The Clothes Show Live 06/12/2014 Birmingham

On Saturday I went to my first Clothes Show and I absolutely loved it! The hustle and bustle of people grabbing bargains before and after was very exciting and the show was brilliant.

The show itself was even more entertaining than I expected with brilliant dance performances and clothes that took my breathe away - one of my favourites being the fairy/princess dress in picture 2, that is a dress that any girl would kill to be able to wear. I kind of wished that the show had lasted for more than it did as I was gutted when it ended.

All of the stalls outside of the show was amazing. I was mesmerised by the amount of big beauty brands that were there; Rimmel, Barry M, Model Owns, Helen E and Bare Minerals! I stupidly took only £40 with me and I spent every penny. I bought four goodie bags; 2 Rimmel London (one Kate Moss collection and one Rita Ora collection), Barry M and Helen E. I was expecting them to be rubbish goodie bags but the stuff inside was brilliant! In the next couple of weeks you'll see me post reviews of the products but I'll let you know if I bought them at the Clothes Show or not!

I absolutely loved my time at The Clothes Show Live and I will definitely be going back again!

First impressions of Benefit's They're Real Push Up Eyeliner

First things first, I just want to apologise about the quality of the pictures that I have been uploading recently. I am at uni and I have left my camera at home so I have been having to take the photos on my iPhone which as you know, isn't brilliant quality. So, sorry for that!

Next thing, I want to put out there that this product is a freebie that I got in ELLE magazine this month which means that this product may not be a true representation of the real thing. That means that my views of these may be different than if I had the full product.

Now that's done, lets get on with it...
It took me a while to figure out how this eyeliner actually works, but then I realised that you have to squeeze the gel through the hole at the top using the 'squeezy' pads. As said above, it was a magazine freebie meaning that this is a small product so when trying to apply it for the first time, I really struggled. The product was really small that I couldn't get a good grip (something that I'm hoping you won't get if you get the real thing) so this meant that I didn't apply it brilliantly to start with.

I sometime found huge lumps come out of the tube at once which will either smudge across your eye or just fall off - I have watched a lot of vlogs about this product (the full item) and it shows that I am not the only one with this issue.

However, I finally got used to applying it and it seems that across the eyelid it's quite easy to apply, but it's quite difficult trying to make a 'cat flick', but this may only be because of the size of the applicator. I also found that sometimes the gel would chip off leaving parts of my eye that is unlined. Throughout the day, I found the gel smudging, chipping and moving across my eye which made look slightly Panda-esqe. I would come back at the end of the day to find that the eyeliner is not how I made it look.

However, the gel itself is jet-black and a brilliant colour for eyeliner. The look of it is somewhere in between liquid and pencil - it stays put a bit longer than pencil but it also looks softer than liquid,

I never thought that I wouldn't like this product as it's Benefit and I'm hoping that it is just because I have a freebie. If you have the proper product, comment below and let me know what you think as I'm really hoping that it's actually amazing!

The Body Shop Pomegranate and Raspberry Home Fragrance Oil

Some of you may know I am obsessed with candles and oil burners. I got my first oil burner for Christmas last year and ever since I haven't stopped using it. A couple of months ago I bought a new oil fragrance from The Body Shop in Pomegranate and Rapsberry.

First things first, I have had 4 of these oils and I can say that they last a reasonably long time to think of how much I use it. The fragrances are always distinctive and always leave a lasting smell in my room. This particular fragrance is very strong and sweet so I wouldn't recommend it to anyone to likes a natural and low-key smell to their homes. Luckily, I'm someone to can handle a strong fragrance and this oil has a flowery,fruity smell that compliments a sunny day!

Another brilliant thing about The Body Shop oils is that only two or three drops is needed for a long-lasting burn, which makes it last even longer! The bottles are also made to help control the amount of oil that comes out - instead of tipping it out and using more than you'd like, it comes out drop by drop to make it easier and hassle-free to use.

