My Nail Polish Collection

Another girl post! I have a love hate relationship with my nails, on one hand (excuse the pun) I love having pretty sparkly girly nails but on the other, I have spent most of my life studying art and also working in a restaurant so it has been hard to wear without it being chipped in less than a day. Or having to remove it before a shift at work. 

I long for the day that I have a normal grown up job that doesn't reek havoc with my hands. Give me a desk, a computer and a coffee any day, please! 

I also despise the fact that unused polishes dry up! You spend your hard earned cash on a gorgeous colour then go to use it and it has dried up! You can't "collect" them like you can lipstick and eyeshadow palettes. These reasons are why my collection is rather petite but none the less, lets get into it.... 

1. Maybelline Color Show

Left to Right: Orange Attack, WOW Orange, Electric Yellow, Broadway Blues, Urban Turquoise, Speckled Pink, Glitter It

As you can tell by the sheer amount of these I own, I really like them. They are very thin in consistency which I really like in a polish as it enables a smooth, easy application. They require only two coats to become completely opaque which is just the dream isn't it? My favourites are the orange shades and the gorgeous royal blue. 

Purchase Here

2. Barry M

Left to Right: Papaya, Clear

I don't for the life of me know why I only have two of these. Because they are incredible. The clear polish is insanely chip resistant and makes any polish last literally forever so when combined with the Gelly Nails, these suckers are basically bulletproof. The consistency is so amazing, they just glide on and are basically ready after one coat. I wear this polish so often hence why the bottles are an absolute mess. I will definitely be buying more!

Purchase Here

3. Accessorize Collection

Left to Right: They do not have names

In all honesty the only reason I bought these is because the shade range and selection of mattes and shimmers seemed great. But in reality they aren't that great at all. Although the colours are quite lovely, the texture and way they apply is clumpy and way too thick. It chips super easy and I hate them in all honesty. I keep them just incase I need a specific colour to wear just for one day to match a specific outfit. They are not for everyday wear at all. 

Purchase Here

4. KIKO

Left to Right: Vanilla Cupcake, 7

These are both super unique, the vanilla cupcake literally looks like butter cream on your fingers. However beautiful, it chips like a bitch and the lilac shade is really thin and requires many layers to get a full coverage. I doubt I'll buy any more but I may just get lured by the amazing colours, such a shame really.

Purchase Here

5. Color Couture

Left to Right: They do not have names

These are bloody horrible. They are thin and gloopy and just horrible to apply but once you have battled through, they look good. I wouldn't wear them everyday but I do use them when I need a particular colour because I own some unique shades that do sometimes come in handy. I wouldn't recommend them but I am glad to have them in my collection. I will probably try and find some similar colours from a different brand then throw these away eventually. 

6. Disney Store

Left to Right: Off To The Ball, Ariel, Mistress Of Evil

I am a Disney addict and so if the Disney Store have a new product, i'll know about it. The second these went on shelves, I bought three. I loved these at first, the colours are so unique and just completely gorgeous. They did apply well, quite thick but still pretty good and I wore the hell out of them. But over time, they have become even thicker to the point that I can no longer use them which really depresses me. This won't stop me from buying more though.

7. Fearne Cotton

Left to Right: Royal Red, Fern Green, Cranberry Splash, Black Honey, Night Owl, Ruby Cotton

These are my absolute favourite, ever. I can't remember who got them for me but I'm sure it was a christmas present. These polishes have everything right. So smooth, easy to apply and the glitters have insane dimension. They make my fingers look expensive, I didn't even know that was possible. My favourite is Black Honey.

I mean, look at that! Look at the colour dimensions! I wear this so often, it is such a unique colour and I have never seen another polish that is even similar. You need this in your life.

Sadly, I can't find these anywhere online so I'm not sure you can buy them anymore. 

