going to be there for almost a week and I'm super excited to see all of my girlfriends (I'm going to try some fun glitter lips for a night out with them) but equally as sad to be apart from Alex for so long. She's off to Vienna for a conference with work and I'm going to miss her so much!

I hope you all had a lovely day :)

Lea

x

Playing with makeup [1]

Sometimes I get the urge to try out some new (and crazy) looks. This is what I got up to this afternoon:

For my eyes I used the Sleek PPQ pallet, a Collection glitter eyeliner, Illamasqua eyeliner and Revlon mascara.

On my lips I have the lip product from my last post, with some lilac pigment in the centre.

Lea

x

Hakuna Matata

I love the Lion King, it's one of my favourites. Aladdin has to be my all time favourite though (and is fantastic for a drinking game on a night in with the girls :p).

Hakuna Matata though - no worries. I try to live by that, but this morning I did have a worry. This blasted petrol crisis.

I brought my car up to Leeds for a few weeks as driving is so much cheaper than the train (even during this petrol crisis - crazy!). I hadn't given much thought to it really as the petrol stations in Leeds weren't showing any signs of crisis, no queuing and petrol that was £1.38 (expensive, but not as expensive as it could be). But then my mum called this morning and told me to go and fill up because all the petrol stations near their house were out and it sent me into a bit of a panic. 'What if all the petrol stations here had ran out, and I'd be stranded here and miss my mum's birthday!' So I hopped into the car and drove to the nearest petrol station. £1.42 per litre later and I have a full tank. Panic over. My car will be back with my parents after this weekend and I won't be driving it again for a while so at least it shouldn't effect me too badly.

My mother on the other hand is on a train into Manchester city centre to meet her friend for lunch as we speak. This shouldn't seem like a big deal, but I should point out that it is possibly the third time in her entire life she has been on a train. Unfortunately my mum didn't think that the petrol stations near us would run out so quickly either, and so carried on driving around in her petrol guzzling Audi TT sport like normal and has now ran out of petrol. Apparently she's going to be using my car for the next week which I'm not too keen on since she likes to drive at 50mph in third gear. My car literally screams for me to get back behind the wheel. Poor thing.

Has this petrol crisis been an inconvenience to any of you? Wasn't that Jerry Can idea ridiculous, half the houses in the UK would end up being blown to Calcutta with all that petrol lurking around! I really hope they get this sorted soon - now I see the benefits of an electric car!

Lea

x

An Urban Decay dupe

I was at the Urban Decay counter today and picked up something new and exciting which I'll probably show you in a couple of days once I've had a good road test of it. But while I was there I was also sorely tempted by the Super Saturated lipgloss in the shade Big Bang, which is described as 'a bright fuchsia with sparkle finish'. I walked away though as I couldn't help but think of how many lipsticks I have and at £14.50 I thought it seemed a bit excessive. Having said that, I decided to have a look in Boots for a good dupe and came across the Barry M Lip Lacquer Crayon in number 4.

This was far more reasonably priced for £4.99 so quite a saving :D

It has slightly more shimmer in direct light that the picture above.

I found this swatch via Google Images and it can be found here.

As you can see they're quite similar although the Urban Decay version has slightly more glitter and is a little more glossy on the lip.

The Barry M version has brilliant pigmentation and isn't overly sticky on the lips. It has quite good longevity and is well worth it's little price tag.

On a side note, I had a good swatch of the Revlon Lip Butters today, and I have to say I really wasn't that excited. There were a couple of colours that I liked, but not an excessive amount. I think I'll be saving my pennies for something else.

Lea

x

A blogging end to a busy day

I managed to get a good amount of reading done today for an essay I'm writing, so I'm really pleased :D

Other than working, I also managed to fit in a lemon meringue cupcake (I know, so taxing :P) and an impromptu dinner at an Indian restaurant this evening. It was a nice drive up there as the sun was going down, and since I love driving it made me a happy girl!

I'm off to watch The Apprentice with a cup of chamomile tea before bed, and then I have to be up early tomorrow for yet another eye appointment.

If you'd like a bit more information on these amazing cupcakes, Alex has done a blog post on them over on her blog which you can find here.

I was parked when I took this, I promise :)

I hope you all had a lovely day!

Lea x

Mavala 'Delicious Colours' collection

Mavala's new s/s 2012 collection has arrived at the Beauty Bay and I couldn't be happier! I've been waiting for them to appear on there so I could avoid paying postage and get them at a cheaper price that the Mavala website or in Boots.

