London

Apologies for blogging being rather slack this week, i'm spending the week in London so have been a bit busy. Well when i say busy, i mean shopping and eating. Yeah that's pretty much all i've done. Yesterday i hit Oxford Street which usually stresses me out due to the amount of people and almost overwhelming amount of shops, but it had been so long since i'd been i put my stresses aside and got straight in there!

I actually didn't intend on buying too much stuff, but looking back that was a really stupid thing for me to think. How can i resist the choice here?! So things got a little crazy and i ended up with far too many things that are definitely NOT going to fit in my suitcase to go home. Everything i have brought (so far) is fashion and beauty based so i'm thinking of doing a bit of a haul when i get back home?

And as for food i have already consumed (it's only been two days) Ben's cookies, Pinkberry, Lola's cupcakes and Krispy Kreme. OHMYGOD I FORGOT HOW AMAZING BEN'S COOKIES ARE. And tomorrow i'm heading out to partake in yet more shopping so i expect some more damage will be done in terms of naughty food and other purchases.

So for now i'm going to enjoy my last couple of days in and around the city until i return back home, boooooo.

I couldn't resist some mini Oreo cupcakes

Packing tips

Tomorrow morning I’m heading off to London for the week, I’m really looking forward to it as it’s been a few months since I was last in the big city. I’m going to stay with my Dad which will be really nice as I haven’t seen him since way before Christmas, and I’ll hopefully be catching up with some Uni friends too!

After I got in from work this afternoon I made a start on my packing as I hate organising what I’m going to need, especially as I’m a major over-packer. I always take far too much wherever I go and instantly hate myself for it when I’m juggling my big handbag and suitcase. So today I decided to get the majority of my skincare and other bits and bobs together so I know everything I need is in one place, and can be thrown into my case in the morning. I always seem to forget something beauty related when I pack as I go, so I’m hoping by getting it together in advance I’ll be more prepared.

My packing stress reaches a new level when it comes to clothes, I find myself wanting to take a variety of coats, handbags, shoes and accessories to cover all eventualities, which is quite frankly unnecessary. So this time I have stuck to the basics, in fact I think this is the fewest clothes I’ve ever packed! And aside from the outfit I’ll be travelling in I’m just taking another pair of shoes and one coat. That’s acceptable right?

I still have a worryingly long list of last minute things to organise in the morning, but I feel pretty confident they’re essentials. The kitchen sink is an essential isn’t it…?  

Autumn/ Winter snaps

My Saturday has consisted of beginning to pack for my trip to London next week whilst watching Legally Blonde on TV, WINNING. I was beginning to feel a bit fed up of being inside as the sun was shining through the windows, and i felt i was missing out on a bright, crisp winters day. Then all of a sudden the sky turned grey, thunder started rumbling in the distance, and rain started pounding on my windows. How can the weather change so quickly?!

I subsequently lost all desire to venture outside, and whilst procrastinating over my packing ( i hate it!!!) i came across some snaps i'd taken on my phone over the last few months. I obviously have a thing for taking pictures of pretty Autumn skies and sunny Winter days, so i thought i'd a share a few with you to try and banish the depressing mood this horrible rainy weather brings on.

Beauty- New in: La Roche- Posay Effaclar Duo

I know i'm so behind with this product, it's been highly recommended by many bloggers for quite some time now, but i've been a wild goose chase trying to get my hands on it. I've been looking high and low in many Boots stores, and each time i was coming face to face with the dreaded 'out of stock' sticker. I resorted to looking on the Boots website but the item was also labelled as out of stock there, so i'd resigned myself to a long wait to get my hands on a tube. However yesterday i was shopping in a small local town and thought it was worth another try to pop into Boots, and low and behold they had four boxes on the shelf. But wait it gets better, they were reduced to £6.50 each AND i had a £2 off voucher which expired that day, AMAZINGGG!! So i obviously picked up two, which ended up being cheaper than one at the original price.

I'm presuming stock is running low on the original Effaclar Duo as the Effaclar Duo (+) has just been released, which could mean it's the end of the original formula? 

