august beauty wants

It's been one of those days where you just feel generally..bleurgh. The weather's crap, I'm skint, and all I want to do is curl up in bed and be comforted by Gerard Butler's voice in PS I Love You. Normally I'd be straight to the shops to cheer myself up, but there's no student finance in my bank for another 25 days, which leaves me two choices, go further and further into my overdraft (I'm already living off my rent money for next month, oopsy) or online-window-shop and dream about the things I wish I had...if only I had the self control to stop myself from spending, it's just too hard to drag myself away from that eyeshadow I 'need'.
So I decided to make a beauty wishlist to tide me over until the student finance fairys come and give me lots of spending money.

1. Laura Mercier Mineral Powder SPF15, £31 - I've heard amazing things about this. I don't normally wear much face make-up unless I'm going out, and liquid foundations always feel too heavy on my skin so I'm definitely going to try this, the spf is essential, even though I don't tan easily I still want to protect my skin from the sun.

2. Elf Studio Eyebrow Kit, £3.75 - I saw this in one of the amazing Essie's videos, and immediately thought I have to have that. It contains both a powder and a gel, and I love the idea of the gel to set your eyebrows, as I always get flyaway hairs.

3. MAC lipstick in Impassioned, £14 - I love all things MAC and bright, colourful lipsticks so this seems like the perfect shade for me. One of my 'September Resolutions' is too buy more high-end cosmetics, to build up my collection. A MAC product a week sounds good huh?

4. Urban Decay Naked 2, £36 - 'The most anticipated sequel of the decade', I need need need this! I love neutral shades on my eyes as I can't wear black without looking like a panda, and I've seen so many great reviews about this.

5. Urban Decay Glide-On Eye Pencil, £13 - I've never had much luck with eye pencils, so I recently switched to liquid eyeliner which I don't like much either. Apparently this is a pencil which looks like a liquid eyeliner when applied, from the pictures I've seen, it looks great so I'm definitely going to give it a try.

I can't wait for loan day! What are your latest beauty wants? x

the big skincare mystery

Recently, I was sent a sample of a 'wash and mask cleanser', as part of a skincare revolution. I'm always excited to try new products, but often free samples from magazines etc aren't that great. I was pleasantly surprised with this.


When I first opened it, it smelt absolutely gorgeous, it has a mix of avocado and pomegranate so  it smelt very fruity. The consistency was really smooth, I love light cleansers and usually go for foams or gels so I was pleased that this product was thick but not in an overpowering, heavy sense.
As a wash, it lathers up really well. I only needed to use a small amount and my skin felt instantly softer and very fresh afterwards. There was enough product left to use it as a mask too, and I can't recommend it highly enough for this! It was a very light mask, which didn't go hard or cakey after a few minutes. My skin felt sooo smooth and fresh after this, and was literally glowing.


I instantly checked Facebook to find out what the product was, and was shocked to find out it's Clearasil DailyClear Vitamins & Extracts Wash and Mask.
I'd previously had a pretty low opinion of Clearasil. I tried it when I was about 13 when I had problem skin, and it was way too harsh, and dried my skin right up. This product is so gentle it's hard to believe it's the same brand. I have oily skin so I'm not sure how this would work for people with dry skin, but I'd recommend it to everyone! At £4.99 you can't complain at all, it's high end quality for a high street price, and you can buy it here.

What do you think of Clearasil? Have you tried this product? x

new look #holidayhop giveaway

The lovely Michelle at daisybutter has joined forces with New Look for an amazing giveaway. Four lucky bloggers will win upto £400 of summer clothing, who would say no?! This was the brief..

'Imagine you are going to Ibiza for a long weekend. Create a post on your blog stating which items from the New Look store you would wear to complete each of the following outfits on your holiday. You have 5 outfits for 5 occasions, so which items would you wear and why? Head over to the New Look store and start picking your favourite party dresses, bikinis and accessories. Style these Looks: Travel Style, Poolside, Beach It, Sunset Supper, Beach to Club'

So here's my entry...(I've added little hearts to the clothes/accessories I love the most!)

