June Favourites

Monday, June 30, 2014




Makeup-wise, June has been a good month for me. I managed to grab some of my ultimate makeup products in a Post-Exam mini haul and have had a bit of time to try them out, as well as still getting to know the products from when I Shopped My Stash. This month I've been loving neutral makeup as well as embracing a new-found love for a purple smokey eye.

For the new smokey eye I like to use MAC's Smut eye shadow. I bought this around 8 months ago and hadn't touched it. Since going through and trialing all of the shades in my MAC palette that I'd never used, it struck a chord with me that it'd be gorgeous with Shadow Lady for a purple smokey eye. I was right. I love to wear this with my Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Boy with Omega, Carbon and a winged liner to create such gorgeous look that I did a tutorial on my YouTube channel. I've been attempting to get away with this look for nipping to Tesco's... I don't think it's working.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, I've also been loving natural makeup. After shopping my stash I re-kindled my love for MAC's Mineralize Skin Finish in Soft and Gentle. I've had a serious love-hate relationship with this but found that it's best used with a light hand. The Nivea Raspberry Rose lip butter has been my savior for those times when you crawl into bed and need some last minute intensive lip moisture. Cheap and cheerful and does the job perfectly!

Weekend Reading

Saturday, June 28, 2014


This edition of Weekend Reading is a good'un. I've spent the past few days scouring high and low for the best selection of links to share that have either made me think or given me a good giggle. As always, these links are fabulous as they are but they'd be even more special if enjoyed with a big mug of iced water (or hot chocolate if you're going into Winter!), a little top knot and furry friend (mine's Meenie, of course).

- Zoe's anxiety/panic attack video. Such an amazing watch for both sufferers and non-sufferers.
- The personality test! I'm INFJ, what are you?
- Milly's beautiful Engagement Shoot photos - I promise I'm not sat sobbing...

Destination Inspiration

Friday, June 27, 2014

all photos taken from pinterest
Whenever I'm feeling a bit uninspired, Pinterest is my number 1 stop. I've even created a new board that documents every photo that inspires me that fits into no other category. The main inspiration stream for me lately is relating to Summer. One of my favourite photos of the bunch is the Vintage Paris VOGUE. Perfect. I also love the last collage of images - beachy air, sunkissed skin, pastel patterns and Chanel espadrilles... Need I say no more?

Summer Barbecue

Thursday, June 26, 2014


Barbecues in the sun are my one of my favourite things. Although I'm not too keen on barbecue food (I prefer a good Indian), it's so good and therapeutic to just take some time out to relax in the sun. My mum, brother and I went to a local park last weekend and had a stroll around the gardens. We saw rabbits, golfers, fancy peacocks, and my mum and Blaine even went on a boat - something that I daren't do when I'm equipped with my camera! Even though my mum's sat beside me now saying "I'm so burnt!", it was actually a really good day. Here's to a lot more summer barbecues!


In The Nude

Tuesday, June 24, 2014


If you'd had asked me last year what my favourite lipstick was, I'd probably have said something along the lines of MAC's Rebel or the Rimmel Kate Moss 107. I loved bold lipstick and found an excuse to wear them everywhere, even if I was just popping to the shop. Over the past few months I've been loving the natural lips that look like "my lips but better". Because it's summer and it's become too much effort to re-apply bold lipsticks, nudes are the way to go.

My favourite all-round nude is MAC's Patisserie. I picked this up after hearing Lily and Anna rave about it in their beauty chat videos in my Post-Exam Treats mini-haul and it's been my go-to everyday lipstick for the past few weeks. This stuff is amazing. I also have been loving the Natural Collection lipstick in Rosebud with the Rimmel lip liner in Eastend Snob - perfect for those who are Kylie Jenner lip wannabes! For special occasions I like using the Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Boy, the perfect formula that gives your lips a gorgeous shine that feels luxurious.

