The Christmas Tag!

Hey guys! What better way to start off some Christmassy posts than with a Christmas Tag? I was tagged by Emma at PeaceLoveVintage a few days ago and can't wait to answer some questions! Let's get into it :)

1. Do you Prefer a Real Tree or Synthetic?

I've always had a synthetic tree in my house so I'd probably have to go for that! I love the look of real trees but I honestly think the malting would drive me mad haha!

2. You're in a coffee shop, its December, what do you pick?
This year I have been loving Costa's White Hot Chocolate! To be honest I don't go in to coffee shops too often as I don't like tea or coffee, but when I do I normally go for a hot chocolate or one of the iced drinks - but maybe not this time of year! 

3. What's your favourite colour scheme for decorating the house?
For quite a few years we have had red and gold; it's traditional and pretty and just makes me think of Christmas! I have to say I'm really not a fan of some of the bright coloured decorations you see around - Christmas is supposed to be warm and inviting and for some reason those colours just put me off!

4. To mince pie or not to?

Definitely not! I just can't understand why they are such a big deal haha! 

5. What's on your plate when Christmas dinner is served?

Too much! Haha! I have to say I'm not much of a vegetable person so my plate pretty much consists of potatoes, pigs in blankets (my fav!) yorkshire puddings, and whatever meat is going! Oh so healthy! haha ;) 

6. What's your Christmas day style?

I always enjoy going shopping and looking for a nice Christmas outfit to wear! I like to have something a little sparkly and festive as I never normally wear anything like that. However I don't normally get dressed until around lunchtime... you gotta have that cosy Christmas morning!

7. Which Christmas movie could you watch again and again?

I'm a sucker for Christmas films! I could pretty much watch any over and over haha but my favourites have to be Elf, The Grinch, Jingle all the Way and Christmas with the Cranks!

8.Do you open presents before or after lunch?
Before, always! What people can wait until after lunch? I know I can't!

9. Name one tradition your family does each Christmas?

Surprisingly we don't really have any traditions! We have certain decorations we put in places each year, but that's all! I also normally love to watch The Snowman on Christmas Eve just before I go to bed :)

10. Online Gift Shopping or Christmas Market shopping?
There are certain cool gift ideas and presents that you can only find online, so I do some of my shopping on there, but I have to say I prefer going into town to do Christmas shopping as it is always so cute and festive! However I try to go at quieter times because let's face it - the crowds can be the most annoying thing!

So that's it for this tag guys! Thank you to Emma for tagging me to do it :) Be sure to answer the questions yourself if you're feeling Christmassy!

Lauren x 

QUICK HALLOWEEN OUTFITS

Hey guys! Today I've put together a few outfits that are quick and easy to do, if maybe you've got a party invite last minute or haven't got your costume sorted yet! They should be simple enough to achieve with things you've already got in your wardrobe, so let's get in to it!

This one is really simple and effective! I think pretty much everyone has a pair of black leggings or jeans and a stripy top laying around, and many will have some plain shoes and a black beanie, too. If not these can be picked up for super cheap in places like New Look! The plain black mask is also super affordable and only around £2 from shops like Rockbottom Toystore, and as well for the bag, you can easily use a plain canvas bag you can pick up from most supermarkets and draw on the dollar sign with a permanent marker!

This Cat is definitely the easiest costume to do! These tights can be found on eBay for around £2, the ears can be picked up from several stores such as Claires for really cheap, and then you just need any black dress you already own and a pair of heels!

My final idea is quick but effective! All you'll need is some chinos or a beige/sand coloured skirt, and an old white top! Then pick up some of these craft lolly sticks (which can be found in most supermarkets) and glue them to your top. If you can't find coloured lolly sticks you could paint them yourself, or just draw directly on to your top. This will create the sprinkle part of your costume! Finish it off with some nude heels or shoes, and you're good to go! An additional touch could be a cherry on top, maybe in the form of a headband!

So that's it guys! I hope you find this useful if you are stuck on ideas or just need something to put together really quickly! What are you dressing up as this year?

Lauren x

Halloween Cupcakes!

Hey guys! I'm sorry it's been a long while since my last post, I've had a lot going on but anyway I'm not going to blab on about it! This week I will be doing some Halloween type posts in the run up to the big day, starting with this easy cupcake recipe, perfect for any party or just to have for yourself! Let's get into it!