8. Miscellaneous 

Left to Right: Candies - Purple Glitter, Sally Hanson - Silver Magnetic Nails, PS Love - Grey

As you can probably tell, I usually find something I like then buy loads of them. But these are the few odd balls in my collection. The purple glitter is pretty hard to wear, it makes my skin tone look odd but it is great polish, lovely to apply and the glitter is super chunky. 

I have never been impressed with fangled nail fads such as crackle nails, magnetic nails, furs and velvets but I have bought a few in my time. Both of which I hated! 

Primark do a huggggge selection of nail polishes in an array of fancy colours and styles. They aren't the best quality but they are far from the worst either, I do really like this grey colour and it applied ok, it requires a steady hand to control the thin liquid but it is pretty lovely. 

Well, that's it! All of my finger improving paints. 

Thanks For Reading!

July Favourites

I had hoped to make a monthly favourites post, you know, every month. But apparently for the last few months I failed at that basic task but I am determined to start them up again! 

This month however, will have a few gaps...I haven't managed to find a beauty favourite this month because frankly, I haven't had the time. This fact depressed me to no end but I aim to have double for next month!

I also don't have a movie favourite, is it just me or have new releases been pretty terrible recently? I saw Ant Man which I really enjoyed but I don't think it is favourites worthy. Other than that, I have been thoroughly disappointed this month. Sort it out Hollywood!

But, fear not, I still have some amazing favourites to share!

Music: Carly Rae Jepsen - Emotion

I have already yapped on about this in my Playlist post but i'll do it again because it's that good and I'm that excited. The album isn't even released yet and I'm in love, the tracks that have so far been released are pure heavenly genius. I am literally shaking with anticipation and I already know it is going to be an insane album! 

Pre-Order The Album Here.

TV Show: Daredevil - Season 1

I know most of the world have already watched this and moved on but for my boyfriend and I, we only just got around to it and it was a whirlwind week of binge watching well worth it. Something Marvel is always missing for me, is a bit of blood and torture, just a little bit more dark and intense. This show brings it and more! I can not wait for season 2!

The Originals - Season 2

I've given up on The Vampire Diaries, it all just got too silly. I'm dead, I'm not, I'm dead, I'm not. It became just endless crap really. I watched Season 1 of The Originals thinking it would be as awful as The Vampire Diaries has become but actually, I really liked it. Liked but not loved. Then when Season 2 came to Netflix I though id give it a watch, to fill the time but I was so pleasantly surprised! It was gripping from beginning to end and I binge watched until 4am on multiple occasions because I was so addicted. I'm so sad it's over. 

Youtuber/Bloggers: VelvetGhost

VelvetGhost is the alias of youtuber, Gabriella Lindley. Ive watched Gabby for well over a year and have always liked her but recently she has been receiving a lot of unwarranted hate. Her recent move to London has been the focus of her blogs of late and I have been loving them! Poor Gabby could do with some love so please go give her some! 

Watch Gabby Here.

Kathleen Lights

This girl is completely infectious! I only recently starting watching her and I think I've watched her whole back catalogue already. She is just so easy to watch and makes you feel like you are with a friend just chatting about your lives, finding new beauty products to love together. Kathleen is also undeniably gorgeous and I wish I was her tbh.

Watch Kathleen Here.

Well, that's July! Despite the string of crappy movies I have had the misfortune of seeing and the lack of new beauty products to enjoy, I have found and loved some pretty great stuff. I hope my favourites help you find your new obsession!

Thanks For Reading!

Recent Instagrams

The past few months have been both amazing and awful. I went on holiday, I've had some great days out in the sunshine, I enjoyed my 23rd birthday and finally got a new phone that actually works! But along side those amazing things I have been struggling with concerns for my future, I haven't spend nearly enough time with friends and family and my dearest hamster Bane died. 

Overall, these last few months have been hard but thankfully they have been sprinkled with enough good stuff to keep me going! These are the instagram posts that reflect my time of late.

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Eclectic Homely Touches

Like most people, my favourite place to be is at home. Surrounded by my stuff , my tastes and my favourite things.

