Thursday 25 July 2013

Mid-Year Life Assessment

Now I know this isn't exactly halfway through the year but I was inspired by reading Zoella's latest post and, considering my already reflective mood, decided to follow suit.

The name of this blog doesn't just symbolise my need to inject colour into my wardrobe, it symbolises my need to inject colour into my entire life. To push myself to do new things and strive to be the happiest and best person I can be. 

Over the last 6/7 months I feel like I have done just that. Grabbing life by the balls and not giving a crap about what other people might say. 

This has been a slow process though, over the last couple of years really I have been trying to be a better judge of character in an attempt to surround myself with good, caring people. I found myself surrounded by people who didn't have as much time for me as I did for them, they made me desperately unhappy and putting a stop to that made me feel like I was taking back some of the control I felt I'd lost.

This year, these feelings started to creep back again so these past few months I have started this process all over again. I give a lot to my friendships and relationships; having people around you that at least give a rats arse about you is something I think everyone deserves. It may surprise you that you actually can CHOOSE your friends, you aren't obliged to do anything. 

This has resulted in (now I'm home from uni and all my friends are scattered across the country) me being alone a lot of the time. However, it makes me appreciate my true friends all the more and makes me appreciate all the time I get to spend with them.

I have pushed myself to do new things this year, I have been travelling for one! It scared the living daylights out of me but I managed to do it, and I met some incredible people. You can see my post here. I have driven long distance, joined a gym, dyed my hair wonderous colours and generally just smiled more.

As for actually wearing more colour, I think you guys can judge that! All my hauls and lookbooks and OOTD posts seem to be getting brighter and crazier by the minute! Maybe its how happy I'm feeling right now that is coming out in my personal style, or maybe I am just going round the bend.

You can check out my new years resolutions post here.

Loves xxx

Tuesday 23 July 2013

Along Came Betty Review

I have made a rather exciting discovery in Tesco blog lovelies! Popping in for a few bits and pieces just happened to take me down the cosmetics aisle, and this section full of pink just caught my girly-magpie eye.

Everything was on offer at the time and, despite how little stock there was left, I picked up a few different pieces to try out. That being said, the products are insanely cheap as they are, most coming at around £5 and I didn't see anything for more than £10 in the stand. 




(On Offer)
Clean Around The Clock Creamy Shower Wash - £3.99
The Prime Of Your Life Illuminating Primer - £4.99
Wow Lashes Mascara - £3.99

The packaging is very Soap & Glory; pretty and vintage inspired but still sturdy and practical. I think that's why I was drawn to it...who doesn't love a cheaper version of a great brand! Plus it is far too cute to resist.

Firstly the Clean Around The Clock shower wash smells divine. It's sweet but really fresh at the same time and makes my skin lovely and soft. I like something that can leave a subtle fragrance on my skin, particularly something uplifting.




The Prime Of Your Life illuminating primer is a new type of product for me. I've never used a face primer before, only eye ones, but considering I have very large pores I think I should probably jump on the bandwagon! 






This is very silky, pink-toned primer with a slight gold shimmer to it, I found it instantly evened out my complexion and gave me a nice healthy glow. I have used this under foundation to just make me look a bit more 'awake' but I think it would look lovely by itself with just a little setting powder over the top for days when you want to keep make up down to a minimum.







The prize out of these 3 has to be the Wow Lashes mascara. They have 2 mascaras on offer, one focusing on length and this focusing on volume. In my opinion mascara should do both but I think it may also be a wand shape preference. I like a nice chunky thick wand so I went for this (the pictures of the wands are on the sides of the packaging). I like the fact although the wand is chunky to really add volume, it's quite short so you have a lot more control over where you are putting the product.


Left eye with mascara, right eye bare
I don't think this is a life-changing product but for how little I paid for it, this is a great product! It does lengthen and define my lashes whilst adding good volume. It doesn't smudge and lasts well throughout the day. Wonderful! 

I will be back Tesco!!

Loves xxx

Monday 22 July 2013

So What? I like Cake!

Well hello there! This is going to be a slightly more serious (and cheesy) post but it's something that I feel incredibly strongly about so, why not share it with you guys!