Candy Floss, Fresh Melon, Lemon Cream and Pistachio have all gone straight into my basket and I'm sure I'll be adding the other 2 very soon!

You can find these polishes here.

Lea

x

Wake up it's a beautiful morning! :D

I woke up as Alex was leaving this morning and the sunshine streaming in through the blinds was too good to pass up by going back to sleep! I made myself a lovely breakfast and settled down to watch the other half of Sex and the City and catch up on some blog time.

Seeds, Fruit and Nuts muesli, Vanilla yoghurt with berries and Strawberry and Mango tea.

This is my new morning tea, it's lovely, sweet and smells so refreshing.

Admittedly I'm not a fan of 'traditional' tea, but I love fruit tea. It's a great way for me to get more water into my daily routine.

Have a lovely morning everyone <3

Lea

x

Yankee Candles, Fruit Beer and Perfume

After a bit of a break to read my book, I decided to go and pick up a new Yankee Candle that suits this nice warm weather, and then called into the Supermarket to get something nice for tea.

I chose the medium sized Midsummers Night jar candle, and two of their votives.

Midsummers night has quite a sexy, almost musky spicy scent to it, I chose the medium candle as I find that the large ones can be hard to light without burning your hand or making a mess of the jar when you get to the bottom.

The Lemon Lavender scent is quite sharp and fresh, and if I find I like the payoff I'll probably buy it in medium, alongside the Lime and Vanilla which is also gorgeous, and has quite a sugary kick.

Soft blanket is soft and girly and is my old favourite that I always go back to. My jar of it has just ran out so I thought I'd buy an emergency one!

When I got back I had a snack of a low fat prawn cocktail with avocado and a fruit beer. I rarely drink beer, but when the sun comes out a fruit beer can just hit the spot :D

And finally, when Alex got home she pulled this out of her bag! She loves this scent on me so I think it's a bit of an Irish present hehe, but in all honesty it's a fun sweet perfume that I like as a change from my Chanel Coco Mademoiselle <3

Now I'm off to make tea, which is going to be barbecued chicken with moroccan couscous, sun-dried tomatoes and mozzarella, salad, and some crusty bread. I might even send Alex out for some Lemonade so we can have Rosé spritzers :D

Lea

x

The sky is bluer, and smiles are bright

I can't believe how gorgeous the weather is! The sky is such an amazing blue, it makes me happy inside :D

I've been working all this morning, so I'm off to grab a shower and get dressed. Then I'm going to sit in the sun in my living room, with all of the windows open, and read my book with some greek yoghurt and fruit tea. (The sooner I have a garden or a balcony the better!) I'm currently craving a sweet clean candle to light on days like this to make the air romantic and fresh. I think I might have to call in to the Yankee Candle shop near me...

I hope you're all enjoying this lovely weather and taking some time out to enjoy it <3

Lea

x

Blisters on my feet for nothing!

Late last night I got some news. Unfortunately what I was doing for the next 2 days has been postponed and so the shopping that I did yesterday, trying to find something to wear for next week was a bit premature! So this means that my mission yesterday, while a success, was also a bit unnecessary! But I suppose I would have had to do it anyway at some point so nothing's really lost.

What this now means is driving home this afternoon so I can get a good start on some work that I need to do. But before that I'm going to take my dog for a walk down by the canal and have some lunch with my mum.

On a side note, I was looking for some nail inspiration and came across this on weheartit.com:

How amazing is that?! I'm going to give that a try sometime soon. I especially love the background pastel polkadot look <3

Lea

x

Shopping for 'work appropriate' clothes

Today I went to the Trafford Centre to try to find 2 outfits for next week. I really wanted to find something colourful, as I think it's important to show my personality whilst remaining professional. It took hours, and my feet are in pain from a lot of walking on my new heels! Sometimes it can be so difficult to find professional clothes that are also stylish and not too dowdy.

This is what I came home with after an entire day's efforts:

2 pairs of suntan tights from M&S, a navy shift dress (right) from River Island - £25. A black fitted dress (left) from Mango - £50. A cream blazer also from Mango - £50. A striped dress

from Monsoon - £75.

And this is what I'm up to tonight! I'm going to take a bubble bath with Sunnyside (£3.50 each) and read my new book. After all the hype about The Hunger Games I'm excited to read this!