A lot of you might feel like my decor is ugly because I'm not even sure it can be referred to as decor, I don't care if things match or if there is a theme which is why I would describe my home as eclectic. My home is like being inside my head, it is full of random things that I love and probably too childish for my age but it's cute and homely and I love it.

So, I thought I would share with you some photographs of my home, my decor and what I like to be surrounded with. If you like this post and I would like a more in-depth house tour style post, let me know! 

Thanks For Reading!

My Current Playlist

Like most people do, I go through fazes of music genres and currently I'm all about the pop. Bubblegum pop, country pop, 80's pop, mainstream pop, you name it. I cant get enough!

I have always been a huge fan of the pop genre, I prefer music that isn't necessarily mainstream, the stuff that you don't usually hear on the radio but recently I've been loving a little mainstream and a little bit of the unknown as well. 

These 7 songs all literally ALL I've been listening to recently, on repeat, much to the annoyance of my poor boyfriend whose ears prefer something with a bit more variety. 

If you, like me, want songs that will get stuck in your head and have you singing the same lines over and over again for a week, these are those songs...

1. The Weeknd - I Can't Feel My Face

2. Hilary Duff - Sparks

Sparks is the most addictive pop song I have ever heard, its amazing. But the rest of the album Breathe In Breathe Out is equally as addictive.

3. Selena Gomez - Good For You

4. Kelsea Ballerini - Yeah Boy

5. Carly Rae Jepsen - Run Away With Me

This girl can do no wrong. She has been slowly releasing singles and promotional singles for a while in preparation for her upcoming album. All the songs so far and absolutely incredible! Especially Run Away With Me which is an 80's themed track that you cant help but fall in love with!

6. Carly Rae Jepsen - All That

7. Carly Rae Jepsen - Emotion

Do yourself a favour, download all these songs and listen to them on full blast in your car, driving fast down a country lane with your windows down. After an awful day which unfortunately we all have all too often, these songs are instant pick me ups. 

Your welcome!

Starter Make-Up Kit for Under £40

I honestly can't remember a time when I didn't like make-up, I have always worn it. I worked my way up from just lipgloss to the full face I wear today and I still have more to learn! It's an endless journey of learning what you like and how to use it, the brands and techniques that suit you. Everyone is different.

Saying this, I remember being in secondary school and just wanting to have everything. I wanted to wear eyeliner and mascara, I wanted flawless skin and shiny lips everyday but when you're 14 and only have pocket money to buy it all with, it's hard to compile the perfect kit. I would get £5 pocket money every week and turn to cheap brands to get as much make-up as possible but what I now realise is that I would have been better off saving up for a few months and just purchasing all the essentials. 

I have always been adventurous with make-up. I loved a red lip, black smokey eyes and coloured eyeliners. I still do but I think that when you are starting out it is best to keep it simple. Which is why I have gathered a simple, budget friendly make-up kit for first timers. This kit is perfect for the everyday. 

         

The first step is to get yourself a make-up bag which fits all your starter products but also has a little room for your collection to expand, I think this bag from the Zoella Beauty range is perfect. Such as great size, affordable at only £8 and it has a guineapig on it! What's better than that! 

       

Foundation is the base for your whole face and it needs to be gotten right. It needs to be good coverage, the right colour and long wearing. Rimmel is a great brand for this, this is the lasting finish nude foundation and it is fantastic. It comes in a huge variety of shades and it is super affordable at only £5.99.

       

A beauty blender is a great way to apply your foundation, it gives an air brushed, smooth and glamorous finish. A beauty blender typically costs around £20 which in my opinion, is crazy expensive. This little guy is only £1.50 from Primark and it does a great job. This can also be used to apply blush and highlight so it is a multipurpose tool which is a bonus! 

Little Tip: Use this wet! Run the sponge under the tap and squeeze out excess water, this stops the sponge from soaking up the product but instead provides fuller coverage. 