The Body Shop Home Fragrance Oils are £4 each bottle, however in my personal opinion, they are completely worth it. I have tried other, cheaper fragrance oils before and they're just not the same. The smell isn't a strong, they don't last as long and they normally come in smaller bottles. I am completely in love with all four fragrances that I have got and will definitely carry on buying oils from this shop.

My skincare favourites

Recently, piles of work and visits home have meant that I've really neglected my skin quite a bit and I can't remember the last time I moisturised! So I've decided to give my skin a bit of TLC tonight and get my skin routine back to normal! So while we're on the subject, here's a few of my favourite skin care products of all time.

Soap & Glory's Heel Genius: I have posted about this one recently I have a lot of love for this foot cream. It gives moisture and repairs cracked and damaged skin, as well as drying quickly. For best results, I put this on just before I go bed and put some cotton socks on (which are normally taken off half way through the night) for noticeably soft feet in the morning.

LUSH's Grease Lightning: Another brilliant product that actually works (most of the time). I have noticed recently how some spots just don't budge with this, however all the others are gone in a flash.

The Body Shop Mango Body Butter: My favourite moisturiser of all time! It's mostly for the winter/colder days as it's quite thick and not really something I can handle throughout the summer. The smell is irresistible and gives moisture for days.

Simple Vital Vitamin Day Cream: I have had a lot of problems in the past with my skin and I was told to use aqueous cream by the doctor. After months of using it (and repairing my skin) I wanted to use a 'normal' moisturiser and wanted to get one that will be the kindest to my sensitive skin. I am a massive Simple Skincare fan and this moisturiser has done everything I wanted it to and so far has been kind to skin.

L'Occitane Hand Cream: I've never been a big hand cream fan but since the cold weather and hard working days, my hands become cracked and dry quite easily and this beautiful vanilla smelling cream does wonders for my damaged hands.

Soap & Glory's The Scrub Of Your Life: Like most other S&G products, this exfoliating shower gel does exactly what it says on the tin (bottle) and removes any dead skin and leaves the rest of my skin feeling soft and smooth for days. The smell is gorgeous and unlike some others, the 'bits' in the gel washed off easily.

The Body Shop Overnight Serum-In-Oil: Another one of my all-time favourite beauty products. A brilliant overnight serum that works wonders while you sleep. It replenishes my skin and makes my skin have a certain glow that I love. It kills dry skin and enhance moisture.

L'Occitane En Provence Vanilla Bouquet Hand Cream Review

Before recently, I've never really been one for hand creams. I grew up with my mum constantly having a hand cream (usually Dove or Nivea) in her bag but I've never really followed suit. When I started working in a bar, I realised that my hands were getting dry and cracked, most probably because of the alcohol ruining my hands. Since then, anything tends to dry out my hands from the cold weather, cleaning and applying makeup. I was using Soap and Glory's Hand Food, but since trying L'Occitane, I don't think will go back.

I got this free from Marie Claire's November issue and I haven't really heard much of this brand before. Since first using it, I have been very impressed. I only use a small ball of this and it covers my hands, the back of my hands, fingers and wrists (on both) - and they're are really dry then I use a little bit more. I have been using this quite a lot and yet I can already tell that this small 30 ml tube will last me a long time. The cream itself is quite thin and has a silky texture which makes it a lot easier to rub into my hands. After putting cream on, some brands are quite sticky and heavy, however with L'Occitane, there's no stickiness but just moisture and a silky feeling.

I only use this once, maybe twice, a day and the moisture stays for hours. It contains 20% shea butter, which is a moisturising ingredient. The one I got was in vanilla fragrance and it smells beautiful, it's not overpowering but there is just enough vanilla to be able to smell for hours.

You can buy L'Occitane hand creams on their website: £8 for 30ml or £19 for 150ml. Remember to follow me on Twitter and on Bloglovin.

ELLE December Issue Freebie: Benefit They're Real Push-up Liner

It's the beginning of the month (kind of) which means magazine time! This month ELLE magazine have a got a brilliant freebie which I'm sure many girls will be running out to buy! It's Benefit's New They're Real Push-Up Gel Liner and I am very excited to try it!