This weekend I went to London to meet up with some friends and something happened that really annoyed me. The thing that particularly got me was that they didn't understand why I was so mad. We were in a club and a girl came onto one of my friends. One of the others then took a photo and started laughing at it. I asked them what was so funny...their answer 'she's fat'. 

Now I am not the skinniest of girls, I sometimes get a little down about certain parts of my body but who doesn't? I am a happy, healthy size 12 girl who eats well and exercises. I look after myself and as long as I know I'm healthy on the inside, the outside will take care of itself. I am proud of the fact that my bum should have its own postcode. So what if my thighs jiggle when I walk? 

What makes me so sad is that we live in a world where everyone (not just girls) are made to feel like we have to look a certain way. Our bodies should be perfect, we shouldn't get spots or stretch marks and we should always look like we stepped out of a magazine. Boobs and bums have to be perfect, muscles a certain size. People who are comfortable in their own skin are deemed strange and, to be honest, in the minority. But this isn't real life. 

People who are happy with themselves should be celebrated. We are all beautiful in our own way. I know that sounds so ridiculously cheesy but it's true! That's one of the reasons why I love fashion, yes it has the power to drive people to do unthinkable things to their bodies, but it also has the power to make someone feel beautiful. Everyone has had that moment when they've put on 'that dress' or 'those jeans' and just felt incredible. 

The message I'm trying to get across is, if you are happy in your own skin, who cares what everyone else thinks. Stop trying to be someone else's idea of perfect and focus on just being you. There will always be those idiots who will find faults and think it's okay to laugh, but if they're that stupid, are they really worth paying attention to?

Embrace your body, no matter what shape or size you are. 

Loves xxx

Sunday 21 July 2013

My Favourite Perfume | Coco Mademoiselle

To end my 'Beauty Favourites Week' I thought I'd talk about something that takes pride of place on my dressing table. Come on guys, it's Chanel! (Although this was bought for me by an ex but we just forget about that part and focus on how pretty it is!)

I am so fussy when it comes to scents, I have a long list of things that I hate or make my stomach churn.  I don't like something too sweet, anything vanilla based is a huge no no! If it's a fresh scent, it can't have too much fruit in it. Anything musky has to be well balanced, I could go on.



This, however, is just beyond perfection for me. It's girly, musky without being too heavy and it has got a slight sweetness to it and floral notes. I only tend to wear this for nights out or special occasions because I love it so much and it is so expensive to repurchase. I think this smell just suits me amazingly and it makes me smile whenever I wear it. 

I think this is an all year fragrance too, I tend to sway towards the more citrusy scents during the summer and go more heavy in the winter but this is just so different it doesn't really fit into a 'season'. 

I think you get what you pay for with perfumes too, this lasts all day with only a couple of sprays. Even after a shower I can still smell it on my skin.

A major bonus is I love the packaging, so simple yet it just looks so pretty! Also, its really sturdy too so I haven't had any spillages (yet).

This is my all-time favourite beauty product and I would not be without it.

Loves xxx

Saturday 20 July 2013

My Favourite Hand Cream | Hand Food

My hands are pretty vile. My cuticles are constantly the object of disapproving looks from my mum and no matter what I do, they are always so so dry. I sometimes get a bit of eczema on there too to top it all off. Yummy! I have tried every hand cream under the sun it seems but only one comes up on top in my books. 




Cue Soap & Glory's Hand Food. It ticks every box for me and has a constant place in my handbag or on my dressing table. I refuse to leave the house without this baby.

The packaging is typical Soap & Glory; pretty, vintage and pink. I have the small travel version so it's perfect for my handbag and is nice and sturdy (the thought of having some form of spillage in the abyss of my bag makes me shudder with fear).

The smell is beyond yum! It has a typical Soap & Glory smell which subtly lingers for a couple of hours after application. I find myself sniffing myself which results in me looking like some weirdo but I don't care, I smell good! It has shea butter, macadamia oil and marshmallow which sounds like it would be really sweet and sickly but is actually really fresh and light.

It's quite thick but sinks in quickly and moisturises my scaly, sore hands straight away. I do have to put it on a couple of times a day but if you don't struggle with such flaky dry skin like me, this will do you for a whole day. 

