Brun

I felt so chic when I realised that my friend's dog matched my coat. I may have to steal him. Ha!


Coat: New Look
Boots: Firetrap

Mega Love xx

Go Wild

I find myself venturing into the animal print world more and more these days. Picked this bodycon dress up in Topshop the other day; it is killer. Wore it with massive strappy black sandals and a patent black clutch; amazing party outfit!



Mega Love xx

Carmine Beauty Box 2

So after the massive success of last month's Carmine Beauty Box, I was greatly anticipating this month's arrival, in the hope that it would live up to my expectations! In rolls the 'Celebrity Box'! The 5 products were equally up to par in terms of getting 3 full sized, and 2 samples (pretty incredible considering the box is only £10!!) but personally I wasn't as in awe as I was over the first box. That being said, I am still very, very pleased with the contents, and really enjoyed the idea that all products are somehow related to a celebrity, 'from Nicola Roberts to Lulu to Bono and Adele'!










                                                                                  (L-R: eyeliner, lipstick, brow ink)

1. First up is LULU'S Time Bomb (15ml sample): This flashback night cream claims to rewind time while you sleep; not sure I will get much use out of it only being 21, but I may give it to my Mama for a trial!

2. NEOM LUXURY ORGANICS Organic Body Lotion (50ml sample): this luxurious lotion is packed with lavendar, jasmine, basil and more, and quite honestly smells and feel divine!

3. NEW CID i-Pout Lipstick (full sized): This comes in the colour 'Belle' (1302) and is a gorgeous every-face-friendly- pinky/peach. The novelty is that there is a mirror on one side of the lid, and a light on the lipstick barrel - the idea is that you can apply your lipstick even in the dark! You've got to hand it to them, it's a pretty new and fun idea! The texture is really creamy and moisturising, but that also comes with the drawback in that it isn't particularly long-wearing. I personally wouldn't have chosen this colour myself, but I'd be intrigued to check out the rest of their range!

4. COSMETICS A LA CARTE Brow Ink (full sized): Carmine sent me a quick survey on the colour of my brows a few weeks ago so that they could personalise this product just for me. This 'felt-tip' like pen is able to add soft definition to your brows by allowing you to draw on individual hairs, adding texture and thus making brows look more natural than if you were to use a standard pencil liner or shadow. This was the product I was most pleased with :)

5. DAINTY DOLL Eyeliner Pencil (full sized): This teal eyeliner in 004 'Shake your tail feather' from Nicola Roberts was a big disappointment. The colour is gorgeous, but its very dry and hard to work with. After being spoiled, I guess, by the Urban Decay 24/7 liners for so long, this is just so unpleasant to use.

So did I still get extreme value for money with this box? COMPLETELY. And was I happy with what I received? DEFINITELY. Just because all of the products weren't exactly what I would normally go out and buy for myself doesn't mean I was displeased by this box. I would still thoroughly recommend checking Carmine out, and signing up to try out products that just may pleasantly surprise you!

Mega Love xx

Best nail polishes ever?

I have a pretty decent amount of nail polish in my collection, but surprisingly had never tried Revlon before!....until last week that is :).

I was wandering through Boots, as you do, and noticed a '3 for 2' offer in the Revlon section. I was looking for another neutral beige/grey, and my eyes were instantly drawn to Smoky Canvas, a new polish out for Autumn. I spied Minted too, which I instantly began obsessing over, and finally picked up Facets of Fuchsia, another popular polish out for the Fall. I have yet to try the latter, but the other two are AMAZING in consistency, wear, and colour, and I just wanted to share my pleasant surprise and recommendation!

Smoky Canvas is the perfect combination between a taupe and a beige. It makes my hands look and feel well-put-together, and is definitely going to be a staple for me throughout the season. This one was opaque in two coats.


Minted may not exactly be the most Autumnal colour, but I absolutely adore it, and have had a rediculous number of compliments whilst wearing it. It is so fun and fresh and really suits my skintone. This one is definitely thinner than smoky canvas, so required three coats. Doesn 't bother me though! Each coat dried super quickly. And to be honest with you, I tend to prefer thinner polishes; they dry to a smoother finish than thick, gloopy ones.