I'm hoping this product works as well for me as it does for many others, i'll be back to review it after giving it a go!

Fashion: Virtual ASOS shop

I will openly admit i have a shopping addiction, i love the feeling of spending money and bringing something new home with me. But although i like to spend i don't buy things on a whim (well, not too often), for example if i'm wanting a coat but don't have a particular one in mind, i like to look around and make sure i end with the one i 100% want.

But sometimes i have the urge to spend money from the comfort of my home, which is where online shopping comes in. ASOS is my go to site if i fancy browsing a wide range of products, even i don't need to buy anything, i like to see what new lines have been added. This often results in my wishlist being rather long, and sometimes i just have to click the dangerous 'add to bag' button.

After a little browse this afternoon these few items are what's caught my eye.

Dress | £55

ASOS floral print shirt dress- As soon as i saw this i new i loved it: the ombre effect, the florals, the checks, the neutral colours, the casual fit- AMAZING. This would be easy to style at this time of year with black tights, ankle boots or brogues and a leather jacket, or could be carried through into the Spring with bare legs, and a pair of tan sandals.

Leather jacket | £350

Whistles Ziggy leather biker jacket- And speaking of leather jackets i came across this. I have my trusty All Saints leather jacket which is a couple of years old now but still one of my favourite staple items. The thing that drew me to this jacket is the quilted panels on the arms and on the back, and the shine on the leather. Mine doesn't have either of those details which is why this caught me eye. A good leather jacket is a must, they're perfect to wear with jeans, or add some edge to a feminine dress.

Boots | £42

ASOS Enigma ankle chelsea boots- I AM OBSESSED WITH CHUNKY BLACK BOOTS, which is why there is no surprise these caught my eye. I have a few pairs in various styles, but none which are based on the traditional chelsea boot style. I love the chunky heal and sole which i bet make them pretty easy and comfy to walk in, and they will go with so many things!

Bag | £30

ASOS tan duffle bag- Over the past few months i have massively cut down my handbag collection as i had acquired far too many over the years. I am definitely a lover of big handbags opposed to small shoulder bags, but when i saw this i felt i had a space for it in my life! I love the duffle bag style but the fact it has a long shoulder strap means it's really practical, and it looks like a good size- not too big-not too small. I only have one other tan bag, which is a much darker shade, so i think this would be really useful for now and in the Summer.

So far i've resisted the urge to add any items to my virtual bag, but it's probably only a matter of time. What would you give in and buy?

All images from ASOS

Haircare review: Catwalk by TIGI Oatmeal & Honey shampoo/ conditioner

 For Christmas i received this set of shampoo and conditioner from Catwalk by TIGI, I've previously used some products from the Bed Head range but this is the first time items from the Catwalk line have entered my bathroom cupboard.

After a little bit of research it seems these products have been reformulated, and re-released with a packaging change along the way. The old bottles were clear, blue plastic with a pump to dispense the product, but i think this redesign is a huge improvement and makes the product appear more sophisticated and inkeeping with other salon brands.

Anyway onto the actual products. I think to fully know how you feel about any product you have to give it a fair amount of use before making a decision, so after a few weeks of washing my hair with this ... it's a thumbs up from me! Firstly it smells AMAZING!! These are in no way fruity smelling haircare products, but i love that about them as i'm not a fan of sickly sweet smells, they give me a bit of a headache. The way i would describe them is smelling natural and luxurious, you know when you smell a Laura Mercier body cream and you know you are going to smell super rich and creamy after application? That's how i feel about these little babies.

And when it comes to applying them onto your hair they don't disappoint. I don't suffer from dry hair, but my hair is coloured so i like to treat it to moisturising products as a little thankyou for putting up with my colouring routine! A little goes a long way with these as they are so creamy, so even though my hair is thick i've got a lot of applications from the bottles which is always a bonus.






















I think the real test with shampoo and conditioner comes after your hair has been dried and styled. Does it still feel soft, and does it hold the scent? There's nothing worse than your hair smelling great and being silky smooth straight out of the shower, and then resorting back to its unruly ways after all your styling efforts. But i have found these products do there job well, and keep my hair smooth, conditioned and smelling great even after it's been tackled with the hairdryer and straighteners.

