What's In My Bag? June/July 2015

I love watching these videos on YouTube. as I find it fascinating to see what people carry round with them, but I'm never really sure why, I guess I'm just a really nosey person. So, here's what I found in my bag. This is a standard set up for my bag, and is what I carry round everywhere, every day.

My bag is just from F&F (the clothing range at TESCOs), I know, really boring, but it's a perfect nude colour and for summer, and I love that it comes with two different straps so it's ideal. It's also huge, so I can fit so much junk in there...

I have my two apple products; my iPhone 5 and my iPod classic. I love them both so much, I bought them both second hand (because there is no way I could afford brand new ones!), but they are still in great condition and I don't think I could cope without them any more (sounds terrible, I know). I'm so sad they've discontinued the iPod classic, because they are amazing, I'm a music student at university and my music collection is... ridiculous, and this is the only thing I've found that'll hold it all!

Then I have my purse, it's just from Primark, but I love the colour, and it just holds all the things I need it to, and it's just one of those things everyone has with them. I also carry another basic, tissues, because, yeah, you sometimes need to blow your nose.

In terms of beauty/make-up items, I don't really take a lot with me, just the essentials I need because I find my make up stays in place, so I don't really need to carry them around with me. I have a deodorant, it's just one from so..? and it's a perfect travel size and I just spray a bit when I think I need a top up. I carry hand cream because I have horribly dry skin and when I'm out I always look down at my hand and think 'eurgh'... for the same reason I carry a simple Nivea lipbalm, I absolutely love applying these as they make your lips and hands feel super soft and moisturised. I carry whatever lipstick I'm wearing that day, which, for the last time I used this bag, is a favourite of mine, which you've already seen 1000 times, and it's my Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick in the shade 32. I love to top this up, all the time, so this is an essential to take around with me. I also take my Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder and a powder brush from boots to keep my face looking matt, and this is ideal because it comes with a great sized mirror ideal for travel.

I always carry a tea bag round with me, these are from Waitrose and I can't remember when I got them, but I drink tea, all the time, and it saves you money to just ask for a cup of hot water and bring your own tea bag (they often only charge you like 20p for this rather than £1.99). I know this is such a cheapskate thing to do, but paying for cups of tea when I go out annoys me soo much, because you're paying £2 for some water and a tea bag! The other food/drink item in my bag.. is an empty chocolate wrapper, I'm obsessed with white chocolate, and obviously when I was last out I got the munchies.

I carry around a few hair things; hairbrush, a clip, and some hair bands, because my hair is really long and sometimes I just want to get my hair out of my face, and so these are ideal. And then I just carry some essential pills; pain killers and hayfever tablets, because I always find I need them when I'm out, not necessarily for me, but they're handy to have with you.

I have my remote for my camera.. which isn't in my bag, but that's because it is HUGE, and I have to have it around my neck otherwise my bag is really heavy.

Finally, I have my essential item, my little book. Currently it is just this pink one that I picked up from 'the Range' (a shop that sells homey things), and my pen (yes, it's covered in music notes and I'm a music student, bit cheesy I know) because I'm really forgetful, so I have it write down everything in lists in my book. So I carry it around with me everywhere.

So, I hope you enjoyed seeing what I carry round with me on an every day basis!

My Summer Holiday Makeup Bag

So I've packed all of my makeup for my holiday, and thought you'd like to see what I chose to take with me on holiday. It's all able to be picked up from the drugstore, and so all really affordable.

During the summer, I like to wear a light coverage foundation, and so I decided to take me favourite; Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation in the shade Ivory. This foundation is amazing, it makes your skin look really awake and healthy. For the days we chose to spend being lazy, or I'm just being lazy, I'm bringing my Collection BB Secret Beauty Balm in the colour light, for a light coverage. Both of this products have SPF15, which, for a girl who burns really easily and goes bright red, is really handy.

For concealer I'm taking my trusty Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer also in the shade Ivory (I'm really pale..), I absolutely love this, and it is great at covering up bags under your eyes. I really want the Collection Lasting Perfection concealer, but it's always sold out in my shade.. so I'm still waiting.

