Wednesday Wishlist: Long Weekend Breaks

With everyone talking about holidays recently I have been getting very jealous! I decided that I would come up with a wish list of my top 5 places to go away to for a long weekend! 1) Paris

Photo from Maxi Sciences

I love Paris more than any other city I have ever visited, I have been there 4 times and as soon as I leave, I am desperate to go back! Hopefully I will be able to go back soon!

2) Monte Carlo

Photo from Boomsbeat

Monte Carlo is one of those places I have looked at and always wanted to go, it just seems to glamorous, and exciting. Unfortunately this is why the chances of me going any time soon are so slim - there is no way I can afford it! Ah well... a girl can dream!

3) Cannes

Photo from Studio System News

If we continue to make our way down the coast and along the French Riviera, at some point we will make it to Cannes... a place filled with glamour, style, beauty... I could go on for hours. I have been to the French Riviera before, but not to Cannes - it is definitely on my list of places to visit! 4) Marrakech

Photo from Wikipedia

Moving continents, we are now in Morocco - one of the largest cities in Marrakech, do I even need to explain why I want to go here? I love shopping, I love accessories, someone get me to that Souk! I keep looking at pictures of Marrakech, it looks incredible, not just because of the markets, but the history, the culture and the architecture - all in all a fabulous place to go for a long weekend! 5) New York

Photo from the Telegraph

I started watching Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda in Sex and the City when I was 16 years old and I have wanted to go to New York ever since. Then I found Gossip Girl and the obsession became worse. Damn TV shows! I know it might be a push to go there for a long weekend, but I decided it should make the list anyway! Have you been to any of these places? Do you think I need to add any more locations to my list? Let me know!

MAC Chatterbox Lipstick

I do seem to have a slight obsession with MAC, as much as a love other brands, something draws me back to them time and time again! Seeing as how I am currently on a mission to increase the variety of colours of lipsticks that I own (they were previously rather samey - shades of nude and one brighter one) when I dropped my the MAC counter, I decided to pick up Chatterbox. This has been a long time favourite of many bloggers, and I felt that I should take the plunge into some brighter pinks, and I'm really glad that I did!

I wouldn't normally consider myself a pink lipstick person, and it took me a while to get used to seeing myself in it, but it is a really lovely colour, and considering I wear a lot of monochrome, is a good way to brighten up my face.

All in all I think this is a great colour for summer, although I'm not sure if I will suit it in autumn, I have to admit I'm looking forward to wearing darker colours again!
Seeing as how I'm continually adding to my lipstick collection, I'm currently on the lookout for new shades (maybe even from a different brand *shock horror*) so let me know of anything you think I should try out!

Wednesday Wishlist: Autumn Designer Handbags

I have been trying to choose a new autumn handbag for a while, and although I realise I am slightly early, you must understand I am extremely fussy and it takes me a long time to decide what I want! While looking I seem to have added to my wish list of designer bags, so I have decided to share them with you!
1) MICHAEL Michael Kors Medium Top-Zip Jet Set Tote in Tan

This bag is £240 from Harrods, and I think is such as classic design, it would last for several seasons! I have also loved Michael Kors for a long time, and my current summer handbag is one of his, I have had it for a couple of years and absolutely love it.

2) Neverfull MM Monogram Canvas

Who doesn't love Louis Vuitton? This bag is beautiful, and I first saw it being carried by a girl on a commuter train I used to get everyday, and had serious bag envy! This bag is £710 from LV online!

3) Prada Black Tote

I have always coveted Prada, and remember being really excited when the Prada phones were brought out, and I was able to own my very own bit of the exclusive label! This beautiful bag is £1700.

4) Mulberry Bayswater in Oak Natural Leather

I can't begin to explain how much I love this beautiful Mulberry bag, I have always loved bags, and this was the first designer bag I ever wanted, and unfortunately many years later I can still not afford the £895 :( however, one day I will!

5) Diane von Furstenberg Runway Calf Hair and Leather tote

The final bag I am loving right now is slightly different to the others, which I would consider more classic. This DvF bag has leopard print calf hair sides, and would bring life to any neutral outfit.

Have you started thinking about your autumn/winter wardrobes and accessories yet? Let me know!

