The Sunday Edit #94

I've been a bit MIA this week but that's been I've been ridiculously busy and have had zero free time to sit down and do some blog work. I know I say that every week but to be honest, I'm run off my feet 90% of the time, I'm a busy gal! Managing 3 A-levels, 2 part time jobs and a blog with all of my social media accounts can prove to be quite the challenge. I say two part time jobs, because I got the job with Benefit and will be starting very soon! If you follow me on social media then you'll already know (if you don't, simply click the icons in the side bar) that I had a phone call to say that I'd successfully passed the recruitment process and had to go for my store approval at Debenhams which also went really well! I am beyond excited about this job, I'm going to be in my element playing with makeup all day long and getting paid to do it. I've also done 2 long shifts at my other job at Next this week so when I've not been in college I've been at work or going for work-related shenanigans. As per, I've had a ton of college work too and I have two essays waiting to be done as I write, college is really starting to get busy now, I've got assignments and tests to revise for like you wouldn't believe and I literally have zero motivation.

Hopefully this week will be a little more quiet and less stressful though I'm not holding out much hope! I'm going to work solidly all week so that I can have Friday and the weekend off because it's my 18th Birthday. I'm so excited to finally be 18 and be able to do adult stuff, I feel like I've been waiting so long to finally be able to go out with my friends. I don't really have a lot planned but I want to be able to take a break and chill for a bit and hopefully consume a large quantity of wine. I got my nails done today for my birthday and they are by far the best things I have seen in a long time, I went for rose gold chrome and although it cost me a fortune, I am beyond pleased with them! If you want to see them, I put a photo up on my Instagram which you can find here.

Last but not least, I'm hosting the GRLPOWR chat tonight at 9pm GMT over on twitter, you can find the grlpowr account here so make sure you follow us and join in! Tonight's topic is blogging and life goals, I'd love to see you there!

I hope you've had the most fabulous week!

Emily xx

The Sunday Edit #93

Couldn't think of a truer quote for today's post, I've literally achieved nothing today and it's already nearly 4pm. This week has been hectic as per usual, my week has literally just been work and college so nothing new! The only exciting thing that happened this week is that I went for my interview with Benefit on Friday which was incredibly nerve wracking but I think I did ok. The manager that I was interviewed by was so lovely, we went to cafe nero and she bought me a hot chocolate and we did the interview there. I think I did ok but I was really nervous, I find out on Tuesday whether I was successful or not so fingers crossed. If I am successful then I will probably do a more in depth post about my experience with Benefit recruitment because I know a lot of my readers would probably be interested in a job in that kind of environment so they may find it useful. It's not the end of the world if I don't get it, I already have a job which pays fairly well and although I'll be really disappointed I know there are plenty more opportunities to come for me in the near future.

I had so much planned to do this weekend and I feel like sitting down to write this post is really the only productive thing I've done. Yesterday I worked all day and then came home and literally just slumped in bed for the reset of the evening because I was so exhausted. I did manage to write my birthday and christmas list though, my mum's been pestering me for weeks for it but I just couldn't think of anything I wanted. I can't believe I'm going to be 18 in less than two weeks time, this year has literally gone in the blink of an eye. This time last year I was getting really excited about starting to learn to drive and I was looking at fiat 500's that I was desperate to buy, and now a year on I've been driving almost 6 months and have a much newer and better car than I expected myself to be able to get. As much as I've moaned about how bad this year has been, when I sit and think about it, it's actually not been too bad. Completely changing the subject, I went to home bargains and matalan this morning and got a whole bunch of cute copper/rose gold things for my room. I'm not redecorating as such, just changing the decor in my room and going down the whole cliche blogger route of marble and rose gold. I'm a sucker for anything marble and rose gold so I can't wait to get it all done and finished. I just posted a photo on Instagram of a few bits I bought today here so go and have a swoon!

I can't think of anything else to ramble about now, I need to stop procrastinating and get on with my Economics essay on Trade Unions that's due in tomorrow. Oh the joys!

I hope you've all had a lovely week!

Emily xx

Dot Creates Stationary

Now you're probably sick to death of hearing me go on about this blog planner, but I can assure you my love for this is not unjustified. I first saw the hype on Twitter emerging over this Blog Planner so I did some investigating and discovered that the Dot Creates Blog Planner Notepad is only £5. Yes you read that right, £5. I have been on the hunt for the perfect blog planner throughout my entire blogging career and I could never find one that suited my needs that was under £15. But alas, I have completed my quest and I couldn't be more thrilled.