It's Summer and I'm bored, I'm even looking forward to going back to Uni and having something to do. Another day in front of the TV I think to myself, yawning. Suddenly the phone rings, 'Oh my goddddd, Rosie! I got my Uni results and Dad's paying for me and a friend to go on holiday...WE'RE GOING TO IBIZA!' my best friend sings in her best Vengaboys voice. I cringe, but I'm so excited! After hanging up the phone, I run upstairs and begin to look through my wardrobe. No. No. No... before long, clothes are all over the floor, and I'm panicking. I need a holiday wardrobe, fast. Where do I go? My favourite shop New Look is literally the only answer for everything holiday related...

 Apricot Cream Crochet Crop Top £19.00/ Black Embellished Pumps £17.99/ Black and White Stripe Jersey Maxi Skirt £16.99/ Misumi Black Moustache Jumper £19.99/ Mischa Barton Dark Red Baxter Music Bag £78.99
Total Price - £152.96

I always have to be comfortable when I travel, but also being a little bit OCD, I panic about deep vein thrombosis, so refuse to wear jeans or other tight clothing. I wanted loose clothing so I chose this gorgeous maxi skirt, which has the added bonus of covering you up, so you don't freeze from the plane's air-con! I'd throw on this cute moustache jumper if it got too chilly though. I also wanted my feet to be comfy, there'd be plenty of time for heels in Ibiza, so I chose these sparkly flats, which add a touch of glam. I chose the cropped lace top so I'd be instantly able to feel the heat when I landed, it gives that 'holiday' look. My outfit is monochrome, but I wanted to add a colour pop in the form of this bag, which is big enough to hold all of my carry-on essentials, while still looking lush. I think this outfit looks great put together, I'm really into maxi's at the moment, they're so versatile and lightweight, so this would be the perfect travel outfit for me.

 Pink Coral Double Sleeve Frill Beach Tunic £9.99/ Floral Tiered Triangle Bikini Top Now £7.00 Was £12.99/ Floral Frill Tie Up Bikini Pants Now £4.00 Was £7.99/ Shellys Blue Stripe Suede Wedge Shoes Now £30.00 Was £59.99/ Blue and Red Stripe Bow Shopper Now £9.00 Was £16.99/ M:UK Leona Catseye Sunglasses Now £7.00 Was £12.99
Total Price - £66.99 - I got so many bargains with this outfit, wow!

We can all dream we're Beyonce lying by the pool, covered in jewels and strutting around in the highest of heels. But with these gorgeous wedges, we can be! They give you extra height, (but not too much, we don't want to be toppling into the pool!) I bought this bikini as soon as I saw it, I love how the ruffles on the bikini top draw attention away from my not-so-small booty, (hey, we want to be Beyonce, right?) I went for a coral and blue theme for this outfit, I think these colours really compliment each other, and look so summery. I'd paint my nails coral too for that extra touch. Sunglasses are essential for protecting your eyes from the sun (and checking out the hotties without being caught, hehe). The bag is the perfect size for carrying my book and suncream around, and fits in with my theme perfectly. I chose this lightweight kaftan as it's perfect for when you want to cover up, but not wear a full outfit.

Rich Purple Stripe Waterfall Cardigan £19.99/ Deep Red Suedette Cut Out Heels £19.99/ Black Sequin Bandeau Dip Hem Dress Now £21.29 Was £29.99/ Black and Gold Square Stud Earrings £2.99/ Black Patent Quilted Envelope Bag £15.99
Total Price - £80.25

I wanted to have a sultry, classy look for my sunset supper, (it's nice to dress up sometimes!) and I think this sequinned maxi dress does the job perfectly. Bang on trend, the dipped hem shows off your newly tanned pins, yet doesn't show off too much, which = one elegant girly! I teamed it with black and gold earrings, a gold bracelet, and traded my poolside beach bag for a black and gold clutch. The heels are gorgeous and add an air of sophistication, even if I do have to walk a little slower in them! I picked up some fake eyelashes in New Look (told you they have everything!) so I glue these on, and bam, instant glamour. I'd also keep this purple cardi in my bag, since we're dining al fresco, it may get chilly later on.