Before getting this product I really didn't know much about it except the fact it was Benefit's new product, it's an eyeliner and in the same 'collection' as They're Real mascara. Like most other products, I like to try a sample of a product beforehand (or read blogs about a certain product) so I was very excited to buy ELLE this month - in September I also got a mini version of the They're Real mascara. However, one thing that I am a little bit sceptical about is that the smaller/mini version of They're Real Mascara is actually a little bit better than the bigger version - I'm not sure whether that's just how it is or whether it was intentional to try to get people to buy it - so I'm worried that when I do try the eyeliner, it will actually be better than if I was to buy the bigger version.

Even though I haven't tried it yet - here are my first impressions:
Looking at it, it's not what I was expecting. I thought it would be a normal pen liner but it's a gel that you have to squeeze through the pen-designed tube. It's quite a small hole so I'm guessing that it comes out quite controlled. I personally haven't had any experience using a eyeliner like this, and if I'm completely honest I'm not too sure whether there are many out there like this (if you know, comment below and tell me which ones! I'm intrigued!). I find applying my eyeliners quite easy but I'm not too sure how I am going to get on with this one, but I'm sure it will also come with time!

This was a 'first impressions' post so keep watch for another post soon on how I get on using this push-up liner for the first time!

Herbal Essences Beautiful Ends Shampoo and Conditioner

I am a massive Herbal Essences fan - there is no other shampoo/conditioner brand like it and I refuse to use anything different since bad experiences I have had recently with other shampoos (that is to come soon). As far as the different Herbal Essences collections are concerned there are two that I keep switching between; Hello Hydration and Beautiful Ends.

As I have long hair, it's very easy for the ends to get damaged and I really do see a difference in the strength in my hair when I use this collection. I haven't used Beautiful Ends for quite a while as I have been using Hello Hydration, but recently I have come back to this one (just to remember what I'm missing out on). And I must say that where one range lacks, the other triumphs. With Beautiful Ends, it strengthens my long hair and keeps it that way until I decide to get my hair cut (whereas before I was only getting my hair cut because of my split ends). However Hello Hydration makes my hair noticeably softer than any other shampoo/conditioner range or brand I have used before. Don't get me wrong, Beautiful Ends does keep my hair soft, but when switching between the two I definitely noticed a difference - the only upside to having less-softer hair is that it's easier to style!

So basically what I'm saying is that Herbal Essences should definitely make a mixture between the two maybe a Hello Beautiful Ends collection, maybe?! Hmm.

But as far as Beautiful Ends shampoo and conditioner goes, it pretty much ticks all the boxes. Strengthens hair, reduces split ends and still gives touchably soft hair - all are big fat ticks!

Soap and Glory Hand Food & Heel Genius Review

I wrote my first ever post on this blog about Soap & Glory's Heel Genius in December. It's quite embarrassing to look back at it but it shows just how much I loved this product and since then nothing has changed.

I got the mini version of it in set S&G set for Christmas last year and it was my first experience of using a foot cream and I was completely shocked to find out how much it actually repairs your feet!

Recently I have been working a lot which means walking around endlessly in not very supportive shoes and doing that all over the summer wrecked my feet like you wouldn't believe. I had so much dead and dry skin and at some points, my feet were in pain because of the damage that was done to the skin. Soon after using this product, my feet didn't become perfect but it did help immensely. Most of the dry skin is now nourished and when I kept applying it every night, I could feel my feet becoming more and more hydrated. The dead skin was slowly going and now, after weeks of taking care of them, they are now back to how they should be!

Soap and Glory's Hand Food is not surprisingly just as good. As the weather is getting dull and colder, my hands always start to become dry and Hand Food is so light that it dries quickly, but it still keeps the moisture in my hands for hours.

As you can see, I have upgraded my Heel Genius since the mini version I was given at Christmas and I am sure there will be many more bottles that I will go through.

Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Paint and Basecoat, Top coat & Nail Hardener All In One Review

This post is actually quite late because the first/last time I wore this Barry M Gelly nail paint was in September on my holiday, but better late than never!