You can actually see MAC's Patisserie lipstick in action in my new YouTube makeup tutorial!

Sunday Lunch

Sunday, June 22, 2014


One of my favourite things ever is going out for lunch on the weekend. I love spending time with my family (and it means I can chose not to have a traditional Sunday Dinner... Yay). My mum and I are always on the hunt for new places to eat and this weekend we chose somewhere where we can eat whatever. I was so hungry that I ordered this delicious 'ultimate burger' with beef, chicken, bacon, cheese and chips. It's fair to say that by the time I'd eaten half, I was stuffed. My mum chose a steak and cheese baguette which also looked delicious and although she'd finished off the rest of my burger, I enjoyed every minute of mine. Yummy.

Summer Corals

Friday, June 20, 2014

I'm a nail polish hoarder and one of those girls that uses everything as an excuse to paint their nails. I can be sitting around the house for days on end, changing my nail polish for no reason. I love seeing something bright and vibrant on my fingers... Yup, I know how weird that sounds. This is a big statement to make but I think I've found my favourite Summer shade - Barry M's Coral nail polish. This has been in my stash for months and after a root through my drawers, its back on my nails and I am loving it.


Fit For Free?

Wednesday, June 18, 2014



When I first started my fitness journey, there was always one question in the back of my mind. Can you really get fit for free? I've been trying to lose weight for just over a month (read the first documentation here) and have found that you actually can get fit and healthy for free... Shocking, right?

As I mentioned in the post linked earlier, Blogilates is your best friend when you're losing weight. Cassey is such an amazing PT and the hundreds of free videos on her YouTube channel are so encouraging and motivating. Her app is also a life-saver for the I'm-stuck-in-the-supermarket-trying-not-to-buy-the-chocolate moments. Trust me, we've all been there.

If you're a runner or more of a cardio girl, get your earphones out, download the Nike Running app and away you go. I'm not that advanced yet (plus, cross country was my worst enemy in school) so I tend to stick to toning and aerobics. As for clothing, I just usually wear a baggy tee, a pair of old leggings and some running shoes, although I am eyeing up a pair of the pink Nike Free Runs. Post-exam treat?


The most exciting part of this post is how you could win £350 worth of fitness goodies - simply click here, follow the instructions and you'll be entered... Simple as that. :)



10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Monday, June 16, 2014


I'm a list-user, a list-lover and an all round list-addict. Everything from makeup items that I want to purchase, to blogs I'm loving and even to TV shows are documented in about a thousand mini-lists on my phone. I've been reading Rosie's blog for so long and have come to the realization that her "10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week" mini series are so enjoyable to read that I'd love to write my own and make it a little bi-weekly feature. After all, we all love talking about being happy... Right?

ONE // Watching the England match in the pub, with my Dad. My dad and I don't spend that much time together and he LOVES football. Me, not such a fan, but if it's England playing, I can tolerate it for a few hours!

TWO // Finishing my exams! After four weeks of what seems like exam-after-exam, they're finally over. Fourteen exams have been sat and it feels so good to think "Yay! I don't have to revise anymore!" Haha.

THREE // The weather recently has been from one extreme to the other - something that I love. I love that some days can be hot and sunny and you can sit and fry in the heat, and the next day you can sit by the door listening to the rain.

FOUR // Deep and meaningful heart-to-hearts with my friend & my mum. As my mum likes to call me, I'm a "bottle-it-up-er" (excuse my terrible attempt at phonics) and I keep everything that is bothering me locked up and never tell my feelings. It felt so good and like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders once I'd had a little chat.

FIVE // Seeing Meenie sprint home once she heard thunder. I'd never seen those little legs move so quick!

SIX // Movie day with my mum! When Channel4 had the back-to-back 80's movie day, my mum & I both eat our body weight in chocolates, snuggled up in duvets and chilled out. They're the best days.

SEVEN // Visiting the Art Gallery. As much as I don't like to admit it, I actually enjoyed walking around the gallery and learning about art - it is for my art qualification, after all.