       

This is an optional step, I don't use concealer and I don't think concealer is necessary for young people because your skin will already be so fresh. If you do feel you need concealer then I would recommend Rimmel Wake Me Up. I use powder all over my face because I hate feeling shiny and sticky but I am aware that some people like a dewy look so this is down to you personally. I use this MUA powder all over my face with concentration under my eyes to brighten the area. This is a barginous £2.

        

Next is blusher, bronzer and highlighter. For blush I find that a dusky rose colour suits me best but this may be different for you, MUA do these compact blushers in endless colour options so there is bound to be a colour for you. They are £1 which is just insanely cheap for such a good product.

Highlighter is a funny one for me, I just don't think it suits me. It always looks shiny which as I previously mentioned, I hate. This eyeshadow by MUA in shade Champagne works fantastically as a highlighter. It's so understated that even I can wear it. Again, a tiny £1.

I use this MUA bronzer as a contour but also lightly all over my face to create a cheek bone depth and an all over glow. It is available in an array of shades and is also just £1. 

I am so impressed with MUA products, they are so cheap but still great quality and the packaging is also lovely quality. 

        

This large fluffy brush is from Primark, it costs a ridiculous £1 and it really is a fantastic multipurpose brush. One of my favourites. it can be used to apply all the above products.

Little Tip: Apply in order of colour to avoid mixing your products. Start with your face powder, then highlighter across your upper cheek bone, then lightly dust your blusher, blow away excess colour and then use the brush to apply contour and bronzer. 

You can even use your fingers to squeeze the bristles together to create a sharper contour. 

       

       

Eyeshadow is a girls best friend, so much room for exploration and so many possibilities. This is a palette called In The Buff by W7, it can be bought on Amazon.com for an understated £4.99. It contains 10 highly pigmented nude shades that can be used to create an array of eyeshadow looks, the palette comes with a small brush that can be used to pack on the colour before using your fingers to blend them out to create a natural everyday look. Or you can go for a heavy smokey night time look using the darker colours in the palette. I love this palette, it's such fabulous quality and so cheap you just can't go wrong. 

       

Here we have a liquid liner for creating a perfect cat eye and an eyebrow pencil for filling in your brows which can also be used for a brown eyeliner. The liquid liner is a classic black from Forever 21, it is a very shiny deep colour which applies seamlessly. It was £2. The brow pencil is from Primark, it is a wax texture which I think makes it so easy to smudge out with the spooly on the other end of the pencil. It is also great for a brown eyeliner, it can be used as a blunt line or it can be smudged out with the eyeshadow brush in the palette. It costs only £1 and it comes in a few different colour options. 

       

Lashes! Another MUA product, Lash Boom is really great, it gives long separated fluttery lashes and it doesn't give that stuff feel some cheaper mascara so do. Your lashes are left feeling flexible and feathery. This was £2.

       

last but not least, lips! Lip products were the first things I ever really experimented with when I was just starting out with make-up, it is so easy to be creative with. A bold lip, a subtle balm or a matte colour.  I have provided four options. The lip balm by Zoella beauty is only £3 and it is both moisturising but also has a gorgeous pink tint. The two lipsticks were 80p each from Primark, I have included a light peach shade and a hot pink because they are both beautifully wearable and fantastic quality. The Cream Puff is from Collection, it cost just £2.99 and it really will last all day. It dries completely matte but keeps your lips hydrated while providing a gorgeous dusky rose colour.

So that's everything! I think these items would be a great foundation for any make-up newbie, they are all great quality, cheap and pretty!

The total spend is... £39.82

If you had a few more pennies to spend then I would recommend you getting a small mirror, tweezers for your brows, a fluffy eyeshadow brush and maybe an eyeshadow palette of more outrageous colours. Revolution do some great eyeshadow palettes in a huge section of colours all at insanely small prices. 

I hope you enjoyed this post and that it helped you in creating your first make-up kit!