When I go on holiday I normally get my nails done professionally but this year I wasn't able to go so instead I wanted a really nice colour but I wanted it to last a long time as I didn't want to keep topping up my nails whilst I'm sunning on the beach. I've heard some great things about gelly nails in general but never had the chance to try them out. As you may know, gelly nails are meant to last a lot longer than ordinary nail polish as it's thicker than normal polishes. This made me really excited to try Barry M's new gelly collection which have a huge range of different colours. As I was going to be in the sun (and was trying to build up a tan) I wanted a pale yet pretty colour to enhance the tan I was hoping to get - I chose Rose Hip, a pastel/pale pink.

For someone who isn't brilliant painting her nails, I found this very easy to apply. The brush is just the right size and applies the nail paint like a dream. When applying it, the liquid seemed exactly the same to any other nail polish that I've had so I wasn't too sure about the 'gelly' element and how long they would last. However, I must say that I am extremely impressed with this product as it lasted me about 10 days or so - whilst being in the water and chlorine - without a single chip or smudge! I expect that it may have lasted a lot longer if I wasn't constantly in the pool and hot tub. The colour stayed throughout my whole holiday and didn't fade.

As well as buying the Hi-Shine Gelly nail paint, I also bought Barry M's All In One Basecoat, Topcoat and Nail hardener. Even though my gelly nails were shiny to start with, this topcoat gave it even more of a shine and glimmer than you would usually only get when going to a nail salon. Within a couple of days I could feel my nails becoming a lot stronger, even though they were constantly being in water. My nails are usually very brittle and weak, so even having a little bit more strength to them made a big difference.

I have always loved Barry M's nail range but their Gelly range has literally made me obsessed. Eventually, I would love to have all the colours of this range and at £3.99 it won't take long (or much money) for me to start my collection. I have already purchased a second colour called 'Lychee' (nude) which I am wearing now and which I have fallen in love with!

Lush Grease Lightning Spot Treatment Product Review

As you can probably tell by my last post, I have been getting a lot of spots recently which means constantly covering them up with makeup. Over the past couple of months or so I have been seeing many people blogging about Lush's Grease Lightning Spot Treatment but I was always undecided about what I thought about this product. However, as I was having a lot of breakouts, I thought was the best time to try it out and figure out whether it's just a gimmick.

I am happy - and shocked - to say that this product actually works! It takes a day or so to kick in but I could definitely see some differences in the spots as they had gone down a considerable amount. I put one squeeze of this on the back of my hand and than dabbed the gel onto my spots (with clean hands) and rubbed it into place. I normally find that if I apply it in the morning, the next morning my spots are usually less visible which is very quick.

Like most products, this does have its downsides. The smell isn't brilliant (a classic Lush smell but less flowery and girl and more clinical) and after applying it, it does leave that area quite dry and stiff to move. However, I always apply moisturiser 5 minutes or so after applying this just to make my face feel fresher and smoother, If I'm completely honest, if there's just one spot that needs removing, normally one squirt of the gel is a bit too much which means that you end up putting to much on your face (which leaves me feeling slightly uncomfortable) or you have excess gel on your hands.

However, this product is fast becoming a must-have for me and I have a feeling that it will last a life time! For only 6 or 7 pound or so I am very happy with this product and it definitely is not a gimmick. Let me know what you think of this product and please follow me on Twitter and Bloglovin.

How to cover up spots

This is just a quick post today but as you can see recently, I have had quite a big break out on my chin. Thankfully, with the help of makeup I've been able to cover up my spots quite easily. Here's a quick list and guide on my spot cover up:

Products I used:
bareMinerals Primer - You must, must, must use primer when covering up spots as it keeps foundation and powder away from the spots themselves.
Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream -  This BB cream takes away some of the redness around the area and smooths over the surrounding skin.
L'Oreal 'The Foundation' - I have been using this foundation since I was 17 and have done so because it gives a brilliant cover up and coverage.
Soap & Glory Kick Ass Concealer - My favourite concealer and a another product I have been using for a long time. This covers the spots like a treat and the powder helps set the concealer as well as blending it in to the skin.
L'Oreal 'The Minerals' Powder - This is the makeup product that I have used for the longest, since I was 16! This powder gives a natural finished to my skin as well as adding extra coverage to my spot-prone area.

