Wishlist // Christmas Edition

It's safe to say I'm going to be easy to buy for this Christmas as there's literally three things I really want. I cannot wait for the festive season to arrive! Although I'm dreading putting the Christmas tree up, because I think my puppy Riley is going to go mad for the tinsel and baubles.

Canon EOS M - I love my Canon 500D, the quality is amazing but it's just so big. I want a camera that is compact, that I can throw in my bag without weighing it down, but still has the high quality of an SLR. It is also compatible with the Canon lenses I already own which is brilliant. It has amazing reviews and is surprisingly on the cheaper scale of the compact SLR quality cameras.

Amazon Kindle - I love books but my collection is getting out of control. I'm an avid reader so want to take a book or my iPad wherever I go, but taking around a £400 device in my bag isn't ideal. Everyone raves about how amazing Kindles are, so I think it's about time I get one. 

Olivia Burton Mini Gold Watch - This was in my Autumn Wishlist and I can't really bring myself to buy it. It's always nice to receive sentimental gifts like this for Christmas, something you can keep for years and years and will remind you of that particular time in your life.

[I'll obviously be asking for all the usual little bits like Primark PJs and socks, a Terry's Chocolate Orange & beauty gift sets]

What is on your Christmas list this year?

Wishlist // November Fashion

I have enough everyday casual clothes to last me a lifetime and with the festive party season fast approaching, it's only right that I stock up on some glitzy 'out out' attire.

Miss Selfridge Crystal Head Stone Chain - I was so close to buying this online earlier this week, but the thought of paying £3.95 for delivery put me off. If I come across it in store I will 100% be snapping this up.

Topshop Petite Sequin Crop Top - They brought out this crop top in turquoise last year and I sadly missed out on buying it. This could easily be worn with black jeans and Chelsea boots for a dinner date or with a white skirt and heels for a night out.

River Island Cleated Over the Knee Boots - I have been lusting over these boots for weeks after seeing Charlotte Fisher from Things I Do Think & Buy wearing them [I pretty much want every single thing she wears]. I unfortunately missed out on buying the ASOS KA CHING boots which were identical and only £50, so hopefully these won't sell out too quickly either!

What is on your November fashion wishlist?

Beauty // Products I Think Are Absolutely Sh*t

Some of these products have been hyped in the bloggersphere and sometimes I think bloggers can get caught up in what other people think of something and just follow the crowd. I rarely buy a product that I completely don't get on with, so I thought I'd show you the few products that I've found totally useless.

Garnier Ultimate Blends, The Sleek Restorer Conditioner - This condition goes down as the ultimate worst hair product that I have ever ever ever used. I've seen bloggers rave about it, it has 4.5 stars on Boots.com and I just cant understand why. It must have a high water content because it doesn't actually condition my hair at all, I massage it into my hair and it just disappears. I've given it half the bottle of chances to change my mind but it's just down right crap. The shampoo is okay as shampoos go, it makes my hair feel very soft afterwards which makes me think its packed to the brim with silicone and not one to use if you want a deep cleanse. The deep conditioner on the other hand is worth while, although I think it just does what I expected the conditioner to do. 

Charles Worthington Texturising Spray - This is another massively hyped product apparently comparable to the Oribe texturising spray. I do like the effects this product straight after I've used it - it gives amazing volume and texture to the hair. HOWEVER, I have personally found that this isn't a brush out product. My hair the day after using this was like I'd been dragged through a bush backwards. It felt gross, sticky, coarse and only a good shampoo would restore my normally shiny-tangle-free hair. My hair is lucky if it gets 2-3 washes a week and using this product means I'd have to wash it every day. 

Fake Duo Clear Eyelash Glue - This is a warning more than a 'Product I Think is Absolutely Sh*t', because the real-deal Duo eyelash glue is my holy grail. I usually find eBay quite a reliable source to buy from, however recently I bought a tube and from the get go I knew it was a fake. Firstly, you had to cut off the end of the tube to get the product out - with real Duo this is not the case. Secondly, the product inside was thin, watery and smelt like false nail adhesive which is quite worrying. And lastly, the overall packaging was reminiscent of the crappy lash glue you get free with eyelashes. It was only £2.69 and I insisted that the seller give my money back, despite the fact they still claimed it was real - clearly not.