Firm favourite and I will be repurchasing a million times over.

Loves xxx

Friday 19 July 2013

My Favourite Lipstick | Sephora 'Firework'

If anyone has ever seen my make up collection, you will know how ridiculously lip product obsessed I am. I have had to put a 'one in one out' policy on myself because I'm starting to look a bit mental. However, when I was in Paris I had to wander in Sephora on Champs-Elysses and the enormous selection of colours made me want to cry with happiness. The wonderful little French lady helped me pick a colour out of the fistfuls of wonderfulness I lovingly carried.




After a ton of swatches and in-depth discussion in a beautiful french accent mixed with my northern british one, this baby ended up in my collection. 'Firework' is a beautiful bright pink toned coral with a cream finish.

The packaging is a sleek black tube with a curved shape, my favourite bit being that it has a block of the colour on one end so I can see exactly what I'm picking up. The bullet itself is sturdy and practical.



The product goes on wonderfully creamy, meaning theres no dragging and doesn't dry out my lips! As it wears in, it goes much more matte but doesn't cling to any dry patches I may have. Something I've found other matte lipsticks can do, I don't want to have to put lip balm on first because I feel like this affects the pigmentation and lasting power which defeats the object of a lipstick!


The colour is so super pigmented, a little goes a long way and the staying power is incredible. If I don't eat or drink this can last almost all day! If I do eat and drink, it still lasts a good few hours but it fades gradually instead of going all weird and patchy.




This colour is my summer staple, it makes my teeth look whiter and a bright colour looks great with and without a tan! In. Love.

Loves xxx

Thursday 18 July 2013

My Favourite Palette | MUA Glamour Days

Now I know this palette may not be up everyones alley, to be honest I'm not really a palette collector. I own maybe 3? Considering I rarely leave the house without at least a sweep of colour on my lids, I think this is pretty bad.





I picked this palette up a few months ago and use it most days, it has a nice mixture of neutrals and brighter colours which I like to mix in when I'm going out. My favourite is the lightest shade - a shimmery cream colour. I use it to highlight my brow bones and the inner corners of my eyes. As you can see it's so well loved!

I also love the 3 purple tones, I have really dark brown eyes and purple really makes them pop so I have been using them a lot too.




The packaging is typical MUA; simple, sturdy but slightly cheap feeling but for the price you pay it isn't exactly a major problem.

The pigmentation is amazing on these, I was so surprised! I think I just picked this up on a whim because I liked a couple of the colours but I didn't expect how lovely the quality of these shadows are. They are so silky and blend wonderfully. I love pairing these with cream bases too and I'm currently using MUA's Pro Base eye primer underneath. 

They last for around 5 hours without creasing, a couple more hours with a primer. I think this is pretty good for what you pay. I also noticed there isn't a major problem with fallout, something which majorly irritates me about putting on eyeshadow. Although by the end of the day, there is a bit of smudging under my eyes. 

I love this palette and am considering picking up a couple more. Has anyone else tried any of MUA's palettes?

Loves xxx

Wednesday 17 July 2013

My Favourite Eyeliner | Maybelline 24hr Gel Liner

This probably won't come as much of a shock to most of you guys because this eyeliner is a bit of a cult classic. This was the first gel eyeliner I ever used (I finally took the plunge last year) and after using a few different ones, I raced back to this one.




I use an angled Barry M brush with this, the one that comes with the liner is a little flimsy for everyday use but great to throw in your handbag. This liner is great for just doing simple lines, flicks or can be smudged nicely to create a softer/smokier effect.




The consistency is thick enough to have great pigmentation and to last a long time but fluid enough so it's easy to work with. It dries really quick which is a massive bonus as I've found with a couple of gel liners they take a lot longer to dry, meaning you end up with smudges all across your lids. Nightmare! 




Once this stuff is on, you're pretty much set for the day (unless you keep rubbing your eyes like a mad woman). This is literally my every day staple, I will not leave the house without it on my face. It is going to take one super duper liner to get me to stop my endless repurchasing!

Have you tried this product?

