The Sunday Edit #70

I'm aware that I have been fairly quiet on the blog this week, but we have been having our initial tests in all of our courses so they can monitor our progress and see if we are suitable for our courses before we go any further! So, as you can imagine, everything has been very busy around these parts!

Hopefully I will find the time to get some posts up for you this week, I have a few exciting things lined up but with how much college work I have, I may need to reconsider my plan for blogtober! I will work as hard as I can to get as much content up as I can because I really want to be able to to blogtober this year!

This week hasn't been that interesting really, just busy with all the tests and preparation. Next week is going to be a little quieter thankfully, but something really exciting is happening on Tuesday! I am joining what is known as the Business Academy at college in which students go on a 4-6 week internship in usually an accountancy firm in the summer, and often get paid or offered a job at the end, as well as gaining the experience! I am going to a meeting with my parents about it on Tuesday and I am really excited! I am glad to be a little more settled and more willing to get involved with things like that which will really help me in the future.

I am so brain dead after this week that I can't think of anything else to tell you about! I am currently procrastinating instead of revising for a law essay that I have to do tomorrow, so I think I should really get my priorities straight and get on with that! Leave me a comment with ideas on posts that I should do for Blogtober so I can write them down and try my best to do them if I get around to it!

I hope you have all had a lovely week!

Emily xx

The Sunday Edit #69

I'm pleased to say that this week has been a lot better and I feel much better about going to college.  I still don't feel completely happy, but I am getting there and a bit more time will see my problems sort itself out hopefully!

This week has been fairly boring, not much to talk about really just the same old! I had a huge clear out of my bedroom this weekend because it was starting to bug me, and I am currently contemplating getting a new desk as my work desk, as I seem to be finding it difficult to use my current one as a makeup station and a work desk, but I'm not sure yet.  I've been in town shopping all day looking for clothes and a new bag for college.  My Ted Baker bag that I had was just not sturdy enough or big enough for the amount I have to carry, so I picked up a bargain in Primark for £5 which seems of great quality and its huge! I also picked up some more clothes for college as I just don't seem to have enough to last me all week and the weekend.  I think I've not needed that much clothes because I've been in school uniform all week for god knows how long, it's not until you leave school that you realise what a lack of clothes you have!

I'm off now to do some revision for a timed essay that I'm doing in Law tomorrow, and then having a quick shower before Downton Abbey starts! I'm so excited I could wet myself, I won't though because I am in control of the situation! I hope you have all had a lovely week!

Emily xx

Belated August Favourites and Un-Favourites

Ok so I may be a little late with this post, but better late than never ey? I'm doing something slightly different this month, I thought that I would give you the best and the worst of this month as I have found some real gems, and some real disappointments.

Unfavourites

I'm going to start with the rubbish things so that I can end on a positive note, that way I save the best until last!  The first thing that disappointed me was the Highlight shade in the Maybelline Master Sculpt Contouring Kit.  This product isn't all bad as you will see in a while, but I was quite disappoited with the highlight and don't use it any more. It is pretty much just matte cream, with tiny glitters running through it which has little to no pigmentation and doesn't even show up on my cheeks.  It works ok as an eyeshadow but seeing as that's not its intention, I was slightly disappointed.  I also was a bit disappointed with the Maybelline Lash Sensational Waterproof Mascara, it wasn't the same sort of formula to the original Lash sensational and it isn't as waterproof as I had hoped.  Within a few hours it had smudged everywhere, and the slightest bit of water saw it running down my face.  I also didn't like the Rimmel London Lasting Finish Concealer.  I love Benefit Boi-ing and I thought this would be similar, but this is a lot more greasy in texture and it sits on my skin strangely and doesnt really blend in.  Even when I buff it, it just sits there and loses coverage.  Lastly, I didn't get on with the Makeup Revolution Focus & Fix Eye Primer as it didn't make my eyeshadows last at all and they just creased within a few hours! If anything, it was worse than having no primer at all so there was absolutely no benefit whatsoever!

