Top 5 Autumn Staples

The last few days have really felt like Autumn has arrived, with nippier mornings and cosier evenings. I'm not usually a fan of the colder months, but I suffer them with the knowledge that my favourite time of year is just around the corner, Christmas! However, this year I've been getting into the Autumn spirit with a few knitted purchases and a switch up of my usual make-up picks...

The Rimmel Lasting Finish foundation in the shade Ivory is a new purchase for me. Now my tan is well and truly gone and the days are getting a bit colder I need to start wearing a little foundation and after hearing only good reviews I thought I'd give this a go. It gives medium/full coverage (depending on how much you build it up), and it honestly does stay put and last all day. As I have oily skin I'm used to my make-up sliding off my face before lunch but this lasts until at least late afternoon, with no touch-ups. This would also be ideal for slightly drier skin and it's quite dewy upon application, before using any powder.

As I'm fairly pale I like to use a little bronzer through the Winter months so I don't look like a complete ghost. I have mentioned this bronzer before here, so I won't go on too much but this is the perfect bronzer for a subtle contour and natural glow.

The Revlon PhotoReady Cream Blushes are firm favourites of mine. The lightweight creamy formula gives a pretty hint of colour that builds blends effortlessly. The shade Charmed is the perfect pink to give your cheeks a rosy flush.

Despite being a  die-hard winger-liner lover, I've started using this Seventeen Trio Eye Shadows in the shade In the Nude to create a soft and casual smokey eye suitable for the daytime. These shadows are all matte which I love, and the darkest shade looks beautiful once blended in to the crease of your eye.

Last up is the Rimmel Kate Lasting Finish lipstick in 08. This is a dark pink/nude colour which I love for day to day wear in the colder months and looks great with the Revlon blush. This formula usually lasts a good few hours before starting to wear off but I do tend to re-apply a few times throughout the day. 

What are your Autumn make-up staples?

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P.S A little apology for the lack of posts lately! In the last few weeks I've started University, a new job and my work placement so I've been super busy settling into my new routine. I'm hoping to get back into blogging with my usual regular posting from here on out! xxx

Wishlist # 5 - The Beauty Edition

Since leaving my full-time job to go to University, I've put myself on a spending ban of all things beauty *sob*, as I can't justify spending my part-time wage on more beauty products when I already have an abundance of them. Of course, now I'm banned from buying any products, my wish list is as long as my arm...

The GlamGlow Super-Clearing Mud Mask is a special treatment that specifically targets blemishes, breakouts and visible pores while leaving your skin beautifully glowing. Who wouldn't want this?! I've heard so many good reviews about this that I just have to have it. It's currently on sale here but I've managed to restrain myself...just.

As I may have already mentioned, I'm going through a phase of absolutely loving a nude lip so after hearing so much about the Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector I have my eyes set on the shade 'Rose Shimmer'. It's basically a lip balm in a gel-like formula which gives a sheer hint of colour that can be worn over the top of lipsticks or alone for a natural, plump pout.

I'm a bit late to the party with the YSL Fusion Ink Foundation as I've been foundation free for the Summer. However, now we're edging closer to the colder months I'm on the hunt for a new foundation and this has caught my eye. This 'fine-as-ink' formula claims to last 24-hours (although 8 will do me just fine) and leaves a soft matte finish which sounds ideal for my combination skin. I may have to break the ban, just this once. 

The Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush combines the well-known Ambient Lighting Powder with a variation of beautiful colours to give cheeks a pretty glow, while adding depth and dimension, unlike most blushes. I think the shade Ethereal Glow would look gorgeous in the Autumn and also I'm a bit bored of my other blushes at the moment (I know #firstworldproblems), so are these reasonable excuses to want this beauty? Not to mention the packaging!  

Despite usually having a really oily t-zone, lately my whole face has been feeling super dry, tight and just really dehydrated. The Origins Drink Up Intensive Mask is to be used once or twice a week before bed and uses Japanese seaweed to repair & hydrate skin. 

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz is somewhat of a cult-classic of the beauty world and I want in. At the moment I'm completely in love with my Soap & Glory Archery but I'm still eyeing up this pencil & spooly brush duo. A completely low-maintenace way to make your eyebrows looks full and tamed without looking too 'done'. 

