My uni house wishlist!

Hi Everyone!

Sorry it's been a while since my last blog post! I hope you enjoyed my underwater selfies last time. (they really excited me.)

I've been really busy since my last post. I've been back and forth from my new uni house, trying to get all my stuff moved in! As well as working a lot and I bought a new car! 

My new uni house is an old fashioned two bedroomed house which has a lot of quirky features. It has real potential to be really homely, so I thought I'd write a post about my uni house wishlist. I've kept the budget low for this wishlist because as much as I hate to admit it, as a student there are more important things to spend money on (rent, bills, food) but hopefully that won't matter because everyone loves a bargain right?

1. Lavender bunting- In our new house we have the cutest little wooden kitchen in a beautiful pastel yellow colour. I think that some lavender coloured bunting would look really cute with the yellow. The photo I've used is from pinterest. Since I'm a fashion and textiles student, I'd feel ashamed of myself if I didn't make my own. I do sell my bunting though and I make it to order, so let me know if you're interested in buying some! 

2. The second item on my list is a chalkboard. Since I'm going into my third year, I think it's going to be really important to be really orgaanised. I think this chalk board is really pretty and would be a lot better than me leaving scraps of paper with little reminders scribbled down, lying around. The one shown is only £9.35 from amazon, how could anyone say no? It's also available with free next day delivery for those of you lucky enough to have amazon prime! (prime only costs £39 for a year if you're a student.)

3. The third item shown is a white fur rug. Last year I lived in a four bedroomed house and I had the smallest room, there wasn't enough floor space to put a rug down, and the floor was carpeted anyway so it probably wouldn't have looked right. The one shown above is £17.99 from Argos. I have a wooden floor this year so I think a rug will make my room look really cosy.

4. No house is complete without Yankee candles! So they're number four on my wishlist. Yankee candles smell so good, and these little ones can be found online for just £5.99. It's a good idea to get the small jars if you're undecided on a particular scent, because I think the big ones are quite a commitment. (you also get to test more of them if you buy the small ones.) Try and get into a store to smell them if possible, just to make sure you make the right purchase! 

5. Every student should have a thermal mug for the walk to lectures on cold mornings! This one is so pretty for £8.95 from Amazon (and again, next day delivery is free with prime.) Who doesn't love to start the day with a hot drink? and it'll help keep your hands warm! 

I hope you've enjoyed reading my wishlist! Let me know any cute purchases you guys have made for your rooms or houses! (whether you go to uni or not) And wish me luck going into my final year!! 

Leah xoxo

P.S. Thank you to everyone who follows me! I can't believe I've made it to 200 followers!! Lots of love :) 

Budget Waterproof Makeup Review

Hi Everyone!
I'm currently sat by the pool side drafting this out in my notebook, but it'll probably be next week by the time I get the chance to post this online.

I just wanted to share a review of some budget waterproof make up I've tried out on my stay. As I mentioned, I wanted to keep the budget low for this, since I'm only away for two days, and I don't go swimming enough to justify spending a lot.

The first thing I tried was the Makeup Revolution waterproof liquid eyeliner. I'm not usually a fan of this type of eyeliner as I find the thin brush really difficult to get on with, I don't have a steady enough hand! This particular one was quite easy to apply but I found the brush quite sharp on my eyelids. The overall finish was quite good,  although it looked quite shiny on my eyelids which is not the look I usually go for.

 The second thing I tried was the MUA waterproof mascara which was £2 from Superdrug. I was originally planning to spend a little more money than this on a waterproof mascara, but I found that a lot of the more expensive brands had huge brushes which I find really difficult to use. The MUA mascara has quite a nice brush, it isn't too big and I didn't find it all gloopy over the brush, which is what I've found with a lot of waterproof mascaras.
I found this mascara really hard to put on. For the first four or five strokes I really didn't feel that anything happened. My eyelashes didn't look any different until I really went mad with it! Once I got it to work then my eyelashes did look a little bit better, but not much. I don't know if this is just in comparrison to my everyday mascara, which really shapes them and makes them look long and thick. My recomendation would be to only get this MUA mascara if you just want the colour factor. I naturally have quite light eyelashes and this mascara did help with that! Just don't expect it to do wonders for length or thickness.