The ingredients you will need for the batter:

• 110g Butter (or margarine)
• 110g Caster Sugar
• 2 Free Range Eggs
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 110g Self-Raising Flour
• Green Food Colouring
• Disposable Piping bags
• Cupcake Cases (mixture normally makes 12)

I think pretty much everyone knows how to make a simple cake batter, but I will quickly go over the details!

1. Pre heat your oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4. Put the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and cream them together with a wooden spoon, until they are light and fluffy.
2. Slowly beat in the eggs a little at a time to make sure your mixture doesn't curdle.
3. Then, slowly sift in your flour, making sure not to mix too fast. Fold it in slowly until completely combined.
4. Add in your vanilla extract and mix again.
5. Then, you'll need to separate about 1/5 of your mixture and put it in a different bowl. Add in a couple of drops of Green food colouring and mix it through until you have your desired colour.
6. Transfer the green mixture into a disposable piping bag. (This is just to make things easier and isn't a necessity).
7. Now, you need to put some of your original batter into the bottom of each cupcake case, not too much though as you will be needing some again later! (If it is easier for you, put your original batter into a piping bag as well. It will give you a little more control.)
8. Next, cut off the tip of your disposable piping bag with the green mixture inside, and squeeze a little into the middle of each cupcake case. Remember not to do too much as it has to go into all 12 of the cakes! 
9. Finally, spoon/pipe the remainder of your original batter over the top, covering the green batter back up. 
10. Give the cupcake tray a little bang on your worktop, just to even out the mixture and make sure any air is released.
11. Place the cupcakes in the oven, they should take between 10-15 minutes! Poke a skewer into them to check that they are cooked all the way through.

Whilst the cakes are in the oven, you can start making your decorations to save time. To make the decorations, you will need:

• A template of the design you want to go on top ( I found some simple spider webs and spider templates on Pinterest)
• Baking Paper
• Disposable Piping Bag
• Candy Melts in Green and Black

To start, place your template on your kitchen side, and place the baking paper directly over the top. Secure them together using tape. Next, melt your candy melts following the instructions on the packaging, and place it into a piping bag. Now you can cut a tiny bit off the bottom of the bag, so it is almost like a pen, and trace your design on to the baking paper! Once it is complete, transfer it to your fridge to harden, this should only take about 10 minutes.

Finally, you will need to make the Icing! You can do this while the cakes are cooling to give them plenty of time. You will need:

• 150g of softened Butter (unsalted)
• 330g of Icing Sugar
• 1-2 Tablespoons of Milk
• Around 1/2 a tablespoon of any flavourings you want ( I used a Salted Caramel Flavouring)
• Disposable Piping Bag
• Open Star Tip (or any you'd prefer!)

The icing is very simple to make! All you have to do is mix the icing sugar and butter in a bowl until they are fully combined. Once this is done, add the milk and continue to mix for around 2 minutes, until it is paler and smooth. Then, add your flavouring if you are going to! Finally, cut the tip off the piping bag and slot in your choice of tip, then fill the bag with the icing.

Now, to put it all together, all you have to do is ice each cupcake, and place a decoration on top! And when you bite into the middle, it will reveal the green insides! I think they look really cute and they are perfect for Halloween!

Lauren x

INTRODUCING: THE H&M BEAUTY DEPARTMENT

Hey guys! I've got an exciting post today. You may all have seen the odd bits of make-up in H&M before, but as of yesterday, they have upgraded their game and completely re-vamped the range, introducing a whole new range of lipsticks, liners, eyeshadows, palettes, varnishes, pretty much everything you can think of! I went in with my sister yesterday to have a good look around all the products, (test out every lipstick on my hand) and pick up just a couple of things. I would have got so much more, but, unfortunately, a student budget doesn't stretch very far!

Lip liner in Bramble Ripple, Nail Varnish in Stucco

As you can see, the packaging on these products is gorgeous, I love the white, black and gold together, it really makes it look classy and definitely better than before. Anyway, let's talk about the lip liner!
I chose the shade Bramble Ripple after much contemplating, which is a dark purple/plum shade. There were a few lovely neutrals but I told myself I need to try something different and this colour is great for Autumn! For a first impression, as you can see above, I used the liner all over my lips to get  proper idea of the shade and consistency. Unfortunately the consistency is pretty dry so I'd say these aren't really suitable to wear on their own as you can with some liners and they probably need a lipstick to go with them, however the colour was awesome and it really stayed put on my lips (so much so I had to scrub at it to get it off afterwards!) so overall I would say it was okay! These also only cost £3.99, so I may have to go back and get one of those nude shades I kept staring at!