I understand that putting lots and lots of makeup over the top of spots isn't exactly the smartest idea but that's why primer is so important. I used all of these products the cover up my spots but I did use them in moderation - don't cake them all on! Concealer (especially this S&G one) only needs to be applied in small doses to cover up an average sized spot so there is no need to cake it on.

November Wish List: High Street Special

We're another month down which means that we're another month closer to Christmas. When thinking about this month's wishlist I had in mind things that I would like for Christmas. I have been watching many Youtube Vlogs and reading so many blogs this week and so many people are still loving high street beauty products and I am right there with them! So here is my wishlist/Christmas list of all the high street beauty products I am wanting to get my hands on.

Bourjois Cream Blush - I have just started to become a fan of blusher and I have heard many good things about cream blusher - in particular, Bourjois Cream Blush. And you maybe shocked to hear that I have never owned any Bourjois beauty products. None! I'm really excited to try this one out some time!

Sleek' I -Divine Storm Eye Shadow Pallet - Another craze that I am just beginning to love is daytime eye shadow. Now, I'm all for eye shadow for a night out but I have never really worn it during the day. I'm getting to the stage where I am getting bored of my look and want to change it up a little bit more. I have heard some brilliant things about Sleek (I have their liquid eyeliner and I love it!) and how pigmented there eyeshadows are. I have chosen the Storm pallet as there are many natural-yet-gorgeous colours in there, as well as a couple of beautiful blues.

Sleek's Contour Kit - Sleek again and another product that I have wanted to get my hands on all year. I've never properly contoured (as I haven't really had the right products) but I am very excited to see how this works. There are so many bloggers and vloggers out there who love this product and hopefully, soon I will be one of them.

L'Oreal Studio Secrets Professional Primer - L'Oreal is my favourite high street makeup brand and there's no way that any other brand will beat it. My foundation and powder are both L'Oreal and I have been using them for about 5 years with no troubles at all. I've only just started wearing primer so I have only tried one brand (bareMinerals) so I want to spread my wings a little and try other brands.

The Body Shop Honey Bronzing Powder - Nearly every time I walk in Body Shop I always find myself looking at this product and wondering what it's like - why I haven't thought to buy it before now I'll ever know. This bronzer is made with Community Fair Trade honey and is available in four different shades ranging from light to dark which makes me very happy - I am naturally quite pale so finding a bronzer that isn't too harsh for my skin tone is normally quite difficult.

Bourjois Shine Edition Lip Stick - I don't use lipstick very often but that mostly because it doesn't usually suit me, however I do like light pink colour with a touch of shine so I'm excited to try this one out.

Let me know your opinions on any of these products as I'd love to hear to them! Please also remember to follow me on Twitter and Bloglovin if your don't already.

Tips for getting big hair

I know a lot of people who hate our thin and flat their hair is. I have quite thick hair - that can get very frizzy at times - but yet still, my hair is sometimes still very flat. Over the years I have picked up, and tried, some tips that have made my hair always have volume, whatever mood it is in.

Hair-dry your hair upside down
This is the tip that I probably use the most. Without fail, I blow-dry my hair upside down every single time. Just flick your head upside down and use a brush to make sure you get every bit of your hair dry. Focus a lot of the roots of your hair as that it where most of the volume comes from. Be prepared for some lion-mane business happening when you flick your hair back, but just brush your hair back into place and you should hopefully see a difference and a bounce in your hair.

Tip for people with specific partings: Before blow-drying all of my hair, I put my hair into it's parting and dry the roots of that specific area before flicking my hair over. You should find that when you're finished, your hair should find the parting you set it in the first place.

Use a round brush when hair-drying and straightening
I would only recommend this for people with thinner hair - when I use a barrel/round brush to straighten I usually find that my hair looks more out-of-control rather than volumised. 

