Top 10 Drugstore Items under £10

Today I'll be doing a Top 10 under £10 on drugstore products, as you can see by the title :)

Face

Foundation - Rimmel Wake Me Up (£8.99)

Concealer - Collection 2000 concealer (£3.99)

Blusher - Elf Baked Blusher (£3.75)

Bronzer - MUA Bronzer (£4)

Eyes/Eyebrows

Mascara - Rimmel Scandaleyes Flex (£6.99)

Eyeliner - MUA black pencil liner (£1)

Shadow - MUA 12 Colour Palette (£4)

Eyebrow gel/pencil - Rimmel Eyebrow Pencil (£2.99)

Lips

Lipstick - Maybelline Super Stay 14hr lipstick in Plum (£6.99)

Gloss/Stain - L'Oreal Glam Shine Stain Splash (£7.99)

Well that is my Top 10 drugstore items under £10.. I hope you liked it! :)

Autumn Tag

Hey all! I seen this tag on Pilar's page over at plovesfashion - and because she said she tagged anyone who wanted to do it, I thought why not? 

So... lets get started! :)

1. Favourite thing about autumn?

My absolute favourite thing about autumn is definitely the falling of the leaves! I walk home a lot of the time after college and I love when there's a slight breeze and a few leaves fall around me - I also love the crunch when you walk on them :)

2. Favourite Drink?

My favourite drink is Black Cherry Hot Chocolate

3. Favourite scent/candle?

I love any scent that is cinnamon :)

4. Best Lipstick?

This season I'm definitely going for deep plums and reds

5. Favourite go to colour for the eyes?

I love purples and reds

6. Favourite music to listen too?

I don;t have a specific type of music I like to listen too - I listen to all :)

7. Favourite outfit to wear?

I love wet look leggings, a faux fur jacket and a nice t-shirt

8. Autumn Treat?

Ehm, I don't really have one lol 

9. Favourite place to be?

Forest Park :)

I hope you like and I tag everyone who wants to do it! :)

Small Haul

At the weekend I picked up a few items with my birthday money that I thought I would share with you - most of the items are make-up related as always but I hope you like it all the same :)

NYC has came out with a new line of varnishes - these are the Foil Explosion ones which I picked up as they were on offer for only £1.79 

This is the Kate Moss lipstick in 01

I got this jar to hole my eyeshadow brushes in :)

My boyfriend got me this purse as another wee present as my other one broke - I love it! especially the design

I know some people are weird about showing the underwear etc. that they buy - but I just had to show this - looking at it you wouldn't even be able to tell it's from primark! It looks so expensive and fancy that even I was shocked to see it in the store, it was a must!

NYC Nail Varnishes

As I'm sure most of you know by now, I'm a huge lover and believer in drugstore products. In my opinion - I think the majority of the brands/products you can buy in the drugstore are as good as - or even better than the high end products/brands and are obviously much kinder to your purse! 

With that being said, I though I'd share with you one of my favourite brands ever for nail varnishes and that brand is... NYC (New York Colour) I believe this is originally an American brand but as most brands do - they venture out to other countries and can be found mainly in Superdrug in the UK.

This is an image of my NYC nail varnishes - I have 13 colours which I have absolutely adore! There are a few that's perfect for autumn/winter and a few that are perfect for spring/summer. This is one of the main reasons why I love NYC - they bring out different colours for the different seasons which really helps to broaden your collection in size and variety.

If you do have NYC in your local drugstore I would highly recommend you give their polishes a try! :)

What I got for My Birthday :)

I know a lot of people don't like these posts because they think the person is showing off - but I am in no way showing off or trying to make myself look good or whatever - I decided to do this because I myself love watching/ reading these types of posts so.. I hope you like :)

First off I got money from my family members - which I didn't really need to take a picture of because it's pretty self explanatory and my sister got me the Jungle Book :D

My Boyfriend got me -

This bag came with the Katy Perry Perfume

Officially, No Longer a Teenager (ramble)

Well, it's officially my birthday and I'm no longer a teenager (scary) haha. 20 years old - it's weird to think I've been on this planet for twenty years - but hey. who's counting :)

As I get older - what I want in my future gets even more clearer and I know what I have to do in order to get there - which a few years ago, I didn't - so it's nice to have that new clarity - but as my mum always says, I need to act my age and I will - just not yet :D 

One of the downers of today is that - I'm up before everyone else so I won't get my presents until I'm home (sad face) I hope there's cake... anyways, I hope you's all have a great day!

Rachel x

Kit Number 2 :D

Yesterday when I came home from college, there was ANOTHER package waiting there. I was so excited because I knew it was going to be my Eve Taylor Skincare Kit 

I personally, have never heard of Eve Taylor products before - but from looking at the products and testing them out in college - I'm now a huge fan. They each have different ingredients which each add something different to your skin and each have different properties and effects. 