 Ibiza clubbing can get very wild, especially at foam parties, so I didn't want to wear a posh dress or anything too heavy that I would be worrying about all night. This beautiful frilly bikini top is perfect for a day at the beach, but also works perfectly with the blue high-waisted shorts and matching black and white skull wedges. After spending all day in the sea, my hair would be volumised and wavy, so it wouldn't take long to get ready for clubbing. Some bright red lip gloss, cat eyes with this black eyeliner, and a statement ring, and I'd be ready to go! This minimal outfit means I can go straight from the beach to the club, and don't have to carry a whole new outfit around all day. The shorts and the wedges can also be worn throughout the holiday with other outfits, so it's a win win.

Kelly Brook Mono Polka Dot Bikini Top £16.99/ Black Knotted Bikini Briefs £3.99/ High Waisted Blue Hotpants £16.99/ Black Skull Ankle Tie Wedges £24.99/ Purple and Gold Lattice Ring £4.99

Total Price - £67.95

Green Palm Leaf Print Cut Out Swimsuit £22.99/ Iron Fist Indecent Sunglasses Now £12.00 Was £24.99/ Light Blue American Flag Denim Shorts Now £10.00 Was £22.99/ Jelly Toepost Sandals Now £7.00 Was £12.99/ Red Wooden Parrot Earrings Now £2.00 Was £3.99

Total Price - £53.99

The bright, 90s, Ibiza party look is really hot at the moment, and I tried to capture this in my beach outfit. This green palm leaf swimsuit is perfect for showing off your tan, and the cut-out look is bang on trend. I like to go for more unusual, eye-catching outfits, who wants to look like everyone else? So I'd add lots of bright colours the swimsuit. I'd paint my nails bright pink, and add a slick of blue eyeliner. The parrot earrings are so cute, different, and perfect for a holiday look. The bright pink sunnies match my nails, and compliment the orange jelly shoes, which I absolutely love, takes me right back to my childhood but they're so cool now. The sand can get really hot, so these are the perfect shoes for keeping your tootsies cool, and you can wear them in the sea, no jelly fish stings, and no shoes floating away, yay! I'd also wear these American flag shorts while walking down to the beach, they give even more of a party look. 

I also picked up a few holiday essentials from New Look - 

Miss Cole Survival Tools Kit £7.99. This fab little tub includes body scrub, body wash, body cream, bath soak and a pink shower lily. Everything you need in mini sizes, perfect for a holiday!

Iced Crystal Spearmint Face Mask 99p. This is ideal for cooling your face down after a long day under the sun, amazing price too.

Ball Of Foot Gel Cushions £3.50. I couldn't go on holidays (or a night out) without these little life-savers!

Hope you enjoyed this! Which was your favourite outfit? x

It's still the middle of August and still officially 'Summer', and don't get me wrong, I'm loving the heatwave we're having across England at the moment, but I've started to look at clothes for the ever-approaching Autumn, and have already mentally spent the student loan I'll get at the end of September.
Military jackets seem to be even hotter this year, and I'm a huge fan. They can be dressed up or down and are perfect for when the weather's inbetween hot and cold and you just need to throw on something light.

Camoflage jackets are also really in this season, as part of the grunge trend. I'm in love with this studded jacket from Topshop which you can find here

Topshop - £58

and this vintage camo jacket from Urban Outfitters, gorgeous

Urban Outfitters - £48

I'm definitely adding one of these camo jackets to my wishlist! What do you think of the grunge trend?