Pay attention to your roots when shampooing
Again, it's all about the roots. Try massaging your roots when washing your hair or even wash it up side down! Another shower tip is to put your hair up in a towel for 20 mins or so after you get out of the shower. Your hair naturally drying whilst sticking up from your head will help give volume to your locks.

Don't straighten the roots of your hair
If you can help it, try not to do this. If it's needed then give the roots a once over with the straighteners but don't focus on flattening down this part of your hair. Like said throughout this post, roots are important to the volume of your hair. Concentrate more on straitening the ends of your hair rather than the roots.

Use mousse
If all else fails, just use mousse! Make sure you get one that suits your hair type and the just apply to the roots when you have wet hair for endless volume!

Rimmel London I Love Lasting Finish - 503 No Tan Lines Here

I have quickly started to become very obsessed with Rimmel London Nail Varnishes.I wrote a post a couple of months ago on Rimmel's 60 second Rita Ora collection and I absolutely loved it.

Recently though I have been very sick of the shades that I have (leaving most of my colours at home when I moved to uni wasn't a smart idea either!) so I popped down to my local Boots the other day and had a look at what they had - originally, I was looking for Barry M as I am obsessed with their Gelly range, it stays on for weeks! But when I couldn't find it, I went to my next favourite nail varnish brand, Rimmel. Their 'I love lasting finish' collection was only £2.99(!!) so I was more than happy to snap up a colour.

Even though it's quickly turning into winter I still like to keep colour in my wardrobe (I'm not one to dress in darker colours because it's getting darker outside). I like to always keep a little bit of summer on me. So when I saw this nice pastel looking orange on the shelf I couldn't stop my self buying it.

The reason why I love Rimmel's nail varnishes so much is because the brush makes it so much easier to apply the nail varnish neatly (I know my nails aren't very neat here but I did them in a little bit of a rush - have a look at my tips to quickly neaten up your nails here).

The only thing that I was the tiniest bit disappointed in is that the colour looks a lot more pale and pastel in the bottle than it is when you put it on your nails. Not too much of a problem for me because I like bright colours on my nails, but for someone who wanted a low-key orange tint, they may not have been too please. It evidently takes longer to dry than there  second range but that's just the world of nail varnishes!

Apart from that I am very happy with the product and I am happy that my love for Rimmel London's nail collection still lives on. I hope this has helped you and I would definitely pick one of these up when you go into your local drugstore. Please remember to follow me on Twitter and Bloglovin! 

Maybelline New York Dream Fresh 8-in-1 BB Cream

I am a massive fan of BB cream. As someone with very blotchy skin, BB cream is a very big help. I have tried a couple of different ones and each are completely different from the other but still all very effective. And this one is the same.

When I first bought it I was very happy with it as I was so used to the one I have been using for the past year or so. However, after using it for a couple of months I can safely say that I am very happy with it. It does exactly what any BB cream is meant to do and covers blemishes. It gives a good coverage to my skin and smooths in perfectly with my foundation - Yes, I wear it with foundation. But that's the good thing with BB cream - especially with this one - as it can be worn instead of foundation or with foundation and because this one is tinted and gives a brilliant and glowing coverage, it is definitely safe to wear it instead of foundation!

As for the usage, I have had this since mid August and it's still going strong! I squeeze out a line of it onto the back of my hand and apply it with my fingers. It's quite thick but it spreads and evens out like a dream.

Maybelline New York Dream Fresh BB Cream is '8-in-1' so obviously it does 8 different things:
1. Creates a natural glow (Check)
2. Compliments skin tone (Check - even better than I though actually)
3. SPF 30 UV Protection (Checkish - Good, but I wouldn't use this as my only sun protection product)
4. Hydrates all day (Check)
5. Blurs imperfections (Check)
6. Oil free, non-greasy (Check)
7. Looks visibly smooth (Check)
8. Feels fresh (Check)

I've spoken about the 'coverage' quite a lot and that because I feel that this BB cream not only banishes blemishes but it also makes me look healthy, glowing and fresh. I wanted a BB cream before I went on holiday in September and I wanted one that was cheaper than ones I have been getting recently and that I could get from my local Boots. If I'm honest, I only bought Maybelline's one because it has SPF 30. Originally I was eyeing up L'Oreal's but it was a little bit more expensive and only had SPF 15 (sun safety is very important). But all-in-all, I am very happy with the outcome!