Favourites

Now onto the good things! The first thing is undoubtedly my Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette, I have used this bad boy every single day since I got it and it is fast becoming a holy grail addition to my collection.  The shade range in this palette is amazing, it provides me with everything I need and the quality of these shadows are phenomonal.  I have a full post on it here if you're interested and I will soon have a look book up using this palette so keep an eye out for that.  Next is the Makeup Revolution Radiance Palette which I didn't really have high hopes for but I've been pleasantly surprised.  The powders give a beautiful dewy finish to the skin, without looking sparkly or powdery. It really does give you that lit from within look and is a fabulous alternative to the much coveted Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette. Even though half of the Maybelline Master Sculpt was in my unfavourites category, the other half definitely makes up for it.  The contour side works like a dream for my snow white skin, it is easily blendable and not hugely pigmented so it is fairly difficult to go overboard which I find makes application so easy.  The shade is fairly neutral, not to cool and not too warm which makes it a brilliant contour.  I think this kit is worth the money just for the contour shade because it is still a bargain! Next I have some new favourite lashes, the Eylure Lengthening 035 Lashes are the perfect lash for every day wear, or wearing out with a dramatic eye look! They are so versatile and I have gotten so much use out of them, and Eylure always have good quality lashes that are durable and last well. Last but not least, we have my favourite lipstick of the month which is the newest addition to my Mac Lipstick Collection.  The shade Hug Me is definitely a Kylie Jenner colour, but it is a sheer and glossy version for those of you who prefer a more subtle lip colour.  This is my perfect autumn/winter nude which can be worn in so many ways with so many different looks.  It is a lustre finish so what it lacks in pigment (though this is one of the most pigmented lustre lipsticks I have) it makes up for in moisture and glossiness.  Overall, a fabulous round up of products this month!

If you prefer this type of post to a regular favourites post, then let me know as I found this more interesting to create that your average favourites post! The things I hate are just as important to share as the ones I hate! 

Emily xx

The Sunday Edit #68

This week has been slightly better than last week and I feel as though I have regained my confidence a bit this week.  Everything seems to be becoming slightly more familiar now and I feel like I'm getting into a routine, which I am glad about though I still hate it! These things take time though, so in a few months time it will seem like I've always been there and everything will be fine! Like I always say, you can't have the rainbow without the rain so I just have to accept that I am going through a rough patch and convince myself that it will all get better with time and look forward to the happier times ahead.  For those of you who have no clue what I am talking about, check out last week's Sunday Edit where I ranted and explained everything that was bothering me so then you'll know what I'm rambling about! I have also made some even more friends this week which has made me feel a lot better, knowing that there are people that don't know me yet want to get to know me makes me feel happy :)

College work is pretty intense, and whilst I'm not complaining about it, I've realised that I need to get my priorities straight and that I can't do everything.  For that reason, I will be cutting back by one blogpost a week to allow me time for college work, and to have some me time as well.  I will now be posting Monday's, Wednesday's and Sunday's from now on (unless I do blogmas or blogtober, I'm deciding which one I want to do!).  I think this is best for all of us, it means that I can take weekends off completely (apart from Sunday Edit's) so I can take a break which will mean I'm more productive throughout the week.  It is good for me because I'm not constantly run down and working all the time, and also good for you because all the blogposts I do put up will be of much better quality as I'll have much more time to spend on them.  My biggest fear is for blogging to become a chore, so I am doing this as a preventative measure to make sure that never happens.

I hope you understand why I have to do this, and I am so surprised by the amount of lovely comments I've had over the last week with so much support coming from you, so thank you! Also, let me know whether you would prefer blogtober or blogmas! I think it would be too difficult for me to do both, but I was thinking maybe I should do blogtober seeing as I did blogmas last year and take it in turns, but let me know what you think because at the end of the day, my reader's opinions matter and I want to produce content that you enjoy.  I hope you have all had a lovely week, and I hope you're not all too disappointed that Summer is over!