Corn Silk Loose Powder

I love vintage things, so I am not quite sure why I have never thought to look at makeup which was popular years ago! I can do my face up to look full on 50s, but I have never committed to actually using the products which were around then. One product which seems to be coming back into vogue is Corn Silk - a face powder which was originally made in the 1960s and claimed to offer women a lasting glow. It gives the face a matte appearance, which conveniently is what everyone is currently trying to achieve! (Think of all those Instagram filters? How about looking like that all day every day?!)

It seems to be so popular that it is now a best sold item on Amazon, and several professional makeup artists including Aimee Adams, whose clients include Madonna and Ellie Goulding, now swear by it! Amy says "I recommend Corn Silk for getting make-up to stay in place and give you a flawless complexion!" With praise like that I decided I needed to try it for myself. The first thing that I noticed was that it wouldn't look out of place on my nan's dressing table, I decided to try out the loose powder, as I haven't used one for ages, and it comes in quite a big box, with a cute little face puff (I'm not sure if that is the technical term).

The box itself feels like quite cheap plastic, but the powder is very good! My job as a computer technician means I am frequently scrabbling around under desks and end up a bit hot with a shiny forehead (attractive I know!) so as soon as it was delivered, handily to my desk at lunch time, that I would put some on before I started work for the afternoon again. By the end of the day I was sold! Although I had a little bit of a dewy appearance, it was nowhere near as bad as the full on shiny forehead without it! Corn Silk, from now on you will be living in my makeup bag! After all, doesn't everyone want to be this glamorous...

Anyway, let me know if you have used Corn Silk and if you have any other old fashioned makeup which is still fab!

Sleek Original Eyeshadow Palette

Eyeshadow is one of the few things I have never really collected, and have always stuck to a few colours which I know and trust, however I have decided I really need to be a bit more adventurous with my eye makeup and decided to buy a palette. I have heard quite a lot of good things about Sleek palettes before and decided that for £8.00 I might as well give one a go.

I wanted to step outside my comfort zone, and this palette definitely does that, I have bright colours and lots of sparkles, and they are really highly pigmented, which for the price of the palette I think is fantastic, as when I have bought cheaper eyeshadow previously I have had to cake it on to build up a decent colour. My makeup plan for these are to work on a slightly different smokey eye to my normal plain jane tones of brown, and seeing as I am going out to a gay bar in Manchester tonight, where better to debut my new makeup!

I quite like following makeup tutorials, and especially dramatic eye makeup ones, so if you know of any which would work well with this palette, make sure you comment with a link and I will try them out!

Book Review: What A Girl Wants by Lindsey Kelk

To me, Lindsey Kelk books are the perfect holiday read. They are fun, well written, and easy to dip in and out of. What A Girl Wants is no different. However, I think a lot of people can also relate to this book, as overall the story is about a girl who struggles to make a decision between whether she should choose the safe easy life, or risk it all in a gamble and run away to Italy.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not implying that everyone has had the opportunity to run away to Italy (if only!) but I think everyone has had to make a decision at some point about what path they want their life to take. This is why everyone will be able to identify with the main character, Tess, as she struggles with to make up her mind, when her heart wants to lead her somewhere else! In the words of R. Kelly "my mind is telling me no but my body, my body's telling me yes". True story.
This book is in fact a sequel to another book, About A Girl, but I didn't realise this until I finished the book and read the bit at the back which tells you about other books by the author! However, it doesn't matter (as I discovered) and the book is fantastic, whether or not you read the prequel.
If you are looking for some other Lindsey Kelk books, definitely have a look at the "I heart" series - they are fab, and were the first books of hers that I read, and continue to enjoy them.
Have you read any Lindsey Kelk books recently? Do you love them as much as I do? Let me know! 
Also I am planning a summer reading list post - so if there is anything you think I need to read (my holiday is booked for september so I have a while to go!) make sure I add it to my list!

Product Review: Collection Illuminating Touch Brightening Concealer

I have heard great things about Collection concealers for quite a long time, however I have always been more of a high end (let's be honest - mainly MAC) devotee, and rarely look at drugstore makeup for things other than lipsticks and nail varnishes. However I knew I needed a new concealer, and for £5 I decided to be brave and give it a go.

And I'm really glad I did.

I have had YSL Touche Eclat quite a few times before, and am an eternal devotee, however this comes in pretty close! It is basically designed to do exactly the same thing, and is described as a 3-in-1 miracle to correct, highlight and illuminate in one stylish movement.