It says on the bottle that it can be used 'with or without moisturiser'. Personally, I hate putting any type of makeup on without putting moisturiser on first. I don't feel that my makeup is completely 'done' if I start without using it - it makes me feel uncomfortable and dry right throughout the day. However, if you're one of those with super-soft skin and can put this on without any moisturiser in sight, then go ahead!

I hope this has helped you and I would definitely pick one of these up when you go into your local drugstore. Please remember to follow me on Twitter and Bloglovin! 

Home decor in my University room

My University room. It's a place I am going to spend a lot of time, especially in my third year, which meant that when preparing to move back to uni I wanted to make sure my room was a comfy and cosy a possible and make it place that I love living in.

I feel that the walls in a room are very important, they can change a room from looking bare and empty, to being colourful and full of memories. I am such a family person and I miss them every minute that I'm not with them (cheesy, I know) so I love having pictures on my wall to remind me of brilliant memories I have had with my family and friends - printing them off and putting them on my wall was one of the best things of 'decorating' my new wall, look at so many past memories. And as for the canvas, "Ain't no mountain high enough" is mine, my mums and my sisters song (have you ever watched Step Mom? We love that film and the song features heavily). We sing it all the time and every time I hear it I think of my mum and my sisters - my mum came down at the weekend and actually brought me this, just a lovely little addition to my room.

The next important thing in a room? The bed. You spend half of your life in a bed so why not make it pretty and cosy? It also takes up at all of my room so by just buying a pretty duvet cover and adding (many) cushions, it makes the room so much cosier and prettier.

Other features that I love in my room are my fairy lights and my candles (I love candles). Both of these can make the room so lovely when the sun goes down. Sitting in my room at night whilst reading a magazine has never been more relaxing and comfortable.

Have you got any home decor tips or pictures? I love to hear/see them. Either comment below or contact me on Twitter.

Benefit They're Real Mascara review

I'm a massive mascara fan - if there was one makeup product that I could only wear for the rest of my life, it would be mascara. We all know that Benefit's They're Real Mascara is Britain's most loved mascara, so I am very shocked how I haven't tried this until recently.

I am very picky with the products that I use on my eyelashes, they have to be long and volumised otherwise I'm not happy. My sister is addicted to Benefit and has most of their products in her bed room, so obviously knowing how much of a mascara lover I am, she told me to get Benefit They're Real - and what better place to get it than at duty free, eh?

The verdict. I 100% understand the hype. It's a fantastic mascara that does everything that I want for my lashes. I have had others in the past that give me that little more volume, however they tend to clump my lashes together quite easily. This product is brilliant at separating the lashes as well as giving them length and volume. I also find that no matter how much I cake this on, my lashes always look natural - some mascaras can make lashes look fake, and not a good fake - a 'look-at-her-lashes-don't-they-look-awful' kind of fake.

I know I'm a bit behind the times with this one but I can't express how much love I have for this product. Benefit advise that you apply the mascara with a wiggle-motion so all of your eyelashes are covered and it also helps separate them.

How Aqueous cream transformed my damage skin

Not so long ago my skin was majorly damaged - I had to deal with insanely red cheeks and blemishes that can at times be painful. It turns out that I have a small case of rosacea, a skin condition where blemishes and redness occurs. Some days it can be like I've gone waaaaay to far with the blusher and other times it's hardly noticeable I don't particularly have it for a specific reason, that's just how my skin is. I have realised that mine usually gets a lot worse when I am under stress or upset, so as you can imagine, I noticed it was at it's worse at my exam period at University. At that time, I had no idea what it was and went to my doctors. She told me what I had and that I should apply aqueous cream twice a day, every day.