Loves xxx

Tuesday 16 July 2013

My Favourite Blusher | Bourjois Cream Blush

This has been a very recent addition to my collection. I have a huge palette from Crown (see the full review here) and I've been loving the blushers in there but they're all pink based and I wanted something a little more peachy. Cue Bourjois Cream to Powder Blush in '02 Healthy Glow'.




I love Bourjois blushers anyway but I fancied a change from the usual powder blush so this little baby came home with me. Straight away I fell in love with it. I have used this every day since I bought it and I will be picking up another (if not all) of the other 3 shades on offer. 




The packaging is cute and perfect travel sized, plus I love a mirror in any product although I have no clue why. 




The colour is so pretty and just gives me a subtle healthy glow, I think the more peachy tones suit me a lot more than the pinker ones. It looks quite orange when you first apply it but once it's blended in it looks really natural. I use either my fingers or a Real Techniques contour brush (no clue why it just goes in nicer) to blend this onto the apples of my cheeks.




It did take a couple of goes to get used to working with this formula, it goes to powder quite quickly but the creaminess allows it to blend in so much nicer than any other blusher I've used. It also lasts ages! The recent heat has put all my make up to the test but this beauty has passed with flying colours so it will DEFINITELY be coming along with me to France next week.

You can pick this up for £7.99 here.

What is your favourite blush?

Loves xxx

Monday 15 July 2013

My Favourite Foundation | Bourjois Healthy Mix

What better way to start my Week of Beauty Favourites with the first make up product I put on my face of a morning. Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation has been a staple in my make up collection for years, I have tried different ones but nothing compares to this one and I have repurchased it countless times. 



Foundation is a really personal thing, everything looks different on everybody and everyone wants something different from their base. Personally, I like a medium coverage that gives me a nice glow without being shimmery or too cakey. I don't suffer with too many blemishes but I do have a lot of redness so I need something to combat this. 



Healthy Mix has a subtle fresh smell to it due to the fruit extracts in the formula. It is very light, with a fairly runny consistency. It blends quickly and easily into the skin, I use either my fingers or a Real Techniques buffing brush for a flawless finish. It doesn't block my pores like a lot of foundations do and I credit this as part of the reason why I don't suffer with too many spots or blemishes. 



It wears for around 6-8 hours on my skin, depending on how oily my skin is that day but I always use a powder over the top (at least on my T-Zone if not all over) and this definitely helps. It doesn't cling to the dry patches and I always get compliments on how fresh my skin looks whenever I use this.

The colour selection is quite limited, unfortunately, but I use number '52 Vanilla' and this does me pretty much all year round as it mixes nicely with a good bronzing powder.

For £9.99 this is my perfect foundation and it is going to take a lot to make me break this love affair. It is very easy to come by too, you can get it from boots here.

What is your favourite foundation?

Loves xxx

Sunday 14 July 2013

Summer 2013 Lookbook

Ooooh how lovely is this sun! It honestly gives me a teeny bit of hope that I may actually tan this summer. Anyhoo I just wanted to show you guys what I've been loving/will be wearing in this gorgeous weather so I've put together a little lookbook. This is a mixture of older pieces and things I've picked up over the last couple of weeks (mostly from Primark, I'm loving their Summer stuff this year!). Hope you like!


Colour Clash Maxi

I am totally in love with these maxis, I have a black one from last year (from a boutique I can't remember the name of) and found them so comfy and easy to wear. I also bought this in a coral colour, they look great in the summer with sandals or in the Autumn with a leather jacket and converse. I know I've always said I HATED the neon trend but this Summer seems to have converted me, but accessories only. I still can't seem to break my non-neon mental barrier. 


Cornflower Maxi - Primark £8
Jelly Shoes - Primark £4
Neon Satchel - Primark £9


Pretty in Mint



I think mints just one of those colours everybody can work. It instantly adds a hint of girly to anything and this Summer I can't get enough of it! This dress is super flattering and makes me feel gorgeous because even though it is short it stops at a flattering place on my bigger thighs and nips in at the waist. Plus the floaty fabric skims my tum and hips to create the optical illusion of less me. Flatforms are my new thing! They are the revolution I have been waiting for! I hate wearing just flats, I'm more of a sandals or boots girl (weather depending) and the odd pair of ballet flats I wear are for jeans only. I feel like I need something to elongate my little legs a bit more without the unbearable foot pain. In come these babies! SO glad I let my mum talk me into getting these.