[I purchased a genuine 14g tube from Feel Unique and thought I'd show you a comparison to the fake]

Do you agree with any of my disappointing products?

Wishlist // November Beauty

My car broke down a few weeks ago, it was worst case scenario and it's cost me a bomb. Ever since I've been super sensible and restrained when it comes to shopping. Because of this, there's only a few things I really want this month when it comes to beauty.

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in Nude-ist - This is provoked by my love of the Kylie Jenner 90's nude trend at the moment. This shade 'Nude-ist' looks just that, but in a long-lasting lip lacquer [what a mouthful].

Eylure Brow Palette in Dark - I'm fast running out of my eyebrow shade in my HD Brows palette and I don't really want to spend £25 on another when I only use 1 out of 4 shades. This brow palette from Eylure looks like a good alternative and it's only £10.

Bourjois Smokey Eyes Palette in Bleu Rock - I've gone from never wearing eyeshadow, to being an eyeshadow palette fiend in the space of a year. Now I'm getting better at creating different eye makeup looks, I've also been braver with the colours I've been using. I bought this amazing turquoise/emerald green sequin skirt from Miss Selfridge recently and I can just imagine creating a mermaid green smokey eye to go with it. And this little palette from Bourjois seems perfect.

Eylure Brow Tame & Define Wax - I do love my Maybelline Brow Drama to keep my brows in place throughout the day. However, it makes my eyebrows so hard and I get conscious that they look a bit crispy. This looks easy to use and hopefully won't make my eyebrows crispy!

Whats on your beauty wishlist this November?

Fashion // Missguided A/W Haul Take #2

Check A Line Skirt - £9.99
Khaki Ribbed Long Sleeve Crop Top - £9.99
White Polo Neck Crop Top - £3.99
Dogtooth Bardot Dress - £19.99
White Croc Slipons - £16.99

I actually ended up sending back a few items from my last Missguided haul. So I used the fact I'd be getting a refund, plus 20% student discount as an excuse to order some more stuff. Summer has always been my favourite time of year, but this year I am dying for it to get colder as A/W14 fashion is to die for.  

My hunt for basic pieces is still on, so I bought a couple more basic crop tops to wear with high waisted jeans at uni. I loved the floral slipons that I received in my last Missguided order so much that I bought some in the white croc print - I live in converse and vans style shoes and these were a mere £13.79 with student discount. There's a high chance I'll end up with the black croc print too!

 I also recently bought the backless dogtooth dress from Missguided off of Depop recently, I was gutted that it was way too big for me and they'd sold out of size 6's on the website. So I thought I'd sell it back on Depop and get this bardot style dogtooth dress instead. 

What are your favourite trends for this Autumn?

Lotsa Love.

Beauty // Colour Carnival Nail Polish by SEVENTEEN

Seventeen Colour Carnival in Nude: £1.99

Seventeen Colour Carnival in Coffee Nude: £1.99

Seventeen Colour Carnival in Rose Pink: £1.99

Seventeen Colour Carnival in Red: £1.99

I used to be a nail polish fiend, but gave up buying them when every single one seemed to chip on me within a matter of hours. I've bought Essie, even forked out £11 for a single OPI polish and hands down these new £1.99 beauts from Seventeen are the best I have ever used. I initially picked up 'nude' as it was cheap as chips and I barely own any Autumn/Winter appropriate shades. But when I used it for the first time I realised how truly amazing it was.

COLOUR CARNIVAL is just that! A carnival of amazing nail colours in gloss, matte, satin, shimmer & glitter shades!

It passed the first test of applying opaquely in two coats and then passed the second test of it not chipping within an hour of applying. Another way I know a nail polish is really amazing is if it lasts through a night out [ridiculous I know]. God knows how, but after a night out I usually end up with mostly chipped nail polish if not the whole lot completely gone and low and behold it was still on my nails.

Me and my friends went to the student night at Lakeside shopping centre and they had 10% discount in boots, so I bought Coffee Nude, Rose Pink and Red. And some how the 3 polishes came to £4.30 which in my books is an amazing deal.

I'm concerned that they are so cheap as an introductory price, so I may have to go and stock up on some more colours. [Since writing this post a few weeks ago, I have in fact bought 3 more!]