Now for the fun bit! (I know you can't see my makeup that well but I'm going to include my underwater selfies anyway because they're fun!) I found that both bits of makeup did stay on well, so I really don't have any complaints there. They didn't run down my face when I came up from the water which I really thought they would, considering the price! However I don't think I'd trust them to stay on if I rubbed my eyes. I did happen to touch my eyelashes while they were still wet from the pool, and I did get some eyelash lines on my finger, but I think that's to be expected. At least under my eyes didn't go black!

My makeup before I went down to the pool.

Underwater selfie! I couldn't resist!

(please don't try this if you don't have a waterproof phone! I have the Sony Xperia Z3 compact which is waterproof!)

 

 My makeup didn't run when I came up from the water! Hooray!

Once I'd been out of the pool for about 20 minutes or so, my makeup didn't leave black marks under my eyes. Hooray!

Over all I would say that this makeup does do the job, and it definitely is waterproof, I just didn't find it anything to get too excited over! If you're looking for something that makes you look a bit more done up on the beach or by the pool, I would recommend maybe trying a more expensive brand, but these products worked fine for the couple of trips to the pool that I took :)

I hope you're all well and that you've enjoyed reading this review! :)

xo

Latest Lush Finds and Reviews

Hello Everyone,
I thought I'd do a quick little post about the latest bits I've picked up in Lush. This isn't going to be the biggest haul, so please don't be disappointed if you're expecting to see lots of things.

The first bath bomb I picked up was the 'melting marshmallow moment'. I love this bath bomb sooooo much as it just smells amazing. It was sat in my room for ages before I got the chance to use it, and it made my whole room smell so nice! I almost wanted to keep it there! This bath bomb made the bath water feel really soft and creamy on my skin (I hope that makes sense) and it didn't irritate my skin, in fact my skin felt really nice and when I got out of the bath, even before I moisturised.

The second bath bomb I picked up was the 'Honey Bee - Bath ballistic' which was the one that used to come inside Mr Bumble, if anyone  remembers him? I'm writing this as I'm on holiday so I'm not able to take a photo of him at the moment, but let me know if anyone really wants to see a photo and I'll upload one once I'm home! The Honey Bee bath bomb smelt really sweet but in a nice subtle way, it has a really homely comforting smell if that makes sense, I really liked how it smelt and felt on my skin, but I must admit, it felt a little strange getting into yellow bath water! I didn't find that the scent really lasted very well on my skin, but it did feel lovely and soft for ages afterwards. I probably would get this bath bomb again, but part of me thinks that this is because I can just picture Mr. Bumbles happy face smiling at me. The biggest downside to this bath bomb, was I found it left a lot of brown sandy stuff at the bottom of the bath tub, which didn't look too pleasant (especially when it was combined with the yellow water.)

Another little bit I picked up was the 'Tiny Hands' hand moisturiser. It basically looks like a little bar of soap and it is meant to be used the same way, just minus the water. I actually bought this for my boyfriend, so I can't really give an opinion on it, but it seems to work quite well! His hands are softer and he seems to like it! I did ask him to give me a word to describe it and all I got from him was "handy" (not funny.) It smells like insense which I didn't expect.


Finally, I picked up some of the lush, bubblegum flavoured lip scrub. Unfortunately I haven't been able to get a photo of this, but you can just Google it if you're curious, there's no shortage of reviews on this product! I absolutely love this stuff! I've been really suffering with dry lips recently and lip balm hasn't really been doing the job, so that's why I decided to give this a go. It's basically just sugar really (well, that's what it feels and smells like) It works by taking off all the dead and dry skin, which is scrubbed off as you rub in the product. The sugar granules are quite sharp and hard, so if you give this a go then please do be careful that you don't end up taking too much skin off! After using it I usually end up licking the whole lot off! I don't know if that's what you're meant to do but it tastes too good not to! I'd definitely recommend using this lip scrub but definitely invest in a good lip balm to use alongside it. 