So I can definitely tell you that I will be picking up more polishes from Revlon; I have been super impressed! The quality is 100% comparable to China Glaze or OPI in my opinion, but at around £6.49, they are definitely cheaper. So with that being said, I now suggest you run along to your nearest Boots and take advantage of that 3 for 2 offer while it lasts!

Mega Love xx

Fear not life's great mysteries!

I wanted to post about something that has been buzzing about my mind, heart, and soul a great deal lately. That being the subject of change.

I grew up moving all over the world due to the nature of my parents' work, so pretty much from birth I was used to always being the 'new girl' in class, learning the route to school from my new house, and having to be bold and make friends. Fast-forward to now and I am so, SO glad to have had that experience. It completely moulded me into the person I am today, how I tend to approach things with an open mind, and most importantly a positive attitude! If I hadn't lived in those places, I never would have met the people that I call my best friends today, seen the sights that literally take your breath away, and seen people living with literally NOTHING, but still rocking a smile, whilst others (in this country for example) complain about how 'miserable' their lives are - pffft!

I'm in my final year of uni, and I no longer intend to pursue the career that I fully had my heart set on when I began. It took me a while to admit that to myself, let alone everyone else. I had always spoken badly of people that went to university and left to do something completely different afterwards. Now, I'm one of them. The thing is, you cannot anticipate or deny the sugar and spice that happens during your time at university, the person you grow into, and the people that will change your life. And it is nothing to be ashamed about: simply admitting that you are now no longer the person you were when you started your degree. You should look at it as a beautiful thing - I do!

So whilst yes, I am finding it a little harder to concentrate on my course, as the passion I once had for it has dimmed, I see it as this great obstacle that I must prove to myself I can overcome! Two years complete, it would be a waste in my eyes personally, of time and money to simply drop out, with no plans lined-up. And who knows, in a few years time I could change my mind again and be a keen bean again! Life passes by so quickly, and many people unfortunately waste their time doing something they just don't enjoy. So although it is scary to pursue a dream others may consider 'unrealistic' or 'silly', it is better to end up broke and back at the bottom of the ladder than spend all your days wondering what might have been - never able to rewind time and try again. I am one of lucky ones out there, having met the love of my life at university. Whatever happens afterwards, if all employment opportunities in the immediate future go down the plughole, at least I will have the most important thing to me there when I come home. When you find that somebody, NOTHING in the world is worth letting them go!

The first step is being honest with yourself. Listen to your gut instinct and fuel that little jumping bean in your heart that wants - like a child on Christmas morning to open his or her presents - to make those dreams come true!

I wish that all your dreams come true :)!

Mega Love xx

Best hair tool EVER

MY HAIR: If I leave my hair to dry naturally, it has a nice wavy texture - nicer still if I sleep on it wet. However, as I shower in the mornings, that's just not possible. If its the summertime and warm out, I'll wash my hair and just let it air dry down or up in a bun, but in the Winter time, when I cannot possibly subject myself to the near-death feeling of leaving the house early in the morning with wet hair, I blow dry it.

The blow drying process leaves it more on the straight side, with a few not-so-pretty kinks. I've tried the whole 'curl your hair with straighteners' thing, but just found it a bit rubbish and time-consuming if I'm honest. SO in walks the Babyliss Waving Wand! I had heard quite a bit about this clamp-free waving tool, but didn't want to spend the money if it wasn't any good. HOWEVER, I popped into my local Boots the other day and found it to have £10 off! The offer is on for a while, with the product for sale at just £20!






USE: The next morning I pulled it out the box, had a quick look over the instructions, as you do, and got rolling! Heat protectant already applied, glove on one hand and the tool in the other (obviously the glove is there for the hand that is doing the wrapping of hair around the wand, thus preventing burnt fingers!) All in all it took me about 10 minutes to get my hair curled and glorious! Pretty fantastic if you ask me!

The smaller the section of hair you use, the tighter the curls are going to look. If you're in a real rush, take big sections of hair and wrap them around for a lightly waved effect, or if you're going for a bit more of a glam look, take 1-2inch sections and then comb them out with your fingers when you're all done, finishing off with some hair spray.

STATS: The wand is oval-shaped and about 1inch wide. There is an on/off button and heat settings: 155 degrees celsius, 170, 185, and 200. I have mine on 185. Very importantly, the part where the cord attaches to the wand rotates as you turn it around during styling, so as not to cause kinks and breakage of the wire!