The kit was £47.99 - which for a professional, high end brand and for 6 things, I though was pretty good.

The kit came with (from left to right)

- A soothing Cleanser with Cucumber and Lettuce 

- Soothing Toner with Lavender and Chamomile

- Soothing Masque with Aloe Vera and Camellia 

- Soothing Moisture Lotion with Comfrey and Lavender

- Facial Cleansing Brush

- An Eve Taylor bag to hold the products

Bedroom Decor

My sister had moved out a few months ago so obviously, I decided to take her room because it's a lot bigger than my old one - which I shared with my other sister.

Basically, I had to keep her furniture (sad face) but I did get to repaint and jazz it up to suit my style so to speak - I also got cute wee canvases which I adore and new curtains etc. etc. 

I do have a lot of clothes etc. so I think it was a wise decision keeping the furniture instead of buying new ones - the picture I have taken in a combo of each of the main features and because I used it on instagram and put it into a college, it might not be that easy to see but sure :)

The top image is of the back wall - I have two wardrobes (I did say I have a lot of clothes haha) and I also have my "bookcase" which is just a TV trolley type thing.

The bottom left is of the side wall where my mirror and drawers are - this holds my make-up, jewellery and trousers/t-shirts - along with three canvases above it

The bottom right is of the other side wall where my bed is - along with a bedside table where I'd usually set my book/kindle, phone etc and then there is a canvas beside it along with the window 

I know it's not that special, I was just very happy with the way it finally turned out :)

It's Finally Arrived!

So when I first signed up to my course, we were informed that we would have to purchase three things.

1. The Uniform

2. NVQ Level 2 Beauty Therapy Kit

3. Skin Care Kit

I had ordered all three away last week and the week before, and my NVQ Level 2 Beauty Therapy kit has finally came! I was so excited the package was huge and I could barely lift it - neither could the delivery man haha. We were given a list of everything that was included but because it's so long I'm not going to rewrite that all but I am going to show a picture and list some of the items that are in it :)

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Ta Dahhh

Okay so I'm going to name the things that are noticeable or in a pack together. So on the very far left, the black box, is the hot wax. Beside that (all the skin truth tubes) is for your hands and cuticles, aka - the manicure set. In front of that is some antibacterial hand gel and petroleum jelly. The clear bag beside them is the tinting kit which contains four tints, a tint developer and brush. The bag behind that with the blue bottles is all of the creams, masks etc. that's needed for a pedicure. Beside that is an apron. Next to that is all of the waxing items - such as, the pre wax, after wax etc. and fabric waxing strips. In front of that - the plastic case contains all of the tools I will need - nail clippers, buffers, files etc. Beside that I ten have an eyelash kit which contains strips, individual lashes and glue etc. Beside that is a pot for the wax and next to that is a set of make-up brushes. Down in front there are a few nail polished - french manicure ones, a base coat, top coat etc and finally beside that is a manicure bowl. 

I know that may be a lot to take in and understand but there you have it - I also got a bag and my textbook which I didn't take a photo of - but they were included in the kit :)

Favourite Mascaras of the Past Month

I like I'm sure most other girls, LOVE having big, beautiful lashes. I have naturally long black lashes which does make it easier to be a tad nicer to mascaras. I honestly don't think I've found a mascara that I haven't like, lucky me, but at the same time, I go for mascaras that tend to give more volume over length. 

This past month or so, I have been addicted to two mascaras and these are;

Rimmel Scandal Eyes Flex Mascara 

&

Max Factor Eye Brightening Mascara for Green Eyes

Basically, I use the Rimmel Scandal Eyes Flex first in order to get the volume I desire. What I love about this mascara is that no matter how many time you apply, it will never go clumpy - which is a big no no for me - but I'm so happy to say this doesn't do that! 

I then apply the Max Factor Eye brightening mascara on top - this is because I don't want that much length, though it does add a bit - but the main reason is because I want this mascara to be the outer layer because of the ruby flecks that are in it. The flecks are what help to enhance your eye colour and each mascara has different coloured flecks for the different eye colours. So when I apply this last, it adds a coat of the ruby flecks onto the outer layer of mascara therefore reflecting the light. If i had of applied it first then the Rimmel mascara, i would've just covered them and it wouldn't have done anything. 

Overall I really like this combo and I intend to stick to it until I find a new love! They're also a really good price and won't break the bank - so to speak - and overall are great products! 

:)

Book Review - Defiance by C.J Redwine

Instead of learning to dance and sew within the walls of Baalboden, Rachel Adams learns to track and hunt. When Rachel's father fails to return from a mission and is declared dead, the cities commander sets Rachel a new protector, Logan - her fathers apprentice and the boy she declared her love too. With the fierce belief her father's survival, Rachel decided to escape and find him herself. 

Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can't be killed and an army of  assassins out for blood. They discover romance, heartbreak and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making. 

I first heard of this book by Rachel over at Booktastic Reviews and I was instantly intrigued. It sounded like something I've never read before though it did kind of remind me of Angelfall by Susan Ee which I have also done a review (if you want to read you can click here) 

After reading a few chapters, I was instantly drawn in, I loved so many things about it. The first thing was the writing style - I love how C.J alternated each chapter between Rachel and Logan and we were able to see from both of their points of view. 

I loved the relationship that was shown between Rachel and Logan - you can tell from the beginning that there's some underlying tension which you recently find out a bit later which just made everything understandable. 

Rachel as a lead character is awesome. She is only 16 but yet she's so strong, confident and has a backbone - in other words, she speaks her mind and doesn't care what anyone thinks. She is so loyal to those she loves and will do whatever it takes to make sure they're safe - which is why she goes after her father. I will say though that she does have quite drastic mood changes which makes you step back and think "waow, calm the f*** down girl" It did annoy me quite a bit.

Logan is also amazingggg - he's extremely smart, strong and courageous. Throughout the book he goes through so much and you find out a bit about his past which gives you a huge insight into why he hates the Commander so bad, and you can't help but cheer him on throughout the challenges he faces during the book. He was Jared's apprentice (Rachel's father) so he is trained to be a tracker and he also is incredibly smart and can make incredible gadgets which help throughout their journey. 

The other charactes such as Oliver - Rachel's friend/adopted grandfather is also involved a lot and you get a good insight into his relationship with Rachel and also Logan which is really good.

The bad thing about this book is that, you don't get any detail of where this takes place, yes it's in Baalboden, but where in the world is that - and you don't get any idea of the time frame of in what year this takes place which annoyed me. Though considering that there is no high tech gadgets/technology apart from what Logan makes - no one has an idea of what it is - I'd guess the book is placed in the 20th Century and even the dress sense and the language used suggests that it was in a different/older time.

Overall, I really liked this book - it was different and definitely not something that I would usually read which is the main reason I wanted to read it. I will definitely be purchasing the second book :) If you want something different to read, I would definitely purchase this book.

First Impression - Nivea Express Hydration Primer

So I was in the boyfriend's house watching TV when I an advertisment came on about the new Nivea Primer - I was instantly intrigued as I love finding new primer that will make my make-up last as long as I need it to. 

I bout it from Savers when it was on sale for an amazing £3.49 for 50ml - which I thought was a total bargain! They have two types, one for normal and combination skin and one for dry and sensitive skin - I got the normal and combination one.

Initially when I read the package, I immediately had good expectations as it stated "moisturises and provides a smooth base for effective make-up application with effective hydrators" Some more information about the product;

NIVEA PHILOSOPHY 

 Nivea uses ingredients inspired by nature to create high performance products that work in perfect harmony with your skin - to help you look and feel your most beautiful 

NIVEA Daily Essentials Express Hydration Primer enriched with Vitamins & natural Lotus Extract;

• Provides an even and smooth base for effective make-up application and helps your make-up stay put
• Absorbs instantly thanks to it's light texture
• Uses an effective hydrator for long lasting moisturisation and a soft skin feeling 

I also really like the packaging - it's simple and clean which I really like :)

Time for the Results! :)

My initial thought when I first applied it was that it was very light weight, which I liked because it didn't feel heavy or thick on my skin, and it also absorbed really well into my skin and didn't leave any kind of greasy residue.

After 2.5 hours - I first applied this with my make-up at 11.30am as I was getting ready to head into town, by the time 1.30pm came, I decided to have a wee check in the toilets to see how my make-up was doing. I was really impressed - not one bit had budged or worn off! I was really impressed because it was pretty warm and walking around the shops etc I was getting a tad sweaty, gross I know but it happens, and none of my make-up had smeared off!

After 4.5 hours - When I was leaving town, I decided again to run to the loo and check my make-up, I did notice a bit of my make-up had came off around my nose, granted I had been rubbing it etc. so that was pretty acceptable, but overall my make-up was still looking good!

After a total of 7 hours - Once I got home and changed into comfy clothes etc. I had another look at my make-up and overall, I am super impressed! Only the make-up around had came off during the whole day and that was mostly because I was rubbing it! 

Overall, I really love this product. Not only did it keep my skin hydrated without looking shiny or oily and it also made my make-up last! And for the price it was an absolute bargain. I would highly recommend this product, and because it has two different types, it's suitable for everyone! :)

College Update

So if you have been reading my blog etc. then you'll know that I recently got accepted into an NVQ Level 2 in Beauty Therapy and I just wanted to do a quick update on how my first week went.