I hope you've enjoyed this little lush haul! Feel free to recommend me any other lush bits and I'l give them a go and do another review! (If you've liked this one enough that is, haha) 

I'll be posting a review on some budget waterproof makeup at some point this week too (Underwater selfies included) so keep your eyes peeled for that! 

I hope you're all well! :)

Budget Bath Bombs

Hi Everyone!
I just wanted to share a super quick review with you all as I thought it was too good to keep to myself! 

When I'm at home and not at uni, I work as a waitress, which means, long, very busy shifts on my feet and I usually work right through the weekend. By the time Monday arrives, I'm usually completely exhausted and ache all over. This means that Mondays are usually the day I'll treat myself to a lazy day and a nice hot bath including a bath bomb. 

It goes without saying that I love love love lush bath bombs, but I do think it's becoming a bit of an expensive habit. I decided to broaden my horizons and give the Wilkinsons bath bomb range a go. 

I picked up a purple bath bomb which was called, Passion Fruit & Melon Fragrance Explosion, and I loved it! It smelt so good and turned the water purple, which really excites me. (I'm a massive child.) I have sensitive skin and I didn't find that this irritated it. My skin smelt so nice for ages afterwards (I could even smell it the next day!) I must admit, I don't find that the lush bath bomb scents last as long but they are definitely more luxurious.

Without a doubt, I will still be treating myself to Lush bath goodies again, but maybe not as often as I do now. For anyone who's looking for a cheaper way to treat themselves then I would definitely recommend the Wilkinsons bath bombs. Who could say no when they're just 95p each!?

Yet Another Primark Haul!

Hi Everyone!
I'm sure you've noticed by now that I'm a little bit obsessed with Primark!

I've recently sorted out all of my clothes, shoes and accessories, so I've had to really think twice about what I buy so that I don't end up with an overflowing wardrobe again. I thought I'd share with you the latest bits I've picked up, however, this won't be my usual big haul!

The first thing I bought was this lipstick. I really like the Primark lipsticks as I find that it lasts well and I like the matte effect. I think the gold casing makes it look more expensive than just £1.50 too! I got this one in a bright pink colour because I love how vibrant it is and I feel that it's quite an unusual shade. I'm looking forward to wearing this on summer days!

I also picked up these roll on perfumes which were only £2 each. I didn't know that roll on perfumes existed before spotting these (let me know if you did, maybe I'm just behind on the times) but I think they're a great idea and perfect to put in your handbag! The ones I've picked both smell quite flowery and I'd say one is more for daytime use and the other one for night time. I think the pink one is the day time one as it smells quite sweet and summery. I'm going to use the black one for evenings when I go out. It's difficult to explain what it smells like other than the night time version of the pink one. Maybe it's the black box that makes me think it's the night one. While we're on the topic of boxes, I think the packaging is really cute! They'd make nice little gifts!

Finally I picked up a white hand bag. It's quite a simple design which I like, and it's quite small which I think looks really dainty. The length of the strap is perfect for me, although it is adjustable so would suit anyone! I think this bag will look good dressed up or down. I love the colour and I think everyone should own a white handbag, they just match everything! This was a bargain at just £6, and I've been using it every day since I got it!

I hope you've enjoyed reading about the little bits I've picked up recently! Leave me a comment with your thoughts and let me know if you knew that roll on perfume existed before today!

Beauty on a Budget- My every day make-up routine

Hi everyone!
I wanted to do a little post showing you the products I use to create my every day make-up look, as I've shown in this photo! 

Anyone who has read my previous posts will know that I'm a student, so I tend to keep my make up budget quite low. I hope I can show you all that you don't need to spend lots of money to create an every day, natural look!

 I start of my daily routine by using the Simple- Kind to eyes soothing balm, which is £3.99 and available from lots of places, boots, superdrug etc. (I actually got mine in tescos.) I find this really wakes me up and makes me feel refreshed! Especially if I wake up feeling a little groggy. (If you really struggle waking up in the morning then keep this in the fridge and apply it straight from there! I know it sounds strange but it really does make a difference)

Secondly I use Rimmel- Match Perfection Fix & Perfect Primer, which costs £6.99. I think this creates a nice base for the rest of my make-up and makes my skin feel a bit nicer (and smell nice!) I use a brush to apply it and then I usually leave it for a few minutes to set before moving onto the next step.