EIGHT // Speaking to someone that makes me smile at my phone.

NINE // Painting in the rain. As I mentioned earlier, this weather we've been getting recently is completely bizzare and I don't know what it is about painting in the rain that I love but it's so therapeutic (even if you draw/paint like a five year old!)

TEN // Blogging! I've had a little play around with my template and tweaked my design slightly, something that I do when I feel a bit un-inspired. Now it's done I'm back to blog with so many fresh ideas!

Post-Exam Treats

Saturday, June 14, 2014

Can we just take a moment to appreciate that the past sixteen years have been building up to this week. The final exam was the one I took yesterday and it feels unbelievably good that I have no more exams and revision to do, but scary knowing that I've done it and have to wait 3 months for the results. Anyway, after my last exam yesterday, my mum took me shopping to celebrate. I originally went to buy MAC's lipstick in Patisserie and the Clinique Cheek Pop in Ginger Pop but inevitably found myself drooling over the Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Boy. Within a few minutes, I'd had a Chanel makeover and the lipstick was in my pocket. Thanks momma!

Covering All Bases

Thursday, June 12, 2014

This post is aimed at all of you - whether you like little to full coverage foundations, I have the pick of the bunch. I'm personally a fan of full coverage but it seems it's primarily the higher end of the price scale that cater for such pale skin. Boo hoo. I have, however, found an amazing drugstore dupe for an amazing high-end MAC foundation and trust me, it really is amazing.

The Magic Finish Makeup
For me, this is by far the most interesting of the lot. My mum bought this M.Asam Magic Finish Makeup off QVC a while back and yes, I know what you're thinking. "Elise, you're so pale... Why are you wearing a foundation of that shade?", well trust me, it's magic. It works to the natural colouring of your skin to make your skin look healthier and more radiant. This stuff really is magic.

The BB Cream
I'm not a fan of BB creams, but the Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream is one of the best that I've tried and the best thing about it? It's only a few quid. By saying it is an 8-in-1 product, it has a lot to live up to. I like to wear this on the days that I really want a nice, natural base that isn't too cakey or heavy. It's slightly too dark for me so I really need to buff it in to make it as seamless as possible. 

The Radiant Foundation
If you're a fan of healthy, glowing skin, the Rimmel Wake Me Up is my pick of the bunch. I don't wear this often as again, the shade is a teenie bit too dark for me and I prefer matte skin, but I tend to whip this out on special occasions.

The Drugstore Full Coverage
L'Oreal's True Match foundation is a new found love for me. I documented my love for it when I reviewed it here and I'm still as in love with it now as I was when I bought it. This is an amazing dupe for MAC's Studio Fix Fluid foundation and it even caters for my pale skin. This can also be applied very sparingly for a medium coverage yet built up to make it fuller. For only £10 a pop, this stuff is da bomb.com.

The Full Coverage Blow-Outs
Ahh, my favourites! My all-time favourite foundation has to be MAC's Studio Fix Fluid. The shade NW10 is absolutely perfect for me, I love the matte finish and is not mega expensive. If you could fall in love with a foundation, this would be my number one choice. Another full coverage blow out that I like is the NARS Sheer Glow foundation. This is my choice for when I've fake tanned as it really doesn't work for me when I'm at my palest. This is similar to Studio Fix but it gives my skin a slightly more radiant finish whilst still being matte.... Does that make sense?


Daily Brushes

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

If we're going back a few years, I'd have been shocked that you could use brushes to apply makeup. All I used was my fingers, resulting in badly blended eye shadow and that awful mis-matched foundation. Yeah, not a good look. Ever since getting my hands on a few Real Techniques brushes in early last year, I've been completely converted. My favourite brush of all time is the RT Buffing Brush that came out as part of the Core Collection. I'd happily pay more than what I did for this brush because of how amazing it actually is. Because it's synthetic, it doesn't soak up loads of cream/liquid products meaning it applies foundation like a dream.