The Sunday Edit #92

I think this photo perfectly sums up how I've been feeling this week.  I've had a very productive week indeed, I've fully caught up with college work and I actually am slightly ahead, I've completely cleared out my room and thrown as much as I could away so that I can declutter everything and start to change things up with some new furniture and decor because I'm a bit bored with it at the moment. I've also been working really hard on my blog, I've been photographing things for upcoming posts, sorting through and trying out PR samples ready for reviews and I also did a sponsored post yesterday which is also really exciting. I initially was going to decline because I didn't feel like it fitted in with my blog at all but I already had a post in mind that I was going to do anyway and it ended up fitting in nicely. If you missed it, you can find my post all about how to be more productive when working from home here. I feel like since I got a decent blog planner (which you can read more about on Wednesday so keep your eyes peeled) I've really been able to get organised and step up my blogging game which has made me immensely happy.

As you may have seen on my social media, I went to a charity event on Friday that my friend organised and it was such an amazing night. It was all in aid of cancer research and a huge sum of money was raised for the amazing cause which was fantastic. It was such a good night and I think most people that went really enjoyed themselves. Another exciting thing that happened this week is I got an email on Friday inviting me for an interview with Benefit Cosmetics! I have been dying to work for benefit for almost 2 years and I had applied multiple times with little success, but I've finally got an interview so I will work as hard as possible to try and secure myself a position on their amazing team. I would work for Benefit alongside my other job which is only one day a week and with college, which is a fairly big commitment but I would be earning really good money which will be very handy indeed! I'll be able to run my car, save up for next years insurance and save for an iMac which is next on my list to purchase and still have quite a lot left over to treat myself with. I'm so excited, this could hopefully be the start of something fabulous! The last exciting thing that happened this week is my friend Chloe finally passed her driving test, it's been a long time coming so I am so pleased for her that she finally managed to do it!

Overall, this week has been very productive and exciting, and I have a few things planned for this week which will hopefully make this week just as good. Things are finally looking up and I couldn't be happier!

I hope you too have had an amazing week and hopefully this week will be great for you too!

Emily xx

How To Be Productive When Working From Home | AD

If you're a blogger or a student or even run your own business, you will be familiar with the concept of working from home. Working from home can prove quite a challenge and there are quite a few things you need to get right to ensure you achieve optimum productivity. Here are a 5 tips on how to stay motivated and make sure you're getting as much done as you can and get it done in the best possible way!

Top 5 AW Lip Picks

Left to Right:- Maybelline 'Berry Much', Nyx 'Copenhagen', Revlon 'Sultry', Mac 'Whirl' and Sleek 'Vamp'

I think one of my most favourite things about the colder months is the darker makeup, lipstick being my favourite component. Narrowing my favourite picks down to 5 was evidently difficult but I managed to gather together the creme de la creme of the bunch.

If you're a fan of the classic vampy reds/purples/berries then the first 3 are for you. First up to bat is the newest addition to my collection, the Sleek True Colour Lipstick in 'Vamp' is your classic deep vampy red as the name would suggest. It's deep muted brown tones make it the perfect shade to suit any complexion, it truly is the perfect autumn shade. It's a creamy matte formula and looks stunning on the lips, however I do find it can wear off in the centre throughout the day and leave a line around the edge as well as making your lips a tad dry and flaky, but thats nothing some lip balm and a quick exfoliation can't combat. For £4.99 (well technically for free because I bought it with my boots points) you can't really go wrong, so it's worth a pop! Similar in tone but perhaps with a hint more purple is the NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Copenhagen. This is another beautiful shade which looks particularly striking on a pale complexion. NYX are renowned for creating the most amazing lip products with top notch formulas and this line is no exception. These are velvety smooth on the lips and once they have dried down last exceedingly well. They can be a little on the drying side but I do't know of any matte lip products that don't dry you out just a tiny bit so I won't hold this against them. I find applying it on top of lip balm not only makes it go on easier and last longer, it does make it a little more comfortable as it wears. Last up for the classics is the Maybelline Color Drama Lipstick in Berry Much, and as the name would suggest it's a stunning berry shade. It's definitely more on the purple side and again looks amazing on pale skin but I'm sure it would look stunning on most skin tones! This is probably one of my favourite formulas, it's more of a satin finish as opposed to a matte which means it's a lot less drying than a matte (in fact they are crazily hydrating). They have the slightest shine to them and they aren't completely matte but they look amazing on the lips, quite a unique formula and one that you certainly need to try!