My pet peeve of using products alongside each other is one running out before the other, even though i tend to use the same amount of shampoo and conditioner per wash, i'm always left with uneven amounts. Does anyone else have that problem?

Kardashian Krazy, KUWTK season 9

It was only a matter of time until my Kardashian/ Jenner obsession was unleashed on the blog. I realise that makes me sound really crazy, but it's not too bad... honest. I admit my Instagram feed is somewhat of a Kardashian shrine, and if one of them is on the cover of a magazine, i'm probably gonna buy it. But i'm not a crazy stalker who sends them tweets and purchases every product they put there name on. 

I am however a huge fan of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, however staged, lame and cringe it can be, i simply cannot get enough. And it's that time of year when the new series airs, OH YEAH. Season 9 is premiering in the US tonight, which means tomorrow i will be refreshing Projectfreetv until it appears and i can get my fix.

And lastly, can we just take a minute to try and comprehend how genetically blessed this family is!? I'm waiting for the day i wake up looking like Kendall...

All images from Google

Beauty: Everyday makeup storage

My makeup products and accessories had previously been stored in various makeup bags with the obligatory pencil sharpenings and lonesome hair pins floating in the bottom. A few months ago I invested in the famous acrylic Muji draws after deciding some organisation was needed in my life.

I decided to opt for the wide two set draws, and purchased another single wide draw to sit ontop. When it comes to makeup I have the majority of my most used products out on display for easy access, keeping any extra bits I don’t really use in draws.

After moving house three times in the past few months, I have finally set up a makeup area in my room. In addition to the Muji draws I also purchased two pots to house my brushes, a matching one from Muji and a pretty cream one I spotted in Ikea. Whilst hitting up the sales I stumbled across the Glitter box in the Urban Outfitters sale, I wasn’t sure what I was going to use it for initially but for now I’ve found it useful for storing my Yankee Candle tarts and spare tealights.

Inkeeping with the acrylic theme, my mum returned home with a large jar from TK maxx which I’m currently using to display face cloths, but I’m thinking of switching it up and using it to store my cotton wool pads.      

     

 It’s amazing what a difference aesthetically pleasing storage can make to a room. I wonder how long it will take until I cave in and turn my whole desk into a muji draw makeup paradise?! 

It's not the end, it's to be continued

This summer saw my University life come to an end, and at this transition i think every student either experiences a sense of relief, or utter sadness. It's safe to say i fell into the latter category. Of course this time is also exciting; education is officially over, and the opportunity to get out into the real world and make money is upon us, and who doesn't like money?

But for me these positive feelings were mostly outweighed by negative emotions. I was parting from friends who i had only known for three years, but when you're living with these people, or spending the majority of your days with them, they become a huge part of your life. The realisation that 'uni life' is officially over is something that takes some adjusting too, at the time you feel weighed down with deadlines and projects (which i don't miss!) but in hindsight uni is a pretty sweet way to spend three years. My friends and I were regularly indulging in shopping sprees, eating out, working our way through various cocktail menus, and genuinely having a good time.

Alongside these changes, the thing i found the worst was having to leave London and move back home. Goodbye big city and independence, hello small town and parents! I didn't have a job lined up after Univeristy which meant realistically i had to move back home, as my funds would have rapidly diminished living with Southern outgoings. It had always been my dream to live in London, coming from a small town where you're atleast an hours drive from any kind of city life, i craved hustle and bustle, and diversity. And London did not disappoint.

Six months on from graduating i still miss all of these things, and although i can't relive my uni days i will certainly be returning to the big city at some point. Like many of my fellow graduates i'm also struggling with knowing where i want my career to take me, and sadly Nottinghamshire doesn't quite have the fashion opportunities  that are available in London. So i'm currently working part time at Topshop, which satisfies my need to be around clothes, whilst continuing the search discover what's next.

But that's enough of the downer, i am grateful i had the opportunity to go to uni whilst meeting some amazing people and having great experiences along the way!

Do any of you relate to my post uni woes?

Dress Asos | Shoes Zara