I hope you all had a lovely day!

Lea

x

My morning routine [pt.2]

So part 2 is about the makeup that I use on an every day basis and my usual hair routine, topped off with a few last bits and bobs.

This is the makeup that I use pretty much every day without fail.

This is the colour of the Chanel Blush, it's called Fantasia.

My much loved Estee Lauder lip colour which the name has worn off, and I used my Sleek PPQ pallet today on my eyes.

My Bobbi Brown kabuki, Estee Lauder blush brush, Mac blending brush (217 I think - the writing rubbed off it a long time ago), Bobbi Brown Eyeliner Brush.

First I curl my hair with the wide GHD's. I have the regular ones too but I prefer the look that these give.

I clip in my extensions for more volume.

Then I curl them to match my own hair and sometimes pin it back, especially if I know I'm going to be studying.

--------------------------

I then get dressed for the day and add my accessories.

This is todays finished look!

Lea

x

My morning routine [pt.1]

I always find it interesting to see what other people do in the morning to get ready for the day ahead, so I thought why not show you what I get up to every morning!

I've split into two parts because some people will be more interested in the skincare/shower products section, and others will be more interested in the makeup/hair section :)

The first thing I always do it to make my bed, I just prefer to come into a neat and tidy room after my shower.

I light my candles, some people think I'm strange for lighting candles in the daytime, but I love the smell of them and I just think it's a little luxury that makes early mornings that bit more special <3

I head off into my bathroom. These are the products that I use every day.

The Clearasil things are new; my skin has been playing up and I decided some action had to be taken to get it back to normal. So far - they've worked great! My skin is almost back to normal, then I can go back to my Liz Earle which is just far far gentler.

The Fadeout cream is for my scars, you have to be really careful with it though as it can sting.

I always use exfoliating gloves as I find that shower-gels lather up better and you don't end up losing half of it down the drain!

The body lotion is one of my favourites and always has been. I always have a bottle of this no matter what high end ones I have around, it's like the perfect mix between white chocolate and vanilla and so moisturising without being greasy.

Once I'm back in my room I use my everyday essentials. I alternate my deodorant, but I almost always wear Chanel Coco Mademoiselle.

I then choose an LP to listen to while I do my hair and makeup. This album is absolutely amazing, if you like old soul go and have a listen!

I really enjoy my morning routine, I find it energising and it gets me ready for the day ahead. Even if I have a bad day I know I have an hour and a half of little luxuries in the morning <3

Lea

x

Good morning lovelies!

I had a wonderful time at my skiing lesson last night and Alex has booked me in for my next one already! We got back quite late though so I had a lovely lie in this morning which will set me up for the next four days. I'm driving back to my parents home tonight to spend the weekend shopping for a couple of outfits that I need for Monday and Tuesday of next week.

Now I'm going to make some porridge with honey and berries for my breakfast and watch an episode of Sex and the City before I get ready for the day - I think I'm in the mood for a bright red/orange lip <3

Lea

x

(Image via weheartit.com)

Room Tour: Uni Edition

So this is what my room looks like after my recent trip to Ikea! I changed the colour scheme from pink to blue and the deckchair was alex's purchase, I just added the cushions and throw.

I love the finished look, it's quite beachy and definitely makes me feel ready for spring/summer :D

Now I need to finish off cleaning and get ready for Alex coming home; then I have another skiing lesson to go to tonight which I'm super excited for!

I hope you're all having a lovely day <3

Lea

x

Nose Piercing?

I was looking through some of my photos this morning and came across this (terribly posey eeek!) photo where I had my nose pierced. I always went for a tiny diamante stud as I preferred the look. Now I don't have it anymore and I'm so tempted! It hurt like nothing I've ever felt before when I had it done the first time though so I'm a little scared!

Today I'm going to clean the flat from top to bottom which isn't so fun while I'm doing it, but I love the feeling afterwards :) I might even do a little bit of baking this afternoon! What are you girls up to? Anything fun?

Lea

xxx

Boots No7 Sheer Temptation Review

On my way to Ikea yesterday I nipped into Boots to repurchase my beloved Dermablend, and received a £5 off No7 voucher when I paid. So I decided to use it there and then and chose one of their Sheer Temptation Lipsticks in the colour 07 Appeal. I've had my eye on it for a while as it's a bright orange but has a very balmy texture. When I swatched it, it came out fairly pigmented so I thought why not.