Chiffon Dress - Primark £17
Flatforms - Topshop £42


Aztec Blur



I think this dress is my find of the season. I love the colours and the looser fit. The fabric also feels really nice for how little I paid for it and I love how versatile it is. BIG THUMBS UP. This necklace called to me, I could hear it whispering 'Emma...buy me...I'm so pretty' so it's not my fault. Blame the necklace. For Primark £10 is very pricey for a piece of jewellery but I do think it looks a lot more expensive than it was and it just adds something to the outfit.  


Printed Dress - Primark £13
Navy Ankle Socks - Primark £1.50
Flatforms - Topshop £42
Statement Necklace - Primark Limited Edition £10


Alright in White



I've had this dress for a couple of months, I actually took it travelling with me and wore it to death. Really flattering over my rounder parts and I'm not really a fan of getting my cleavage out so the high neck is perfecto. This necklace was a birthday present from an auntie aaaaages ago but every summer it pops back out to play. The colours are just so pretty and sparkly I always find an outfit to put it with. These wedges were from Matalan last Summer but are so comfy and don't hurt my feet nearly as much as most heels do. I can't remember the price but I have a feeling it was around the £15 mark? I know it was silly cheap and they do look and feel a lot more expensive than they are. I will continue to wear these until they literally disintegrate.


White Skater Dress - Primark £13
Tan Wedges - Matalan 
Statement Necklace - Oasis

Yes I am a dress girl in the Summer, I don't really wear shorts other than over my bikinis (and I don't want to terrify you all with a picture of that now do I). Hope you liked my little photoshoot! 

What are your favourite looks this summer?

Loves xxx

Thursday 11 July 2013

She's Too Pure To Be Pink

Well today I've had a stroke of Summer madness and have sort of maybe...kinda....dyed my hair pink? Well not properly, I have used Loreal Feria Pastel Pink Toning Conditioner so it washes out. But what the hell! It's Summer!




I have had Ombre hair for around 6/7 months now and have just kept a nice natural dark blonde to contrast my natural dark brunette hair. After seeing this little baby in Boots I thought I'd give it a whirl to refresh my blonde bits and give myself a little grin.

The stuff just goes on like a thick conditioner, I decided to go down this route also because I'm very allergic to most hair dyes (particularly those containing PPD) so this seemed like a weaker solution and less likely for an A and E trip. It smells really nice actually and, although it says leave on for 15 minutes, after a bit of Googling I decided to go for a 30 minute soak up. It is a toning conditioner so it won't damage my hair anywhere near as much as my usual bleaching does and it has a rich formula to hopefully add a nice shine to it.


Before...

After...

I wasn't so sure how well this was going to take on my hair because it's kind of at that faded slightly gingery stage now but I'm really pleased with the subtle tint it's given my hair, particularly when the sun catches it. So summery and pretty but if you want a really pink shade, I think you need to have very light/white dyed hair. Plus my hair feels so super nourished and soft so bonus!! Love love love! Just wish it won't fade so fast.

Have you been experimenting with your hair colour this summer?

Loves xxx

Saturday 6 July 2013

Holiday Wishlist

Oooo happy summer blog lovelies! In celebration of the sunshine, I've put together a little wishlist for my holidays. Hope you like!



1. Bubblegum Bandeau Bikini - Topshop £21 
I'm in love with the colour of this, would look stunning with a tan! 

2. Mint Cami -  Topshop £18
Because we all love a bit of mint

3. Grey Strappy Maxi Dress - Topshop £18
These are so comfy! I love the soft colour, would look great with some colour pop accessories.

4. Rhianna Green Tie Dye Shorts - Rhianna for River Island £35
Tie dye just is summer to me, and the high waist would be super flattering over my bigger hips.

5. Houla Fine Stud Sandals - Topshop £28
Gladiators + studs = happy Emma


So I've gone a bit Topshop mad but who cares!

What are your Summer pieces?

Loves xxx