Have a great day everyone! I'm off to make the most of this beautiful sun.

x

please don't leave

We tell ourselves we want money, fame, fortune, power, but deep down, all we really want is love. The kind of love that empowers us, makes it impossible for us to eat, sleep, function normally. The kind of love that gives us a reason to wake up in the morning, and something to go to sleep for, so the time when we can be together again comes all the more sooner.
That's what I had when I found you. My reason to breathe, my reason for waking, my life and my world. We lost four years, four precious years you were there, but it took me too long to realise. We could have spent those four years loving each other, but I'm not bitter because our second ever kiss more than made up for those four wasted years.
You showed me what love really is, and loved me like no-one ever has, you made me see life in a different way. You showed me the world, true happiness, and life.
You looked into my eyes and told me I was beautiful, told me you loved me, that we'd be together forever, you held me tight, and when you did, the feeling was unbeatable, everything was right in the world.
Six amazing months we spent together, hours under the sun, sharing kisses and stolen moments that only we'll ever know of.
I wished that summer would never end, three weeks was all it took for us to fall in love, although falling is an understatement. I couldn't hold back, couldn't stop myself from falling for you, and I didn't want to.
With you, life was perfect.
And then you told me you were going away.

how to embarrass yourself in front of strangers

You know that girl, who you laugh at for losing a shoe while crossing the road…meaning she has to hobble back to collect it while amused, if not a little impatient, drivers beep at her? The kind of girl who feels super glam after getting her hair done, takes out her purse to pay, and the entire contents of her purse (five pounds in pennies) cascade over the floor?
Well I’m that girl! And yes, both of those things happened to me, Bridget Jones, eat your heart out!

But a couple of weeks ago, was probably my most embarrassing moment to date…
I had that ‘shopped out’ buzz, I’d just got a new job and decided to treat myself to a little shopping trip. My boyfriend’s birthday was coming up so I’d decided to treat him to me wearing some sexy new lingerie.
You know life has those little conveniences, like say, brushing your teeth in the shower, or…putting one shopping bag inside another to save hassle? Well, life decided to throw that convenience right back in my face.
My first mistake was putting a heavier bag full of shampoo, conditioner and shower gel into a notoriously flimsy Primark bag, full of aforementioned lingerie.
My second mistake was swinging said bags, while walking home and humming happily to myself.

Suddenly, I hear a thud, and my bag immediately feels a lot lighter. Imagine my horror as I realise my heavy shopping has broken the Primark bag, spilling its contents everywhere. I almost want to keep on walking, but I force myself to turn around, and scramble wildly on the floor for the too-sexy, too-lacy, too-revealing bra and knicker set, that is now on show to an elderly couple, and a young guy.
Luckily, he wasn’t hot, and I’m happily loved up, but I was still mortified. And this is where I made my third mistake…

‘Normally a guy has to buy me a drink before he sees my underwear!’ I joke, trying to salvage the situation. Great, now I sound like a slut. He doesn’t reply, he just smirks, and walks on, (and doesn’t even help me pick up my belongings!)
I keep my beetroot face down as I continue the walk home, and only when I’m safely through the door can I scream in embarrassment to myself. 

you are my sunshine

Apparently, due to the excessive daytime napping routine I've developed, I can no longer get to sleep at a reasonable hour. Early night, what early night? The days of bath, book, bed are long gone my friends, instead, I'm online researching oh-so-important topics like Prince Harry's real name, who knew it was Henry, really? There goes my patriotism out the window. But I'm going off track here. 

What I really wanted to talk about was how amaaaazing the weather's been this week! Wowzers! (as my three year old niece would say).

Finally Summer feels like it's here and although it may only last for a little while (touch wood), it's still great to have some sun. The only downside is the daily - boring - routine, of leg shaving, which us girls don't have to endure when the weather's not fab. Wow I'm moving in with my boyfriend next month and I'm already letting myself go, sexy!

I've spent this week on the beach with family, walking my dog through the woods with my boyfriend, hunting for treasures at craft fairs, watching a street magician juggle torches of fire from a 10ft unicycle and eating lots and lots of ice cream! It's safe to say everything is better in the sun.

Of course, summer means a whole new wardrobe, and my favourite summer outfit is.. the playsuit! It's super sexy, can easily be transformed from a day-to-night outfit, and comes in the most gorgeous patterns. Here's my fave playsuits around right now...