Emily xx

What I've Won #5 - Vanilla Crush

This is quite a late post, if you follow me on Instagram you will know that I received these products from Carissa at Vanilla Crush a few months ago after I won her giveaway! People seem to love these posts, I do to so I thought I would show you the products that I got!

The first thing is the Yves Saint Laurent Travel Selection, which is a set of 3 summery shades of their Rouge Pur Couture Lipsticks.  The shade 01 is your typical red, the shade 07 is a blood orange shade and the shade 27 is a hot pink shade with blue/lavender undertones.  If you would have read my previous post here , you will have seen me compare these to the Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipsticks.  The formula is very similar indeed, though the colour ranges are very different, apart from the one shade I've previously talked about.  These are fabulous lipsticks, and are an amazing treat for either yourself or someone else you know who loves makeup! These sets are also amazing value for money, and I love when christmas comes around and I can save money on products in gift sets!

The next product was not in the giveaway, but Carissa felt bad for posting them later than she had planned (which didn't bother me in the slightest).  She kindly added in an Illamasqua lip liner in the shade 'Strumpet' which is a beautiful red, as a sorry for posting the package late! I was so grateful for this, and it is the first Illamasqua product I've owned! I haven't tried this yet, but if I love it I'm sure you will hear more about it!

Let me know if you've won any giveaways, and if so, what have you won?

Emily xx

An Introduction to the Creightons Bronze Ambition Range*

Seeing as the winter is coming, the bronze glow that you are currently sporting is about to start fading.  Luckily, Creightons have got your back this time, and have brought out a fabulous range of extremely affordable self-tanners, to have you looking bronzed all year round!

The first one we have is the Bronze Ambition Fake Don't Bake Natural Look Tanning Cream* which has been formulated to give an even and streak free tan with easy application and a natural look. This one is almost like a body butter and smells like coconut, so it gives you a lot of hydration and nourishment, whilst giving you a gradual and natural looking tan.  I would say this would be good for those of you who are tanning beginners, and want to start off with something quite light in colour and quite easy to apply so you can develop your technique without looking like you're off to do a days work in Willy Wonka's chocolate factory.  This product is £1.99 and is currently on offer for £1.39 through the link above! How crazy is that?!

Next up we have the Bronze Ambition Glow 'N' Go Instant Tan* which is very similar to one of the Rimmel Sun Shimmer products.  It is an instant tan which washes off with water, and it comes in 2 finishes, matte or shimmer.  The matte one gives more of a natural look, whilst the shimmer one gives you a beautiful glow.  These aren't particularly long lasting, but are fabulous for if you're going on a night out and area fellow sufferer of pasty leg syndrome! 

Lastly is the Bronze Ambition Bronze Me Mousse* which doesnt seem to be available online unfortunately.  It is your typical bronzing mousse, it's best applied with a mit for a streak free and even coat, and after a certain amount of time you wash it off and you develop a lovely dark tan. I find this one was the patchiest on me and the hardest to work with, so this may be aimed towards more of you experienced tanners who know all the tricks to achieve a beautiful and natural looking tan!

You can find this range in Home Bargains and B&M as well as online. These products are of fairly decent quality for the price so they are definitely worth a go!

Emily xx

*This post features PR Samples that were sent to me for review. This does not change my opinion on the products whatsoever. For more information, please look at my disclaimer above.

The Sunday Edit #67

Top - Primark - £5 | Skirt - New Look - £12.99 | Shoes - Next - £18

This week has been a bit of a strange one, lots of new things for me to try and get my little head around and I'm not really sure how I am feeling at the moment.  I've been a little quiet on social media this week so I've left you in the dark a bit, but hopefully this post will fill you in! 