Onto the more 'not so typical' Autumn/Winter colours, a favourite of mine of mine throughout the entire year but predominantly during the colder months is Mac Whirl. This is a cult favourite of many beauty lovers as I'm sure my friend Meg would agree (she has like 3 back ups at any one time because she's petrified of running out). This is the most unique shade I've ever come across, it looks totally different on every so if you're considering buying it then I'd definitely pop into Mac and try it on first. On me its more of a deep grey toned brown, definitely on the cool side but on meg it's definitely a lot lighter and warmer and definitely shows some more reddy/orangey tones. You can follow Meg on Instagram here to see what whirl looks like on her, plus she is literally a model anyway so you need to follow her, she is all of the goals. The formula of this is also a beautiful creamy texture which makes it very comfortable to wear and hardly drying at all! And last but not least we have another very unique colour, the Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm is a deep dusky rose colour with a hint of nude, brown and red. It can also come across as almost salmony but it looks so different every time I wear it! It's a very beautiful 'my lips but a bit darker' colour and the formula doesn't fail to disappoint. The minty flavour makes your lips tingle and the balm like formula is perfect for the colder months for keeping your lips in tip top condition. This formula is unlike any other and brings together the best of both worlds, a beautiful matte that packs in a ton of moisture! Definitely one to check out if you're on a budget, as well as the aforementioned classic shades.

Which shades do you love to sport during those chilly months?

Emily xx

The Sunday Edit #91

I literally can't believe how fast this week has gone, it literally seems like it was yesterday that I sat down to write the last Sunday Edit! Oh and by the way, happy November! It just baffles me how it's November already, 2016 has been by far the fastest year ever and it won't be long until it's over. If I'm honest, I can't wait to see the back of this year, it hasn't been to fab really.

I had a bit of an epiphany this week as you may have noticed in Wednesday's post, which you can read here if you haven't already seen it. I've decided I'm going to make some huge changes because I feel like I'm bored, stuck in a rut and to be honest, utterly miserable. You may have already noticed some changes in my blog over the last few weeks, my content has been a little different and more varied than before. I've just been so unhappy with everything in my life that I decided it was time to change and my blog was the first thing I started working on. I haven't been happy with it for a while and just felt like it was sort of stagnant, not really progressing or improving or really going anywhere. It was just your average, mediocre beauty blog and it was really grating on me. I may write a post solely on my plans for my website, although I have briefly touched on them in my weekly Sunday ramble sessions. I feel like there is a lot swimming round my brain at the moment and it may benefit me to get it down in black and white. I also want to completely revamp my room, I haven't been happy with that for a while either and I feel like it needs a good sort out. I'm hopefully going to do some planning for that over the next few weeks if I can find some time because I am unbelievably busy at the moment! I have a crazy amount of college work, loads of blog things to do, and I spend most of my time either in work or at college so I barely have any free time to just have a day to gather my thoughts and make some plans and goals. 

I always get annoyed with myself around this time on a Sunday evening because I have a sudden burst of motivation and then start to get frustrated with myself because I've wasted the entire day being unproductive. The only thing I've done today is take a trip to the mall so I could check out the new Mac stand in John Lewis (which did not fail to please me immensely) and so my sister could get her ears pierced. Since I got home, I watched the other woman and lay about doing nothing, until I had a sudden burst of energy and wrote down a whole bunch of apprenticeships I want to apply for for next year and I've written two blogposts. I've now managed to find a whole list of things I need to get done this week and have realised I have limited time so I need to get my act together! My goal for this week is to sort my life out so to speak, catch up on all the things I need to get done and decide how I'm going to make myself happy and content again.

I hope you have had the loveliest week, and I hope you had a very safe and fun bonfire night! I'm going to use one of my new lush bath bombs and have a chill because my brain is in overdrive at the moment!

Emily xx

No Rain, No Flowers

As you may have noticed, I've been a collecting a little bunch of cute quotes that I've been putting in my Sunday posts and occasionally posting on Instagram. I was perusing Pinterest and Google Images picking out some of my favourites when I stumbled across this and I just sort of paused for thought and realised I could relate to it so much. It changed my outlook a little bit and made me realise that instead of being such a miserable mare every time something bad happens to me and then moan about it, just accept it and grow and blossom from it.