Asos, £40

Republic, £25

New Look, £24.99

Playsuits are timeless and so versatile, team them with a denim jacket or cardi with sandals during the day, and throw some heels on for partying through the night!

What's your favourite summer outfit?

x

accident and not-so-emergency

I had the joy of spending the early hours of Saturday morning in accident and emergency this weekend. I was happily painting at home when I found out my boyfriend and some of his friends had been attacked, and needed to go to the hospital. Despite my boyfriend's drunken protests I got a taxi straight through and tried to tend to him while waiting for an ambulance, but being drunk, and a boy, (not the best combination) he was more interested in smoking, making himself a sandwich, and weirdly..dancing.
While waiting the four hours to be seen and treated, it occurred to me, there's nothing 'emergency' about it. After years of catching glimpses of crazy hospital scenes in shows like Holby City and Casualty (before changing the channel like a wuss), I expected the same. Sure there were the same amount of crazy patients, but the nurses all seemed too relaxed for my liking. Where's the rushing and the shouts of 'Nurse, get me a CC of morphine, STAT'?!
Obviously I'm glad it was nothing life threatening, but I still teared up seeing my poor boy get stitches. He's been living the life of luxury ever since, I've been waiting on him hand and foot, bringing him food, drinks, giving him massages, you name it. I'm such a good egg.
How's your weekend been? Hopefully not as dramatic as mine!
x

deck the halls

So a couple of months ago I finished my first year of Uni...that feels so weird to type, I'm 20, and didn't even have a fun gap year filled with adventure, unless sweating your bigger-than-average bum off in a (will remain nameless) bakery 9-5 counts as an adventure.
Anyway, I was so happy to have finished my first year and be returning home, for various reasons..

1. I hated Uni.. but stuck it out! What a trouper I am...
2. My semi-long-distance relationship drove me closer to insanity, (there's only so many nights you can put his t-shirt on, listen to 'your song' and cry while looking at old pictures, trust me)
3. Halls..............I'm not sure I even need to expand on that point.

For some people, living in halls is the best time of their life. Non stop partying, hundreds of random new friends popping in, freedom! For others it can make you wish you were back at home, being shouted at for coming home too late by good old mum and dad.

After a couple of months away, I've started to think 'hmm, was it really that bad?...Am I making a mistake moving in with the boyf?', so just so I'm not tempted to beg for my cute little room back, I've compiled a list.

Reasons not to live in halls

1. Noise. Oh god the noise! I admit living at home wasn't the quietest experience, but at least my parents had the decency to shut the hell up at four in the morning. It's all well and good being loud and wild during Freshers, and yes, I love to go out as much as the next person, but sometimes all you want is a quiet night in. This. Is. A. Rarity. If you're living in halls, get used to no sleep. When I was up at 7am and the 5am parties became too much, I invested in ear-plugs, and ear muffs. They failed.
2. Dirt. No one likes to live in squalid conditions, oh no wait, my flatmates did. First, I cleaned up after them a lot, but when I got sick of this, I tried everyone's favourite method, doing nothing. I would clean up after myself, but as I had now cancelled my maid business, the dishes piled up, the kitchen counters grew mould, and I don't even want to talk about the fridge. Speaking of food, prepare to have yours stolen by hungry flatmates.
3. Pettiness. Eg, your flatmate 'confiscating' the washing up liquid because he was the 'only one who washed up'. It went too far when he confiscated the toilet paper...

I'm not sure if the pro outweighs the cons, and I didn't get along with everyone, but there was something so nice about coming home to a flatmate who cared about how your day had been. Think gossiping, watching films, ordering takeaways, indoor assault courses, flat parties, fancy dress, birthdays, cooking together, getting ready together and having someone just next door who you could speak to at any time (even if we did text rather than knock sometimes!) Uni nights out are the best nights out, and even though I'm not looking forward to going back, I can't wait to be nursing a hangover from an amazing night, with my boyfriend on call to bring me chocolate ;)

What did you think of halls?

x