I'm also a lover of the RT Domed Shadow brush that I actually use for concealer. It's the perfect density and again, blends cream/liquid products like an absolute dream. The Base Shadow brush is another favourite. I'm a bit hesitant to spend £20 on the MAC 217 brush and for me, this is very similar. I use this to apply products in the crease and the shape of it makes eye makeup look flawless. For brows, I love to use the Angled Brush. All of the RT brushes are so easy to clean, cheap and easy to get. They're amazing, and if you can get hold of them, make sure you give them a go!


Stuck In A Creative Rut?

Sunday, June 08, 2014

We've all been there. "My blog needs updating as I haven't posted in a while but I can't think of anything to post... Help!". Trust me, I go through phases like this almost every other week but I like to use these little tips to help me get out of a little creative rut and come back with fresh, imaginative and new content. Let's face it, making sure a new post is published every other day is exhausting. I don't know how daily bloggers do it!

  • Take your camera and go for a walk, photographing anything and everything.
  • Don't force things - forced posts are noticable.
  • Read other blogs and take inspiration.
  • If necessary, use a filler topic like a wishlist. It should keep your blog covered for an extra few days.
  • Read a book!
  • Brainstorm. Get as many ideas as you can down on paper when you're at your most creative, then come back to it as a source of inspiration for when you're stuck.
  • Pinterest.
  • Take time off! You don't have to feel pressure to blog. It's your blog. You make the rules.



The Sleepy Kitten

Friday, June 06, 2014


Ok, so it's happened. I've turned into that crazy cat lady that shakes treats up and down the street screaming their cat's name at the top of their lungs - it's even worse when I'm wearing pyjamas (picture that...). It's been a while since I did a little Meenie update and it's crazy how fast she's growing. The best thing about having a kitten is finding her sprawled out on my bed to go and cuddle up to.

Since having her operation a few weeks ago, she's getting braver and going further away from the house - something that honestly terrifies me. She's such a funny cat, as weird as it sounds. Every morning I find her snoring away on my back and when I wake up, she sits next to my bedside table waiting for her morning treats. She's also been in a few cats fight, primarily started by her. She is living up to her name "Meenie" but is such a softy when she's in the mood! There's a bigger cat that she bullies every time she sees it and she also has a thing for walking in people's houses... How the hell do you get her to stop that?!

Co-Washing?

Wednesday, June 04, 2014

I think it's almost every girls dream to have long, lusciously thick locks down to their bum but let's face it, it's probably never going to happen. Let's start with the basics - I have medium length, extremely thick brunette hair. It's been bleached, dyed, cut into a bob and grown to the bottom of my back (not all at the same time, duh) and it's definitely showing some signs of damage.


What co-washing is supposed to do is cleanse your hair with conditioner, instead of shampoo. It's said to cut down frizz and help to prevent hair damage (read the fancy article here). Sounds perfect, right? Yeah. It is. I tried washing my hair with just the Garnier Ultimate Blends Sleek Restorer Conditioner twice a week, and using the shampoo with it once a week and the results were amazing. My hair became something much more sleek than the giant frizz ball that the hairdryer leaves me with... I'm converted.

New Shoes

Monday, June 02, 2014

Fellow girls, you will recognize the pain of wearing gorgeous shoes but being left with not-so-gorgeous, ripped up feet. I've been eyeing up these Topshop TIKA2 High Vamp Skaters for so long and for only £20, I bought them last week. I've never had delivery from Topshop as I usually collect from store but the delivery for these took 7 working days when it said a maximum of 3? Anyway, I wore these out for around 20 minutes and had to take them off. Once I took them off, my feet had been ripped to shreds - literally my foot was one huge plaster. Another case of beauty is pain maybe? They're still gorgeous shoes nonetheless, but my feet sadly don't agree with them. :(