Next was the varnish. H&M have done varnishes in the past and the sales assistant came over and spoke to us saying how they have left the price the same, again at £3.99, to make them affordable to everyone! I have been looking for a nice grey tone varnish for a while so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to pick one up! They had absolutely loads to choose from in so many nice colours, however I found the grey I wanted in the shade 'Stucco'. At first impression I was impressed with the shape of the brush, it is quite wide to make for an easier application. The colour also looked great when I tested it on my little colour wheel, and this is with only one layer! As I mentioned, I'm not yet sure on staying power/chipping as I only went yesterday but it seems pretty great to me!

Have you tried any of the other products? What did you think?

Lauren x

MY 'COLLECTION' COLLECTION

Hey guys! I picked up a couple of new Collection items recently, but as I have been using the brand for quite a while I thought I would show you guys my favourites from them that are currently in my make-up bag!

Collection Fast Stroke Eyeliner - I've pretty much used this eye liner for about 5 years, I just never find anything I like more! I love the tip applicator which makes it really easy to get a great line, and also the pigmentation of the actual liner is amazing. I always find with felt-tip style liners the colour fades over the course of the day, whereas with this it just doesn't.

Collection Speedy Highlighter - This is one of the new products I picked up and I've really been loving it! As the name would suggest, it is super speedy to apply, just a quick swipe over your cheekbones, blend in with your finger and you're set. It leaves a super nice glow that's not too over the top, and comes in a few shades too!

Collection Shimmer Shades - To be honest I've had these for quite a while and they are probably past their best, however I've still been using them from time to time. If you swirl all the colours together they make for a great, glowy looking bronzer, or you can use them all separately as highlighters etc!

Lasting Perfection Foundation - I brought this on a whim when I was a bit short for cash but desperate for a new foundation, and to my surprise I actually ended up really liking it! It has a nice consistency and is easy to blend, and it actually lasts all day.

Lasting Perfection Concealer - I think everyone knows just how great this concealer is, and I've been using it for a while now. Originally I brought a shade that ended up being a bit too dark for me,but after re-purchasing I've really been loving it! It has a great coverage and blends really nicely.

Lasting Perfection Powder - I wasn't aware of this product until recently, however I picked it up because I was in need of a new powder, and it was cheap as with all Collection products. It sets my make-up really well, especially under the eye area, and doesn't make my face feel cakey at all.

So that's all I have at the moment! Do you have any Collection products you can't live without? Let me know in the comments!

Lauren x

INSTAGRAM DIARY

Hey guys! I've realised recently I probably spend a little too much of my day on Instagram, I just can't get enough of it! So I thought I'd share a few of my recent posts :)

1.Yesterday, me, Jack and some of our friends went for Lunch at a new cafe near to us called the Maritimo Lounge. It was yummy and I thought I'd take a photo of the view rather than my lunch for a change ;)
2. It was Jacks' mums birthday recently and she had a Superhero themed party so I made her some cupcakes to match!
3. Having a bit of a vein moment wearing my Kate 107 lipstick.
4. I finally got one of the hats I'd been after so of course I had to take a photo of it!
5. Recent OOTD featuring a new top I'd picked up from New Look.
6. Spending some quality time with my gorgeous little Nephew who is growing up so quickly!
7. Some of you might not know my love of video games, but I have pre-ordered the new Fallout 4 game and am so excited for it, I decided to make a Fallout themed skin for my xbox one controller!
8. Another casual Outfit of the Day!
9. Me and some friends took a trip to Manor Farm when the weather was actually nice!

So that's it really guys! If you're interested in seeing some of my other snaps, my instagram username is laurennnhobbs, or you can click the link in my sidebar :) hope you're all well and ready for Autumn?! I can't believe it's already September!

Lauren x

HIGH-STREET A/W WISHLIST!

Hey guys! It's practically the end of August, which means my favourite times of the year are coming up.. Autumn and Winter! Aside from the rain, I love everything about the ending months of the year, cosy jumpers, cute scarves, fancy warm drinks;- and then there's onesies! (but that's probably for a whole other post...) Anyway, I've been looking through my clothes recently and realising how much I.. uh.. totally need some new winter staples too add to my overflowing wardrobe! So of course I took to the internet! Here are some clothes and accessories I've been lusting over for this A/W from the high-street shops!