 Next I apply a tinted moisturiser. You can apply a foundation at this point if you want more coverage or something a little heavier, but for a more natural day-time look, I use Natural Collections tinted Moisturiser, which is a bargain at just £1.99! I find natural collection products are really kind to my skin. I use the lightest shade of this as I am quite pale, and since this product gives quite a light coverage I find it doesn't leave a visible line around my face.

I finish off my make-up routine with my eyes. I use the Collection- Extreme 24 hour felt tip liner, which costs £2.99 to create a winged liner effect on top of my eyelids. Followed by Rimmel London Lash Accelerator Endless mascara which is £7.99. I really like this mascara! I've been using it for about a year now and I don't think I'll be changing any time soon! It coats my eyelashes nicely without making them clump together. This mascara has a nice brush that seperates my eyelashes out well before covering them and I find that it lasts for ages!

On a daily basis I don't always wear lipstick but if I do then I tend to go for quite subtle shades. If you're looking for a good day-time lipstick on a budget then I'd recommend the MUA  lipsticks which are only £1 each! Another favourite of mine for lipstick is the Natural collection range. I find both MUA and Natural collection lipsticks last really well and don't leave my lips feeling dried out. I don't actually just use these lipsticks for daytime, I have worn them to more formal occasions and have always received compliments! (Although I do go for their more vibrant shades for bigger occasions.)

I hope you've enjoyed reading about my daily make up routine, and hopefully I've convinced some of you to give these products a go! Let me know if you already use some of them and if you do, let me know how you find them! Also this is my first make-up post so let me know if you've liked it, and what other ones you'd like to see from me! :)

Liebster Award!

I've been nominated for the Liebster award by Sarah (everyone click the link and take a look at her blog!) So thank you Sarah! 

Here are the rules to follow to anyone who gets nominated! 

• Thank and link the blogger who nominated you
• Post an image of the award that you like the most on your page
• Answer the 11 questions that the blogger who nominated you has asked
• Link 5-11 blogs that have less than 200 followers
• Create 11 questions for them to answer
• Notify the blogs via their social media sites

Here are the Questions Sarah asked me alongside my answers! Hopefully this will help you all get to know me a little better! 

1. What made you start your blog?

I started my blog because I noticed a lot of people were complimenting my clothes and my style, and were all really surprised at how little some of my clothes cost! I am a strong believer that you don't have to spend a lot of money to put together a great outfit and I felt that a blog would be a great platform to share my finds with people! 

2. What is your favourite thing about blogging? 

My favourite thing about blogging has to be the people! I've found all of the bloggers I've come across so lovely and it's so nice to read other peoples posts and opinions. I love when other bloggers are interested in what I've written about and leave me nice comments too! 

3. What is the proudest moment of your life so far?

Getting onto my Fashion and Textiles course at uni! I'm proud that I got onto a course that lets me study something that I wanted to do since I was really young! 

4. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

hmm, this is a tough one! I don't really know how to answer because every time I go on holiday I want to live there, but places probably aren't as exciting when you live there! I'm quite happy with where I live now, my home is in London, but I study and live down in Portsmouth during term time, so I think I'd stay put and maybe have lots of holidays instead! (I hope that's not cheating.)

5. What's better; books or films?

I must admit, I don't read near as many books as I'd like too, between working hard for my degree and working all through summer, I don't find that I really get the time to sit back with a book. It's much easier to put a film on in the background while I'm getting on with my sketchbook work or sat by my sewing machine! Although nothing beats the feeling of when you can't put a good book down, so in my opinion, books are better, but I do watch a lot more films.

6. If you could be anyone for a day, who would it be and why?

I think I'd be the queen because I'd love to know what she gets up to every day! haha!

7. Do you pronounce it scone (s-con) or scone (s-cone)?

Haha! I ask everyone this all the time! I say s-cone.

8. What is your favourite genre of music?

I don't really have a favourite genre of music, I listen to a bit of everything! 