For setting powder I literally couldn't make up my mind between two powders, because I love them both so so much... so I'm bringing both, because I am incredibly indecisive. Bourjois Healthy Balance unifying powder is great for adding a healthy glow to your skin, and the packaging is really compact, and so will definitely be the one I carry round with me to touch up with. However I have recently (I know, really late) discovered the Rimmel Stay Matt Pressed Powder, and it's really new to me and so I really want to try it out. The packaging it not quite so compact, and doesn't come with a mirror (which my Bourjois does), but I just had to take it because it's so great at keeping your foundation/concealer put.

I'm taking my Bourjois Bronzer and Highlighter, and I love the smell of this, it smells divine, and the highlighter is wonderful. But, the bronzing powder has a bit of a shimmer to it and so I prefer to use my Rimmel Natural Bronzer because, as the name suggests, it looks far more natural, which is that I really like about this product. It only comes in one shade, but it really works for my skin, and so I'm not complaining. 

In terms of eyes, I'm taking my two neutral Maybelline Colour Tattoos in the colours 65 - Pink Gold and 35 - On and On Bronze. I tend to use this as an eye base and they are such beautiful summery shades. To add the extra highlights and to go over the top of this I am taking my Revolution Redemption Palette Essential Mattes, because it contains every shade I would ever need, and I tend to wear matt eye shadow in the crease of my eye, and so this palette is perfect!

For my eye pencils, I'm taking my Maybelline Scandal Eyes, which is a liquid eye liner pen, with a perfect thin pen, it's like just using a felt tip! So easy! and it stays put all day. Absolutely love this product. In terms of pencils I'm taking my MUA Intense Colour Pencil in the colour Rich Brown for those more subtle days, I love wearing brown eye liner when I'm going for a more natural look. I'm also bringing my No. 7 Stay Perfect Eye Pencil in the colour Bronze, which I love to apply and smudge out, and it creates a really quick, natural and lovely eye look!

I'm taking my favourite mascara, ever, like ever. It's the Maybelline the Falsies Volume Express, the waterproof formula, because this makes my eye lashes look incredible! It's also great because it's waterproof, so while I'm getting in and out the pool, and maybe even in the sea... or maybe not.. it'll stay put and I wont be walking round with panda eyes until I get hold of some make up wipes...

For lips I'm taking my two Nivea Lip Balms. I own both the Hydro-Care one, which is great because it has an SPF15 to keep my lips safe and it's also really moisturising, but also rather boring, and the Pearly Shine one which makes it look like you're wearing a really moisturising lip gloss.  I'm then taking my three favourite Rimmel Kate Moss Lipsticks, in the shades 38 (a perfect pink-nude for those days when I'm going natural), 32 (a coral colour, absolutely perfect for summer, it is the most summery shade, ever) and 1 (which is their Red Nose Day special, and is a vibrant, bright red, for those days when all you want is a bright red lip). I'm taking my No. 7 Precision Lip Pencil in the colour Soft Blush to help my lipstick stay in place for longer, I absolutely love this because it's so easy to apply, and you don't need to sharpen it, I mean yes! (I hate sharpening makeup pencils.. it's the bane of my life)

For nails it has to be the Barry M Gelly range, because they're so easy to apply, they stay put for ages, they don't chip easily, and they are really glossy and gorgeous. I am absolutely in love, I mean I think me and these nail polishes need to get a room.... I've only photographed two shades here, but I'm taking five.. whoops, just couldn't choose. In the summer I love to wear pastels on my nails, and so the colours I'm taking are all pastel shades, and I love them so much! I have the shades  11 (a baby/pastel pink), 6 (the most gorgeous pastel purple ever), 5 (a sky blue), 13 (a pink toned orange) and 21 (which is an unusual colour for me, but I love it, it's a pastel, mint green, you should really buy this one) . I'll insert a pictures here;

I'm storing all my makeup in my new Primark Makeup Bag, I absolutely love it, it's such a summery makeup bag, the colours are just wonderful, and it's huge! And it was only £3, what more could you want?!

I know I'm probably taking way more than I need, but I'm driving to where I'm going, and it's only me and my boyfriend, so.. don't need to worry too much about space! Which is great for me, because I am the worst for making decisions! But I love all these products, they're great value for money, and this is basically my summer makeup bag, so I thought I'd show you. I hope you found this interesting, as these are the products I use all the time, and so am completely loving.

Packing! :D

Just a quick post... and this looks like complete disaster... but I promise it is organised... 