For people who don't know what aqueous cream is, it is a light and non-greasy moisturiser. It is made from very little product, which includes water, and is usually to rehydrate dry skin. (Dry skin is a result of lack of water in the outer layer of your skin cells, so if you have dry skin, products with high percentages of water will be recommended).

After a month or so I started to feel my skin improving. The burning sensations were basically a goner and I started to feel that little bit more confident about my skin. A month or so after I started to see the results of using the aqueous cream. Now, my skin is as hydrated as it's ever been and the redness and blemishes have minimised a great deal. It will always be visible but it is 95% less noticeable now than it was 6 or 7 months ago.

Tips for people who are suffering with similar problems:
1. Make sure you use a moisturiser daily, and if possible twice a day.
2. The moisturiser you do use should be free of any artificial ingredients, fragrances and alcohol.
3. Use a primer after your moisturiser but before your foundation - this will stop the foundation being applied straight onto your skin and will protect your skin from chemicals and products that may harm them.
4. Take off your makeup off every night to give your skin chance to breathe.
5. If your skin condition also gets worse in certain conditions, make sure that you apply your skin care routine all the way throughout stressful or upsetting times, even though this may be hard. If stress is what causes it, than this is the time you should be taking the most care of your skin.
6. Be careful on what you put on your face. (Again, number 3 is important).

October wishlist: Beauty

September has been a very busy month and I haven't really had much time to do anything blog-related. It's been filled with holidays, moving days, work experience and working. It's also been the month that I have been starting to think what I want for Christmas, so this month's wishlist is a little sneak peak into what is going to be a very long Christmas list.

Clinique Superbalm Moisturising Gloss: About a year ago I got a sample of Clinique's moisturising lip balm and I couldn't get enough it! The colour I got was 'passionfruit' and it complemented my look really well. I'm not a huge fan of lip colour so this was just what I wanted, a little tint of pink. And when it says Moisturising, it means moisturising! I hadn't used the sample for a while, but when using it for the first time in ages I couldn't believe that I haven't been using it more. A £16 though, it's a little expensive for someone who doesn't usually buy lip products.

LUSH Bubble Gum Lip Scrub: Another lip product. Just because I'm not a fan of lip colour doesn't mean that I don't love soft and kissable lips! I have heard many great things about this and my friend can't get enough of it! I haven't bought anything LUSH for quite sometime and I have completely forgot how amazing it smells in that shop. LUSH products are all animal-friendly (not tested on animals) and I can't wait to try this lip balm!

Technique Core Collection Brushes: In the past, I either didn't used to use makeup brushes at all or I'd use really cheap and rubbish ones. When applying my powder, I tried two different brushes (one cheaper one and one more expensive one) and I could massively tell the difference between the coverage each day I'd used a different brush. I have looked around so many different blogs, and shops and Techique seems to be a very popular choice. The Core Collection comes with four different brushes and a stand/travel case.

Benefit Majorette Booster Blush: Recently I have found myself becoming a big fan of blusher ad realising how just one makeup product can change your look entirely. Benefit's Majorette Booster Blush can be worn alone or under another blusher. It is meant to 'boost' the definition of your cheeks. It comes in a pinky-orangey colour to make your cheeks look that little bit more visible. Gorgeous.

 Bare Minerals Perfecting Face Brush: Last months wishlist contained Bare Minerals' New Liquid Foundation, but they have also released a new brush design to go with the popular product. It promises 'no-mess' foundation and works with just a squeeze of foundation. If you have the foundation, why not have the brush?! 

Beauty High Street has changed into Sophie Laura's Beauty

*MAJOR NEWS ALERT*

Beauty High Street has now changed to Sophie Laura's Beauty.

I have been umm-ing and ahh-ing for a while now whether to change the name of my blog or not, as I I'm not too fond of Beauty High Street and wanted me blog to be more 'personal'. Just to clarify, this blog isn't about MY beauty - just to put that out there. The blog will still be exactly the same but just with a new name! Tah dah! Oh yeah, my twitter name will be changing too - gulp!

Please, please, pleeeeease spread the word!