TOPSHOP

1. Leigh Jeans - I've always wanted a pair of the famous Topshop Leigh Jeans everyone raves over, and now my black jeans have gained a hole and are deemed for the bin, it might be the perfect time.
2. Jumper - I probably already own about 6 jumpers, but I'm yet to have a khaki coloured one, so it's okay, right? This one has a lovely zip detail up the back too, and keeps in trend with the roll style neck.
3. Chunky knee high socks - I kind of have a love/hate relationship with knee high socks, but these ones really had me loving them again! I find them quite hard to style but I think with a nice back dress and boots, these would look great.
4. Cord Skirt - This burgundy skirt screams Autumn to me and I think it would look perfect with a cropped jumper and tights! This would also be perfect to fit into the 70s trend for this winter, too.
5. Orange Bag - Again, I think the colour of this bag is perfect for the Autumn/Winter months, and it would go with so many outfits!
6. Lipstick in Wicked - I only own 1 Topshop lipstick but I really love it, and nothing says Autumn like a lovely dark berry lip. I may have to get this one soon!


NEW LOOK

1. Black Leather Boots - Anyone who knows me will know that I have a slight obsession with black boots and it won't be stopping anytime soon. These ones are a perfect height and as they are leather it means they wont get ruined straight away either, which has happened to me a couple of times with cheaper pairs.
2. Checked leggings - I thought these were really cute and the colour palette works really well, especially if you're a little shy about trying patterns. It would work great with a black jumper or long sleeved top and, you guessed it, black boots!
3. White top - This top is super cute and although it might seem quite summery I think it would work great as a transition piece with a nice knitted cardigan and jeans or leggings!
4. Checked Shirt - Another check item, but you can never get enough of the check shirt! They are in fashion almost every season and this colour works really well for Autumn. I love them as you can either wear them casually or dress them up!
5. Grey Batwing top - This loose fitting top is a great staple piece for any wardrobe this Winter. The high neck also makes it extra cosy!

So those are just a few things I've been looking at this Autumn! (There's a lot more but I don't want to keep you for hours!) Have you got any items you've been lusting over?

Lauren x

MEAT FREE MONDAYS

Hey guys! Bit of a different post from me today. For a while now I've been thinking about trying to become a vegetarian, however I have been finding it incredibly hard. Anyone who knows me, knows how much I've always loved meat and never turn down the opportunity for a good steak! However in recent weeks, I find myself feeling increasingly guilty making a burger or a chicken pasta ( 2 of my favourites!) I've been reading a lot of articles not only about animal welfare but also about the health benefits of dropping meat out of your diet. So I thought I would at least try and make a small change, starting off with one meat free day a week, and eventually growing in to more! 

I actually found the day very easy so hopefully I will be able to keep it up! I thought I would share just what I ate for dinner on this day as it was so yummy and healthy, too!

Peppers Stuffed with Rice and Quorn Chicken

The most incredibly easy thing to make, I just shoved some rice on the boil, pan-fried some Quorn Chicken, added some passata sauce and onions, mixed them together and put it in halved peppers! Placed them under the grill for a few minutes and topped with a little bit of cheese, before putting back under the grill for a few minutes more. So simple! I like peppers quite crunchy, however if you want them softer you'd probably have to cook them on their own for a few minutes first, before filling with the mixture. Quorn Chicken is also something I really love. It not only tastes amazing but has a huge amount of protein per serving, and saves you a hell of a lot of money compared to buying real chicken. I use it in everything from pasta to stir frys and so much more!

Anyway, sorry if this post was a bit random, but I've really been enjoying trying different recipes recently (not just healthy ones! I've been looking at a lot of cakes on pintrest too... haha!) so thought I would share one here :) have you tried becoming or are you vegetarian? Let me know your tips!

Lauren x

MALIBU LIPBALMS

Hey guys! Just a really quick post today. But before we start, - did you notice my new blog layout?! I love it! I brought it from Designer Blogs, it was really affordable and just what I wanted! :)

Anyway, recently I found these little gems as I was queueing in Tkmaxx and I thought I would pick them up considering they only cost £3! I have always loved the brand Malibu, I go to them for my sun tan lotion, after sun and all that good stuff, so I was happy to find these too!

Each of the balms is in a different flavour, Mango, Mint, and Tropical. Having tried all 3 I can definitely say that tropical is my favourite! I find them to be really moisturising so they're lovely to use, as well as having the benefits of 30 SPF protection and being resistant to water, so they'd be perfect to take on holiday with you! And can we just talk about how cute this packaging is?!

Have you got any favourite lip balms?