Have you tried any of the Seventeeen Colour Carnival nail polishes? 

Beauty // Kylie Jenner 90's Nude Lip

Rimmel Lip Liner in Spice - £2.99

Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick in 08 - £5.49

L'Oreal Color Riche Lipstick in 320 - £6.99
Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in Asia - £4.99
Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey - £6.99

Natural Collection Lipstick in Biscuit - £1.99

I just couldn't help but jump on the Kylie-Jenner-90's-nude-lip bandwagon. The controversy/buzz around Kylie Jenner's lips has been everywhere recently. I love the Kardashians, so I'd like to hope that Kris Jenner hasn't allowed her 17 year old daughter to get lip fillers, but to be honest I think she probably has. However, despite it being revealed that Kylie uses Mac's Soar lip pencil and Velvet Teddy lipstick to achieve the illusion of fuller lips, I was determined to dodge the high-end prices and search for some high-street equivalents.

Rimmel Lip Liner in Spice - This product has been the key to achieving this look. It's compatible with all of the lipsticks and can be worn alone for as a long lasting matte lipstick. After watching Pixiwoo's video, the way to over line your lips to make them look fuller - without looking like a clown or a drag queen - is to slightly over line the center of the bottom and top only. I have found that this technique really does work!

Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick in 08 - This has swiftly become one of my all time favourite lipsticks. I recently went clubbing where I lost this lipstick, my phone, my bag and my dignity consecutively throughout the night - and the first thing I did the next day was repurchase this lipstick [getting my priorities in order clearly haha]. This is more on the pinky scale of 90's nude, but is that perfect 'your lips but better' shade that you can throw on if you're in a rush. 

Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in Asia - I bought this after a Youtubers recommendation but I can't remember who. This is my least favourite, as I think it would suit paler skin tones or those with less pigmented lips. Because it's a lighter colour than my lips, I can make this work by covering my lips with the remainder of foundation on my brush and then applying it. 

L'Oreal Color Riche Lipstick in 320 - I recently had an interview in London for a luxury beauty brand recruiter and I'm proud to say I got the job! But after the interview I had 2 hours to kill before my new job's induction. I was in an area of London where there weren't any big shops to waste some time in, but I came across a little Boot's [possibly the oddest boots I've ever been in]. I couldn't work out whether this was a new shade or from a new collection because it was on offer, however it is the perfect 90's nude. It's very similar to the Kate Moss lipstick yet it's slightly more glossy.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey - If you aren't brave enough for the over-drawn lips, but love the 90's nude trend, then this product is for you. It's the perfect dark nude colour, but sheer, easy to apply and easy to maintain. This has been a firm favourite of mine over the last few years and it's soon to be the first lip product I have ever used up. 

Natural Collection Lipstick in Biscuit - Last but not least is this gem from Natural Collection. It's the cheapest by a long shot and my favourite 90's nude. It's a brown toned nude and is a match made in heaven with the Rimmel 'Spice' lip liner. They have a 2 for £2.50 offer on Natural Collection so me being me bought another 2 of this lipstick [you never know, they might discontinue it, or I might lose one on another embarrassingly drunken night out] 

[I'm aware in these photos all the lipsticks look very similar, but in real life I promise they aren't!]

Hopefully this post has inspired some of you to try out the 90's nude lip and shown you that it's achievable on a tighter budget. If you have any suggestions of some Kylie Jenner inspired lip products then please let me know! I'm always on the hunt for more lipsticks and liners. 

Outfit // Knee High Hopes

H&M Gingham Swing Dress - £12.99

Topshop Biker Jacket - £58

Topshop Knee High Socks - £4

Zara TRF Boots - £29.99

H&M Elephant Necklace - £3.99

Seventeen Colour Carnival Nail Polish in Red - £1.99

It's officially winter. Freezing outside and it's pitch black by 5pm - I'm yearning for Summer to return! I wore this outfit a couple of weeks ago for the Horns premiere in Leicester Square but with tight's instead. These Zara boots have been the buy of the season for me; they are amazing quality and I love the cut outs and cleated sole detail. I was determined to get a photo with my puppy Riley and I literally had to chase him round the garden to catch him - he wasn't too happy about it!