What I have to say about this lipstick is that the texture is great if you go for a lip balm kind of feel, and it delivers a nice sheen to the lips. However as you can see, the colour once on the lips almost disappears, and what is there is quite patchy. It's slightly more pigmented than that in some lights, but only marginally.

Is it worth it then? I'd say with a £5 off voucher they're great as a tinted lipbalm. But for me, the £10 price tag is ridiculous when there's practically no payoff (for this colour anyway).

I'd be interested to know if any of you have tried this range of lipsticks and what you thought of them? Are the other colours any better?

Lea

x

We're all going on a, summer holiday

Well you'd certainly think we were! Alex met me after work to help me choose a new rug and promptly fell in love with a deck chair. I'm not sure what we're going to do with said deck chair but I'm sure it'll be great fun when the weather is nice and hopefully we'll have a garden by then!

I got lots of nice things that I'll show you when I've got them all unpacked. I'm changing the colour scheme of our bedroom again, which is on rotation every 2/3 months. I have little things that I put out and I change the bedding which freshens things up every now and then :). So far it's pink, red and pink again, so this time it's something new. It's a surprise though!

What did you get up to this evening?

Lea x

I'm off to lose myself in a wonderful place..

Well.. Perhaps wonderful is a bit strong. I'm off to the Ikea candle section, which you may call me sad for, but I really like! (I also like looking at the little house things with a hotdog in hand). Im after a tall candle and potentially a plant to put next to the bedside table in our room. I think it's looking a bit bare.

This is my finished makeup look to complete my lip choice from my previous post.

I'm wearing:

Face -

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua foundation in B20

Vichy Dermablend for my scars (lightest shade)

Collection 2000 concealer in shade 1 for my under-eyes

The Natural Collection translucent powder (I swear by this)

Sleek contour kit for both a little contour and highlighting

Bobbi Brown Blush in Light Pink

Eyebrows -

Sleek Au Naturale Pallet

Elf brow set

Eyes -

MAC Sweet Lust all over lid

Expensive Pink in Crease

Sleek PPQ pallet - Barry White - as inner corner highlight

Illamasqua Precision Ink eyeliner

Avon Sexy Curl Mascara

Lips -

Lush Snow Fairy lip tint

I'll let you know if I find what I'm after!

Have a lovely afternoon,

Lea

x

Lush spring lips

I have three secret weapons for a gorgeous bright and playful springtime pout, and all of them come from the lovely land of Lush. I think this is great for both day and night as it'a not overly offensive yet still eye-

catching at the same time.

It's really easy to achieve and to be honest I'm sure most of you are familiar with the products below anyway :) I have to say that you wouldn't have to use Lush products to achieve this, you could use any brand, this is just my preferred way <3

To put it simply:

1. Erase any dead rough skin by using a Lip Scrub (this one is the Bubblegum one obviously)

2. Liberally apply a lip balm of your choice, I personally really like honey scents/tastes so this one (Honeytrap) is perfect for me.

3. Wait 5 minutes to give the lip balm time to sink in.

4. Choose a Lip Tint to suit you and dab it on your lips, I find that dabbing gives more of an intense colour pay off that swiping it would do. I'm not sure if you can get hold of Snow Fairy at the moment, but there are plenty of other lush hues to choose from, all of which leave the same gorgeous and comfortable feel on your lips.

5. Go out and wow people with your perfectly soft and colourful pout!

Do any of you own some of the Lush Lip Tints? What colours do you have?

Lea

x

Here comes the summer sun (well, soon anyway)

Pretty soon now I'll be moving into my first non-student place with Alex and I'm so excited! I'm so looking forward to being able to have nice things and not worry about people 'borrowing' them or them getting ruined. And also it's going to be lovely to have lots of space and for things organised properly. These are a few things that I'm coveting for when this time finally comes <3

Space to be able to display summery essentials that look so breezy and pretty

A wardrobe filled with satin clothes hangers and pastel whimsical hued clothes

A beautiful pair of floral heels that transforms the Stepford Wife look into something altogether more femme fatal

Simple girly jewellery that completes even the most simple outfit

Makeup and perfumes displayed beautifully, and some new additions too ideally!

A chic simple hair style that is transformed with a simple detail, (I also love the ear cuffs, so fun!)

I can't wait for summer now, I feel like it's going to be one of the most fun ones yet!

Lea

x

(images via weheartit.com)