NYX

While I've been away I couldn't help but indulge in a little shopping, with signs everywhere screaming '50% off!' And 'REBAJAS!!' (that's Spanish for sales!) I couldn't help myself! I'm always one for makeup shopping when I'm abroad because I find things to be a lot cheaper than back home in the UK especially with some of the higher end brands like Dior and YvesSaintLauren! So when I found a 'NYX' counter in one of the shops here I literally couldn't contain my excitement, unfortunately the counter was quite bare so I decided to stock up on the things that I liked i.e. the 'soft matte lip creams', they seemed to be the more popular items! I bought myself 2 colours which are fairly similar, first I thought I'd try the shade 'Abu Dhabi' which to me resembled a extremely matte version of MACs Velvet Teddy but a little darker depending on how many coats you put on. I can't even describe how soft and comfortable it feels on the lips, it's almost as if someone has covered my lips in cream, they're ridiculously smooth and not to mention they smell amazing, sort of like a vanilla/chocolate scent, I have to resist licking my lips every 10 seconds! After I bought that one I decided to try a different a different colour but with the counter being so bare the only colours left were nudes or bright pinks, now I'm not one for bright colours especially pink! What with my skin tone and hair colour it just doesn't look right on me so I opted for another nude colour called 'London' which is basically the same as 'Abu Dhabi' but a tincy wincy bit lighter, as you can see from the photo there's not much difference!

This year I've decided to try and be a bit more adventurous so to speak with my makeup, by makeup I'm talking along the lines of contouring and highlighting! I couldn't even tell you how many YouTube videos I've watched of different peoples versions of contouring and highlighting, my personal favourite has got to be Amelia Lianas video, she goes into so much detail on how to create the perfect look, definitely go have a look if you haven't already! So I picked up this HD concealer in the shade fair just because my skin is already pale so I choose a foundation slightly darker to make me not look so much like Wednesday Addams! I've found that using this, along with a good contour, under my eyes and down the bridge of my nose it slims my face and makes my skin look a lot brighter and fresher! Also, it covers any unwanted blemishes and redness which for me is an absolute lifesaver!

Back to lips! Now, 2014 was all about the overly lined lips and dark matte lipsticks, thanks to Kylie Jenner of course! Now nearly every girl wants to resemble her and I am definitely not shy to say I'm one of them! So my 3rd purchase from NYX was obviously a lip liner in the shade '831 MAUVE'. To me it's basically a dupe of MACs 'whirl' also used to create Kylie's bold lips, so if you've got a NYX counter anywhere near you and like me you don't have the dolla to spend on MAC makeup this is a cheaper and just as good alternative! First, I use the pencil to line the lips and then go on to colour the lips in fully to create the look I want! Some people may use 2 similar shades to create an ombré effect but the one colour is good enough for me! I may go on to go over the lips with a matte lipstick or just simply leave the lips the way they are. 

Well! I hope this has given some of you a little inside into the world of NYX, if you're yet to try their stuff i'd definitely recommend you doing so as soon as! I don't think I'm yet to find a NYX counter in the UK but they do have a website that you can order from! If any of you would be ever so kind, I'm looking for another shade of the soft matte lip creams in the colour 'Copenhagen' I think it may be available only in the US but I have fell head over heels in love with it so if any of you lovely people know where I can get it from, give me a shout!

Let me know if any of you have tried any of the NYX products and which ones you're loving!

Bye now! Xxx

Autumn Travels!

If you're getting your popcorn out for a post about fashion put it away darling because I'm in the mood for a little chat haha!

I thought I'd just do a quick update on what's been happening in the past few weeks! 

So the weekend just gone I went to visit my pal Sam (hey Sam!!) in Edinburgh and ohhhh my FRICKING god if you haven't been before like me, GO. It's up there in the top 5 picturesque cities i've ever been to, especially in the winter with the pink skies and frosty wind, it's just beautiful! They have little dainty shops which sell the most adorable antique jewellery and keepsakes which were just right up my street! And.. what with me being the big tartan lover than I am, I was in heaven haha! There was at least 3 or 4 tartan or cashmere shops on every row down the mile as well as about a gazillion whisky shops! Of course I picked myself up a box of traditional Scottish shortbread biscuits as well.

(you could say that it was just all in all a good weekend!)

And my favourite photo from the whole trip.. I made it my mission to get a photo with a man in a kilt & did I succeed? Why yes, with a little help from my friend Jade!

2 days after I returned home from Scotland I got a phone call off my cousin asking if I wanted to go down to London for the day while he had an audition, I couldn't say no to a little Oxford Streret shopping on my day off now could I! So half 7 in the morning we hopped on our coach for the brutal 6 hour journey down to London, if only you could've saw the two of us.. fast asleep with our heads back, catching flies haha! I'm writing this blog post waiting for the coach back now, and I couldn't even begin to tell you all how much I'm dreading it. So anyway, I'm always partial to a little shop here and there and with payday only 2 days away I thought whyyyyy the hell not!?!? Come at me Victoria's Secret!! And I also finally got to experience the beauty that is 'Liberty of London', I've walked past there so many times before but I've never actually went in but i had a little time to kill so I dragged my cousin in and we had a look round! I didn't actually realise how expensive half the things in there was but I treated myself and seeing as it's Christmas I picked up a little decoration for my tree as a reminder of the day! 

I would definitely recommend going at this time of the year especially if you're lacking a little with the Christmas spirit! All the lights made me feel so festive and it just got me even more excited! The lights on Regent Street, Oxford Street and Carnaby Street looked amazing and I couldn't even begin to tell you how magical Selfridges looked. 

The following week I returned to London with an exciting trip to the Warner Brothers Studios for a tour of the Harry Potter set! And my oh my it was amazing, my childhood was brought to life right before my eyes and I couldn't have been more happy. Don't get me wrong it sort of, well I wouldn't say ruined but the films sort of lost that spark about them now that I know everything wasn't as magical as it seemed on screen haha, but i'd definitely recommend it if you're a huge Harry Potter geek like me! Here's a little inside to the tour, I went whilst it was Christmas time and the Great Hall was decorated with holly reefs, trees, plastic turkeys on the tables and a flaming Christmas pudding. So if you're planning on going in the next few days/weeks you'll see the beauty that is Hogwarts in the snow! 

brace yourselves..

AMAZING ISNT IT??

My childhood brought to life!

That's all for this post anyway, I hope you've enjoyed it! Keep an eye out for more Christmassy posts coming soon, including a homemade Nutella hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows created by yours truly! 

Bye now! Xxx

p.s. I don't know why the fonts are different on this post, my computers going a little cray cray!