Now I'm into nude lips, I feel a bit more adventurous in the eye department and I've been playing around with some shadow lately, albeit just basic browns. But I just don't feel like my eye brushes are doing the trick as well as some brushes could...say the MAC 217 Blending Brush? This oval-shaped brush is densely packed with fine fibres so is ideal for blending and shaping and my brush collection will not be complete without this.

I love the idea of roller ball perfumes as who really wants to carry around a chunky perfume bottle in their handbag all day? Not me. I want to pick up one to pop in my bag to use throughout the day but I'm not 100 % sure my all-time favourite 'Daisy by Marc Jacobs' is available in the UK yet...

What's on the beauty wish list lately?

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August Favourites!

It's September 1st so you know what time it is...of course you do! I've loved August; I've stayed in Ireland, Norwich and Cambridge, caught up with friends and had a month off from work for the first time in years. Favourites-wise I didn't really have a lot but what I did have, I've loved.

My poor old laptop had kind of had it after a good five years so I knew I'd need to get a new one before starting Uni, so I decided to take some money from my savings a treat myself to a new, shiny MacBook Pro and as I'm now a student I managed to get a really good deal with lots of goodies thrown in. 

After searching for Archery in the shade Love is Blonde for months (literally) I finally found it at the beginning of the month and I am in love. I know eyebrows are meant to be Sisters not Twins but I'm not even sure mine are related, so when I used this for the first time I died and went to heaven. This doubled-ended brow tint and pencil is an absolute dream team and for the first time in forever I actually don't mind my brows.

I love Tuesday nights for the pure fact that The Mindy Show is on, so I've been keen to read her book 'Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)' for a while now. I took this book away to Norwich with me and read it in a day because it's so hilarious (I was actually laughing out loud) and relatable I couldn't put it down!...I just want to be her best friend.

My friend was wearing this Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm in the shade Elusive the other month and I knew I needed (yes, NEEDED) it. So, of course, off I went to my beloved Boots and picked it up right away. I've been kind of obsessed with this this month and haven't really worn much else on my lips. The simple, wind-up chubby stick style lipstick glides on super easy and stays put for ages, winner!

Lastly, is The Body Shop All-In-One Instablur Primer. Having oily skin, using a primer really is a must if I want my make-up to stay on past lunchtime and I've just been loving this. This primer not only controls shine and blurs blemishes, but also reduces the appearance of pores and extends the time your make-up will last. I pop a tiny bit on all over my face after moisturising and it makes my skin silky smooth, creating the perfect base.

What have been your favourites during August?

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Room Snippets

I'm a little obsessed with home decor on Pinterest and love picking up little ideas for my room and although I've always found the idea of 'Room Tour' a little invasive, I do love having a snoop of little bits and bobs so I thought I'd share a few snippets of my room here. I'm a bit white crazy as I think it makes my room look a lot bigger & brighter, but I like to fill it with colourful trinkets and pictures to make it more fun and less...clinical? So go on, have a peek...

If you'd like to know where anything is from, just ask! 

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Recipe: Apple & Blackberry Crumble

I'm a girl with a sweet tooth and with the return of The Great British Bake off, I've been trying my hand at baking.  The one thing I love to bake the most is a crumble. It doesn't matter what kind, any kind will do, but my absolute favourite is Apple & Blackberry. So I thought, why not share this super easy recipe so you can get your Mary Berry on...

You will need:

- 200g of plain flour (I like to use wholemeal)

- 100g of sugar (plus an extra tablespoon or two)

- 100g of butter

- 3 large cooking apples

- A couple of handfuls of blackberries (ooh, so technical)

So, here goes:

1. Start by peeling the apples and carefully slicing each one up. I like to pop the already sliced apples into a bowl of water while I finish of the rest to keep them from browning too much.

2. Once all the apples are sliced start placing them on the bottom of your crumble dish in an even layer. Don't worry too much about any little gaps as the blackberries will fill these.

3. Then pop on the blackberries and spread evenly over the apples.

4. You will then need to sprinkle some sugar over the fruit to avoid your crumble being too sharp. You want it to be nice and sweet. I use two tablespoons of sugar for mine.

5. Now the base is ready you can move on to the actual 'crumble' part. Start be sieving your flour into a mixing bowl.

6. Now you can add the sugar and the butter. I like to cut the butter into smaller squares before adding, just to make the next step a little easier.