I'm going on holiday on Monday to Cromer, Norfolk, England. I am so exited, and I'll be posting more about it while I'm there and when I get back!!

Mini Boots Haul

Everyone loves a good Boots haul, it's where I buy all my makeup from (as I've never been a hi-end makeup girl). And I had 2 vouchers for money off at No. 7. There was also a sale on in my local Boots. All really exiting!

SALE ITEMS

Rimmel 'I Love Lasting Finish' Nail Varnish - This nail varnish is usually £2.99, which is a pretty standard price for a drugstore nail varnish, but I picked it up in the sale for £1. BARGAIN. I got it in the shade '502 Hot Tropicana' and it's this bright, hot-pink, and it's absolutely gorgeous. I've never used this range of nail polish before, and so for £1 I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to try them out. 

Collection 2in1 Top Coat - This is also normally £2.99 and I picked it up for £1. I still have my Barry M 2in1 Topcoat, which I absolutely love, but, to be honest, a top coat is a top coat, they don't vary hugely between drugstore brands. So, when I saw this for only £1 I picked it up because I get through clear nail varnish fairly quickly.

Bourjoir Volume Clubbing Mascara - This is usually £7.99, which is a fairly decent price for a drugstore mascara, and it claims to stay in place even when you're getting hot and sweaty, like you would when you were clubbing. I picked this up in a sort of spur of the moment thing because it was in the sale for £1. It is in the colour brown, and I don't own a brown mascara and so I thought it would be another basic I needed. However I find the formula really sticky, and the applicator really strange, and so I don't know how often I will use this. A review might be coming later it ends up growing on me, or not.

Collection BB Secret Beauty Balm - This product is usually £5.99, but this was only £1!! It's in the perfect shade for me (light), and it provides the perfect light coverage for summer, and it makes my skin feel really soft. The SPF 15 is also ideal for the summer to protect my face against the sun. I am so happy I found this and picked it up, and when this runs out I may even repurchase this in the future at full price!

NO. 7 Items

No. 7 Soft and Soothed Gentle Toner - This is £8 currently in Boots, but I had a £5 off No. 7 skincare voucher and really needed some more makeup remover and so decided to pick this up. It's really good at removing face makeup and makes my face feel fresh. However, it is terrible at taking off eye makeup, which may be because no. 7 do a separate eye makeup remover, but I like my makeup remover/toner to do both, so, not sure I'll be repurchasing this. 

No. 7 Stay Perfect Eye Pencil - I picked up an unusual shade of eyeliner this time, picking up the shade 'Bronze', which, as the name suggests, is a bronzy toned eyeliner. It was £7.50, but I had a £3 off voucher. I really like this, the texture and staying power as well as the colour pigmentation of this is really nice and I think I'll be picking up some of the other colours in the future. 

No. 7 Precision Lip Pencil - This lip pencil is only £6.75, and I also had £3 off this, and it is incredible. There are loads of shades, but I picked up the shade 'Soft Blush', which is a nudy-pink colour. I love the fact it's not a pencil so you don't have to sharpen it, and it really prolongs your lipstick as well as making my lips look fuller. This is now my favourite lip pencil and I am really intending to pick up some more!

Everything Else

Rimmel Stay Matt Pressed Powder - Yes, I know, how the hell do I not have this yet?! but I've been absolutely loving my Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder and reluctant to move on. But, everyone has been raving about this for AGES, and so I went and picked up the shade 'translucent'. It was only £3.99, and so really cheap, and for the price you pay for it, it is flawless.

Maybelline Colour Tattoo 24 Hours - I already own two of these and absolutely love them, and so I picked up another shade, 'Metallic Pomegranate', which is a metallic red/burgandy colour. It's absolutely gorgeous, and another great addition to my makeup collection. 

I love going to Boots and looking at all their items, and if you pick up their magazine that comes out every other month you can pick up some great vouchers in their for extra points/money off, and the Boots near me was having a great little Sale on, which.. I can't resist a Sale! I hope it was helpfull seeing what I bought :)

Maybelline Colour Tattoo Review

These products are amazing, they come in small glass jars with a plastic lid, and although the packaging seems like there wont be a lot of product, there is more than enough to last you a long long time. 

The great thing about them, is because they are so creamy they are so easy to apply and you can use either your finger or a synthetic brush with the same amount of success. I've found you dont need to use a primer with this product, because they last all day, untill you wash them off in the evening. 