The only fault that I have with this is the quality of the brush - it's pants, and does not blend the concealer well at all! However I have a very pretty Zoeva concealer brush which I use to blend it in, so it is hardly the end of the world!

The concealer comes in three different shades, Naked, Natural and Glow - I opted for the middle Natural - it sits well with my skin. Also as an additional note, as I am now trying this alongside varying other products while trying to master contouring (I have realised I mention this most blog posts)- it's a fab choice! Have you used this concealer before? Or are there any other drugstore ones that you think I desperately need to try? Let me know!

The Liebster Awards!

I am fortunate enough to have been nominated three times for the Liebster awards, by Velvet Blush, Miss Bella Blogs and The Scientific Beauty. So without further ado...
What is the Liebster Award? It is an award that is given to a blogger by other bloggers, it is a chain and it is up to you to continue the chain by nominating other bloggers yourself.  You cannot however nominate the person who nominated you.    Who can receive this?   Well over time this has been changed, and you now have to forward it on to 11 bloggers who have less than 200 followers.    What does it involve?    Then you answer the 11 questions set to you by the person who nominated you   You then nominate 5-11 blogs and set the questions you would like to ask them

Questions from Velvet Blush: 1. What made you start blogging? I started blogging because I wanted a way to talk to other people about things I am interested in, and also I wanted another reason to photograph a lot, and a way to improve my photographs.
2. How long have you been blogging for, and your experience of it so far? I have been blogging for a few months, however the first time I started I felt like I wasn't totally being myself, and decided to leave it for a while until I knew for certain how I wanted my blog to feel. This time around I have been blogging for 1 month and love where it is going!
3. If you could only wear one beauty product, what would it be? I'm currently loving Soap and Glory Glow Job, it makes my skin feel nice and moisturised but also gives it a good colour, I hate looking pasty.
4. What do you want to be/did you want to be when you were younger? When I was little, I really wanted to be a vet, however I am very allergic to animals, so unfortunately it wasn't meant to be!
5. What is your favourite clothing item? My favourite item of clothing is my Barbour coat, it was the most money I have ever spent on an item of clothing, and I love it to bits!
6. Are you a saver or spender? I am mostly a spender, although I am now trying to save as my boyfriend and I want to buy a house in the future!
7. What is/was your favourite subject? IT has always been my favourite! I love technology!
8. What is/was your worst subject? Maths. I am useless.
9. What is your best characteristic? I always try to help other people :)
10. How developed are your makeup skills? They're ok, there are a lot of things I still don't know though, and I am constantly trying to master contouring.
11. Finally, do you have any plans for your blog? I just want to see how it grows, and constantly hope that other people like reading it!

Questions from Miss Bella Blogs
1. Favourite nail polish - brand and colour? I'm quite a classic colours person when it comes to nail varnish, one of my long-standing favourites is Rimmel 60 seconds in 320 Rapid Ruby.
2. Favourite makeup brand? MAC. I have an obsession.
3. Favourite skincare brand? Clinique.
4. Top 3 favourite beauty products? Soap and Glory Glow Job, MAC Mineralize Foundation, and MAC Chatterbox lipstick. (A lot of MAC I know!)
5. Favourite clothing item? As above, my Barbour coat :)
6. Favourite accessory item? In the summer it has to be my Michael Kors handbag, It's so pretty and woven straw with a white leather bottom and straps.
7. Favourite colour? I don't really have one, although I wear a lot of black!
8. Favourite thing about blogging? I am loving how many people I talk to online now, and how friendly everyone is!
9. Best beauty tip? Drink lots of water, I always know when I haven't drank enough water because the circles under my eyes are darker.
10. Which blogger(s) do you admire/look to for inspiration? I think every female Beauty Blogger wants to be Zoella!
11. Blush or bronzer? I'm going to cheat here and say both, I have a lovely Soap and Glory compact (I can't remember what it's called) which has a mix of pinks, bronzers and highlighter - a great all in one!