Lauren x

LOVE/HATE TAG

Hey guys! I was tagged by Emma at www.peacelovevintage.com a few days ago to do the love/hate challenge, and to be honest I've been having a little trouble completing it! The objective is to write down 10 things you love and 10 you hate, pretty simple really, but when you actually sit down to write it, it seems a lot harder than it is! 10 things I hate? I wasn't really sure! But here is as far as I got with it!

Love:

(10 things I love is a little easier for me to do!)

1. Jack, my fiancé. Pretty self explanatory really! I've been with Jack nearly 4 and a half years, and we've been engaged since January last year :)
2. My Family. Again, obvious for someone to love their family. I'm pretty close with all of mine and we all see each other regularly which I love!
3. Baking! I find something really relaxing about baking cakes, and can spend hours decorating and making things out of fondant, I'd love to make some sort of business out of it someday.
4. Movies. I absolutely love movies, in all different genres. Film has always been a big part of my life, I took it as an A Level at college, me and Jack always visit the cinema, I'm constantly buying new blu-rays for my collection, and me and Jack pretty much watch a movie either we own or on Netflix every other night. My favourite genre is action/thriller though!
5. My Friends! I have a pretty close group of friends and we are always talking through group chat, and pretty much see each other every weekend, all weekend! I don't know where I would be without them.
6. Photography. Again, something I took at A Level, I have always been interested in taking images and editing them, something that I think comes in handy with my blog!
7. Christmas time. Definitely my favourite time of the year, I love everything about Christmas! The clothes, early nights, hot chocolate, decorations, movies, all of my favourite things at one time! Haha :)
8. Malibu - bit of a naughty one haha! I look forward to a few drinks every weekend with my friends and Malibu is always my drink of choice, with coke, or in fancy cocktails I enjoy making!
9. Holidays. This year I have been to New York with University, but I haven't had the chance to go on a normal beach holiday like I normally do with Jack - something I've missed in the pretty short 'summer' we got here in England haha! I love everything about holidays, who doesn't!
10. Music. I've always been into different types of music, I fondly remember listening to both S Club 7 and Evanescence when I was young, and this is still the same now - I like some chart music, but I still have a strong love for bands like A Day To Remember and All Time Low. These are the type of bands I enjoy seeing live, purely for the atmosphere.

Hate:

1. Spiders! They are probably my biggest fear. Even hate the little money spiders! Thinking about them moving gives me shivers! ergh!
2. Being sick. I've always been particularly bad at dealing with being sick. I always cry, even before I've been sick most of the time.
3. People being horrible to animals. There is just no need for it, it makes me seriously angry! Why would you want to hurt an animal? As I just said, I'm petrified of spiders, but I couldn't and wouldn't want to kill one for no reason, I always just have to run away and ask Jack to throw it back outside!
4. People being late. There's just something that really bugs me about waiting around for other people.
5. Not being able to get to sleep. So frustrating!
6. Traffic/ bad drivers. I only passed my test in February, but waiting around in traffic is so annoying, and the amount of bad drivers on the road is ridiculous!
7. Being bored. I sounds stupid, but I think we probably all have those days where you cant think of anything to do! And when you want to be doing something, it's really frustrating!
8. Not being able to choose an outfit to wear! So annoying!
9. When your make up keeps going wrong, even after several attempts to fix it.
10. Feeling behind on work, with uni or my blog. When I feel like nothing I'm writing is good enough or my work is just rubbish - it can really knock your confidence and find it even harder to get back in to the swing of things!

So that's it guys! Hopefully I wasn't too long winded or boring with my answers, but I hope you enjoyed it! 

Lauren x

RIMMEL LONDON KATE - NUDE COLLECTION

Hey guys! So the new Kate Moss Collection has launched from Rimmel London! It's a 10 piece capsule collection, containing 5 nude lipsticks and 5 nail polishes. The lipstick colours range enough so that you should be able to find one to suit you, whatever your skin tone. As I am pretty pale, I went for the two lightest shades, 40 and 42.

The lipsticks are lovely, incredibly creamy and give a really nice finish on the lips! Being honest, as they are nude, they aren't the longest lasting lipsticks but I'm not really fussed about re-applying every couple of hours. I also found the colours to be really build-able so you can get different effects from it! They retail at £5.49, however if you get to Boots soon they are holding a buy one get one half price deal on all Rimmel products, so you can grab 2 for around £8! I didn't manage to get any of the nail varnishes this time but there's definitely a couple of those I want to pick up too! 

The top lipstick is the lightest in the range, number 40, and as you can see it is a really pretty light baby pink colour, It probably works best on light skin tones as it does come up pretty light. The bottom, number 42, is actually my favourite out of two and is a slightly darker dusty rose colour, I think this one would probably work on a few skin tones!