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My first week, unfortunately wasn't based around my course. Instead, it was an Employability week which helps to develop your team work skills and all the other skills employers want, you even get a certificate as it is an actual qualification which is cool.

So basically, we were split into groups, I was with four other girls, whom of which are really nice, and we had to find a solution to a problem. We were then given the task to come up with a make-up look which to go with a certain fashion trend - the look could be literally anything, and it had to be in a powerpoint which we then had to present to the class. A winner was chosen, and they now have to present their powerpoint to the board of the college, scary bickies. 

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The actually beauty course is starting this coming week so I'm SUPER excited. Overall I really like my classmates and tutors so, fingers crossed it all goes well

:)

Book Review - Elegy (Watersong Series) by Amanda Hocking

Gemma now holds the key to breaking the siren curse and the stakes have never been higher. She finally has the chance to have a future with the people she loves, and a romance with Alex is close enough to touch... but not if Penn has anything to say about it.

Penn is more determined than ever to have Daniel for her own and destroy Gemma and Harper along the way

Elegy is the Final book in the Watersong series, and I can definitely say, it did not disappoint! The main plot of the book is great. There is a lot of adrenaline and excitement throughout the entire book which kept me glued to the pages and dying to find out what happened next! 

The general storied revolved mostly around how to break the curse, but with the time slowly running out, I did wonder why they didn't come up with a plan of attack and kill the sirens? Granted they wouldn't know what that would do Gemma but still... they could've at least got rid of Penn - she's going after Daniel after all. 

The characters are also amazing - you see a lot more of Liv who turned up at the end of Tidal and you get a real understand of what a crazy/power hungry girl she is - which really peeved me off, I didn't like her. Lydia is also in it a lot more which I really liked - she's querky and fun and generally a nice girl. 

Harper and Gemma are their usual selves - trying to find a way to break the curse and juggle their social lives at the same time.

Alex is in this book a lot more which I loved - he's awesome not to mention the fact he's a hunk now ;) but him and Gemma work together to get their relationship back on track and you can;t help but root for them. 

Daniel is in it a lot also, but he is a bit aloof - mostly because of Penn but still, I begged him throughout the book to talk to Harper, but it didn't happen for a while which caused a bad reaction. 

The other characters were also really involved and had a big part within this book - helping Gemma and Harper along their journey.

Overall, I can't reall say much more, this book is just a great finale to the series and I guarantee if you read it, you will love it :)

Book Review - Tidal (Watersong Series #3) by Amanda Hocking

Gemma and Harper are facing the fight of their lives - Gemma has been cursed with extraordinary powers that have a terrifying dark side - but she's finally found what she needs... a way to break the curse and become human again. Though finding a way to do so will be her greatest challenge yet - and making matters worse - Penn has her sights on Daniel - the boy Harper loves - and Penn always gets what she wants. 

Tidal is amazing. There is so much that happens throughout the book and you discover and learn so much more about the characters and even new characters are brought in. 

Gemma and Harper are literally working their butts off trying to find a way to break the curse, as is Marcy and Daniel. They know that they're running out of time - in some way, shape or form and are trying everything they can to save Gemma. They even get the help of Marcy's friend Lydia (if you have read Forgotten Lyrics, the short ebook from Amanda, then you'll know who she is) she helps to share her knowledge of what she knows about sirens and the possible ways to kill them or break the curse - both of which are pretty helpful. 

The plot of this book is really captivating - mostly because you know they're racing against time and eventually something will have to happen to either lengthen it, or shorten it and you can;t help but want to know which. It's fast paced and really well written - like Wake and Lullaby, the POV changes throughout the book (which I love) but what really surprised me and made this book a whole lot more exciting was that Gemma finds herself and unlikely ally... but I'm not going to say who, you're going to have to read it ;)

Gemma has been maturing over the books which I love - over the short space of time she has accepted what has happened to her and at times, even enjoyed it - but she knows that eventually, she will meet her fate and she's ready to accept whatever that may be. 

Harper has also grown a lot and isn't being as motherly as she has been - which takes a lot for her - but she can see the change in Gemma and knows that she won't be able to fight her battles for her much longer - which is tough, but she knows that's what has to be done.

Daniel is helping Gemma and Harper the best he can - he's being surportive and researching on the curse - but overall he knows he just has to be there for Harper - even she needs someone to lean on, but with Penn's growing interest in him, things change. 

Alex isn't as involved in this book, mostly because of what Gemma done at the end of Lullaby - but you do see him from time to time and get a general understanding of what's going on with him which is good. 

The other characters were also really well developed and had a good part within the book :)

Overall this is a really good book and continues on really well from Lullaby which I like and so far I would highly recommend this series :)