SUMMARY: 100% in love. You need this in your life if you like curls and waves!

Mega Love xx

Halloween Episode 3: The Finale

I hope those of you that celebrate Halloween had a fantastic time yesterday! I know I sure did, at a fantastic party, dancing the night away :).
I decided to go as a raven this year. I picked up this stunning dress in New Look (which I would TOTALLY wear on any night out, but instantly thought of a potential Halloween costume when I saw it!). The make-up is inspired by Black Swan; hair is in a massive faux hawk; contacts are green elf eyes.
My lovely bestie was a leopard :)






Mega Love xx

Halloween Episode 2

So the outfit fun continued into the evening! Hair and make-up a tad more pin-up this time. All that needed to be added to the mixture was a hot little red dress!



More to come tomorrow! Mega Love xx

I wear pearls and red lipstick.

Halloween is my JAM! Any excuse to dress up and be someone else for the day is always good fun! Today I have to dress up for work, so I decided to go with a 1950's housewife:




More to come, with my REAL halloween costume on Monday :) eep!

Mega Love xx

Carmine Beauty Box!

After FleurDeForce's great review of her first Carmine Box, and a subsequent '£5 off your first box' offer she had for her viewers, I decided to give it a try. What better way of finding out about new beauty products out there than signing up to a box that hand-picks a great selection of luxury samples and full-sized products for you?! I was AMAZED by the contents of this box. Definitely, DEFINITELY worth (much) more than the £10 (+ £2.75 delivery) it retails for!



The box is beautiful quality and incredibly luxurious. The packaging is very stiff so it is a bit tricky to open, but the top lifts off to reveal a gorgeous green inside, filled with lots of goodies!








                                                                (L-R: Fratboy, Peach)

1. TRIND Nail Repair Natural. This is a full-sized polish bottle that aims to strengthen nails. My nails are always breaking and peeling, particularly in the Winter, so I'm excited about trying this out.

2. CAUDALIE Vinosource Quenching Sorbet-Creme for dehydrated skin. This looks like it is going to be a big help this Winter, with my dry, sensitive skin. It contains no parabens or phenoxyethanol, is hypoallergentic and especially made for sensitive skin. Luxury sample of 10ml.

3. DANIEL SANDLER Eye Delight in 'Peach'. This loose powder eyeshadow is a gorgeous shimmery peachy/gold that is definitely the shadow you need for days when you just want a pretty wash of colour across the lid. The perfect shade to take you through Spring and Summer..though I'll be rocking it this Autumn too :)! Full size product of 3g.

4. BALANCE ME Super moisturising hand cream. Definitely on the greasy side, but the trick to this is apply some from the tube onto the back of one hand, then rub the other back of your hand onto it (this way avoiding the product getting onto your palms!). 98.8% natural, contains no parabens, sulphates, petroleum, mineral oils, silicons, dea, pegs, propylene glycol, artificial fragrances and colours - WOW! A great handbag size at 30ml.

5. THE BALM Fratboy Shadow/Blush. I saved the best for last! A full sized gorgeous blush (not too sure I'd use it as a shadow...) at 8.5g. Very cute retro packaging with a flip top and a handy mirror inside. The colour is a rosy pink with a slight peach tone to it. Very pigmented and incredibly smooth in texture. I'm still so amazed that they put this in the box! Amazed and over the moon :)!

All in all, I don't think I could have asked for a better box of goodies! I am so pleased and would highly recommend Carmine; just hoping all boxes to follow are of the same beautifully high standard.

Mega Love xx

Stuck in a moment

Stuck in a moment....
Now, this could be a good thing, or a bad thing. If you're at a good point in your life, you will want it to last forever, but if you're going through what I refer to as a stressful 'trial period' then you'll quickly be wishing it on its way out the door!

I'm in my third year of uni, doing a marine biology degree that at times makes me want to curl in a ball and never get up again. First year, I took myself way too seriously and didn't allow much time for fun. Result: I did really well, but didn't make many memories or friends. Second year rolls along, I made a million and one friends, let my hair down and partied. Result: Didn't do my personal best (still did well though), but made too many memories to even begin to count. Also, found the love of my life :).