9. Would you be able to live without the internet for a year?

I would love to be able to say yes to this but realistically, I don't think I could! I don't know what I'd do without being able to read/write blogs, catch up on TV or even quickly look things up! Also there'd be no instagram (which I've been a little obsessed with recently) Or twitter, and I'd just feel soooo out of the loop with everyone! 

10. What is your favourite season?

No doubt about it, summer is my favourite season! I love love love the sun! (Even though I burn really easily) I find that everyone is cheerier during summer and I love summer fashion. I could live forever in pretty floral dresses and sandals.

11. If you could fast forward/rewind to any age, which age would you choose? 

Probably rewind to being a baby, because then I'd have my whole life ahead of me!

I'm nominating:
Have Clothes, Will Travel

The Electric Concept

Nique & Neena

Lady Of Elegant

Charlie Dulcet

FashtasticFlare

Take a look at their blogs because I think they're all really cool!

And the 11 Questions I'm asking are...

1) What first attracted you to the world of blogging? 

2) What is your favourite piece of clothing and why?

3) What one word would your friends use to describe you?

4) If you could have one wish, what would it be?

5) What has been the best day of your life so far and why?

6) Would you rather go back in time or go forward to the future, and why?

7) What is the one beauty product you couldn't live without? 

8) If you were stuck on a desert island, what 3 things would you take with you?

9) If you could eat just one food for the rest of your life, what would it be, and why?

10) Where do you hope to see yourself in 5 years time?
11) Where is the place you'd most like to travel to?

I hope you've enjoyed reading this post! Sorry it's taken me so long to put up! I've been so busy working and moving uni house! 

Micellar Water

Recently I've heard a lot of people talking about Micellar Water. It's not a product I'd ever heard of before but at the moment it's absolutely everywhere!

I've been using it for about two weeks now and I'm really noticing a difference in my skin! My skin is naturally quite dry and sensitive, and it's nice that it doesn't get at all irritated by this Micellar water by Garnier. I also have quite rosy cheeks naturally which I'm not a fan of on myself, a lot of people find them cute but I've never liked having them. I've noticed that using this seems to have toned them down a bit! Result!

Before I started using micellar water to remove my make up I usually used just baby wipes. Thinking back to it I don't think they actually took all my make-up off and I'm not sure they really benefited my skin at all. I bought this Micellar water from boots for just £4.19 (although I believe it's currently on offer for £2.79 in there!) which I think is a bargain. The bottle says that it will last 200 uses so I don't think you can say no to this!

Let me know if you've been using this product and if so, how you've been finding it, and if you haven't used it before, I'd definitely recommend it! Let me know how you get on!

Latest Charity Shop Finds!

Hey everyone!
Just a really quick post about my latest charity shop finds!
Its been a while since I last blogged about charity shopping, but that doesn't mean I've stopped visiting them!

My latest find was this really warm coat. I really like the colour and the vintage style and I couldn't believe that it was labelled as only £2.50! I was even more surprised when I realised this was crossed out and it was actually just £1!
I was so happy with my find, and then we realised all clothing in this shop was buy one get one free, which meant that two coats would be £1, it kept on getting better! I already have a bit of an excessive coat collection so I definitely didn't need two new ones, so my boyfriend picked up a vintage topshop blazer.

My coat is a bit too big on me and has massive shoulder pads in it. The first thing I'll do will be to take them out and hopefully that'll make it nicely oversized on me. (I think I look silly with shoulder pads on as I'm quite petite and they don't flatter me at all.)

I also picked up some lovely fabric. I don't know the exact measurements but it's definitely over a metre. I love how vibrant it is and the contrast of the print against the background. I'm not too sure what I'll make with it yet but let me know if you have any suggestions!

I hope You've enjoyed reading about my bargains! I'm sure I'll be posting a lot more of them now that summer is here!

Primark Haul!

Hi Everyone!
I thought I'd share some bits I've bought recently in Primark! I didn't buy everything from this haul in one trip, but they have been picked up over the last month or so (and some bits were as recently as yesterday) so I'd like to think they'd still be available if this post tempts you to anything!

Dip Hem Skirt - £10

I love the print and the colours on this skirt, and the fabric is so soft, which means it's really comfy! I think it'd look really nice at a festival (although maybe not if you're the same height as me because mine touches the floor and it might get muddy.) I own quite a lot of dip hem skirts and I always get excited to wear them as soon as the sun comes out.