Wishlist // Autumn Edition

Zara Fast Food Tee - £15.99

Topshop Floppy Hat - £28

H&M Khaki Bomber Jacket - £29.99

Olivia Burton Gold Watch - £70

Newlook Reversible Tartan Scarf - £7.99

Zara Fashion Code Tee - £12.99

Ebay Croc Wellies - £11.99

Zara Good Vibes Only Tee - £12.99

Timberland Black Boots - £160

 I have given my wardrobe a serious clear out over the last month. I'm a pretty impulsive person so I tend to just buy things without really thinking about whether I even like or need them and months-years later realise it still has the tag on it and it's totally not my style. 

I've gone back to basics and seen as Autumn and Winter is all about being comfy and cosy. Graphic tees are so in this A/W and are as basic as it gets. Compatible with jeans, trousers, leggings, skirts and shorts they are a staple in my wardrobe and Zara has an abundance of styles with quirky quotes on them.

Bomber jackets are on trend this Autumn and Autumn fashion wouldn't be the same without khaki. & The Timberlands are pretty much an item I want but definitely can't afford and don't really need right now but I just love them so much!

You know you're getting old and boring when a basic pair of black wellies are on your wishlist haha! Since getting my beautiful little puppy Riley, I'm constantly drudging through muddy fields and I need a new cheap pair of black wellies. I own Hunters which despite being ridiculously expensive, when they get muddy it erodes the gloss off them - not sure if I have a faulty pair but last years trip to Creamfields took them from glossy to matte and I can't bare to ruin them any further.

Olivia Burton watches seemed to have taken the UK bloggersphere by storm this year and I'm in need of a gold watch. I'm completely over the huge Michael Kors watch trend and these bracelet style mini watches from Olivia Burton are right up my street.

My wish for a floppy hat has definitely been inspired by watching Zoella's vlogs. Whether one would suit me or not I have no idea, but they really chic up an outfit. I definitely don't need another scarf to add to my ridiculous collection, but I love the concept of the reversible scarves that are popping up in highstreet stores. The one I've added to my wishlist is from Newlook, but I saw in Bethan Grace's recent Youtube video that they have an almost identical one in Primark for £6!

Whats on your Autumn wishlist?

Beauty // New Real Techniques 'Nic's Picks' Limited Edition Brushes

Real Techniques 'Nic's Picks' Limited Edition Brushes - £20 Superdrug

A while ago I went to a student night at Lakeside shopping centre with my friends Aimee and Katie. We went into Boots and spotted these Limited Edition 'Nic's Picks' brushes from Real Techniques. I wanted to buy them SO bad, but the £29.99 price tag was just ridiculous considering I already own about 30 makeup brushes. A few days later, I went back to Lakeside with my friend Ruth and went for a browse round Superdrug and to my amazement they had piles of these brushes for £20! Knowing I'd get 10% discount with my NUS card I grabbed one without a second thought.

I'ts safe to say I love every single one of these brushes. I use the eyeliner brush for my eyebrows, it's so tiny and precise and even my 83 year old Nan commented how good my eyebrows looked after using it. I'm yet to own any Real Techniques eyeshadow brushes, [I'm saving my Boots points to buy the set and I'm only 42 points to go!] so these two fluffy shadow brushes are a welcome addition to my collection. The cheek brush has replaced my kabuki brush to apply my blush; it's literally the perfect size to apply blush in one swipe across the cheekbones. And finally the duo-fibre face brush was the one that I didn't think I'd get much use out of, however like the box describes, it's great for applying powder. I find that the Real Techniques Powder Brush applies my Mac Studio Fix Powder a little too heavily, but this applies the perfect amount without looking cakey.

Duo-Fibre Face Brush:

for lightweight application + blending of face powders or pigments.

Cheek Brush:

evenly applies makeup across cheekbone for a more dramatic finish.

Angled Shadow Brush:

perfectly cut for layering eye shadow in the crease.

Base Shadow Brush:
applies a smooth, flawless foundation of colour.

Eyeliner Brush:

firm, angled head for optimal control along lash line.

Riley, my little un-helper giving my brushes a little chew in between photos. 

I would really recommend these brushes to any Real Techniques lover, or even a makeup beginner who wants to start a brush collection. Definitely try to find them in Superdrug for £20, as I think the £29.99 price tag in Boots is a little extortionate.