They are really flexible as you can use them as a base, on their own, or if you use the right brush, you can even use them as a coloured eyeliner. And once they set, they do not smear or move even during the hot, summer days. 

Although I don't, I know people who use the colour 'Taupe' (as well as a few other matt brown shades) to fill their brows in.

For whatever you want these Eye Shadows to do, I would highly recommend them as I have never has any trouble with them and their pigmentation, colour stay and flexibility makes them a great addition to my make-up collection.

Chocolate Brownie Fudge Recipe

I've recently discovered this recipe, as I made it for my dad for Father's Day (as he is completely obsessed with fudge and stodgy, chocolatey, sweet puddings). It's absolutely delicious and really easy to make, so I thought I'd share it with you.

Ingredients:

4oz Chocolate (chopped)

10oz Unsalted Butter (cut into pieces)

8oz Granulated Sugar

6oz Brown Sugar

3 Large Eggs

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

8oz Plain Flour

2oz Cocoa Powder

1. Preheat the oven to 350DegF or 180DegC and grease a 12-square brownie pan or 8-inch square pan.
2. Melt the chocolate and butter in a medium saucepan over a medium-low heat, keep stirring until it's melted. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the granulated and brown sugar into the mixture. Then whisk in the eggs, one at a time. Add the vanilla essence. Stir in the flour and cocoa powder until evenly combined.
3. Put mixture into the pan and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the top of the brownie loses its shine. 
4. Cool the brownies for about an hour before removing from the tin (allowing the brownie to set), then slice and serve.

My brownies kept for 4 days in a sealed container in the fridge, and I found leaving them in the fridge for a day actually improved them. But I thought they were delicious, and a perfect cheeky treat.

Barry M Gelly Nail Polish

If there's one thing I hate, it's having to apply coat after coat of nail polish just to get a solid colour. And then, after all of that, it then chips, in a matter of hours. It's for this reason that I've never really been one for painting my nails.

When I was younger Barry M nail polishes were by far my favourite, they're also great value for money and last a long time, and they have always been my favourite brand of nail polish of the drugstore options.

I'd heard great things of these nail polishes, and so I bought shade 11 (a sky blue colour) a while ago and completely loved the fact that it provided a glossy, pigmented colour in only one coat. The formula is also chip resistant and creates a gel-like finish.

So I went back to Boots and fell in love with the range of  'pop colours', and so purchased 3 more colours; shade 11 (a barbie pink), 33 (a warm toned red), and 1 (a deep purple, ideal for Winter/Autumn). In the furutre I really want to collect the entire range!

My Fashion Staple

Statement necklaces have become a huge thing in the last year, and I love the wear them. Statement necklaces 'jazz up' a simple, understated outfit, and as I own way too many black and white clothes, they help add a splash of colour.  I think they should be a staple in everyone's wardrobe/jewellery collection.

I currently own 7, the top one from Miss Selfridge, the next 3 from Dorothy Perkins, the pastel coloured flower necklace from Newlook and the last 2 from Primark.

I have two favourite necklaces that I literally wear all the time. I find most statement necklaces are in gold or copper colours, and so I absolutely love the silver and blue one because it allows me to wear it with all my other silver jewellery, including my beloved Pandora bracelet. 

My New Lipstick Obsession

I've recently purchased these Kate Moss lipsticks, and have completely fallen in love. I discovered these after Zoella raved about them on her YouTube channel, and decided that I really wanted to pick them up and try them for myself.

They have become my favourite for a number of reasons. The main reason being that the colours and the pigmentation of these lipsticks are amazing. The colour range, although not as extended as other lipstick brands, for me is absolutely perfect, I am quite reserved when it comes to lipsticks, and so I have found all of my favourite, staple colours in this range. They are extremely affordable (under £6!), and so you can easily build up a collection, and doesn't break the bank. The packaging is also great, very compact, and attractive. My favourite two are number 32, which is a coral colour, and perfect for summer, and number 38 is a perfect everyday nude-pink.

The only downside with this lipstick is that I find it can be quite drying, and so I find I have to apply a lip balm underneath or a lipgloss over the top to stop my lips drying out. But I find this can help the colour stay on longer anyway.

This lipstick is amazing, and I fully intend to make future purchases. I think it should be a staple in everyone's makeup collection, and highly recommend it!