Do you think you'll be trying any of the range?

Lauren x

BEDHEAD HAIRSPRAY

Hey guys! Whilst I was in TXMAXX a while ago, I spotted this hairspray and really wanted to buy it. I love the Bed Head Shampoo and Conditioners so I thought this could only be as good! However, I was a bit put off by the £10 price tag. I decided to go home and look on sites like Amazon and ebay as they normally do things even cheaper, but I found that it was was the same price online if not more expensive! So, when I had just been paid and happened to see it staring at me in TXMAXX again, I just couldn't say no. And hey, it's a big bottle, it'll last me ages *tries to justify self*.

So, when I got it home I just wanted to use it instantly and test it out. It. Is. Amazing. It leaves my hair feeling frozen in place, but not crispy and horrible looking like you get with some other hairsprays. It smells really nice and it actually held really well in my hair, too! My waves lasted twice as long as they normally do! So far, so good!

Have you splurged on any beauty products recently?

Lauren x

THE SUMMER TAG

Hey guys! I'm sorry it has indeed been probably about 2 months since my last post, I've been struggling with uni work and deadlines but it's all done now so let's just get straight into it! I was tagged by my lovely sister Emma over at www.peacelovevintage.com to complete the Summer Tag she created, so here goes!

1. What's your favourite thing about summer?

It sounds boring, but I love when it stays light in the evenings and if it's warm you can sit in the garden with friends (and a few drinks) and relax! I also love it being brighter in the mornings, it makes it so much easier to get up and start your day properly rather than stay in bed!

2. Do you have a favourite summer drink?

Thinking alcoholic here - anything with Malibu is definitely my favourite! I absolutely love it. Otherwise there's nothing better than fruit juices with loads of ice! :)

3. Is there a special place you like to visit each summer?

Not really a particular place! Me and Jack have things we like to do each summer such as go to the park, the beach etc, but not a particular one. We have also had a couple of great holidays abroad in Turkey, but again we've been to different places there so nothing specific!  4. Whats your favourite make up look for summer?

To be absolutely honest, my make-up doesn't really change much season to season. The main thing I change is my eye shadows to more light tones, and also when it's particularly hot i'll wear a powder instead of foundation.

5. Dresses or skirts?

Dresses definitely! I love little skater style dresses for the day time, they are so easy to just throw on and get out of the house! 

6. Festivals or Vacations?

Vacations! I've never been to a festival and to be honest it's not my idea of fun. I'd like the daytime but camping is my worst nightmare! I think i'd much rather escape to a hot country for a week then spend it getting drunk and messy in a field.

7. Whats your signature summer hairstyle?

My hair is quite wavy naturally, so I normally just put a bit of texturising spray in it and leave it as it is! However if its particularly hot I would definitely put it up into a messy bun.

8.  What's your signature summer scent?

Fragrance is something again I don't really change throughout the year. I normally wear Vera Wang Princess, however I also love body sprays too, such as the Victoria Secrets ones, and I also have a Body Shop one which smells just like summer! (I can't for the life of me remember the name though!)

9. Favourite music for summer?

When it comes to music, I'm definitely Alternative. My favourite band is A Day To Remember, however when summer rolls around, if I feel like something a bit 'lighter' shall we say, I always enjoy All Time Low, Maroon 5 and other similar ones!

10. Pool or Beach?

Always the pool! I've never been one for the beach, I find it quite boring to be honest! And I like the pool better because I can swim without worrying about the water going in my eyes, I absolutely hate salt water!

11. BBQ or Seafood?

No question, BBQ. Could I ever turn down a burger or a steak? I don't think so! And can we just talk about BBQ chicken wings too, they're like, amazing.  

So that's it guys! Thank you Emma for tagging me to do this!

I'll see you guys soon :)

Lauren x 

SPRING HIGHLIGHTERS

Hey guys! When Spring rolls around we all know that nice dewy, fresh look is all that can be seen over the magazines, but what type of highlighter is right for you? I've tried powders, creams and liquid formulas and I thought I would show you my favourite three from each category!

Top to Bottom - Barry M Dazzle Dust in Gold Iridescent, Benefit Watts Up, Ted Baker Pearly Pink Illuminator.

First of all is the Barry M dazzle dust. Technically it's a eye shadow, however it's so iridescent and if you use it sparingly on the cheek bones it has the nicest gold shimmer. It also looks great on the brow bone, however I would say it's probably slightly too shimmery for the cupids bow and down the centre of the nose.

