London Time

Hey guys! Recently me and Jack headed up to London for a few days for his 21st birthday. There's something really special about London for me. There's always something new to see or do, and it's ridiculously busy all the time, but that feels like a good thing. People always have something to do or somewhere to go and there is so much energy everywhere.

But anyway, it was nice to just chill out for a few days with Jack and not worry about work or Uni. We went to Winter Wonderland which is always so cute and festive! In Southampton we have a teeny tiny Christmas Market but nothing compares to Hyde Parks! Then went to see the Woman In Black at the fortune theatre which is such an amazing performance. With just two actors I'm always so amazed at how they can put on an such a good show for that length of time, not relying on sets or songs, just pure performance. Amazing!
We also had a really great time at Ice Bar London. It's basically a whole bar made of Ice! You get given a time slot, and when you arrive, you are given a cape and gloves before you are let in to the bar! we were given a glass made of ice and got to choose a cocktail (super yummy!) and then just soak up the atmosphere (and take lots of pictures of course!)

So that's been me for the past few days! What have you been up to? 

Lauren x

MAC Hue Dupe!

Hey guys! Today I was sorting through my make-up bag, and as I reached the bottom, I found one of my old Revlon Colour burst lip crayons. I thought I would give it a go because I hadn't used it in ages, and when I put it on, I noticed that it has a striking resemblance to the Mac Lipstick in 'Hue' which I had purchased not too long ago. Obviously costing about half the price, I thought I would swatch them next to each other and they look pretty much exactly the same. They are both a nice warm pink tone with a nice silky finish. Being a balm, the Revlon crayon gave slightly less coverage, however because the Mac lipstick is a Glaze and not Matt or anything, they were near enough identical. The only difference I would say is that the Colour burst is ever so slightly more shimmery, but hardly noticeable. Their staying power is about the same too, if anything the Revlon Crayon is slightly better. Perfect if you're looking for a cheap dupe!

Top - Revlon Colour burst in number 105, Bottom - Mac Lipstick in Hue.

As you can see next to each other they look exactly the same! Do you have any other Mac dupes?

Lauren x

WINTER OUTFITS

Hey guys! So I'm not sure about where you live but it is starting to get pretty cold now where I am and I'm having to start thinking about coats, ahh! Anyway I thought I would put together a couple of outfit ideas for those colder days we are sure to be seeing a lot more of soon!

This first outfit is all about the coat! Big, boyfriend style coats are on trend again this Winter and they are great because there is a version to suit everyone! I particularly liked this style because of the collar which gives it some structure, also the colour grey will go with pretty much any outfit you want to wear underneath! I know you can get these coats in ranges of colours but I always find myself sticking to more neutral tones so that I can wear whatever I want with it. I also paired it with some brogues and a satchel which follow with the androgynous tone. Throw in some wrist candy in the form of this Olivia Burton watch (or any for that matter) and you're ready to go! 

Next I thought I would try incorporating the polo neck into an outfit. I always find this one hard to pull off because my face is quite round and so they can end up looking a disaster if they are tight instead of baggy. However I thought this style brought the polo neck up to date. It's nothing too high/tight around the neck, the jumper itself isn't too baggy so are you aren't going to become drowned in it, and also the nice long sleeves will keep you cosy. I put it with some black jeans which are ripped at the knee, also very popular at the moment, and some zipped boots. To bring a small pop of colour I added in some red lipstick, and you could also have a light/coloured handbag. I can picture this outfit with curled hair, too!

So that's just a couple of ideas that I've had recently for my winter wardrobe! Do you have any staple items?

Lauren x

Halloween and Bonfire Night!

Hey guys! So I thought I'd do a round up of my Halloween and Bonfire Night activities in one post instead of having lots of separate ones!
Halloween is a pretty big deal in my families household, we like decorations, costumes and pretty much any excuse for a party. We had such a fun night and even though probably a few too many alcoholic beverages were had by everyone, we partied on till 4am and (I) slept through most of the next day.

Bonfire Night was a completely different change of pace, but a nice one. I had a few friends over who were free and we sat around my small fire pit, made smores and drank hot chocolates. This was my first ever time having smores and wow, they were delicious! I will definitely be making this a tradition. We heard some fireworks but didn't actually see a show, but it was still so much fun! :)

So that's been it for the past week or so! How have you spent your Halloween and Bonfire Nights?

Lauren x