Questions from the Scientific Beauty
1. Why did you start blogging? Same as above :) I wanted to talk to people about my passions!
2. High heels or flats? I love heels, and have a very large collection, however realistically I also fall over a lot, so I should probably say flats!
3. Who would your dream date be with and why? I could be cheesy and say my boyfriend, or honest and say Jason Statham - there is something about his muscles....
4. What is your guilty pleasure? I love Lindt Dark Chocolate with Sea Salted Caramel.... if someone would like to give me some now I'm thinking about it that would be great!
5. Girls night out or girls night in? Most of my friends I go on nights out with are lads, but I do love it when me and my best friend stay in and watch films. Means Girls all the way!
6. Who inspires you the most in life? I'm not sure to be honest! I'm quite happy being myself.
7. If you could teleport to anywhere in the world right now where would it be? Columbia. My sister is studying there so it would be nice to go and see her!
8. What is your fondest childhood memory? I think my fondest childhood memory would be of my first handbag, it was a pink 101 Dalmations bag, which I still have, and I loved it to bits.
9. Which blog do you enjoy reading the most and why? The first beauty blog I read was Zoella, but since then I just follow lots that I like on bloglovin, so I'm not sure if I have a favourite any more!
10. If you won the lottery what would be the very first thing you bought? I have wanted a Mulberry handbag for a very long time.... I dream of the Bayswater in Tan!
11.What is your favourite thing about blogging so far? As above, I have loved meeting new people and making friends!

I am going to nominate:
Grace at One Mulberry Bag Georgie at Beans Beauty Blog Kiera at Kiera Louise Rumbie at Rumbie Love Seren at Terrible Thrills Margo at Our Little Luxuries
The questions I have for you to answer are:

1. What did you start blogging?
2. If you had to leave the house with only two items of makeup on, what would they be?
3. What are your top 3 blogs?
4. What is your favourite summer lipstick?
5. What is your favourite thing about blogging?
6. Which is your favourite makeup brand?
7. What is your favourite type of blog post and why?
8. What is your favourite book?
9. If you had a dinner party and could invite 4 people, who would they be and why?
10. What is your dream handbag?
11. Where would you like your blog to be this time next year?

Ok, I hope you enjoy the challenge! Let me know when you have posted your answers!

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish - Lightscapade

I have loved using highlighters for quite a while, however until recently I have only used liquid ones, but never found they blended very well. As I was mooching around the MAC store in the Harvey Nichols Beauty Bazaar in Liverpool, deciding whether or not I really needed another lipstick (I did), I asked one of the Makeup Artists what highlighters they had, and as always happens with MAC products... I fell in love and came home with it. Best Decision Ever.

The Mineralize Skinfinish Lightscapade is a very pretty highlighter to look at, the colours in it mix together and look quite pearlescent. When applying it to skin it blends really well, so if you want a general pick me up and to look a bit more alert you can do a light covering over your foundation, or alternatively you can build several layers up to create a more obvious effect, for example when contouring (yes, I am still trying to master this!)

I only put a little onto my hand as I wanted to show how gentle it can be! It seems to sit very well with any skin tone (unlike the more pigmented Benefit highlighters I was using before, in which I seemed to have to have a different one in winter to what I did in summer).

As an added bonus this looks absolutely beautiful in my makeup drawer, and it is quite a joy to get it out and look at it!

I have heard some good things about other highlighters, in particular the MUA one, which I am going to get, so I can make a comparison, but I have to say this one is fantastic, and I would definitely recommend it!

Let me know if you have tried this highlighter, or any others you think I should test!

What to do: A rainy Saturday

It's official. I miss the sun already, can someone please return it to the North-West of England? I know we don't have it that often but I really appreciate it while it is here! So I am currently looking out my window at the torrential rain, I am definitely not going out in it, so I decided to come up with a list of things to do instead: 1) Watch Gossip Girl from Season 1

This is what I am currently doing, while blogging from my bed! I love it so much, and it makes me way too happy to hear that "Gossip Girl here, your one and only source into the scandalous lives of Manhattan's elite". If you're currently bored looking out the window, I recommend the first series, as #1 it's a shock to see how young they are, #2, they are still impeccably dressed, and #3 It's still one of the best programs ever!

2) Have a clear out I really need to do this, as all my clothes currently don't fit into my wardrobe, and my hair and beauty stuff is spilling out of my dressing table. However, in order to do this would require me to stop watching Gossip Girl. See above for why this is unlikely to happen! 3) Finish my current book I am currently reading the new Lindsey Kelk book, What a Girl Wants, which I am loving! I will be posting a review of this when I have finished it!

What are you up to on this dull wet day? Let me know!