Layered Ruffle Top - £6

This top is actually the same as the top I featured in my Summer Wishlist last month! The one I featured was from Miss Selfridge and was £20, so how could I say no to this Primark one for £6? They also had other colours so I may have to get some more! Again the fabric is really comfy and I really like it with the dip hem skirt! I've had quite a few compliments about this top!

Pastel, Printed, Pleated Skirt - £10

I didn't know what caption to give this one but I think that probably describes it quite well! I completely fell in love with this skirt as soon as I saw it! I love everything about it. The colours, the length, the print and the pleats! When the skirt is on it hangs really nicely and I love the way it moves when I walk! I was so surprised to see that it was only £10 so I just had to have it.

Vintage Style Heeled Sandals - £12

As you probably all know by now, I am a massive fan of vintage fashion, and I thought these sandals had something really vintage about them. I had been looking for a pair of slightly higher sandals for a while to wear with my maxi skirts and my jumpsuit as I'm quite petite, and when I found these I thought they were perfect. They look really nice on and the chunky heel makes them really comfortable! I haven't gone a day without wearing them since buying them! Ooops!

 Loose Fitting Printed Dresses - £2

Again I didn't know what to title these as they are more shapely than a shift dress, but less so than a skater dress- I guess they're somewhere in between. I'm not usually a fan of this style dress on me, but I tried these on before I bought them and changed my mind! The shape is really flattering and i really like the prints. I'd say the fabric is a little heavy for hot days but how could I say no when they were only £2!? I think they'll look nice on less sunny days or even with wooly tights and Chelsea boots in the winter.

Mini Wellies -£3

I bought a studded pair of these a few years ago from Primark for about £10 (they might have been more but I can't remember) and I wore them to absolute death. Some of the studs had fallen off, they were majorly scuffed, but the end came when the soles split and they started letting water in (which kind of defeats the point of wellies.) I was so upset, but I did get a few winters out of them so I can't really complain! This pair are pretty much the same but the detailing is a pretty bow on the side, rather than studs all around the top. I'm so excited to own another pair even though it isn't the right season for them yet. That's probably why they were only £3!!! Anyone who doesn't own a pair should definitely invest in some! They're perfect on rainy days and when it's cold outside they even fit fluffy socks inside them! SO snug!

Pearl Necklace- £1

Everyone loves pearls don't they? I think pearl necklaces can be worn with any outfit at any time of the year. This one was only £1 and it's the perfect length for me


.

I hope you've all enjoyed reading my primark haul! - Let me know if you've managed to find any bargains recently in Primark!

Cannes Film Festival 2015

Hi everyone!
I fancied doing a quick little post about some of my favourite outfits from this years film festival in Cannes.

On the left is Li Bingbing, from Transformers, wearing a dress by Zuhair Murad. I absolutely love this dress because of the combination of sheer fabrics and sparkly detailing. I love the train and I love the way it's a mixture of figure hugging dress and a really pretty princess dress. It reminds me of Cinderellas ball dress and I think it's a really pretty colour. 

The middle dress is worn by style blogger, Kristina Bazan and is designed by Elie Saab. I really like this dress because it reminds me of my prom dress that I wore when I was 18! (although my prom dress wasn't yellow) The simple design always works well and I love the fabric choice. I think the yellow really suits her.

On the right is Emma Stone in a beautiful Oscar de la Renta dress. I think this dress is so pretty and girly and I don't think you can ever go far wrong in a little black dress. I love the lace top on this dress and the layered, ruffled skirt and I think her hair looks perfect with this dress. She looks very feminine.

The detailing on Cheryl Fernandez-Versinis, Ralph & Russo dress is amazing. I study fashion and textiles at uni which means that I design and make clothes and I make my own prints and do my own detailing. I can really appreciate the amount of work that would have gone into this dress! No wonder Cheryl is smiling!  I think the bodice detailing is so perfect and intricate and the pleating on the neck, shoulders and back is so pretty, I would love to see this dress in real life! 

Which Cannes outfits have been your favourites this year? Let me know in the comments!