Next is the famous Benefit Watts Up. This highlighter comes in a cream stick formula which makes it really blendable and easy to use. It's a sort of peachy colour and gives a nice shimmer which isn't too shiny so I would say it can be used on all the high points of your face!

Finally, I tried the Ted Baker Illuminator in Pearly Pink. The bottle makes it look like a nail varnish so don't be put off! haha, it's a liquid form so you just place it where you want and blend with either a brush or your finger. I'd say of the three it's the least noticeable but because of the liquid for it's quite easy to build up.
What type of highlighter are you using this Spring?

Lauren x

BARGAIN SPRING BUYS

Hey guys! We all like a bargain, right? Well I came across these beaut shoes and clutch bag in none other than Primark last week - so you know the price is going to be good!

I think the powder blue colour is gorgeous and obviously very on trend as Spring rolls in, however they had so many other colours to choose from if this isn't for you! The bag has a lovely silver trim and I think it looks quite expensive - more than the £6 price tag for sure! It's a sturdy material and has enough space to take everything important out with you, without looking too bulky. I can't yet vouch for the shoes as I haven't worn them out, but they seem super comfy, again only costing a measly £9! The heel isn't too high which is great for me as I am known to be pretty clumsy, and they are made from a nice faux suede material which makes a change! Can't wait to wear them out!

Lauren x

MAXFACTOR VS. MUA - RED LIPLINERS

Hey guys! Straight on to today's products: Lip liners. I've always been a bit weary when it comes to lip liners because I'm not great at getting the perfect line around and it can end up being a bit of a mess, but since I've gotten into wearing my red lipstick a bit more recently (and noticing it was coming off a bit quickly!) I thought it was time to branch out to the liners to help it stay put longer. I got a couple to try because I'm not too familiar what brands are good for liners etc, and I settled for Maxfactor Colour Elixir Lip Liner, and MUA Intense Colour Lip Liner. The colours are pretty much exactly the same which is good!

First up was the MaxFactor liner in Red Rush (£4.99). I chose this one because it looked like the perfect colour to match my MAC Russian Red lipstick, and I was right. The packaging is really nice which was a plus, but overall it was a little disappointing. It was perfect when first applied and I loved it, however after an hour or so it started to go really dry and flake off. I tried wearing on it's own without the lipstick and it had the same effect, the formula is just too dry. I was really disappointed because it's not the cheapest of liners around and the colour was so perfect too (boo!)

So after that, I wasn't too hopeful for my £1 MUA lip liner in Red Drama. However I was pleasantly surprised! The colour wasn't quite as perfect as the MaxFactor, however it still matched my red lipstick of choice, had a nice creamy texture and it didn't flake off either! The packaging isn't quite as lovely and gold, however you get  a sharpener included in the lid and for £1 who is really going to complain about a bit of plain packaging?! The only thing that was worse than the Maxfactor was that the actual pencil crumbled a bit when you are actually applying it, but that's not really a big problem. Basically, I could have got 5 MUA liners for the price of 1 Maxfactor one, and I know that's what I'm going to be doing next time!

Lauren x

BUMBLE AND BUMBLE QUENCHING MASQUE

Hey guys! In America I treated myself to this intensive conditioner from Bumble and Bumble. Pricing at $38, it's definitely not cheap but I wanted to treat myself and seems as I have just got into using these deep conditioners I thought I would give it a try! The smell alone is incredible, it reminds me of bubblegum and it leaves my hair feeling super soft. You're only supposed to use it once a week so I will get quite a few uses out of it which I'm happy about.It's for hair that can get a bit dry and it's also supposed to make hair strong and de-tangled. When using, you shampoo as normal and then run this all through your hair and leave it on for around 10 minutes. This is the only annoying thing I found because 10 minutes is not really long enough to get out of the shower and do something else, but it's also quite a long time to wait around in the shower without getting your hair under the water! Anyway it's not a huge problem and it makes my hair feel super healthy after, so I would say it's definitely worth a splurge if you feel like treating yourself soon! It is available in the UK and retails at £30 online, I'm not sure if you could find it any cheaper at one of their stands though!

Lauren x

ILLAMASQUA MULTI FACET PALETTE REVIEW

Hey guys! I picked up this Illamasqua palette on their online sale and although I paid £22.50 for it, you can now get it for £13.50 (devastated!) if you're quick. I was super excited to try out this palette because it includes a couple of their 'cult' products such as Brow Cake and Cream Contour. I went for the palette named 'Aura' because the colours appealed to me more, however they do have another on offer I think!
On first impressions I do have to say I was a little disappointed with it because it was a lot smaller than I had imagined it to be, and I would have been annoyed if I had paid the full price of £45 for it! However upon using it I can tell that the products should last quite a while and they are such a great quality that it kind of makes up for it!