I started college on Tuesday which I would say was pretty difficult. The first day was pretty stressful because it was straight back and into lessons where everything seemed alien to me.  By Wednesday, I knew where all of my classes were and I felt a little bit more settled. I also only have around 2-3 lessons a day and seem to have a lot of breaks which I enjoyed, just sat in the cafe trying out the cake and just chilling. Thursday was a little more stressful because the timings of my day were completely different to what I was used too, and I started using a different bus which I wasn't use d too which was also a little daunting. I again, enjoyed Thursday as much as I possibly could and I felt a lot happier.  Friday I was feeling okay up until I went to Law.  My teacher is horrible, she had wrote some really horrible things on my work and said that she wanted me to drop the A-level course and revert to B-tec.  For those of you who don't know, I want to pursue Law as a career so this really upset me.  She basically told me that I wasn't good enough, which was ridiculous because she had known me for an hour and a half and had no reason to think that. I now don't want to go back and I am dreading tomorrow because I feel like I'm not good enough and that I can't do it.  It's really just knocked my confidence and made me really hate college! I'm probably overreacting but it really bothered me.

I'm going to stop being negative now and talk about something else! I finally ordered some of the Fleur De Force lashes from FeelUnique because I couldn't find them in store anywhere, and I managed to get a purple gel liner from Lancôme in the FeelUnique sale for only £8.25! I'm having a bit of a thing for gel liners at the moment, but more to come on that in an upcoming post.  I also ordered some new boots and picked up a few bits in boots so if you would like to see them then let me know! Shopping makes me feel better, though I'm not sure my bank account would agree! I may also do a college essentials post and let you know what sort of things you will need, especially A-level maths because I would imagine most people would take that and I would say there are a lot of essential things you need to keep organised!

I think I've rambled enough now, and I can't really think of anything interesting to tell you! I hope you have all had a lovely week, and are enjoying being back at school/college/university or whatever you're doing!

Emily xx

End of Summer TAG

I haven't done a tag for a very long time, so I thought now would be the time to do one so many of my new readers can learn a little more about the person behind the blog. I was tagged by Lariane from www.simplyelegancebylari.com to do this, so make sure you check out her post!

How would you rate your summer? (1-10)

I would say 8/9. It’s been pretty good but I’m sure there is other things I could have done to make it better!

What was your favourite thing about the summer?

Exams being over and feeling free to do whatever I like!

Did you accomplish anything from your summer bucket list?

I didn't make a summer bucket list, the only thing I planned to do was to get back on track with the blog which I think I've definitely accomplished!

Favourite summer drink?

I've been obsessed with Cranberry&Raspberry juice this summer! It's amazing chilled on a hot day, and as well as being delicious it is really good for you too! My favourites are the Ocean Spray and the Morrisons own brand, they're the best out of the ones I have tried.

Favourite summer nail polish?

I've been getting a lot of use out of Barry M's Gelly polish in the shade 'Passion fruit' this summer. I've been really into orange and coral shades for both lips and nails.

favourite makeup look?

I've been going for something quite golden and bronzey because I find these look the best on me in the summer when I'm slightly less pale (I wouldn't go as far as to say tanned!)

dresses or skirts?

Definitely dresses, I find them so much easier to wear and you don't have to worry about finding a top to pair with it.

did you opt to wear your hair up or down?

Down mostly because it's quite wavy so looks perfectly fine to just leave on its own for a beachy look.  I only really put it up when it looks particularly awful because I'm lazy!

deep smokey eye or bold lips?

That's hard because I like both, but I would probably say deep smokey eye because I find them much easier to pull off.

favourite summer movie?

I don't really have a favourite summer movie, I don't really watch a lot of films to be honest! I get bored quite easily and films are often too long for me unless obviously they're really good!

favourite summer series?

Again, I don't really watch a lot of TV, and the things that I enjoy usually happen within the winter.  Seeing as September is still summer, then I would say Downton Abbey and Gogglebox because they both start again this month and they're my absolute favourites!

favourite summer song?

I usually will listen to anything in the charts during the summer because those are the songs that I will always associate with summer.  At the moment I'm loving Sam Smith and Disclosure 'Omen' and I've also been listening to a lot of Ed Sheeran! Oh and also Aston Merrygold's song 'Get Stupid' is such a catchy one that I find myself singing all the time!

I tag you all to do this, leave me your links so I can check them out!

Emily xx