7. Start to rub the mixture between your finger tips quickly and keep doing so until it looks like...

This!

8. Pour the crumble mixture over the fruit and pat down with the back of a spoon until all of the fruit is covered.

9. It should then look like the below. Then place into your pre-heated oven at gas mark four for 30-40 minutes or until your crumble is a golden brown.

10. After 40 minutes remove from the oven and admire your crumble! 

11. Serve up hot or cold with a drizzle of cream or a big dollop of custard, and enjoy.

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My Top 5 Lipglosses

I've never really been a lipgloss kind of girl, the stickiness always annoyed me and if there is a gust of wind or even a slight breeze that glues my hair to my lips then, well... I give up. But lately, I've found myself reaching for a gloss more and more and I've actually been enjoying wearing them.

Here's a round up of my top 5 favourites, and the good news is; none of them are sticky, hurrah!

L-R : Kiss me Coral - Apple Strudel - Heartcake - Clear - Pink Out Loud 

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss - I have this in the shade 'Kiss me Coral' and it looks great slicked over the top of Mac's Lady Danger. This gloss contains SPF15 and its super moisturising. Perfect for Summer time.

Nyx Butter Gloss - Apple Strudel is my favourite butter gloss shade as it gives a beautiful, natural peachy lip. This gloss really is buttery as the name would suggest and it smells so good!

Bare Minerals 100% Natural Lipgloss - While sorting through my make-up collection the other week I found this and have re-kindled my love for it. I have it in the shade Heartcake and I'm not sure if it's been discontinued but I've managed to find here. This is a really pretty pink with a gorgeous warm shimmer. It's not completely non-sticky but it's still a favourite that I tend to wear more on an evening out.

Soap and Glory Sexy Mother Pucker - I've had this for a while now, so I'm not sure they still sell this particular gloss, however there are plenty to pick from here. This is just a basic clear gloss which I prefer to wear over the top of bold lipsticks. Being a lip-plumping gloss it does tingle a little upon application which I don't mind. But it doesn't tingle quite as much as my next pick...

Soap and Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Extreme Plump XL - Well, that's a mouthful isn't it! Pink Out Loud is probably my favourite gloss ever. It's super tingly for the first 5 minutes but leaves my lips sleek and shiny. It looks great on it's own or over a nudey/pink lip for a pretty pout. 

Are you a lipgloss kind of girl? Which are your favourites?

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WISHLIST #4 - MONOCHROME EDITION

Top - Bag - Shoes - Jeans - Lipstick - iPhone Case

Despite us having probably the nicest UK Summer in a long time, I've been finding myself drawn to mainly monochrome things while shopping, rather than bright bits fit for the Summer season. 

I've been a tad obsessed with stripes for a while now, and while I've already got too many striped tees, I'm still eyeing up this basic black & white Breton box tee. I find stripes so easy to wear, and in monochrome too, you can't go wrong.

Kate Spade is a brand that is always on point and I can roam the website for hours, lusting after pretty much everything including the Cedar Street Maise bag. I've mentioned this bag before, only in the colour dark geranium, but I feel like black would go with absolutely everything. Dream bag.

Dare I say that I actually like Birkenstocks? I've always thought they were, well...ugly. But I've somehow been converted into thinking they're actually pretty okay. I've seen them styled in ways that look cool rather than frumpy and now I've found myself wanting a pair. I love this two-strapped pair, especially in white.

I'm jumping on the bandwagon now, with this pair of ripped Jamie jeans. Topshop are my favourite for jeans as they always fit me perfectly, although I've never had a pair of Jamies before.  Ripped jeans seem to be everywhere at the minute but this pair are ideal as they're not too OTT. I think I'll be taking a trip into town tomorrow to get myself a pair.

Nude lipsticks are my go-to lately and this YSL Rouge Pur Couture lipstick in the shade Beige Tribute is perfect. With a bronzed face and a casual smokey eye this lipstick would look amazing. 

Lastly, another Kate Spade item. I already have one too many iPhone cases (okay, maybe 5 too many), but I'm a sucker for pretty things so when I saw this cute scalloped case I obviously put it in my mental shopping basket. As it's made of silicon this would be ideal for me as I drop my phone more times than I would like to admit. 

What's on you wishlist?

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