The packaging itself is gorgeous as with all Illamasqua products, sleek shiny black with their logo and I do love that it includes a big mirror making it great to take around with you. Also included is a little brush, one end for brows and the other eye shadow. The palette itself includes a highlight, blush, contour, brow powder, and four shadows, all with different uses.

Cream Highlight in Aurora - gives a very subtle sheen to your cheekbones which is very nice, and I have also used it under my eye to brighten up the area; which it also worked for too!
Powder Blush in Tremble - I actually already have this blush in full size so I know what it's like, but it is a very nice light pink, it doesn't come out as bright as it looks so don't let that put you off!
Cream Contour in Hollow - This is one of Illamasquas' cult products and it didn't disappoint. It's really easy to use with your fingers and it gives such a nice tone on the cheeks, love it!
Brow Cake in Thunder - This was the product I really wanted to try and I was worried it wouldn't match my brows! However it turned out fine and I am already converted. You literally need a tiny bit, it is so pigmented and really goes far. I love it.
Shadows in Vison (white), Servant (peach), Feint (reddy/brown) and Machine (black) - I like all of these shadows, they're great quality and very pigmented, especially Machine. I have to say though Feint is my favourite because it's such a great crease colour to warm everything up and blend it together! I also get no fall down when using them which is a huge plus!

Overall I am totally loving this palette right now and it's very rare to find a palette you can use everything daily from, definitely worth a look at if you've been wanting to try some of Illamasquas products!

Lauren x

KAT VON D MAKE-UP

Hey guys! So whilst I was in America I was of course going to pick up some make-up that we can't get a hold of easily back home, starting off with the little set from Kat Von D. I've heard a lot of amazing things about her eye liner especially, however I don't normally get on with felt tip style liner pens so I thought I would go for this set which included a full size mascara and a miniature liner for $20. Oh how I wish I got a few of these! The eye liner is amazing, one of the best I've ever used. The tip on it so so precise, it literally only takes me a few swipes to get my normal cat-flick. The colour pay-off is so good as well, it's no wonder they call it Tattoo Liner. Normally with felt tip liners I find that it smudges up to the top of my eyelid, but I've had none of that with this one. I will definitely be looking for a full size online once this ones run out.

The mascara included in the set is called Immortal Lash, and I've been really liking that as well. The wand is a little different than the really thick ones I'm used to, but I find that this separates my lashes really well and lengthens them a lot, too. It leaves them feeling flexible still, rather than hardened and stiff like I find with some other mascaras. I do have to say though if I want more of a 'going-out look' I do like to put another mascara over the top of it just to add a bit more volume. 

So over-all I will definitely be repurchasing the liner if I can find it, but I'm still not 100% on the mascara yet! Have you tried any products from Kat Von D's range? What do you think?

Lauren x

NEW YORK CITY

Hey guys! Last week I was in New York for the week with my university and of course I had an amazing time! I thought I would do a quick post just to share my experiences and what I got up to, plus all the usual touristy photos and stuff! So let's get into it!

We arrived in New York on Monday morning and after an 8 hour flight, we were pretty tired. Luckily our hotel wasn't far from the airport and although it wasn't the best hotel around, the room was huge and it was so close to everything we needed, including being only about 3 blocks from the Empire State Building! The hotel was called Pennsylvania, and like I said the room size was good but some of the hallways had a slight resemblance to The Shining which wasn't the most comforting of thoughts, haha! Anyway back to New York, I went to a basketball game (which Jay Z and Beyonce just happened to be at), The Empire state, got amazing pizza, Statue of Liberty, Ground Zero, China Town, Central Park, Little Italy, Times Square, and everything in between! Instead of blabbing on for ages, I thought I would just show a few of my favourite photos from the trip. I'll save things I brought for another post so here are just a few snaps!

I was also lucky enough to get a tour of the Garment District which was a real big eye-opener to the city. Our tour guide was so great and I really discovered that everything in the City is something, everything has a story behind it and it really sucks you in to the atmosphere of the place. Everyone is busy, going somewhere, working toward something or otherwise, and that really makes all the hustle and bustle seem worth it. It's somewhere I definitely want to go back to. Back to reality for the moment though!

Lauren x