Year two merged into three, with dissertation work over the summer and I felt like I just haven't had a break. I work my booty off, and still feel like I'm falling further down the 'work' spiral. If the jump from year one to two is a kick up the bum, year two to three is a catapult into space. NO JOKE. [I always used to think third years made it sound so dramatic, and thought they were feeling a tad sorry for themselves, but no... they weren't lying!]

HOWEVER, in my moment of lounging on my bed, part-working, part-feeling sorry for myself, part-online shopping, part-email replying, I had an epiphany! Life is a serious of ups and downs. The easier, fun times WILL come back again, but til then its a case of work hard, play harder! I would like to share with any of you uni-goers my tips for getting things on track. AKA the path to success!

1. DO NOT WORK ON YOUR BED: If you're in halls or a student house, you almost definitely have a desk. It may be covered by junk, but move them and get your butt infront of it! This is crucial if you want to train yourself to associate desk: work and bed: relax

2. DON'T SPEND WORK TIME BEING HALF-ARSED: If you have set aside time to work, actually do it. Don't type a little, then check facebook, then type some more, look at Topshop.com! you need to set aside a few hours to get your head in there and work hard, then eventually when the time is up, say to yourself 'I'm done, I will now do as I please'.

3. IF IT IS RELAXATION TIME, ACTUALLY RELAX: What I mean is, if it's a night out, or a coffee meet-up with friends, try your best not to moan about how stressed you are with work or how you feel it is never going to end. Talk about other hobbies or interests that you may have forgotten about! Also, don't worry about work, or make 'to do' lists when you should be having chillax time

4. MAKE TIME FOR SOMETHING YOU LOVE: It may feel like you never have any time for anything, but it is important to find a hobby that you love, and make time for it. I love exercise - I think its the best way to destress and feel good about yourself, so I've just joined a gym with my friend to keep up with the jogging etc. when it is cold and rainy this winter. (Student gym fees are often verrrrry affordable!). ALSO, I plan on getting back into knitting...I'm feeling some delicious cable jumpers will be cropping up in pictures soon! :)

5. GET ENOUGH SLEEP: Whilst I realise this is a slightly absurd thing to preach to a student, I mean it! Have your night or two out a week (probably more if you're a Fresher), but the rest of the time, get your sleep. Oh, and a good breakfast helps the day run a tad smoother.

I really hope this helps! If you've got any of your tips for a less stressful life, whatever you do whether it be studying, working, or parenting then please comment below!

Mega Love xx

One fine day.

I'm loving socks and sandals. There was a time that I never thought I would utter those words...



Go on, give it a go!

Hat - New Look
Jumper - New Look
Shorts - DIY
Socks - New Look

Mega Love xx

Fancy A New Look?

Happy Autumn! I love sunny Autumn days more than almost anything :D!

Head to ankles: New Look
Shoes: Sugar

Mega Love xx

Take on that chill

A couple days ago I was on my way to work and thought, for the first time this season, 'ooh! cold!'
It took me a wee bit by surprise to be honest. Today has been a big milder, but windy and drizzly. I yanked out the old leather jacket, and feel Autumn is really here :)


Jacket - Topshop (Last year)
Sweater - New Look
Scarf - Some market somewhere haha
Shorts - DIY
Boots - New Look

Now out for Thai food.. nom nom nom :D!

Mega Love xx

Beautiful Cornwall

I headed to St. Ives with the boyfriend and his family for a few days to check out the sites. Being the foodie I am, the fresh Cornish seafood and ice cream (pistachio, my favourite!) on offer were perhaps the greatest highlights! Haha...

St. Ives is a beautiful seaside town, and we had a lovely time checking out the cute little shops and paddling in the freezing English sea.

We also headed to St. Michael's Mount on the south coast. I visited Mont. St. Michel a few years ago and was curious to see how this 'daughter foundation' (or English extension) compared. The weather was the same for both visits (drizzly and cloudy), but Mont. St. Michel had a much greater presence about it. After all, it is much larger and more atmospheric. That being said, St. Michael's Mount was still a beautiful place to visit, and the wade back from the island to the mainland at low tide was definitely a fun little trek! The grounds are incredible, and on a clear day, the view from the top must be stunning.
Mega Love xx